One of the primary values a Realtor brings to a transaction is representation – representation of his client’s best interests. How can a Realtor advocate for the best interests of both parties and still maintain the perception of fairness and full representation? In my mind, there is a difference between treating all parties fairly and honestly and being able to advocate with 100% vigor for one party. Realtors practice dual agency all the time – successfully. Never had I had someone remark how much they appreciated their agent representing both sides. I have been told numerous times by clients how they perceived their agent in a shady, less-than-honest manner because that agent had both the buyer and seller…. In a divorce, would you have the same attorney represent both parties?* As I was researching another post, I came across this post on Dual Agency. I read just the headline before writing this post, as I didn’t want to be influenced.
Browsing Category Sellers
Tips to sell your house
Thanks to Seth Weinstein, guest on CNBC this morning:
1. Price your home correctly
2. Curb appeal
3. Simplify the interior
4. Freshen up the interior
5. Good “mechanical” order
KISS: Keep it Simple, Stupid.
What will it take?
Talking to one of my clients last evening, discussing why his property has not yet sold, we discussed how I, despite having been in the business for almost five years (a grizzled veteran based on the number of new agents out there), have seen only the “boom” in the market. There are a lot of incentives out there that we haven’t seen before.
A sign of the times
The market is changing – I saw this this morning on craigslist, long the hub of those attempting to (and often successfully) sell their homes without representation.
New podcast for Minor Ridge listing
The evolution continues …Â Podcast!
Great post on housing valuation
Merv has an outstanding post this afternoon. Read the whole thing.TAX ASSESSMENTS HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE MARKET VALUE OF A HOMEAPPRAISALS HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE MARKET VALUE OF A HOMECMA’S HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE MARKET VALUE OF A HOMEZILLOW ZESTIMATES HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE MARKET VALUE OF A HOMEYOUR NEIGHBOR’S OPINION HAS NOTHING DO TO DO WITH THE MARKET VALUE OF A HOMEWHAT YOUR NEIGHBOR’S SOLD FOR 6 MONTHS AGO HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE MARKET VALUE OF A HOMEALL OF THE ABOVE HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE MARKET VALUE OF A HOME (Bolding Mine)If you have questions about how one arrives at a house’s value, read this article.
Staging homes
Staging a home – more and more this is becoming an absolute must. Buyers now have more options than they have had in some time, so Sellers must actually do some work to prepare their homes for multiple showings. The property I am marketing now in Minor Hill is one of the best-prepared homes I have seen in some time (the fact that it is my listing is beside the point; the owners are meticulous and well-prepared).This is an excellent article that lays out some simple tips on staging. They are all good advice; the best one is the most simple – “Don’t skip a single room: “Which rooms wouldn’t you want to sell?”” I hired professional stagers for my property in Wintergreen. They did an excellent job. The house is sparsely decorated, and they took the time to analyze the property’s best features and then highlight said features.