12.14.2012

For The Love Of Barbara Corcoran....Consumers....MAKE BETTER CHOICES

I've kept my mouth shut in most of the real estate up turn over the past few years but since I'd rather blow a page count than an artery, I've got to let it out.  

We're starting to do the same stupid things we did to get us in the mess we've been trying to recover from.

Oh yes we are and it's really pissing me off. No, not just zero down mortgages or or other types of risky financing that we thought were gone (and they're not). This one goes back on the consumer. I hate to say it but you have got to MAKE BETTER CHOICES. I'm not talking about the blue frieze versus the taupe frieze carpet. I'm talking much bigger, elephant in the room types of mistakes that you should have never made. Didn't have a Realtor, attorney or nosey Uncle Rex tell you that these things were a mistake? Then you picked the wrong damn person to help you. Sorry for the blunt language but I'm worn out about people making terrible choices and then blaming somebody else. One of the reasons I'm irritated? I'm going to get the call to sell that house backed up to the six lane interstate or the house that has a one car garage at $260,000 or has one bedroom on the main level and three in the basement. Here's what happens when I do: I get yelled at for telling them the truth. You shouldn't have bought that house with the freaking nuclear power plant out back to begin with. I know these are extreme examples and yes my approach here has been over the top for a reason. I don't want people to invest their money badly and sometimes these issues are not that hard. We let the pretty sell past our common sense. 

Recent headlines have been mainly positive about housing and while that is true to an extent, it doesn't mean every home purchase is a good one or that every house is going to rise in value. What if the market tanks again someday? That will mean that only the people who made the best decisions will see a minimal loss or perhaps stay equal. The people who bought the problem location or the quirky floor plan or aberrational amenity list are going to get KILLED and there's no reason for that IF you make - better - decisions. 

The examples are countless that I've personally seen.  I'm showing an engaged bachelor homes in a PRIME resale location, one of the hottest in the area. It would be a SPECTACULAR resale purchase for them to sell in a few years as they start a family. His fiance, who's obviously a financial genius, convinces him to make a terrible decision somewhere else because her 'new to the business' sorority sister told her what she wanted to hear. You're screwed buddy. In five years that place will be worth exactly what you paid for it. If you're lucky. Frankly I couldn't be more relieved to be away from that transaction. 

Then there's a new construction development where consumers are marching into the model with no representation (because they always know better than someone who has sold hundreds of houses). They're plunking their $850,000 down on a property that looks pretty but is going to be totally NON COMPETITIVE in five years in their marketplace when Lilly calls and says it's time to transfer to San Francisco. Had they asked for an outside opinion the right person would have cautioned them about the issues. Instead they very well could be upside down and angry at their listing Realtor because they made a stupid choice in 2012 or '13.  

Here's the summary. Housing IS better and can not only be a tremendous part of our quality of life but also a nice investment in so many cases.  In my humble opinion you should only be buying a home if you have GREAT representation, meaning someone who tells you the absolute, educated, unselfish truth. Oh..and then you have to LISTEN to them. Otherwise be prepared to hear it in five years when you call me. Frankly I'd really rather not give any more of THAT news than I have to. greg cooper, top selling carmel indiana realtor broker agent, east carmel indiana neighborhoods, east carmel indiana homes for sale 46033