Clik here to view.
Why did the appraisal come in $100,000 lower than the contract price?
I was hired recently to do an appraisal and the value came in far below than expected. Why did it come in so low? Was it something I did wrong or was it the market? There are of course some botched...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Comparing 10 appraisals with Zillow Values
I had a conversation recently with a home owner about the online valuation site Zillow, and it went like this: Owner: Your value was right on. Me: Wonderful. That’s great to hear. Owner: It was right...
View ArticleClik here to view.
What you need to know about the property tax appeal deadline NEXT week in...
I’m not trying to be THAT guy by starting a business conversation during Thanksgiving, but this is important. Did you know the deadline to appeal property taxes in Sacramento County is on Monday? Since...
View ArticleClik here to view.
What does normal smell like for March real estate in Sacramento?
Real estate Spring fever is very real. Let me show you a couple of graphs today so we can put our finger on how the Sacramento market normally behaves in March. Sales Volume Growth: As you can see,...
View ArticleClik here to view.
5 things to know about appraisers choosing comps
What makes a good “comp” for an appraiser? Are there certain guidelines appraisers have to follow when choosing comparable sales? Let me share with you five principles to know about stemming from the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
How do you price a larger home when there are only smaller comps?
How do you know what a larger home is worth if the only recent sales are much smaller in size? A friend asked me this question recently as she was trying to price a listing. There are a few things I do...
View ArticleClik here to view.
A podcast interview with an appraiser and real estate broker
I did a podcast interview recently with Real Estate Broker Marguerite Crespillo, so I wanted to share. Our conversation is perfect background noise while working, driving, cooking, or doing Zumba...
View ArticleClik here to view.
How much is that home remodel really worth?
How much is a remodeled home worth compared to a home without upgrades? An owner might spend $50,000 on improvements, but does that make the home worth $50,000 more? How do appraisers determine the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
What market value looks like in real estate
What is market value? Does it depend on who you ask or is there a definitive answer? Let’s take a look at an image below to help illustrate Fannie Mae’s definition of market value – which is what...
View ArticleClik here to view.
5 things to keep in mind about FHA’s 90-day flipping rule in 2015
The FHA flipping rule has changed this year. Since 2010 investors were able to buy a home, rehab it, and then re-sell the home to an FHA buyer as soon as they wished. But now in 2015 FHA has...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Advice for an increasing real estate market (and Sacramento trends)
When the market is flat, it’s easy to impress clients and look like a guru because of how accurate your values are. But when inventory shrinks, demand is off-the-hook, and the market shifts, it’s not...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Selfies, market hotness, & waiting to sell (and a Sacramento update)
Have you ever taken a selfie from a particular angle to make sure you look as good as possible? Be honest. Of course you have, and so have I. Well, housing stats can be just like selfies. It’s easy to...
View ArticleClik here to view.
An open letter to buyers worried about a housing bubble
Dear Buyers- There is growing concern about another housing bubble. What will the future hold? Is now a good time to buy or should you wait? Since I’ve been getting so many bubble emails lately, I...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Things to know about water heaters during real estate transactions
Let’s have a quick conversation about water heaters. During a real estate transaction does the water heater need to be raised or not? What are lenders asking appraisers to look for? Does it matter if...
View ArticleClik here to view.
What appraisers think about increasing the contract price to cover closing costs
Is it going to be an appraisal problem if the buyer asks for a 3% credit back? Well, let me back up. Let’s imagine the original offer was $300,000, but through written negotiation the price has now...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Will it be an appraisal issue if there is pot growing at a house?
Is it going to be a problem for a loan if the appraiser sees pot growing at a house? Well, it depends. Like many things in real estate, it’s not always a simple answer. Here are some things to...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Golden State Killer’s house (quick survey)
The suspected Golden State Killer was arrested two weeks ago. This man is said to be responsible for more than 50 rapes and 12 murders throughout California. It’s crazy to think about the path of...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Golden State Killer’s house (poll results)
We recently talked about the Golden State Killer’s house and I put together a poll. If this house came to the market, what sort of price reduction would you expect if any? Let’s look at the results and...
View ArticleClik here to view.
An underrated metric & slumping volume
There’s a stat that doesn’t get much love. It’s not sexy, nobody really writes about it in the newspapers, and most people don’t even know what it is. But it’s really important because it helps us tell...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Real estate trends to watch in 2019
What’s the real estate market going to do in 2019? Let’s talk about some of the bigger emerging trends in Sacramento and beyond. You can quickly scroll or spend a few minutes digesting things. Anything...
View Article
