Blog Archives

Hack the #RETransferTax: What would MLKing do?

Posted on January 18, 2019 by Bill Wendel — No Comments ↓

Q: Yesterday’s headline in @BostonGlobe begs a question about distributive justice, the holy use of money, & some would argue redistribution of wealth. What does each of your traditions say about those issues & what implications does that have for…

Posted in #SpeculatorsWithoutBorders, Affordable housing, Crowdfunding, Crowdsourcing, Housing Justice, Housing policy, Idea Bar, Impact Rebates, Luxury buyer agent, Real Estate Roundtables

Want an EFFECTIVE Buyer Agent (or Listing Agent)? Better Shop Around

Posted on January 17, 2019 by Bill Wendel — No Comments ↓

Eating lunch at the Cambridge Common near the Harvard Law School, and the overhead speakers are playing a 1960’s classic from Smokey Robinson & The Miracles with the prudent advice above, “you better shop around.” The same words could apply…

Posted in Buyer agent, commission rebate, Discount real estate, DIY Homebuyers, FSBO: For Sale By Owner, Listing agent report cards, Luxury buyer agent, Proactive househunting, Real estate rebates, Savings & Rebates

Back to the Future: Do buyer agents really help consumers save money?

Posted on December 29, 2018 by Bill Wendel — No Comments ↓

Only one previous blog post during 2018 — is this another abandoned real estate web site? Hardly. While the housing market has been grossly overheated, and irrational exuberance drove bidding wars $100,000 over asking price; our attention as buyer agents, and leading…

Posted in #REonTap, Bidding wars, Buyer agent, Consumer protection, Defensive Homebuying, Housing bubble, Luxury buyer agent, Proactive househunting, Savings & Rebates, Seasonality

Right-sizing your American Dream: An extra bedroom or 1/3rd off the price?

Posted on November 18, 2013 by Bill Wendel — No Comments ↓

On Saturday, one of the Real Estate Cafe’s new clients, a five-person household (husband, wife and three kids under 11) seriously considered making an offer on a two-bedroom condo in Cambridge. When I shared this experience with my adult daughter…

Posted in Buyer agent, Defensive Homebuying, Luxury buyer agent, Luxury homes, Price reductions, Proactive househunting, Savings & Rebates

Will “Last Hurrah” cause homebuyers to be “Haunted by the Housing Market?”

Posted on October 4, 2013 by Bill Wendel — No Comments ↓

In 2002, there were early indications of a housing bubble so the Real Estate Cafe prepared the slide show above —Haunted by the Housing Market — to document why we believed housing had reached a tipping point. Seems some heavy…

Posted in Bubble Hour, Buyer agent, Defensive Homebuying, Housing bubble, Housing forecasts, Luxury buyer agent, Million Dollar Markdowns, Price trends, Savings & Rebates, Seasonality

Mixed signals: Million dollar teardowns back but luxury listings up?

Posted on June 13, 2013 by Bill Wendel — No Comments ↓

Trying to make sense of the luxury housing market in Massachusetts? So are we. Luxury condo towers are being reborn in downtown Boston, and million dollar teardowns — not seen since the Dot.com bubble created millions in paper wealth —…

Posted in Bidding wars, Bubble Hour, Buyer agent, Housing bubble, Luxury buyer agent, Luxury homes, Million Dollar Markdowns, Real Estate Bubble, Timing the market

What’s really happening with luxury single-family homes across Massachusetts?

Posted on May 19, 2013 by Bill Wendel — No Comments ↓

When it comes to real estate stats (or should I say spin?), Lily Tomlin was right: “No matter how cynical you become, it’s never enough to keep up.” Blog posts and press releases last week from Redfin, Mass. Association of…

Posted in Bidding wars, Bubble Hour, Buyer agent, Defensive Homebuying, Dual Agency Detective, Luxury buyer agent, Luxury homes, Million Dollar Markdowns, Price reductions, Sweetest Deals

Don’t need a full-service buyer agent? Propose your own fee and rebate

Posted on January 22, 2013 by admin — No Comments ↓

The results of a recent Google search for our company, “Real Estate Cafe,” produced a surprising result. Even though we were the first cyber cafe in the world when we opened 18 years ago, our page on Thumbtack.com, a request for proposals (RFP)…

Posted in Buyer agent, commission rebate, Commission Reform, DIY Homebuyers, Do-it-yourself, Fee-for-service, IntentCasting, Luxury buyer agent, reVRM, Savings & Rebates, VRM

Luxury homes: Do dueling governor mansions point to “Mansion Cliff”?

Posted on December 20, 2012 by admin — No Comments ↓

Same state, opposing parties. Two “governor mansions” for sale, one former governor, one current. One expired after 416 days, the other canceled after 268 days. Now, like running for reelection, both are relisted and SURPRISINGLY, both are asking less than their…

Posted in Buyer agent, Luxury buyer agent, Luxury homes, Mansion Cliff, Million Dollar Markdowns, Price reductions, Seasonality, Timing the market