is interested in a house, I'll often look for a neighbor that may be outside their home and strike up a conversation with them. It's amazing what you can find out by talking to a neighbor. Ask them what they love most about living there, and then ask what they hate the most. Ask if there's a 'bad' neighbor, funky smells or parking issues. People will generally talk freely if you're a normal person just looking for info to make your decision. They'll also want to tell you about the things they hate with more passion than the things they love. Use some humor and be cool about it. Also, if you move in, then you already have made a friend.

A number of times I've gleaned info from a neighbor with my client standing there with me that has affected their decision in terms of the property they're interested in. My clients comment that I can talk to anybody and get valuable info, I credit my mission service....