Coldwell Banker Apex Blog

3 Easy Tips For Your Yard

Fri, 06 Jul 2012 10:32:25 -0600

Now that’s a great looking lawn.

Many homeowners enjoy the summer because it allows them to get outdoors and plant flowers. I’m not one of them.

But my wife certainly is so to keep a happy home I have to put summer effort into making sure our lawn can withstand the heat of summer. As you well know a homeowner’s yard is an extension of their house. Maintaining a well-manicured lawn is not a difficult or tedious task, but it does require some care so I’m always looking for easy tips to get around having to do a ton of yard work…especially in this heat.

Here are three simple tips that you can use to avoid back-breaking yard work:

1. Don’t over-trim your yard
Some individuals may mow their grass and trim their hedges on a weekly basis in an attempt to keep it more manageable. However, this can backfire and actually lead to yard damage, rather than health. Keeping grass a little longer during the summer months allows it to maintain more moisture, which can save homeowners time and money in constantly watering their lawns, according to Bankrate.com. In addition, longer grass creates natural shade, which can help keep weeds at bay. This can save people money on weed killers and eliminate the need to consistently pull up pesky plants from the lawn
The length homeowners should keep their grass depends on the area in which they live as well as the type of grass they grow. It may be beneficial to conduct research with a local gardening association to determine this information and how to best maintain their yards.

2. Choose native plants and flowers
Each plant or flower requires different climates, water levels and weather conditions in order to thrive. For example, some flowers must be planted in shady, damp areas in order to grow, while others require direct sunlight to bloom. This is the reason certain plants and flowers grow more prominently in certain areas. To lessen the amount of work individuals must spend in the yard, owners should seek out plants that are native to the area in which they live. This can be done easily by visiting a local nursery and consulting with a professional.

3. Get creative with your space
Lastly, homeowners may decide that they want to use their yard for other tasks, such as barbecuing, building a deck or laying down stone for a patio. If this is the case, owners can break up their yards and only devote a portion of it to flowers and shrubbery. This can be another way to save time and money on lawn maintenance and care. In addition, decks and other raised home additions may provide the shade individuals need to grow certain types of low-maintenance plants.

Do you have some tips for keeping your yard green even in the heat and humidity of July & August? Share your favorite in the comments.

Image courtesy of Flickr user thisreidwrites

Housing Recovery Information

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 03:48:10 -0600

Coldwell Banker COO, Budge Huskey, on Fox News discusses the signs of Housing Recovery. Check it out:

http://video.foxbusiness.com/v/1524766069001/coldwell-president-sees-signs-of-housing-recovery/?playlist_id=87185

The Albrights: A Heartwarming Story

Fri, 09 Mar 2012 01:49:07 -0600

Enjoy this post from one of our CB colleagues that attended Generation Blue last week..... (re-posted by Lori Arnold)

From the day I started at Coldwell Banker Real Estate on December 19, 2011 I knew that Gen Blue was going to be one amazing event. As the rookie of the group I sat in on Gen Blue planning meetings still unsure of what to expect when we actually got to New Orleans. I did know that it was going to be unlike anything I had ever attended and I was right.

The highlight of Gen Blue for me was seeing firsthand how dedicated Coldwell Banker agents are to their careers. Over the three day experience I was exposed to stories from agents who answer to a “higher calling.” Day after day they are committed to helping people to believe in housing again. Coldwell Banker agents look beyond price tags and commission rates and offer buyers a look at the true Value of a Home.

One moment at Gen Blue completely defined this idea of agents answering to a higher calling and when it occurred I can honestly say I had goose bumps.

The story I am about to share involves an agent, Victoria Rabb of Coldwell Banker United in Pensacola, Florida, and an active duty Military family, Jared & Amy Albright. This story demonstrates the importance of the work real estate agents do every day; many are in this job for their love of helping people achieve the dream of home ownership.

