Establishing — and Testing — Boundaries If you go to the Business section of any bookstore, you’ll see any number of books on negotiation titled, “Getting to Yes!,” “Win-Win Negotiation,” etc. In my experience, however, the key to effective negotiation lies not in getting to “yes,” but getting to ‘no.” Or perhaps more accurately: before you...Read More
Want to Sell Your House? Don’t Do This “**Limited showing times** Tuesday and Thursday 5:30-8 PM, Sat 12-6 and Sun 11 AM-2:30 PM. Agents to verify all info. Consult listing agent about closing date. Use Seller’s Disclosure Alternatives. Subject to Seller completing a 1031 Exchange, Buyer agrees to cooperate.” –Agent Remarks, MLS Want to know...Read More
MLS: “3rd Bedroom on Upper Level is Large & Has Lots of Storage” There’s certainly nothing wrong with an Upper Level Bedroom (pictured above) that’s large and has lots of storage. But, what’s notable — at least to me — is what’s omitted. Errors of (C)omission Namely, any mention of a Bathroom, or whether the...Read More
Enabling(?) Non-Committal Buyers (aka “Fence-Sitters”) One of the things that invariably happens in the course of representing a Seller is the Listing agent gets a request from a Buyer’s agent to “be kept in the loop.” Translation: ‘let me know if someone else is about to buy the home, so my client at least knows...Read More
Nine Straight Years! Examples of bad emails would be ones informing you that your client came up short in multiple offers, or showing feedback trashing finding fault with one of your listings. Good emails? From Mpls — St. Paul Magazine (today, in fact) informing you that you’re on the list of Minnesota Realtors they selected...Read More
Known Unknowns vs. Unknown Unknowns “Britain Stuns World With Vote to Leave E.U.; Cameron Plans to Resign, and Markets Fall.” –headline, NYT (6/24/2016). Is the British exit (“Brexit”) from the European Union — roiling global stock markets today — a Black Swan? I’d say “no.” Sell First, Ask Questions Later A Black Swan is an...Read More
