Kathy Wall

Should I Tell Them What They Want to Hear?
May 16, 2011 · · 6 Comments

Over the last couple of months I have lost out on three listings….three really good homes in great locations..because I was honest with the potential clients.     In each case, the owners had very unrealistic expectations about what they could get for their property, or as sellers are fond of saying what they “needed” to get out of their properties.   

I did everything that I could to be upbeat while meeting with all of them, but two of them wanted $1,500,000 for homes that were either in much need of updating or that had been updated in a particular style that would not be appealing to a large number of buyers.   Both of those homes were cluttered and had several pets roaming around, which would make them hard to show.   The owners said they “sensed a lot of negativity” when I made a few recommendations about things they could do increase the value of their homes.  

Anyone who knows me, knows that I am about the least negative person around….I always try to put a positive spin on everything…but it’s my job to try to help owners get the best possible price for their home, so I have to tell them things that would help them or I wouldn’t be doing them justice.       Read more

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

I Earned that Deal…BUT!
December 7, 2009 · · 3 Comments

Deal photoAnother Realtor(r) walked away with a check. Please understand this rant is not directed at clients who’s transactions do not work out despite the best intentions. There are times when as a Realtor you spend a great deal of energy and effort and then, for a variety of reasons, it just doesn’t happen. No, readers, this is the story of being the Starter Realtor. 

My tale started when I began working with clients who had a very set idea about what they were looking for.  They were pre-approved         Read more