Why might a Realtor turn down a listing? Dear Phyllis, Fifteen years ago, I purchased a major fixer. It is a one-of-a-kind home on a large, sloped lot with a new four-car garage and a two-bedroom guest house. Although the main home is just under 1,500 square feet, it was built in the 1930s and […]
Buyers with small down payments Dear Phyllis, I have been following your column for years and don’t believe you have previously discussed this particular scenario. In January of this year, I closed escrow. When reviewing the eleven offers, my agent pressured me to accept a lower offer because another buyer’s down payment was substantially larger. […]
Should A Home Be Painted Before Selling? Dear Phyllis, I have been a loyal reader of your “Dear Abby-like” advice for years. My father, who lived in Salem, Oregon, recently passed. My sister and I are co-trustees, but she will take the lead on the sale as she lives in Salem. I flew up to […]
My Realtor Is Too Negative Dear Phyllis, I am going to help my son buy a house. He has a Glendale condominium which will sell quickly. When we find a Pasadena house that will suit him, my plan is to write a high offer with a long escrow, maybe 60-75 days. We can then sell […]
What Happens If I Find My Own Buyer? Dear Phyllis, I tried the for sale by owner approach to sell my home. I put a sign out in front and then got the word out to my Facebook and Instagram pages. After several weeks of non-stop phone calls that resulted in nothing, I contacted a […]
Buyers Keep Texting After Closing Dear Phyllis, My sister recently sold her Toluca Lake home. She hired a local Realtor and had more than 10 offers. The highest bidder waived their inspection contingency. Although her buyer waived their inspection, they hired their own inspector. Weeks after the sale was completed the buyers texted after closing. […]
Realtor’s Open House Behavior Dear Phyllis, I love your real estate column and appreciate your wisdom. My son’s Realtor typically goes to open houses with him, and I often join them. However, last weekend his Realtor was out of town and he had us go on our own. My son did just what his Realtor […]
Saving Money On Mold Remediation Dear Phyllis, My godson made an offer on a townhome and was so excited to be the winning bidder. He opened escrow and did his inspections; there were several problems that the seller agreed to fix but not everything that was requested. When the termite inspector came, he recommended having […]
My Neighbor Wants To Buy My House Dear Phyllis, Your column is the first thing I look for in the CV Weekly. I have a bit of a dilemma that I am hoping you can help with. My parents passed away years ago and I have been renting out their home. I was fortunate that […]
Ask Phyllis! Why Would A Buyer Make An Offer And Then Back Out? Dear Phyllis, I love reading your real estate advice! I have a new scenario for you. My son lives in the San Gabriel Valley and has his home in escrow. Like so many other Southern California sellers he received a […]