Real Estate Blog

How will the disruptive corona virus affect the Staten Island real estate market?

viviankokkinos@live.com (Vivian Kokkinos) — Tue, 17 Mar 2020 10:32:00 -0400

2020 started with strong demand for housing and a brisk spring selling and buying season was emerging. As we all know the corona pandemic hit and sent the stock market in a freefall. These are unchartered waters which we have never navigated in our modern and global economies world wide. So the question that this poses is how will this affect the local Staten Island real estate market. At the current time it seems that most buyers will continue to stay in the market and keep looking to purchase their first home, or sell and buy their future home. That being said, the fact that we are being advised to practice "social distancing" this will slow down showing appointments and sellers are showing signs of waiting to come to the market. As far as the financial ability of the buyers to execute a purchase, the majority of our buyers are steady civil service employees, or buyers with large cash down payments, and should not be severely impacted by the stock market decline. This downturn will affect the investor buyers of real estate who will not want to withdraw funds from the market in order to purchase at this time. For the average buyer who is seriously looking to purchase, this is a great time as the interest rates will remain historically low. The interest rate is more important than the price of the home when one needs a mortgage to finance the purchase. Even if there is a slow down in buying activity due to corona fears, buyers will continue to look at homes for sale even if it just from pictures and driveby viewings. When they are really interested in a home, we as agents will schedule "safe" showings as much as possible, or we may have to wait for a "better time to show". In my opinion, we will see a spike in activity as soon as there is a downturn in the spread of the corona virus. This opinion is based on the fact that people who have housing needs that need to be met will have to execute. It is not a discretionary item. We all need to live somewhere and it will be a matter of when not if they will buy and we will experience the effects of pent up demand. Also when people see the turbulence in financial investment venues, home ownership becomes not only a superior financial asset but more importantly a psychologically more valuable financial asset providing much needed peace of mind which historically has always been the best investment for everyone.

What does it mean to be a Realtor?

