By Don Dunning | September 10, 2010
After a walk around Lake Merritt, my wife looked up an interesting Web site, then told me about it. Once Upon a Time, Happily Ever After is “a public art project set at Lake Merritt…with the goal of raising awareness and deepening the commitment to preserving and enhancing a cultural heritage that belongs to all […]
Read MoreBy Don Dunning | August 24, 2010
Years ago, my wife and I had serious issues with our sewer line and had to totally replace it. One of our considerations at the time was to use the latest, trenchless technology. We ended up using traditional methods because a section of our pipes went through concrete and this does not work with trenchless. […]
Read MoreBy Don Dunning | August 22, 2010
If you are making payments on a house that is worth substantially less than your loan, you may have thought about how to get out from under this burden. Financial, legal, tax and credit ramifications are all important in deciding which route to take.
Read MoreBy Don Dunning | August 14, 2010
My latest article, “The Changing World of Choosing an Agent,” must have struck a resonant chord because I have received numerous phone calls about it. Those who responded shared their experiences of both buying and selling real estate in this area and their disappointment with one or more of their agents. These agents had not […]
Read MoreBy Don Dunning | August 10, 2010
Two recent news bits reinforced my observation that people behave in ways that often can be considered irrational. Item 1: An online story I read last week about a real estate survey that indicated, in today’s market, buyers have a significantly higher opinion of the agent who represents them than sellers have of their agent. […]
Read MoreBy Don Dunning | August 7, 2010
A Florida company that helps For Sale by Owners (FSBOs) recently filed for liquidation. It reminded me of how much knowledge and skill is required to successfully represent sellers, especially in today’s market. Needless to say, if competent agents are having trouble getting their listings sold, it is that much more difficult for most owners […]
Read MoreBy Don Dunning | July 30, 2010
The next time you pick up a flyer at an open house, you might see an odd design stamped in a corner. Called a “QR Code” (Quick Response), its purpose is similar to the bar codes used in stores. It provides an electronic link to further information. Using your smart phone to photograph the QR […]
Read MoreBy Don Dunning | July 24, 2010
As a result of the mortgage meltdown, lenders are now hyper-cautious about who gets their money. A recent L.A. Times article, “Lenders’ Data Mining Goes Deep,” explains how banks use “data mining,” i.e., delving into seemingly insignificant information, available online, about their borrowers to make or change lending decisions. An example that seems amusing, but […]
Read MoreBy Don Dunning | July 20, 2010
According to an online real estate article, the Houston Association of Realtors (HAR), with 23,000 members, recently “pulled the plug” on a web-based application that allowed consumers to view which agents had the greatest number of listings and/or transactions in a given neighborhood or Zip code. This happened shortly after it was introduced because HAR was overwhelmed by angry communications from its members.
Reading this, you may be thinking that the mediocre or weak agents were trying to prevent progress. Why else would there be such an outcry over a new system designed to provide useful information to the public?
After over 30 years in the business, I understand what is behind the uproar and it gives me an opportunity to revisit this topic.
Read MoreBy Don Dunning | June 10, 2010
I am back in Sacramento for the mid-year meeting of the California Association of Realtors. Yesterday was “Leg (short for Legislative) Day. ” That afternoon, over 1000 Realtors went to call on their local legislators. The “Hot Issues” were the need for legislation to: 1) Address the many problems relating to appraisals and the “Home […]
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