Real or Staged- Fake or Famous?

Last night I watched the new HBO MAX movie titled "Fake Famous".  The premise of the movie was to highlight the role of influencers on our social media and the steps taken to achieve this status.  Those who desire to become influencers generally want to grandularize their own fame and recognition.  This is achieved by getting an increased number of likes and followers.  

As I watched the development of the documentary it became clearly apparent how significant image is in adding value to what we perceive as superiority. Many of the influencers highlighted were selected to represent the face of a physical product or tangible idea.  These individuals were shown in carefully procured photos to convey the actual location or setting mode when in fact, often this is a total snow job. 

(spoiler alert- watch the film to see what a coach seat on an airplane and a toilet seat have in common)

As a Realtor we are taught the importance of Curb Appeal when we prepare a new property listing.  The ideal photos will portray a home that looks picture perfect both when seen online and in person to potential buyers in the marketplace.  Increasingly there are Real Estate sights that promote no-show online listing abilities.  In addition there are companies that do virtual staging.  Virtual staging allows a buyer to visualize how a space may look but should not be allowed to create a false reality of the in-person viewing.  How would a consumer know if the property actually has the same physical presence as the online image?  Although the convenience of doing the entire process virtually may sound appealing I encourage all buyers to find the proper professionals including a Realtor and Legal Counsel to guide one through the process.  

As I watched the documentary I became more skeptical about what I see online in media posts. I believe we can observe images online but if one is a serious consumer it is important to make an informed decision based on true due diligence.  Don't just look at the pretty pictures.  Do your research.  

As a Realtor part of my job is to help and educate my clients.  I have been working virtually since the start of the pandemic.  During this time I recently earned the NAR e-Pro Designation. I took courses to develop my skills for the latest technologies and security tools. I have learned that what you see isn't always what you get.  In real estate, in particular one cannot rely on online images alone. I am always encouraging my clients to learn as much as they can about their intended purchase.   

Wendy is a Realtor with Coldwell Banker Needham.  She enjoys coffee, walking her dog, theater/arts, reading, writing, travel and meeting new people.  She always welcomes the opportunity to have a virtual coffee now that we are amidst the “new normal”.  Check out her website at www.wendybcb.com or her FB page @wendybcb as she posts up to date content to meet the ever changing marketplace.  

Due Diligence When It Matters for Real Estate Clients and Voters

As a Realtor, my role is to advocate for the best interests of my clients.   I take this fiduciary duty very seriously and am always pursuing opportunities to improve my skill set while exploring new tools to improve the client experience.  Buying real estate is a major decision for a Buyer.  As a Buyer client advocate my most important role is to guide clients in doing their "Due Diligence".  This involves having an independent home inspection of the property and if required additional inquiries for potential concerns such as Radon, Lead, Septic or other issues that may arise as well as involves researching questions that I may be unable to answer.  For a quick overview of the inspection process shared in a prior blog post click here  I think it is important to know as much as one can before making a decision that impacts one's financial and living situation.

We are now in the midst of a very important Presidential election.  The stakes of this election could not be any higher between Trump and his opponent Joe Biden.  There is a (about 40%) core base of voters who support the current president no matter what.  They are following whatever he says no matter how dishonest and harmful at the expense of the rest of us. 

There are still several undecided voters, which is a bit surprising this late in the game and I am writing this blog post to appeal to you primarily.  Do your home work.  If you want to learn about plans please go to www.JoeBiden.com.  Joe has detailed plans for COVID response, infastructure, building back the economy and much more.  Ask trump supporters what his success record and clear plans are.  For contrast can you find much on www.donaldtrump.com?    

There is much information in the news media and it is important to know your sources.  A startup company headed by Vanessa Otero has launched a project through Ad Fontes Media to identify and evaluate news sources.  She offers webinars and tools to allow readers to do their homework and decipher the media out there and offers online classes for students.  I first learned about this resource from my brother and author of the Blog, BlindspotBlog.US, Maxwell Stearns who is on her Advisory Board.  I have taken a few webinars and found them very worthwhile.  Many news outlets have been compromised and have sources that are tied to the Kremlin.  See yesterday's WSJ article which discusses some recent findings.  In addition much on Facebook is tied to fake accounts.  It is critical to find your way through the weeds.  

 I hope all voters will make their vote decision based on accurate and relevant information and not fall abyss to political pressure.  There is a lot of misleading information out there and much of it can be dangerous.  The propaganda is out there and it can be damaging.  

