Our sellers often ask “does leaving my home on the market over the holidays make any sense?” Well, unless you’re entertaining 25 of your family and friends for a full two weeks over the holidays, our answer to that question is probably going to be a resounding “Yes!” There’s no doubt about it,…
Working toward a goal? Take it slow and steady. As a broker, there’s nothing I like better than seeing a new agent come into my office with energy, enthusiasm, and real motivation. These agents are my favorites—first, because that kind of outlook is contagious, and second, because a motivated agent is sure to succeed.…
Before I opened my own real estate office and when I was managing three sales offices, overseeing the sales activities of close to 100 agents, I would often have an agent drop into my office, slump in the chair on the other side of my desk, and declare, “I think I should send out a…
As a self-employed professional, balance is a difficult concept to embrace. Particularly in the early stages of starting your own business, it’s hard not to work all the time. There is always something more to be done. In truth, your work has no end. No doubt you have those friends who tell you how “lucky”…
Are you asking the right questions? Or, rather, are you asking questions right? We all know the old adage, “Buyers are Liars”. But, of course, we don’t really think our buyers are liars. What we mean by this is that our buyers very often don’t know what they really want. And if they don’t understand…
One of my agents recently worked with buyers, the proverbial empty nester couple, who were selling their home in the suburbs to buy a new home in the city. Let’s call them Sue and Bob. Sue and Bob, unfortunately, had a very bad experience just before meeting my agent. They had gone to an…
Let’s face it, the real estate industry has less than stellar reputation. Believe me, we’ve witnessed it firsthand. The reality is, not all agents are professional, polished and truly committed to client service. And, as with all industries, it’s a small few that often color the reputation of the group overall. We understand the…
We are asked this question often, and the answer is fairly straightforward: the best time to sell is when it’s best for YOU. Yes, there’s certainly a seasonality to the real estate cycle. We might not recommend putting your home on the market the day before Thanksgiving or July 4th. In general, holidays are…
When you’ve lived in your home for 30, perhaps even 40, years, trying to visualize your next home can feel next to impossible. Selling a house after so much time and so many memories is no small undertaking. There are the logistics of preparing for the sale, the decluttering, the small repairs, and the…
I want to tell you a story about one of my friends, let’s call her Mary. I have a great deal of admiration and respect for Mary. She’s smart, brave, independent, a shrewd business woman, and she doesn’t like relying on anyone for anything. That includes real estate. Which is why, despite our great friendship,…