Now I could tell the story, but it’s much more powerful coming from the Albrights. Take a look at what they have to say about their real estate agent:

We heard about the Albright’s story shortly after I began my career at Coldwell Banker. It was a no-brainer to invite them to be our honored guests at The Generation Blue Experience. They were delighted with the offer and told us that because they were both on active duty in the United States Air Force they had never been away on a vacation together, not even for their honeymoon!

After showing the video above at Gen Blue, our CEO Jim Gillespie welcomed Jared and Amy to the main stage where they were greeted with a lengthy standing ovation, clearly showing their gratitude for all the Albright’s and other active military personnel have done for our country.

Jim Gillespie welcomed Jared and Amy to the main stage where they were greeted with a standing ovation.

While I tried to hide the tears rolling down my cheeks I quickly realized everyone around me was wiping away tears between clapping as well. It seemed there wasn’t a dry eye in the house!

The Albright’s were extremely touched by the way they were recognized while on stage, but what happened next completely blew them away.

As they enjoyed sightseeing in New Orleans they were stopped nearly everywhere they went by someone from Coldwell Banker who recognized them. They were greeted with hugs, stories of loved ones who are also on active duty in the United States military, and even received a bottle of champagne from an agent!

Despite being on their “honeymoon,” Jared and Amy decided to spend a majority of their time with us at the Gen Blue experience. In just a few days they had become part of the Coldwell Banker family.

The Albright’s with David Marine and Lindsay Listanski at the Gen Blue closing party.

After a sad goodbye at our final night party we were delighted to run in to Jared and Amy at the airport for one last laugh and final picture together.

One last laugh and final picture together at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport

A huge thank you goes to Victoria Rabb who persevered through 628 challenging days to sell Amy and Jared’s Florida home. And a very special thank you to Jared and Amy Albright for believing in Coldwell Banker and for all that you have done and continue to do for our country.

California Dreaming

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 06:18:28 -0600

$27 million oceanfront home in Malibu, CA listed by Chris Cortazzo

At Coldwell Banker Real Estate, we come across some incredible homes from across the globe, but this Malibu home listed by Coldwell Banker mega-agent, Chris Cortazzo, grabbed my attention from the first photo.

When you dream of heading to Southern California and living that Pacific Coast lifestyle, this is the exact home I envision myself in. Sure it’s probably not realistic for me, but hey it’s my dream. Perfectly located on the bluffs in Malibu and overlooking some of the most premium beachfront you can find is this California castle. Listed for $27 million it boasts 7 bedrooms, 8 bathrooms, a 50 ft pool in the back and the interior design was done by Tim Clarke.

I love how Chris Cortazzo describes the interior in his property details on coldwellbanker.com, he says “Interior designer Tim Clarke’s coastal modern aesthetic imbues the home with warmth and livability.” I like warmth and I love livability.

Magnificent doesn’t do this place justice. I think it needs it’s own Spotify playlist to listen to while viewing the property details.

Check out all the pics and the full details on this 10,000 sq. ft. home on coldwellbanker.com.

Fresh New Look

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 06:08:59 -0600

A new design for the coldwellbanker.com home page

Today we released a new look for our award winning website, coldwellbanker.com. The home pages has been updated with a much warmer and home-related look than we’ve ever had before. When you visit coldwellbanker.com you’ll notice that when you click on the home search tab or the agent tab the visuals in the background highlight what it is you’re searching for. We’ve also simplified the menu options, updated our highlighted sections and added a few other touches here and there.

It’s kind of like we repainted our entryway, installed some brass hardware to the front door and added a few nice accents from Crate & Barrel to brighten up our main foyer.

This is just the first of a number of changes coming from Coldwell Banker Real Estate in the coming months. Coming in March we’ll unveil what we believe is a significant and timely change in the real estate conversation. More to come, but for now we hope you enjoy this new design for coldwellbanker.com as you look to buy, sell or just dream about that new home.

Here’s to all the things that make a house a home.

