Targeting Expired Listings With Buyer Bait-and-Switch Apparently, at least a few overzealous agents at one Twin Cities broker in particular are now trolling for listings using some variation of the following sleazy strategy: Step #1: target “For Sale” homes that have just expired, unsold, on MLS. Step #2: show up unannounced at the home with...Read More
The Value of Contrary Information About all I remember from my one college statistics course is something called “the coefficient of correlation.” Ranging from “+1” to “-1,” it indicates how predictive/associated one variable is with another. Which leads to some counterintuitive insights. Such as (as the Statistics professor noted), if you’re picking investment advisors, the ideal is someone whose stock picks are always right...Read More
“Seller WILL Receive Feedback Directly” “You only find out who is swimming naked when the tide goes out.” –Warren Buffett The housing market equivalent of Buffett’s observation would be, “you only (especially?) find out who’s overpriced when the market shifts.” As local Realtors will tell you, the Twin Cities housing market experienced just such a shift over the Summer. From scarcity and...Read More
Overreaching Sellers (& Their Side Effects) The big story in the housing market so far this year has been (lack of) inventory. As previously discussed on this blog, that has resulted — at least in the lower price rungs dominated by first-time Buyers — in multiple offers, upward price pressure, and lots of frayed Buyers (and...Read More
Cheapskate Listing Agent — But Honest (Sort of) I’m sure it’s not the first time that a “successor” agent has taken over an expired or cancelled listing from the incumbent agent, and re-used their photos. But, I’ve never seen the new agent disclose that fact — albeit in the “Agent” (vs. “Public”) Remarks section on...Read More
Straightforward and Stealth Pitches Want to hear from a Realtor? Or more likely, lots of ’em? Let your listing expire, and just wait. I don’t make a practice of trolling expired listings for business, but lots of other Realtors — especially newer, less established ones — do. Would-Be Seller Beware The pitch can be straightforward...Read More