We’re in the discouraging time of the real estate year, as buyer’s agents. April and May are the peak months for competition among buyers for properties for sale. In other words, bidding war season. There are bidding wars all year, but more so in the spring. As properties are coming onto the market (which began
The Boston Globe real estate reporters throw data at their readers without enough explanation. That’s where I come in. Larry Edelman packed a lot into his 2023 article as an example, “Where Mass. home prices are hot – and not.” Here is the translation for buyers in Spring 2023. These data sets are year over
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
Is that a termite? Relax! That’s a flying ant. Flying ants don’t eat your house, but termites do. Here’s how to know the difference. Flying ants have a body shape like any other ant. Ants have three distinct sections. Their antennae do not come directly forward; they bend. Termites, on
Annually, I expect poor reporting of the spring (busy) real estate market. If you read The Boston Globe, expect to see an annual "scare the buyers" article. Even when the facts just don't add up to scaring buyers, but they try, anyway. The most egregious case was in April 23, 2020. The Boston Globe had
Why do we have downspouts and gutters? Partly, we have them so that when we step out of the house we don’t get gallons of rainwater on our heads. We also have them so that the downspouts can channel water away from the foundation of the house. Houses that are set on large tracts of
In real estate, not every year is the same, but there’s a pattern. By July, the number of new listings has declined, but demand also goes down. Then, in September – normally -- some more properties come up for sale because sellers try to sell in the fall, before the “dead” winter season. The spring
Is that a termite? Relax! That's a flying ant. Flying ants don't eat your house, but termites do. Here's how to know the difference. Flying ants have a body shape like an ant. Ants have three distinct sections. Their antennae do not come directly forward, they bend. Termites, on the other hand, have a middle
In single-family houses, the air conditioner compressor can be a problem for you or for your neighbors, depending on where you place it. If it is your machine, your windows will be closed when it is running, so it has to vibrate a lot before it will get on most people’s nerves. Where houses are
Many of my buyers see oil heating as a big negative. I see this as a victory for the “natural gas” lobby. When I ask people why they prefer gas, the answers come right from the advertising: “cleaner, safer, always there.” Cleaner? Are you aware that methane leaks are all over the place? Have you