Would someone please explain to me why real estate salespeople believe that a house?

Hi Correrafan,

I've been a successful real estate agent for 15 years, and your question brings out a great point. I have to agree with you. There may be x number of 3 bedroom, 2 bath homes all on the same street. They may all have about the same size yards, the same tile roofs, the same 2 car garage. But there is a huge difference when you really look at every single home. The difference you find is in the emotions that now fill - or once filled the inside of each home, the memories, the laughter, the tears. Homes are a place where families were raised, kids were born, birthday parties were held, Christmas trees were lit...and every home is unique when it comes to the human element of emotion, love, sadness and happiness. Unfortunately this emotion aspect usually only holds value to the people who lived in the home, and their families and friends. A homeseller has a real attachment to the home he is selling as it may hold a big chunk of his life and it is a difficult thing to let go.

Once a home goes on the market, at that point it becomes a commodity and the emotions that once filled the home have no financial value. A buyer, one part of the 3 party equation is usually concerned with what they can get for the money, and what it will do for them.

The next party to the real estate transaction is the appraiser who will take 3 recent solds in the same neighborhood that are comparable in size to the subject home up for sale. He is concerned only with plus or minus adjustments to determine a value for the subject home. Although 3 homes on the same side of the street may have 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, 2 car garages and so on, there could be physical differences that the appraiser must account for in order to determine value. For example, one of the homes may have a built-in swimming pool while the others do not. That adds about $8,000 in value to the home with the pool. One of the homes may be in a cul-de-sac (court), while the other homes are more towards the entrance to the subdivision. That factor changes the comparison value by adding another $3,000 or so. The appraiser is concerned only with adjustments and determining an estimated market value, so in one sense he does find "differences" with each home, although they are all physical in nature.

The other factor is the real estate agents and the different personalities one will find with each person. Some agents are super busy and are concerned only with moving that home in the quickest time possible, for the highest price. Grant it that agent wants to get paid and will only do so if the home successfully sells, but a good agent is also concerned with selling the home to satisfy the homeseller and do the best possible job. An agent can and should use emotion when marketing a home since it is emotion that sells a home first. Logic comes afterward. To market a home an agent has numerous tools available - home flyers, online ads, the multiple listing service - and it is in these areas that emotional descriptions should be added. As mentioned earlier, a buyer wants the emotional factors, and wants to picture in their mind living in the home. Emotion sells - logic does not, unless the buyer is simply an investor. One of the best real estate agent is the one who really falls in love with the home they are trying to sell, and may even bond in a friendship manner with the homeseller. For that agent, it is easy to display emotion, excitement, and tons of enthusiasm when marketing a home, and that enthusiasm gets relayed not just to other buyers but to all of the other real estate agents who may sell the home.

Correrafan, I would enjoy helping you with any questions on real estate. Yes - I love helping others. Thanks for your question - Maria.

Hi again - in response to your using a buyers agent, I wanted to add this. You may already know this, but are you aware that you can look at homes for sale that are currently on the market. Just go to http://www.realtor.com/ and put in your search criteria. It's free, it's nationwide, and includes a great list of homes available. Bye - Maria

Some houses have different features or styles. Also different builders do things differently. One 3/2 house my have more floorspace or a bonus room. Or the 3/2 house is in a better neighborhood (location, location, location), neighboorhood amenities also. Also some houses allow forr different types of financing (higher or lower interest rates, down payment assistance). There's also a difference in type of construction: traditional, ranch, transitional, etc. To real estate agents, a house is a house is a house because they get a commission regardless of which house they sell. A good agent takes your needs into consideration--and your needs may not match that particular house.

Interesting article. I, like many others, wrongfully assumed that Rezko had already been sentenced and was doing time. You'd think that over 2 years is plenty of time for the sentencing hearing. As to where he is being held? My guess at this time is that he's become Obama's half brothers' roommate. That's a deep dark area that the lap dog media will never look in.