Over a couple of glasses of wine last night, I had a revelation:
In this current market, a good house is like a fine wine.

Now, you might think that I wasn't thinking too clearly or that it was the wine talking, but hear me out: in today's tougher markets, across the country, the homes that are selling quickly and for top dollar (or as close to top dollar as we can get these days) are the exceptional ones. Gone are the days when homes fly off the market, regardless of their condition and upkeep. These days, as I'm sure you've heard over and over, "It's a Price War and a Beauty Contest."

But it's more than that.

Now, I'm no wine expert - heck, I can't even pronounce "sommelier" (well, maybe I wouldn't go that far), but I know what I like and what I don't - the same with houses.

I know that I like homes that are clean. Homes in which the colors are soothing and pleasing. Homes that have a variety of living spaces, from formal to informal, indoor and outdoor, homes with versatility. I like homes that are light and airy. Homes that are updated, homes that don't feel stuffy. Homes that smell good. Homes that feel comfortable. Some of the things that attract me to a home are things that I can't quite put my finger on - they have a certain "je ne sais quoi" about them - some buyers will say, "It just feels like home," even though they can't quite verbalize why. And sometimes with wine I know that I like what I'm drinking but I couldn't tell you exactly why.

Like a good house, wine has to smell appealing, appetizing. It has to be comfortable. It should be versatile. The color should be attractive, pleasing. It should be well-balanced.

That's when I realized it - it's the subtle things. And that is, from what I've heard from those who know much more than I do about vino, the same with wine. It's the subtleties. The hints of "color" and "texture" and "the nose". The things that I don't necessarily understand about wine, but I know they are there.

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Maura Neill, ABR, CRS, MA
The Gebhardt Group
RE/MAX Greater Atlanta
10220 Medlock Bridge Road
Johns Creek, GA 30097

(770) 238-0595
email: Maura@GebhardtGroup.com
website: http://www.GebhardtGroup.com/
blog: http://www.GebhardtGroupBlog.com/

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Photo Credit: "A glass of wine" - Posted to flickr.com by gutter - December 13, 2008