The Basics of an Open House

By Mary O'Neil

The weekend open house is a time-honored tradition in real estate sales, but has it outlived its effectiveness? Quite possibly, according to a new survey conducted by the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University. The survey results hint at the notion that public open houses may be more beneficial for the agents themselves than…

What Is a Listing Agreement?

By Mary O'Neil

Realtors and buyers often work together without a written contract, but the opposite is true for realtors and sellers. On the listing side, written contracts are overwhelmingly the rule, not the exception. A listing agreement is a binding legal contract that shouldn’t be taken lightly. The necessity of reading the contract carefully and understanding what…

How To Handle Multiple Offers

By Mary O'Neil

A “seller’s market,” in one in which competition for houses gives a seller the advantage! It is the result of all kinds of things we do not have control over, from the economy to the sudden and amazing popularity of any given city or neighborhood. When this happens, home prices tend to rise with the…

Getting Your Home Ready to List

By Mary O'Neil

From experience, realtors also know that a “well-polished” house appeals to more buyers and will sell faster and for a higher price. Additionally, buyers feel more comfortable purchasing a well-cared for home because if what they can see is maintained, what they can’t see has probably also been maintained. In readying your house for sale,…

How to Price Your Home

By Mary O'Neil

If you´ve decided to sell your home, chances are you´re caught up in a host of emotions. You may be looking forward to moving up to a new dream house or facing the uncertainty of a major move across country. You may be reluctant to leave your memories behind or eager to start new adventures.…

Myths & Facts About Appraisals

By Mary O'Neil

The appraisal process is often considered to be the process of analyzing collecting and reconciling data that relates to any home or property being appraised. This data is then formatted in an order that can lead the reader of the report to the same conclusions as the appraiser. You should look at each home for…