Your lawn and the first impression of your home

I remember when I was a little girl, I took biology in school and the teachers scared us to death about walking around barefoot.  They said we would get some dread disease that we could pick up by stepping on sidewalks and lawn that had icky stuff that would come in through our pores or cuts on our feet, etc.

Unfortunately, because of this, I never walked around barefoot on my dad's beautiful Kentucky Blue Grass lawn.  He took great pride in maintaining his lawn.  Back then, edgers weren't popular (or at least we didn't know about them) and we actually trimmed around the flower beds, driveway and walkway by hand with a little scissor.  I can't even imagine doing this now.  All I ever wanted was a nice lawn.  And now, my husband and I spend a small fortune (not really- about $55/treatment - 9 per year) to keep our Bermuda Grass weed free and thick.  I don't walk barefoot on it either!

The many hats of a real estate agent!

Many times, I sit with sellers and have to explain about the various hats I wear.  When we agree to list a home for a client, the client sometimes begrudges us our commission rate.  It's hard for outsiders to understand that when we begin representing them, we begin laying out large sums of money on their behalf for a home that may never sell.

Agetns end up wearing many hats.  The first hat we wear is that of an analyst.  While some agents use the PFA method (plucked from the air) for pricing a home, it is definitely not my style.  When someone brings raw data to the table (CMA printouts from the MLS or prints of recent solds) I just consider that raw data.  While pictures paint a thousand words, it's impossible to know, just by looking at a picture, how big a house is or how many bedrooms or baths are inside, or the finish quality of the interior or how old the HVAC system is and a myriad of other details.