Sooner or later you may need the services of a real estate agent to purchase a property or to sell a property.  Many people choose real estate agents based on familiarity/comfort rather than looking at the real estate agents qualifications and whether the real estate agent actually suits their needs.  Unfortunately, talking on a real estate agents blog for a few months or meeting a real estate agent at an open house for few minutes is not a guarantee that you will receive the type service you are actually looking for. What are the pitfalls and things you may want to know… if you choose a real estate agent too quickly?

Personality clash – Lets face it, some people in life can rub you the wrong way as you get to know them. Of course, this goes both ways, clients rub real estate agents the wrong way and real estate agents rub the clients the wrong way. Rather than suffering it out, seek to mutually break your contract if the person is driving you crazy and you are about to lose your cool. 

Promotion/Marketing – Does the real estate agent attend showings? What are they saying about your home behind your back?   If a potential buyer makes negative comments is the agent just agreeing with the negative comments or coming back with positive spin instead?  How your real estate agent responds to negative comments about your home can make or break a potential sale.  

How does a real estate agent plan to advertise your home? MLS only? Free websites?  Advertising budgets and promotion vary from agent to agent.

Best price – Getting the best price really depends on how good the agent is and whether it is a buyers or sellers market. In a hotter sellers market some real estate agents are more concerned about getting the quickest sale possible rather than getting you a good price.  Others may not have the experience how to price the type of home you have or how to price a home in a quickly rising market. Recommended selling prices can vary 100k or more in a sellers market.  In a buyers market, you have to be aware of your competitors prices and may have to adjust your price expectations accordingly.

Listening/understanding needs – Does the real estate agent take time to listen to you?  Answer your questions and go over things with you?  Is the agent taking you to see the type of properties you are looking for in your price range?  

Level of service provided/assistants – What level of service are you expecting? Real estate agents provide various levels of service.  Some you can contact directly via cell phone, others you have to call the real estate office and have them paged, others may have assistants, etc. Some popular real estate agents may only offer personal assistance once or twice and then you may be passed onto their assistants instead. These assistants may be competent or incompetent, been in the business for a few years or a newbie with limited experience.   

Commissions – Are negotiable and not carved in stone.  Some real estate agents will negotiate their commissions, others will not.  Don’t end up like one of my friends who verbally negotiated 25% off the commission rate, only to have the real estate agent back out of the deal because it was not in writing.

General communication – How does the agent communicate with you in general? Are you met with insults or you don’t know what your talking about, if you bring up a real estate news story?  Are they polite or in a big hurry? Do they return your calls or does it take hours and you have to keep calling them back instead? Is the agent always on their cell phone while showing you homes?  If they are not listening to what you are saying about the homes during showings, how will they be able to help you find the right home you are looking for?

Remember…

Whether buying or selling a home take the time to interview at least three real estate agents. Don’t hesitate to ask questions and make sure any verbal agreements are in writing. Pay attention to the number of negative and positive comments made.  Does one outweigh the other?  Is this the type of agent you wish to hire?

If you are not sure how to interview a real estate agent or need further tips on questions you should ask, please google:

How to interview a real estate agent when buying a house 

or 

How to interview a real estate agent when selling a house

Please note: I didn’t provide specific links to websites, because each person has their own comfort level on what information they may want to know and how tough they want those questions to be.

Whether going on an exotic vacation, on a business trip or on a weekend getaway, sooner or later you stay in a hotel.  From one star to five star and somewhere in between, from the best stay ever to a complete disaster, what are the secrets hotels may not be telling you and the things you may want to know…

Lousy room - If you booked your room through an auction or discount website instead of directly with the hotel, the hotel knows you are most likely not to be a loyal repeat customer and are just looking for the cheapest rate.  There is a possibility you can end up in a room that is beside the ice machine, over the bar, beside the elevators, facing the garbage bins, etc.  If the hotel is full you also will be the first to be shuffled off to the alternative hotel.  Priority is given to repeat customers, people who book directly with the hotel, etc.

Security Lock – When you occupy your room you will notice an extra security lock on the door.  It is there for a reason, like not having maintenance people, maids, etc. entering your room while you are in the shower, sleeping, etc. Plus, the hotel staff can make mistakes, double book rooms and viola you have a new hotel guest entering your room while you are in it.

