Do-it-Yourself Marketing? One of the email’s I regularly get are from acquaintances — or acquaintances of my wife — whose homes are on the market, and who shoot me their listing info “just in case I might have a client.” I really don’t mind, because: a) I already get 100-plus emails daily; b) I’m glad...Read More
“Minnesota Nice” for Non-Minnesotans For non-Minnesotans reading this blog, first a definition: “Minnesota Nice” refers to the locals’ custom of being preternaturally pleasant on the surface . . . and seeming to be chilly and unavailable just below. Non-natives, especially from bigger cities (like New York) invariably find the practice off-putting if not outright annoying;...Read More
“East is East and West is West” From experience, here are two good rules of real estate negotiation: Rule #1. Never argue the “comp’s” with the other side. A comp, or comparable sold property, is a similar, nearby home that has sold recently. To determine fair market value, Realtors and appraisers alike typically look for...Read More
The Mysteriously Disappearing FSBO One of the less-remarked developments in today’s housing market is the relative absence of FSBO’s (“for sale by owner” homes). As recently as two years ago, more than 10% of all listings were; now, I’d guess that number is less than 5%. (Note: there are actually two kinds of FSBO’s: the...Read More