Seven Staging Secrets

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 01:47:20 -0600

I recently heard some great tips from Susanita de Diego, broker/owner with Coldwell Banker Your Calgary Home Selling Team; about simple staging tips that could help boost a home’s appeal and give homeowners a competitive edge when selling their home. Your own agent will likely suggest a lot of similar things, so I wanted to share so you would gain some insight into why these ideas make sense.

Stage rooms with one purpose. Rooms that have many uses can confuse or even deter homebuyers, so staging rooms with one purpose is vital. Determine who your most likely target market will be, whether it’s young professionals with no kids, families, or even empty nesters. Then present your areas to fit their needs. If you’ve been using a room as a guest room/kids playroom/home office, pick the one use that best suits your buyers.
Tackle the easy “do-it-yourself” projects. Spruce up your home by updating kitchen and bathroom fixtures and updating cabinet hardware. Add a fresh coat of paint in a neutral palate that won’t distract from your home’s features.

A fresh coat of neutral paint goes a long way
Focus on the living areas. Potential buyers should envision themselves entertaining friends and family in the living areas of the home. Make sure those areas feel as spacious as possible by removing any unnecessary furniture to allow for easy traffic flow.
Make sure the master bedroom appeals to both sexes. Remember that the master bedroom is a room that a couple will be sharing, so the décor should appeal to both sexes. It should feel like a calm and peaceful refuge, not a frilly boudoir. Remove any feature that seems too gender-specific and paint the walls a neutral colour.
De-clutter & depersonalize. Buyers want to picture their family living in a home, not the previous owners. You’re going to be moving anyway, so start now by packing away family photos, personal mementos knickknacks. Store away valuables under lock and key. Some property owners find they need to store some of their belongings off premises to create an open feel.
Furnish the home, but don’t overdo it. While an empty house may look spacious, it’s often hard for buyers to visualize their belongings in a home if they’re just looking at bare walls and floors. Leave the basic components that allow the viewer to define each room.
Don’t forget the outside spaces. First impressions can play a key role in a consumer’s decision-making process, so don’t neglect your home’s curb appeal. Make sure the home’s exterior is inviting by trimming the bushes, mowing the lawn and painting faded window trim. Buyers will appreciate the seller’s efforts with the yard work, and will tend to assume that the same attention to detail has been

Americas Favorite Sunday

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 01:43:31 -0600

The time has arrived, the air is cold and crisp and my favorite Sunday is just around the corner. As many of you know, I’m a diehard Giants fan and am waiting in anticipation for the final matchup against the New England Patriots. Win or lose, I am looking forward to the annual ritual of finger food, commercial judging, half-time show viewing, and of course, watching some football.

How are you planning to celebrate the Super Bowl this year? Will you be hosting friends and family at your home?

I got to thinking about how our homes are the true centerpiece for Super Bowl Sunday, bringing together family and friends for some good ‘ole fashion American fun. With this in mind, I took a look on coldwellbanker.com and found a lot of our listings are in the Super Bowl Sunday party spirit:

Home for sale on Manning Mill Road in Lafayette, GA

Americans love their football and nearly 170 homes mention football in the description
About 10 home listings mention the Super Bowl
For the hostess with the mostest, nearly 16,900 homes are great for entertaining
Another 760 say they are terrific for hosting parties

Giants fans will be happy to know:
- 69 home listings actually mention “Manning” – such as Manning Mill Road, Manning Street, etc.
- And 19 homes have “Giants” in the description

For Patriots fans:
- 38 homes mention “Brady” in the listing – such as Brady Drive, Brady Canyon, Brady Trail, etc.
- And 21 home listings have “Patriots” in the description – with two listings that reference Patriots Place

Real Estate Headlines For 1st Week of January

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 06:08:31 -0600

There’s nothing quite like a new year to reset your life a bit. Resolutions to be made. Goals to be set. And a full 365 days to achieve them. But for now we’ll start with baby steps and get you some of the most interesting real estate headlines for this new year.

