Don't worry about hurting your Realtor's feelings. Tell them what you think!

It's a beautiful day, and you go house-hunting with your real estate agent. He/she shows you a number of houses. Some are just okay, but there are some houses that you really don't like. Instead of telling your agent what you don't like about some of  the houses you just saw, you just don't say anything.

When you go into a house and you don't like the style, for example, you really should voice your opinion, whether it's asked of you or not, or your agent will show you that style again and again, not realizing that you don't care for it. Your realtor doesn't (or shouldn't)  take the rejection of these houses personally.

Not being vocal doesn't help you or your agent in the long run. What you don't like about a house  is just as important to know as what you DO like and want in a home.  It is important that you tell your agent the good and the bad about each house, so he/she can tailor your home criteria accordingly. Write it down on the MLS property sheet at the end of each showing, if you need to, and discuss it on the way to the next house. Don't wait until the end of the day- each house's features can become a blur.

As always in real estate, communication is Key.


For Sellers: Finding the right agent with a positive attitude

I remember meeting a potential client some time ago, who wanted to sell his home. He knew his home was unique in a few different ways, and was concerned that the right buyer wasn't there for such a unique property, especially the way that the market was. He  really just wasn't sure how marketable his properrty was.  
What i can tell you is that  from my perspective, I walked into a beautiful and tastefully decorated home. It was obviously  architecturally designed, with every attention to even the most minor detail, and nothing was overlooked in the design, or the quality of construction. So why was the seller concerned about the prospect of selling his home? Besides the fact that there was a lot of love and time put into the house, I am sure it's full of memories as well. But that's not always all of it. This particular home had something very unique to offer, and its appeal would not be as broad as a home fitting the standard Fairfield County Connecticut mold- that is,  the expansive 4-5 bedroom, 3 bath colonial style home on a level lot.

  While some agents might consider a home that doesn't fit the mold as a "white elephant"-  no matter how beautiful and well done everything was, they couldn't or wouldn't be bothered with  selling it-  afraid to invest their own money on what they thought may not be a sure thing as far as a sale- and  I think that's a shame.

I, on the other hand, looked  at the house as a GREAT opportunity for someone who is looking for that particular uniqueness that this home had to offer. What another agent may consider as a white elephant, I consider as a BONUS. and, incidentally,  I really dislike the term, "white elephant" Just so you know, The seller was a highly intelligent, successful businessman, and was not a negative person by any stretch of the imagination- some people would even call him a realist.
Bottom line is what some people will find utterly amazing, others could care less about. That goes for EVERY home, regardless, by the way. Any good, experienced real estate agent will tell you that the trick to  finding the right buyer is marketing the property for what it is, not overdramatizing it, not underselling it, or forgetting or omitting details. Most of all, it's about  tailoring a marketing plan to find that particular buyer who would be most likely to buy your house.

If your agent isn't excited about marketing your home, he/she wont bring an excited buyer, and you won't get your home sold.
So if you meet an agent, who is not genuinely (AND I MEAN GENUINELY) interested  and excited about your home, DON'T WORK WITH THEM. It's as simple as that. No need to get discouraged, your buyer is out there, and the right agent can always find them.  And I just happen to know someone..... :)

You can just ask the seller that I spoke about earlier. Of course, I sold his house. He wrote a testimonial for me,  and you can read that, and a few others on my website by clicking here

Choosing the Best Real Estate Agency to represent you in CT

When it comes time to hire a real estate agent to sell your home, there are a multitude of agencies to choose from, so how do you choose? Company A tells you that they are #1 in sales,  company B tells you that THEY are #1 in sales, and company C tells you that THEY are #1 in sales. How are you supposed to figure that one out? 

Well we figured it out a few years ago when a bunch of other Office owners/ Brokers and I were sitting down for coffee, and that exact subject came up. The owner of one company said, "I (my company) must be number two, 'cos everybody else is number one." Everyone sitting at the table laughed pretty hard over that one, but guess what? He was right.  Forget about those number one claims that brokers make. Everyone can be number one in a specially defined niche, and maybe just maybe, you don't WANT that numebr one company. There are reasons for it.Honestly and truly,  do you want to know who number one REALLY is? It's YOU, the client.

So what are the main type of agencies to choose form, and which one is best for you?

National Franchise - While a large well known franchise has great name recognition, buyers really don't care which sign is out in front of your house. If they want to buy it, they will. the internet has taken that argument out of the large franchise arsenal. A concern with a large franchise is the very real possibility of dual agency.

Franchise Boutique- I think this type of company is best for sellers, and this is the type of company that I am affiliated with. A nationally franchise company that is locally owned and operated offers the best of all worlds. Local expertise, national exposure, and less possibility of dual agency.

Local Company- There are a few types of local companies- either the low key or the little powerhouse. Not a bad choice if the property has only a limited VERY local market.

Discount Agency- I'm not a fan, period.  You, as a seller, do the vast majority of the work that can get quite complicated for someone who does not deal with real estate on a daily basis. It makes no sense at all. I hate to say it, but do you know what some agents think when they see a listing with a discount brokerage? They figure that they are getting paid less for the same amount of work, and they figure you won't negotiate at all, whether it's true or not.


So what's best for you? If one doesn't stand out clearly over another, conduct a few interviews.  Or, you can just call me and we'll get started!



Real Estate and Psychological Impact

Real estate can be a funny animal sometimes. Take for instance, the subject of Psychological Impact. That  is considered a non-material fact as it relates to  real estate transactions. A few examples of a psychologically impacted home  could be a home which is the site of a homicide or a suicide, or some type of felony took place there, and it could also mean that  the owner or occupant suffered from an infectious disease. Supernatural occurrences also fit into this category.

There is a  Psychological Impact Law in Connecticut that has been in place since 1990, and in laymans terms,  it pretty much states that if a buyer or lessor has a concern over a property's psychological impact, he must submit a request a writing to the seller, and the seller must return that answer in writing.

It is NOT a seller's duty, nor an agent's duty to disclose  any psychological impacts unless the request is made in writing, so if any of these instances trouble you, seek legal advice from your attorney, and discuss your concerns with your agent.

The best way to find a real estate listing site that is current. HINT: (it's not Realtor.com)

In the last week, three different people have contacted me to  see a particular property that they found online, and in each instance, I've had to tell them that the property was under deposit, and no longer available. It just doesn't sound right, does it?

Yes, the market is coming back,  but to get three calls in one week on listings that are unavailable is just awful. It's awful for  the people who think they are looking at a current real listing site- and trust me, its no fun to tell a potential client that the house that they want to see is under deposit.

And the biggest offender? Realtor.com.. Really!  This site can be up to 30 days out of date. YES, that's right. At least in Fairfield County, that's right. Realtor.com does not recognize one of the deposit statuses in our area. That's unfortunate. Homes.com does not have all of the listings, and then some of them are OLD OLD OLD. Trulia and  Zillow are incomplete AND out of date.

So what do you do?  Work with ONE agent, who will allow you access to the MLS. I offer both MLSPulse and Listingbook to my clients or potential clients FREE of charge, and FREE of spam.  If you care to sign up for either one, it's free and easy, just click on the respective links below

Listingbook at www.BestAgentinCT.com   and MLSPulse at www.searchMLSdatabase.com