Are Sellers Really Buyers

I chuckled at Matthew Ferrara's tongue in cheek "Ten Simple Phrases for Talking to Homeowners". But while I was amused by his mocking commentary it was dead on right for most sellers. They really are buyers!

By the time I get the call to list a home, most sellers have been identifying online, at open houses and by driving through neighborhoods what their next home will look like. Some of them spend so much time on this hobby that they know more about what is for sale and sold then I do (often these people want to become Realtors). Sometimes this data is erroneously gleaned from casual neighborly conversations that nudge the numbers a bit or the reality of the transaction or one of the many sites offering zestimates on values. Still they have a lot of information. So what does this all mean? They really are buyers, but think they are sellers.

Hence they call their favorite Realtor and I come in and assess the situation giving them the "real news" about what their home can be reasonably sold for. No mincing of data here, but few sellers believe it . . . their home is better in so many ways then those others and surly will sell for more. This may be true, but now armed with my new found view of my sellers as buyers I can see more success by facilitating their view from the buyer perspective.

I like this new approach, rather than telling them about similar comparable homes that have sold, I am going to ask them to tell me about the homes they would have bought if they were buyers. What was attractive about those homes? Details, Prices and More. Enabling the seller to think like a buyer will give them a lot more power in setting their own destiny and really understanding how and what it takes to sell their home.

I am reminded of the sellers I meet with, provide the proverbial "to do" list to get their home on the market and salable, but who do nothing. Then comes the Stager, who provides a more structured approach of prep and sell and they still do nothing. Clearly, the new set of buyer eyes will go a long way with questions like what they have seen and would have made an offer on. Was it move-in ready or did it need to have the wallpaper taken down, new carpets installed, the yard cleaned up and more? Would they make an offer on this home? Why not? Stepping into the Buyers mindset, will put them a step ahead.

Looking at my sellers as buyers really does put everything in a whole new light. Some of my buyers are more motivated than others and some are content with the casual search. If you want to be a buyer, but have to sell first, call me and I can help you view the market with your buyer eyes to get your home sold. There are countless opportunities in the Portland Marketplace and with a skilled adviser you will reach your goal to buy/sell a home.

I also have a nifty little search application you can download to your cell phone by texting pdxrelo to 87778. Enjoy!

Are you Ready?

The signs are all there . . sunshine, chirping birds, blossoms, open house signs on every corner and Realtors are busy, busy, busy. Spring is in the air. Are you ready?


No one knows for sure, if we’ve hit the bottom for home prices, but there are deals to be had for those that have done their homework and are ready to pounce. Multiple offers on Bank Owned properties is becoming common. Well-priced homes in fantastic condition and locations too.


There is pent up demand from buyers and sellers who are tired of placing their plans on hold and reacting to the media crossfire we have all been subject to over the past year. Keep in mind that whether you are a buyer or a seller you will need the skills of an experienced Realtor more than ever to help succeed with your plan in this ever changing market. Once you have contacted a Realtor you can start by asking her for a referral to a couple of Lenders to help you calculate your budget, discuss loan options, determine which mortgage is right for you and preparing a Good Faith Estimate of all the costs associated with purchasing your new home.


Next you need to start thinking about your ideal home – what are the characteristics and location. Think about the neighborhoods where you would like to live and start looking at the homes for sale in these areas. In addition to a great search site at http://www.relocatetopdx.com/ Linda Heinrichs provides a free application that can be downloaded to your phone just text pdxrelo to 87778. There are a number of ways to search, but if you are driving around it will automatically map the homes for sale around your location – very cool when you find an area you would love to live. It will also help you to discern prices for the different neighborhoods. You may love to live there, but your budget does not match up with the selling prices.


Buying a home is a fair amount of work, but the return on investment from a financial and fulfillment standpoint is huge. I have all the tools to smooth the way - call me today. Home is where the heart is . . . Are you ready?

What Do You Think About Obscene Bank Profits

I don't know about you, but each time I read about giant bonuses and huge profit margins due to the generosity of our government I seethe as a person and professional.  This LA Times article exposes yet another bail out windfall - http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-onewest20-2010feb20,0,880625.story

It has been a tough year all the way around.  I don't want to begrudge anyone a profit.  Even a big profit.  But according to one You Tube site the FDIC offered a sweet deal to OneWest Bank which covers investor losses over $2.5 billion.  The FDIC adamantly defends their position and the agreement with OneWest.  http://budurl.com/p8g6

The real answer is probably somewhere in between, but I do know from my little microcosm of the real estate world here in Portland Oregon, there are real people hurting.  Sellers that have lost jobs and are losing their homes.  Lenders ignore pleas to modify loans and then sell the loan to another service provider for a fraction of the cost, creating confusion and chaos for the seller to try and redirect their efforts.  All without a change in looming foreclosure timelines.  The bank doesn’t miss a beat.

And what do you think about the special bailout of 5 states announced by the White House?  Again, personally and professionally I look at Arizona, California, Florida and Nevada and think about how many investors and speculators bought rows and rows of homes in these communities that allowed unbridled building.  Michigan has its own set of issues so we will leave them alone.  Now we are setting up a special fund because they have been so hard hit.  How can this be that our government is willing to create and additional $1.5 billion bailout for the people that took higher than normal risks.  Many of these same risk takers also received higher than normal rewards before the fallout occurred.  Is there anyone out there that thinks this is wrong?

Slowly we are gaining ground by doing the right things.  It is a fragile perch that could topple again with the above kinds of actions.  Maybe it is time to get involved and demand your representatives be held accountable for their special interest actions.  I am not a political person, but I am rapidly approaching the “Mad as Hell” mode with the nonsense going on.  It is hard to focus on my true passion of helping people make a move to or from a home to the next phase of their lives with all this extraneous stuff going on.

What’s on your mind?  For service with integrity, passion, hard work and client focused services, call Linda Heinrichs today www.portlandmetrohomesforsale.com