The KCM Blog compares real estate to other investments and concludes that you can’t live in your IRA.
MSNBC polled people to find out who is the most and least wanted neighbors. Tim Tebow is #1 on the most wanted listed while the cast of Jersey Shore takes the prize on the least wanted.
Investopedia writes about how you can use real estate to put off tax bills.
TheAtlanticCities.com takes a look at the awkward art of neighborhood naming.
And finally PTMoney.com lists the 5 big benefits of a smaller home.

Photo provided by Flickr user Jeff Kern

New Year....New Home

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 08:53:14 -0600

Happy New Year! As you start thinking about your goals and dreams for 2012, if one of those includes buying a new home, congratulations. It's one of those great "life adventures" that most of us look forward to as we chose a home that reflects our current lifestyle. There is a lot to think about when making the decision, so let me share a few thoughts with you about this important path you may be considering for 2012.

Select a qualified and trusted real estate agent: At Coldwell Banker, we have a network of knowledgeable, trustworthy agents. Agents understand the local market and can help you find all the information and resources you need to get started. Researching on your own is important, and using free online tools is a great way to start, but meeting with an agent will ensure you don’t miss any important steps along the way. In fact, the next three tips were sourced from the great advice of our agents.

Create your “must-haves” and “nice-to-haves” list: Easier said than done, right? But it’s next to impossible to find a first home with everything. You’ll need to think about your lifestyle needs and prioritize the non-negotiable home accommodations, such as a bedroom for each family member, over items you may want, but not need, such as a large master suite. Everyone’s list is different, but knowing your “must-haves” in advance will help you stay focused.

Determine your budget: Be realistic about what is affordable. An agent can help you find comparable home prices and hone in on approximately how much the payments will be. You should also plan to get pre-approved for a mortgage. Doing this prior to house hunting will let you know how much money you qualify for, and how much you can afford. You’ll also be able to figure out which mortgage type is best for you.

Identify the perfect “location, location, location”: Everyone has heard this phrase before, and while the surrounding neighborhood and home itself may improve over time, the physical location will remain the same. Determine in advance how close you would like to live to work, schools or extended family. A short commute to work, proximity to family or having easy access to highways and mass transit will often be items for your “must-haves” list.

Hope your 2012 is off to a good start. If you’re starting your home search in 2012, we’d love to hear what you’re doing to get the home search process started.

Image provided by Flickr user Creativity103

Real Estate Headlines For Week Of Christmas

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 03:56:51 -0600

Would you live in a house that's a shoe?

By now you’ve probably made your list, checked it twice and discovered you still have more presents to buy. It’s the week before Christmas and the hustle and bustle is upon us. To get your week off to the right start, here are some real estate headlines:

Calculated Risk has ten economic questions for 2012 that need to be answered about the housing market
US News has a list of 10 rookie home buyer mistakes to avoid
Yahoo Real Estate features some real life storybook homes that are more than make believe.
And finally…Inman News came out with their list of the 100 most influential people in real estate. Coldwell Banker CEO, Jim Gillespie, and COO, Budge Huskey, both made the list.

Frank Sinatra Home Listed by Coldwell Banker

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 11:22:45 -0600

Frank Sinatra's former home is currently listed by Coldwell Banker for $12 million

If ever there was a home that had stories to tell, this is the one. Simply known as “Farralone” this amazing estate was once famously owned by Frank Sinatra and is currently listed by Coldwell Banker agent, Lynn Teschner, for $12 million.

The 10,000 square foot residence was owned by Sinatra in the heart of his Rat Pack years and boasts more parties and celebrity visits than almost any other home you’ll come across. It’s rumored that this is where John F. Kennedy met Marilyn Monroe and was also the location for Judy Garland and Vincent Minelli’s wedding. Sinatra would also shoot off fireworks in the backyard to signal to his neighbors that it was time for happy hour.

Aside from the amazing history of the home, the residence is truly a magnificent piece of architecture with 16 feet walls of glass curtains, a 50 ft. swimming pool in the back and a 1,000 sq. ft. guest house with its own private pool. Farralone sits on 14 acres of land that includes a vineyard and parking for up to 200 cars.

