Lawandorder

The entire real estate market felt a little adjustment, or as one real estate analyst put it - a "hiccup". Different home/property types have been hit in different ways and as always supply/demand plays a role as do job growth rates and salary rates. - Wed May 9 2007, 23:26

Probably the same as terrorist threats in NYC, Hurricanes in the South, Tornadoes in the midwest and Neil Diamond in Vegas - I have no clue what that last one means.

But as you can tell buyers really don't buy with logic. No matter how hard we try to conivince ourselves, we buy homes/properties because of emotions - we feel successful, inteligent, daring, etc. Even when someone thinks they bought for price/value, they only use that to rationalize a purchase of something they like... so that being said, If people were scared of earthquakes they never would have rebuilt S.F. after the fire. Millions wouldn't live here, this place is special and beautiful, these things far outweigh any logic that may sway you about earthquakes. Plus buildings and safety have caught up to help deal with earhtquake dangers. Take your pick: quakes, terrorists, tornadoes, hurricanes, water shortages, winter storms, no jobs, floods, you name it every city has some reason why you should not live there, but people do. - Wed May 9 2007, 23:22

I got this from "build it green" so the answer is yes, there are - but you need to do some homework:

Build It Green's vision is a world where people thrive in buildings and communities sustained by a healthy connection between the natural and built environment.

Build It Green is a professional non-profit membership organization whose mission is to promote healthy, energy and resource-efficient buildings in California. Supported by a solid foundation of outreach and education, Build It Green connects consumers and building professionals with the tools and technical expertise they need to build quality green buildings.

Build It Green fosters collaboration with key stakeholder groups to accelerate the adoption of green building practices, policies, and programs.

Link below: - Wed May 9 2007, 23:15

This question has 2 answers. For new construction it is all about the "sizzle", the Viking stove, the granite tops, the Central Air, "smart" homes etc. The buyer has no worries about mechanicals b/c everything is new. You are generally paying for a clean slate that has very nice touches for the buyer to add personalization around. The most expensive thing for a buyer to invest in are the appliances and kitchen/bathroom design - so yes for new construction, or anything under 5 years old this is enough.

But now, what about a row house? or a colonial? or a victorian home? Does granite even work in here? In these homes the mechanicals - the guts are the most important value, double paned windows, 220 wiring, good plumbing, heat and a/c... whether or not the counter is granite is the last thing on a buyers mind if the windows are old, or the ceiling has a leak in it... in these homes the roof and mechanicals make all the difference, b/c the whole home will be personalized, and the buyer will invest in whatever kitchen they want. In the end you have 2 different buyers and 2 different types of properties. So you need to ask yourself a very important question: "Who is the buyer of my home?" Are they techies? or are they gardening types? Do they value sunlight or proximity to a night club - this will dictate how "pret a porte" the home needs to be to demand high dollars.

Sur egranite is nice, but if I want a home with a western or 1950's feel, it just won't go and the 50K you spent in your kitchen will mean nothing to me b/c i want to rip it out.... and that's assuming that I even care to cook... - Wed May 9 2007, 23:11

Absolutely, if your broker does not help you price your home to sell, you'll sit on the market. As a seller you need to have your goals very clear - is it time or money? What I mean is, do you need to sell within the next 90 days or can you afford to wait 6 months? The faster you need to sell the more important it is that you price your home in a conservative fashion to encourag offers. If your home has sat on the market for two weeks, and you have not received an offer, you need to bring your price down, sometimes going from 459,000 to 449,000 can make a huge difference - the question is will you wait 2 months to "chase" the market down, or 2 weeks and stay ahead of the market? - Wed May 9 2007, 22:47