By Gino Blefari
This week my travels found me first in Irvine, CA for a Town Hall meeting at our HSF Affiliates HQ and next in Las Vegas for the Zillow Group Broker Forum at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. As I travel across the country and attend meetings led by some of our industry’s most powerful and innovative minds, I keep circling back to a theme prevalent in so many keynotes, panel discussions and coffee-break chats: diversity.
By Gino Blefari
This week my travels find me in Southern California for leadership meetings, our HSF Affiliates December Town Hall meeting and our team’s annual holiday celebration. I arrive in Irvine at the ideal time, just as we released Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices’ Q4 Homeowner Sentiment Survey to wrap up the year with a consumer-centric bow.
By Bryn Huntpalmer
Navigating the housing market and rental landscape can be an overwhelming and tricky task. There are so many factors to consider that when you are ready to finally take the plunge and decide, rent or buy, you might not even know where to begin!
I can certainly understand your struggle, so in an effort to help you make the best decision possible I broke down the process into an easy-to-read list of pros and cons for both. Just make sure to invite me to the housewarming party, OK?
By Margaux Pelegrin
Selling your home can be an emotional process, and it’s our job as agents to ensure the process goes as smooth as possible. There are often hiccups along the way, but the more the client is prepared, the easier it is to get the deal done. Looking back on my 10 years of real estate sales, I came up with a list of “seller principles” that my happiest clients have adopted. So, if you’re thinking of selling your home, here are some helpful tips to remember:
By Carrie Foley
I always strive to keep a positive attitude, see the potential in everything and remain optimistic in all my dealings, professionally and personally. I recently came to the conclusion that it is not always in our clients’ best interest to be perpetually optimistic, particularly with homesellers.
Previously, I would tour a client’s home, praising their gorgeous kitchen counters, cooing over the natural light and becoming giddy about some other upgrade. But with these reactions, I was artificially stroking the ego of the seller and setting them up to expect this same warm feedback from picky homebuyers. They would love my enthusiasm for their home, but when the first few showings resulted in no offers and less than flattering feedback, the sellers were dismayed – and angry with me.
By Todd Waller
The decision to sell your home, the place you have lived for years and where you created memories, is no easy decision.
Still, the process of selling your home should be as smooth as possible. Proper research, pricing and marketing will produce a sale in the shortest amount of time possible, for the highest price, and the least amount of inconvenience.
By Anthony Turco
It’s that time again — the time real estate agents around the country anxiously await all summer and winter long: the spring buying season.
By Todd Waller
Last week, I wrote about historically low levels of inventory experienced in real estate markets around the country and how the lack of properties might affect buyers. Today, I want to talk about what this market condition means for sellers, especially as we remain in a “seller’s market” heading into spring.
As frustrating as lack of inventory can be for buyers, it sounds like a great time for sellers, doesn’t it? Well, when it comes to the final sales price and the time on market, you would be generally correct. But there is one little thing called convenience and it can quickly become an issue.
By Darrin Friedman
Choosing the right real estate agent can sometimes be a confusing experience. After all, there are choices everywhere! From your aunt who has been in the business so long she used to complete transactions on typewriters, to your ex-roommate who got his license six months ago; your options are numerous.
But that’s not what this blog is about.
By Amanda V. Stepp-Marcum
After watching the Academy Award winning movie American Sniper, I began to reflect on our wounded veterans around the country. As a real estate agent, my focus is always on helping others achieve the American Dream of homeownership but this movie made me think about the physically wounded soldiers in the U.S. and their specific housing needs.
It also happens that the subject is a very personal one for me.
REthink report 