“The More Things Change” Department Once upon a time, when I started selling real estate in 2002, the worksheet that Buyers and Sellers signed at closing was simply known as . . . the settlement statement (or just the closing worksheet, to avoid any jargon). Then it became the “HUD-1” (HUD stands for “Housing and Urban Development,” the federal...Read More
Seasoned vs. Green Buyers; The Role of Pre-List Networking “The first Buyer is (often) the best Buyer.” –Popular Realtor saying. It’s accepted wisdom amongst veteran Realtors (which I happen to agree with): “the first Buyer is (often) the best Buyer.” Why’s that? The explanation has to do with the nature of the pool of home...Read More
The Case For Leaving (a little) Money on the Table Home Buyers may not like to hear it, but let me suggest that there’s something more valuable than wringing the last $100 or even $500 out of a deal (depending on the price point), either when negotiating the Purchase Agreement, or resolving any inspection issues...Read More
Home Maintenance “To Do” List, Late Fall Edition** At least from my perspective as a Realtor, less important than who takes responsibility for blowing out (winterizing) the sprinkler system in the Fall, is that someone does it. If not, the system can rupture due to freezing, causing both extensive flooding and expensive pipe repair. Common...Read More
Meticulous Record Keeping = Meticulous Maintenance? “Are you in possession of prior seller’s disclosure statement(s)? (If “Yes, please attach).” –Minnesota Seller Disclosure; p. 1, line 44. [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,...Read More
Pro’s, Con’s ” & Pitfalls “At the beginning (of the relationship), the developer had the experience and the insurance company had the money. At the end . . . the insurance company had the experience, and the developer had the money.” I heard that line a couple lifetimes ago, when I was a CPA auditing the...Read More
