Trying to Keep the Playing Field Level “As you are no doubt aware, allowing a showing on your listing while it is in TNAS (Temporarily Not Available for Showing) status is a NorthstarMLS rule violation. We have changed the fine for this violation to the List Agent from $100 to $1,000. This reflects its more...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
The Opposite of “Home Alone” It’s every home seller’s worst nightmare: they return home long after a scheduled showing, only to find strangers in their Living Room(!). With no Realtor in sight. While it’s an extremely rare occurrence — and an automatic $1,000 fine for the Buyer’s agent — that makes it no less upsetting for the owner. Buyer’s...Read More
Question #2: And Exactly How Much Was That?? It turns out son #2 doesn’t owe anyone anything. What he meant to say was, “I got there fine” (as in, “I arrived safely”). The back story: he and a friend biked to school for the first time the other morning, and was under strict instructions to...Read More
Human vs. Wildlife Squatters Why do a walk-thru inspection of a (very) vacant Minnetonka home that the Buyer intends to tear down after closing? After all, the primary purpose(s) of a walk-thru — usually done within 48 hours of closing — is to make sure there have been no material changes in the home’s condition...Read More
