The “I Decline to Initial” Buyer’s Initial Form: “Agency Relationships in Real Estate Transactions” Date signed by Buyer: June 22, 2017 Form: Purchase Agreement Date signed by Buyer: June 22, 2017 What’s wrong with this picture? It runs afoul of Minnesota Department of Commerce guidelines, which provide that prospective Buyers’ agents are supposed to discuss...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. $10,000 vs. $100 So, a $10,000 item on a $250,000 house is the stuff of negotiation. A $100 item (or less) is haggling. (Note: accountants’...Read More
32(!) Offers for One House Rampant multiple offers were a staple of the 2005-2006 housing market, too. But back then, at least in my experience, once the listing agent had received 4-5 offers, other prospective Buyers tended to bow out rather than contribute to the feeding frenzy. Today, that no longer seems to be the...Read More
Or Maybe They Should be Called “Dismaying Jeans” Yeah, yeah, I know what fancy-schmancy retailers mean when they refer to “distressed jeans”: jeans whose various holes and patches somehow make them look chic — and worth a huge mark-up (also referred to as “vintage clothing” in some quarters). My definition of “distressed jeans” is a...Read More
Realtor Peer Review Fortunately, the only thing that (possibly) gets hurt in the wake of a real estate “S.W.A.T.” team swooping in is the feelings of the listing agent (representing the Seller) getting all the feedback.* The term refers to the practice of several colleagues helping a fellow Realtor size up a problem listing and...Read More
Square Pegs into Round Irregular Holes The input field on MLS for room sizes asks for two numbers: the room’s width and its length. Which works great if a room is rectangular. But what if it’s not? If the room has a dormer, is L-shaped, curved, or otherwise defies a standard “width x length” measurement,...Read More
