Perhaps you’ve heard the tale of Colby Sambrotto, founder of the website ForSaleByOwner.com, who used a REALTOR® to sell his New York apartment. In 2011, The Wall Street Journal reported that Sambrotto hired an agent after an unsuccessful attempt to sell the home on his own. ForSaleByOwner.com is a website that charges fees to homeowners […]
The holiday season is here! For many families, decorating their home for the holiday season is a time-honored tradition and provides some quality family time during a busy time of the year. Sellers with their home on the market during the holiday season often ask me if they should skip their holiday traditions and not […]
If your house is “decorated” with Nintendo Wii remotes on the floor, bikes in the driveway, Barbie on the couch and legos….well, legos everywhere, you have some work to do before going to market. It can be very challenging for home-selling parents of young children to keep their house “show ready” (looking its best.) Being […]
The term ‘specialist’ is defined as “A person who concentrates primarily on a particular subject or activity; a person highly skilled in a specific and restricted field.” We already know that a Realtor is a specialist in the field of real estate. However, what makes someone a neighborhood specialist? A neighborhood specialist is someone who […]
I recently received a fax advertisement that said “List your home on the MLS for only $395.00.” The ad goes on to talk about how you can list your home on the MLS (Multiple Listing Service) without paying a Realtor’s commission. While I realize that in this challenging housing market it is a tempting scenario […]
Many factors influence a successful home sale. Factors like location, market conditions, and interest rates can all affect the final purchase price. However, too often, the home seller’s emotions get in the way of achieving the best deal possible. Everyone believes their home is their castle -and why wouldn’t they? When making what was probably […]
The National Association of Realtors (NAR) is holding a nation-wide Open House Weekend on April 28 & 29. Since NAR will be doing extensive national advertising, the time is right to have a professional Realtor host an Open House for you. Here are some additional reasons why holding an Open House makes sense on Open […]
A common dilemma faced by many homebuyers is choosing between purchasing a newer home, maybe 10-20 years old or younger, and an older one. Many buyers have their minds set on a newer home in order to avoid major expenses that are typical with older homes. Some of the anticipated expenses of older homes include […]
We all see the signs on the side of the road, sometimes sporting balloons, announcing an Open House nearby. Whether you are looking to buy a house or not, it is a great idea to stop by. There are many reasons why people come to open houses, but typically, they can be broken down into […]
I recently hosted an Open House for one of my colleagues. The house was a very spacious four-bedroom colonial loaded with plenty of high-end, quality upgrades. However, as the majority of guests failed to comment on or notice the beautiful wood floors, high-end molding, or Anderson windows, I understood exactly why -they were too distracted […]