11/14/2025

Jeff Lichtenstein

Nov 14, 2025

The 24-House Siphon

First Things First

It seems every week someone tells me I should do a video version of Jeff’s Journal. There have been several issues with that. First, I’m often doing it last minute and waiting until I have an inspirational topic. Second is the format. I could read it — but it’s right below you. I think it would be BORING.

So, a preview or just a read version I don’t think would work. But… this week we’ll try something. We will go live on our YouTube channel between 7:45 and 8:00 a.m. The video will still be there so you can stream it. If you’re logged in to YouTube, you can ask real estate questions about today’s topic.

Anything I missed in my list of 24 items in the Siphon? I might even answer if this thing actually works!

I’m also going to do this while walking around a nature area in Florida — something I always do on Sunday morning. Seems more interesting than me sitting at the dining room table.

No way that anything could go wrong!

But if the audio is wonky, the reception stinks, or I’m plain yawn-and-boring, just pretend this never happened. Looking forward to seeing you live…

Watch Jeff Live

Later in my Grandpa Irving’s life, I invited him to come with me to the first Chicago White Sox playoff game since 1959 and a chance at their first World Series since the Black Sox scandal of 1919.

We had season tickets, which guaranteed us a playoff seat. Poor Grandpa Irving couldn’t see well, and we ended up sitting in section ZZ behind a pole. I’d jump out into the aisle and then come back and relay to Grandpa Irving what occurred. Other than seeing Salomé Barojas and Juan Agosto warm up, there wasn’t much to report. The White Sox lost 12–1.

Today, if you want tickets for any event, they show you the stadium seat map and can even give you close-ups of what you want to purchase. You just use the siphon on the website and it brings down your selections. Price point is part of the siphon, but so is whether you want to sit close or in the center.

Even in a hot market for a hot ticket, the worst seats still sell. In a bad market, not so much. I went to a White Sox game in Miami last year. I sat in fantastic seats on the 3rd-base line for a ridiculous $11. Both teams were awful with a tiny siphon of a market. But since they had good seats, they at least had a market. The upper deck was completely empty. The siphon was 100% closed.

Real estate has its own siphon. Buyers often think what is important to them is the only thing that matters when purchasing — but they should really be thinking about the flip side: What will the home’s siphon look like when you sell?

Here are the top 24 items that will affect not only your resale value but the speed at which you sell.

Note: The less open the siphon, the higher the days on market and price gap will be in a buyers’ market with more supply.

1. Smells

If you are a smoker like Grandpa Irving and Grandma Harriet, it’s not just your lungs that will be damaged. Nobody is interested in a home with smoke. It’s fixable, but a home with the widest siphon can close up quickly.

42.4% of the population smoked in 1965. 36.4% of the youth population did the same in 1997. Today the smoking population is 11.6% and the youth population is 3.8%, according to the American Lung Association.

So, for a single person, you are basically shutting the siphon for 9 out of every 10 buyers.

And for those of you who go smoke outside by the patio — it doesn’t work that well. It gets in the house somehow.

Pet odor, pet urine, spicy cookers, mold — all of you have been warned.

However, this is correctable and buyers can get the best deal if they are savvy, and sellers can repair this as well.

Most of the time, the house needs to be painted, ducts cleaned, and the furniture dumped (especially leather or fabric).

2. Views

When it comes to “turn” and appreciation, views are at the top of the list. Water always sells. If you live in a community that has oceanfront or Intracoastal views, stretch yourself to buy it. Same for lakefront, golf course, or preserve views.

There is a percentage of buyers who will only buy a home or condo if it has a view. In premium locations, teardowns take place and at times with fantastic appreciation.

If you have no views, create one with tropical gardens and art.

Furthermore, turn, which refers to how fast a home will sell, has a lot to do with view. A home with an A+ view will move fast, even in a lousy market if priced right.

Conversely, if you need to move in a buyers’ market, the turn and depreciation get worse — and that is where inventory tends to pile up.

3. Floor Levels

Condos tend to go up in price by every story. If there is a water view, much of it depends on whether you can fully see the water.

As for single-family homes, in Florida the primary bedroom on the second floor can severely limit how many buyers will purchase it.

4. Construction Type

If you have a construction type that is not in style (think CBS versus frame) it will limit the siphon.

Wood frame homes were last constructed as a standard in 1992. Once Hurricane Andrew hit, construction moved to concrete.