While the home boasts many stories of yesteryear it’s also a popular location for many modern pop culture venues. The home is most prominently seen today in AMC’s Mad Men and was also used in Usher’s Burn music video.

While $12 million is nothing to balk at, to me it sounds like a bargain given the history and glamour of the listing when compared to other home prices in exclusive Southern California markets. Besides, how cool would it be to live in Sinatra’s house? I guess one owner will soon discover what it’s like to have the world on a string.

To see more photos and details on the Farralone estate, click here.

Photo: Everett Fenton Gidley 310-990-0106 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 310-990-0106 end_of_the_skype_highlighting www.efg3.com

Real Estate Headlines for Election Week

Wed, 09 Nov 2011 08:06:06 -0600

Jennifer Aniston's Gramercy Park Apt.

For some parts of the country this is an election week. I know my town is littered with campaign billboards in front yards as well as the usual Coldwell Banker yard signs. So as you measure the quality of character of your candidate, here’s your real estate headlines of the people, by the people and for the people:

Haute Living reports that actress Jennifer Aniston has found some new digs in Gramercy Park for a cool $9 million.
Inman News has a report on the top 20 healthiest housing markets. #1 is Minneapolis.
CNN Money has a headline that makes most parents cringe: “I’m home! Adult children move back in.”
And finally, Time’s Moneyland has a list of the 9 priciest homes currently on the market. The Fleur De Lys estate tops the list at $125 million.

Picture originally found on CTV.ca

Outfitting Your Lego House

Wed, 09 Nov 2011 08:03:41 -0600

Would you want a Lego kitchen?

Today’s architects and home builders may have all started their careers by building a home with the same object: Legos. For decades Lego has allowed children and adults alike to build mansions, castles and homes of all sizes using just dotted bricks and their imagination. In addition Lego pieces can be found hidden under almost any couch, radiator or refrigerator of homes with children. My house included.

While this post is a few months old, I just came across it recently and it immediately caught my attention. Legos have become more than just building blocks for kids. They’re a cultural phenomenon that’s invading all facets of our society including home decor.

Walyou has a list of 20 Lego items to outfit the ultimate Lego home. From desks to tables to toasters (yes, toasters) and even a Lego radiator you can find an amazing assortment of Lego pieces for your home.

I’ve got my eyes on the Lego grandfather clock. What Lego piece would you most like to have in your home?

Coldwell Banker Wins TWO Awards for Web Awesomeness!

Sun, 16 Oct 2011 12:42:32 -0600

HomeAboutOn LocationFind a HomeYouTubeFacebookFlickrTwitterRSSColdwell Banker Wins Two Web Awards for Website AwesomenessOctober 12, 2011Posted by david_marine in General 0 CommentsColdwell Banker BlueScape SearchOk, the award doesn’t exactly have the word “awesomeness” in it, but I’m pretty sure that’s the gist of it.The Web Marketing Association’s annual WebAward Competition is the standard of excellence for Website development. Independent expert judges from around the world review sites in 96 industries and yesterday it was announced that Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC has won not one but two prestigious web awards for outstanding achievement in web development.The flagship website of Coldwell Banker Real Estate, coldwellbanker.com, won the first award for its design and performance as a whole. We relaunched coldwellbanker.com with new design and functionality like keyword search, IP lookup and video integration just last year. We’re pleased with the consumer feedback we’ve gotten and this web award is a nice confirmation of our efforts from a third party.The second Web Award went to our new innovative way of searching for a home just through pictures that we call BlueScape Search. Internally we refer to BlueScape as the “housing genome project” as it uses behind the scenes algorithms, tags and sci-fi like processes to allow consumers to find their dream home but rating pictures with a thumbs up or thumbs down. Behind the scenes BlueScape analyzes the aspects of the picture based on keywords, tags and general technological wizardry to then serve up search results that meet the preferences of the pictures that were rated. You can then narrow the search to a specific area if you like, but I always like seeing what beachfront property BlueScape wants to send me to as I tend to have a preference towards being close to the water.While coldwellbanker.com and BlueScape won the awards, there are a ton of other blue ribbon worthy tools at your disposal that we hope you’ll find useful to your search for the perfect home. Coldwell Banker On Location, our Coldwell Banker iPad app and Lifestyle search on coldwellbanker.com are all industry firsts and at your disposal.We’re happy the Web Marketing Association acknowledged us, but we know that the true winners are those that get acceptance from real estate consumers. And you can rest assured we’re not resting on our laurels. More is coming.

