Disposing of Old Paint (Or Not) I have an (almost) fail-safe way of predicting whether or not the Buyer wants the Seller’s old paint. If the Seller leaves it . . . the Buyer wants it removed. If the Sellers gets rid of it . . . . the Buyer wanted it left. Coin Flip...Read More
Client Testimonials Selling residential real estate is not without its trials. The hours stink, clients can be demanding, and — at least earlier this week — listing a home in Minnesota means traipsing outside in below zero temps to take measurements. On the other hand, every so often you handle a transaction that (more than)...Read More
Four Reasons to Inspect No one has a new car professionally inspected before they buy it (though they likely take it for a test drive — or three). Why pay several hundred dollars to inspect a brand-new home? I can think of four reasons: One. To get a professional’s assessment of construction quality. A good Realtor...Read More
City Inspections vs. Buyer Home Inspections “Needs extensive rehab or possible teardown. Not a bank-owned home. Very fast response to offers. Minimal T-I-H required repairs.” –MLS listing How can something be a possible tear-down, and yet have “minimal Truth-in-Housing (TIH) required repairs?” Isn’t that an oxymoron? Nope. As I tell my Buyer clients, the scope...Read More
All-New Everything Believe it or not, the headline of this post isn’t an oxymoron — or even an insult. On the contrary, a Buyer who intends to do a “stem-to-stern” renovation is the salvation of more than a few Sellers (see, “Tear-Down Economics“), who have neither the inclination nor resources to do needed, major updating — and...Read More
“Work to be Done by a Licensed Contractor” Usually, inspection issues are all about “what”: what is in disrepair; what documentation the Buyer has to substantiate any issues; and what the Buyer wants the Seller to do about it (fix it, or lower the selling price). But “who” can also be relevant — as in, “who...Read More