viviankokkinos@live.com (Vivian Kokkinos) — Wed, 19 Mar 2014 13:54:00 -0400

It is interesting that most people do not know what it means to be a Realtor versus just a real estate salesperson. Yes, there is a difference. Everyone engaged in the selling of real estate needs to be licensed in the state they conduct business but not all real estate salespeople are also Realtors. A Realtor belongs to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), which is the largest trade association in the country. As of May 30, 2013 there were 997,148 Realtors in the United States. Being the largest trade association means that Realtors, as trade association, have a powerful voice in government decision making that can affect you the consumer. For example, right now the NAR is lobbying hard to keep the mortgage interest deduction; one of the few tax deductions available to the average consumer who owns a home and hold a mortgage on that home. The ability to deduct your mortgage interest payment, thus reducing your tax burden, is indeed one of the biggest perks to owning your home and keeping the housing industry healthy. All Realtors must also abide to the Realtor Code of Ethics which was established in 1913 making it 101 years old this year. Of course there have been constant changes and updates to the code of ethics throughout the years. It is interesting to add that next year the Staten Island Board of Realtors will celebrate its 100th anniversary and it too is the largest trade association on Staten Island currently comprised of about 1500 active Realtors. When a consumer is working with a Realtor, he or she is assured that he is dealing with a professional who is bound to work with everyone honestly and ethically as mandated by the code of ethics. You can find the complete code of ethics as well as other useful information at www.Realtor.org. If you have any questions regarding real estate and how it is conducted, please feel free to call me on my cell, 917-885-9026. The Code of Ethics We have likely heard that Realtors ® also must prescribe to a legally enforceable code of ethics. Yet what are those ethics, and how do they affect us as buyers? Again from the NAR’s own site, here is what your Realtor® pledges to do: 1) Pledge to put the interests of buyers and sellers ahead of their own and to treat all parties honestly. 2) Shall refrain from exaggerating, misrepresenting or concealing material facts; and is obligated to investigate and disclose when situations reasonably warrant. 3) Shall cooperate with other brokers / agents when it is in the best interests of the client to do so. 4) Have a duty to disclose if they represent family members who own or are about to buy real estate, or if they themselves are a principal in a real estate transaction, that they are licensed to sell real estate. 5) Shall not provide professional services in a transaction where the agent has a present or contemplated interest without disclosing that interest. 6) Shall not collect any commissions without the seller's knowledge nor accept fees from a third-party without the seller's express consent. 7) Shall refuse fees from more than one party without all parties' informed consent. 8) Shall not co-mingle client funds with their own. 9) Shall attempt to ensure that all written documents are easy to understand and will give everybody a copy of what they sign. 10) Shall not discriminate in any fashion for any reason on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin. 11) Expects agents to be competent, to conform to standards of practice and to refuse to provide services for which they are unqualified. 12) Must engage in truth in advertising. 13) Shall not practice law unless they are a lawyer. 14) Shall cooperate if charges are brought against them and present all evidence requested. 15) Agree not to bad mouth competition and agree not to file unfounded ethics complaints. 16) Shall not solicit another REALTOR'S client nor interfere in a contractual relationship. 17) Shall submit to arbitration to settle matters and not seek legal remedies in the judicial system. While the code of ethics can’t actually force a person to be intrinsically ethical, the NAR recognizes the seriousness of the Realtor’s ® position and seeks to ensure high professional standards, which is comforting to we new buyers who need so much assurance. - See more at: http://www.ziprealty.com/blog/real-estate-agent-vs-realtor-r-there-really-differencesthash.gubElW6I.dpuf The Code of Ethics We have likely heard that Realtors ® also must prescribe to a legally enforceable code of ethics. Yet what are those ethics, and how do they affect us as buyers? Again from the NAR’s own site, here is what your Realtor® pledges to do: 1) Pledge to put the interests of buyers and sellers ahead of their own and to treat all parties honestly. 2) Shall refrain from exaggerating, misrepresenting or concealing material facts; and is obligated to investigate and disclose when situations reasonably warrant. 3) Shall cooperate with other brokers / agents when it is in the best interests of the client to do so. 4) Have a duty to disclose if they represent family members who own or are about to buy real estate, or if they themselves are a principal in a real estate transaction, that they are licensed to sell real estate. 5) Shall not provide professional services in a transaction where the agent has a present or contemplated interest without disclosing that interest. 6) Shall not collect any commissions without the seller's knowledge nor accept fees from a third-party without the seller's express consent. 7) Shall refuse fees from more than one party without all parties' informed consent. 8) Shall not co-mingle client funds with their own. 9) Shall attempt to ensure that all written documents are easy to understand and will give everybody a copy of what they sign. 10) Shall not discriminate in any fashion for any reason on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin. 11) Expects agents to be competent, to conform to standards of practice and to refuse to provide services for which they are unqualified. 