Listing Agent Retort: “I’ll Tell You Right After You Tell Me How High the Buyer is Willing to Go” You (almost) never hear a listing agent (representing a Seller) say to a Buyer’s agent at the outset of negotiations: “let’s cut to the chase; what’s the most your Buyer will pay for my client’s property?”...Read More
Good Journalistic — and Realtor — Technique (vs. Parent of New College Student) Good journalists — and Realtors! — know that the key to eliciting information is to pose open-ended questions rather than closed-ended questions. So, savvy listing agents debriefing Buyers’ agents ask, “What did your client like most/least about the home?,” not, “How did...Read More
Beauty in the Eye of the Beholder Buyer When should a listing agent (representing the Seller) explicitly market that a home “needs cosmetic updates” (or the equivalent)? Less often than you might guess. Here are my three reasons why: One. The pictures tell the story. For years, websites like EdinaRealty.com have allowed an unlimited number...Read More
Beginner Drafting Mistakes “As I am smoking . . . I don’t expect to be thanked.” —What John Hurt’s character ” in “Love and Death on Long Island” (1997) ” says to the cab driver, when the latter points to the cab’s “Thank You For Not Smoking” sign, and asks Hurt to extinguish his cigarette. [Editor’s Note: The views expressed here are...Read More
The Home Seller – Realtor Interview (aka “Listing Presentation”): What Agents Need to Ask Homeowners [Editor’s Note: The views expressed here are solely those of Ross Kaplan, and do not represent Edina Realty, Berkshire Hathaway, or any other entity referenced. If you need legal advice, please consult an attorney.] When it comes to listing presentations —...Read More
Who’s the “she?” Phi Dunphy arch-rival Realtor Mitzi Roth, played by a very believable Ellen Barkin. In an episode titled, “Send Out the Clowns,” Mitzi outmanuevers Phil for a choice listing by showing up at the Seller’s home at the same time as Phil’s listing appointment, then weaseling her way in by claiming she has a Buyer. On the...Read More
