Home School

Home School Episode #1: Surviving Multiple Offers

Losing out on home after home in a competitive Twin Cities market? In this episode, Liz Sandwick and Tom Sommers break down exactly what it takes to win a multiple-offer situation in Minneapolis and Saint Paul.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why homes attract multiple offers in today’s market
• How the right lender can make or break a winning offer
• How to build a real estate team that gives you an edge
• Escalation clauses, explained simply
• Appraisal gap coverage and how it actually works
• What buyers need to know about home inspections in a competitive offer
• Real-world negotiation tactics that help buyers win

Whether it’s your first home or your fifth, this episode gives you a practical game plan for competing — and winning — without overpaying or taking on unnecessary risk.

Home School Episode #2: Pricing Strategy That Actually Gets You Top Dollar

Think pricing a home high leaves room to negotiate? It usually backfires. In this episode, Liz Sandwick and Tom Sommers explain the pricing psychology that determines whether a home sells fast — or sits.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why overpricing kills early buyer momentum
• Why the first seven days on market matter most
• How buyers actually search for homes by price bracket online
• The psychology behind pricing at $499,900 versus $510,000
• The difference between pricing to compel offers and pricing too low
• Real examples: homes that sat versus homes that sold fast
• How pricing affects appraisal risk
• Why some sellers end up chasing the market downward instead of getting ahead of it

In real estate, the market always tells the truth — this episode shows sellers how to price strategically from day one instead of learning that lesson the hard way.

Home School Episode #3: What Buyers Notice in the First 30 Seconds When Touring a Home

Buyers start forming an opinion about a home before they even walk through the front door. In this episode, Liz Sandwick and Tom Sommers dig into the first-impression details that can make or break a showing in Minneapolis, Saint Paul, and the surrounding Twin Cities metro.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why curb appeal shapes buyer perception before they ever step inside
• The small details buyers notice in the first 30 seconds of a showing
• How first impressions affect offers, before square footage or price even come into play
• Practical, low-cost ways to help a home stand out from the competition

If you’re getting ready to list a home anywhere in the Twin Cities, this episode is a quick, practical guide to making those first 30 seconds work in your favor.

Home School Episode #4: Why Online Home Values Are Outdated

Instant online home value tools promise an answer in seconds — but how accurate are they really? In this episode, Liz Sandwick and Tom Sommers of Coldwell Banker Realty pull back the curtain on automated home valuations.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why online home value estimates vary so much from one website to another
• The real limitations of automated valuation models
• How sold comparable homes actually establish a property’s value
• Why pending sales and active listings matter for current pricing
• How absorption rate factors into pricing strategy
• Why condition, layout, updates, and location swing value more than an algorithm accounts for
• The risk of pricing a home off a neighbor’s asking price instead of real buyer activity

Every home, neighborhood, and market is different — this episode breaks down how experienced agents build an accurate pricing strategy using real data, not a one-click estimate.

Home School Episode #5: The Offer That Beats Everyone Else, Without Being the Highest Price

The highest offer doesn’t always win. In this episode, Tom Sommers and Liz Sandwick break down how buyers can write a stronger offer without simply paying more.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why sellers don’t always choose the highest-priced offer
• How to structure an offer that gives sellers confidence
• When an appraisal gap actually strengthens your position, and when it doesn’t
• How to evaluate inspection contingencies without taking on unnecessary risk
• What experienced agents listen for when speaking with the listing agent
• A real example of buyers winning against higher offers through strategy, not just price

Whether you’re buying your first home or your fifth, understanding what sellers actually value can help you compete and win — without stretching your budget.

Have a real estate question you’d like answered on a future episode of Home School?

Text or call Tom Sommers at 952-994-7204 and it may be featured on an upcoming episode.

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