John Benson's (bensoj37) Blog

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words. Don't judge a book by its cover. These are phrases that can and should be thought of when listing a property (NOTE: This is for agents as much as sellers). A Picture is Worth A Thousand Words It's obviously old news by now that the majority of buyers look at ...

I recently was listening to Philadelphia Phillies manager Charlie Manuel describe players who show up to the field without really wanting to play. He went on to explain the "positive mindset" and how it translates to the performance on the field. He explains how a pitcher, when facing a top homer...

 AS WINTER APPROACHES,  now is the time for homeowners to start preparing for Mother Nature and improving the efficiency of their homes. Harris Gross, a PA and NJ License P.E. from Engineers for Home Inspections advises the following:   With the onset of heating season around the corner, it’s tim...

Today is a tough real estate market, right?  In fact, yesterday was pretty tough and the day before.  And I'm pretty sure tomorrow will be as well.  Listing inventory rises, prices are coming down, sellers can't afford to lower prices and buyers can't afford to pay more for a home.  This can only...

I recently closed on a listing I had in Evesham Township, NJ and luckily had escaped what I call The Domino Effect. This is a phenom in real estate (okay, not quite a phenomenon but that adds to the effect) when one closing relies (or is contingent on) one or more other closings occurring. In my...

Who said listings aren't any fun?  Here is a typical rundown of the listing process (very general terms): Market the hell out of it. Showcase it. Get an offer and negotiate. Come to terms and have a firm contract. Get through a home inspection and appraisal. Clear title. Order municipal required ...

Ah, the luck of the Irish!  It is a gorgeous day in Philadelphia this St. Patrick's Day! Our office is in the middle of the St. Patrick's Day festivities and it is awesome!!  So if you are in the area (we are located at 2nd and South Streets in downtown Philadelphia), stop in one of my top 3 fin...

    Why is a broker tour an important part of the listing process? A broker tour or broker's open house is an excellent opportunity to showcase your new listing to the real estate community and obtain valuable feedback from a variety of sources (aka opinions about the house). Check Your Emotions ...

I think it is great when an agent demonstrates that they are a "Neighborhood Specialist". I applaud their efforts at being an expert on certain locations. This, however, raises an interesting question to those agents: Are You Territorial? Being territorial is not necessarily bad, depending on one...

Newsflash: There is unrest in the Middle East! That is hardly news. News would be when there is continuous peace and stability in the Middle East. And with every new conflict or revolt in the Mid East comes rising oil prices and public panic. Think back the past 10 years and we as a society have ...