“Substantially the Condition,” Defined (Sort of) [Note to Readers: 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.] “Buyer has the right to a walk-through review of the property prior to closing...Read More
Comparing Honey Crisps to Braeburns One of the more quizzical looks Realtors get is when they (try to) explain to a prospective home Seller that their neighbor’s house isn’t a “Comp” (Comparable Sold Property). In plain English: it isn’t relevant — at least directly — for pricing their home. For the uninitiated, a Comp is...Read More
“Not a Drive-By!” “Must See!” Yada, Yada, Yada One of my favorite Mad magazine cartoons (circa 1970) shows a vendor in front of a food stand with the following sign: “turkey burgers,” “chicken burgers,” “buffalo burgers,” “tuna burgers,” “veggie burgers,” etc. etc. The caption: “we have some with ham, too, but we don’t know what...Read More
When the Neighbors are the Dealbreaker Prospective Buyer: “We love the house. But we could never live across the street from that pornographic statue.” Phil Dunphy: “Oh . . . huh . . . I never noticed it.” Prospective Buyer: “Yeah . . . you can see it from inside when you look out the...Read More
Identical or Fraternal? Look closely in the photo above, and you’ll see not one but two trunks at the base of this tree, located about 1/2 mile west of Minneapolis’ Cedar Lake in St. Louis Park’s Fern Hill neighborhood. The tree — make that tree(s) — command a key intersection, which give passing motorists (and...Read More
What’s More Than a Full Bath? By convention, Realtors call a Bathroom with a sink, toilet, bathtub and shower a “full” Bath. Because each of those items counts as .25, a Bathroom missing one or more of them is considered a fractional Bath. So, a Bathroom with a sink, toilet, and shower (but no tub)...Read More