You’re buying your Monday mornings
You're buying your Monday mornings. And your Friday afternoons, and your weekends ... and the people next door ... Showing property this weekend, I put words to a change that I have recognized as the market has shifted. My clients have the luxury of time…
Real estate will always be local
But the tools used to display that local content and data will not be. Forsalebylocals notes the value of local content, coincidentally on the same day that I received a heads-up about a new data mashup startup, Fortius One, which looks quite interesting. Ideally, FortiusOne…
Dual Agency, selling advice and how to avoid getting sued
Jeremy has a nice summary of the perils of dual agency. Of note, he also gives an example of why it may be unwise to say never. My call to action is still in the works. Often times as agents representing the seller, we receive…
Empowered buyers’ online tools
Today's buyers in the Charlottesville market (and everywhere else) are far, far more empowered and knowledgeable about local real estate than they ever have been, thanks to the internet. Buyers are contacting Realtors after they have done a significant amount of research using tools with…
Dual Agency under fire in Virginia?
From the head of the Commonwealth of Virginia's Real Estate Board, Schaefer Oglesby: We are still seeing numerous cases involving dangerous practice of dual agency. Remember, if something goes wrong with the transaction, you are probably at fault. (italics and bolding mine)The newsletter is here…
Reflections on this weekend
This weekend I had the opportunity to meet with two different buyers, both of whom are going to be Medical Residents at UVA, and I hope I listened well. 1) "Your blog is very helpful - more-so than your website." While somewhat difficult to hear,…
How do you choose your Realtor?
"I shop for the person who puts themselves in my shoes." Said to me by a prospective client who was interviewing agents last week. I would like to think that more Realtors take this approach.
Negotiating in Charlottesville’s Buyer’s Market
When responding to a counter offer on a condo in Charlottesville this week, this was my response as the Buyer's Agent, with some edits for this post. Seller is asking nearly $200k; we offered $184k. There are currently (not including any unrepresented Sellers) ten active…
Posts with enduring value
It's amazing how often I refer to this blog in conversations with clients and even fellow agents. Here are a few of the stories I have written over the last two+ years that answer many questions real estate buyers, sellers and others may find interesting,…
Top 5 Questions Home buyers ask
.. And why Realtors can't answer most of them. Riffing off of the WSJ's timely article this morning: 1- Are there kids in this neighborhood? Look for balls, bikes and playground sets. Despite the fact that most families with kids want to live in neighborhoods…