Who Qualifies as a “Relative?” At least in Minnesota, licensed real estate agents must disclose if they’re related to their client. The logic: agents are presumed to have a negotiating and knowledge edge over non-Realtor “civilians” ” think, “wolves and sheep,” “sharks and seals(?),” etc. — and therefore anyone closely aligned with them does, too....Read More
Who Qualifies as a “Relative?” At least in Minnesota, licensed real estate agents must disclose if they’re related to their client. The logic, I assume, is that agents have a negotiating and knowledge edge over non-Realtor “civilians” — and therefore anyone closely aligned with them does, too. Definition Ahh, but that just begs the question:...Read More
“Relationship Shorthand” What’s the opposite of “guilt by association?” “Honor by association.” How does that play out in residential real estate? When, as a listing agent (representing the Seller), the Buyer’s agent, lender, inspector, and title company all check out with flying colors . . . it’s highly likely that the Buyer ultimately will, too. Of...Read More
Internet Shorthand for MM (“Middle-Aged Men”) What rule says only teenage girls (or boys) can coin Internet acronyms? See, “LOL”* (“laugh out loud”); “IMHO (“in my humble opinion”), etc. In fact, I’ve got two new, proposed acronyms: One. “WIAS”: for “Where Is, As Is” — business and Realtor-speak for, “don’t even think about raising inspection...Read More