Why Zillow doesn’t reflect your home value after a remodel

Question: “We fully remodeled our house over the past year, but the Zillow estimate is about the same. What’s wrong with their formula?” Answer: I tell anyone and everyone: Never, ever depend on Zillow or any automated valuation for your home value. In your case, not only are automated valuations inherently unreliable, but Zillow would
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Why home sellers should not talk with buyers

Question: “We live half time here and half time in Michigan. We’ve decided to be full-time San Diegans and have our home for sale in Michigan, where we’re at until the house sells. I’m a pretty chatty guy, but my Realtor there said I shouldn’t talk to buyers and their agents about the sale. Do
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What’s the first thing I should do when selling my home?

Question: “My husband and I want to sell our home. What’s the first thing we should do?” Answer: Call me. That was easy! But perhaps you’d like me to expand on my answer… The first thing you should do is call a seasoned and successful agent to: Find out your home’s value Get advice on
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Why did the home buyer ask for such a large price reduction?

Question: “I just sold my aunt’s house, who had passed away. She hadn’t really kept the house up and it needed a lot of maintenance. But the buyer asked for a $30,000 price reduction. Isn’t that excessive? Whatever happened to buying a house as is?” Answer: If you don’t take care of your body, when
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Why do HOA documents cost so much?

Question: “On the condo we’re selling, the escrow company said it will cost over $500 just for HOA papers for the buyer. Is that legit?” Answer: Yes, unfortunately. And it’s something that always upsets me because my clients are being taken advantage of by HOA (Home Owner Association) management companies. (These are not the HOAs
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Is it worth the money to hire a home stager?

Question: “Is it really worth the money to hire a stager. Can’t I stage my house with my existing furniture?” Answer: Yes, you can, but it may not be optimal. It depends on: Your furniture Not all furniture is good for staging. It should be: In new or excellent condition Coordinate well with your home’s
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What information is a seller’s agent allowed to disclose?

Question: “When we bought our house, the seller’s agent told our agent the seller would come down $25,000. And sure enough, we offered a little low and they came down the 25K. Now that we plan to sell and the shoe is on the other foot, I don’t want our agent saying things like that.
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Should I reduce the asking price of my home?

Question: “My wife and I have had our home on the market since October, at $825,000 and it hasn’t sold. Our agent told us to reduce the price. But we don’t want to lose money. What should we do?” Answer: I hear that often and am sympathetic to your plight.  But it sounds like you’ve
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Are home valuation websites accurate?

Question: “A Realtor just told me my home is worth $850,000, but Zillow says $975,000 and…” Answer: Hold on…you must be a new subscriber to this newsletter! Otherwise, you’d have seen my regular rants (my son says too regular!) about how laughably inaccurate EVERY home valuation website is. Now, I’m not going to be like
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Anticipate delays in closing when planning your move out date

Question: “Last time I sold my home, I moved out the day we were supposed to close and got burned. The buyer had loan problems and the closing was delayed for 3 weeks. I got stuck making payments on an empty condo. Now I’m planning to sell my house and want to protect myself so
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