Atlanta Real Estate | Atlanta Housing News for Real Estate

Jim - The power of intelligent marketing at work turning negatives into positives. We live in a rural setting and our backyard has a large power line easement. I realize some might view this as a big negative. On the flipside, that easement will prevent future development from encroaching on our privacy when we entertain on our deck or yard.

FYI...I love you how you solicit readers to respond! Great way to start dialog.

I live on a corner-lot, in a country sub. No sidewalks to shovel. Where I grew up in Ky, they were a plus so I picked one when we built our home. Your right we landscape both sides. I haven't run into that in Michigan except in city sub's where people have to shovel 2 hours after the snow falls.

Bobby Carroll - Real Estate Marketing  Thanks Bobby!  When you really think about it, real estate has endless opportunities for the gifted marketers.  Where else could you get someone to pay more for a product that is a proven slow seller!  A lot of homes that have major negatives as you point out may have major positives.  Some properties I sold near power-lines in the past had much larger lots than their neighbors, and had a swimming pool!  We call that "Bells and whistle selling!"  More extras than the neighborhood, more gingerbread and upgrades to overcome the obvious negatives.  It works!

Missy Caulk- Ann Arbor Real Estate  First of all I personally like corner lots.  I love them because they can show themselves off really well if they are sited correctly when the home in built.  I personally like the home a litle bit more forward to allow for a larger yard, and a side load garage.  Whenever possible I like a circular drive.  However, I will not personally pay extra for one. 

When we first came to Florida we thought corner lots with that great expansive front yard were great. Then we bought one. The correlary to a huge front yard is a small back yard. In our waterfront location rear privacy wasn't the issue, but lack of back yard space was.

Sharon Simms St Pete Florida CRS CIPS CLHMS   Sharon thanks!  I think a corner lot can have incredible curb appeal, but I also have listened to buyers over they years.  I don't think they are a major negative...but they have a few issues that have to be addressed.  Thank you for sharing.

Jim, I agree with you that lot premiums from builders on corners occur to make them perhaps seem more desirable.  I have seen it work time and time again.   I too live on a corner and like it, but I have seen people change their perception when they think there is more to it because of the premium. 

Highlands Ranch Real Estate, Denver Real Estate, Steve Scheer   Turning a Negative into a Positive is marketing 101.  When Guinness Brewery turned the business over to his sons they burnt their first batch of ale...and were about to throw it out!  The father said no lets sell it. Today it is known as "Stout!"  Ivory soap was not suppose to float...too much air was injected into the mixture and it floated.  Ivory soap is a household name.  Starbucks coffee is another example...it is a burnt roast.  The longer a coffee is roasted the stronger it becomes.  Most persons have to acquire a taste for it.

Jim ,

Interesting post.

The City of Portland has taken what seems to be a negative and turned it into a positive. They did this through zoning years and years ago. I don't know if it was intentional but results are fantastic. Here is what they did.

Corner lots in an R-5 zone which would be a minimum of 5000 SQ FT per site are allowed to put a second unit on the property that faces the side street. So even though it is zoned for only 1 unit , you can do a second uint on a  corner lot.

This works great for developers and builders working close in where density is wanted and land prices are high.

Jim I was interested in your "comments" about other products. Very interesting!

Some people call it lemonade.

Bill Roberts

Jim:  I too, think this is an interesting post.  I never knew that Ivory soap was not meant to float.  How to turn negatives into positives.....if only we could remember this.  Thank you for posting.

Jim, it's funny how one man's junk is another man's treasure. I love corner lots. One less neighbor to worry about. I think it gets to be an emotional thing like pools and boats. You either want them or you don't. Maybe corner lot lovers are not the majority but they are another targeted group. They are looking for corner lots. I must admit mowing the extra grass in the summer time did get to be a pain though and several times we had cars drive across the lot. Not good.

Bill Roberts - "Baby Boomer" Retirement Planning  I guess we need to look at ourselves as "Marketers"  Then we can view marketing ideas from others and apply those ideas to our own!  Like you shared, making lemonade out of the lemons in life.  New homes sales have lots of tricks.  Like if you do not buy this week, there is a new price increase coming next week!  That one worked for a long time!  There are a lot of buyers that do not have much smarts!

Dianne Barody - Pensacola Florida Real Estate  Innovation is sometimes just repackaged ideas that increase the utility!  We tend to overlook the most obvious in life.

Gary Woltal The beauty is in the eye of the beholder. "One persons dump...is another person's castle!"  When showing homes I never interject my likes or dislikes unless asked for an opinion by my clients! 

If we really poled buyers, or drew from our own collective experience of showing homes for many years, more folks choose not to buy the corner lot because of the lack of privacy.  So the marketing idea behind moving a slower mover is to make it appear as if there is a demand for it. 

Jim, good post. Corner lots are desired by some here, and detested by some here in Ohio where I am. And as an active agent, it is all in the presentation! There are so many ways to turn a negative into a positive... example: I have a listing now, on a busy street in Sheffield. A real negative. But I advertise it as "Great Location - close to shopping, great restaurants, even Regal Cinemas. Major highways just minutes away, cutting down commuting time & saving $$ spent on gas.  (Seems to be working, I got this listing as an expired & we are getting close to getting an offer accepted as we speak). --Carla

Carla Harbert - RE/MAX Pros  Some agents never figure that out!  They never mention the street, or what the home backs to!  If you divulge the worse, those that come are at least forewarned and may be interested.