Chris

Tread lightly when considering a home warranty

2009-01-05 18:20:24

Did you know that many real estate companies receive a kickback referral fee (whether they pass it along to their agents or not is their discretion) for a home warranty they recommend and it's perfectly legal? In fact, if you look at some...

Think BEFORE you act

2009-01-05 16:32:48

Okay, this may seem like planning overload here, but seriously, you may end up in the home for 2 years, 5 years, or even less than 10 years. So, if you are going to improve it, making design and material selections that are in tune with buyers'...

Will a pre-home inspection help?

2008-12-21 15:16:50

There is no right or wrong answer. Most listing agents do not discuss this with sellers, so most sellers are unaware this option exists. Many sellers will ask the question: Why in the world would I want to pay $300-400 for...

All home inspectors are not created equal

2008-12-21 15:15:58

I've seen incompetent Greater Cleveland home inspectors sink a transaction faster than dropping a cement block in water. Some inspectors are subjective, interject emotions, opinions, and do their buyers a great disservice. Some inspectors...

How to negotiate a home inspection contingency

2008-12-21 15:15:04

This is oftentimes the most complex of contingencies that must be negotiated. There are real dollars on the line, no "best practices" or common understanding of how this contingency should be negotiated. What is customary to ask...

How do I find a good pest inspector in Greater Cleveland?

2008-12-21 15:13:55

While the scope of a pest inspection is not as complex as a home inspection, if termites are found - or worse yet, missed, then the financial ramifications can be huge. Most pest inspections find evidence of carpenter ants, carpenter bees, and/...

How do I find a good radon inspector in Greater Cleveland?

2008-12-21 15:13:07

Luckily, in my opinion, this is a pretty cut & dry task. The home inspector often does the radon inspection; the results either come back acceptable (based on the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) value of <4.0 P/cL or t...

Should the home inspector do the pest inspection?

2008-12-21 15:12:12

No, no, no. Why? Do you want a car salesperson doing a brake job on your car? Would you take a cruise on a fishing vessel? Do your DVDs fit in an 8-track player? (Okay, I'm really dating myself here!) But, seriously, the co...

How do I find a good lender in Greater Cleveland?

2008-12-21 15:11:18

Unless you are paying cash, it is imperative to use a reliable and competent lender, as well as finding a lender who has exceptional customer service, great rates, low/competitive fees, and most importantly of all, a local lender who has strong ties ...

How do I find a good title/escrow company?

2008-12-21 15:10:05

Just like with a lender, in order to truly make an informed decision, you need to educate yourself and also understand a variety of things. At the top of the list is the difference between "variable" versus "fixed" fees.&nbs...

Unrealistic sellers, whats an agent to do?

2008-12-21 15:07:54

Punt...but only after a long and detailed conversation on what the issues are, why these issues are preventing a sale, and what steps need to occur to eliminate or reduce the issues. If a seller is financially unable to alter course, ie, lower ...

Looking for the perfect home?

2008-12-21 15:05:54

Every so often an agent works with a buyer who is looking for the "perfect" home. What this actually means varies from buyer to buyer. When an agent asks a buyer to define the perfect home, they often describe a list of conflict...

The overrated hype of real estate marketing

2008-12-11 20:30:16

When a real estate agent goes on a listing appointment and meets with a prospective home seller, the actual "selling" that goes on is all about how wonderful the real estate company and the agent are and the "marketing" they can d...

Buying a home in the winter...bbbrrrrrrr

2008-12-11 20:15:49

While my previous blog post discussed selling a home in Greater Cleveland in the dead of winter, the flip side is: should you purchase a home in the dead of winter, or wait until more homes come on the market in the spring? The answer lies in your m...

Is selling in the winter a dead proposition?

2008-12-11 20:13:17

Should you sell your home in the dead of winter? Should you keep your home on the market over the holidays? Should you wait to put your house on the market in spring? The answer lies in your motivation to sell. Ask yourself a quest...

Radon test...what's that and should I be concerned?

2008-12-09 13:08:42

So, you have just received news that your offer was accepted by the seller and you now have a valid purchase agreement. Should you obtain a radon inspection? The short answer is: YES. Radon is a breakdown of uranium in the soil, and...

Vacant Homes Can Be REALLY Cold

2008-12-09 11:29:52

Selling a vacant home is enough of a challenge in a healthy market, let alone in this strong buyers' market. Add to this, selling in the winter just adds insult to injury. Many home sellers choose to winterize their home to avoid the risk of p...

