I just spent a week out of the office. Was I on vacation somewhere exotic? Not exactly. While social media sometimes makes it look like real estate agents live glamorous lives filled with luxury cars, designer clothes and jet-set adventures, the truth is often much...
Ask the Realtor
Ask the Realtor
Ask the realtor: Why appraisals can be higher than market value — What that means for you
Every so often, a homeowner or buyer will tell me, “The County of San Bernardino shows my property’s assessed value as X – so why should I pay Y?” or “I had my home appraised for X, so why should we list it for Y?” These are fair questions, but the key lies in...
Ask the realtor: California law, multiple offers and backup position — What every buyer should know
With the real estate market doing cartwheels in certain price points, we’re seeing the return of multiple offers. Before anyone gets too excited, these offers are not usually at or above list price, but they do show competition returning in very specific price ranges....
Ask the realtor: Rates hit 10-month low — What that means for your buying power
Over the past year, many homebuyers have been watching interest rates closely, waiting for the “perfect” time to enter the market. The hope was simple: rates would drop and, with them, monthly payments would follow. But the reality has been more complicated. Instead...
Ask the realtor: Why smart home sellers price just below market value
Now is not the time to play pricing games. If you're listing your home and thinking, “Let’s go high and leave room to negotiate,” it’s time for a reality check. Buyers don’t shop for homes the way they haggle over used cars. Just like no one pulls into the gas station...
Ask the realtor: Who really sets the price of a home? Hint: It’s not the agent
While standing in line for coffee recently, I overheard a conversation that stopped me in my tracks: Someone casually remarked that real estate agents are the ones who set home prices. I didn’t chime in – I’m not in the habit of interrupting strangers – but that one...





