“Ball & Chain” vs. Source of Stability/Emotional Support A “contronym” is word that is its own antonym. Examples include the word “left” (“the gentlemen have left and the ladies are left”); “off” (“to turn off,” but also “activate,” as in “the alarm went off”); and “sanction” (both “approve” and “punish”). So, what do you call...Read More
Did the Appraiser Goof? A client trying to refinance his mortgage recently ran into an infrequent but not unheard of problem: a low appraisal. My client was convinced that the appraiser goofed because ” amongst other things ” the appraiser listed the home as only having one Bathroom, not two. Unfortunately, the second Bathroom is...Read More
Guilt By Association When agents see a listing ” in mid-January, in Minnesota ” with leafy trees and a bright, green lawn, their knee-jerk response isn’t to say to themselves, “My, what gorgeous landscaping.” It’s to click on “History” on MLS to see how long the home’s been on the market ” and find out how many...Read More
Seasoned vs. Green Buyers; The Role of Pre-List Networking “The first Buyer is (often) the best Buyer.” –Popular Realtor saying. It’s accepted wisdom amongst veteran Realtors (which I happen to agree with): “the first Buyer is (often) the best Buyer.” Why’s that? The explanation has to do with the nature of the pool of home...Read More
Question #2: Good or Bad for Whom?? Is it good news or bad news that a home scheduled to be on “Broker Tour” ” essentially, open houses for local Realtors each Tuesday in the Twin Cities ” abruptly cancelled? Answer: it depends. It’s good news — at least for the Seller, if not frustrated Buyers — if...Read More
Reason Not to Lie #37 “Lying is hard, telling the truth is easy. By definition, every good Realtor juggles: multiple clients, dozens of showings, lots of parallel deals at varying stages. It’s hard enough keeping all the details straight and presenting them coherently to your client(s); not tripping yourself up in a web of lies...Read More
