Pro’s & (Mostly) Con’s “Don’t be a secret agent.” –Advice to new real estate agents just starting out. Why would the owner of a “For Sale” home want to skip putting a “For Sale” sign in front? Search me. Here are the four most common reasons I hear — followed by my Realtor rebuttal (in...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
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. Most MLS’s allow 18 photos; websites like EdinaRealty.com effectively allow...Read More
Doing Realtor Damage Control Thanks to a Star Tribune story Tuesday chronicling a supposedly overheated Twin Cities housing market, crestfallen Buyers who repeatedly(!) came up short in multiple offers this Summer, etc., etc., several thousand local agents had to take a chunk out of their busy schedules this week to do damage control with their anxious...Read More
Universal Staging Principles How do you stage an outdoor, in-ground swimming pool in the backyard of a “For Sale” home? The same way you stage anything else: by adding accents, focal points, and color — and removing clutter. For an outdoor pool, that means opening up any poolside umbrellas, arranging nearby lawn chairs, and throwing...Read More
“Actions > Words Dept.” How do you know, as a listing agent (representing the Seller), that a Buyer has serious interest? A. They gushed about how much they loved the home at the Sunday open house. B. They asked the listing agent to find out how quickly the Seller can close. C. The showing feedback...Read More
