Where’s 2012′s Real Estate Market Headed?
January 16, 2012 by CrazyViv · Leave a Comment
Call me an optimist, but I think the economy will continue its slow recovery in 2012. And according to financial forecasters polled by the Wall Street Journal, I’m not the only one who feels that way. Fifty or so forecasters expect growth rather than decline in the coming year. How does that look exactly? I [...]
This Month I Started a War…And Made Two People Happy
June 28, 2011 by CrazyViv · Leave a Comment
This month I started a war – and made two people very happy. Here’s the story. One of my clients – I’ll call her Amy – wanted to purchase a lower cost townhome in Chapel Hill near UNC, where she worked. She was prequalified for a $102K loan. We found a townhome complex with twelve [...]
That Vacant Look
June 21, 2011 by CrazyViv · Leave a Comment
It happens more and more. People buy a house in one community before they sell one where they’ve lived before. Or an aging parent is moved into a condominium, and the large family house is left standing vacant. If you presume your vacant house is still insured, you might want to check your policy again. [...]
A Tale of Two Homeowners: Should You Sell Your Home or Rent It?
June 14, 2011 by CrazyViv · Leave a Comment
Once upon a time, Family A needed to move out of their house and move to a neighboring town across the river. Of course they needed to sell the house they were living in. How else could they produce a substantial down payment? Just over the hill and down the lane lived Family B that [...]
What Curb Appeal & Unappealing Bathrooms Have in Common
June 7, 2011 by CrazyViv · Leave a Comment
Have you ever gone into the restroom in a restaurant – and then decided that you’d rather eat elsewhere? “Oh, yuck. If the bathroom is this gross, what does the kitchen look like?” You take a look at the area you can see, and make an assumption on how clean the kitchen is. Prospective buyers [...]
Q and A’s: Comparative Market Analysis
April 18, 2011 by CrazyViv · Leave a Comment
Q. Who needs a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA)? A. Buyers: Now that you’ve found the perfect house to buy, a CMA is a your best tool to reveal if the asking price is a fair one and what would be a strategic offering price. A. Sellers: Now that you’ve decided to sell your home, a [...]
Appraisal vs. Home Inspection: Whose Game is It Anyway??
April 4, 2011 by CrazyViv · Leave a Comment
An appraisal is a financial assessment or a market value of a house done primarily for the lender. Is the home worth what the seller is asking and how much the bank will be loaning out? Inquiring lenders want to know. So they ask a good appraiser to tell them. The home inspection is a [...]
Pricing Your Home for Sale – Is YOUR Price Right?
March 23, 2011 by CrazyViv · Leave a Comment
Of all the potential pitfalls of selling a home, pricing the house fairly is by far the most common one – and the one issue many clients are reluctant to discuss. Yet the right price can make the difference of selling now or much, much later. What’s the best way to set a fair price? [...]
The Price is Right – Your Best House Selling Strategy
March 22, 2011 by CrazyViv · Leave a Comment
You’ve decluttered the garage and repainted the kitchen, bathroom and hallways. You took your REALTOR’s advice about improving your house’s curb appeal, and the grass has never looked greener. Yet your house still has a “For Sale” sign in front, and potential clients aren’t clamoring to see the inside. What’s the problem? Probably the most [...]
FSBO vs. Realtor. And the Winner IS…
August 11, 2010 by CrazyViv · Leave a Comment
I feel a little like the game show host for Family Feud when he screams out,”Survey SAYS…..” but here’s the thing: numbers don’t lie. According to a 2008 survey based on home sales*, homes sold by owners (FSBOs) made up 13% of home sales. And of those houses sold, the profit difference was significant. Are [...]
