Starting to see something like this in your neighborhood or on your neighbors home and wondering what it is?

It is a radon mitigation system because this home had recently been tested and was found to have 4.0 picocuries per liter (pCi/L) or higher than the EPA recommended level of radon. This is still new in the buying and selling of real estate but radon is REAL!
This year so far, 8 of my buyers and or sellers of single family homes had radon tests and 3 have tested above 4.0. Those 3 then had a mitigation system installed before listing and or closing.
I am now strongly recommending to all my buyers that the home they want to purchase be tested before completing the purchase and all my sellers before the home is listed for sale.
Read more here and consider having your home tested.
http://www2.epa.gov/radon/citizens-guide-radon-guide-protecting-yourself-and-your-family-radon 

"Pocket" listing, not in sellers best interest!

With the market being more of a seller’s market, I am seeing more and more “pocket” listings. "Pocket" means the listing agent is not putting the listing on the MLS and possibly other forms of real estate advertising.
I don’t care how you cut it; this practice does not have the seller’s best interest at heart.
http://www.realtor.com/advice/3-concerns-pocket-listings-every-home-seller-consider/

Have Gutters and Still Have Water Seepage!

Recently I went to a home the owners are considering selling but they have concerns about the water seepage in the basement. The owners pointed out where the water is coming in so I went outside to take a look at the recently installed gutters and downspouts. I found that 1/3rd of the roofs water empties to an area under the deck next to the homes foundation that cannot drain away anyhow; the roofs water goes right into the basement!

I suggested to the owners how a change in the downspout and direction could substantially reduce or possibly eliminate their water seepage problem. I see stuff like this all too often; so many installation companies sell a good sale but do not put quality in to what they are selling.

Doing this gutter installation correctly from the get-go would not have cost the owners anymore and good chance it would have resolve their water seepage problem.

Moral of the story, always get a few opinions!

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 

Selling your home, don't get short changed!

I feel so bad for some home sellers time and time again! Do you know that in the RMLS, we agents have up to 255 character spaces for public and agent remarks and up to 18 photos in the RMLS and too many sellers do not get these couple minimum home listing requirements as they should from their listing agent for their home to be properly represented!
That's like getting no rebar in your concrete slab or no brakes on your car!
Don’t get short change! Get all you deserve and more and have your home properly represented in the marketplace, contact me at 612-781-1337

"Staging" to the nth degree!

You Are What You Refrigerate!

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/09/realestate/staging-refrigerators-for-real-estate-showings.html

Your Front Door Color May Define You And Or Your Home!

Read more here, http://www.ehow.com/about_6749325_meaning-door-colors_.html

The importance of doing a pre-market title search!

1) A divorced takes place and you are awarded the home; this does not prevent the X from placing a lien on the property!

2) Parents pass away and the property is left to the siblings, if any of the siblings have liens against them most title companies will require those liens be paid off out of the proceeds at closing!

Over the years these scenarios have happened to several of my past sellers and what an upsetting and sometimes costly surprise this has been! Sometimes an attorney needs to be brought into the equation to help resolve or come to an agreement on the issues between the parties.

With most sales and especially divorce and estate sales, I highly recommendation doing an advance title search, you never know what you might find, but whatever you do find by doing so in advance will give more time to resolve the issues for timely closing.