By Don Dunning | May 5, 2017
As a Northern California real estate expert witness and veteran of the business, I have seen many clients hurt by the very person who should have been protecting them. The following true story, from a real estate legal dispute where I was the plaintiff’s expert witness, illustrates how much damage the wrong agent can do and why you need to be extremely thoughtful when you choose one.
Read MoreBy Don Dunning | July 29, 2016
Real estate prices are always a subject of interest, especially during periods of skyrocketing home values. People want to know if the market is still hot, and, if so, how long it will continue.
Read MoreBy Don Dunning | June 17, 2016
At a time when real estate prices are at an all-time high, understanding quality is essential. Despite this, homes which lack important benefits and features are sold for recording-breaking amounts every day.
Although home buyers have individual preferences, real estate professionals view certain attributes as adding value and, conversely, specific deficits as diminishing value. There is a long list of variables, some more relevant than others. These need to be recognized by sellers in pricing the property and by buyers in deciding how much to offer.
Read MoreBy Don Dunning | April 29, 2016
In sports, particularly basketball, analytics is the study of every conceivable aspect of a player’s performance. This includes how often he shoots, from where, accuracy from various positions and distances, and a long list of other variables. There is heated debate about the degree to which this information correlates with a player’s value to his team.
Analytics has come into vogue, mainly in the past five years, with the advent of sophisticated computer measuring techniques. Similarly, there are now numerous algorithms that relate to buyer lifestyle preferences and the cost of owning a home in relation to various features and systems. As in sports, there is a question about how valid these measures are and to what degree they should or will affect future home buying decisions
Read MoreBy Don Dunning | October 9, 2015
“The difference between successful people and really successful people is that really successful people say no to almost everything.”
– Warren Buffett
As a buyer, it is hard to say “no” in a seller’s market where it appears that waiting will cost you a lot because prices are rapidly rising. When working with buyers, I suggest they avoid properties with problems that diminish value. Although location is the key determinant of value, the pressure of the market allows too many other considerations to be brushed aside by buyers.
The following are some concerns that either cannot be rectified, or, even if they can, the cost would likely not make sense.
Read MoreBy Don Dunning | July 17, 2015
Is the current, scorching Bay Area real estate market the new normal or one step away from a daunting descent? As a current or potential buyer or seller, this should be a question in your mind. Reviewing local history, including recent sales, can be a clue to the future.
Read MoreBy Don Dunning | February 23, 2015
“The art and science of asking questions is the source of all knowledge.”
– Thomas Berger
Buying and selling real estate continues to get more complicated. The questions sellers and buyers typically ask their agents are not necessarily those that will help them avoid trouble or get them the most useful information.
Read MoreBy Don Dunning | December 16, 2014
“Change is such hard work”
– Billy Crystal
Reams of small-font paperwork can cause your eyes to water and brain to swell, yet you need to understand what you are signing. There is a new, ten-page, California Association of Realtors residential purchase agreement containing numerous changes that could make a difference in your next real estate transaction.
Read MoreBy Don Dunning | November 5, 2014
“There are many shortcuts to failure, but there are no shortcuts to true success.”
– Orrin Woodward
When a real estate agent takes shortcuts this often compromises the position of the person he is representing. Sadly, it is common for some agents to skip necessary steps to protect their buyers and sellers; this is not doing the best job for them.
Read MoreBy Don Dunning | October 1, 2014
“When I am with a group of human beings committed to hanging in there through both the agony and the joy of community, I have a dim sense that I am participating in a phenomenon for which there is only one word…’glory.’ ”
– M. Scott Peck
California is the U.S. focal point for cohousing, a social experiment that originated in Denmark in the late 1960s and was imported to America in the 1990s. A group of like-minded folks participate in a planned community that will meet their needs.
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