A strong tendency towards a sellers market will continue until baby boomers finish cycle of buying and selling real estate, estimated to end in 20 years, according to Senior Real Estate Association. Baby boomers (born between 1946-1964) are in their peak years for real estate investment. Real estate investments will continue to be lucrative throughout cycle. The realtor and seller must work together to develop strategies to compete in this market. New construction is booming, and re-sells are competing with them. If a buyer looks at a house that needs work, they may assume it’s available for a bargain price, ‘handyman’s special.’ Avoid this, and obtain maximum amount for your home sale.

The Value of Obtaining a Home Inspection There is a number 1 rule in selling real estate for highest dollar. The seller should obtain a home inspection before putting home on market. An inspection will uncover hidden problems in home before buyer views it. If seller waits for buyer’s inspector to inform him or her, seller will either have to fix it or lower price. In some cases, sellers lose deal over issues uncovered at inspection. Sellers can waste 30-45 days during these negotiations, while home could have been on market for another buyer.

Curb Appeal Remember, buyer makes 85% of decision about whether to buy a home when they first drive up . It’s much more difficult to sell a house when all shingles do not match in color, even if roof is in good shape. Exterior Cosmetics Sellers need to make sure house has curb appeal for a great first impression. Is trim freshly painted? Replace rotted wood and eliminate any clutter outside house. Make sure gutters are cleaned and are attached to house. The roof should be cleaned of debris with no loose shingles. Be certain vinyl siding on exterior is secured and in good repair.

OK, so maybe I’ve exaggerated things a bit, but we’ve all certainly heard that saying before. Why does that sentiment ring true for so many folks? Obviously it’s because of all people challenges we’re presented with in our business. Virtually every one of my clients over years has brought up subject of dealing with difficult people. There’s no escaping fact that they come into everyone’s lives at one time or another. Sometimes they come in form of an unhappy or hard-to-get-along-with client, customer, or co-worker. Sometimes they’re a person we report to or someone who reports to us. And sometimes they’re just someone we happen to come in contact with like a store clerk. Whoever they are, they can cause anxiety, frustration, concern, or anger in us and can even cause us to become like them – someone difficult to deal with.

Sometimes best way to deal with a difficult person is to avoid them altogether – give them wide berth. But often we don’t have that option. The difficult person is someone we simply have to deal with. Most people would say that in those situations, we have three options. These options are: 1) Try to change ourselves, 2) Try to change other person, and 3) Resolve to tolerate situation – basically decide to put up with them. I’d like to suggest that there’s a fourth, very effective option as well – perhaps most effective of four options. Let’s spend some time discussing these four options.

1) Try to Change Ourselves Your first instinct might be, “Why should I be one to change?” In fact quite often you’ll find that to be an appropriate response! Often there is nothing about what we do or say to cause other person to be difficult. We are usually not catalyst for their behavior. But sometimes we are. Haven’t you had people in your life who just rubbed you wrong way? You’re fine around pretty much everyone else, but around a particular person, you get defensive, anxious, angry, and difficult to deal with? I think we all have. If you’ve had people in your life who cause you to become difficult or obstinate, then doesn’t it stand to reason that you may be causing that same reaction in someone? It’s in situations like this that we have to examine our own behaviors and reflect on whether we’re cause. Frequently however, we’re blind to our shortcomings. We don’t see what we don’t see. How do you find out whether you’re cause of other person’s difficult behavior? Option 4 holds answer.

2) Try to Change Other Person In Option 1 – Try to Change Ourselves – our initial instinct was to ask, “Why should I be one to change?” Our first reaction was one of justification. Basically saying, “I’m not one with problem…” Guess what happens when we try to change other person? You got it. They have same reaction we would have had. Everyone feels justified in their behavior. No one intends to behave arbitrarily or irrationally. We always have a reason for acting way we do. Attempting to force other person to change doesn’t work. Just ask any spouse! No one will change anything about themselves until and unless they choose to do so. Option 4 holds answer.

3) Decide to Put Up with Them “Tolerate it.” “Just deal with it.” The only thing that accepting things way they are accomplishes is to postpone a confrontation. Although this course of action (or inaction) appears to avoid a confrontation, in fact what it does is eliminate any chance of dialogue and replaces it with a certain confrontation down road. Even though this path is frequently taken, it has some far-reaching unhappy consequences. Let’s talk about how it affects you, other person, and your team.