Is That, “No Finished Square Feet in Lower Level?” or, “There’s NO LOWER LEVEL . . . AT ALL?!?” “If your parents don’t have kids . . . you won’t either.” –Anonymous “If your listing doesn’t get showings . . . you won’t get offers, either.” –Real estate corollary, Ross Kaplan [Editor’s Note: The views expressed...Read More
Seller’s Market Side Effects [Editor’s Note: 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.] In addition to the rationale I presented in “Proliferating Home Inspection Tests – Part One,” fellow Edina...Read More
Cost-Benefit Criterion It’s not just medicine where there are now more — and more expensive — diagnostic tests. Home inspections increasingly include multiple, specialized tests as well. Besides the standard, whole home inspection for around $400, these three tests seem to be popping up more regularly in today’s housing market: One. Radon. An odorless gas...Read More
Is That Bowed Foundation Wall Historical or Active? “This side appears to be brown.” –What a CPA will answer if you point to a horse in a pasture and ask what color it is. “The house’s foundation does not appear to be at imminent risk of failing . . . today.” –Structural engineer’s analysis of a...Read More
Fixtures vs. Personal Property: The Proactive Solution It’s not always clear whether something is a “fixture” or “personal property.” In theory, the test is straightforward: is the item in question permanently attached? The rub, of course, is what constitutes “permanent”: one person’s easy removal and repair (usually by the Seller) is another’s “of course it...Read More
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
