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Bedford Corners Real Estate

Whole-House Remodel $250,000 to $500,000: Desert Embrace | Bedford Corners Homes

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Priorities

• Improve the connection between interior rooms • Provide a better visual connection from the house to the lush landscape

  • Opening up walls created a better interior flow.

    http://www.remodeling.hw.net/Images/tmp258F%2Etmp_tcm17-1999556.jpg

    Opening up walls created a better interior flow.

  • The original layout did not allow for good traffic flow.

    http://www.remodeling.hw.net/Images/tmp2000%2Etmp_tcm17-1999554.jpg

    The original layout did not allow for good traffic flow.

  • The fireplace in the existing living room.

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    The fireplace in the existing living room.

  • The new living room is open to the kitchen and dining rooms.

    http://www.remodeling.hw.net/Images/tmp16A7%2Etmp_tcm17-1999548.jpg

    The new living room is open to the kitchen and dining rooms.

  • The original kitchen was cut off from the living areas.

    http://www.remodeling.hw.net/Images/tmp11A5%2Etmp_tcm17-1999545.jpg

    The original kitchen was cut off from the living areas.

  • The custom cabinetsa re made from Douglas fir.

    http://www.remodeling.hw.net/Images/tmpB2D%2Etmp_tcm17-1999542.jpg

    The custom cabinets are made from Douglas fir.

  • The original interior walls were sheetrock made to resemble adobe.

    http://www.remodeling.hw.net/Images/tmp530%2Etmp_tcm17-1999539.jpg

    The original interior walls were sheetrock made to resemble adobe.

  • The kitchen countertops are Caesarstone and concrete.

    http://www.remodeling.hw.net/Images/tmp137%2Etmp_tcm17-1999535.jpg

    The kitchen countertops are Caesarstone and concrete.

  • The original side porch was enclosed to create a theater room.

    http://www.remodeling.hw.net/Images/tmpFD3E%2Etmp_tcm17-1999532.jpg

    The original side porch was enclosed to create a theater room.

  • Architect Rob Paulus incorporated the original fireplace in to the theater room wall. The large projection screen takes up one wall.

    http://www.remodeling.hw.net/Images/tmpF753%2Etmp_tcm17-1999530.jpg

    Architect Rob Paulus incorporated the original fireplace in to the theater room wall. The large projection screen takes up one wall.

  • The original bathroom.

    http://www.remodeling.hw.net/Images/tmpF378%2Etmp_tcm17-1999529.jpg

    The original bathroom.

  • The bathroom has the same clean, contemporary lines as the main living area.

    http://www.remodeling.hw.net/Images/tmpE8B9%2Etmp_tcm17-1999525.jpg

    The bathroom has the same clean, contemporary lines as the main living area.

  • The original wood porch.

    http://www.remodeling.hw.net/Images/tmpE416%2Etmp_tcm17-1999519.jpg

    The original wood porch.

  • The roof canopy is not attached to the existing building. Architect Paulus says this design makes it look like it's levitating and makes it clear that is separate from the original structure.

    http://www.remodeling.hw.net/Images/tmpDF22%2Etmp_tcm17-1999518.jpg

    The roof canopy is not attached to the existing building. Architect Paulus says this design makes it look like it’s levitating and makes it clear that is separate from the original structure.

  • The canopy structure is made of steel and rough-hewn Douglas fir. It ties in to the new masonry and landscaping.

    http://www.remodeling.hw.net/Images/tmpDA10%2Etmp_tcm17-1999517.jpg

    The canopy structure is made of steel and rough-hewn Douglas fir. It ties in to the new masonry and landscaping.

  • A before view of the house from poolside.

    http://www.remodeling.hw.net/Images/tmpD676%2Etmp_tcm17-1999516.jpg

    A before view of the house from poolside.

  • The canopy connects the home with the pool and backyard.

    http://www.remodeling.hw.net/Images/tmpD164%2Etmp_tcm17-1999515.jpg

    The canopy connects the home with the pool and backyard.

  • The architect's original sketch of the canopy included a round opening, but it was more cost-effective to follow the lines of the structure and make it rectangular.

    http://www.remodeling.hw.net/Images/tmpCB87%2Etmp_tcm17-1999514.jpg

    The architect’s original sketch of the canopy included a round opening, but it was more cost-effective to follow the lines of the structure and make it rectangular.

