“I’m Not Being Rude . . . I’m Just Being a Realtor” It’s purely anecdotal, but my guess is that nobody can (and does!) end a conversation faster than a veteran Realtor. They/we aren’t being short or abrupt. Rather, we’re just juggling lots of balls, and know that, when a hard-to-reach client pops up on your caller ID...Read More
[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.] Consider this all-too-common scenario: the listing agent and their excited client, the Seller, have just carefully reviewed the Buyer’s offer together,...Read More
Property Tax Assessed Value vs. Fair Market Value Hard as it might be to imagine, there’s actually one scenario where a home’s property tax value can be too low: when it’s about to go on the market. While the assessed value isn’t something that Realtors and Appraisers take into account to determine market value ”...Read More
Real Estate Synonyms — and Antonyms True or false: “Meticulously maintained” means the same thing as “updated.” Give up? The correct answer is “False.” In fact, “meticulously maintained” is almost always Realtor code for not updated. Ditto for synonyms such as “well-loved,” “quaint,” “vintage,” “long-time owner,” etc. (all very nice things, by the way — just...Read More
Cost-Benefit Analysis [Editor’s Note: The views expressed here are solely those of Ross Kaplan, and do not represent Edina Realty, Berkshire Hathaway, or any other entity referenced. If you need legal advice, please consult an attorney.] Homeowner’s title insurance really isn’t like any other insurance consumers buy. Unlike health or life insurance, it doesn’t protect...Read More
Then: “Let Them Eat Cake” Now: “Let THEM Wear Masks” [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.] Seven months into a worsening Pandemic, and scarcely one week after...Read More
