“Thou shalt not speak ill of any fellow Republican.” –Ronald Reagan’s so-called “Eleventh Commandment.” Why do Realtors nationally suffer from abysmal approval ratings, roughly on a par with used car salesmen and Congress? Personally, I doubt it’s because the industry is full of hucksters and charlatans. On the contrary, after 15+ years selling real estate...Read More
“Relationship Shorthand” What’s the opposite of “guilt by association?” “Honor by association.” How does that play out in residential real estate? When, as a listing agent (representing the Seller), the Buyer’s agent, lender, inspector, and title company all check out with flying colors . . . it’s highly likely that the Buyer ultimately will, too. Of...Read More
“Two Strikes and You’re Out” I just heard through the grapevine that a certain Twin Cities builder is now working with their third Realtor in four years (note: builders sometimes engage Realtors — occasionally on an exclusive basis — to rep their new homes). I’ve worked with both previous Realtors on past deals, and found...Read More
Better Than Angie’s List The best thing about cultivating and maintaining relationships with lots of good, local contractors* is that it’s a benefit to my clients who need one (or three). Runner-up benefit? I can pick up the phone and get the “scoop” (off-the-record) from an especially knowledgeable source. That proved invaluable in a recent...Read More
