Syracuse Real Estate /Debra Lawrence's Blog

First Time Homebuyers are out in force and they are buying!!!! Some without help!

Syracuse Real Estate /Debra Lawrence (RealtyUSA) — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 08:42:11 -0700

Personally, I have not seen the market like this in years! It's refreshing to see so many people out there trying to achieve the goal of buying their first home. Open houses are producing record numbers of visitors and frankly, you almost can't handle them all! Sellers if they price their home right, are selling within days and sometimes hours with multiple offers due to the lack of inventory in some areas and price ranges. The one thing that perplexes me is when a buyer either comes to a open or calls me about a listing to view it and when I ask if they have a agent...I hear " we are free agents " we are looking on our own, we don't need a realtor, we just look on the internet and when we find a house we want to see, we call the agent. Then a few minutes will go by and they tell me about all the houses they just missed out on!!!! "Why is that" I ask? Surprisingly it's because they didn't know about them in time!!!! Why? Because they didn't have a realtor watching out for them! Even when I bring this up and even when I tell them how our fee is paid by the seller in most cases....they still don't want to concede and take help! I wonder if it's that they feel they will get a better deal from the listing agent? or if for some reason they feel that they will be pushed or pressured about buying. I would welcome any further discussion about this and what anyone has done to over come this objection.

Agents....Please re-evaluate your listings!!!!!!!!!!

Syracuse Real Estate /Debra Lawrence (RealtyUSA) — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 09:03:57 -0800

Yesterday, I was out showing homes and I have to say that I was embarrassed! The market here is good but....prices need to be adjusted and realistic! You can't put a price on a home that is so tired it needs a transfusion!!! Paneling, shag carpet, gas leak and dirt does not make for a pleasant showing experience!!! If you can't talk to your seller or if your seller won't listen then move on and don't ruin your credibility because your seller is mentally in 2005!!! This is a professional business and we need to be more professional...not take listings just to have one!!! Please!!!! Don't waste our time!!

I heard something funny

Syracuse Real Estate /Debra Lawrence (RealtyUSA) — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 13:57:39 -0800

Recently, I was on a real estate forum and read some of the entries. I was surprised that there were people discussing the market and how they really did not want or feel they needed to work with a realtor. There was some banter back and forth between a few people...clearly one of the people was all for using a professional to purchase a home....the other two were very sure that doing it yourself was the way to go. "Realtors only are looking out for themselves" to make money. I was a little surprised that there were people that still felt that way when after 19 years of selling homes I feel that realtors are so much more consumer oriented with the required training by the DOS, Ethics laws, and the range of services that we provide....and to a buyer, it's generally free since the seller normally pays the commission (unless it's agreed upon up front the buyer is paying). I am hoping that if anyone reads this and has chosen not to work with a realtor...give this some further consideration, I know of folks that did go it alone and in most cases did not have a positive experience without having someone watching out for their best interests and would never do it again with out a professional.

The Syracuse Real Estate Market

Syracuse Real Estate /Debra Lawrence (RealtyUSA) — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 10:31:25 -0700

While there is so much in the news about the real estate market nationwide, the Syracuse and Central New York market is unique. There is much acitivity in our area with the Carousel Mall expansion, Convention Hotel, Children's Hospital, the new WCNY project....just to name a few. Finally, Central New York is getting it's due. We are centrally located and hours from major cities in surrounding and near by states. Even Lowe's has opened a regional office here in Liverpool. The obviously know something is happening here!!! There is also easy access to anywhere by car, rail or plane. I personally have had my best year ever and continue to see activity in our market. Open house visits are brisk and people attend even if they do not plan to sell or buy until next year. A couple Fridays ago there was a gentleman by the name of Cramer, on the Today's show that was a expert in the stock market tell the country..."Don't you dare buy a house right now!" I was horrified....he claimed there was no where in the country that had a decent market! I wrote the Today show and told them a story.....Back in the late 90's, I sold a home to a couple. They were first time homebuyers and the market was well, less than exciting. They purchased this home for approx $75,000. At that time everyone was boo hoo-ing the market just like they are now. This year I sold their home for $137,000!!! So, to those who are afraid to buy right now.....remember, the market here is unique and if that couple had listened to all the ney sayers back then....they would not have made the profit they made had they waited for the market to change!!!