“Edina:  2-story walkout, 4,320 finished square feet, 5/4/3, school district 270.  Fresh and immaculate Parkwood Knolls home on a great lot in a cul-de-sac.  $874,900”

–Pre-list networking

Can you spot the key — and buried — detail in the above?

Hint:  it’s not a word, it’s a number — in fact, it’s a single digit (“0” vs. “3”).

What’s in a Number

As agents (if not the public) know, Edina schools are #273; Hopkins schools are #270.

Ergo, prospective Buyers need to know that, even though they’ll have an Edina address, their kids are zoned for Hopkins.

And because Edina limits open enrollment, the chances of getting into Edina schools — a drawing card for many Edina Buyers — are low.

Potential Dealbreaker

How big a deal is that?

It certainly varies by Buyer — Hopkins schools have plenty of fans, too — but suffice to say it translates into a discount, not a premium for the affected home(s).

Hence, making that clear to Buyers’ agents (and their clients 🙂 ) up front . . .

P.S.:  “5/4/3” is Realtor-speak for 5 Bedrooms, 4 Bathrooms, 3-car Garage.

See also, “Coming: Not So Open Enrollment?

About the author

Ross Kaplan has 19+ years experience selling real estate all over the Twin Cities. He is also a 12-time consecutive "Super Real Estate Agent," as determined by Mpls. - St. Paul Magazine and Twin Cities Business Magazine. Prior to becoming a Realtor, Ross was an attorney (corporate law), CPA, and entrepreneur. He holds an economics degree from Stanford.

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