Bad Location - Hotels will exaggerate their location and surroundings, they could be on the edge of a busy freeway, in a high crime/unsafe area, a long distance away from the airport/attractions, have unattractive views, etc.  

Doctored photos - A lot of photos on hotel websites are “staged” rooms, touched up, etc. What kind of room you see on a photo may not necessarily be what you get. 

Bed bugs – “Sleep tight, don’t let the bed bugs bite.” is just not a saying you heard when you were growing up.  Bed bugs are making a resurgence everywhere.  They look like apple seeds, like to hide in cracks and crevices.  You can’t tell whether a hotel has bed bugs based on cleanliness alone. Bed bugs come out at night and bite.  You can’t feel them biting either because they have a numbing liquid that basically freezes your skin.  

Pull back the sheets, check the mattress crevices and by the headboard, you will be able to see signs of them if they are there. Goggle “hotel reviews (such & such hotel)” and read what people are saying.  Try not to think it will not happen to you, even the most posh hotels have had problems with bedbugs. 

1-800 - Room rates on toll free reservation lines can cost you more than booking with the hotel directly. Ninety percent of people also book their hotels in the morning, try booking your room in the evening you may get a cheaper rate.

Employee theft –  Although theft is frowned upon by hotel owners/management there are no guarantees that all employees working at the hotel are honest.  It just takes one employee to help themselves to everything from your snacks to your valuables. Keep an eye on your valuables, store them out of sight and lock them up.

Room preference – Hotels can make you feel secure that you will get the type of room you have requested, but a hotel will not guarantee that.  This really depends on how full the hotel is and if they have that type of room available when you arrive.  Read the fine print in your confirmation.

Extra charges – Minibar charges, local & long distance telephone charges, internet charges, gift shop item prices, etc.  Hotels make a lot of money from these high mark up items.  

Cleaning standards – This really depends on how fussy the hotel owner/manager is in general. Some items like telephones, tv remotes, keyboards, light switches and gaming devices don’t get cleaned and are full of germs. Although, sheets are clean, items like bed spreads and blankets may only be washed weekly, monthly or every few months. Coffee makers and mugs located by the toilet should be rewashed and relocated to another part of your room as toilets splash.

Luggage safety –  Hotels assume no legal responsibility if your luggage is stolen off the bellhop’s luggage cart. Expensive luggage may attract thieves. Small locks that come with your luggage purchase are not secure, buy a high quality lock. 

Special rates/Package rates – These deals/specials are more about good PR. They are usually not so special and may end up costing you more than the hotel’s regular rates. 

Remember…

Check other traveler’s reviews/photos online and verify/double check everything else that is of importance to you.

Car rental companies.  Seems every time you pick up the phone you get a different price quoted. Sometimes you can get a cheaper rate online and other times you can get a cheaper rate over the phone. What is up and what are the things you may want to know…

Smallest car is cheapest to rent - This myth has been circulating for years. Rates are based on availability,demand/volume rented. Ask “What is the best rate you can give me?” instead.  

Going green? – Rental car companies will charge you a lot more to rent a hybrid vehicle compared to many other types of vehicles. The higher rate may pay off if you are planning to do a lot of driving or you consider it an environmentally conscience thing to do.

SUV’s – Have fallen out of favor lately.  Many times you can rent a mid size SUV for the same price as a compact car and for a lot less compared to medium to full size cars.  

Where you live - Some car rental companies charge higher rates if you are a foreign visitor compared to a citizen of that country, other rental car companies do not charge you extra.  Shop around for the best rates.

Last Minute specials – Most car rental companies offer last minute specials on their websites.  If you have made a regular reservation earlier and then you find a last minute special that turns out to be a better deal, you can always book the last minute special and cancel your original booking. 

Special discount rates – Repeat customer, AAA, CAA, government, travel industry, etc. These rates may not necessarily be the cheapest rates in comparison to the “best/lowest rate” options on the company website.  

Insurance coverage – Your insurance company at home or credit card may offer you rental car insurance coverage for a much lower rate or free in comparison to what the car rental company will charge you.

Season/time of the year – Like hotels you will pay a premium to rent a car during peak traveling seasons like Easter, Christmas, spring break, summer break and long weekends.

Other websites – Websites like priceline, hotwire and rentalcars.com may offer you some better rates too.

Remember…

Allow yourself time to shop around for rental car rates before you arrive at your destination.  Check several different companies as rates can vary quite dramatically. 