  • A during photo of the project shows the construction of the steel canopy frame.

    http://www.remodeling.hw.net/Images/tmpC4CF%2Etmp_tcm17-1999513.jpg

    A during photo of the project shows the construction of the steel canopy frame.

  • The steel and Douglas fir pieces fit together seamlessly.

    http://www.remodeling.hw.net/Images/tmpC134%2Etmp_tcm17-1999512.jpg

    The steel and Douglas fir pieces fit together seamlessly.

  • The original master bedroom (right) didn't have a great connection to the outdoors.

    http://www.remodeling.hw.net/Images/tmpBD6A%2Etmp_tcm17-1999511.jpg

    The original master bedroom (right) didn’t have a great connection to the outdoors.

  • A small, side porch off the master bedroom provides a more private outdoor setting for the owner.

    http://www.remodeling.hw.net/Images/tmpB9C2%2Etmp_tcm17-1999510.jpg

    A small, side porch off the master bedroom  provides a more private outdoor setting for the owner.

  • The steel pieces of the canopy and the steel shade boxes for the theater room were lifted into place with a crane.

    http://www.remodeling.hw.net/Images/tmpB3B4%2Etmp_tcm17-1999509.jpg

    The steel pieces of the canopy and the steel shade boxes for the theater room were lifted into place with a crane.

  • Two steel boxes frame the windows and provide shade to the theater room.

    http://www.remodeling.hw.net/Images/tmpAED1%2Etmp_tcm17-1999508.jpg

    Two steel boxes frame the windows and provide shade to the theater room.

  • Architect Rob Paulus designed these steel frames to be more delicate to contrast with the strong structure of the canopy. Vines are now growing on the canopy, which connects the structure to the outdoor landscaping.

    http://www.remodeling.hw.net/Images/tmpAB07%2Etmp_tcm17-1999507.jpg

    Architect Rob Paulus designed these steel frames to be more delicate to contrast with the strong structure of the canopy. Vines are now growing on the canopy, which connects the structure to the outdoor landscaping.

  • The home is set in the foothills of Tucson.

    http://www.remodeling.hw.net/Images/tmpA569%2Etmp_tcm17-1999506.jpg

    The home is set in the foothills of Tucson.

  • The original floorplan.

    http://www.remodeling.hw.net/Images/tmpA1AF%2Etmp_tcm17-1999505.jpg

    The original floorplan.

  • The new floorplan shows the home's connection to the outdoors. The small structure on the other side of the pool is a guest house.

    http://www.remodeling.hw.net/Images/tmp9CEB%2Etmp_tcm17-1999504.jpg

    The new floorplan shows the home’s connection to the outdoors. The small structure on the other side of the pool is a guest house.

Solutions

Not only was this house poorly laid out, but architect Rob Paulus describes the Spanish style as “Santa fake.” “A lot of what we did was more subtractive—taking things away and bringing it back to a simple box. From there, we opened up as much as we could,” Paulus says, by removing walls to create a better flow. Some of the sheet rock was made to resemble adobe walls, so he simplified those for a cleaner, more modern look.

The owner purchased the house because of its mature landscape and setting. He wanted the interior spaces to have a better connection to the backyard. Paulus increased the glazing on the rear wall to capture views.

The owner, a film enthusiast, also wanted a media room with a large 14-foot projection screen. The living room didn’t have enough wall space to accommodate a screen that large, so Paulus enclosed an outdoor porch and incorporated the existing outdoor fireplace.

The second phase of the project involved improving the outdoor spaces. A 20-foot by 40-foot contemporary steel and Douglas fir porch trellis shades an outdoor living space with an outdoor kitchen. It has direct access from the home theater, great room, and master bedroom.

The interior kitchen cabinets are made of Douglas fir, but a more polished and smooth version that fulfills the owner’s request for a natural element. It also provides a contrast to the rough-hewn fir used for the trellis ceiling.

 

 

read more…

 

http://www.remodeling.hw.net/awards/2013-rda-grand-desert-embrace.aspx?utm_source=newsletter&utm_content=jump&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=RDU_081613&day=2013-08-16

 

Single-family home construction slips in July | Bedford Corners Real Estate

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U.S. housing starts  rose 5.9 percent month over month in July to a seasonally adjusted rate of 896,000, and were up 20.9 percent from a year ago, according to a monthly report from the U.S. Census Bureau released today.

