How Important Are Photos?

Did you know; buyers spend 60 percent of their online time viewing listing photos, but only 20 percent on the property description and 20 percent on agent comments, according to research by Michael Seiler with Old Dominion University, who tracked eye movements of 45 people viewing 10 online real estate listings with photos.

Meeting Strangers at an Empty House!

This is not a world like it used to be, bad things happen all the time and in all sorts of places, even in real estate!

I had an incident in the late 80s with an agent who came back after his clients left my open house, he closed the door, pushed me against the wall and threatened me if I did not pay him his side of the commission, scared the hell out of me! We did file a complaint but it seemed to fall on deaf ears back then.

I do not meet strangers at a home for sale, I set up a pre-showing appointment at my office beforehand then we may go look at the property. And with all the marketing available today, is an open house necessary? I have heard many other horror stories over the years about open houses and if or when I sell my own home, I will not have an open house, my  neighborhood is a great neighborhood but it's not like it used to be, people lock their doors these days for a reason!   

http://www.inman.com/2014/08/22/its-time-to-tell-agents-they-can-no-longer-meet-with-complete-strangers-in-empty-houses/ 

The risk of a 24 hour notice to show property

If the buyers have 2 or more properties they want to see and property B requires a 24 hour notice, the buyers see property A and they fall in love, they may never see property B.

If property B does not require a 24 hour notice and they can see property B right after property A, 9 times out of 10 they still want to see property B and they may fall more in love with property B!

Read more - http://homebuying.about.com/od/sellingahouse/qt/Is-A-24-Hour-Notice-For-Home-Showing-Reasonable.htm

As a home buyer, do you want to purchase title insurance?

If you want to protect the most important investment you’ll ever make, your home!
With a title insurance policy, you as owner, have an indemnity contract that will reimburse you for loss in the event someone asserts a claim against your property that is covered by the policy.
Read more here, http://title-smart.com/title-resources/buyers/title-insurance/

FHA Sets Minimum Property Standards For 2014.

What is an FHA mortgage and what are the property standards for 2014!
Find out here! http://themortgagereports.com/13782/what-are-the-current-fha-minimum-property-standards