Politics isn’t the only field that has incumbents and challengers. Real estate does, too. The “incumbent Realtor” is the Realtor who helped the now-selling homeowner buy the home, however many years back; the challengers are all the other Realtors vying for the listing. Average Realtor “Career”: < 2 Years I’d guesstimate that something like one-third of...Read More
Showing Condo’s The odds of a lockbox being unusually difficult to open vary directly with how pressed you are for time. –Ross Kaplan Q: When is being on time, late? A: When you’re showing multiple condo’s in an unfamiliar building. If you’re showing several condo’s in a building you don’t know, it’s always a good idea...Read More
Ok, so there are only three zeroes attached — or sometimes just two (vs. Wall Street’s five or six), but more and more MLS listings these days are dangling bonuses in front of the Buyer’s agent (called the “Selling Agent” once the deal has closed). Unlike a fatter commission payout, which the Buyer’s agent has to split with...Read More
Genius: one percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration. –Thomas Edison You might say the same thing for great real estate marketing — though I might tweak the ratio to 10%/90%. In this case, how long would it have taken to clear the built-in buffet (pictured above)? Ten seconds? Thirty? Not a lot to add a...Read More
The Blindfold Test, or, “Buyer Due Diligence” Want an old-fashioned way to tell if a given “For Sale” home is a value? Skip the complicated CMA (“Comparative Market Analysis”), detailed spreadsheets, etc. Instead, follow this two-step approach: One. Get up to speed in the area you’re interested in, familiarizing yourself with prevailing prices. Two. When you tour a...Read More
How to Increase Your Property’s Value . . . For Free! Psssttt! Hey, you! Twin Cities condo owner! Want to increase your property’s value 2% – 3% — conservatively — without spending a dime? Seriously. What’s the catch? There isn’t one (unless, perhaps, you happen to have bad allergies). Have your building association revisit its...Read More
