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Needs vs. Wants: The Hidden Force Behind Every Real Estate Negotiation
In real estate, price is often determined by supply and demand. Negotiations, however, are often determined by something entirely different: needs and wants. Most of us understand the difference. We may want a new vehicle, a larger home, or a backyard swimming pool. Those are wants. A need is different. A need creates urgency and…
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The Cost of Standing Still
A recent survey found that 67% of real estate brokers believe today’s buyers are more risk-averse than they were before 2022. Despite lower mortgage rates and lower home prices than we saw at the peak of the market, many buyers remain concerned that values could decline further. The topic came up during a conversation at…
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Renovations: Pay Me Now or Pay Me Later
I write a regular column for a local online newspaper and, like most opinion pieces, it often generates comments from readers who see things differently. Some articles seem to attract more debate than others. A recent article focused on investing money in your home and whether renovations truly increase value. I looked at the different…
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Renting vs. Buying – Are Tenants or Homeowners Better Off Long Term?
I have worked with a financial person for about 8 years and we constantly struggle over my anxiety for fast growth and her measured approach. To begin, she is not a financial planner, nor is she a financial advisor. (or adviser, there is a huge difference) She is what’s called a “Fiducary.” Financial advisors, advisers…
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The Harvest Gold Fridge Dilemma
We have a house coming to market soon that was built in the early 2000s. At roughly 25 years old, it sits right at the point where many homes begin to split into two very different categories: updated… and dated. When people first move into a brand-new house, the first five years are usually busy…
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What Would a Start-up Pay for Old Fashioned Experience?
If you’re not in the business of selling real estate, you probably missed the headline last week. A cloud-based brokerage with no offices—The Real Brokerage—acquired RE/MAX. Not a region. Not a handful of offices. The entire global network—roughly 145,000 agents. A year earlier, Compass absorbed Anywhere Real Estate, the parent company behind Coldwell Banker, Century…
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The Real Estate Headline Problem
There’s a particular kind of confidence that comes from reading headlines. It feels like being informed. It feels like understanding the market. After 40 years in real estate, I can tell you it’s often neither. Buyers and sellers today arrive armed with information. They’ve read articles, scanned charts, absorbed opinions. This is a good instinct.…
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Are there Zombies in Real Estate?
You’ve seen them. You just didn’t know what you were looking at. They drive nice cars, dress the part, and post constantly on social media. New listing. Coming soon. Just sold. It creates the impression of momentum, of a business that is both active and lucrative. But here’s the twist: a “Zombie Real Estate Agent”…
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Forty Years In: What Really Kills a Deal and What Saves It
I had the good fortune to sell a home this past weekend. I was representing the Seller, and early in the process they shared a concern that had been weighing on them. Years ago, there had been a small foundation leak that was repaired. Their worry was simple: would this cause a Buyer to hesitate?…
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Why This Market Isn’t as Risky as It Feels for Sellers
Standing in line for coffee recently, I overheard a familiar conclusion about today’s real estate market. “We’re finally in a buyer’s market,” someone said, explaining that Sellers are now accepting offers far below asking. It’s an understandable belief. It’s also not what the numbers show. Real estate markets are not defined by sentiment. They are…
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