“The Answer to the Seller’s Question, “Do You Think I Should [ _____ ] . . . ?” is Always “Yes”** Consider the rather provocative question — from a homeowner contemplating selling their home in a few years — posed to The Ethicist, an advice column in The New York Times: “We live in a large house...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
The Doubled-Edged Sword Called “Potential” Although you wouldn’t necessarily believe it looking at all the MLS listings with the word “potential” in them, Realtors use the term carefully, if not reluctantly (or at least I do). That’s for two reasons: One. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder ” at least to a point...Read More
Unsolicited Advice to Would-Be Home Sellers [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.] If your prospective Realtor won’t agree to adding the clause above to your listing contract...Read More
Realtor Typo’s — Exhibit A Notice anything amiss in the just-listed Wayzata condo? Realtors will. That’s because, instead of the standard 2.7% payout — the commission offered to the Buyer’s agent — the listing broker is promising to pay a whopping 22.7%(!!). Here’s guessing that that gets corrected in the next few hours . ....Read More
Contractual Void [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.] With more listing agents incorporating “Coming Soon!” into their marketing campaigns, Buyers’ agents need to be ever-more vigilant. And...Read More
