Often times, an owner will interview multiple REALTORS® when deciding to list their property for sale. When I go to a listing presentation, I bring information about myself, and how I can market the property. I bring a full binder to leave with the seller, of the research and data that I did on the…
Often, I run into REALTORS® that have been in the business forever, yet still don’t seem to know what they are doing. I had a listing in Fort Lauderdale, and a buyer’s agent could show the property by using the Supra lockbox. A Supra is an electronic lockbox that only REALTORS® can access with their…
RISMedia had a helpful article on ways that you can make your move easier. http://blog.rismedia.com/2015/10-shortcuts-to-make-your-move-easier/ Here are their tips: Find Freebies: They warn you not to get supermarket cartons, since they may contain food residue. Instead, they suggest using Craigslist or Freecycle.org to get boxes. Pack to Unpack: Pack the kitchen first (it has the most…
With many parties in a real estate transaction, it is important that everyone works together, as best as possible. I had some buyers looking for a second home condo in Aventura. There was a condo that they had interest in, but went on a vacation shortly after they saw it. The REALTOR® followed up multiple…
You often hear people brag about their REALTOR® being a “Pit bull.” They want a REALTOR® who is going to “go to battle for them” in a sense. They want their REALTOR® to get them everything. But, you have to stop and think about that as a big picture. A real estate transaction is between buyer…
It is important for REALTORS® to stay up on contracts, since they often are updated. Recently the contracts were updated due to the new TRID guidelines. In my 12 years of doing real estate, I can’t tell you how many times I have seen REALTORS® using forms that are 5-10 years old. Along with contracts,…
Hurricane season ended November 30, which means, here in South Florida, we enter the Snowbird Season. That means more traffic and second-home buyers are here! Real estate is busiest over the summer in South Florida, as families prefer to move before their children start school. Around Halloween, it starts to slow, as people start focusing more…
I had a listing in Hollywood, with a seller I had known for ten years. We took a contract within a week, and the buyer asked for my seller’s number, in case he had any basic questions. As we went through the transaction, the buyer started emailing the seller directly, copying the REALTORS®. Then he…
Working with people from different areas, you find that many people have different expectations of how real estate should go. Real estate varies per area, which is why it is important to ask your REALTOR® what you can expect. I had a buyer who used to be a REALTOR® in California, and was looking to buy in…
Open Houses are one of those things that people associate with real estate, but most people don’t put much thought into it more than that. Open Houses’ importance varies by area. In smaller areas, open houses can be extremely helpful. Whereas in gated communities or bigger areas, not much importance is put into an open house….
I saw this article on HouseLogic recently: http://www.houselogic.com/blog/preventative-home-maintenance/home-maintenance-101-things-every-home-owner-should-know/#ixzz3lMX2Fdcb And I was wondering how many of them YOU knew how to do? Curious? Click on the link for some great video tutorials to learn how to: Fix a leaky toilet Repair drywall holes Adjust cabinet doors Open a stuck window Stop a leaking faucet Silence door squeaks Turn…
People usually go to Bankrate to research mortgages, credit cards and whatever else you can think of for calculators. But many people don’t realize that they have helpful homeowner’s tips! Here are some recent ones: 7 ways to maintain your home’s privacy and keep out snooping eyes The 6 best home fixes for the money…
Many people were removed from a flood zone here in South Florida in the past year. So I asked Kim Ben-Shalom at Marker Insurance to give us some more information: Here is a summary of the changes: History – the National Flood program is a FEMA program that is administered by insurance companies. The funding…
Often times homeowners wonder what are some easy ways to keep up with home maintenance? There is a great website called, HouseLogic, which has a lot of helpful information. Here are some tips that you may find helpful from there: Shave up to 15% off your heating bill with this simple tip: http://www.houselogic.com/home-advice/heating-cooling/ways-to-save-money-on-bills/ Plumbing Leaks: Reduce stress…
It is pretty impressive the amount of apps you can choose from, as well as how neat some of the newer ones are. I came across a fun one the other day that I wanted to share, called Project Color by Home Depot. https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/project-color-by-home-depot/id1002417141?mt=8 You can change colors in pictures, or even do a live…
Owning a home is a keystone of wealth… both financial affluence and emotional security.