A friend of ours decided to sell his house recently. There was another job opportunity in another part of the country, so he started researching everything he could about angels, opportunity, good luck (he already had the best realtor!) Then someone told him about burying a saint – not a real saint but a statue of St. Joseph in their yard to hasten up the home sale. Now, this sounds fantastic, but some people really swear it works.

According to Bankrate.com’s article, ”Selling Your House? Bury a Saint,” Stephen J. Binz, author of “St. Joseph, My Real Estate Agent,” came to believe it was true. ”His own house had been on the market for seven long months. Upon the advice of his Presbyterian real estate agent, Binz buried a St. Joseph statue in his yard.”  He thought is was rediculous but he was willing to try anything to hasten the sale. A week later he had an offer and sold his house.

Nothing can take the place of a good realtor, but whatever we can do as a team to hasten the process and bring better results can’t be bad! As a matter of fact, do you know anyone who would be interested in selling their home if they had a strong offer, even though they’re not quite ready to list their home? This is what’s called a “pocket listing”.  We network these aggressively within our RE/MAX internal organization.  Sellers get an “off market” opportunity to sell their home.  This is fast and oftentimes gets the highest price.  If you know anyone considering selling, please point them in my direction.  RE/MAX has buyers that need homes.  Privacy is always respected.

According to Mike Aubrey from HGTV’s “Real Estate Intervention,” if you’re trying to sell a home in a down housing market …it is vital that you have two things in order to be successful: You have to be priced right, and you have to look good,” Aubrey said. While new carpet and paint may not be enough in all cases, and people can be strapped financially at these times, Aubrey has some great ideas in the complete CNN article.

Some additional sites for those of you with a green thumb or a handy-person around the house are listed below:

She Won’t Stop Walking Until She Raises $50,000. A local business woman, Redondo pet sitter Carol Kozlovich is raising money for the women of Congo.

What’s So Great About the City? You Tell Us. The city has launched a More to Sea video contest designed to showcase Redondo’s considerable charms.

Around The World Adventure.  Truly, it was a nutty idea. Sell your house, quit your jobs, uproot your two small children, buy a boat and set sail across the globe for five long years…

My friend’s father was an amazing man. He would gather the family up and move them all to some ‘out of the way’ area like San Diego, LaJolla in fact, when it was rolling hills filled with desert scrub, and nothing around for a kid to do. Later,  in his own understated way, he would laugh as his little $75,000 home became worth $1M +. 

He passed a few years ago but I can still almost see him smile over  house prices now in outstanding areas like Redondo Beach, and other desirable Los Angeles communities.  He would encourage people to buy (or sell) soon because someplace in his “sixth sense” (and having a degree in economics didn’t hurt) he would know the housing market was ready to come up. He knew a good deal when he saw it and wouldn’t hesitate to seize the opportunity.  He wasn’t afraid to move contrary to the crowd, without fear.  He died a wealthy man.

We can’t all be Tony Adrean, but in our own way, within our means, we too can find the right opportunities for growth starting right now. I can help not only with listings, either buying or selling, but also explaining the special opportunities available to you in this unique time. 

“True courage is not the absence of fear—but the willingness to proceed in spite of it.” Author Unknown. I really believe this is true. So let’s go!