Gene's Bit of Blogging

Deciding Which Home is Best to Buy

Buyers Decide Within 8 Seconds Whether They Are Interested In A Home

Guest Blogger - LaNita Cates, Re/Max Realty of Joliet, IL: Posted on Thursday, May 10, 2012 10:52 AM

Buyers Decide Within 8 Seconds Whether They Are

Interested In a Home

I am a huge fan of Real Estate Agent and Mogul Barbara Corcoran. Barbara is a Real Estate Contributor on NBC's Today show and the wonderful addition to ABC's Shark Tank.

Contact LaNita Cates, Re/Max Realty of Joliet, IL for all your Real Estate Needs

Per Barbara:

"BUYERS DECIDE WITHIN 8 SECONDS WHETHER THEY ARE INTERESTED IN YOUR HOME."

I'm not surprised by this at all. It's the first impression when walking in and hearing, "Wow, this is cute" - or - "Ugh, what is that smell?" Pretty much sums of the next few minutes of the tour of that home.

I always tell my buyers that they will know when they walk in if this is their home or not. If they aren't feeling it within the first 10 seconds, let's move on. They never believe me... AT FIRST. But usually by the 4th house, they agree that they know pretty much immediately if they are interested or not when walking in the door.

So buyers pretty much know. Sellers - remember that! That first impression (or at least the first 8 seconds) can decide whether the buyer is interested in your home!

* LaNita Cates of REMAX Realty of Joliet has been serving the Joliet, Plainfield, Naperville, Crest Hill, Bolingbrook, Shorewood and surrounding areas, helping buyers and sellers with all their real estate needs.

Call or Contact:

LaNita Cates

REMAX Realty of Joliet today ...

Office: 221 Springfield Ave., Joliet, IL 60435

Office Phone: 815-609-0887
Office Fax: 815-364-1267

Cell: 630-341-1545

Website: www.lanitacates.com

Email: lanitacates@yahoo.com

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The Rat That Stole the Show

Margaret Goss, Baird & Warner Winnetka, IL - Guest Blogger: Posted on Wednesday, November 09, 2011 11:57 AM

The Rat That Stole the Show

Home Sellers - this is a cautionary tale told at time when buyers are skittish and homes for Squirrelsale are aplenty. If your home does not meet their standard they will bolt and head to the next home or the next one after that. Your domino tiles have to be lined up perfectly.

This week a colleague had an inspection of a home in the North Shore - she was representing the buyers. Their biggest worry was that the house had a dryvit exterior (also known as a synthetic stucco) and that was what they wanted their inspector to focus on. He never got that far.

He headed to the attic first and came back down with some stunning news. The attic was infested with creatures - maybe they were rats, squirrels, possums, raccoons, who knows? It didn't matter - the insulation was shot - completely burrowed through with animal feces and fur, and animals quickly scurrying away. Suddenly, the buyers didn't care about the dryvit - they canceled the inspection and they canceled the contract. They have already moved on to several other homes they like. End of story.

Ruined attic insulation. But is it? Does it have to end this way?

Are you thinking about selling your home? Is your home currently for sale? You will have the best shot at selling it if it priced right - that is the NUMBER 1 consideration you have. This is not the time to test the market or not be fully motivated in your desire to sell.

But at the same time, even a very compelling price can't undo the negative perception that an attic full of woodland animals will create. Years ago, a buyer would have asked the seller to remove the animals, clean the space, and replace the insulation. The sale would have probably been consummated. Not so today. The tipping point is much lower than it used to be and the only way to prevent a lost sale is make sure your house has no surprises.

Consider getting your house pre-inspected by a certified Illinois inspector. The cost of the inspection varies depending on the size of your house and the inspector you use, but generally they range from $400 to $800. It is money well spent compared to the cost of not being able to sell your house. If you find a problem you can mitigate it for much less than a buyer would demand.

Yes, the buyers will still conduct their own inspection - but you can rest easy that the rats won't steal your show.

If you are thinking about selling your Winnetka or North Shore home, please call me. I'd be happy to discuss and recommend good certified inspectors.

I sell homes in the following areas:

Wilmette Real Estate

Glencoe Real Estate

Winnetka and Northfield Real Estate

Kenilworth Real Estate

Margaret Goss GRI, CRS

Baird & Warner, Winnetka IL

847-977-6024

www.CallMargaret.com

Margaret.Goss@bairdwarner.com

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Do You Ever Give a House a Second Chance??

By Guest Writer: Norma Toering, Team Re/Max Pslos Verdes Realty: Posted on Monday, October 10, 2011 6:10 PM

Via Norma Toering Palos Verdes & Rolling Hills, CA Homes

(REMAX Palos Verdes Realty Broker Associate Lic# 01147470)

I bought the ugliest home in Palos Verdes ...

At least that's what I told my friends in Florida upon returning from my house hunting adventure in Los Angeles over twenty years ago. They thought I was kidding, but when they saw the photos they nodded in silent agreement.

You can imagine how excited the agent on duty was when I walked into the Palos Verdes real estate office and informed her I was here for four days (two already spent in Malibu, Pacific Palisades and Pasadena) and planned to make an offer before leaving LA. The agent called for backup and requested an hour to set appointments. I returned to her office after a quick lunch and we set off to find a million dollar home.

Sounds easy, but I needed five bedrooms, a big yard for a big dog and easy freeway access. I wanted the best schools, clean air and a safe neighborhood. It was a long list and only a short list of homes made the cut. I looked at all of them day one and fell for none of them. Okay, this was not going to be an emotional decision.

I was faced with a timeless buyer's dilemma--the houses I liked I couldn't afford, and the houses I could afford I did not like. I arrived back at my hotel discouraged, but determined. I scattered all the flyers and brochures on the floor and began imagining my family living in each house.

Some were easy to eliminate, others were tough to let go but price dictated the decision. By 2:00 AM there was only one house standing. It was ugly, but the location was good, it had the required number of bedrooms and a big half-acre lot. The pool was a bonus and the price left $100k for a much needed facelift--we spent $200k, but who's counting?

On day two I returned to the house I could not wait to leave the previous day. It was still ugly, but this time I opened the heavy drapes and saw wonderful views from most of the windows, and they were plentiful so natural light was abundant. The floor plan was good with plenty of space for my four children. I walked the grounds and adored the stone walls and meandering paths. This could work.

Sometimes a house deserves a second chance at being "the one".

Norma Toering & Team RE/MAX Palos Verdes Realty
(310) 493-8333 / Office Phone: (310) 831-0800

PalosVerdesLifestyle -

Nominated by Relocation.com as one of the top ten Los Angeles area real estate blogs. Chosen by MovingCost.com as one of the best Los Angeles realty blogs. Awarded 5 out of 5 stars by Lender411 blog review. Ranked by Technorati in the top 1% of all blogs. As seen in the Daily Breeze newspaper.

South Bay Los Angeles cities I sell real estate, property, houses and homes in: Palos Verdes Estates, Rolling Hills, Rolling Hills Estates, Rancho Palos Verdes, San Pedro, Long Beach, Torrance, Lomita, Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach and Manhattan Beach.

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Deciding Which Home is Best to Buy

Buyers Decide Within 8 Seconds Whether They Are Interested In A Home

The Rat That Stole the Show

Do You Ever Give a House a Second Chance??