my old blog

According to Wikipedia, "Highest and best use is a concept in real estate appraisal. It states that the value of a property is directly related to the use of that property; the highest and best use is the reasonably probable use that produces the highest property value. This use, the Highest and ...

Some clients are transferring to another state later this year and need to sell their home.  They bought at the peak of the boom and are about to lose $40-$50K when their house goes on the market.  This is a huge amount, especially for a young couple just starting out. They don't have enough equi...

This is a busy time of year as we reflect on the year almost gone and make plans for the new one.  It's exciting to think of the unlimited possibilities that lie ahead and prepare to start afresh with new ideas and resolve. My business plan for 2009 is underway and will be ready to implement on J...

Today I read a blog titled "Are you really willing to change?" It chastened those who responded to a previous blog in which the author emphatically stated that lockboxes should not be used and that the listing agent should always be present at showings in order to point out features to potential ...

Do you ever start out researching a particular topic on the internet and get sidetracked? It happens to me all the time.  If I were able to focus on the task at hand, I think I could accomplish my goal in just a few minutes.  But many internet sites/pages make this difficult.  Most are so crammed...

 This book is visually appealing, small enough to take everywhere you go, easy to read and full of good insights, inspiration, and calls to action.  On page one, the author states "At the beginning of any task, more than anything else, your attitude will affect its successful outcome". If this is...

We closed today on a short sale that's been in the works for some time and were happy to be getting a paycheck so close to the holidays ... but no paycheck.  At the closing table, the attorney told us that short sales were getting flaky.  The title company recently had two experiences where the b...

If you think the offer that was submitted is a good one and likely to be the best one the bank will receive, it's your job to convince the bank to accept it. Most banks will order an appraisal and use that as the basis for their decision. Unfortunately, with the slowdown in sales, some of the com...

There are many details to take care of when you are listing a house for sale and providing all the information about a property that buyers may find important is critical. You may not think that calculating acreage for a property with less than an acre is important, but many buyers are looking fo...

Figure out the best features of your home and find a way to emphasize them: Design a flyer with pictures & stories about special features or experiences you've had in your home. This can evoke emotions that make a house more valuable to a buyer. For example, having your morning coffee with your s...