ASK KATHE

Should You Buy First or Sell First? The Decision Tree I Use?

This decision is not theoretical. In many cases, it is constrained by what is financially possible, not what sounds appealing. When clients ask whether they should buy first or sell first, the first step is determining whether buying first is even an... read more

When to Fix, When to Credit, When to Leave It Alone?

The real decision sellers face isn’t whether a home needs work, it’s how to handle that work in a way that preserves control and minimizes negotiation risk. The most reliable way to do that is to start with a pre-inspection. When a pre-inspection... read more

What features define a luxury home in Sewickley today vs. ten years ago?

Ten years ago, luxury in Sewickley was largely measured by scale. Buyers compared square footage, room counts, and architectural presence, assuming that bigger translated to better. Today, the decisions I see buyers make tell a very different story. Luxury... read more

We’re thinking of moving this year – when should we really start preparing?

People usually ask this question as if preparation is a date on the calendar. In reality, it’s a sequence of work, and that sequence takes longer than most homeowners expect. For sellers aiming for a spring listing, the right time to start is when you... read more

Is winter a bad time to list my home, or can it actually work to my advantage?

The biggest difference between winter and spring is not how many buyers are looking — it’s why they’re looking. Winter buyers are rarely browsing. They’re relocating for work, navigating school timing, responding to a family transition, or working against a firm... read more