Here is where opportunity starts knocking, folks. When you have people who do things that are out of the mainstream of what most people do, you will notice that when it comes time to sell, many buyers are turned off by the non-conformity of the home’s general appearance. Let me explain.

These people did the following things: first, they installed a spiral staircase and

This story has a few good lessons and observations that no doubt can be used by you to take advantage of hidden opportunities that often lie in plain view for all to see, however, most people have not been trained or instructed on how to recognize or find them.

The following true story begins with a classic log home package, engineered, manufactured, approved and delivered for use in Alaska. A friend of mine, in 1996, built the home, and I helped him pour the foundation. This leads to our first observation in analyzing this deal: If you know the full history of a property, your confidence and position on the deal can be enhanced.

You can begin to research history and succession of ownership through county records, tax rolls and by contacting previous owners as far back as you possibly can. Optimally you want to end your search by getting to the original owner and builder of the property.

Now, back to our story. My friend had built this house himself and I knew for a fact that he is an intelligent perfectionist. This gave me the confidence of knowing that this owner-built home was a solid structure through and through, not to mention that when the energy rating, otherwise known as a “blow test,” was conducted the house was so tight (no air leaks) that he had to artificially ventilate it.

At this point, I had the following information: I know who built it, the quality of construction, it’s energy rating and it’s value based on what my friend had sold it for to the new owners. This brings us to our next phase of the investigation, the current owners. Now we turn our attention to the current owners who are selling and the history behind them. Originally they paid $159,000, which by some strange coincidence was the asking price. I’m sure if the asking price was $160,000, it would have appraised for that but my friend made it appear cheaper by keeping below the higher $160,000 bracket. This is known as a pricing strategy.

Our research on the new owners revealed that they had been relocated from New Jersey and they had one child. The neighbor, who is a home inspector and general contractor, tells me a few more details about the family, their habits and the upgrades, and improvements and modifications that have been made to the home. Once again I’m getting good signals that the home is a good one but the owners are a little squirrelly as to their habits and design choices.

Here is where opportunity starts knocking, folks. When you have people who do things that are out of the mainstream of what most people do, you will notice that when it comes time to sell, many buyers are turned off by the non-conformity of the home’s general appearance. Let me explain.

These people did the following things: first, they installed a spiral staircase and

You can begin to research history and succession of ownership through county records, tax rolls and by contacting previous owners as far back as you possibly can. Optimally you want to end your search by getting to the original owner and builder of the property.

Now, back to our story. My friend had built this house himself and I knew for a fact that he is an intelligent perfectionist. This gave me the confidence of knowing that this owner-built home was a solid structure through and through, not to mention that when the energy rating, otherwise known as a “blow test,” was conducted the house was so tight (no air leaks) that he had to artificially ventilate it.

At this point, I had the following information: I know who built it, the quality of construction, it’s energy rating and it’s value based on what my friend had sold it for to the new owners. This brings us to our next phase of the investigation, the current owners. Now we turn our attention to the current owners who are selling and the history behind them. Originally they paid $159,000, which by some strange coincidence was the asking price. I’m sure if the asking price was $160,000, it would have appraised for that but my friend made it appear cheaper by keeping below the higher $160,000 bracket. This is known as a pricing strategy.

Our research on the new owners revealed that they had been relocated from New Jersey and they had one child. The neighbor, who is a home inspector and general contractor, tells me a few more details about the family, their habits and the upgrades, and improvements and modifications that have been made to the home. Once again I’m getting good signals that the home is a good one but the owners are a little squirrelly as to their habits and design choices.

Here is where opportunity starts knocking, folks. When you have people who do things that are out of the mainstream of what most people do, you will notice that when it comes time to sell, many buyers are turned off by the non-conformity of the home’s general appearance. Let me explain.

These people did the following things: first, they installed a spiral staircase and

At this point, I had the following information: I know who built it, the quality of construction, it’s energy rating and it’s value based on what my friend had sold it for to the new owners. This brings us to our next phase of the investigation, the current owners. Now we turn our attention to the current owners who are selling and the history behind them. Originally they paid $159,000, which by some strange coincidence was the asking price. I’m sure if the asking price was $160,000, it would have appraised for that but my friend made it appear cheaper by keeping below the higher $160,000 bracket. This is known as a pricing strategy.

Our research on the new owners revealed that they had been relocated from New Jersey and they had one child. The neighbor, who is a home inspector and general contractor, tells me a few more details about the family, their habits and the upgrades, and improvements and modifications that have been made to the home. Once again I’m getting good signals that the home is a good one but the owners are a little squirrelly as to their habits and design choices.

Here is where opportunity starts knocking, folks. When you have people who do things that are out of the mainstream of what most people do, you will notice that when it comes time to sell, many buyers are turned off by the non-conformity of the home’s general appearance. Let me explain.

These people did the following things: first, they installed a spiral staircase and

Our research on the new owners revealed that they had been relocated from New Jersey and they had one child. The neighbor, who is a home inspector and general contractor, tells me a few more details about the family, their habits and the upgrades, and improvements and modifications that have been made to the home. Once again I’m getting good signals that the home is a good one but the owners are a little squirrelly as to their habits and design choices.

Here is where opportunity starts knocking, folks. When you have people who do things that are out of the mainstream of what most people do, you will notice that when it comes time to sell, many buyers are turned off by the non-conformity of the home’s general appearance. Let me explain.

These people did the following things: first, they installed a spiral staircase and

Here is where opportunity starts knocking, folks. When you have people who do things that are out of the mainstream of what most people do, you will notice that when it comes time to sell, many buyers are turned off by the non-conformity of the home’s general appearance. Let me explain.

These people did the following things: first, they installed a spiral staircase and painted it a fuschia purplish-pink. Yuk! This alone was said to have turned off more than one potential buyer. Also, the original paint had pencil and marker lines scribbled here and there, the faucets and caulking needed some repair, the glass in one of the kitchen cabinets was missing, the walls needed new paint and the yard was overgrown. Along with a few other small details, this was all cosmetic but people couldn’t look past it.

Let’s get to the real “nails in this coffin” of lost resale value. The following information deals with choosing a good real estate agent who will properly handle your affairs, if in fact you cannot do them yourself, although you should actively participate. Here is where this agent’s ineptitude will seal these relocated owners’ fate. Let’s set the stage: We are now at 2003; our sellers are being transferred and are moving after five years. This is right in keeping with the national average that says that people tend to move every five years. So in conjunction with the move, a relocation company becomes involved. Here comes the red tape!

Our sellers chose a local real estate agent who works half days and delivers newspapers the other half (not too professional). So this agent signs our owners up and proceeds to boggle most everything from the day our sellers are transferred out. The agent does nothing to prepare the home to show well and the topper on this one was the agent had left an inflatable monstrosity of what used to be a swimming pool/fun center half-deflated with stagnant water, breeding mosquitoes at the base of the entryway stairs. What a first impression and such an easy fix!

That’s just the beginning because now our agent by some stroke of luck has found someone willing to pay $156,000 for this eyesore, but the agent doesn’t research anything and can’t come up with the proper documentation for the original well and septic approval. Therefore, the relocation company sends out its own engineer to backtrack and he blows the deal clear out of the water because he doesn’t know local protocol and has no original paperwork either. As a result the potential buyers back out and the house sits empty for another six months. Meanwhile, our poor relocated owners back in New Jersey are still paying a mortgag