The Opposite of “Easier Said Than Done” Real estate sales is a field (like many other, I’m sure) where a lot of things are “easier said than done.” Get Sellers to price realistically? “Easier said than done.” Persuade homeowners to spend a relatively nominal amount on staging, that will help sell their home faster, for...Read More
“Sellers Who Don’t Have to Sell,” or Picking Up Their Marbles & Going Staying Home Would-be forecasters trying to divine the future of home prices, post-pandemic, would be wise to remember the aftermath of The 2008 Financial Crash (sorry, I never bought “The Great Recession” label). Namely, housing prices weakened much more slowly than stocks, employment, and...Read More
Three Factors How much do you discount for a one-car garage? The short answer: “it depends.” Specifically, I think that the three most important variables are: One. What is the surrounding housing stock like? In close-in, older Minneapolis neighborhoods, many homes have one car garages (still). Detached, one car garages. When that’s the standard, the...Read More
Negotiating is a crucial part of any deal, and lays the foundation for a clear, enforceable contract. Haggling is . . . an annoying waste of time. What’s the difference? Exactly two decimals. $5,000 vs. $100 So, a $5,000 item on a $300,000 house is the stuff of negotiation. A $100 item (or less) is haggling. (Note: accountants’...Read More
Loose Door Knobs and Caviar-Stocked Fridges [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. If you need legal advice, please consult an attorney.] Test your knowledge of today’s housing market, and answer the following question: Which of the...Read More
The Color Taste of Water Water usually doesn’t have a taste, and people don’t object to that. Ditto for celery. So why is calling something ” like a comment, a work of art, or an article of clothing ” “tasteless” a dis? “Taste-Free” vs. “Tasteless” Clearly, what the speaker intends to say is, “in bad taste.”...Read More