The increase was powered by a sharp rise in multifamily construction. Construction of single-family homes actually dropped by 2.2 percent.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau

– See more at: http://www.inman.com/wire/single-family-home-construction-slips-in-july/#sthash.XoeKv5es.dpuf

Housing recovery continues to heat up | Bedford Corners Real Estate

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Despite all odds against the housing recovery, the market is steadily improving and housing experts do not expect the sector to lose its momentum any time soon.

Regardless of an inadequately housing supply, rising home prices reacting to strong demand and difficult lending environment, market expectations remain bullish on housing.

Nonetheless, housing is in its early stages of recovery and panelists at the Bipartisan Policy Center’s conference believe it’s not time for the Federal Reserve to take their foot off the bond-buying gas pedal just yet.

“There is a cyclical and structural nature to the problem,” explained Paul Weech of Housing Partnership Network.

He added, “We haven’t solved for the underlying structural problem and if we revert back to the norm, we still have millions of homes trying to get back in the full market recovery.”

One of the major factors still impacting the housing market is underwriting standards.

Fannie Mae senior vice president and chief economist Doug Duncan pointed out that there is a high correlation between the business cycle and the credit cycle, which will ultimately lead to an established fixed floor of the credit box.

“If in the regulatory process we can establish a fixed floor then we’ll change fundamentally the level of housing,” Duncan explained.

Looking to the future state of housing, experts agreed that immigration will play a significant role in the housing recovery.

Data taken from 2012 and estimated through 2050 shows that the economy will have 15 million less workers if the immigration rate continues, meaning less people in the housing market and less people paying into their entitlements, Duncan noted.

Another group of Americans that will affect the future of housing is the baby boomer generation, which is the fastest growing age group.

Many have a desire to remain in a home, but want to be mobile. As a result, homebuilders are trying to find new ways to accommodate these needs as well as attract first-time homebuyers to market.

Conine Residential Group president Kent Conine explained that homebuilders are introducing new innovations and productions into the marketplace.

For instance, Conine is in the process of developing a system in which seniors sell their current homes and downgrade to plain vanilla property, which will allow them to travel, while still maintaining a home.

 

read more…

http://www.housingwire.com/articles/26155-housing-recovery-continues-to-heat-up

 

Are July Prices Signaling the New Normal? | Bedford Corners Homes

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While extremes continue in some markets, the national trend in Clear Capital’s July data is moderation as markets at both ends of the spectrum stabilize and return to historic patterns.  Has the New Normal arrived?

Clear Capital reports that national home prices gained 9.3 percent over the last year and 1.6 percent over the last quarter. Yet national home prices remain 33.4 percent below peak values.

Regional yearly gains were led by the West’s 17.8 percent, while the Northeast trailed with 4.8 percent growth. The Midwest and the South continued to closely track, with yearly gains of 7.5 percent and 7.6 percent, respectively.

The top 15 performing metro markets, exhibited impressive yearly gains, with average growth of more than 20.0 percent. 14 metros posted yearly gains above 15.0 percent.

Las Vegas yearly gains grew to 31.2 percent, the first metro to surpass 30.0 percent since the start of the recovery. Quarterly gains of 4.3 percent, the strongest of all the metros, signal this metro could retain its number one spot over the near-term. While Las Vegas leads the recovery, its median price of $145,000 ranks it below 35 of the top 50 markets. This suggests low price points are in part driving Las Vegas’ gains. Conversely, San Jose has seen gains of 26.0 percent over the year, despite its high median price of $710,000, an indication that demand is fueled by a strong local economy. As such, these two markets will likely see a variance in their trends moving forward.

“While July home prices continue to ramp up throughout the country led by Las Vegas posting more than 30.0 percent yearly growth, let’s not forget a healthy recovery means moderation as the new normal takes hold” said Dr. Alex Villacorta, vice president of research and analytics at Clear Capital. “Over the last half of 2013, we continue to call for a moderation in home price trends. A rising price floor will dampen some potential homebuyers’ appetites, particularly as recent gains bring many markets back into pre-bubble equilibrium. In other words, homebuyers are starting to adjust to the new normal, where steep discounts from the peak are not as attractive as they once were. Having said that, if housing inventory continues rising, it should help alleviate some of the recent pressure on prices, as well as homebuyer’ confidence in the market’s health overall.