Honestly People ARE Buying Houses!

Sun, 09 Oct 2011 01:39:57 -0600

I love my iPad. And one of my favorite apps is Zite. If you don’t have it, get it! It pulls articles of interest to you and essentially creates a daily online magazine with sections of interest to you. And what’s really cool about it is that it doesn’t only pull content from mainstream outlets, but allows me to read “off-the-beaten path” articles or blogs I might not have found before.

My “real estate” section routinely pulls blog posts from an outfit called The KCM blog. Yesterday I saw this great post and thought I’d share it. As a math guy, I loved the simple presence. The author broke down the National Association of Realtor’s estimate for annualized home sales for 2011 and determined that nearly 14,000 homes are being sold every day.

I’d like to break it down a little more. With 22% of all August sales being to investors, that leaves 10,749 homes being sold every day to “regular” people. Those with a lifestyle need. Births. Marriages. Job promotions or transfers. A myriad of other reasons.

Why is that figure important? Because it showcases that those with a lifestyle need and the financial viability to do so ARE buying homes. They are taking advantage of the lowered – yet correcting – prices, increased inventory affording choice and all-time low mortgage rates. These nearly 11,000 “regular” homebuyers a day are really smart.

I know there are many, many people who would love to enter the home buying process today but can’t. The economy is tough, unemployment is high and consumer confidence is low. And, I know, we as people are almost pre-wired to follow the herd.

But in homeownership today, I caution you to make sure the herd has your individual best interests at heart.

No matter where I travel and no matter how many people I meet – both inside and outside of real estate – I continually hear stories of people who just bought a home. These people looked at their individual situations and made the determination that was OK for them to be an active participant in the home buying process.

Is it home ownership for everyone today? No. But for nearly 11,000 “regular” people a day it is!

As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Out of the Mouth of Babes

Fri, 23 Sep 2011 11:12:20 -0600

We have all heard the old saying "out of the mouths of babes!". Coldwell Banker decided to ask some kids to define "real estate". I think you will enjoy the video that contains some adorable answers. These cute kids also define what it takes to have a "perfect" home. Enjoy and have a great weekend!

Take a look at the

video below.

Happy 105th Birthday Coldwell Banker!

Thu, 25 Aug 2011 08:06:15 -0600

Imagine if you were 105 years old? What changes would you have seen? Coldwell Banker is the oldest national franchise company in the United States and has not only seen a lot of changes but has been the innovator of many of them! From the humble beginnings born out of the earthquake in San Francisco in 1906, Coldwell Banker has grown to be the Premier Real Estate Organization in North America.

Thanks to all our loyal clients and customers, we look forward to another 105 years!!! Happy Birthday Coldwell Banker!!

http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Ffeature%3Dplayer_profilepage%26v%3DP5XZIdeVNv4&h=XAQAVmewuAQCH_-Mf6h8oVmm0DD-iJrniwi4vVR3DOA4M-g

Coldwell Banker Apex Homebuyer Ready Follows New Thinking

Thu, 25 Aug 2011 07:39:32 -0600

I have taken a moment to repost the article below from Inman News. At Coldwell Banker Apex, we offer one of the most effective marketing tools to help our sellers homes stand out in a crowded market. One of the aspects of a Homebuyer Ready home is that it has had a pre-inspection. The article below from Inman News, addresses all the reasons this is a GREAT way to sell your home! Enjoy!

REPOSTED FROM INMAN NEWS:

Q: As a seller in this tough market, I asked our agent about doing our own inspection that we could present to the buyer. Our home is 60 years old; we know there are issues; have fixed what we can afford; and adjusted the price to reflect what we can't afford to change. Our agent is completely against it.

