Is There REALLY Other Buyer Interest? The Buyer’s agent submitted a request to show a home to their client, and — along with the confirmation — received the “heads up” (above) about the home’s status from the listing agent (representing the Seller). How do you know whether: a) it’s a bluff — that is, there’s...Read More
Getting a Main Sewer Colonoscopy Ever want to know how plumbers — or in this case, the contractor checking out a home’s main sewer line — take notes? By writing with a Sharpie pen on a plastic glove. The contractor — Ron the Sewer Rat — has worked for several Buyer clients just this Summer...Read More
Buyer’s Agent Pre-Closing Freakout, or “The 30 Minute Home Warranty Policy” What do you do as a Buyer’s agent (OK, me) when — proofing the closing worksheet just before closing** — you catch that the Purchase Agreement includes a Seller-paid home warranty from HSA . . . and you can’t confirm that one’s been ordered?...Read More
New Oven: $500. New Wall: $3,000 One of the stealth issues for prospective home Buyers is the old-but-still functioning wall oven — often times, two of them. The risk, which rises with the oven’s age: that the model has been discontinued, and there’s not a same-size replacement. When that’s the case, the fix isn’t just a new...Read More
As Minnesota home sellers know (or should), the required Seller Disclosure is a “live” document, up to the date of closing. Translation: if something bad happens to the house after it goes on the market, the Seller needs to update their disclosure. But, what happens if the Seller is long gone? (often the case with...Read More
Cost-Benefit Analysis [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.] Homeowner’s title insurance really isn’t like any other insurance consumers buy. Unlike health or life insurance, it doesn’t protect...Read More