12) Must engage in truth in advertising. 13) Shall not practice law unless they are a lawyer. 14) Shall cooperate if charges are brought against them and present all evidence requested. 15) Agree not to bad mouth competition and agree not to file unfounded ethics complaints. 16) Shall not solicit another REALTOR'S client nor interfere in a contractual relationship. 17) Shall submit to arbitration to settle matters and not seek legal remedies in the judicial system. While the code of ethics can’t actually force a person to be intrinsically ethical, the NAR recognizes the seriousness of the Realtor’s ® position and seeks to ensure high professional standards, which is comforting to we new buyers who need so much assurance. - See more at: http://www.ziprealty.com/blog/real-estate-agent-vs-realtor-r-there-really-differencesthash.gubElW6I.dpuf The Code of Ethics We have likely heard that Realtors ® also must prescribe to a legally enforceable code of ethics. Yet what are those ethics, and how do they affect us as buyers? Again from the NAR’s own site, here is what your Realtor® pledges to do: 1) Pledge to put the interests of buyers and sellers ahead of their own and to treat all parties honestly. 2) Shall refrain from exaggerating, misrepresenting or concealing material facts; and is obligated to investigate and disclose when situations reasonably warrant. 3) Shall cooperate with other brokers / agents when it is in the best interests of the client to do so. 4) Have a duty to disclose if they represent family members who own or are about to buy real estate, or if they themselves are a principal in a real estate transaction, that they are licensed to sell real estate. 5) Shall not provide professional services in a transaction where the agent has a present or contemplated interest without disclosing that interest. 6) Shall not collect any commissions without the seller's knowledge nor accept fees from a third-party without the seller's express consent. 7) Shall refuse fees from more than one party without all parties' informed consent. 8) Shall not co-mingle client funds with their own. 9) Shall attempt to ensure that all written documents are easy to understand and will give everybody a copy of what they sign. 10) Shall not discriminate in any fashion for any reason on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin. 11) Expects agents to be competent, to conform to standards of practice and to refuse to provide services for which they are unqualified. 12) Must engage in truth in advertising. 13) Shall not practice law unless they are a lawyer. 14) Shall cooperate if charges are brought against them and present all evidence requested. 15) Agree not to bad mouth competition and agree not to file unfounded ethics complaints. 16) Shall not solicit another REALTOR'S client nor interfere in a contractual relationship. 17) Shall submit to arbitration to settle matters and not seek legal remedies in the judicial system. While the code of ethics can’t actually force a person to be intrinsically ethical, the NAR recognizes the seriousness of the Realtor’s ® position and seeks to ensure high professional standards, which is comforting to we new buyers who need so much assurance. - See more at: http://www.ziprealty.com/blog/real-estate-agent-vs-realtor-r-there-really-differencesthash.gubElW6I.dpuf The Code of Ethics We have likely heard that Realtors ® also must prescribe to a legally enforceable code of ethics. Yet what are those ethics, and how do they affect us as buyers? Again from the NAR’s own site, here is what your Realtor® pledges to do: 1) Pledge to put the interests of buyers and sellers ahead of their own and to treat all parties honestly. 2) Shall refrain from exaggerating, misrepresenting or concealing material facts; and is obligated to investigate and disclose when situations reasonably warrant. 3) Shall cooperate with other brokers / agents when it is in the best interests of the client to do so. 4) Have a duty to disclose if they represent family members who own or are about to buy real estate, or if they themselves are a principal in a real estate transaction, that they are licensed to sell real estate. 5) Shall not provide professional services in a transaction where the agent has a present or contemplated interest without disclosing that interest. 6) Shall not collect any commissions without the seller's knowledge nor accept fees from a third-party without the seller's express consent. 7) Shall refuse fees from more than one party without all parties' informed consent. 8) Shall not co-mingle client funds with their own. 9) Shall attempt to ensure that all written documents are easy to understand and will give everybody a copy of what they sign. 10) Shall not discriminate in any fashion for any reason on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin. 11) Expects agents to be competent, to conform to standards of practice and to refuse to provide services for which they are unqualified. 12) Must engage in truth in advertising. 13) Shall not practice law unless they are a lawyer. 14) Shall cooperate if charges are brought against them and present all evidence requested. 15) Agree not to bad mouth competition and agree not to file unfounded ethics complaints. 16) Shall not solicit another REALTOR'S client nor interfere in a contractual relationship. 17) Shall submit to arbitration to settle matters and not seek legal remedies in the judicial system. While the code of ethics can’t actually force a person to be intrinsically ethical, the NAR recognizes the seriousness of the Realtor’s ® position and seeks to ensure high professional standards, which is comforting to we new buyers who need so much assurance. - See more at: http://www.ziprealty.com/blog/real-estate-agent-vs-realtor-r-there-really-differencesthash.gubElW6I.dpuf