Hi Everyone,

I have deleted the sister blog to this one called “Is it your taste?” due to lack of interest and traffic.  In its place, I have started a new blog called Cooking with Coco. This is where I will post my favorite recipes. I have also moved all the recipe links that were on this blog over to the new blog.

I hope you enjoy it, literally!

Thanks

Coco

Gift cards or gift certificates keep growing in popularity.  It is not unusual to receive one or more as a Wedding gift, Birthday gift, Christmas gift or Anniversary gift.  They are considered an alternative to giving cash.  Sometimes the gift cards/gift certificates are welcomed and other times not so much if that person doesn’t shop at that store, eat at that restaurant, use those spa services, etc.  But, what are the things you may want to know… about gift cards and gift certificates in general?

Expiry dates – Check the fine print for gift card/gift certificate expiry dates. Sometimes they can expire in one year and other times they may have no expiry date at all.

Use ASAP – Try to use the gift card/gift certificate as soon as possible. That way you don’t misplace it or throw it in some drawer only to find it after it has expired.  Plus, businesses change owners, business owners retire, go bankrupt, etc., so they may not be around to honor the gift card/gift certificate if you hold on to it for too long either.

Buying second hand - Meet the seller directly at the business the gift card/gift certificate is for.  This way you can verify the balance left on the card at the cashier or customer service desk and make sure the card is genuine.

Fakes – Looks like the real thing, but is a fake.  Fake gift cards/gift certificates have been sold door to door, second hand and directly on bogus company websites.  When you try to redeem the company doesn’t exist and/or there is no cash balance on the gift card.

Internet scams – Includes selling fake gift cards, selling used gift cards with no cash balance left on them and phishing scams that send out letters randomly to millions of people telling them they have won a $500.00 gift card at major department store.  Unfortunately, a lot of these phishing scams were used on My Space, etc. and a lot of younger people gave these thieves their personal information for identity theft purposes thinking they actually won a contest.

In store scams- This can happen with gift cards that are on a display rack in the middle of a store away from the cash register or employees eyes.  Thieves can obtain the gift card serial number before it is even purchased.  Then they monitor the gift card serial number online and watch the balance.  By the time the person actually receives the gift card the balance may of already been depleted.

User fees – Some stores charge a user fee if a gift card/gift certificate has not been redeemed by a certain time period like one year, etc.  

Entire Malls - Gift cards/gift certificates for entire malls that are redeemable at many stores usually have expiry dates.  Even if your municipality has “no expiry” date laws on gift cards/gift certificates this usually only applies to “one” store only, not multiple stores.

Balance remaining - Gift cards/gift certificates are not redeemable for cash.  They can not be used to pay off your credit card balance with that particular store.  So, even if you have fifty cents left as a balance on your gift card you will have to use it towards another purchase. 

Sending by mail - When sending gift cards/gift certificates by mail request a signature and/or get the envelope/package insured.  Some express mail services automatically include $100.00 worth of insurance, so it may be cheaper to send it that way than insuring it through regular postal means.

Remember…

Before purchasing a gift card/gift certificate make sure the receiver has that particular franchise/business in their neighborhood so they don’t have to drive a long distance to redeem the gift card/gift certificate you sent them.

Read the fine print for expiry dates, user fees, etc.

Do not purchase gift cards that look like they have been tampered with. 

Try to find out what businesses the receiver likes to shop at, what restaurants they like to eat at, what services they like to use, etc. Consider what their taste is before purchasing a gift card/gift certificate, where you eat, shop, etc. may not be their style/taste at all.

Some municipalities have gift card/gift certificate laws or are in the process of changing them.  You should be aware of these laws and make sure businesses are following them when your purchasing gift cards/gift certificates.

If you are receiving a lot of gift cards/gift certificates, cash by regular post consider a locked mail box to avoid possible mail theft.  (read more on mail/identity theft on an older thread I posted here)

(BC residents please read comments for further information on new laws coming into effect in November 1, 2008)

Sometimes I’m amazed at what threads are popular on this blog and which ones are not.  Seems everyone is having a lot of problems with their HE/front loaders staining. Things were going along smoothly with our HE machine for the last few months and then the dreaded stains appeared on my clothes too. What happened and what are the things you may want to know…

Separate your colors very carefully – Since the HE/front loaders use less water you have to separate your colors more carefully because of the dyes in the clothes themselves.  With your old washer the dye would let out of your clothes, but since there was more water to dilute the dye it didn’t stain your other clothes during the washing process. With HE/front loaders one rogue red sock accidentally mixed in with your whites can cause havoc.

