ts that want to tell you the hidden potential a house has also want to tell you about the projects around it that will affect its future value; they want to help you see what is not visible to an inexperienced eye. Whether you are a client or an agent, the real estate is about paying attention to the details. As Oprah says "love is in the details".

Yes, take your time to research before you buy. Research for the most knowledgeable, most caring realtor you can find. Take that moment to connect with him or her. Let th

This is not another everybody knows article about the great advantages of buying real estate. Yes, it is a great buyer's market and yes, you can get the house in that street you always wanted and now it's even affordable! But I already told you about this.

This month I want to tell you why the over publicized event of Zillow.com did not scare me. Not a bit. Not even when a couple of clients warned me about the possibility of being replaced by a computer database: homes, prices, and days on the market. That sounded like fun! I immediately went on line and checked out my house, the curiosity was just way too strong, so I admit it, I pretended not to be in real estate and asked Zillow.com "How much is my home worth?" Wow, about 80K more than I would have guessed, and probably even 80K more than any sane appraiser would have ever told me. OK. The value is a bit off, but after all it did tell me I was richer!

Let's check out the area, an aerial map! I can see where I live in Clearwater. The oak trees, the park. Wait a moment, can you see it? If you were a buyer, a buyer Zillow.com claims to address - Can you see how much care homeowners in my subdivision put in their gardens or how well these homes were built? Can you see if a ruthless developer is about to build a chemical plant near by?

Statistics state that over 80% of homebuyer’s start their search on the Internet, and then over 85% of them turn to a realtor before they purchase. Surprised that the web will not be able to replace a good agent after all? No. I knew it. A computer might replace an agent turned to the dark side, but never a good one. Truth is: we need the human touch.

I personally have met too many agents, who, like me, crave that personal connection, that person that they can look in the eye and say, "you are important enough for me to put down my cell phone, my computer, my sales personality and talk with you". Just for a moment, that look in the eye makes the difference between human and machine, the difference that communicates, "I want your business and I really care about you". Agents that want to tell you the hidden potential a house has also want to tell you about the projects around it that will affect its future value; they want to help you see what is not visible to an inexperienced eye. Whether you are a client or an agent, the real estate is about paying attention to the details. As Oprah says "love is in the details".

Yes, take your time to research before you buy. Research for the most knowledgeable, most caring realtor you can find. Take that moment to connect with him or her. Let th

ike fun! I immediately went on line and checked out my house, the curiosity was just way too strong, so I admit it, I pretended not to be in real estate and asked Zillow.com "How much is my home worth?" Wow, about 80K more than I would have guessed, and probably even 80K more than any sane appraiser would have ever told me. OK. The value is a bit off, but after all it did tell me I was richer!

Let's check out the area, an aerial map! I can see where I live in Clearwater. The oak trees, the park. Wait a moment, can you see it? If you were a buyer, a buyer Zillow.com claims to address - Can you see how much care homeowners in my subdivision put in their gardens or how well these homes were built? Can you see if a ruthless developer is about to build a chemical plant near by?

Statistics state that over 80% of homebuyer’s start their search on the Internet, and then over 85% of them turn to a realtor before they purchase. Surprised that the web will not be able to replace a good agent after all? No. I knew it. A computer might replace an agent turned to the dark side, but never a good one. Truth is: we need the human touch.

I personally have met too many agents, who, like me, crave that personal connection, that person that they can look in the eye and say, "you are important enough for me to put down my cell phone, my computer, my sales personality and talk with you". Just for a moment, that look in the eye makes the difference between human and machine, the difference that communicates, "I want your business and I really care about you". Agents that want to tell you the hidden potential a house has also want to tell you about the projects around it that will affect its future value; they want to help you see what is not visible to an inexperienced eye. Whether you are a client or an agent, the real estate is about paying attention to the details. As Oprah says "love is in the details".

Yes, take your time to research before you buy. Research for the most knowledgeable, most caring realtor you can find. Take that moment to connect with him or her. Let th

ou see it? If you were a buyer, a buyer Zillow.com claims to address - Can you see how much care homeowners in my subdivision put in their gardens or how well these homes were built? Can you see if a ruthless developer is about to build a chemical plant near by?

Statistics state that over 80% of homebuyer’s start their search on the Internet, and then over 85% of them turn to a realtor before they purchase. Surprised that the web will not be able to replace a good agent after all? No. I knew it. A computer might replace an agent turned to the dark side, but never a good one. Truth is: we need the human touch.

I personally have met too many agents, who, like me, crave that personal connection, that person that they can look in the eye and say, "you are important enough for me to put down my cell phone, my computer, my sales personality and talk with you". Just for a moment, that look in the eye makes the difference between human and machine, the difference that communicates, "I want your business and I really care about you". Agents that want to tell you the hidden potential a house has also want to tell you about the projects around it that will affect its future value; they want to help you see what is not visible to an inexperienced eye. Whether you are a client or an agent, the real estate is about paying attention to the details. As Oprah says "love is in the details".

Yes, take your time to research before you buy. Research for the most knowledgeable, most caring realtor you can find. Take that moment to connect with him or her. Let th

ce an agent turned to the dark side, but never a good one. Truth is: we need the human touch.

I personally have met too many agents, who, like me, crave that personal connection, that person that they can look in the eye and say, "you are important enough for me to put down my cell phone, my computer, my sales personality and talk with you". Just for a moment, that look in the eye makes the difference between human and machine, the difference that communicates, "I want your business and I really care about you". Agents that want to tell you the hidden potential a house has also want to tell you about the projects around it that will affect its future value; they want to help you see what is not visible to an inexperienced eye. Whether you are a client or an agent, the real estate is about paying attention to the details. As Oprah says "love is in the details".

Yes, take your time to research before you buy. Research for the most knowledgeable, most caring realtor you can find. Take that moment to connect with him or her. Let th

ts that want to tell you the hidden potential a house has also want to tell you about the projects around it that will affect its future value; they want to help you see what is not visible to an inexperienced eye. Whether you are a client or an agent, the real estate is about paying attention to the details. As Oprah says "love is in the details".

Yes, take your time to research before you buy. Research for the most knowledgeable, most caring realtor you can find. Take that moment to connect with him or her. Let them know what you need and want. The right one will show you that they care, that you are important. They will go out of their way to find the best deal of all - just for you. And that is an investment all by itself.