ARCHIVED BLOG POSTS
2012
112
Comments
A colleague recently asked me if we had to disclose if someone died (specifically, committed suicide) in a home we are marketing. It seems the potential Buyer asked that question, although her Realtor assured my colleague it wouldn't influence her decision to purchase the home (sure it wouldn't -...
07/30/2012
6
Comments
Those of us who have been in real estate since the year of the flood sometimes rely on our decades of experience, and don't think much about furthering our education. Well, the New Jersey Real Estate Commission made the decision easy --- all licensees are required to take 12 credits of continuin...
07/17/2012
Sunday's Journal showed a graph exhibiting how various incvestments are doing --- NASDAQ, S&Ps, Treasurys, Gold, Real Estate and others. Real Estate landed toward the bottom of the list with another 6% drop in prices (for April). I continue to be confused by all the so-called experts who give d...
07/16/2012
8
Comments
There was a time when holding an Open House made sense. For me, it was 23 years ago when I was new in the business, and wanted to do everything I could to make myself known. Beyond that, I felt I could do a better job sharing my homes with the public since I knew far more about it than Realtors ...
07/14/2012
0
Comments
I'm confused. I keep reading about how difficult it is for towns and states to stay within their budgets, and how many services might have to be cut, but then I read about towns like Wyckoff, NJ and Franklin Lakes, NJ buying up land so it doesn't get developed. Now, don't misunderstand --- I am...
07/13/2012
0
Comments
It appears that no matter how many times I explain to Buyers that the inspection of the home they're buying is meant to uncover material/structural defects to the home, and NOT to give them a second chance to negotiate the price of the home. And it's not just the fault of Buyers, but lazy attorne...
07/09/2012
I have a gorgeous listing in Franklin Lakes, NJ that has been renovated within an inch of its life. The owner bought the proverbial sow's ear and, over a few years, turned it into a silk purse. At the risk of sounding sexist, He had no experience in architecture or interior design, so I wasn't ...
07/07/2012
The Luxury Market --- homes over $1 mil --- got hit hard when the real estate market of 2003-2006 sprung a leak. By 2007, we were painfully aware that market was in deep trouble, and it continued to decline until late 2011. We thought the market of te early to mid 90s was bad, but this was fright...
07/06/2012
2
Comments
Ever since New Jersey decided Buyers and Sellers didn't need to use an attorney to close on a home, I've struggled with which is mre apt to protect her client and which is more apt to screw things up. On days like today, I hearken back to what Will Shakespeare said --- "First, we kill all the la...
07/05/2012
My client is in contract on a home in Ridgewood, NJ, a home he knew had a shared driveway and no garage. Hes been looking for a home in Ridgewood for more than three years, so it surprised me when he chose this home. Don't get me wrong, it's beautiful, and has everything else he wanted. But I a...
07/02/2012