New clothes - Should be washed separately the first few times.  New material/clothes (especially cottons) are more susceptible to dye leaking from them the first few times they are washed and can stain your other clothes.  

Stripes or clothing with more than one color on it.  Different colored stripes or different colors on one piece of material can leak different colored dyes at the same time.  If you are wondering how a one plain colored piece of clothing ended up with multi-colored stains on it this can be the reason why.

Fabric softener stains.  Try another brand of fabric softener and look for ones that do not have blue or colored dyes in them.  A lot of repairmen do not recommend liquid fabric softener for HE/front loaders period. I use dryer sheets instead.  Since I have a large capacity HE washer/dryer I use two dryer sheets when I’m drying a large load and two dryer sheets when I’m drying towels as they turn out much softer that way.

Detergent stains – Use a cycle that uses more water, add a second rinse cycle, try less detergent or a different brand of detergent. My own observation after trying several kinds of HE detergent is that the stronger smelling ones stained clothes more readily than the weaker smelling ones. I also was told to dampen the detergent stain with water and use ivory bar soap to remove detergent stains.

Other stains – Your HE/front loader may not be able to clean certain stains on its own. You may have to pretreat the stains beforehand. There are various stain removal guides available on the internet.  Click here to see one.

Remember…

Certain types of materials are more prone to dye leaking from them than others.  This includes cotton, rayon, silk, wool and linen.  Nylon and spandex can let dye the first times you wash them too. Acrylic, polyester and fleece generally don’t leak dyes, but if they are blended with other types of materials they may.

Many people assume their investments/deposits are safe in financial institutions and covered by government deposit insurance if something ever goes wrong.  But, before you are lulled into a false sense of security what are the things you may want to know…

Not all types of investments are covered by government deposit insurance.  This includes: the contents of your safety deposit box, money market mutual funds and/or other mutual funds, stocks, life insurance policies, annuities and other types of bonds (not federal government savings bonds)

Not all financial institutions are covered by government deposit insurance.  Only members that pay premiums into the federal government deposit insurance fund are covered.  Smaller banks, credit unions, etc. may be covered by your state or provincial governments instead or may not be covered at all.

All my money is guaranteed.  No. The Canadian Deposit Insurance Corporation only covers up to 100k if your financial institution is a member of the CDIC. The U.S. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation only covers up to 250k if your financial institution is a member of the FDIC.  The UK only covers 100% of the first £2,000, and 90% up to £35,000, but is in the process of increasing these amounts. Most European countries have some type of deposit insurance, but they do not cover up to 100%. Australia and New Zealand do not have deposit insurance at all.  For other countries you will have to investigate whether your government offers any type of deposit insurance.

Federal government deposit insurance will pay me out quickly if my financial institution goes bankrupt. The federal government only guarantees your deposit if your financial institution is a member of the CDIC or FIDC. If your financial institution goes bankrupt the federal government guarantees they will pay you, but there are no guarantees when they will pay you or if they will pay you out promptly. 

Further information for U.S. residents:

What types of U.S. investments are insured and which ones are not?

Is my U.S. financial institution covered by FDIC?

************************************************************************

Further information for Canadian residents:

What type of Canadian investments are covered and which ones are not?

Listing of Canadian institutions covered by CDIC

(If you don’t see your financial institutions name on the list, they are not covered by the CDIC)

Remember…

In uncertain economic times:

Try not to invest in anything you don’t fully understand or take unnecessary risks.  Take the time to read the fine print before you sign anything and don’t be shy to ask a lot of questions.  Make sure you know what you are investing in and all the risks involved as 60% of people assume their investments are safe and are covered by deposit insurance when they are not.

(BC residents read comment section for credit union information and upcoming changes)

Refunds. Is it a matter of principle, a complete waste of your time or somewhere in between? 

Before you loose your cool at the customer service desk or just give up completely, there are things you may want to know…on what situations may be worth your time/trouble/effort and which ones may not.

Defective merchandise – If you are going to have to make a special trip and spend more on gas going back and forth than what the item is worth, then it may not be worth it.  If you drive to that store/area anyways, go for it.  

