Putting Clients at Ease (Just Not Too Much) My guess is, if you’ve worked with a Realtor (or any salesperson) lately, what you were ultimately asked to sign wasn’t referred to as a “legal contract.” It was called “paperwork” (sample agent-to-client dialogue: “if you’re comfortable with everything we discussed, let’s get the paperwork taken care...Read More
There Oughta Be a Word For That What do you call all the things outside a home ” like concrete steps, pavers, custom handrails, retaining walls, etc. ” that don’t quite qualify as “landscaping?” “Flatwork.” Thanks to Lisa Meyer, Edina Realty’s Roseville Office Manager, for solving that one. P.S.: “Flatware” refers to eating utensils and plates.Read More
I’ve got a hunch how — at least in some people’s minds — “tray” ceiling became “trey”: “très” is French for “very” (as in “very beautiful”). From there, it’s just a small step (and single letter) to “trey.” Of course, that’s also how the word sounds phonetically. However, the correct adjective for a recessed ceiling...Read More
Real Estate Terminology 101 “Final acceptance” sounds like something that happens in a hospice, or perhaps what Woody Allen has been seeking in therapy all these years. Fortunately, the real estate version is not so macabre: it’s just a fancy way of saying, “Done Deal!” “Signed, Sealed, & (Constructively) Delivered” Specifically, “Final Acceptance” refers to...Read More
“I Know What You Meant” Department: Contingent Offer Confusion Residential real estate is full of confusing, non-intuitive (if not counter-intuitive) terms. Like, the Realtor that the industry calls “the Selling agent,” once a deal closes, actually represents the Buyer (the agent representing the Seller is known as “the listing agent”). See, “Quick! Who Does the...Read More
Don’t Call it a “Traditional” Sale — It’s a “Long” Sale [Note: for the uninitiated, a “short sale” is when the homeowner’s mortgage(s) exceed the home’s fair market value — a condition referred to as being “underwater.” Depending on the specific housing market, short sales have receded from more than 50% of all sales five...Read More
