Proof That Pictures Can Make All The Difference

I recently listed this property at 1600 Abrams Rd. in Dallas. The "Before" pictures were taken by the Realtor that previously listed the property. The "After" photos were taken by yours truly. As you can see, great photos can turn a property from "blah" to "Wow!". Some agents simply don't take the time to snap good photos. Something I've never really understood.

It's also important to note that this home was vacant so I had the property staged. Staging is an absolute MUST in today's real estate market. However, I'm not so sure about staging a property with pets....but furniture is a definite must have. Props to Kira Sauer of Bliss by Kira for doing a great job staging this wonderful home!

Want To Meet the True Top Producing Agents in the Park Cities and Preston Hollow? The Numbers Don't Lie

Over at Dallas Dirt Candy posted some production numbers for the Preston Hollow and Park Cities areas. To me her source's numbers were a little vague and didn't give the clear picture of who was doing what type of production. If you know me at all, you know I love me some numbers. I didn't look specifically at the companies but at the Top 50 producing agents. I find that just as interesting. So dig in, analyze, discuss. (Can you believe I came in above number 1? I needed my own line because I'm in a different league. This was so unexpected.)

Production in Park Cities and Preston Hollow only:

I Receive Some Constructive Criticism

Alternate title, I Just Got Served? DREB reader and fellow Realtor, Lydia Player, gives me some feedback on my post critiquing Steve Brown's scare tactic real estate articles.

Never pick a fight with someone who buys ink by the barrel. Unless your name is Candy.

I agree. If anyone can go ink barrel for ink barrel with Steve it would be Candy. But it's just that 1. He never tells the whole story and chooses to arbitrarily use stats that suit his doom and gloom needs, and; 2. I've never been afraid of a little friendly banter. Especially when I'm right. But I'll play nice. Promise.

Phil Romano's $17.5 Million Dollar Home

One of my new favorite blog authors, Your Mama the Real Estalker, shamelessly rips apart Mr. Romano's Strait Lane pad in this post. Park Cities People and Dallas Dirt caught wind of it but I saw it first thanks to my source. Thankyouverymuch. Although I think Candy Evans over at Dallas Dirt is being a little too harsh on Your Mama in this post...and this one...and this one. It is commonly known that very personalized homes take longer to sell because they naturally appeal to a smaller pool of buyers. Yes. Even at this price range people watch the dollars. That's how they got to be rich in the first place. Think about how much it will cost to change 15,000 sf of crazy ceilings! I have seen $50,000 coffered and hand carved mahogany ceilings in dining rooms and I guarantee you no one is going to change that. But the decor and ceilings in the Romano house are pretty personalized and I can see someone spending a pretty penny changing them. Now is that a reason someone isn't going to buy this house if they have the cash? Probably not. But having $50K ceilings in the first place that are going to appeal to pretty much everyone in the first place couldn't hurt could it?

Oh, and thanks to Dallas Dirt for the breaking news about the reason the Romano's are selling. Big 'D', indeed.