Twenty-five years ago, frame homes made up a much larger percentage of the supply than they do today. So, each year it gets a bit harder to sell.

There is nothing wrong with a frame home — people love the look. It’s also easier to work with in a renovation, and many inspectors have told me they breathe better. Still, it hinders turn.

5. HOA Fees

Low HOA communities can be good and bad. There is always a demand for them in a difficult economy.

However, if the community doesn’t keep up with the times or looks shoddy, it can work in reverse.

6. Special Assessments

Similar to HOA fees, special assessments always hurt the community for resales in the beginning, but long-term they can have a positive effect.

If the special assessment is high, there will be a smaller siphon of buyers. Since the buyer is getting the enjoyment of the special assessment long-term, I’d be eyeing it and seeing if you can negotiate the seller to pay for much of it.

7. Age

Newer homes and newer communities always sell.

However, a 2022 home competing against a 2026 new construction already has stylistic disadvantages.

Still, I’m not an ageist — age is just a number, they say. If a clubhouse or a home is remodeled, it looks just as good as new.

8. Ceiling Height

Taking a thought from Randy Newman: short ceilings got no reason.

They limit light and openness, and usually there isn’t much you can do about it. Tough sell with a short ceiling.

9. Floor Plan

Unlike ceiling height, floor plans can often be opened up — at a price.

Great-room plans move faster and command higher prices.

10. Style

One day Mediterranean was in and the next day Med was out.

There was something in the 1990s called the “Boca” look.

Kitchens change, colors change, designs change. One day your new kitchen just becomes dated.

11. Updated

Updated homes turn faster and, in most cases, if done appropriately, open that siphon.

12. Staging

Furniture, decoration, and landscaping have big impacts on turns and prices.

It too opens up the siphon.

13. Pool

Pools cost more today than they did 20 years ago.

Because of that, buyers who want a pool look harder to find a home with a pool already in place.

Still, a pool is something that is correctable, and buyers should look at homes without a pool and the cost of putting in a new one.

A pool can be inserted. A view cannot. Again, an advantage for the buyer as the siphon of lookers is tighter.

14. Membership

This can go either way.

Bottom line: if the community keeps up with updating the amenities, values and the siphon become positive.

Nonetheless, if the community gets cheap and doesn’t, then the opposite takes effect.

Many country club communities in the Boynton Beach and Delray Beach area didn’t keep up with the times. The opposite happened with country club communities on the north end of the county.

There are still some out there where you can purchase a home for $5,000 as long as you take on the membership.

15. Impact Glass

Would have never been on the list, but new construction has been built with impact glass since 2007 and lots of older homes have had windows retrofitted.

Buyers expect it today.

16. Cul-de-sac

A smaller item on the siphon list but big for families.

It especially widens the family-buyer pool.

17. Road Noise

Work hard to stay away from this unless buying below market.

There are fountains and landscaping to divert attention, but prepare for a tiny percentage of the population to be interested in this.

18. Gated

It adds panache and security.

There are many buyers who will only buy in a gated community.

19. Garage Spaces

The number of spaces you have can make or break a deal.

Look at length of driveway and also condo guest-parking spots.

20. Proximity

How close you are to major roads, A-rated schools, the airport, shopping, and the beach will increase the buyers in your siphon.

21. Pet Restrictions

This can be a deciding factor, as many people won’t consider it if little Moo-Moo the cat is not allowed.

22. Exposure

Southern exposures in Florida are most in demand.

Northern can be the hardest for a wide siphon because there is less light coming through.

However, a well-designed home with lots of strategic window placements and a pool that is set back can change this around.

23. Light

How do the windows open up the house? French doors, floor-to-ceiling sliders, open floor plan, and skylights all play a role.

Even dark furniture or too much furniture can have an impact.

Also, the homes to the side and behind you come into play — does the home you are buying have limited light because the home next to it is a 2-story versus a 1-story?

24. Roof

It’s harder today to get away with an old roof because of insurance and mortgage reasons.

If you have a home with an old roof, no light, northern exposure, only goldfish allowed, no garage, backing up to the Turnpike, wood-constructed, choppy floor plan, a property like the Up house with two skyscrapers next door, built in 1962 with 7-foot popcorn ceilings, and a view of the wall…

Please don’t call me to list it.

I’ll be on a nature walk when you call — with reception issues.