Food that goes bad before the expiry date - A lot of people are not aware that if your milk goes sour, your cheese goes moldy, etc. before the expiry date that you can return the item to the grocery store.  If you already threw out the receipt, don’t worry the store will give you a credit or replace the item. This is one situation where you can make a special trip to return the item that has spoiled and pick up a few other grocery items you need in the process of it all.

Foreign Objects/Insects in food – It is best to contact the manufacturer directly instead of taking it back to the grocery store. Large batches of food could be problematic and may have to be recalled by the manufacturer.  Keep the packaging/object/food as the manufacturer will want to see what the problem is and they will ask you for further information from the packaging itself, like the batch number, batch date, expiry date, etc.  One time I was eating soup and a hard piece of blue plastic got stuck in my molar. I contacted the manufacturer. It turned out the blue plastic was part of a broken plastic tie from one of their vegetable bags. The manufacturer gave me $150.00 worth of free product coupons for my troubles.

Lemons – If you have to keep taking an item in for repair several times while it is under warranty, you may have a lemon on your hands.  You may want to push to have the item replaced completely before your warranty runs out.  Even if your warranty has run out and the item is known to have specific manufacturing flaws, you can try to contact the manufacturer to see if they will accommodate the repair, but it is a roll of the dice on that one. 

Clothes/Material that falls apart at the seams - If you wear a shirt two or three times and it is coming apart at the seams or if that new area rug is totally fraying all around the edges after a couple months, then it may be worth it to return it to the store as a matter of principle. 

Garage sale items/used merchandise - Items are sold as is, so that means “no refunds” period, unless you have some guarantee from the owner in writing. Don’t be like the guy at my garage sale who bought a large new sealed tube of caulking for $1.00 used 1/2 of it and came back for a refund claiming it was all dried out.

Thrift store items – Since proceeds go to charity, items are usually sold as is and they have a no return policy.  Some thrift stores may offer you a store credit, but only if you have returned the item promptly. 

Furniture - A lot of furniture stores have no refund policies. Before you buy: Check the refund policy and measure the width of your front doorway and the width of the furniture.  Is the furniture narrow enough to fit through your doorway?  I’m always amazed at the number of people that are selling brand new furniture at a loss because store has a no refund policy and the furniture doesn’t fit through their front door/apartment hallways/stairwells or is too big for the size of their living room, etc. 

Cars – I have yet to hear of any dealership giving an owner a full refund without any further obligation to purchase another vehicle from their lot, unless a court is involved than that is another story.

Appliances – Refunds/exchanges are only for a limited time period like 30 to 90 days max. 

Dollar stores – Usually no refunds. May offer exchange only within 7 days. 

No receipt – You will not be able to get a cash refund in a lot of circumstances, but try not to let this deter you.  Many stores will offer you an in store credit or replace the item without a receipt. Smaller stores may even have a copy of your receipt on file.

Remember…

In general people who are respectful, kind and honest get better service/refunds faster than the ones that yell, swear and lose their cool.  If a refund is becoming a dead end saying “I can’t believe you won’t even exchange this brand new merchandise.  I will never shop at this store again and I will tell everyone about your no exchange, no refund policy.” (saying this in a loud voice so all the other customers will hear you, may get you some where)

Perhaps, your saying what is Craigslist?  Craigslist is an online community forum partly owned by Ebay. Craigslist is in numerous countries, cities, states and provinces worldwide.  Basically you can consider it a gigantic free classified ad service.  Many people use Craigslist to sell their second hand merchandise, some even place ads to give it away. Others use Craigslist to find housing/accommodations, jobs or even a partner by placing a personal ad. You can even get involved in discussion forums too.  

But, before you use Craigslist or if you are currently using it, what are the things you may want to know…

Fraud – Even bank drafts that look realistic can turn out to be fake. Wire transfers, cheques and money orders also fall into the same category. Even counterfeit cash was passed at garage sales people advertised on Craigslist.  It is best to deal in cash and check the cash over.  If you are selling a diamond ring that is worth thousands, don’t meet the person in a public place or at your home, meet them directly at their bank, see the withdrawal or bank draft being made up directly in front of your eyes.

Scams – People who ask for personal information and/or personal financial information from you because they wish to wire you money from other city/country because they want to buy your item is a hoax. They are only trying to glean personal information from you for identity theft purposes.  

