Real Estate Measuring Mistakes(?) I’ve previously written about homes I’ve shown as a Buyer’s agent where the square footage was significantly exaggerated. See, “The House That Shrank.” This post is about encountering a mismeasured home as a Listing agent, representing the seller. Background First, a stipulation: it doesn’t happen that often. I’d estimate the 90%...Read More
Every field has its most and least favorite activities. As a Realtor with a decade of experience, here are mine: Agent Favorites –Closings (Yeah!!). –Getting a call from a former client who relocated elsewhere but who’s passing through town. –Hosting a Broker Open (the first time). –Multiple offers (representing the Seller). –Full-price offers with hefty downpayments...Read More
“Pardon my French Condensation” Notwithstanding the oppressive weather in the Twin Cities the past few days, I’ve been busy showing homes. Which means viewing homes with tons of condensation on the windows; walking through basements with leaky or overflowing dehumidifiers; and seeing a/c coils that are laboring mightily. To their credit, in each case the listing...Read More
First Things First Every couple months or so, I’m on the receiving end of what I call “the full court press” in my capacity as a listing agent (representing a Seller). So, the Buyer’s agent will call or email me wanting to know what’s been updated in the home (or not), how much the monthly utilities...Read More
“It Takes One to Know One” Which Realtors (besides me) do the best job marketing their listings? Ask other Realtors. While the general public receives Realtor postcards, fridge magnets, solicitations to price their home, etc., Realtor-to-Realtor marketing these days is 99% electronic — specifically, emailed flyers touting pre-listings, new listings, and price reductions. To catch...Read More
Awkward Legal Construction One of the more confusing parts of the standard Minnesota Buyer Rep agreement — the contract governing the relationship between a home Buyer and their Realtor — is the two-part section discussing compensation. The first part states that the Buyer will pay the agent a to-be-specified retainer fee. That sure would be nice ....Read More