Our contract with him is almost up, so should we go ahead and do this before we sign a new contract? We're not trying to hide anything but think it would be a plus to be able to present a buyer with complete information from the beginning. --Kris H.

A: There are certainly widely varying opinions within the agent community on the issue of presale inspections, by the seller, to be disclosed in advance to prospective buyers. I, personally, am a big fan -- here's why:

If your home is old, as yours is, and there are things that are wrong with it, as with yours, buyers are likely to see or suspect these property ailments, so to speak, too. But buyers tend to walk into a property, see things that need fixing and do one of the following: (a) mentally overestimate what it will actually cost to fix the issues, (b) mentally underestimate what the repairs will cost, (c) decide that the place will just be too costly or take too much work to repair and/or (d) see the list price as a starting point for negotiations.

As a result, sellers like you tend to either get (a) lowball offers, (b) no offers or (c) get into contracts that the buyers later want to renegotiate.

When you provide a pest or even a general home inspection that lists out the issues the home has, you add a layer of reality on top of buyers' sometimes irrational beliefs about what actually needs to be done, and, almost more important, what it will cost. You create a sense of order and eliminate any unreasonable overwhelm that buyers are just making up in their heads.

(To be fair, there are certainly buyers who might see the reports and decide based thereon that the work is too expensive and that your home is not for them, but it's best to weed those folks out upfront -- before you get into contract with them.)

Providing this information, coupled with some other items I'm going to recommend you include, also creates a sense of calm at your willingness to fully disclose the home's issues, and can help manage buyer's understanding of your pricing strategy.

If you do decide to provide some advance reports to your home's prospective buyers, I'd suggest you make sure to include all of the following along with them:

1. Bids or estimates from licensed contractors. Inspection reports without repair estimates up the fright factor that repairs can cause. Most pest inspections will include a bid, but general property inspections most often do not. Get a licensed contractor (or several) to provide you with written estimates to do the work indicated in the advance reports you obtain.

This can be an especially useful strategy in cases where one inspector calls out a scary-sounding big fix or puts a big price tag on a repair, and you can find other reputable contractors who can do the work for much less.

Ideally, you'd make sure the contractors are going to be OK explaining the estimate to the buyers, if they decide to call up and inquire.

This strategy also enables your agent to market the list price as already reflecting a discount for the needed repairs, for the buyer who will take the property in as-is condition.

2. Recent, comparable sales data. If your list price truly is discounted, show the buyers this by pointing out all the other sales in the area of homes in superior condition, but otherwise similar to yours, that sold for more. This adds much credibility to your contention that the list price is already discounted.

3. A summary sheet with a receipt for the buyers to sign. You can eliminate some of the overwhelm of looking through a book of reports by providing a packet, covered with a sheet that provides bullet points of the more major items, the repair bids for fixing them, and a note about the list-price discount with a receipt for the buyers to sign and include with their offer.

4. A caveat that the reports are "for their information" and a recommendation that the buyers obtain their own inspections. You don't want the buyers to think that you've rigged these inspections, or paid the vendor off to make them favorable to you. You also do not want to create any sort of warranty that these inspections have found every single item that could be wrong with the home.

Let them know that you are still advising them to obtain their own inspections, and will make your home available for that if the buyers and you enter a contract for the sale of your home.

Often, inspectors will extend their insurance or warranties to the side that did not order the inspection if they pay for the inspector to come back out and walk them through the property and their findings at a reduced rate from the full inspection rate.

Tara-Nicholle Nelson is author of "The Savvy Woman's Homebuying Handbook" and "Trillion Dollar Women: Use Your Power to Make Buying and Remodeling Decisions." Tara is also the Consumer Ambassador and Educator for real estate listings search site Trulia.com. Ask her a real estate question online or visit her website, www.rethinkrealestate.com.

