I AM NOT STUBBORN!

I just read an article in Realtor Magazine that made me feel so validated. Let me first say, in the interest of full disclosure, that I am a native Sacramentan and proud of it! I don't mind the labels of Cowtown, Sacratomato or any of the other "hick town" labels that have been attached to my hometown. In fact, they are endearing. Now Sacramento has been recognized in a national magazine...not as the 5th most miserable city in the nation...but as the city in which sellers understand the need to price homes correctly and to adjust, if necessary, just as quickly! Where do you find the most stubborn sellers who wait 80 days before slashing their price? According to Trulia they are: New York City El Paso, Texas Charlotte, North Carolina Cleveland, Ohio Raleigh, North Carolina Louisville, Kentucky Kansas City, Missouri Memphis, Tennessee There are other cities that will slash, but not enough the first time around. These cities are: Phoenix, Arizona Mesa, Arizona Jacksonville, Florida Baltimore, Maryland Chicago, Illinois Finally, the cities that "get it" and are ready to cut prices on an average of 45 days to 53 days are: Minneapolis, Minnesota (number 1) Oakland, California Sacramento, California Personally, I think this really reflects the level of experience the cities have had with the market. I think most will agree that California had the pin that burst the bubble. I don't know what to say about Minneapolis..I am sure there is a great explanation!

I AM A REALTORS WORST NIGHTMARE!

I was standing in my closet deciding what shoes to wear. That's how this post began. We had remodeled our master suite several years ago and in the process gained a walk-in closet. I was marveling at how much I still enjoyed that privilege. From there the thought process went to how silly it is that my husband and I don't downsize. We raised 3 children in our home. It started at 1800 square feet when we were married and by the time we became empty-nesters 30 years later, our home had grown to over 3000 square feet...a pretty silly size for just 2 people. For more reasons that I can count, we should downsize. The upstairs is only used because the laundry room and the cockatiel are up there. The living room has gone the way of all living rooms...a place that stays remarkably clean do to lack of use. We really only use 4 rooms...the kitchen, family room, bedroom and bathroom. So, why in the world, with all of the homes I see on a daily basis, do we stay? We stay because it is home. It is where we grew together and our children grew up. My dad built the cover for our patio. I made the stained glass window in the bathroom. My husband and I built the shutters on the outside of our home. We have had the same neighbors for over 20 years. We started out being the youngest people on our block to being the oldest people on our block! It is home. I had a client call me the other day. Her home isn't worth what they paid for it. She was wondering if she should do a short sale. It wasn't that they couldn't afford the payments. They just thought maybe they were putting good money after bad. What should they do? I asked one simple question, "Are you considering selling because you can't afford it?" She said no, but why should she continue to make payments on a house that has not held its value? I had a very simple answer. "Because it is your home."