Last week I was at a conference, and the question was asked by a presenter “what’s the luxury market in your area?” I had an idea, but it was simply based on a gut feeling, and not rooted in stats. So, Alma helped me pulled the numbers for 2012 YTD in Radford VA, which you’ll find below.
Like it or not, the season here in the New River Valley is getting ready to change from summer to fall, and then winter. Like death and taxes, the seasons here in Blacksburg are guaranteed.
The New River Valley real estate market is shifting – no doubt about that – and buyers and sellers will need to adjust. We still have some challenges, but things are improving. Sarah Cox of The Roanoke Times wrote about it in this past Sunday’s real estate section.
Okay, Zillow doesn’t suck, per se, but it was a catchier title than “Why Automated Valuation Sites Are Bad For Real Estate”.
Last week, I had asked on Twitter and Facebook “what’s the one thing you expect most from your real estate agent?” The responses varied in general, but one specific thing that came up was that people wanted their real estate agent to listen. A novel concept, really … we all want to be heard. Out of that question, someone on Twitter followed up by suggesting that when you have a contract with a listing agent, you can’t fire them, even when that agent isn’t listening.
I don’t hate Zillow, I swear. In fact, I advertise with them. And as Alma suggested, maybe the title was a little harsh. You know, I use Zillow from time to time to estimate rents, since I don’t track the rental market and sometimes I need a little help there. But if you’re going to rely on Zillow – or any online pricing site – for accurate numbers, reconsider. They’re just not accurate, yet. So in reality they don’t suck, they just provide a product that’s become seen as truth when it’s really just the result of a proprietary formula.
On Monday, I had a listing appointment with some folks here in Blacksburg who were looking to hire an agent. I like to do these appointments in stages, so as not to rush and because the truth is, not only is the seller looking to hire an agent, the agent is looking to hire a seller. We need to make sure we’ve got compatible strengths.
A friend emailed me this weekend – “What the redacted?! Obama slipped a 4% real estate tax into the health care bill!”
This video was done a couple of years ago, but I stumbled across it recently doing a search and it still applies. Appraisals can be a tricky beast, and it’s important to know what factors play into them. Leslie explains …
It’s been written here before