But First . . . a Brief History Lesson I don’t know about other states ” I’m only licensed to sell real estate in Minnesota ” but here, residential property taxes are due twice a year: May 15 and October 15. Those non-randomly chosen dates stretch back to when Minnesota’s economy ” like practically every...Read More
Negotiating is a crucial part of any deal, and lays the foundation for a clear, enforceable contract. Haggling is . . . an annoying waste of time. What’s the difference? Exactly two decimals. $10,000 vs. $100 So, a $10,000 item on a $250,000 house is the stuff of negotiation. A $100 item (or less) is haggling. (Note: accountants’...Read More
Establishing ” and Testing ” Boundaries If you go to the Business section of any bookstore, you’ll see any number of books on negotiation titled, “Getting to Yes!,” “Win-Win Negotiation,” etc. In my experience, however, the key to effective negotiation lies not in getting to “yes,” but getting to “no.” Or perhaps more accurately: before you...Read More
“Animal/Insect/Pest Infestation? Check ‘Yes’ or ‘No'” Do a cursory search online for “animal control,” “bat removal,” or similar, and you’ll find at least a dozen Twin Cities contractors advertising their services. Meanwhile, something like 35,000 Twin Cities homes sell each year. Even if bats inhabit less than 1% of Twin Cities homes, there should be...Read More
Dual Agency Dilemma #17 Never having represented both the Buyer and Seller in the same transaction (I consider it a classic conflict of interest), one of the questions I have for agents who do act as dual agents is, “how do you navigate things like the Buyer’s walk-thru inspection? Provided for in the standard Minnesota Purchase...Read More
Flies Tenants, Honey, & Vinegar “A home sale can have many potential deal killers. Emotions can run high. There can be hidden agendas. From tenants who don’t want to move to the child who doesn’t want to see the family home sold, third-party players can block or undo a transaction. For agents, it can mean...Read More
