Why Buyers Can Walk When the Home Doesn’t Appraise “Buyer agrees to pay in the following manner: 1) Cash of _____ percent (%) of the sale price, or more in Buyer’s sole discretion . . . “ –Excerpt, standard Minnesota Purchase Agreement (emphasis added). [Editor’s Note: The views expressed here are solely those of Ross Kaplan,...Read More
Did the Appraiser Goof? A client trying to refinance his mortgage recently ran into a not-uncommon problem: a low appraisal. My client was convinced that the appraiser goofed because — amongst other things — the appraiser listed the home as only having one Bathroom, not two. Unfortunately, the second Bathroom is in the basement. Because...Read More
Practice Tip for Agents Whose Listing Sold in Multiple Offers “Whoever has the gold, makes the rules.” –The Golden Rule What trumps The Golden Rule (at least temporarily)? What I’ll call “The House Key Rule”: whomever controls access to an MLS-listed home controls the sale. That’s particularly relevant in the wake of multiple offers, when...Read More
Weighing Defensive Clauses, Offensive Clauses — & No Clauses [Editor’s Note: Nothing in this post or on this blog should be construed as offering legal counsel. If you require legal advice, please consult an attorney.] “Home must appraise at or above sale price. If appraisal is below that amount, Buyer shall have the right to renegotiate this...Read More
Area Code 612 vs. 619 Listing agents — at least ones who want their deals to close smoothly and on time — now routinely meet Appraisers at the home.* See, “An Ounce of (Real Estate) Prevention.” Their goal? To make sure the Appraiser has all the info they need to support the home’s sale price....Read More
Crossing (Appraisal) Bridges When You Come to Them With housing prices now rising in most markets nationally, the risk of homes not appraising is generally receding. But, the risk still isn’t zero. Even so, it’s usually unwise — even if it’s possible — for the Buyer and Seller to address in the Purchase Agreement or...Read More
