Plans B Thru Z For Getting Into a Listing Earlier this week, I (momentarily) had a big scare when my electronic lockbox failed to update. Due to host a couple dozen agents for an Edina Realty Exceptional Properties lunch, I had visions of a crowd of Realtors milling around outside while I struggled with my...Read More
Transparent Compensation vs . . . Not “An astounding 75 percent of consumers believe, incorrectly, that all financial advisers already have to act in their best interest.” –“Is Your Financial Adviser Making Money Off Your Bad Investments?”; The NYT (Sept. 29, 2015). Want one more reason why millions of Mom-and-Pop investors are opting for low-cost index...Read More
Beauty in the Eye of the Beholder Buyer When should a listing agent (representing the Seller) explicitly market that a home “needs cosmetic updates” (or the equivalent)? Less often than you might guess. Here are my three reasons why: One. The pictures tell the story. Most MLS’s allow 18 photos; websites like EdinaRealty.com effectively allow...Read More
People who’ve known me for a while are aware that my background includes stints as a CPA and corporate lawyer prior to going into real estate 13(!) years ago. That financial and legal background comes in handy daily handling real estate transactions. It also provides a useful vocabulary for religious holidays, such as the Jewish...Read More
Too Many Showings? Far be it from me to tell anyone who to vote for. But, let me suggest borrowing a criterion from the world of residential real estate to pick the next President (or major party nominee). Letting Buyers Off the Hook When I work with Buyers who remain lukewarm about a home even...Read More
DIY Drawbacks Do-it-Yourself always has perils, but particularly so when it comes to using a drone to take home photos. Here’s just a partial list of the drawbacks and other considerations that come to mind for Realtors tempted to try it themselves: 1. The $5k required to buy a commercial-quality drone. 2. The $5k that’s...Read More
