So, let’s dive in, guys. Today I’m going to touch on a very sensitive topic. We’ve been with a lot of buyers throughout the years, and the buyer’s brain is a little wild. So, let’s talk about some things. Sometimes they focus on things that they absolutely shouldn’t, and sometimes they don’t focus on things that they should. Let’s break things down. There are definitely red flags that are not red flags. So, for example, wall color, light fixtures, messy houses, old carpet, and weird decor. Those things should not panic your buyers. But we’ve seen more often than not that they put a lot more weight on those issues than what they do with structural items, which we’ll get to in a second. 

Now, sometimes it’s really difficult for a buyer to have a little vision. If there are any realtors out there, I’m going to give you a hint. This is where AI is going to be your best friend. Now, I wouldn’t recommend doing this with every single house, but let’s say you’ve seen 20 different homes and the buyers finally found the one, except they can’t get past the 90s kitchen. You know what kind I’m talking about. It’s like then you have the. The tile backsplash with, like painted grapes on it. And there’s inevitably going to be a clock in that kitchen that says something like wine time. You’ve been in one of those kitchens for sure. So, what are we talking about? We’re talking about a little paint and some peel and stick backsplash, and then a quick run to the home goods store. You can see it, but your buyer just can’t. So, here’s what I’d recommend. I would tell them to go home and sleep on it and say that you’re going to do a little bit of digging on the house. 

 Now, hopefully you would be able to tap into some of your resources, for example, I have a contractor friend of mine who is extremely helpful. I bring her and her company in when we need a little bit of upgrading on the. On the listing side of things before we list a home. So, she is more than happy to help me when I have these oddball situations. I take some pictures and some video of the kitchen, send it over to her, and I said, hey, what would it cost to do, like, two different levels of a renovation? And the first level would be something to the effect of, you know, painting the kitchen. And I know red is hard to paint over, but paint the kitchen, revamp the backsplash, maybe upgrade the light fixtures and the hardware. Obviously, the decor is going to be different. What kind of cost are we talking about? And then the next level would be something like a complete gut job and completely go to town. Then I would spend a little bit of time uploading those pictures up to AI and feeding it prompts to give it a good before and after picture. So, for example, the prompt that I would typically feed into AI would be something like this, without changing anything else in this room, revise the paint, color, backsplash, and decor so that it’s light and bright and up to today’s standards. You can get a little more detail than that. You can tell it exactly what type of style. If you know the type of style that your buyers are kind of looking for, what they’ve been attracted to, you could feed that into it. Then take those pictures and create a little before and after photo shoot with the information that you got from your contractor on approximately how much it would cost to upgrade that room. So, with that, you can send those pictures and that information to show your clients that this is a kitchen worth cooking in. Take $1,000 off the price or ask for, you know, $1,000 in seller assist. So that way the money is there to make that kitchen their reality. And if they have the vision and if you’ve shown them these things, then hopefully they’ll be able to move past them. The wall color and move into the home. 

 Now let’s talk about some things that when a buyer is going through a home, they’re sometimes focusing on these cosmetic things, and they’re not focused on what I would be concerned about if I were purchasing a home. And that would basically be centered around the foundation or anything structural and anything that has anything to do with water. So, for example, your roof, that’s going to be your first defense against water. So that is super important. Another thing is the foundation. So, I would recommend spending A little bit of time in that creepy basement looking for shifting walls, looking for intrusion of water in the corners especially. And that’s another thing, is that sometimes buyers are like, oh my gosh, there’s this puddle of water, or this corner absolutely gets damp. The very next thing you should be doing is going right outside to that corner to look where the downspout is. Sometimes it’s just a couple of dollars to extend that drainage away from the house, away from the foundation. And sometimes that perceived issue is a non-issue. Now, of course, just so you know, I am not an inspector, I’m not a contractor. I do not deal with wall anchors. I have very little knowledge about those things. But in my experience, if you can point out those things and then make sure that they reference those to their inspector, then that would help determine whether this house should be taken out of consideration.  

