Hey Can You Get Me More Info On This House?

It's not uncommon for us to receive a text message with an address, along with the question "hey, can you get me more info on this house?" It's a pretty broad question, but we will bring you up to speed on what our actions and response might be.

First, we'll usually ask if there's anything specific the client is hoping to learn. That helps us tailor our search to their priorities. While we wait for their reply - or if they respond saying they just want general info - here's how we may conduct a quick investigation:

We access the full listing via the real estate board for review. We review price & pricing strategy (offers anytime vs offer date for example). We identify the status of the listing (active, sold conditionally, sold, expired, cancelled). We note any further details on the status of the listing. For example a home that is sold conditionally on financing. Or, a home that had sold conditionally but is now back to being active. We identify the total number of days on the market. We review property history, including when it was last listed or when it last sold, and for how much. We access the public records for more detailed history. We highlight key features of the home, both positive & negative. If necessary, we talk to the listing agent for clarifications, and to see if there have been any changes that are not reflected in the listing (an offer just came in minutes ago for example).

Much of the information will be academic or uninteresting, but the more we collect, the more likely a pattern or story will emerge. For example we may find out that the house was sold 3 years ago to a numbered company for 500k less than the current list price and that the house was in disrepair the last time it sold. The current listing shows a renovated home, and it has been listed 3 times in the last year (with subsequently lower prices). We could infer that the house was bought by an investor, looking to flip the home, who is now showing greater motivation to sell based on multiple price reductions.

There are innumerable combinations of facts and narratives that can emerge from some minor digging on a listing. It may be a matter of just reporting back the facts and a brief interpretation. Ideally we are gearing our investigations based on our client's needs. Either by asking follow up questions, or by getting to know what the client is routinely interested in.

So don't hesitate to send a "hey can you get me more info on this house" text. You can expect a follow-up question or two so we can fine-tune our response, but at the very least, we'll share the essentials. And over time, we'll learn more about your interests so we can zero in on exactly what matters to you.

Reach out anytime - whether it's about a specific property or real estate in general. And as always, we truly appreciate your referrals to friends and family. All the best, Joe, Doug & Randal