Who’s on First?” ” Real Estate Edition [Editor’s Note: The views expressed here are solely those of Ross Kaplan, and do not represent Edina Realty, Berkshire Hathaway, or any other entity referenced. If you need legal advice, please consult an attorney.] Exactly what role(s) do licensees, principals, agents, subagents, brokers, dual agents, and facilitators play...Read More
Moving Beyond “The Doctor Realtor-Knows-Best Model” Unlike doctors, Realtors don’t deal in life-and-death consequences (thankfully). But, their relationship to clients — and arguably, every professional’s relationship to their less knowledgable customer — parallels the three types of doctor-patient relationships outlined in Dr. Atul Gawande’s wise and sensitive book, “Being Mortal.” “Red Pills and Blue Pills” According to...Read More
How to Get Out of “Customer Service Purgatory” Want less of something bad? Tax it. Or fine it. So, aggressive phone solicitations have been dramatically slashed by federal legislation establishing “Do Not Call Lists,” and fining transgressions. Of course, if you truly want zero of something . . . make it illegal (prostitution, meth, etc.)....Read More
“Who’s on First?” — Real Estate Edition Exactly what role(s) do licensees, principals, agents, subagents, brokers, dual agents, and facilitators play in residential real estate in Minnesota? Consumers, I’m sure, have no idea. But their Realtor does. Moreover, it’s incumbent upon their Realtor to (briefly) explain it to them, at the beginning of the relationship. Step #2: document that they’ve...Read More
$3 Gas (or Below) in the Twin Cities “The U.S. is funding both sides of the war on terrorism.” –Thomas Friedman, The NYT “Vuja de“: the distinct sense that somehow, something that just happened has never happened before. –George Carlin I saw it first at the St. Louis Park Costco Monday afternoon when I filled...Read More
Tightening Credit Snares the Healthy, Too Without doubt, credit was extended too freely over the past 15 years, and a rationalization of lending is unavoidable. What is avoidable, however, is taking credit away from people who have the ability to pay their bills. If credit is taken away from what otherwise is an able borrower,...Read More