As a responsible American Citizen and Voter it would be irresponsible for me to encourage anyone to vote without knowing the details of the candidate (ie: covid testing, tax returns).  I BEG you to do your homework.  I BEG you to take this election seriously.  Truth Matters, Transparency matters.  If you see information regarding each candidate being surpressed ask why?  Lastly, if you need information on the voting process itself please check Plan Your Vote.

As a Realtor,  I always encourage my clients to do their homework before making a decision.  You must be your own advocate and if hiring a fiduciary representative they will work to protect your interests.  

Wendy is a Realtor with Coldwell Banker Needham.  She enjoys coffee, walking her dog, theater/arts, reading, writing, travel and meeting new people.  She always welcomes the opportunity to have a virtual coffee now that we are amidst the “new normal”.  Check out her website at www.wendybcb.com or her fb page @wendybcb as she posts up to date content to meet the ever changing marketplace.

Due diligence in a home purchase and health insurance coverage

If you were buying a property and found that it had a pre-existing condition during an inspection, would you go forward with the purchase prior to getting cost repair estimates?    In today's blog I am going to discuss the importance of due diligence in real estate transactions as well as in making legislative decisions.  I try not to be political in my writing but when an issue will impact each of our lives, as does the proposed new health care bill,  I feel it is my responsibility to comment.

As a real estate professional when I work with buyer clients, I always recommend they do their due diligence before committing to the Purchase and Sale "P&S" for a home or condo.  Know the rules and regulations of the home owners association if the property is a condo.  Get all the documentation and review it.  Once an offer is accepted call a home inspector, as well as any other specialists who can independently teach you about the property and evaluate its condition.

If anything of concern arises during the inspection process,  bring in professional contractors to further evaluate the situation and get cost estimates of needed repairs where applicable.   Once cost estimates are obtained the buyer can then intelligently negotiate with the seller to repair, replace or in a worst case scenario "repeal the offer".  Most often a reduction of their purchase price is negotiated.   

How can a health care bill be passed without full review by all members of the house and without cost details?  Did anyone look at the impact on the budget numbers?  This vote was rushed through yesterday without a CBO score.   Do we know the number of people who will lose their insurance or become part of a high risk pool.  Will the $8B  Upton Bill even go near the implicated cost?  

The bill allows states to exclude pre-existing conditions from their health insurance coverage offerings and removes the federal mandate of employer coverage.  Many employers will now be able to opt out of offering health care as an employee benefit to save money.   If you are reading this chances are, you or someone you love has at least one pre-existing condition ( do you wear glasses?).  Click here for a partial list .

As I have been reading the newspaper and listening to various interviews today with elected officials it is obvious that many voted just to appease their political party politics.  Click here to see who voted to pass the bill by a slight margin of 217-213.  vote    This is a short sighted win and hopefully will go under better scrutiny when it reaches the Senate floor.  There are items in the bill that will impact all of our lives.  Many who voted to support the bill today admit they did not read it in full.  This is irresponsible leadership.  

If I did not disclose something to my client or if I advised them to do something detrimental to their real estate transaction I would be held accountable and could possibly be sued.  It is my fiduciary duty to protect the interests of my buyers and sellers.  

Shouldn't our elected officials bear a greater responsibility to their constituents?  I ask all of my readers to become aware of how they are being represented by elected local representatives and officials.   If you learn they are making decisions that hurt your interests speak up and let them know they risk re-election.  I was in Washington DC this week and actually stopped by my State Representative Joe Kennedy III's office on Capital Hill to put a face to a name as I often call his office when I see a proposed bill I disagree with.  Advocacy starts at the local level.  

If you don't do your due diligence no one else will advocate for your health care rights.  Before the ACA was introduced many Americans were uninsured.  Many at risk patients were not getting the essential medical care needed and now may lose their coverage once again.  Many may become ineligible for coverage due to pre-existing conditions exclusion clauses.  See #IAmAPreexistingCondition.  

Please do your homework if you are considering a job change, interstate move or a new insurer before changing your existing healthcare coverage.   Check the new health care policy options that will be offered and make a change quickly to prevent any lapse in coverage as this can cause an increase in premiums.  Under the new bill proposal things you have coverage for may no longer exist.  A mistake in a real estate transaction can cause monetary damages.  A mistake in health care coverage can have much graver circumstances.  

  
Wendy recently joined Coldwell Banker Needham.  She has been a realtor for over 8 years and knowing the area quite well can share a hands on local perspective.  She has also recently earned the SRES  designation and looks forward to helping other baby boomers as they approach their next transitions.  Feel free to contact her directly or click here http://www.wendybcb.com if you would like to learn more.