Six Reasonable People
Sometimes my job is easy. Sometimes it’s painfully difficult. I guess it’s the same in most occupations where you interact with people, because it’s usually the people themselves who determine how difficult or easy a task will be. In a typical real estate transaction, six people are involved—a couple on each side and their respective […]
Trust
Trust isn’t just a virtue in real estate—it’s a necessity. Whether buying your first home, selling a long-time family property, or investing in real estate, the stakes are high. You need an agent who not only knows the market but also genuinely prioritizes your best interests. That’s where trust becomes the cornerstone of a successful […]
The Cover Letter
Many REALTORS® encourage their clients to write a cover letter when submitting an offer. The idea is that they’ll pull at the seller’s heartstrings, and they’ll get a better deal. Or, if it’s a multiple-offer scenario, maybe the seller chooses your offer over a different one. It rarely works as intended. I can’t recall ever […]
Negotiating Mastery
Malcolm Gladwell popularized the ‘10,000-hour rule’ in his book ‘Outliers,’ suggesting that achieving mastery in any field requires roughly 10,000 hours of practice. While this idea is debatable in various respects, I wholeheartedly agree with the underlying premise that dedication and effort put into a skill can lead to mastery over time. This is the […]
8 White Glove REALTOR® Strategies
Would you like a copy of my brand new booklet (hot off the presses), “8 White Glove REALTOR® Strategies?” Respond to this email, and I’ll send you a digital copy immediately or a hard copy in the mail—or both! Here’s a short preview: ‘Strategy 3 – Crafting a Superior MLS Presentation’ A carefully crafted and […]
The January FOMO Phenomenon
After 20 years as a full-time professional REALTOR® and being a serious student of market trends, I’ve learned a few things. One of them is the ‘January FOMO Phenomenon.’ One thing that never changes is that December and January are ALWAYS the slowest two months of the year for sales. Sales are usually marginally higher […]
Why I Get Psyched to Sell EVERY Property
Recently, I was out with a group of friends, and I overheard one of them mention that he’d just sold his house. To be fair, he’s more of a friend of a friend. It’s not like we hang out together regularly (or ever, really). But it still hurt my feelings! I mean, what the hell? […]
Calgary’s Declining Condo Market
Have you noticed all the condo buildings popping up everywhere? I sure have, and there’s a lot more coming. This is primarily land-use-driven rather than market-driven. Land-use-driven means that the city defines what can be built and where. If you’re a big developer, you must follow the rules on what can be built on each […]
Negotiating 101 in an Agency Relationship
I’ve always got my client’s best interests at heart, and (hopefully) the other agent has their client’s best interests at heart. This is the core of the agency relationship. I often tell people that if I’ve got another experienced, skilled agent on the other side of a negotiation, that’s 90% of the battle. Yes, we […]
How to Write a Compelling Offer
Fewer multi-offers are happening now compared to the spring market (this is perfectly normal), but they’re still occurring for desirable, competitively-priced properties. Whether it’s a multiple-offer scenario or not, there are always different things to consider when writing an offer to make it more compelling for the seller to accept. Of course, the price will […]