All Forum Posts by: Account Closed

Glad to see you back, Minna, and I hope your year improves.
Actually, I have a basket of greens for the kitchen, and had thought of putting a stew in the crockpot so I'd have something to eat the two days of my sale. A tub full of pie filling won't do it!LOL!
Ofgift.

I have no answer to your question, but was wondering the same thing myself this morning. I'm doing a modified 5 day sale. One of the strategies to to price way below market to get attention, and advertise Wed thru Sunday. If there aren't 25 replies by Fri night, stop the sale and figure out what's wrong: price (too high) advertising venue, or what. I've had internet ads out for over a week, and have had few responses.
My price is low, perhaps not low enough. Or IS it the season?
I'll be interested in the answers we get here.
Ofgift

Originally posted by Jeff Tumbarello:

a crock pot full of apple pie filling for showings and open houses. Works better than cookies

Even without staging?
I have the bathrooms dressed with primary color towels, and a few candles to light in the fireplace, but that's it. Will the pie filling help with that little bit, or does the house need fully staged?
Ofgift

In AZ, the commission is not set by law, and in the paperwork, it is written out that the commission is negotiable. Check your state regulations.
Ofgift

I knew a RE agent for 15 years: she saved and bought my first house for me. (Literally, I was out of state.) Over the years I have gone back to her several times, and recently, had planned to use her to sell 2 houses and buy 2-4 others. It got time for me to sign a listing agreement with her. Her company's agreement had terms that the others did not, and she w/could not remove them, and would not negotiate on two others, one of which was her commission. If it was only one transaction, I could understand, but several? The thing that ended it for me though was that she insisted on tying my property up for 9 months, though I had let her know early on that i wanted only a 3 month contract.
Don't forget that the agent's FIRST loyalty is to the commission, second to the brokerage, third to the contract, and finally, to you. If you even have a place.

You have to decide for yourself, of course. Agents do/did have tools the rest of us had little to no access to, but that is changing.

I plan to sell my house on a 5-Day Sale,
and will contact the listing agent when I want to buy.
I'm also not a youngster, so don't plan to do this for a living for very long.
Ofgift

Don't know where to put this, but since it's really part of the meltdown, thought this might be it.
My rental is ready to sell, now, finally. I have most of the paperwork done, and the 5-Day Sale dates are tentatively Jan 10 and 11.
After listening to today's talking heads, I wonder if waiting till after Jan 20 wouldn't be the better time-they're suggesting that Obama will take immediate steps to loosen the money given the banks etc for loaning.

Of course, what they say is both parties should come together now and make the moves to get the money going, and not wait. What they're doing is a horse of another color.

Any thoughts on sales AFTER the 20 of Jan will improve or not?

Should I wait another 2 weeks?
Ofgift

Will said, "... legal or not, I would never charge a pet fee for that."
No, you can't charge a pet fee,as a SA in not, by law, a pet, but you might be able to charge a refundable cleaning fee. DO call the ADA hotline--if that ever comes up for me, I sure will.
It occurs to me that in the BUSINESS BRIEF
( http://www.ada.gov/svcanimb.htm )

"People with disabilities who use service animals cannot be charged extra fees, isolated from other patrons, or treated less favorably than other patrons. However, if a business such as a hotel normally charges guests for damage that they cause, a customer with a disability may be charged for damage caused by his or her service animal.

and

Violators of the ADA can be required to pay money damages and penalties"

so be careful.

And though "...a customer with a disability may be charged for damage caused by his or her service animal." many people using SAs are on welfare so may not have the money to pay for the damage, now or ever.

(The one fellow lived is a second floor apt and didn't house train or regularly take his large dog out,,, the other was a woman, a former friend, in a first floor, one bedroom apt. She had 2 service dogs, and she admitted to me a couple of times she could do without one of them, and when one dies, she would not replace it. THEN she got (along with her two 55# dogs,) 3--yes, THREE, 30+ pound cats, for service and emotional support.

I would love to know how the apt comples managed to not renew her lease (their leases). I doubt either one has the money to pay for the damages.

Being disabled (from what I know, from myself and others) makes everything more difficult, including taking care of an animal. This can be a really sticky wicket.
I imagine some of those products mentioned on another thread some time ago would help to clean the living space and yard, but I wonder if they would eliminate all the odors. Perhaps a commercial ozone machine would help.

I really appreciate the concern and caring several of you have expressed re disabled people. Thank you.

In my county, blind people and people with mobility problems (I'm one) are not required (by law) to pick up and remove feces.
Ofgift

I finally got a photo on, but not the property description, or how to make it a featured listing...
Any suggestions?
Ofgift

Fantastic! Job well done. I'd like to thank you for this incredible, knowledge based, friendly forum. I have learned so much from so many here, and I appreciate you all from the bottom of my toenails!

Cyber-bubbly all around!
A Toast! May you hit that 30K in the next few months, and go on to bigger and better!
Ofgift

the listing is showing up, but not the photo. Also, I'd like to make it a featured listing. How do I do that?
And, the property description did not appear. How do I correct that?

thanks,
Ofgift