Going Beyond Square Footage

Thu, 25 Aug 2011 07:33:52 -0600

The size of a home is one of the first things that I looked at when buying my current home. Is it big enough for kids? Will we have enough room? Can we grow in this new place? But honestly, the square footage of a home isn’t what’s really important. Take a look at this video to get an idea of what are the real questions you should be asking and the important details to turn that house you’re interested in into your new home.

State by State Housing Market Infographic

Wed, 24 Aug 2011 08:57:26 -0600

Real Estate is local and prices differ from market to market. Wouldn’t it be great if you could see home prices and data across markets in one place on a handy dandy map? Yeah, that’d be nice so we thought we’d create one.

Click on the map below to launch an interactive infographic to check out your state to see the NAR data for metro areas.

Former Beach Boy Brian Wilsons Home For Sale By Coldwell Banker

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 10:11:46 -0600

Does anyone love the Beach Boys as much as I do? I spent many years listening to their music, dancing with my first boyfriend to “Little Surfer Girl,” and I always daydreamed about living the beach / surfer life! As we enter the last month of summer, it seems only appropriate to discover that Beach Boy icon Brian Wilson’s former home is for sale by Coldwell Banker agent, Betty Theisen Placek, where someone will be able to live the “good vibrations” all year long! Located in St. Charles, just outside of Chicago, the home is now on the market for $1.49 million. While it’s not on the beaches of Kokomo, it is a fabulous listing with a bit of musical history to top it off.

According to the Chicago Daily Herald, Brian actually wrote and recorded most of his 1998 “Imagination” album in the home. He had a custom underground music studio built so he could have “fun, fun, fun” without bothering his neighbors, and the Daily Herald also reported that a slew of famous musicians have spent the night within these walls, including Paul McCartney, Sean Lennon and Eagles band member Joe Walsh.

Recording Studio

The space itself is absolutely gorgeous, with 6527 square feet of living space, nine fire places, five bedrooms and six baths, and not one, but two, master suites. In addition to the media room, it also has a gym, gardens, pond and a pool.

While I’m currently a California Girl, I must say that if I was living in the Chicago suburbs I would have to check the home out for myself. Wouldn’t it be nice?

104 and counting!

Mon, 06 Sep 2010 08:45:47 -0600

By Jim Gillespie

I have been with Coldwell Banker for a long time. In fact, I have “bled blue” for all but one year of my 35-year real estate career. I just computed that I’ve been with our great brand for almost 34% ots existence. Wow!

I write this because our great brand is celebrating its 104th birthday today. We are proud to be the nation’s oldest real estate brand.

Coldwell Banker was founded on August 27, 1906, in San Francisco out of the ashes of that year’s horrific earthquake. Colbert Coldwell, and later Arthur Banker, were young men who wanted to bring ethics and integrity to real estate at a time when there was a lot of unscrupulous behavior occurring.

A lot has changed since 1906. The term “hot dog” was coined that year, based on a cartoon of a dachshund posing inside a frankfurter bun. The average American worker earned under $1,000 annually. A gallon of gasoline cost just 28 cents. The median home price was $4,500.

I take great pride in knowing that Coldwell Banker agents continue to embody the brand’s heritage of excellence, providing trustworthy and knowledgeable service during the home buying and selling process.

Coldwell Banker agents have been a valued partner to millions and millions who have bought and sold homes. We have been a real estate constant despite many ups and downs in market conditions.

As we mark another year in business, we wanted to honor a few other companies which are also celebrating 104th birthdays:

American Greetings Corporation, Inc.: The world’s largest publicly-traded greeting card company has been bringing smiles to friends and family on joyous occasions for 104 years.
National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA): Founded in 1906 under the name Intercollegiate Athletic Association, college athletes have been seeking the NCAA National Championship title for 104 years.
New Balance Athletic Shoe, Inc.: For the past 104 years, New Balance has been helping people stay active and healthy, as one of the largest makers of sports footwear.
Xerox: A Fortune 500 global company, Xerox has continued to help businesses by improving its printing technology year after years since discovering xerographic printing in 1906.

Here’s to another 104