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Questions Real Estate Agents Don’t Like To Answer

Wednesday, March 29, 2017
by Tucker Robbins

You may think that you can ask your real estate agent anything at all that you want to ask them and you may be right.  What you may not be right about however is that you may not get an answer.  There are some questions that real estate agents might know the answer to but they are not able to give you the answer based on the Fair Housing Act.  Real estate agents are not allowed to discriminate based on race, religion, sex or economic status.  If you ask any of the following questions you may not get a straight answer from your real estate agent. 

  1. Asking your real estate agent if a particular area is a good place to raise a family may or may not get you a straight answer.  In fact, you may find that your agent just gives you a blank stare when asked this type of question.  They may know good and well that they wouldn’t want to raise their own family in a particular area of town but by staying loyal to the Fair Housing Act, they won’t be able to clearly answer that question for you. 
  2. Another question you may not get answered from your real estate agent is what the particular neighborhood you are interested in is like.  If you really mean to ask if the neighborhood has a high ratio of minorities by asking if the neighborhood is safe, your real estate agent will not be able to clearly answer that question for you.  If you wonder if a certain area is safe, do your homework and figure it out for yourself, don’t make your real estate agent uncomfortable by asking questions like that. 
  3. Asking what the area schools are like is another similar question that will likely get you a blank stare from your real estate agent.  If you want to know what the schools are like in a particular area you can search online for such answers. 

Basically, if you don’t want your real estate agent to break their ethical code, steer clear of these types of questions and do your own work to find out the answers.  You will likely be able to find out all that you need to know about what it is you are asking without a lot of trouble and without having to ask your real estate agent.  

Courtesy of New Castle County DE Realtors Tucker Robbins and Carol Arnott Robbins.   

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Preparing for an Emergency or Natural Disaster

Wednesday, March 15, 2017
by Tucker Robbins

Nobody enjoys thinking about the possibility of a family emergency or natural disaster, but taking steps to prepare for those possibilities should be a priority.   While not lessening the shock and anguish of an unexpected, tragic situation, being prepared will help you to get your life back in order faster and easier.

One thing to consider is having important paper work organized in an emergency binder .  The binder should contain all the important information about your life.  Think about any paperwork or vital information you would need access to in an emergency, such as:

  • Vital Records
  • copies of birth certificates, adoption records
  • copies of marriage licenses, driver’s licenses and passports
  • copies of all property and auto records – deeds, leases, titles, etc.
  • copies of all property/umbrella insurance policies
  • a list of where off-site and original documents are stored
  • Financial Information
  • list of all bank account numbers
  • copies of front and back of all credit cards
  • list of all investment account numbers
  • list of all retirement/pension account numbers
  • detailed information about current income/benefits
  • detailed information about mortgages/loans
  • Medical Information
  • copies of health/life/disability insurance cards and policies
  • medical history for each family member
  • list of medications and prescriptions, including dose and pharmacy
  • details about any ongoing medical conditions/treatments
  • Contact Information
  • friends and family to reach in case of emergency
  • neighbors who have access to your house
  • financial institutions, insurance companies, legal advisors
  • physicians, specialists, hospitals and other healthcare providers
  • employers and benefit administrators
  • including a family emergency plan in your binder will help you to keep yourself calm and organized during what may be a stressful time

Make sure that your emergency binder is kept in a place where it is easy to get to and that it is easy to carry and that family members are aware of its location.

Secondly, it is a good idea to have a safety deposit box or lock box in which to store your original documents.  This can also be used for storing important computer files and passwords, priceless family photos and valuable jewelry and memorabilia. Include a photo of each member of your family along with fingerprints and dental records.  A home inventory list is also a useful item to have in storage.  Remember that most of the documents in your “Emergency Binder” will be copies.  Originals should be placed in a safety deposit box or lock box for safekeeping.

Whether it’s a family emergency or a natural disaster, tragic events almost always leave people feeling blindsided.  Preparing in advance will help ease the feelings of being overwhelmed and panicked as you put your life back in order.  So, set aside a day to put together your emergency binder to help protect your family now!

Courtesy of New Castle County DE Realtors Tucker Robbins and Carol Arnott Robbins.   

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Tips For Staging Your Basement

Wednesday, March 1, 2017
by Tucker Robbins

If you have your house on the market you likely already have everything arranged neatly and perfectly throughout the house.  The one area of your home that you may have forgotten about however is the basement.  Below are a few tips for staging your basement so that those who come to tour your home may be more willing to make an offer. 

  1. One tip for staging your basement to make it “show” ready is to pick up all of the clutter off the floor.  Most of the time when folks have a basement in their home they tend to use it as a catch all and therefore many items get tossed down the stairs without a second thought.  If you want the house to show the best it possibly can, be sure to put all of your basement clutter away neatly into storage bins. 
  2. Another way to stage your basement for a viewing is to paint the basement floor with a sealing paint. You could use the same paint folks use to paint their garage floor with or you may want to do something fancier such as decorative concrete.  Whichever you choose, cleaning up the floor of the basement is a great way to make a statement during a showing.
  3. Another good way to stage your basement in order to possibly have a better showing is by finishing the walls with sheetrock.  This is not a huge project to undertake and is one that you can likely do yourself without breaking the bank.   Finishing the walls in the basement can make a really big difference in the way the basement looks. 
  4. Yet another way to stage your basement is to do your part to get rid of that typical basement smell.  Use air fresheners and or fans to circulate the air the basement when you know that someone is coming to look at your house.  You can also use a diffuser with your favorite essential oil to make the basement smell nice and fresh. 
  5. If your basement is not well lit, you may want to add a few lamps before a showing.  This is a great way to brighten up an otherwise dreary part of the house. 

These are just a few ways in which you can make the basement of your home more appealing by staging.  

Courtesy of New Castle County DE Realtors Tucker Robbins and Carol Arnott Robbins.   

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Tucker Robbins
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices
3838 Kennett Pike
Wilmington DE 19807
(302) 777-7744 (direct)
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