The Little Realtor

I'm really excited to post today about one of the aspects I am most excited about working at Compass: Concierge.  Concierge is a Compass-exclusive program where sellers can do improvements to their property before listing in order to make their home look its best and recoup the greatest amount of money.  I have been an advocate of doing small cosmetic projects to properties since starting in this business. Buyers have a hard time visualizing a property's potential. Staging can do a lot but sometimes small home improvements can make a drastic visual change to a property. Often, I recommend painting projects, small cosmetic improvements in bathrooms (like resurfacing dated tile and installing new light fixtures). Generally, a bathroom doesn't need a $20k overall to suggest a higher price tag. Same goes for kitchens. Paint, new fixtures, and some updated tile work goes a LONG way. Even the above picture, which was all new cabinets, counters, appliance and backsplash shows the ...

 I have been an agent in the greater Philadelphia area for almost 10 years now, the whole time with the same, wonderful brokerage.  But a few months ago I was approached by a new brokerage called Compass.  I knew about Compass. They were the hip new brokerage with beautiful marketing and a great technology platform. But I wasn't unhappy where I was and had a great brokerage behind me.  But as Compass approached me, I knew my business was going without certain tools that I wanted, not just for myself, but for my clients.  I will dive deeper in to what tools do what but here are the top reasons I have moved my business to Compass:  A Streamlined Platform  This doesn't outwardly affect my clients, but I am able do pretty much every aspect of my business from one platform now. Market listings from various beautiful designs, print brochures, do social posts for my business or client listings, create a CMA for a new seller, and keep all of my contacts in one...

With inventory limited, move in ready homes at a premium and more and more new construction filling up the market, there is a trade off thats becoming more common - buying new instead of old.  It used to be that first time buyers would have to buy an old house and spend time and money fixing it up. And while thats still a common option, I'm seeing more first time buyers buying new construction, often townhomes, or homes with less "character" than they would prefer. While making old new is more of a common theme in renovation stories, we are seeing more people have to make new look old to add the touches of warmth, history and place that so many people crave.  But how do you make a new construction townhome with builder-grade finishes look like something with history?  I'm sharing some great starting ideas and some of the people who have done it best!  Add architecture  Via BHG Ornamental architecture additions might be one of the biggest-impacts to making a new ...