To say it's the Wild Wild West out here is putting it lightly, and how realtors handle multiple offers is the primary reason. There isn't a standard way to handle a bidding war - and heck, we don't even agree on what is confidential, and what isn't. Here is the...
Most realtors see other agents being vague and non-committal on how to handle multiple offers, so they think that's how to do it. But hiding out and refusing to have a game plan helps no one - especially the seller - yet it never occurs to agents to do it differently....
We see it more and more these days - listing agents who shut down showings of their listings. I'm sure most would say, "What do you want me to do? I had 20-30 appointment times available, and they all booked up!" When faced with having to work harder, smarter, or...
Question: Our house was titled “joint tenant with right of survivorship” after my husband inherited the property in 1998. We were not married at the time. However we legally married in 2013. Will one of us get the step-up in tax basis when the other passes, or do we...
This is nothing. What would be entertaining is if they required the listing agent's commission to be exposed too. The Department of Justice today filed a civil lawsuit against the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) alleging that NAR established and enforced...
Have you been seeing more of this guy lately? He wants to hook you up with the top agents in your area - AND only charge you a 2% commission. They keep the 2% circle at the bottom of the advertisement for the entire 30 seconds to engrain in your head that they have...
The time-honored tradition of buyers hoping to sway sellers with a personal introductory letter came to an abrupt halt this month with the new FHDA form (see snip above). Not only has it been customary to submit a letter of introduction with your offer, but if you...
Here's how I handle a hot one when I'm the listing agent. My listing of 7206 Durango in Carlsbad was appropriately priced at $999,000, given what we were selling and the homeowners' desire to move sooner, not later. What do I mean when I say 'appropriately priced"?...
Here's what it will take to be a successful realtor from now on - hat tip WSJ! “It’s an attention game. It’s not who has the better postcards, it’s about who can attract the most eyeballs,” Mr. Serhant said. “I can walk into an appointment with a seller and say ‘there...
An occasional commission might fall in your lap, but for the most part, you are going to have to earn every penny you make in real estate sales. Let's note what the job is, and how to get good at it. Your job is to advise people about buying and selling real estate....