Now keep in mind that the sellers are sometimes willing to negotiate as well. So don’t wipe it out completely if it’s otherwise still on the table. But if it has anything to do with water or drainage issues or water flow, that is going to be definitely a red flag that you need to make sure is repaired. And then you got to think, how long has this water damage been going on? Reference the disclosures, see what the sellers have to say about it, if they say anything at all. Because even if a water issue is corrected; you don’t know what’s going on behind those walls. And that’s when you get into mold and all that fun stuff. So water would be my first kind of major area of concern. Secondly would have to do with foundation and structural issues. If there’s any shifting of the walls, that’s really important to investigate further. A lot of times here in Western Pennsylvania, we will see wall anchors in a basement. And that to me may be a red flag or alarming for a buyer to see, especially if they’ve never seen anything like that before. But to me, I’ve seen enough of them to know that they are usually done by an extremely reputable company who offers a 100 year transferable warranty. So, getting a little information on that is definitely helpful if you as well. If you’re seeing daylight in your basement though, anywhere going outside, you know, cracks and walls that are that big, we may be talking about some pretty expensive fixes. So, anything that has to do with water is a big deal. Anything that has to do with the structural integrity of the home is a big deal. And keep in mind that even sometimes these things are hard to detect. 

 So, who should be your first line of defense? Your home inspector. Not great Uncle Jeb who came along and built a shed once and he’s an alarmist trying to tell you all these bad things about things that are going get an inspector now.  

There are some things though, that I also wanted to point out that would be a red flag to me that kind of sometimes have nothing to do with the house itself. Things that are out of your control. What do I mean by that? Location, location, location. If you have a house that is perfectly positioned, it’s beautiful, it’s perfect, ready to go, but you’re looking around, and the neighbor is a hoarder and has several vehicles in the backyard in different levels of collapse. If there is a vicious dog next door and you have little kids, or even if you don’t, you know, all of those little things, those are not going to be easy to fix, if fixable at all. So, a lot of times if a buyer is looking at a property at night, I really recommend that we go back during the daytime. Let’s give it a peek. And let’s also take a second to stand at the house and look out the windows and what are you seeing? Because those are the things that you’re not going to easily be able to fix. And you can’t put a price on good neighbors. Trust me.  

Now, for my buyers out there, don’t worry. I know I throw a lot of information out at you, and especially if you’re a first-time homebuyer, this absolutely can sound a little bit overwhelming. This is where having a good realtor is really going to help you. You want somebody who’s going to give you a little bit of guidance but not force their opinions onto you. If there is a home that you absolutely love and your realtor is the one who’s hung up on the kitchen may not be a good fit. I have a quote that I always tell my teammates and it’s called “Report then Support” So, what this means is if I’m showing a house to a buyer, I’m going to report what I’m seeing. And I’m also going to be very clear; I’m not a home inspector. So, if this is of concern to you, and this is the house for you, I’d recommend that you bring this item up to your home inspector so that they can talk you through it and give you a little better advice. So, I report what I’m seeing. But then if my clients want to proceed with the home, I support their decision. If I feel that I have given my buyers everything there is to know that I can see. And I think it’s a great house. And we’ve seen 20 homes and this one is just the best of the best that we’ve seen and they want to walk. My job is to support their decision. Now that doesn’t mean that I shouldn’t educate along the way. That’s also extremely important. 

Now if the buyers have this HGTV non reality outlook when we’re house hunting, that’s definitely something that we need to take into consideration and that is a problem. Guys, please keep in mind that anything on HGTV is not real. I actually joke with my buyers that while we’re house hunting and until they close on their house, they’re not allowed to watch anything on HGTV. So it’s very important that you keep focused on reality and that you are focusing on the right things and a good Realtor is going to be able to help you do that. 

 If you are loving these tips, there’s more real estate wisdom waiting for you. Whether you are a video binge watcher, a blog reader, a Facebook scroller, or just someone who loves a good deep dive, my team has got you covered. Throw me in a Google search Katina Hunter Realtor or the Katina Hunter Real Estate team and the real estate rabbit hole is waiting for you. Save me in your phone right now under realtor 724-888-9020 You never know when you’ll need me.

Katina sits down with teammate and long‑term friend Kelsey Ziegler. Listen in as they chat about Kelsey’s local roots, the communities she proudly serves, and how her “Hometown Values” shape the way she cares for clients at Coldwell Banker. https://open.spotify.com/episode/5lFhPa02mOQziCPjQkd4CQ?si=FQuwok5ITYegZdZZ5i1Heg

When my wife and I began searching for a home, we had one non‑negotiable at the top of our list: accessibility. What we quickly learned, though, was that unless we were willing to move into a 55‑and‑over community, most homes on the market simply weren’t designed with our needs in mind. Grab bars are helpful, and zero‑step entry is a great start, but accessibility isn’t one‑size‑fits‑all. What works beautifully for one person may not work at all for another—and that made our search incredibly challenging.

We were lucky to have a realtor who truly understood our needs and worked tirelessly to find homes that might fit. But even with her dedication, she could only show us what was available, and the inventory just wasn’t there.

