The kitchen is used more than any other room in the house, which makes it the most important room to stage in your home. Potential home buyers are looking for a kitchen that is as beautiful as it is functional. Buyers want to view it without any unnecessary countertop appliances and clutter. By showcasing your kitchen in the best possible light, you can potentially sell your home faster and; increase the closing price. Even in a slow real...

I love real estate. It’s “matchmaking” between buyers and properties. A happy match can be very rewarding financially and emotionally. Looking through literally tens of thousands of listings, trying to “read between the lines” and “see between the pictures” to find the perfect match for a buyer can be daunting. Thank heavens so many real estate agents use humor in their listings! Humor? Yes, whether they realize it or not, agents repeatedly use...

It’s been a while since I’ve written a blog about Bad MLS Photos. Here are several photos that may give you a few laughs and make you wonder how they represent a house in the best possible light. If you come across a bad MLS photo, let me know and it may be featured on this blog in the future. Email your name and a link to blog@metrobrokers.com. If you know the city where the listing is located and/or the MLS number, please include it. Feel...

I’ve attended quite a few conferences and trade shows in my time, and I think it’s important for agents to regularly attend these local events. There are several benefits of attending – first and foremost being the opportunity to get a leg up on your competition by keeping up with the latest trends in the business. It’s also a great time to network with other agents to find out what’s working (and not working) for them. Trade shows are a...

Realtors and smartphones go together like peas and carrots. It’s an absolutely crucial tool for agents, since it allows them to get their email, search the web, and keep in regular communication with their clients. Nowadays, the most popular smartphones are Android devices. There are more than 50 Android phones currently on sale in the U.S. alone. In fact, Google’s Andy Rubin – Senior VP of Engineering who oversees Android – recently said that...

There have been rumors and various news reports circulating that FHA will soon be allowing unemployed Americans who have an FHA insured mortgage to miss up to 1 year of mortgage payments without being foreclosed on. My hope in writing this article is to provide more details on this topic that is sure to prompt more and more discussions and questions. IMPORTANT: Please note that only the customer’s current lender can give them a final answer on...