Bad Behavior, Bad Actor It doesn’t happen often, but I’ve certainly handled deals where a party I’m representing in a real estate transaction has been on the receiving end of, shall we say . . . “bad behavior.” What to do? The conventional choices are: 1) get mad; or 2) get even. Option #3 But,...Read More
“Two Strikes and You’re Out” I just heard through the grapevine that a certain Twin Cities builder is now working with their third Realtor in four years (note: builders sometimes engage Realtors — occasionally on an exclusive basis — to rep their new homes). I’ve worked with both previous Realtors on past deals, and found...Read More
Buyer’s Agent Beware [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.] Thanks to heightened concerns about the security of online data, Minnesota Realtors are no longer supposed to scan and email copies of Buyers’ earnest money checks when...Read More
Knowing What You Don’t Know (But Enough to Ask an Expert) “You can pay me now, or you can pay me later.” –old Midas muffler commercial. You might guess that, as a former corporate attorney, I seldom call Edina Realty’s (excellent) legal department with questions. Wrong. And it’s hardly because me or my clients are somehow...Read More
Twin Cities’ Newest Light Rail Corridor Maybe they could’ve named it “the orange line.” That way, no one would be able to say that the Twin Cities’ spanking-new light rail corridor connecting downtown Minneapolis and St. Paul — officially, the green line — “runs through the West Bank.” Not THAT West Bank If you don’t know...Read More
When Ignorance is Bliss — Realtor Version Show me an agent who knows the particulars of Buyer-Seller arbitration, and I’ll show you . . . an agent who’s just gone through arbitration. Which in turn means they were involved in a deal where the Buyer and Seller were VERY unhappy with one another. Or should...Read More