After touring what felt like hundreds of homes, we realized we might be approaching the process the wrong way. We had walked through several houses that almost worked. Places that had potential if they just had this feature or that adjustment. But we were so focused on finding a home that was already accessible that we weren’t seeing the possibilities right in front of us. That’s when everything shifted. Instead of searching for the perfect accessible home, we started looking for a home with potential.

With my background in construction, years of experience working with people with disabilities, and my wife’s lived experience, we set out to find that diamond in the rough. And suddenly, the market opened up. There were plenty of homes that needed only minimal updates to become truly accessible. We found a house under budget—even after accounting for the modifications—and got to work. Wider doorways, a ramp in the garage, a walk‑in bathtub, and smart‑home technology transformed the space into a home where my wife could move independently and comfortably.
Before long, we outgrew that first home and started dreaming about more outdoor space. This time, armed with everything we’d learned, we found a property with land fairly quickly. But this house needed much more extensive work, and it came with a whole new set of challenges—finding the right lender, choosing a reputable contractor, navigating a construction loan, and converting it once the work was complete. Each step had its own learning curve, but we stuck with it and created a home we truly love.

And that journey is exactly why I decided to become a realtor. I want to share what we learned and help others facing similar situations. It can be difficult to look past what a home is and imagine what it could be. For buyers—especially here in Western Pennsylvania—accessible homes can be hard to find. That’s why working with a realtor who understands accessibility, renovation potential, and the reality of the market is so important.

If you’re navigating similar challenges or wondering how to make a home work for your needs, you don’t have to do it alone. I’m here to help you see the possibilities.

Michael Novitski
Realtor – Coldwell Banker / Katina Hunter Team
Michael.Novitski@CBRealty.com
724-888-9020

Lead Turns Love Story

Join Katina as she sits down with Coldwell Banker Cranberry’s Manager, Alishia Schultz, for a heartfelt conversation 💬✨Discover how a career in real estate led her to the love of her life ❤️🏡—and how one unforgettable phone call changed everything 📞

Let’s tackle a topic that most Realtors try to skirt around: The seller’s closing costs. (Insert dramatic music here!)

Why is talking about numbers so difficult? Because… this is where the Realtor’s commission comes to fruition.

True confidence lies in communication, & true professionalism lies in the delivery. If a Realtor is confident that what they provide is nothing but exceptional service – then they should be able to speak confidently to the commission charged & what they do to earn that fee.

It took me a long time to be able to confidently speak about my commission without getting a little shaky at the topic. However, the conversation is MUCH easier the longer I’m in the business, the more services I offer my sellers & the more statistics & testimonials I can offer prospective clients to put some more proof in my pudding.

Commission is just one line item in a seller’s closing costs. Some costs are negotiable, others are not. Some are based on a percentage & others are a flat fee.

NEGOTIABLE/OPTIONAL CLOSING COSTS:
There are several fees that are not standard or, not required at all. A savvy seller will work with their Realtor to find which menu items should be included in the listing:

Listing Commission:
This is probably the most obvious one. A Realtor’s professional fee is typically a percentage of the sales price. It is negotiable at the time a seller is signing that listing contract. A seller’s goal is to find the Realtor that is the most VALUABLE – not the CHEAPEST. There’s a big difference, & I’ll need another show/blog to deep dive into this topic.

Buyer’s Commission:
In the olden days, a listing agent would negotiate 1 lump sum with the sellers to pay all of the commission for both Realtors in a transaction. Today, The Realtors’ commission in a transaction has been de-coupled, meaning, it’s considered as 2 separate fees rather than just one lump sum. This is great news for sellers.

Although it’s very likely that a buyer will ask a seller to contribute to their Realtor’s professional fee – it’s not automatically assumed to be paid by the seller. They can now negotiate this line item with an offer, giving them more financial control of their fees & putting more financial responsibility on the buyer.

Seller Assist:
Speaking of buyer financial responsibility… seller assist is something else that a buyer can request with their offer, but it’s not mandatory for the seller to gift any additional funds to the buyer. This usually shows up as a percentage, but it’s not uncommon for it to appear as a flat fee.

Perks/Incentives:
Adding perks like a home warranty is a great idea to not only help attract buyers & add some marketing benefits to the listing. Depending on the plan you include & if you’re offering additional coverage for things like a pool, well or appliances: you’re looking at a minimum of $500.