Staten Island Real Estate Market Pulse - February, 2014

viviankokkinos@live.com (Vivian Kokkinos) — Mon, 24 Feb 2014 19:33:00 -0500

You may have heard on the news that inventory of homes for sale is tight and wondered if that is the case for Staten Island. To give it to you in a nut shell...it most certainly is. Currently on Staten Island, it is starting to look like a seller's market. That being said, sellers should not be fooled into thinking that the glory days of run away price appreciation of homes is back. The fact that interest rates are still holding at historic lows is keeping the buyers active and willing to buy. Rest assured however, that the buyers are drawn to reasonably priced homes. Overpriced homes are still sitting on the market with minimal showing requests and without getting offers to purchase. The take away of this market is that although it is very active, sellers still have to price a property accordingly and have superior marketing from their selling agent. It is a great time to sell and also to buy. It truly is a win win for both buyers and sellers. If you want more detailed information on your specific property, please call my cell, 917-885-9026, and I will be happy to discuss it with you.

Staten Island Real Estate Market Update - January 2014

viviankokkinos@live.com (Vivian Kokkinos) — Thu, 09 Jan 2014 17:23:00 -0500

Happy New Year and may 2014 bring all your dreams to reality As we leave 2013 behind us, many of you might be thinking how 2013 fared in the real estate arena. More specifically, you may be wondering what the real estate climate was in our local market on Staten Island. Well there is good news for both sellers and buyers of real estate on Staten Island. Below you will see the latest statistics for the island overall as of November, 2013. November 2013November was largely another encouraging month for residential real estate. Our attention has shifted from multiyear high prices and sales volumes to seller activity, inventory levels and building permits. And let’s not forget the calendar effect. As families gather together, fewer house hunters are scheduling showings and writing offers. Watch for month-to-month activity to moderate while year-over-year comparisons remain strong. New Listings in Staten Island increased 37.6 percent to 304. Pending Sales were up 42.9 percent to 300. Inventory levels shrank 30.4 percent to 2,084 units. Prices were fairly stable. The Median Sales Price decreased 0.2 percent to $399,375. Days on Market was down 5.1 percent to 156 days. Absorption rates improved as Months Supply of Inventory was down 44.2 percent to 7.3 months. Recent economic and jobs data have surprised to the upside by exceeding expectations. This likely keeps the new Federal Reserve leadership on track for March 2014 tapering. Non-farm payrolls grew by 204,000 jobs in October, outperforming Wall Street expectations. In another bullish sign, August payrolls were revised upward to a 238,000 job gain – positive momentum that should support housing recovery. Just in time for the holidays. Monthly Indicators + 41.6 - 0.2 - 30.4 One-Year Change inClosed Sales One-Year Change inMedian Sales Price One-Year Change inInventory What is takeaway from all of this information? The most crucial information is that the market is alive and kicking. With over 41 in more closed sales and a 30.4 drop in inventory compared to last year, the market is rebounding nicely. For those of you considering selling your property, 2014 will be a good year to do so. With less competing properties on the market, a priced-right property will be sure to sell in a timely manner. You will notice I stressed a priced right property...that is because although inventory is tight and volume of closed sales is up, prices are still 0.2 down from last year. As for the buyers out there looking to purchase, 2014 may be the best time to make a deal. The reason for this is that even though the inventory is tight, prices have not appreciated overall. That combined with the fact that interest rates are still holding at historical lows, this may be your last window of opportunity to make a good purchase that will be sure to appreciate in the coming years. Not only will your property appreciate, but the cost of owning it in terms of your mortgage payment may be the lowest given the low interest rate environment. Bottom line is that 2014 is good for both sellers and buyers to "Make the Move" and fulfill their real estate dreams whether you are a homeowner looking to sell, a buyer looking for your first or second home, or a new or seasoned investor. If you would like to discuss your specific real estate market area on Staten Island, or want to review your real estate investment portfolio and strategies to maximize your wealth, I am only a phone call, email, or text message away Please feel free to call on me with all your questions. Of course if you or someone you know is thinking of selling or buying, I welcome the opportunity to meet with them and help them get the best deal for them. Just let me know how I can get in touch with them and I promise to do my best to get the job done for them.

Why Will Realtors Always Be in Demand? From a Seller's Viewpoint.

viviankokkinos@live.com (Vivian Kokkinos) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 15:26:00 -0400

