Finishing your basement without permits? Huge mistake!
The single biggest sigh-inducing issue I have when listing a home for sale is finding out that a major renovation—usually a finished basement—was done without township permits. Is it a…
What’s the difference between a condo and a townhouse?
For many buyers, this seems hardly a question to ask—everybody knows what a condo is. And a townhouse. Or is it a townhome? Or town house? OK… maybe an explanation…
What are idiosyncrasy credits and why should you collect them?
You’ve probably never heard of idiosyncrasy credits and have no clue how important they are. Sure, you can Google them and get a fairly thorough Wikipedia definition that will leave…
Want to stage your home like a Broadway producer?
You want to sell your house. Or maybe you just have judgmental company coming over whom you’d like to impress—perhaps a snooty acquaintance from your deep past or a mother-in-law.…
Can you do a better job painting your walls than a toddler with ketchup?
Ever see a six-pack house? I have. As a real estate agent I’ve had the pleasure of visiting and showing hundreds of homes, and one in particular made my day,…
Are you using all your crayons to succeed?
In kindergarten I was given a box of eight crayons, large ones with one flat side to keep them from rolling off the table. I had little problem making the…
Does it really take a (Peddler’s) Village?
Less than an hour’s drive west of Princeton, not far from the Delaware River on the Pennsylvania side, sits a most quaint and welcoming destination spot for young and old…
Is the Virtual Key to Success on your keychain?
I had the pleasure of tackling a fairly Major project recently, one involving a good amount of research, organization, the shuffling of papers and filling out of tedious forms. As…
Do you ever feel sorry for a coffee stirrer?
I was stirring my morning coffee, that deliberate motion that is part necessity and part subconscious effort to delay the start of another arduous day, if only by a few…
You asked your father for advice? How did that work out for you?
Fathers are men, and men have an extra advice chromosome that women lack. Oh, I know, mothers are the ones always offering advice and opinions: “Wear a sweater, it’s cold…
Thinking of a career in marketing? A lesson from entry-level entrepreneurs
Every product or service worth shilling has a hook, a punch line to draw you in and separate you from your hard-earned scratch. Marketing is definitely the Word on Wall…
Want to stop playing the lottery forever? Read this post.
We all have a bit of Walter Mitty in us. It’s human nature, irresistible. And nothing brings out the dreamer in us more than playing the lottery, be it scratch-off…
Did you know that helium balloons are made of puppies?
In the course of my real estate business, I have developed an intimate knowledge of helium balloons. They’re an integral part of our marketing after all, those things we tie…
Did you just call me a dog owner?
The “D” word is not allowed in our home. We have two puppies, as the fur on our furniture attests, and they’ve witnessed their share of changing seasons: Archie is…
Subway Wars: Those Within and Those Without
A boy stands on an elevated subway platform in New York City. At the Castle Hill Avenue station in the Bronx, to be precise. He’s about 15 years old, young…
Are you still stuck on the overrated grammar of the 19th Century?
Three bottles of Châteaux Lafite-Rothschild 1869 were sold at auction by Sotheby’s in 2010 for a staggering $232,692 each. What completely boggles my mind is not the price—much more is…
Blog? Me? Really? Why?
“You have to blog,” They said. “Everyone who’s anyone does it!” Besides, I’m a real estate agent—having a real estate blog is simply presumed, like having a snappy professional website…