Here's an Insider Secret About Bait-and-Switch Techniques in Real Estate

Getting caught up in a bait-and-switch scam can happen to anyone.  It doesn't take much and it happens often, many times you do not even know it is taking place.  We get baited in to a retailer because of their advertised low prices on a TV and then we find out when we arrive at the location that either the price is higher or the product as advertised is "no longer in stock".  It is frustrating and unfortunately happens to us frequently.  Whether or not you are buying electronics at a box store, booking an airline ticket, renting a car or checking into a hotel room.  How many times have you been tricked to visit an airline's website because...

Realtors Who Give Up Sensitive Information

The Movie Snowden

In the movie Snowden, a disillusioned National Security Analyst uncovers sensitive information about the United States electronic monitoring program during the course of his work.  He was a trusted member of the National Security Agency and was given the highest top secret clearances.  During his time at the Agency, he becomes jaded and disenchanted with the government and he decides to leak sensitive information to the press about the United States government spying on its citizens.

Whether you feel he did the right thing or not, let's look at this from the side of the National Security Agency;  they trusted him with some of the most sensitive data...

Climbing, real estate and emotions

Ice climbing and mountaineering are not for the faint of heart.  It takes hard work and mental fortitude to enjoy.  Everytime we go into the mountains success is not guaranteed, if it was then it might not be as interesting. Often, we invest a ton of energy, effort, money and emotion to get to the top of a climb.

When I work with clients in real estate it can sometimes be the same thing.  Typically, buyers invest a ton of energy, effort, money and emotion into finding their perfect home.  One thing I think that buyers should be careful about is emotions, sometimes unchecked emotions in climbing can lead to injury or death; just like unchecked emotions in real estate can lead...

Over the last couple of weeks I have ran into a two situations where people have had their property listed for sale and it has been sitting on the market for quite a while.  They have been referred to me from friends, so that they can get an outside opinion on why their home is not selling.  Yes, we are in one of the slowest markets Calgary has seen but it is still not always "the market's fault" a home has not sold.

I always give people the background on what is currently happening in the real estate market but that isn't always the reason a home has not sold.  One of the people asking me for help had 60+ showings on his property and it still hadn't sold. Often, it is not only the market that is causing a home to not sell....