Lydia Player's Q&A

Jay is right on the money and I'm not sure where 'spec tater' is coming from. A professional Realtor is ethically and legally obligated to represent the best interests of their client. I never disclose information about my clients without their permission and can't imagine disclosing any of their 'cards' so to place someone else's best interest above theirs. I've also never seen another agent on the other side of a transaction offer up compromising information about their client just to get the deal down.Usually, buyers should have their own agent to solely represent their best interests - especially if they don't hold complete trust with the selling agent. Working as an independent intermediary between the two parties can be a touchy situation when there is an existing relationship between the agent and the seller.Would you walk into court and ask the other side's attorney to represent you both? If it was a straight legal transaction, then probably so. But if there was a lot of negotiation involved - maybe not.

Check dallascad.orgIf you can't find up to date information there, you can call one of the numbers they list.

Check to see if the property is actually for sale. Just because you see it in zillow, doesn't mean that it is available. Check a site like realtor.com that has every home listed in MLS (the multiple listing service that all realtors use).The 'zestimate' for a property is usally based on the square footage and not on the property's condition.  Zillow bases their 'zestimates' on several factors - not all of which are accurate. For example, they sometimes use a radius search for similar homes. So a home on a busy major road located a half mile from a home on a quiet cul de sac would follow the same price/value considerations. It has been reported that the 'zestimates' are only within 10% of the true value of the home less than half the time.For a true estimate of a home's value, contact a Realtor or an appraiser.

The quick answer: No you won't qualify for the tax credit. This is for first time home buyers who are purchasing a property within a limited time period.

You need a Realtor to give you a Comparative Market Analysis or an appraiser to ensure that you are using correct sales statistics. Price will determine how quickly your property sells and if it sells. Accurate value is the highest price a ready, willing and able buyer will pay and a seller will accept.If you need to sell your home in a hurry, you will likely need to price it at or below the market value. If time is not so critical, then you can try to get above market value. If your house isn't priced competitively, it may not sell at all. Location is your biggest determinant of price.You may want to invest in an independent appraisal by a qualified appraiser who has access to current market data and can be objective about what buyers would like pay for your house. Showing buyers a professional appraisal will help you justify your asking price.Many homeowners price their home based on what another homeowner is asking down the street. The asking price is NOT the selling price. Base your price on what the market will stand, not on an inflated price that a neighbor might be asking.Don't value your property based on your tax assessment, plus some percentage added on for good measure. Tax assessments can be quite different from the true market value. Accuracy of a 'zestimate' varies widely as well.Selling a home requires an intimate understanding of the real estate market. As a selling agent, I want to sell a home for the highest possible price in a reasonable amount of time.

You can go to dallascad.org and find the owner of record. It doesn't look like this property is for sale. You'd probably have just as much luck just knocking on the door.

A home in this neighborhood may very well be worth this much or more. A property is worth whatever a buyer is willing to pay and a seller is willing to accept.That said, the value is typically determined based on comparable sales in the area. Price, condition and location are the primary factors to consider. A Realtor can find the comparable sales in the area to help determine the true value. Tax appraisals are rarely a good determinate of actual price.

Zillow is not the same as MLS or tax records. They do not track the actual sales of properties.

Contact the county's tax appraisal office. The taxable value is public record. However it should not be considered an accurate value of the property. Tax appraisals are updated sporadically and are based on values of other homes in the area. They do not take into account the condition of the property or features in the home because the appraiser simply drives by the property and does not review the interior features.

Sorry. That isn't going to happen.