Category: REALTOR® Life
Why You Must Upload All Your Listing Photos on Day One
In today’s fast-paced real estate market, first impressions are everything. The moment your home hits the MLS (Multiple Listing Service), potential buyers and agents are eager to see what it has to offer. However, if your listing goes live with only a handful of photos—or worse, none at all—you could be setting yourself up for... Read More
Recent Changes to How Realtors Conduct Their Business
You may have recently heard some information on the news about an out-of-court settlement involving NAR, the nation’s largest trade organization representing over 1.5 million Realtors. I felt obligated to give you the whole truth because I have yet to see a news media outlet that’s gotten it right so far (so shocking!). In May,... Read More
18 days on the market and it’s still not sold!
Despite what you might hear from national or local news media, Kansas City remains a “seller’s market.” By definition, a seller’s market occurs when demand for homes exceeds the available supply, giving sellers an advantage. This typically leads to rising home prices, faster sales, and often multiple offers on properties Specifically, a seller’s market is... Read More
Are Real Estate Agents Still Necessary?
I recently heard someone say, “Buyers can find homes on their own now, so agents aren’t really necessary.” I had to pause and regret the mistake many of us have made for making you, the consumer, think that all we do is find the house. Real estate reality TV has fed into the myth, and... Read More
Kansas City Is Still A Sellers Market
Many people frequently ask me about the current real estate market, wondering, “How is it these days?” One statement that often catches them off guard is that we are still experiencing a “seller’s market” in Kansas City. I believe many people automatically presume that the market is unfavorable and home prices are on the decline.... Read More
Emotional Intelligence in Real Estate Negotiations
Negotiations can often become tense and emotionally charged, particularly when parties have different expectations or conflicting interests. I recently heard a fellow Realtor® say, "We are the thermostat, not the thermometer of the transaction. We set the tone, not measure it." Your Realtor® has two buckets, one with water and one with gasoline. An agent with a high level of emotional intelligence understands which one to use. Read More
My Cheap Vacations
Some of you may have seen my recent vacation photos on Facebook. Over the last six months, I’ve traveled to Vero Beach Florida, Guatemala, St Louis, Scottsdale Arizona, Ft Lauderdale Florida, and Moab Utah. Some of these trips have been fairly expensive, like Scottsdale and Ft Lauderdale (mostly because of the resorts I chose to... Read More
The Spring Parade of Homes is happening right now
wife and I decided to take a Saturday afternoon and go see all the new construction homes on the Spring Homes Tour. This time though, we decided to only look at homes priced over $700,000. That was a few years ago so a home at $700,000 in Kansas City was considered the starting point of the luxury market. Today that number is probably closer to $1 million. New construction prices pretty much start at $500,000 now, so a $700,000 home is more average in most new construction communities. Read More
When Will Home Prices Drop in Kansas City?
If you’re thinking about buying or selling a house right now, you’re not alone. The housing market has seen a lot of unusual trends in the past couple of years, so it makes sense that you’d want the latest update on what’ll happen in the market before you decide to buy or sell. The truth... Read More
Three Years Ago, Our Entire World Changed
Three years ago on Saturday, March 21, 2020, I was running some errands late in the afternoon. I’d forgotten and left my phone in the car and when I got back into the vehicle, I looked down and noticed I had more than 20 voicemails and text messages on my phone! Most of the voicemails... Read More