“Can I Please Speak to Myra Mains?” Courtesy of retired Edina Realty office manager Josh Kaplan, here is a classic April Fool’s joke for ” make that on ” Realtors, especially “newbie” Realtors. The front desk leaves a voicemail for the intended Realtor-victim (plural, ideally), telling them that they have a lead for them. The prospect’s name...Read More
Dream Home? Maybe Not, But Dream Price Everyone in real estate (and many outside of it) knows the phenomenon: homes on busy streets turn over more often. The explanation is self-evident, right? The occupants get tired of the traffic and move on. That may certainly be true, but as a Realtor, I see another, economics-based...Read More
“Three Bedrooms NOT on One Level” Every once in awhile, you see a single family home being touted by the listing agent as a “townhome alternative.” What do they mean? Features At least to this Twin Cities Realtor, it’s shorthand for a detached home with many of the following attributes: —Around 2,000 to 2,500 square...Read More
Real Estate Jargon 101 What’s the difference between an “accepted” offer and a “fully executed” one? Absolutely nothing. As a former corporate attorney, I actually prefer the latter term, because it’s just a tad more precise, descriptive, etc. However, it can also sound a bit . . . intimidating (especially the “executed” part). Which is...Read More
Novice Realtors Rush In Where Pro’s Fear to Tread “Never negotiate furniture.” “Never negotiate furniture.” “Never negotiate furniture.” “Never negotiate furniture.” Realtors who don’t know the above rule ” or forget it ” soon get the opportunity to (re)learn it. That’s because negotiating the sale of personal property, particularly furniture, can be more challenging than...Read More
Home Price as a Moving Target “Those who know, don’t talk; and those who talk, don’t know.” —Stock market saying. What’s true in the stock market is also true in real estate. Namely, the value of what Realtors call a “Comparative Market Analysis” (“CMA”) that can be had for free is . . . about what...Read More