 

 

read more…

http://www.realestateeconomywatch.com/2013/08/are-july-prices-signaling-the-new-normal/

 

How the Top 100 Global Brands use YouTube for Marketing | Bedford Corners Realtor

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Pixability just released a study called, “The Top 100 Global Brands: Key Lessons for Success on YouTube,” which showed how these companies (based on Interbrands’ top 100) have been using the platform.  From these findings, Pixability was able to derive some lessons that all marketers can use.  And they studied everything: what are brands doing with multiple channels, how they used social media, were they properly targeting the ads, did they post consistently, do some brands have channels that are basically dormant, and so on.  What are the best brands doing on YouTube?  Read on.

Top 100 Brands & YouTube: Key Takeaways

Here’s something that has probably been said on this site more than any other thing:

SEE ALSO: How VidIQ Grows Audiences: Announces YouTube Marketing Suite for Brands

1. Post content consistently.

The most successful brands publish 50 percent more videos per channel than the least successful ones.  They do it on a regular schedule.

2. Take YouTube SEO seriously.

Citing its place as the 2nd-largest search engine in the world, behind only its parent company Google, Pixability says discoverability is key.  YouTube SEO is very different from traditional SEO, and Google favors web pages with YouTube embeds.  The best 25 percent of brands optimize their videos properly, utilizing more playlists and tags than the bottom 25 percent.

3. No need for overproduction.

The best brands produce a variety of content.  This goes back to what Baljeet Singh said when referring to one of the biggest myths on YouTube.

4. Always On

The top brands integrate their video strategy with their offline strategy.  17 of the top 100 brands use less than 50 percent of their channels.  Brands should not be afraid to create web series for limited, but highly engaged audiences.

5. Put your brand on everything where it makes sense.

The top brands put the logo in the video and in the metadata.  Why is putting it in the video important?  Because people aren’t always watching your content on your channel.  The regular watch page on YouTube and any embed isn’t likely to have your branding anywhere, so use it where you can.  But don’t go overboard and start sticking it in so many places that you create brand fatigue.



Source: How the Best – Top 100 Global Brands use YouTube for Marketing http://www.reelseo.com/top-100-brands-youtube/#ixzz2bi8l6xqm 

 

 

How the Best – Top 100 Global Brands use YouTube for Marketing.

Beirut ranks second place for regional real estate prices | Bedford Corners Real Estate

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Beirut ranked in second place in the Arab world in terms of price of midsized apartments, according to the Global Property Guide’s latest annual report on investment trends around the world. According to Byblos Bank’s weekly economic newsletter, the report ranked Beirut 46th among 94 markets globally in 2012 and second in the Arab world after Dubai in terms of the price of a 150-square-meter apartment.

The report estimated the price per square meter at $3,591, with a price range in Central Beirut between $4,200 and $6,800 compared to $1,200 in 2004.

The report also highlighted that gross rental yields have dropped significantly in the past six years from 10 to 11 percent to 3.62 percent currently.

Beirut ranked 66th among 83 markets globally and in last place among five Arab markets in terms of gross rental yield, which is the annual rent relative to the house price.

The report warned that high prices and low yield trends are unlikely to be sustainable. Beirut’s GRY was 3.62 percent in 2012, significantly lower than the Arab average of 6.8 percent.

Lebanon’s price-to-rent ratio was 28, higher than the Arab average of 16.4. It means that it takes 28 years of rent to recover the purchase price of a 150-sqm apartment in Beirut, ranking the Lebanese capital 16th among 83 markets and in first place in the region.

The price-to-rent ratio is typically used for measuring the undervaluation or overvaluation of real estate prices.

Beirut’s rent-per-month was second highest in the Arab world at $1,623 per square meter while the Arab average stood at $1,579 per month.

In terms of the house price-to-income ratio, which is the cost of a 100-sqm housing unit relative to the country’s GDP per capita, Lebanon ranked in second place among five Arab states.

The price of a 100-sqm upscale apartment in Lebanon is equivalent to 34.29 times the country’s GDP per capita, compared to 29.19 in Jordan, 28.44 in Egypt and 6.02 in the UAE.

 

 

 

Pricey property: Beirut ranks second place for regional real estate prices | Al Bawaba.

