Most laypeople (Non Realtors) know that the seller pays a commission to sell a property. Most people also know that most property are sold on the MLS. Most people are also probably aware that agents cooperate in sharing listings and then share the commission. In many instances the commission is then split 50/50 between both […]
A Level Playing Field – The New Normal
October 21, 2019 By
I had an agent call this morning about one of my listings. I faced the standard question. Other agent- “What will the seller take?……”. In my head I am think – “Really??? “ I am not answering this question. I never do. Then a secondary question “what comps did you use”. Really again in my […]
Universal Appeal & Liquidity
October 18, 2019 By
One of the most common questions a seller asks me is “How long will it take to sell my home”. I then show them the average DOM, or Days on Market, for competing homes. This does answer how quickly homes sell in their marketplace, but does not the question about the saleability of their home. […]
80% of Realtors Don’t Know Anything!
October 17, 2019 By
This morning one of my new listings was on tour. It is an adorable mid-century modern home. This home has been maintained in very good condition. It also just underwent a $33,000 face lift, plus it has also been staged to perfection. See the listing below: https://lbre.com/listings/6521-el-roble-street-long-beach-ca-90815/ There is no doubt that this listing is […]
Where Have All of the Fixer Uppers Gone?
October 15, 2019 By
I became a full time Real Estate agent back in 1989. This was when the dinosaurs roamed the earth and the MLS was a printed phone book. In this primitive world there was no world wide web. 1993 was the first year of the web with the advent of Netscape Navigator. Shortly after getting into […]
Home Maintenance – Pick and Choose Your Battles
October 14, 2019 By
There are a lot of great DIY, home remodeling and fix up shows on TV today. Somehow I wish that I had all these skill. From framing to painting to electrical and plumbing. The truth is that I can do a lot of these skill, but the other truth is that I don’t like doing […]
One Year of Solar Electricity and What I have Learned
October 9, 2019 By
There are a couple of items that I have learned over the last year of my foray into solar electricity. When you monitor and analyze your electrical usage on a daily basis you learn a lot more than when you just get the bill at the end of the month. So here are the items […]
Home Prices Still Rising, but only Slightly, as 2019 comes to a Close.
October 7, 2019 By
For two years now, real estate market’s gains have been slowing towards flat to only slightly up. In the East Long Beach markets of 90808 and 90815, the average home sold for $709,000 in 2017. In 2018, the average home sold for $734,000 representing a 3.5% price increase. Good news, but down from the previous […]
The Perfect Storm for a Very Difficult Escrow
October 3, 2019 By
Every transaction requires work. There is no free lunch. Sometimes the home has some challenges, sometimes personalities can be challenging. It is always something. Either way, it always seems like I earn my keep some where along the line. However, in one recent transaction, I earned my keep several times over. It was stressful and […]
Looking For Signs of a Possible Market Top
July 8, 2019 By
It is common knowledge that Southern California has Real Estate cycles. Often very dramatic boom & bust cycles. In 2017, many homeowners started getting nervous that the market felt “Toppy”. In response to this sentiment I dove deep into the market and wrote “A Top is NOT in sight…”. This article is available on our […]