Real Estate On Caffeine

Provided by Mint.com

Came across this terrific blogpost by Steve Harney, a regular contributor to "Keeping Current Matters".   His take on how foreclosures affect the neighborhood offers an excellent viewpoint on this topic.   He also includes a great link to place a value on how much the foreclosure in YOUR neighbor...

Some do, per the 2009-2010 "Remodeling Cost vs. Value Report" provided by the NAR.  In the West South Central Region (Texas, Lousiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma), here are some very interesting numbers: 239% - Percentage of cost recouped by replacing an entry door with new steel unit, the highest return...

When listing a home for sale, I'm definitely a "stickler" for staging.  If it's a vacant home, I at least want vignette staging; if it's not vacant, definitely decluttered. In our market, a staging consultant who will help declutter and rearrange costs in the range of $250 - $400 for a 2,000 - 3,...

In our local market, the expansion and contraction of our soils can wreak havoc on foundations.  Many times, homeowners are knowledgeable in maintaining the proper moisture around their foundation but still may incur some interior hairline cracks from time to time.  These are often cosmetic issue...

Richardson Independent School District is one of my primary market areas and I work with buyers and sellers in both the Lake Highlands area as well as the Prestonwood area of Dallas.   The 'L' streets of Lake Highlands have been mentioned numerous times in articles in newspapers and magazines.  M...

One of my very favorite agents is dealing with some challenges with a seller who reacts very strongly to any and all feedback about her home. In our market, our sellers can receive email copies of agent feedback with buyers' comments.  I always make sure my sellers are set up to see the feedback ...

Most Realtors have a tagline on their business card and emails about referrals.  It goes something like this: "The best compliment I could receive from you is a referral to your family and friends." Referrals truly are the lifeblood of our business and critically important to any Realtor’s ongoin...

Sellers, I have to be honest.  I have driven buyers to your house for a viewing appointment only to have them say "keep on driving" and guess why?  They don't like the "curb appeal". Most sellers have "gotten the memo" that they need to be sure the kitchen and master and master bath are as update...

Our micro-family watches the Oscars with the enthusiasm that most people exert over the SuperBowl.  We actually refer to it as "Our Super Bowl".  But there's actually a real estate component. There are literally multitudes of Oscar-nominated or Oscar-winning films where real estate is a key playe...