It's not just the neighborhood anymore

Of course location is still at the top of many peoples' lists but a secondary consideration that is getting more attention is real estate taxes.  As prices have fallen and budgets have been squeezed at all levels of government, real estate taxes are on the rise in many areas.  They are a noticeably larger percentage of the cost of home ownership in quite a few cases.

You can establish a good baseline by including tax comparisons among properties that otherwise meet your buyer's requirements.  To make a more profound difference, be prepared to provide analysis of the adequacy of government revenues are in the communities you serve.  Significant shortfalls can foreshadow real estate tax increases and/or reduced services.  This knowledge could be a helpful contribution to your buyer's decision.  Once you've done your initial research it will require little effort to keep this knowledge current and to provide it in situations where it can make a difference.

Click here for an article describing the tax climate in some well-known areas.