Happy Lunar New Year! It's the Year of the Dragon. Per my online research (I dug deep on this one), Dragons are powerful, endlessly energetic, full of vitality, goal-oriented yet idealistic, romantic, and visionary leaders. They know exactly who they are and possess the keenest sense of 'self' among the 12 zodiacs of Chinese astrology. Dragons are upright characters, scorn any hypocritical or dishonorable behavior, and have a self-respecting pride that’s matched by their wisdom, generosity, vigor, and talent . . .
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"I'm torn about what nursery school to send my child to," my Buyer said. "You're a mother, should we be looking at language emersion, Montessori, or free play?" she asked with all due earnestness.
"Oh," I said, bursting her bubble, "it's unlikely to matter . . . " The Spring Market is upon us and the question most often asked by prospective Sellers who are contemplating a move is: "What's the best return on my investment?" (Not surprisingly, Sellers are often resistant to our initial suggestions, but DO want the highest selling price.) To be blunt, your results are often dependent on the health of the house, the improvements we make, its underlying condition, and the price we set. No amount of staging, no matter how masterful, will overcome an overpriced house. (Clear?)
No sooner does the new year begin, then we're hit with estimated quarterly taxes. (Ugh.) As self-employed individuals, Cliff and I need to squirrel away enough "green" to keep us in the black, and that certainly puts a big hole in our savings account. Moreover, "estimating" what we're going to make in the coming year can be a total crap shoot. As independent contractors, it's impossible to know exactly how much work is going to surface. Not that that matters; Uncle Sam demands to be paid. (Please keep those referrals coming, they're most appreciated.)
I'm not necessarily the gal that believes that "everything works out for the best." I fall more into the category of "everything works out in the end," but that's just me. (Sarah is my perpetually optimistic partner.) That being said, making the "best" out of whatever circumstances we face is the challenge for us all - both in life and most certainly, when it comes to real estate.
Bonne Annee! We've returned from the Cote D'Azur having had a truly wonderful trip in the South of France with our grown kids and their significant others. Jill's daughter, Anna, found us a fabulous 6-bdrm house in the heart of Menton Village and we quickly mastered the little town and its corresponding train system, which meant we could easily visit the nearby sites of Eze, Nice, and Monte Carlo, not to mention Bordighera, and Sanremo just across the border - all of which I highly recommend (breakfast in France, lunch in Italy). "Bon jour et buon giorno!"
Having never been much of an an intrepid winter tourist, Europe in December was a revelation . . . I've been on a STRICT diet for the past five weeks which means no carbs, no sugar, no juice, no rice, no dairy, no starch, no grains, no cookies, no doughnuts, no fun, no joy, no LIFE . . . It's supposedly short-term sacrifices for long-term gains. BUT I'm starting to wonder as the pounds slowly come off (too slowly), if I'll need to eat like a rabbit for the rest of my life. (Is there ever going to be a baked potato in my future?)
No sooner did we clean up from Thanksgiving than the holiday decorations began popping up here, there, and everywhere. (Some folks didn't wait for Turkey Day to pass before going all out.) For many, it's an annual tradition, and why not? The holiday season is upon us, which means it's time to start stringing the lights, trimming the trees, and dusting off the menorahs. Whatever you celebrate, our homes create the perfect backdrop to display our holiday spirit.
But have you ever wondered why we go to such great lengths to decorate during this time of year? . . . This week, Sarah and I have been in beautiful San Diego, along with 2,500 other COMPASS colleagues from across 50 states who are all taking part in COMPASS' national retreat. The theme of this year's event was: "High Tech, High Touch," which encapsulates our personal philosophy in a nutshell.
In other words, it's great to have advanced technology support, but ultimately, Buyers have to cross the threshold in order to buy a home. No one has yet successfully converted the industry into "virtual" sales (although they've tried). Consequently, Real Estate Agents are here to stay, although the industry is certainly evolving. "Does the recent antitrust settlement change the fee structure in your proposal?" the email inquired, referring to the listing appointment Sarah and I had presented a few weeks ago. "Not immediately," is the short answer (the appeals alone should take years to wind through the courts). But to be sure, the biggest topic for discussion at every Real Estate Brokerage in America this week, including COMPASS, is the class-action lawsuits that are taking aim at how Brokerages, and in turn, their Realtors®, are paid. As it currently stands in the state of California, the Seller pays BOTH sides of the commission. (In point of fact, the Sellers pay their own brokerages, who, in turn, pay the Buyers' brokerage.) |
AuthorJulie Gardner, has been writing The Perspective for 18 years and has published more than 750 humorous but always informative, essays on life and real estate. Categories
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