Finding “The One” “If you’re looking for a high-rise condo, we won’t show you a house in the suburbs.” –Radio ad, “It’s Just Lunch” dating service For years, my clients have heard me compare house-hunting to dating. Example: if you are still ambivalent about a home after viewing it three (or more) times . ....Read More
Verbal Negotiating Traps and Pitfalls Savvy listing agents know how to parry, “Would the Seller consider taking $__?” Namely, by shooting back, “Is the Buyer offering $___?” If the answer is “Yes,” they respond, “Great! Put in writing, and I’ll do my best to get a quick, serious response from the Seller.” If they balk or say...Read More
(Mis)Reading the Signs Pricing real estate is fundamentally precedent-driven. In other words, if you want to establish an estimated fair market value for “Property H,” you first need to determine what Properties E, F, and G sold for. In Realtor (and Appraiser) lingo, E, F, and G are called Comp’s (“Comparable Sold Properties”), and the compare-and-contrast process...Read More
It sounds like a crank phone call that teenagers would make. But, it’s actually my question for the Minneapolis Association of Realtors (“MAAR”), before I “pop” for the new iPhone 5 and render my barely 2 month-old dongle obsolete. It’s that dongle — or adapter — which serves as an eKey (aka “Smart Key”) that lets...Read More
“Put the Interests of the Client First. No Excuses. Period.” In a world where individual investors have few friends (sadly), Vanguard founder John Bogle — now 83 years old – is a true champion. What does he propose doing now to fix the stagnant economy and (still) battered financial system? Bogle advocates taxes to discourage...Read More
The Virtue of a Well-Stocked Pipeline If you’ve never made a living 100% on commissions — and not selling apparel or widgets, but big-ticket, capital items like homes — it can be terrifying. Not only are the paydays few and far between, but, especially in today’s housing market, there seem to be more steps along the...Read More