Brand new – People will try to pass items off as “new” and sell them as such.  Ask sellers questions.  If the item is new or nearly new the seller should have receipts, warranty information,know if the warranty is transferable, what store they purchased the item from, etc.  A seller should be able to answer any questions about the item in a timely manner.  Making excuses or not answering questions about these so called “new” items should alert you immediately to the following:  item could be stolen, reconditioned, damaged, written off, decommissioned, not new (older than stated) or someone could be trying to sell a cheaper version or knock off as a high end item to make extra cash.  

Thieves – Post only the photo of the item you are selling not the entire room.  Photos showing the rest of your possessions like your large plasma tv, computer, antiques, etc., can be enticing to thieves. If you are selling expensive items it is best that you are not home alone when someone comes to view them.  

Fake ads - Unfortunately, some people get a kick out of posting fake ads.  Usually other Craigslist users will flag the ad for removal and post an ad of their own telling everyone else it is a fake.

Fake pictures – Some people will post a photo of a item in perfect condition, but what they are selling is in poor condition or the item their selling doesn’t look anything like the photo they posted.  You may want to verify condition before going to see the item.  If a seller says it is hard to describe the condition, it has wear/damage/fading of some sort.

Stories – Down on my luck, etc.  It is hard to separate truth from fiction here. Be careful, you can be dealing with someone who is supporting a drug addiction, etc.  If you wish to be charitable then offer to drop the items off at the persons home directly with a friend in tow.

Anonymous – If a buyer or seller doesn’t want to leave a message on your answering machine, give you their name, telephone number, etc. beware.  Communication should flow freely, not be like pulling teeth. 

Vagueness – I lost the receipt for my six month old fridge.  I don’t have the warranty, I got it from my cousin, etc.  Don’t let a good price cloud your judgement.  Decommissioned appliances have been sold on Craigslist.  Decommissioned appliances are appliances that the manufacturer has deemed as non repairable and are supposed to be junked.  Unfortunately, someone picks up these decommissioned appliances at the dump or along the way and tries to resell them. Missing or scratched out serial numbers should be your first clue.  If you call about a fridge and the seller asks which one or has multiple appliances for sale in their garage these can be extra clues too.

Remember…

Although many transactions off Craiglist go off with out a hitch and you can meet some very nice people; you can also run into problems if you are too trusting. One only has to google Craigslist scams/fraud to see all the problems people have run into on these websites you will get over a million hits.  I have investigated this site myself and you can read about my findings in the comment section.

So you decided to sell your home.  Perhaps, you think it is perfect just the way it is or you think it needs some repairs or cleaning, but you are not sure where to start.  Need a little insight? What are the things you may want to know…about what potential home buyers notice about your home.

Unfinished renovation projects – This includes painting a wall or two and not finishing painting the rest of the room, missing floor tiles, missing baseboards/moulding, missing drywall, etc.

Leaks – Leaking roofs, leaky pipes, dripping taps, running toilets, water mark stains on walls and/or ceilings etc.  

Dings/scratches/holes – Dings/holes in the doors/walls.  Although you may view dog scratches as a normal part of having a pet, a buyer may view scratches as a refinishing/renovation project.

Mismatched interior/exterior – Perhaps you spent a lot of money renovating the exterior, but not the interior or vice versa.  Try a fresh coat of paint to balance out the overall look.

Yards – Overgrown trees, shrubs, weeds, long grass, doggy extras/burn marks, etc.

Broken or Missing anything – floor tiles, appliance handles, doorknobs, blinds, light shades, fence boards etc.

Stains and dirt – dirty/stained carpets, greasy appliances, dirty laundry on the floor, a lot dust build up, dirty grout, black mold in the shower, etc. 

Smell – Every home has a smell when you first walk in the door.  Is yours a pleasant one?  Pet odors, dirty diapers, mildew, smelly garbage, stale cigarette smoke, etc. are not considered pleasant smelling items to a lot of buyers. You want a buyer to stay and look around, not want to get out as fast as they can because something smells bad.

Remember…Top dollar demands top shape.  Most buyers overestimate repair costs by double to triple the actual amount and deduct those amounts off their offer accordingly.  If the housing market in your area has soften and there is a lot of homes for sale, remember your competition may have no repairs or less repairs than you for same price.  Homes that require a lot of repairs in a buyers market, can linger on the market a lot longer or even go unsold.