“It Takes Two to Tango Agree to Arbitration” Judging by the last few deals I’ve handled, there seems to be some Realtor confusion about how many parties are required to agree to Arbitration (at least in Minnesota, a popular alternative to litigation). The correct answer: two. In other words, both Buyer and Seller have to...Read More
Better Read the Fine Print — and Take Good Notes Along with the proliferation of home warranties in home sales — the option to include such a warranty is now baked into Minnesota’s standard Purchase Agreement — has come (at least to this practitioner) a spike in complexity as well. Here’s just a partial list...Read More
English, Please! “LL/BR is non-conforming. Lkbx on Bk dr. Frnt prch/crftsmn wdwrk/tiled bath/gleaming Maple flrs/HVAC-elect ’11, oven ’14/lrg walkin closet/maint-free ext./prof lndscpng/gorgeous 3 seas porch! Wkshp in gar.” –Excerpt from actual MLS listing. With only 500 characters and spaces in MLS’s Agent and Public remarks fields, there can be a temptation for overzealous listing agents (representing Sellers)...Read More
For the record, I like neither term: “attaboy” has a back-slapping, good ‘ol boy quality, while “props” are what the theatre arts department keep in storage. Meanwhile, “kudos” sounds like something that old, white men at the Harvard Club say. Regardless, Millennials have apparently decided that “props” is a newer, cooler way of expressing approbation...Read More
The Opposite of “Home Alone” It’s every home seller’s worst nightmare: they return home long after a scheduled showing, only to find strangers in their Living Room(!). With no Realtor in sight. While it’s an extremely rare occurrence — and an automatic $1,000 fine for the Buyer’s agent — that makes it no less upsetting for the owner. Buyer’s...Read More
At Least One Bullseye: “Hire a Good Realtor” Money Magazine is out with its 2016 Spring Real Estate Guide, subtitled “The 35 Best Moves for Buyers, Sellers, and Owners Now.” Do the authors know what they’re talking about? Here’s the magazine’s advice for first-time Buyers (“Starting Out”), followed by my running commentary in italics: Money Magazine:...Read More
