Hey all you Realtors who sell properties at higher prices – your secret is out.
A recent study conducted by the research group Applied Financial Economics has revealed the astonishing truth about why some Realtors are more successful selling houses at higher prices than others. No, they’re not harder workers. In fact, the study found they were exactly the opposite. And no, they’re not better organized, have better marketing, use more advanced technology or have the latest real estate app on their smart phones. It’s actually a lot simpler than that.
They’re prettier.
Yup. They tested the sales results of groups of physically attractive agents against less attractive ones and found that If you look like Angelina Jolie, you can sell a house at a higher price than if you look like, say, Bronco Nagurski.
Not that this apparently God-given break helped attractive Realtors earn more money. It seems that though the beautiful ones got more per listing, their annual earnings were pretty much the same as the mud hens of the real estate world. So instead of working hard and earning more, these pretty things could slack off a bit. Undoubtedly spending time at the Mani-Pedi instead of grinding out cold calls on expired listings and FSBO’s.
But this is actually great news for ALL Realtors everywhere, whether you look like Brad Pitt or a slag pit. According to the IRS, Real estate agents can deduct any business expense that is both ordinary and necessary to make a profit. Typically, agents deduct advertising costs, professional and licensing fees, educational costs, some expenses associated with the business use of their home office, and automobile expenses when they were associated with business use.
But this study is a game changer! Why? Because if personal beauty is necessary to make better deals, IT MUST BE TAX DEDUCTIBLE!
So girls, is it time for that nip and tuck? Deductible! Nose job? Deductible! New boobs? Go for the double D’s! Your new knockers will knock thousands off your adjusted gross income.
I’m no expert here, but I’m guessing this newly discovered business secret will allow thousands of dollars worth of new tax deductions for us real estate professionals. How ‘bout gym fees? Goodbye “Y,” hello Madison Square Club. This tony Manhattan club offering state of the art workouts can reduce my AGI down by their annual fees of $26,000 a year!
Cosmetics have to be included too. So CVS is out. My wrinkles will now be the sole responsibility of Ole Hendrickson and his Night Replenishing Skin Cream. Botox? Count me in and send the bill to my accountant. Tanning? Sounds worthy. I’ll be doing mine in Antigua, and putting down the cost of the drink with the little umbrella in it sitting next to me in the sand as part of my hydration therapy.
This is actually great news too for the economy. Since we all now have an incentive to look beautiful at government expense, we’ll ALL be selling homes for more, driving up prices, and putting a stop to falling home values. There just might be a Nobel in economics in this for us!
So get out there and get beautiful! I know I am, right after a few cold calls to some expireds that came up today. Oh, and I need to call a FSBO I spotted this morning coming home from the “Y.”
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