Kathy Wall

Vacant Homes a Target for Homeless and Criminals
February 10, 2011 · · 2 Comments

I was scheduled to do an open house at one of my listings in a terrific San Francisco neighborhood today.  When I arrived at the property and unlocked the door, the first thing that I saw were 2 men’s socks and a bunch of dirt, along with something that looked like a dirt clot, but later turned out to be a rock.  

Since this house has always been immaculate, I knew that something was radically wrong, so instead of entering the house, I first called the owners.   When I was unable to reach them, I decided to call the police.    Although it turned out that the intruder had already left, I’m so glad that I did call them, because it turns out that they were able to get really good evidence of who had entered.

This home had previously been “staged” and furnished, but the owners had requested that the staging be removed due to cost concerns, so it is now completely vacant.    Although we kept the front drapes closed so that people would not notice that it was vacant, someone clearly noticed, broke a downstairs window and spent at least one night in the property, apparently ripping down one of the drapes and using it as a blanket.      Read more

Kathy Wall

Open House Etiquette
December 7, 2010 · · 4 Comments

For the last 17+ years, I have been selling real estate and, for the first 16 of those years,  have hated doing open houses.   I love meeting new customers, but if it is a slow day it can be incredibly boring.    Nowadays, I enjoy them a lot more,  because I bring my computer and can accomplish quite a bit (well, alright, sometimes I play word games and don’t actually accomplish too much, but I’m a lot happier!)  

While doing my open house yesterday, I had plenty of time to contemplate, since it was pouring down rain and absolutely no one came.   Fortunately, the house I was holding open was warm and cozy, so it was pretty comfortable.    Since I had so much time, I began thinking about the whole open house process.  

I thought it might be helpful for all of the buyers out there if I shared a few thoughts about the etiquette of open houses.   A few helpful hints are:        Read more

PruCalVoices

Don’t Let Them Buy Your Love…Or Your Listing!
November 27, 2010 · · 3 Comments

There is a phrase related to home selling that has always struck me as a bit odd, even before I got into the business of real estate. “I chose my Realtor ® because they said they could get me XX amount of dollars” is often the refrain of a home seller.  Really?  They can tell you precisely what your house is going to go for in the future.  If a Realtor tells you that, you ask them why they aren’t in Vegas making themselves rich with that skill.

The practice is called “buying a listing” and it can be an effective way to get business.  The problem is, it doesn’t serve the seller.       Read more

Lee Ginsburg

Are They Comparing Apples to Apples
August 21, 2009 · · 8 Comments

When you and I purchase a new computer we compare the memory, the speed, the screen size: does it come with a camera, DVD player/recorder and more.  A home the largest purchase most of us will ever make often is not reviewed with such detail by the people doing the lending and sometimes by the people doing the spending.  Yes, they look at the square footage, the general condition, and the location.  Appraisers often do not have any idea of the cost of section one termite repairs.  The differential in repair costs could be 3%, 5% even 10% of the purchase price.  Roofs costs could range between $5000 to $25,000.  A home with a two year old roof should be valued higher than one with a 25 year old roof.  Appraisers know roughly how old the roof is on the subject property but they don’t know the age of the comparables.  Same with double paned windows and furnaces.  A home with copper piping through out or or with upgraded electric needs to have additional value added to it.  All this information does not show up in the MLS.  Read more

David Wang

Fannie Mae Short Sale Webinar
January 13, 2009 · · 7 Comments
do you know what a short sale is?

Do you know what a short sale is?

Doing a routine search for properties today I came across a very good 20 minute video on what is a short sales put on by Fannie Mae.  We have been working with short sales for over a year and have had the explanations given and have had the explanation received many many times already but this is short and good.  The slides are good and to the point the Audio is clear and crisp it is short enough for clients to get through without losing focus.

 As a client I would believe this more than an agent i just met because we all recognize the name Fannie Mae and with all the government oversight they are receiving they have to watch their P’s and Q’s. Read more