When is it good for the buyer and seller of a property to be represented by the same real estate agent? The answer is almost never! Think about it… The home seller wants the highest sales price and the buyer wants the lowest. Letting the same agent represent both sides of the transaction is like …
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Silence can be golden… and very telling. I own real estate. And, just like any property owner, I want to get the most money when I sell it. About a year and a half ago, I became interested in selling my Sausalito, California duplex, if I got the “right” price. (You’ve heard sellers say that before!) …
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Whether you own an iPhone, Android or other smartphone, you have time-saving technology in your pocket or purse. By simply telling your phone, in plain English, what you want it to do for you, your life can become much easier. I recently received a short video blog (less than 4 minutes) from Bruce Koren of …
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Last week in, “Where Did All The Homes For Sale Go?”, we discussed how super low inventory is driving multiple offers, rapid sales and price increases. The topic made me curious. Has this hot market reduced the frequency of Pre-MLS (upcoming) and Non-MLS (pocket) posts on Top Agent Network? Why announce your upcoming or pocket listing when the MLS is doing such a great job in generating activity?
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What a difference a year makes! Since a year ago, the economy has improved only slightly (a trend that began in 2009) and interest rates have remained largely unchanged. Yet, across the country, home prices are rising rapidly with lots of properties selling WAY over asking price. I recently heard of a very average home …
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Nothing beats storytelling—just about everyone enjoys a good story. Buyers (and sellers) are looking for you as their real estate agent to tell them the story of the town, the neighborhood, or the house for sale. A powerful (and free) way to tell stories online is via Storify.com. Storify allows one to weave together strands of social media (photos and videos and posts and links) to tell a story.
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“Be Your Own Agent!” That’s the tagline of a new, do-it-yourself website for consumers called BuyerCurious.com. (Read the emotionally charged comments in this Inman News story.) The site claims that, by representing themselves, buyers can save thousands of dollars if the seller doesn’t have to pay a commission split to a buyer’s brokerage.
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Crack open any real estate magazine or website and nearly every agent claims to be “Top” in something. Some agents think that just claiming they are a top agent will cause homebuyers and homesellers to flock to them. Recently, we surveyed real estate consumers and asked them: “How important is it that your real estate …
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As a Stanford Business School MBA Alumnus and a Real Estate Broker, over the years Stanford has invited me to teach seminars to students on home buying strategies. After all, many of the Stanford Graduate School of Business graduates land high paying jobs and are anxious to buy their first home. First and foremost, I …
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“I want the blue toy! I want the blue toy!” Nine years ago, these were the passionate screams of my 4 year old son, Lucas, as we walked through Toys R Us. Although embarrassed by the outburst, I quickly realized I had a great teaching opportunity for my son. So I calmly responded, “Lucas, I …
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