Yes, A Short Sale .. Is An "As-Is" Sale - And Here Is Why... - 02/26/10 09:42 PM
Recently I wrote about the importance of NOT using certain keywords when marketing real estate listings.  There is one exception to this.  SHORT SALE. Two dirty little words Realtors hate to see pop up in the remarks of a real estate listing.  However, the circumstances of the sale must be noted.  Buyer beware.  A SHORT SALE can present complexity.
Think SHORT SALE and two additional words usually come to mind - AS  IS. 
Yes, a SHORT SALE transaction is almost always an AS  IS sale.
It's just that simple.
In a short sale situation the homeowner is behind in making mortgage … (61 comments)

Will Lenders Process Short Sales Faster As The Tax Credit Deadline Approaches? - 02/24/10 01:44 PM
As buyers are scrambling to find new homes just in time to cash in on home buyer tax credits, what can we come to expect from the lenders when it come to short sale approval?   This question came up the other day as attorneys involved in the sale of one of my short sale listings went back and forth about making revisions to the closing date of the contract. 
Of course the buyer wants to close on the property before the end of June closing deadline for the first time buye's $8,000 tax credit.  The problem is that the seller's lender … (3 comments)

Those Were The Days My Friends, We Thought They'd Never End - 02/21/10 11:19 AM
The mall parking lot was FULL of cars.  I almost had to park in the next county. Once inside, it wasn't long before I made  an interesting observation.  As I rushed through the mall to get only what I went there for and nothing else, this song came to my mind.  I was making a mental note. Seems more and more people these days are strolling the mall without carrying bags containing new purchases. Have we turned into window shoppers?  Do they all feel like I do?
I began to reflect on how every time I make a trip to the mall now, … (12 comments)

Realtor.com Advertisement Says This Price Is FIRM. What Do You Think? - 02/20/10 11:31 AM
I couldn't believe my eyes the other day as I was perusing the realtor.com website and viewing out of state homes for sale.  As a Realtor, shopping as a consumer, I am amazed at the comments I see when viewing listing information.  The comment that caught my eye was  THIS PRICE IS FIRM. ...Really?  FIRM?
So, as a buyer and not a Realtor I told myself right away that I was not interested in that property.  



FIRM?
The greatest lesson I learned about the word FIRM was from another Realtor who once sold my own house.  She … (67 comments)

The Elderly Need To Take Baby Steps ...And, Adult Children Should Not Rush Them - 02/15/10 12:25 PM
  If it looks and feels like decades of comfortable living - it probably is. The house is dated and the carpet is worn but this was once somebody's home.  Don't laugh at the decor and furnishings - the same harvest gold color scheme as the kitchen appliances.  This was once THE style along with that pink bathtub.  A time warp.  Maybe modest by today's standards, but somebody was proud of this place.  The air is stale, like the house was closed up for a while. But, it hasn't been totally neglected. Maybe only recently abandoned. Well, at least the house … (30 comments)

Don't Hire A Real Estate Professional Who Might Be A Hot-Head? - 02/11/10 10:29 AM
In today's challenging real estate market, temperament is everything.  Some real estate professionals are driven by their own passion to negotiate and advocate for their clients.  But, sometimes egos get in the way.  Did you know that too much emotion can kill a deal?  Regardless of the challenges this market presents, a real estate professional should be calm and objective at all times.
Unfortunately, there are real estate professionals who let their emotions get the best of them and burn bridges as they go about doing day to day business with others.  This happens in every profession.  But, real estate?  This … (5 comments)

Your Condo Needs Staging And Your Realtor Needs A Makeover. - 02/07/10 07:48 PM
Super Bowl Sunday.  One hour and counting down the minutes until pre-game.  Call me a procrastinator, but I needed to get to the grocery store - fast.  I wasn't being a Sunday slacker.  It's just that with many projects happening around the house, I put off taking a much needed shower and getting the Super Bowl snacks.
So, quick.  A fast shower is all I had time for.  I threw on a sweatshirt, but skipped the make-up and then I pulled my hair back into a ponytail.  I glanced quickly into the mirror and shrugged.  Who cares.  And, off I raced … (26 comments)

Sellers, What's For Dinner? Maybe It's A Recipe For Disaster? - 02/06/10 04:57 PM

I unlocked the door and opened it just a crack.  Suddenly, I was overcome by the aroma. The seller had prepared the Sunday dinner.  It was a cold winter day, the kind where we just want to curl up by the fire with a blanket and look forward to comfort food.  But, this seller had to leave the house to accommodate a showing. 
Comfort food in the crock-pot might have seemed like a well thought out plan.  And, since it was an 11am showing, I'm guessing that this crock-pot meal had just been prepared whitin the last hour or two because it didn't … (17 comments)

I Might Not Want Every Listing ...And, Here Is Why - 02/01/10 09:25 PM
Do you trust your instincts?  As Realtors, sometimes we have to understand when the chemistry with a potential client is just not right. One thing I can appreciate about the real estate business is that I can pick and chose WHO to do business with.  Usually, I am not too selective, but sometimes I have to make a business decision based on anticipated return on investment which is measured by the estimated time, effort and money I might have to spend to get results and get paid. I weigh all these factors while speculating how long a potential client might need to utilize my … (15 comments)

 

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