Michael Jackson Producer Brian Malouf Lists Sherman Oaks Home | Bedford Corners Homes

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“So Michael Jackson walks in and says, ‘Hey Brian, I want to come back tonight and do my own stuff. Can you do it with me?’”

And that’s all it took, Brian Malouf explains in an interview with Mix magazine: A casual encounter with the King of Pop to completely change his producing career.

Twenty-six years later, Malouf is still living the dream, producing a total of 53 gold, platinum and double platinum records to-date for Stevie Wonder, Queen, Madonna, Pearl Jam, Dave Matthews Band and other leading artists. He’s so good that he’s also earned the right to work from his home, a 3-bedroom located at 13245 Addison St, Sherman Oaks, CA 91423.

Now listed for $1.099 million, the 1955-built house has been tastefully remodeled with high ceilings, skylights, French doors, hardwood floors, wooden built-ins and, of course, a recording studio.

“[The] garage has been converted to a high-end professional recording studio with all the bells and whistles,” writes Rodeo Realty, Inc.‘s Niki Rosenfeld in the listing description. In fact, the entire property has been decked out with surround sound and outdoor speakers.

Malouf purchased the 2,599-square-foot home in May 2011 for $990,000. Born in in nearby Hollywood, he’s been passionate about percussion since playing for his high school band. In 1981, he started working for Can-Am Recorders in Tarzana, where Michael Jackson walked in the door looking for someone to help him produce the ‘Bad’ album.

“I try to be a useful human in the race,” writes Malouf in his Twitter profile description. “I spend a lot of time in front of knobs and faders and do the best I can to make beautiful sounding music come out.”

 

Michael Jackson Producer Brian Malouf Lists Sherman Oaks Home | Zillow Blog.

Gas Prices On The Rise In Bedford | Bedford Corners Real Estate

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As temperatures continue to rise, so too do gas prices in Bedford and Mount Kisco, with prices at the pump jumping nearly 20 cents nationally in the last week.

New York gas prices are among the highest in the nation, with motorists paying an average of $3.90 per regular gallon, compared to the national average of $3.70. The only states in the continental United States paying more on gas are California ($4.04) and Connecticut ($4.00).
Since July 11, the average price of gas has risen 18 cents nationally. Prices are up 28 cents nationally from where they sat a year ago.

Robert Sinclair, the media relations manager for AAA New York, said that a conflict overseas is one of the key factors in the sudden and unexpected spike in gas prices.

“First and foremost, it’s the Egyptian situation that had led to the price of crude oil ramping up, really without justification,” he said. “This is just further evidence of a ‘fear tax,’ the worry that the Egypt problem could spread and oil production in the Middle East might be interrupted.”

The price of crude oil has risen above $100 per barrel for the first time since March 2012, Sinclair said. As recently as 2000, that price stood at just $28 per barrel, which has been a factor in the ever-rising cost of fuel.

“It’s a volatile market. Unforeseen events, in addition to the price of crude oil spiking, makes things even more volatile,” he said. “We’re seeing swings as wide as 50 or 60 cents per gallon in a given year, these are things that didn’t happen before.”

According to NewYorkGasPrices.com, the cheapest gas in Bedford can be found at the Gulf at 193 Pound Ridge Road. In Mount Kisco, the Shell at 513 Main St. is selling regular fuel for $4.29.

There may be no relief in sight for drivers, as there are still several months until refineries switch from the eco-friendly summer blend of fuel to the cheaper winter blend in September or October.

Tim James, a White Plains resident filling up for $3.99 per gallon at the Shell station on Post Road in Scarsdale, said that he wouldn’t curb the use of his car locally, but would think twice before going on a long road trip.

 

Gas Prices On The Rise In Bedford | The Bedford Daily Voice.

