Without a doubt, I would say this past week has been quite interesting to say the least. More times than normal I found myself e-mailing and texting due to quirky situations mostly attributed to title problems with files coming up to close. Thus far, things have been successful but there are still some hurdles to jump over on a few others. There must be a bad zodiacal configuration these past months that is causing many to be far more fickle than normal. I’ve been dealing with a handful of people these past months who have flip-flopped back and forth over homes, prices, and even the direction they were moving as far as home buying or selling. It’s become somewhat tedious when one isn’t sure where someone’s ideas about real estate will be the next day. I know there are always those intervening circumstances that cause shifts, but there have not been anything noticeable from my observations. Someone made an offer on one of my listings and remained dug-in on a given price simply because they said that’s all it is worth. That was a very broad and certainly mis-leading statement due to the known fact that every home has a certain value to every person that enters it. It’s all about meeting the likes and needs of someone within a given price range. We all have to purchase shoes and when we go out shopping we first look for our size. Shoe size is equal to basic needs, like a home offering two bedrooms. Then we come to style which would be equal to a mid-century ranch, or a four-square two story. Finally we are left with price which of course corresponds to price range in home purchasing. Floating from shoe store to shoe store we compare size, style, and price. After the search has ended, I along with most people will purchase what feels good, looks good, and is within our budget. With that said, I would say anyone in the general public who believes they know what a home is worth is laboring under mis-guided concepts. These buyers have been around since I started selling real estate many years ago, and they will likely continue to be hovering about well into the future. For the most part, nearly all of my buyers and sellers do finally “get it” when it comes to the valuations of real estate.
I read an article several days ago about the effects of fluorescent lighting. Even though the research is out there, homeowners and business owners continue to install this type of lighting. Yes, there are bulb selections that can give a more daylight “feel” to the room, but there isn’t the full spectrum that most prefer. Of all the energy saving lighting on the market now, I would say the LED lighting available is the most energy efficient and room enhancing. Yes, purchasing LED can get a bit pricey, but the bulb life is far longer than standard bulbs. Some of them can last for a number of years and save a hefty amount in energy usage. A dear client mentioned today how so many people don’t understand how easy it is to make a home comfortable with a few simple changes like wall and ceiling color, floor coverings, and lighting. Her home has a softness to it that radiates comfort and a sense of being grounded. Lighting is very important to her when it comes to setting the tone of a given room. It’s too bad more business don’t take that as a hint to soften their offices and common areas by getting rid of the fluorescent fixtures and adding LED lighting to where we won’t see anymore blanched faces and half smiles.
