I had a reader email me a question last week asking why they should get an appraisal on their home, and I want to share with you the answer I gave them with the hope that it can help you make a similar decision. This person asked me “Why do I need to get an […]
A way to help Birmingham, Alabama Realtor’s price their listings better
The Birmingham, Alabama Multiple Listing Service (now known as the Greater Alabama MLS) is unique in that it is not a requirement to list the gross living area (square footage) of listings. In 2010 I wrote about the new option they offered to provide this information, however as of the current date I still do […]
Appraisal vs CMA vs BPO – What’s the difference?
Many people know what an appraisal is, and they’ve heard of a CMA (Comparative Market Analysis) and a BPO (Broker Price Opinion) but they don’t know the difference. Today I thought I would compare these 3 methods used to estimate the value of a property. Comparative Market Analysis (CMA)- The CMA is performed by real estate […]
When is price per square foot NOT a good indicator of market value?
A few days ago I had a real estate agent friend ask me how much homes were appraising for per square foot in a local neighborhood. It was a very good question, especially for anyone who wants to get an idea of their home’s value. And because I get asked this question a lot I […]
Are you worried that the home you’re buying with screw in fuses may not meet FHA/HUD guidelines?
I was looking at a home this week, for an FHA loan, that had screw in fuses. Have you ever seen these? They use to be common years ago, however at some point they were replaced with circuit breakers. I have been asked by homeowners and real estate agents if these fuses meet HUD’s minimum […]



Let’s Connect