Real Estate Buying
Are You a Real Estate Nitpicker or Seducer? Part 2
July 17th, 2010 categories: Cincinnati Ohio, Real Estate Buying, Real Estate News, Real Estate Selling, West Chester Ohio
A few days ago I asked a simple question of home buyers and sellers in Cincinnati, West Chester and Mason-are you a real estate “nitpicker” or a real estate ”seducer”? In part 1 I covered the “nitpickers”. Today it’s time to identify the “seducers”.
Everybody loves the thought of being around a “seducer”…they’re smooth, polite and full of compliments.
If I asked 100 people who they would prefer to work with- “seducer” would win. But not all seducers are as smooth as they appear and sometimes their need to make everybody comfortable can cause as many problems as the “nitpickers”.
You can identify the real estate seducers if:
- The buyer who compliments every property or the seller who meets greets every buyer and their agent before leaving the property.
- The seller who leaves freshly baked goodies on the counter with a note to the buyers.
- The buyer who is more worried hurting the seller’s feeling than writing a good clean contract.
- OMG scenario-the buyer who goes back to the property on their own and chats with the sellers before ever writing a contract.
As with the “nitpickers” the middle of the road type ”seducer” is fun to work with and really can make the transaction go smoothly. What’s not to like about polite people? On the flip side hard core “seducers” are hard to read and if they compliment and gush about every property- it’s hard to get a read on what they like or dislike about a particular property. As an agent if I understand that you really dislike a particular floor plan-I will do my best to eliminate those houses from showings. The same goes for sellers who gush all over everything you do-let’s face it we’re not perfect and sometimes just saying thank you is enough.
The bottom line both buyers and sellers need to act normally and provide their agents, lenders and inspectors with honest questions and feedback. Nobody likes dealing with the extreme version of the “nitpicker” or the “seducer” so if you think you are one or the other- ask yourself if you are getting the service you need or the service your behavior is dictating.
Honesty, common decency and good bargaining techniques (not getting emotionally attached) are always win/win strategies in real estate.
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Sellers Continue to Reduce Prices on Real Estate
July 16th, 2010 categories: Cincinnati Ohio, Mason Ohio, Real Estate Buying, Real Estate Selling, West Chester Ohio
Trulia released a report this week showing at least 24% of the real estate listings on the market had at least one price reduction. The number reflects a 9% increase from the previous month. The report tracks the top 50 cities with price reductions- good news Cincinnati did not make the list….which could also be bad news if housing stock is just sitting on the market going nowhere.
The trend reinforces that buyers are back to normal and with the expiration of the home buying tax credit- sellers really need to be proactive when pricing their properties in the metro Cincinnati area.
If your property is for sale and you haven’t reduced the asking price in the last 30-45 days- think about it. Make sure you are looking at current market data and not relying on what you “think” you home is worth as a pricing strategy.
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Are You a Real Estate Nitpicker or Seducer?
July 12th, 2010 categories: Cincinnati Ohio, Real Estate Buying, Real Estate News, Real Estate Selling, West Chester Ohio
When buying real estate in Cincinnati, Mason or West Chester lots of buyers (and to be honest-some sellers) fall somewhere into 1 of the 2 categories.
So are you real estate seducer or real estate nitpicker?
To answer the question it’s important to understand that belonging to the middle of either category doesn’t automatically make you wonderful or horrible. However the “extremes” may oftent run into problems during the transaction.
Today I’m covering the nitpicker and you’re one if:
- Find a great house, negotiate a good price and then sink the deal over inspection items such as bathtub caulking, one light switch that doesn’ t work…
- Conversely - you’re the seller and you decide not to disclose or fix major items (ie: cracked heat exchanger, the leak that you’ve painted over numerous times…)
- Buyers who request total replacement of items not even mentioned on the inspection report-ie: all new window, new furnace, new roof….
- Buyers and/or sellers who try to renegotiate everything right up to the closing date. These nitpickers are likely to suggest that they will “walk away” if the other party doesn’t give-in.
- You are immediately suspicious if the other party doesn’t reply to questions or counter offers immediately.
Granted the examples are extreme but the message is always the same..control. Some buyers and sellers have convinced themselves (or somebody else is coaching them) that unless all they demands are met- it isn’t a good deal.
Unfortunately what’s good for one side of a real estate transaction may not be good or acceptable to the other side….and the hard core nitpickers sometimes lose good properties or end up paying more because the other party has decided to play hard ball or to just not play at all.
So if you’re a really bad real estate “nitpicker” beware of the consequences.
In a few days find out if you’re a real estate seducer.
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Tax Credit Closing Date and Flood Insurance Extensions Pass-Finally!
July 1st, 2010 categories: Cincinnati Ohio, First Time Buyers, Real Estate Buying
FROM: NAR Government Affairs
RE: Tax Credit Closing Date Extension/Flood Insurance Extension
DATE: 30 June 2010
After a close brush with the deadline, Congress has passed an extension of the Homebuyer Tax Credit closing deadline, the Homebuyer Assistance and Improvement Act (H.R. 5623) . The extension applies only to transactions that have ratified contracts in place as of April 30, 2010 that have not yet closed. The legislation is designed to create a seamless extension the new closing deadline for eligible transactions is now September 30, 2010. There is will be no gap between June 30 and the date the President signs the bill into law.
NAR worked closely with Congressional leaders on both sides of the aisle to enact this important legislation. Extending the Tax Credit Closing deadline will help provide additional stability to real estate markets across the nation.
For additional information on the extension visit www.realtor.org/government_affairs
Additionally, the United States Senate has passed the National Flood Insurance Program Extension Act of 2010 (H.R. 5569) an extension of the National Flood Insurance Program until September 30, 2010. This will allow transactions to move forward. The bill is retroactive and covers the lapse period from June 1, 2010 to the date of enactment of the extension.
For more information on the flood insurance program visit www.realtor.org/government_affairs
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Do You Have “Tweetable” Real Estate?
June 30th, 2010 categories: Cincinnati Ohio, Real Estate Buying, Real Estate News
Call me real estate twitterfied (horrified).
I was roaming through open houses in another state and noticed potential buyers “tweeting”their way through the property. My curiosity overcame my manners and when questioned- the tweeter graciously shared the information that several buyers had connected and decided to tweet through properties-…..”so others didn’t waste their time going to “useless” open houses.”
For the record the “twitterati” are willing to let other make home buying decisions in lieu of actually walking through the front door and really looking at the property for sale! In greater Cincinnati we’re used to buyers taking quick pictures and sending texts to parental units and friends. Tweets provide an easy way for buyers to communicate quickly with family and friends- but heaven help us if other people are following the tweets and decide to add their 2 cents worth to the discussion.
Imaginary Tweet:
Buyer: In family room at 123 Main Street
Parental Unit: Will couch fit?
Friend: Room 4 me?
Unknown: House is close to sex offender…
I can’t make up mind if this is stroke of genius or the next step to blogo real estate.
What do you think?
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