Who’s the ‘Knucklehead’?? “If one guy honks at you on the freeway, he’s a knucklehead. If five guys honk at you, you’re the knucklehead.’ –“Programmers Keeps Shows Prospects in Focus (Groups)”; The New York Times (5/11/2012) “Ten showings, $10,000.” –Real estate saying (translation: if a home has had 10 showings and no offers, it’s overpriced...Read More
The Conspicuously Silent Listing Agent At one extreme, there are the listing agents who call your cell phone for feedback while you’re in the middle of the showing (can you say, “overeager?”). Then, there’s the agent I just encountered in South Minneapolis, who listed a brick 1 1/2 story for $20k below market (my estimate) on Friday....Read More
Days on Market: 5 Status: “Sold, Subject to Inspection” A good chunk of my weekend was spent negotiating a deal on my new listing at 3806 W. 32nd St, a 2,400 FSF townhome by Lake Calhoun in Minneapolis that backs up to the Midtown Greenway. Everything was signed, sealed and delivered late last night; I...Read More
Generic Answer: ‘It’s None of Your Business!’ First, a confession: when I’m swamped — as I am now — promptly turning around listing agents’ “showing feedback forms” is not my highest priority. Taking care of clients is. That said, “customized” feedback forms which pose open-ended questions — and lots of them — certainly don’t help matters...Read More
Three Days on the Market vs. Three Months I don’t know about other Realtors, but my policy as a listing agent (representing Sellers) is to counsel that they leave Realtors’ business cards out the first few days their home is on the market (protocol is for agents who come through the Broker Open or do a private...Read More
No, it’s not what I put in the showing feedback I sent the listing agent. But, I just showed a (very) dated Minnetonka townhome that suffered from what I’ll call “the 3 Deadly ‘L’s”: —Laminate countertops; —Linoleum floors; —And Lots of it . . . And while it’s certainly possible to discount the price sufficiently to...Read More
