Real Estate’s “Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle” The observer influences the thing observed. –Heisenberg uncertainty principle It seems self-explanatory, but as a principle, I don’t price other Realtors’ listings. The issue usually comes up when I do a listing presentation — essentially, a job interview for Realtors. In the course of interviewing Realtors, homeowners (and prospective Sellers)...Read More
Playing the Card(s) You’re Dealt When you have the facts on your side, argue the facts. When you have the law on your side, argue the law. When you have neither, holler. –Al Gore Whenever I compete against another Realtor for a listing (as I did earlier this week), I always like to find out...Read More
Instant Access to 1,600 Realtors Does Realtor-to-Realtor networking really work? Well, consider this: With about 20% of the total listings in the Twin Cities housing market, the percentage of Edina Realty listings sold by other Edina Realty agents is 40%. That could just be because “we” — all 1,600-plus local Edina Realty agents — really...Read More
“Recycling” Market Knowledge It doesn’t happen to me that often (fortunately), but it’s always a bummer when a deal I’m involved with falls apart — as happened the other week. But there’s often a silver lining. In the course of handling what turned out to be a doomed condo purchase in Minnetonka a few weeks...Read More
Realtor Freudian Slip?One of the things I do in a Listing Presentation — basically, a job interview for Realtors — is give prospective clients a quick overview of the contracts that go into a deal (as a former corporate lawyer, I actually truly enjoy this part!). Typically, I’ll drop in “dummy” names for illustrative purposes,...Read More
Throwing the Runner-Up a (Very Hollow) Bone It’s not uncommon for homeowners, in the course of interviewing agents to list their home, to be deadlocked between two (or more) agents. What then? To sew up the listing, I guarantee that at least one of the agents will promise that, if the homeowner hires them, they’ll...Read More