MANDATORY FLAT FEES:
These are just the cost of doing business & include things like the deed prep, municipal certifications, the brokerage fee, settlement fee, notary fee, tax certification… As I write this today in 2026, totaling these up with bring you to less than $2,000. A listing agent won’t be able to give you the exact penny because many of these fees are paid to the title company. It’s the buyer’s choice as to which title company is used, but you can have your own attorney prepare your deed. This may give you an extra $50-$100 if you feel that the title company is too expensive, & you want to shop around.

MANDATORY FEES BASED ON A PERCENTAGE:
The transfer tax is the big one here. If you want to trick a Realtor, ask them what the transfer tax amount is. This is kind of a trick question because:
1. It varies from area to area (especially in specific locations in Allegheny County!)
2. The transfer tax amount is split between the buyer & seller.

In most of Western Pennsylvania, the transfer tax is typically 2%. This means that the seller is responsible for 1% of the sales price.

CLOSING COST FORMULA:
When it comes to what you’ll net, you can expect to pay:

Sales Price
• % of Sales Price for Listing Agent Commission
• % of Sales Price for Buyer’s Agent Commission (if negotiated)
• % of Sales Price for Transfer Tax
• % of Sales Price/Flat Fee for Seller Assist (if negotiated)
• $2,000 in Estimated Flat Fees
• Flat Fees for Incentives (ex: Home Warranty)
• – ?? ??? (Mortgage Payoff)

Don’t forget your mortgage payoff or any equity lines of credit. That all gets paid at closing so that the house is transferred free & clear of any/all liens.

If your eyes are bugging out of your head from all of the subtracting you’re doing – this is where a Realtor’s experience is worth their weight in gold. They should be able to offer you options to help safeguard a seller’s bottom line. I have several ways that I do this, & I’m saving these tips for next time!

Katina Hunter
Team Lead for the Katina Hunter Team with Coldwell Banker
724-888-9020
Katina.Hunter@PittsburghMoves.com

Here’s our deep dive into a five-county snapshot of the Western PA real estate market.

🏡 Beaver County
The market isn’t just growing; it’s a complete glow-up. The average sales price hit $250K—up 8%, & the median sales price is up a whopping a 14%. This gives sellers a LOT of confidence & buyers don’t seem to have an issue stepping up to the plate with more money for Beaver County properties. Just one example of what I was saying earlier – Don’t Wait for the Rate!

🏡 Lawrence County
The average sales price in Lawrence County is climbing as well – flexing at an 11% increase. There was also a huge jump in the median list price… get this… a 60% increase. This is a big, flashing neon sign for our investor friends – properties have historically been on the cheaper side in this area, & now there’s trends showing that the median listing price has jumped to $160,000 & are SELLING at those prices. That’s a pretty nice return on investments… If you’re an investor, I’d set your sights on some specific locations in Lawrence.

🏡 Butler County
Homes here are selling for, on average, 98% of the asking price. So, the listing price vs. selling price ratio has stayed pretty consistent in the last year. There’s just not a lot of wiggle room on price, & I hope to see that the sellers continue to price their homes well here. We’ve seen more transactions than we’ve had in a while with the amount of homes sold up by 10%. Buyers are attracted to Butler & willing to pay the price.

🏡 Allegheny County
Allegheny is by far the most consistent of all of the counties we’re looking at. Everything is steady: Average sales price: Same at $411,000. Listing price vs. selling price ratio? Same! Just under 99%. Even the number of properties sold compared to prior year is extremely consistent. That is one of the things that makes Pittsburgh such a great real estate market – we don’t experience the massive swings that have been reported in other markets across our country. Western PA is the steady hand in real estate which is good news for everyone involved!

🏡 Mercer County
Delving into Mercer County, buyers have the most negotiating power here. On average, we’re seeing about 4% off of the sales price. Meaning, the average $200,000 home in Mercer is selling for about $192,000. Imagine what you could do with a home with an extra 10 grand in your pocket to make things exactly your style? There’s more give in Mercer than I’m seeing anywhere else.

Now that you’ve heard the nitty-gritty, if there are buyers out there waiting for prices to go down… sorry, guys, but the trends are saying that prices are steadily increasing. This is across the board. I would highly recommend jumping on the buying bandwagon sooner than later.
“… But I’m going to wait until the rates go down.” My team has heard this a million times. Friends – listen up! Even if rates go down in the future – which is NOT a guarantee at all – you’re going to get burned by waiting with the steadily increasing sales prices.

Katina Hunter
Team Lead for the Katina Hunter Team with Coldwell Banker
724-888-9020
Katina.Hunter@PittsburghMoves.com

Realtors… Good, Better, Best

The Fold Podcast Episode #21

Real Estate Diaries Episode #21