A Case Study in Saving Cleveland Home Sellers Money

2008-11-23 19:43:22

We just had one of our homes that we listed in Cleveland Heights close and transfer title this past Thursday (11/20/08) -- you can read about the extensive renovation and staging we performed on this home at http://www.olsenziegler.com/home-staging.p...

Howard Hanna's 11/23/08 Sunday Open House Ad

2008-11-23 19:28:26

I was looking at the real estate section in today's (11/23/08) Plain Dealer and was looking at Howard Hann's ad on page L4 and noticed their first bullet in the center of the ad read: Consumers can focus their search on one company with the la...

Staging, Re-design and/or Renovation

2008-11-13 16:57:48

As insiders (professional REALTORS) and also as consumers (we are homeowners also), we are constantly amazed by home sellers who are not in-tune with the realities of today (11/13/2008) in what it really takes to sell a home in today's market. ...

Howard Hanna Buys Realty One

2008-11-03 11:45:27

It was announced Sunday, November 2nd (actually a few days earlier due to an e-mail blunder by the President of Realty One) that Howard Hanna purchased Realty One. What does this mean for Northeast Ohio? First and foremost, it means that ...

The All Important Kitchen

2008-10-02 11:29:04

"Kitchens and bathrooms sell houses" This is a common saying throughout the real estate industry and it happens to be very true. Kitchens are the living rooms of yesteryear because it is the room in which people gather for ...

Looking with a critical eye.Step 2

2008-09-19 12:51:06

Remember, don’t get caught at the last minute trying to prepare your house for sale —price and condition are the two key factors to attracting buyers. You have already completed Step 1—removal and storage of "stuff." ...

So much stuff...Step 1

2008-09-17 08:49:30

Don’t get caught at the last minute trying to prepare your house for sale. This is too important of a process to hurry through! Remember—price and condition are the two key factors to attracting buyers. So, what can yo...

Family and Friends do not a Realtor make!

2008-09-15 21:17:42

Oftentimes we are not at odds with sellers, but instead with friends or family members. For instance, mom and dad are visiting from Florida or the best friend is over for coffee and discussion of the sale of the house ensues. ...

Buyer Agent's Technical Capabilities

2008-08-18 23:03:25

The technical expertise of a buyer's agent can make the difference between keeping your sanity and life in order, or on the other end of the spectrum, can make your home search a marginal experience where a great amount of stress has been create...

Finding the Right Agent is Key

2008-08-18 22:54:20

When a buyer has determined they are going to purchase a home, the choice they make about who will represent them can result in a wide variety of outcomes: from having a great experience or not, from overpaying for a home or not, from negot...

Why is the Listing Agreement Period so Long?

2008-08-18 22:35:01

Did you know that a listing agreement , technically known as an "Exclusive Right to Sell" agreement, is a binding, bi-lateral contract? So, before you sign this document, which binds you to the real estate company -- not the ag...

Selecting the agent who states the highest asking price

2008-08-18 22:22:27

Okay...we just listened to three Greater Cleveland real estate agents who all came up with different asking prices for our home. One recommended 300K, another 315K and the 3rd agent said 350K. What sh...

Choosing an agent because I see their name everywhere

2008-08-18 22:12:21

Should a seller choose or select a real estate agent because they see this agent's name everywhere in advertising, yard signs, etc.? Great question. Here is an analogy: Both Starbucks and McDonalds are just about everywhere on the...

Choosing an agent based on the company they work for

2008-08-18 21:53:44

Some sellers interview 2-3 agents and choose the one whose company seems to have more local presence, or the one with outstanding glossy marketing materials left in the home after the listing presentation. Since selling a home, any home, a...

Lack of Mutual Understanding

2008-08-18 21:29:10

Here is a phrase that I have heard far too often from sellers: "I signed the listing agreement, and after the first few weeks, my agent never did anything for me and rarely communicated with me." At a bare minimum, the listing agent should...

Exit Stage Left! Part 3 of 3 - External & Other Factors

2008-08-18 21:13:11

· Functional Obsolescence – Having 5 bedrooms and 1 bath is an example. So is having a "tandem" bedroom – where one has to walk through one bedroom to get to another be...

Exit Stage Left! - Part 2 of 3 - Seller Mistakes

2008-08-18 20:58:26

Part 2 of 3 - Seller Mistake(s) · Price Too High – Sellers oftentimes make the same mistake in setting an initial asking price that is clearly unrealistic, given the current compet...

Exit Stage Left! -- Why sellers dump listing agents

2008-08-18 20:02:30

Exit Stage Left! -- Why sellers dump listing agents – Part 1 of 3 Part 1 So…you are at the end of your listing agreement with your real estate agent – actually, your listing agreement is with the real est...