There are many articles and discussions on the internet that argue over the value a Realtor when the time comes to selling your largest financial asset which is usually your home, or other real estate holdings. When it comes to selling, many homeowners feel that they should try to sell on their own thus “saving” the commission. Many articles and blogs will argue that a Realtor is not worth their commission because the homeowner can do the same if not a better job at selling their home. After all, they know their home more intimately and can pitch its virtues better than any Realtor they will hire. In today’s internet world with homeowner’s access and ability to post their home for sale on numerous websites it seems so easy to sell without a Realtor. So why is it that there are so many Real Estate companies still in the business? Why should you as a seller enlist the help of a Realtor to sell your home? Well let’s just say that for starters a Realtor is a professional (assuming you interviewed and hired a top notch Realtor) who will know how to market your property to attract the largest possible buyers. The MLS system is the best tool for that and sellers don’t have access to that. There are some firms out there that will list a property for sale on the MLS and the sellers pays a fee for this service payable upfront regardless of whether you eventually sell the property or not. In addition, you have to pay a commission to the buyer agent who brings the buyer to the table. In that scenario the seller is only saving about half the commission anyway and he still has to do everything else himself. Besides spending money on advertising and the time it consumes to do it all yourself, those other “things” that a Realtor will do are immeasurable. They include making sure you answer the phone when a buyer calls to inquire about the property, setting up appointments for showings, getting feedback from buyers after the showing, screening the potential buyers for credit worthiness, negotiating the price and terms, getting the proper paperwork executed if they agree to a price, forwarding the documents to both attorneys, following up to schedule appointments with attorneys and making sure all parties sign in a timely fashion, setting up appointment with the home inspector, setting up appointment with the bank appraiser (and the seller won’t have comps to give the appraiser to support the sales price; a Realtor will), following up with the bank to make sure that the loan application is going well, setting up the closing times and arranging for the final walk through. These are the obvious mechanical steps required in selling a home and don’t even delve into what a Realtor brings to the table when a deal gets complicated, or the buyer and seller get into an impasse. It is the Realtor who comes into play to smooth ruffled feathers, or to recommend a solution to a problem. The best way to describe the Realtor’s job is to think of the Realtor as the conductor of an orchestra. There are so many things to coordinate in getting a home sold, and so many people involved, that you need someone who will be overseeing the process. A homeowner who undertakes all this must be willing to sacrifice much time, energy, and money to get it done without a professional Realtor and ironically most for sale by owners end up listing with a Realtor to sell after trying to play Realtor and finding out just how demanding and emotionally draining the process can be. I myself have had most of my sellers during the critical negotiation phase of selling process comment that they just don’t know how I can do this job. They are overwhelmed by the whole process. This is why a good Realtor who knows his or her business will always be sought after and in demand to get a property SOLD.

The Number One Secret to Getting a Home SOLD

viviankokkinos@live.com (Vivian Kokkinos) — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 15:26:00 -0400

The spring selling season is underway and with the warm weather we have been experiencing on Staten Island the home buyers are ready to move in before the full blown summer heat is upon us. With that in mind, many sellers are eager to know what would get their home sold as fast as possible so they can move on to their next dream home. The number one rule in selling is if you think about it a no brainer...and that is to SHOW THE HOME. Now you may read this and think that I must be kidding with you. Of course sellers show their home, why wouldn't they. They know they have to show to sell. You would be correct in thinking that sellers show their home. However, as a full time agent working with both sellers and buyers I can tell you first hand that the showing of a home is where a lot of sellers go wrong. Let me explain from my own experience what typically happens especially over time. The sellers often times do not realize the importance of putting the buyer first and catering to the buyer's schedule not their own. The buyer wants to see the home when it is convenient for them, not the seller. They have many choices of homes and if they don't get in when they want to see it they are gone. I have seen it repeatedly...once a showing is declined, most times the buyer does not reschedule to see that house again. In a buyer's market especially, it is imperative that the seller stick to the showing time requested by the buyer. The buyer does not care that your child has to go to bed when they want to see it at 8:30 at night. They also don't care if you have plans for the weekend or you are having company over and can't show it. Once you lose them they may never come around again. Not to mention that if you decline them more than once they think you are unmotivated so they don't even want to make an offer on your property. It is just human psychology...if you don't want me, then I don't want you. In most parts of the country, the use of a lock box is common practice. The Realtor installs a secure device where your key is stored and it also monitors which agent showed the property and time of the showing. Not only is this common practice for unoccupied homes it is also common practice for owner occupied homes as well. This way if a Realtor wants to show your home when you are at work or otherwise engaged there is never a loss of any showing. A Realtor is a professional and you can trust them to show your home even if you are not there. Take out your valuables just to be on the safe side and you will improve your chances of selling by using a lock box. Lastly, there are some sellers of homes that think that their listing agent should accompany all showings to show the home and cover for them if they can't show it themselves. What a huge mistake that is First of all a good listing agent who is top notch, and hopefully you did your research and hired one to market your property, is a busy agent. If you want them to accompany all showings, what ends up happening is that they will pass up showings by rescheduling to fit their schedule. As I already said that could mean passing up showing to the one who might have been the buyer for the property Bottom line advise is put a lock box on the house, or commit to be available for all showings even if it means hiring the neighbor's teenager to house sit for you. You never know if the one you say no to is the one who would have bought your home if only you had let them in.

