Blog Archives

When you put your home up for sale you want it to make a great first impression.  You’ve heard of “curb appeal”, but what about the first impression buyers will make when they walk into your home?  This area would be your foyer or entry.  Yes, you want good curb appeal, but you also want buyers to have a great first impression upon entering your home. Consider cleaning up all of the clutter in the area.  You want buyers to have the feeling of space when they walk into your home.  They want to feel that there is plenty of room to greet and say farewell to their guests.  Do you really need every pair of shoes you own at the front door?  The same goes for coats and hats.  Clean up and keep it simple.  Keep your welcome mat clean and in good repair or purchase a new one. Stand in your foyer and see what rooms you can see when you enter your home.  Likewise, these rooms need to pop.  Keep clutter out.  If the rooms need painting, then do so.  Not everybody appreciates the art piece “dogs playing poker”.  Try to keep tastes neutral in order to […]

Recently some of my wife’s relatives were at a get together when her aunt and uncle started going off on how Realtors are so crooked.  Now I wasn’t there, but it did make it’s way back to me.  Now I’m a classy guy so I haven’t said anything to them.  By the way, he works in the car business! OK, I think I just made my point.  All industries have people in them that may not be as good as they should be.  Believe it or not all doctors are not great.  The same is true with dentists, carpenters, mechanics and the list continues.  You never hear about the good root canals, only the bad ones even though roughly 95% of root canals are successful.  All you hear about is how bad it is to have a root canal.  All industries have a few bad apples that give their industry a bad name.  I am proud to report that the majority of Realtors I have dealt with are very professional and have your best interests at heart!  Whatever type of service you are looking for you have to do your due diligence to find the best fit for you.  This applies […]

Do you have a relationship with a Realtor in your city?  I don’t mean have you simply bought or sold your home with a Realtor.  That’s important especially if you are pleased and will use this person in the future, but do you stay in touch with a Realtor? Having an ongoing relationship with a Realtor can be very beneficial to you.  Firstly, a good Realtor can keep you abreast as to what is going on in the real estate market in your neighborhood.  I have clients in which I report data to weekly.  Secondly, a good Realtor is extremely connected.  Should you need a reliable professional service, ask your Realtor.  This person will not steer you wrong.  After all, they do want your future business and will not recommend someone that is not qualified.  Due to their connections, a good Realtor may also know of good investment opportunities, and not just real estate.  I meet with other business professionals on a weekly basis and am always seeking out excellent service providers and opportunities in which to service my clients. A relationship involves trust.  Refer your friends and family because of the terrific service and friendship this relationship provides.   Thanks for […]

So you’re thinking of selling your own home!  Excellent!  Here are a few among many things to consider.  First off, do you know your local real estate market?  No, it’s not the price in which your neighbors have their home listed.  You can only compare against properties that have sold.  That is realistic data.  It’s not the price in which your neighbor said he/she sold their home.  Have you ever wanted people to think something you own is worth more than it’s actual value?  It’s the same with your neighbor….. likely not a reliable source.  You need hard data.  Do you know where to find such data and the appropriate comparables?  Do you know how to properly compare homes? Do you know how to market your home?  Do you know what sources of marketing work?  Are you willing to put the time and effort and expense into marketing your home?  Are you willing to answer calls, should you receive any, and schedule appointments for viewings?  Can you realistically separate yourself emotionally from your home and accept criticism?  If your home is not selling and you want to take a vacation, how will you handle showings and the prospect of an offer if […]

Moving can be stressful at the best of times, never mind when it is unexpected.  Yet, often times moves are precipitated by an unexpected change such as a job relocation or a life change.  If this were to happen to you would your home be market ready? When preparing for a sale home owners will apply paint to interior walls and exteriors and make some minor or major repairs if required.  Perhaps the kitchen is in need of some updating.  This is a daunting task when you plan to tackle these items.  Imagine that you need to complete these tasks in a hurry! It’s a great idea to inspect your home on a yearly basis and ponder the thought that if you had to put your home on the market by the end of the month, what would you need to do?  Tackle these items.  This way if you must move, your home is market ready and you will be in a better position to get top dollar for your home! Thanks for reading! By Patrick Murray Join me on Google+

Have you ever been to an open house and the first thing out of a Realtor’s mouth is, “are you pre-approved?”.  The audacity of a stranger asking such a question can be insulting.  All of us like to keep our personal financial situation private.  We certainly don’t disclose that information to strangers.  Yet, why do some Realtors ask such a question? First off, I agree that the question itself can be very off-putting upon a first time meeting.  Realtors ask this question to find out if you know what you can afford.  You do need to be pre-qualified by a lender.  Can you imagine the disappointment at going out to look at properties only to find out later that you cannot afford the properties in which you are viewing.  This can also be a time waster to an inexperienced Realtor.  When I show my clients properties, I first make sure that they have spoken with a lender and have in writing what the lender says they can afford in terms of a mortgage.  I’m sorry that the delivery of some Realtors may not jive with proper social etiquette.  I don’t ask that question right off the bat.  After all you […]

Dedication!  That’s a powerful word and it is one that can be very daunting to people.  What does dedication mean in real estate? Dedication is what makes a real estate agent successful.  Dedication is the reason why a Realtor will be sitting open houses on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon instead of sitting at home watching the football game.  Dedication means being out with clients after supper to look at houses instead of being at home with family.  Dedication means getting up in the morning, being a self-starter, and following up with clients.  Dedication means searching for properties on the internet for clients instead of being on the golf course.  Dedication means putting everthing aside in order to help others meet their goals.  What kind of Realtor do you want?  Hopefully it is one that is dedicated!  Thanks for reading! By Patrick Murray Join me on Google+

Do you know the difference between sales and marketing?  Many people don’t know the difference.  Does your Realtor know the difference? Marketing has to do with getting the message out effectively.  You want people to know that your home is for sale.  Marketing will use mediums such as the old school print advertising all the way to the Internet. It involves pictures and videos. Marketing also has to do with how your home is perceived.  Is the presentation of the material pleasing to the eye and does it convey the right information?  Is the information reaching the target audience?  All of this has to do with marketing.  Sales comes after the marketing.  People are in the door because of marketing, now they must be sold on the home.  A Realtor might engage sales techniques when one on one with people at an open house.  The presentation of your home influences a sale and you might even use a home stager in order to help your home sell.  Remember the difference between marketing and sales when interviewing Realtors.  You want to know what a Realtor will do to get people into your home (marketing).  This is the most important.  The sale will follow […]

You are selling your home and you need the services of a real estate agent.  Pardon the cliche Ghost Busters terminology, but “who you ‘gonna call”?  What should you look for in a real estate agent? Firstly, you want someone that will get the job done!  How do you know?  Perhaps past performance.  Does this Realtor come recommended?  Next, you want a Realtor that you get along with and one that is a good communicator.  You need to be properly informed so this is important!  Do you feel deep inside that you can trust this person?  This is another important point.  There is no sense working with someone that you’re not sure you trust or that will not make your real estate experience a good one no matter how prominent the Realtor.  How will the Realtor advertise your property for sale?  Does the Realtor have a grasp of how to market a property?  Does the Realtor have any skin in the game?  Is the Realtor putting effort forth to market your home and is there any costs associated to this marketing?  Remember, you are paying for a Realtor’s services.  Finally, discard the notion that cheaper is better.  You often get […]