House prices in euro area hit seven-year low | Bedford Corners Real Estate

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House prices in the euro area have fallen to a seven-year low, with some of the steepest declines felt in countries worst hit by the financial crisis, where a large share of household wealth is stored in property.
European Central Bank figures also highlight gaping disparities between eurozone countries – partly echoing their divergent economic fates.
Spain, still reeling from the bursting of a property bubble that left thousands of new dwellings uninhabited, has seen prices plunge further than the average – to 2003 levels.
But Germany, where fewer people own their homes than in Spain, is still riding a surge in prices, now at their highest point in a 10-year index. Italy, regularly a source of economic concern for the bloc, has seen prices fall to the eurozone average of a seven-year low, but there are fears it has further to go.
“Our analysis suggested the extent to which prices had fallen in recent years was directly related to the size they had grown before 2007,” said Yolande Barnes, head of global research at the property group Savills. “Italy looked . . . like it had not seen nearly enough downside yet.
The ECB’s eurozone-wide residential property prices index, updated last week, captures price levels for new and existing properties across the 17-nation bloc. At the end of the first quarter of 2013, it hit 96.33, down from 97.56 at the end of 2012 and the lowest point since mid-2006, before the global financial crisis.
But similar indices focusing on individual countries reveal stark underlying differences, echoing other macroeconomic imbalances across the region, such as wildly divergent unemployment levels, real interest rates and budget deficits.

Eurozone house prices

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exceeding even the Spanish slump is Ireland’s descent, where house prices are at their lowest since 2000.
By contrast, Austria, which like Germany has low unemployment and historically low levels of home ownership, has racked up gains. The most recent data published by the ECB, for the end of 2012, put Austrian property prices at their highest level since the beginning of its 12-year data series.
Of the eurozone countries that have continued to enjoy low interest rates during the crisis and advocated strict austerity in crisis-hit neighbours, the Netherlands stands out as having a housing market in sharp decline, with prices at their lowest for a decade. The Dutch slump, however, follows years of easy mortgage credit and a tax system that spurred mortgage borrowing, but which since this year has been reformed to discourage popular interest-only mortgages.
The German property boom, which started in big cities such as Munich, Frankfurt and Berlin but by some measures has spread further, partly reflects the search for yield for household savings in a low-interest-rate environment. The Bundesbank has expressed concern about this. Since interest rates are set by the ECB for the whole eurozone, the German central bank would be able to intervene only by adopting macroprudential measures, such as capping the loan-to-value of mortgages, if it needed to cool the market.
Alexander Koch, an economist at UniCredit in Munich, noted that a longer view on German property in big cities, going back to 1990, showed more moderate gains, especially compared with countries with recognised property bubbles such as Spain and Ireland.

 

 

House prices in euro area hit seven-year low – FT.com.

Buyer Procrastination? No Thanks | Bedford Corners Real Estate

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Plenty of people offer plenty of theories about what exactly selling is. Here’s my theory: Selling is about persuading someone to make a decision.

 

Trying to sell a job in one call isn’t easy. You’re there to get a decision, and it’s human nature to procrastinate. The bigger the decision, the more likely prospects are to put it off.

The sales process itself sets you up for this. If you’re selling the way you should be, you’re asking a lot of open-ended questions. You reach the end of your presentation and move to close. Now you’re asking a question that’s not open-ended but requires a yes or no answer. And yes or no is often the answer people are least inclined to give. They’d rather put off making the decision.

Need To Think It Over

They put it off with objections that are often excuses. Have you ever had a homeowner say, “I’ll think it over and call you back tomorrow”? Have they told you they can’t decide without consulting a friend, colleague, or relative? Certainly you’ve heard that they can’t make a decision without more estimates. And you’re familiar with the delay tactic: “I never make an immediate decision.”

Sometimes these aim to send you politely on your way. But let’s assume you’ve been at the prospect’s house for two hours and you’ve done a great job presenting yourself, your company, and your product. You go to close — Can we do business tonight? — and they tell you they need to see a few more estimates.

Instead of walking away, challenge the prospect by making them accountable. Ask “Who else are you seeing and when?” Or “Do you really want to sit through four more window company presentations?”

Let’s say the reason they give for not buying is that they want to talk to someone else. You can ask them what it is that they want to talk to the other company about. Let’s say the reason is that they never buy without thinking it over. OK, so why is that? What exactly do they need to think through? Maybe you can help them with that process.

Keep Them Talking

Prospects will answer the questions you ask because people are conditioned to answer. By challenging the excuses they give for not buying, you get them to say what’s really on their minds. It may be they’re not so much avoiding a decision as feeling you out in an effort to get better terms. OK, now you can negotiate. You also reestablish control of the conversation. That means you can direct the conversation to a certain purpose, which is to close them a second time or a third time. But if you want the sale, you have to keep them talking. Silence means the sales appointment is over. —Jake Jacobson is vice president of sales at Premier Window & Building, a Maryland home improvement company. Reach him at trainyes@verizon.net.