What should a house cost? When we see properties in the Metro Boston area, it is impossible to judge their value without considering the cost of repairing and maintaining them. That’s why electronic valuation programs are so wildly wrong; they can’t tell the difference between a not-renovated house, a badly maintained house, or a maintained-but-not-updated
Improvements. Which ones pay off at resale? As a buyer's agent, I get asked that all the time. Surprised? Once our clients become homeowners, they start thinking like sellers. Some improvements pay back at a high rate at resale. Some only pay back in your enjoyment of the place (although they may help you sell
Location matters so much. How do you choose to house hunt in a town or city where you don’t live now? It is no simple matter. I generally advise would-be house hunters to test drive the town. By doing what you normally do in an evening or on a weekend, you will find out if
Below are two tales. One is a story about a squirrel and one about a raccoon. Neither should live, rent free, in your home. The squirrel: It is baby squirrel season. Sometime this winter, squirrels find romance in attics and other indoor spaces. Babies start moving around in April or May. So, if you are
How much over asking price should I offer, on average? This seems to be the number-one question. It is a terrible question based on terrible assumptions. Don’t assume that asking prices are based on Fair Market Value. In reality, asking prices are a made-up number intended to get the highest number of offers, so that
There are times during a real estate transaction when you will be required to spend money. Some are deposits, some are fees, and some are refundable. At offer: When you make an offer, you will provide a deposit check for $1000 or $5000, depending on your price range. That check is not cashed unless your
Whose interests are being served by rushing offers and accepting offers that close the fastest? Some of the time, the seller wants and needs a quick closing. Some of the time, the seller’s agent is advising their client to take the easy deal, and not necessarily the best deal. Cash offers As the market heated
Several times a year, my agents get feedback from the seller’s agent that our client’s offer was similar to another offer, but our clients got the house. Why? Because their letter identified them as the right people for the house. We have been able to tell the story of our clients--without demographic information that could
Real estate agents are prohibited from taking any of these discriminatory actions: Refuse to rent, sell, negotiate for housing Make housing unavailable or deny a dwelling Set different terms, conditions or privileges for sale or rental Provide different housing services or facilities Falsely deny that housing is available for inspection, sale or rental Make, print,
A guest post by Patrick Young When it comes to house hunting, everyone is working to find a home where they can live safely, comfortably, and happily. However, disabled people can have a far harder time with this than able-bodied house hunters. After all, most homes weren’t created to be accessible or with accessibility in