selling: Pricing on the 9s....WHY??? - 03/08/14 06:07 AM
  When you go to the grocery store, you see prices for your daily consumables, usually ending in $.99.  Same thing with cars...this late model peach is $19,999!  Under $20k!  Today only!  It is obviously a psychological strategy, and I am certain it has its place.  Just not in real estate.  Let me tell explain:You probably know that over 90% of home buyers start their search on the internet.  That's how business is done in 2014.  Consumers have access to EVERYTHING!  Every listing on the market is easily found, and on thousands of websites (a side note here...it irks me when … (1 comments)

selling: Be Realistic! Why Overpricing is Especially Bad in a Hot Market. - 10/01/13 06:51 AM
It's October, traditionally nearing the end of the selling season.  This year is a little different however.  I am not sure how your market is (remember, real estate markets are LOCAL!), but ours is still hot.  The interest rates have come back down significantly, there is still very low inventory, lots of buyers are out there, and homes are going for full price or more, often after only a few days on the market.   
I have had a number of listing appointments recently.  Some sellers have been realistic, some not so realistic.  
When I say "realistic", I am talking … (1 comments)

selling: Strategies for a Seller's Market - 05/18/13 07:26 AM
Hello everyone!  I really appreciate you taking the time to read this! 
Here we are in Mid May.  The true HEART of the selling season.  And what a selling season it has been so far.  I've been a broker for about 9 years, and I have never seen anything like this.  I figured I would check in with some of the "old time" agents that have been around for 30+ years.  I wanted to ask them what they thought about our market.  Every one of them said the same thing.  Craziest seller's market of all time. 
So we adapt to circumstances.  For buyers....I … (1 comments)

selling: “Sold Before Published” …. Why This Isn’t Necessarily A Good Thing for a Seller - 03/07/13 07:39 AM

Welcome spring, the real estate market missed you!  It’s now March, the true beginning of the selling season.  Traditionally, every year at this time we start to see more and more listings hit the market until June when the inventory generally peaks out and then starts trailing off.  
 
As a Realtor, one of my main functions every day is to scour the market for new real estate listings.  It is the first thing I do every morning, again at lunch, and then again in the afternoon.  Sometimes I literally am looking 10 times a day for new listings.  … (3 comments)

selling: Today in Fort Collins, CO--BE PREPARED FOR 2013, SELLERS!! - 01/02/13 01:56 AM
How can I get the word out?  Can you help? 
How can we let the sellers know that we NEED MORE LISTINGS?  We are so short on inventory here in northern CO.  Houses are selling for significantly more than last year...all the numbers are trending upward...average price, median price, number of sold units, etc.  All the numbers except DAYS ON MARKET, which has been steadily dropping now for a while.
So...as a seller, right now you have a big opportunity, at least here in northern CO (and remember, real estate markets are LOCAL so that is all I am talking about, … (0 comments)

selling: Keep Your Emotions in Check - How To Negotiate Your Best House Buy! - 01/05/12 04:13 AM
Keep your emotions in check and your eyes on the goal, and you’ll pay less when purchasing a home.
When negotiating a house sale, for every concession you make, ask for something in return. Image: Westend61/Getty Images
 
Buying a home can be emotional, but negotiating the price shouldn’t be. The key to saving money when purchasing a home is sticking to a plan during the turbulence of high-stakes negotiations. A real estate agent who represents you can guide you and offer you advice, but you are the one who must make the final decision during each round of offers and … (6 comments)

selling: Get Serious! 5 Steps to Selling in a Tough Market! - 11/15/11 05:47 AM
What do you need to do to sell your home in a tough market?
Here are some ideas to get your going!
Step One: Make Your Spaces Look LargerBring your furniture in off of the walls. This will make the room look larger as opposed to smaller. It may take some getting used to, but the less that is touching the walls, the better. This is definitely contingent on the size and shape of the room, but if you have to remove a piece of furniture or two so it doesn't look crowded, do that too!
Step 2: Clean it upGet … (3 comments)

selling: Locks, Cleaning and Strangers Galore! - 11/11/11 07:55 AM
What to Expect After Listing Your Home:
When listing a house, a lot of people don't know what to expect after the sign has been put up and the documents for listing signed.
Knowing what to expect when your house goes up for sale can be half the battle of getting through the transaction. Most people are a bit excited when they put their house on the market. Hopefully, they are moving up to a better home or off to new challenges in another city.
Sor some, the sales process is simple, but for most, the sales process can be an … (0 comments)