These are so obvious but still worth repeating, since a lot of sellers (obviously) don’t pay attention to them. Why won’t buyers buy your home? * It’s priced too high * They can’t track down your listing agent to schedule an appointment. (This is so true, especially in Boston – try finding a real estate [...]

The way a commission works is this (mostly): Seller decides to sell his or her property. He or she interviews a couple agents, decides on one. The commission due on sale is usually in the 5% range (in Massachusetts). This commission is split (usually) 50-50 between the listing (or “selling”) agent and an agent that [...]

Actually, I should say it this way: the biggest threat to the health of the real estate market is the behavior of the average US homebuyer / homeowner. DEAR BOB: We are in the process of buying a larger home and aren’t sure what to do with the home we now own. We can’t afford [...]

Unless you’re a first-time homebuyer, you’ll most likely have to deal with a situation where you’re selling your current home and closing on the purchase of your next home, at the same time. Meaning, the same day. That can, and will, cause lots of stress. Worst case scenario is when you are doing a simultaneous [...]

I don’t think many people would be confused about this, but just in case: QUESTION: Is the industry standard, if a buyer defaults on a contract to buy a house, the agent gets to keep the deposit, or does the seller get to keep all or part of the deposit? ANSWER: There is no “industry [...]

Two sellers, two different problems: First: [A] few days before the scheduled April 24 closings on both condos, the Reagans learned the buyer of their Haverhill condo couldn’t get financing. At the last minute, the Reagans were able to postpone their closing on the Merrimac townhouse. Relieved, Janelle and Troy listed their condo again. And [...]

What do you do if you want to move, put down a deposit on a new home, but can’t find a buyer for your current home? I don’t know, but more and more people could be faced with that situation: From Bankrate.com We purchased one of those McMansions about 22 months ago … We’ve signed [...]

Yes, I’m a real estate broker, and yes, I think you should always use a real estate broker when buying a home.  And, yes, I think you should always use a real estate broker when selling your home. Having said that, if you should decide to sell on your own, here are a bunch of [...]

National Association of Realtors – Under regulations that go into effect on July 1, all real estate practitioners in Massachusetts must use a new mandatory agency disclosure that aims to bring clarity to agency relationships.

How to get an idea of whether your home would lose value if the real estate "bubble" burst: Link: What’s Your House Worth Now? Is the price of your house about to plummet? There’s no one foolproof indicator of a local housing bubble, so the best approach is to evaluate the situation from many angles. [...]