Negotiate anything
Even real estate contracts. If more Realtors and buyers and sellers could or would recognize these simple facts, we would all be better off. Good negotiations are not personal. When buyers and sellers focus on what the other person is getting, negotiations deteriorate. I remember…
Best listing remarks of the day
Seen in the Charlottesville MLS this morning for a new listing in a great location close to Barracks Road and Barracks Road shopping center - !!! NOTE!!!NOTE!!!NOTE!!! This house had a fire. During the reconstruction house was foreclosed on. THE DRYWALL STAGE HAS BEEN COMPLETED.…
Words all home sellers and listing agents should read
Tracking the Bloodhound Unchained conference in Phoenix via Twitter ... and in particular, Russell Shaw, listing agent extraordinaire (which is likely underestimating him) ... for a quick bona fides on Russell Shaw, read this: If you think traditional Realtors have had it rough imagine what…
Notes from a mortgage broker in Charlottesville
Thanks to a conversation in a closing yesterday morning: 1 - Many of his lenders are eliminating second mortgages in favor of PMI (which is tax deductible). 2 - The 22903 zip code may be marked by Fannie Mae as a "declining market" - our…
Seeking a defense of Single-Agent Dual Agency
Will anybody defend the practice of the same Realtor representing both a buyer and seller on the same transaction? Find out at VARBuzz.
How not to sell your house
2 - Don't call the Realtor with qualified buyers back for nine hours. 3 - Don't allow the house to be shown until after 5pm. The above are two reasons that unrepresented sellers frequently have a harder time selling their properties. The reason is simple…
Image stabilizer for real estate photography
The bane of my existence when photographing properties I am marketing is camera shake. This video, (hat tip to Book of Joe), shows an easy way to fix that problem. Now, to get a new listing on which to try out this trick ...
Assessments, property taxes and shifting market values in Albemarle County
Albemarle County's real estate assessments are now going to be done annually rather than biennually (contrast that with Nelson County to the south re-assesses every five years). I just received a call from an appraiser working for the county. He noticed that one of my…
Whither false blame?
After yesterday's comments, a rebuttal is almost redundant. This all might be a proverbial tempest in a teapot, as most people with any familiarity with the real estate business learn early on the difference between a real estate broker, an agent (who is an independent…
What if I see something the inspector doesn’t see?
A simple argument against dual agency. In speaking to a respected listing agent last week while negotiating an offer, she assured me that I wouldn't have to worry about her selling the listing herself via Dual Agency. (the thought had never entered my mind, as…