Getting You More Money For Your Home & More Home For Your Money After almost 17 years selling homes, I think I finally have come up with a succinct definition of what a good Realtor does: they maximize what you get. The sales side of that equation is straightforward: a good Realtor maximizes the money you get,...Read More
Buyer: “My Offer is (WAY) Below Your Asking Price Because . . .” It’s no sin trying to buy a home at a discount. Of course, especially in a strong Seller’s market, such a strategy has almost no chance of succeeding . . . but there’s no harm in trying (as they say). What I wouldn’t recommend...Read More
Dual Agency Dilemma #17 Never having represented both the Buyer and Seller in the same transaction (I consider it a classic conflict of interest), one of the questions I have for agents who do act as dual agents is, “how do you navigate things like the Buyer’s walk-thru inspection? Provided for in the standard Minnesota Purchase...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
Unsolicited Advice to Would-Be Home Sellers [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.] If your prospective Realtor won’t agree to adding the clause above to your listing contract...Read More
When It’s Poaching — and When It’s Not Is it ever OK to go after another Realtor’s clients? I’d say “yes” — with a major caveat. Namely, it’s OK for Realtors market to another agent’s clients AFTER the deal closes. That’s especially so if the home or Buyer is already in the agent’s geographic farm or sphere of influence...Read More
