“Pride of Owner Builder-ship” Want to know if a home is well-built and in stellar condition? To be absolutely sure, you really need to do a professional inspection. However, the best predictor I know is this: the seller also built the home. Seller-Builder’s The reason that that’s the gold standard — especially for more expensive...Read More
Deciphering “Realtor-Speak” I’m sure I’m not the only listing agent out there who’s recently fielded some variation of the following query: “I’ve got an investor who might be interested in your client’s property. Would they be open to something like that?” For those who don’t know Realtor-speak, let me translate: ‘my client would be interested in buying...Read More
Softened-Up Sellers Do lowball offers ever work? Absolutely — just not in the way most would-be lowballers might expect. Instead of stealing the property from the Seller at a fire sale price, more often than not what they really serve to do is soften up the Seller for an offer from another Buyer. White Gray...Read More
Christmas & the Housing Market There are plenty of reasons to explain why the housing market decelerates around the holidays: it’s customarily a time to celebrate with one’s family; take a respite from work (vacation, even!); and generally reflect on one’s — shall we say — existential circumstances. Plus, the weather (at least in Minnesota)...Read More
No Discount on This One In a Buyer’s market like today’s, it’s not unusual for gun-shy Sellers to want to “pad” their initial asking price. Their rationale? No matter where they set their initial asking price, aggressive Buyers are simply going to discount further from there. So, why not pick a listing price that “leaves...Read More
“Love at First Sight?” Probably Not Is there such a thing as a “too-fast offer,” especially in a Buyer’s market where lots of homes are sitting? The short answer: actually, yes. Most Buyers seriously contemplating a home will go through at least twice, just to double-check their first impressions, see it with fresh eyes (vs....Read More
