Explaining Real Estate Listing Contracts Unlike what I suspect is the vast majority of Realtors, I actually look forward to walking clients through the particulars of a listing contract and the related addenda. It certainly helps that, as a former corporate attorney, I know the history, context, and purpose of the various clauses; too, I know what...Read More
Real Estate Pronouns: ‘Yours,’ ‘Mine,’ and ‘Ours’ There are Realtors out there who, once you’ve hired them, refer to everything in the plural. As in, “our” house, “our” listing price, “our” offer, etc. Unh-uh. When the deal is done, it’s my client’s house — and their mortgage payment. I explicitly take pains not to blur the distinction...Read More
Coaching 1st-Time BuyersEveryone knows what Buyer’s remorse is: the feeling you get, after you’ve bought something, that you just made a horrible mistake. So, what is non-Buyer’s remorse? The feeling you get when you find out that the house you were furiously deliberating about buying, instead sold to someone else. I counsel first-time Buyers weighing...Read More
When Do You Tell the Seller? The Buyer’s Agent called you up after the first showing to say it went well, and to ask a few questions about the house’s condition. The second showing was yesterday. Then, mid-afternoon today, the Buyer’s Agent called to say that she is meeting with her client tonight to write...Read More
Fern Hill for (Just Over) $200k! Where: 2615 Monterey Ave. in Fern HillWhat: 2 BR/1 Bath stucco cottage just down the street from Cedar LakeHow (much): $209,900When: on market 2 days (came on Monday)Who: Ross Kaplan, agent; Edina Realty, broker You won’t find a more affordable single family home closer to Cedar Lake than this...Read More
The Second Most Popular Question in Real Estate What’s the second most popular question in real estate? (the first being, “what’s my home worth?”) “How long will it take to sell my home?” Unless the Realtor is going to buy it, the honest answer is, “I don’t know.” However, it is possible to give the...Read More