What Is a Buyer or Seller to Do this Spring Selling and Buying Season?

viviankokkinos@live.com (Vivian Kokkinos) — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 15:25:00 -0500

I have been working with both buyers and sellers of real estate in Staten Island and everyone has felt a little confused lately. The sellers are still hoping for higher prices than they are realistically going to get in this market. At the same time the buyers are expecting miracles in that they think that the sellers will sell for a lot less than the listed sales price. Well of course somewhere in the middle is where most deals are struck. In my opinion, when a Staten Island seller is presented with a solid offer from a well qualified buyer they should really try to strike a deal and sell their home. If they are move up buyers, the home that they will be purchasing will be less today than it would have been at the height of the market. So in actuality, it is advantageous to sell in a down ward market when you are trading up to a more expensive home. Furthermore, it will give you an opportunity to get into a lower rate mortgage than would have been possible at the height of the market creating a win win situation all around. The bottom line is that you shouldn’t dwell on what you could have sold at but instead if you look at the cost of the new home you will in fact be paying much less than you would have had you sold and bought at the height of the market. Now we look at buyers. If it is good for the sellers to be making a trade up now is it also good for buyers to buy now? Or will prices drop more so that they should wait to purchase? Well for buyers it is a great time to buy for several reasons. First of all prices have come down and for the first time in history so have the interest rates. This has never happened before. While the market may soften a bit more as the possibility of more foreclosures is very real, no one can predict the actual bottom till we are out of it. By that time it may be too late to get a good deal. Most importantly, the interest rates are so low now that the chance of rates rising is much more plausible than rates remaining low. Just last week rates shot up about ½ and that means that a buyer will be paying an additional $28.79 for every $100,000 borrowed on a 30 year loan when rates jump from 4 to 4.5 as an example. If you are borrowing $300,000, that is an additional $86.37 a month over the life of the loan for a ½ rate jump. My professional advise to both sellers and buyers is that if you find the right buyer make a deal and move on with your life plans. There is a reason why you are selling and waiting around for a better offer that probably won’t ever materialize is just prolonging the agony. For the buyers, if you find a good home that works for your lifestyle and is affordable for you financially, buy it now. Again, the benefits of home ownership are immeasurable and so much more than just dollars and cents. Don’t let a good home slip through your fingers over a few dollars in the final sales price. If it feels right go for it and looking back you will be happy with your decision.

Staten Island Home Buyers … Are they Finally Ready to Buy?

viviankokkinos@live.com (Vivian Kokkinos) — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 15:24:00 -0500

Staten Island home sellers are always asking … Are homes selling? The answer to that question is short and sweet but maybe a little bittersweet. This past weekend as a Realtor I hosted three open houses on my homes listed for sale. The weather was cooperative as it was a beautiful weekend on Staten Island so the buyers were out. After this weekend I can answer with confidence that yes homebuyers are out looking to buy and are purchasing homes. To give you the buyers’ profile, almost all the buyers were first time buyers, and just starting to search for a home. It seems to me that there are many buyers who may have been on the fence, or just waiting for the right time to buy. The home buyers might have decided that the right time may have finally come. This is due to several positive factors which greatly impact real estate buying activity. The first reason in my opinion is that there is pent up demand especially from first time buyers. There is only so long you can put off buying your first home. There comes a time when you finally realize that it won’t get much better than now to plunge into homeownership. The second reason to buy now is of course the great interest rate environment. Again, it just doesn’t get much better than now in terms of interest rates. The risk of rates increasing is much greater than the chance that they might go even lower. So again that gives an incentive to buy now rather than later. Finally, the third reason to buy now is that according to market researcher, in Staten Island as well as New York City as a whole, it has been found that owning a home may indeed be cheaper than renting especially when one factors in the tax deductions that one can take as a homeowner. To sum up to the sellers questioning if buyers are buying … the answer is yes. The reason why I said the answer may be bittersweet is that while buyers are indeed buying homes today, in order to sell, sellers’ houses must be priced to sell. You cannot put your home on the market with yesterday’s price tag. That means that a home seller today must hire a professional Realtor who will accurately give them the selling price of their home and must then follow the Realtor’s advice. All properties sell when they are priced to sell. Sellers must realize that the market dictates the selling price, not the homeowner, and not the Realtor. As long as the seller hires a selling agent who utilizes the latest marketing tools for maximum exposure of the property in the marketplace, if it is priced right it will sell. I guarantee it.