How do you spell “ice dam?” I know more than a few local homeowners filling out their Seller Disclosure now — or maybe just bad spellers — who are tempted to add an “n.” And if you had one this past Winter, you’d better disclose it. Either that, or hope that: a) the Buyer’s inspector...Read More
Addition By Subtraction Just like staging a home’s interior is mostly about subtraction, not addition, improving a home’s curb appeal is usually about paring back. Most common task: cutting back overgrown landscaping that obscures the home’s curb appeal. In this case, removing this Fern Hill duplex’s window awnings (above) was a 2-for-1: 1) it punched...Read More
“The More Things Change” Department Once upon a time, when I started selling real estate in 2002, the worksheet that Buyers and Sellers signed at closing was simply known as . . . “the settlement statement” (or just the closing worksheet, to avoid any jargon). Then it became the “HUD-1” (HUD stands for “Housing and...Read More
Two-Part Test [Note to Readers: Seller liability for ice dams and other home issues is case-specific, and affected by local and state law. For legal advice, please contact an attorney.] At least in Minnesota, there is a two-pronged legal standard for Buyers to recover from Sellers for damage caused by an ice dam (or any...Read More
Now, THAT’S What I Call Doing Your Legwork Hello, this is Stuart, a private home buyer interested in 42XX 18th Ave. South in Minneapolis. I can put together a buying agreement. Call me at a time that suits.” –Text on my cellphone (2/15/2021). What’s so unusual about the overture (above) that I received this morning?...Read More
Collecting (Mining?) a Treasure Trove of Personal Data on Home Buyers and Sellers (and their Realtors) [Note to Readers: The views expressed here are solely those of Ross Kaplan, and do not represent Edina Realty, Berkshire Hathaway (“Berkshire”), or any other entity referenced. Edina Realty is a subsidiary of Berkshire.] To consumers and even...Read More
