“For Sale” Home Languishing on the Market? It (Usually) Shows Realtors constantly warn their home-selling clients about the risks of overpricing (especially in a soft market). Anyone who doubts that should tour a few homes that have just listed, then view homes that have been languishing on the market, unsold, for months (years?). Study in...Read More
“There Oughta Be a Word For That” Dept. What do you call all the things outside a home ” like concrete steps, pavers, custom handrails, retaining walls, etc. ” that don’t quite qualify as “landscaping?” Answer: “Flatwork.” “Flatware” — the word it’s frequently confused with — refers to eating utensils and plates.Read More
Everything You Wanted to Know About Ceiling Finishes As best I can tell, the reason it’s called a “knockdown ceiling” is because calling it a “knock-off ceiling” would have been too confusing. What gets knocked off ” er, knocked down ” is the joint compound that’s first applied to the ceiling, and allowed to partially...Read More
Pre-List Networking Trial Balloon I’ve been in real estate sales for 18 years, and I still have no idea what a “$500-ish” price is. $520k, perhaps? Maybe $485k? In truth, I can imagine a “$500-ish” price falling anywhere between $480k to $530k or even higher. Buyer Trap? Which is no doubt precisely the point, especially...Read More
It Depends on What the Definition of “It” Is (and also “Fix”) “Fix“: Pronunciation /fiks/ /fɪks/ (Informal): Influence the outcome of (something, especially a race, contest, or election) by illegal or underhanded means. –Oxford Dictionary. [Note to Readers: The views expressed here are solely those of Ross Kaplan, and do not represent Edina Realty, Berkshire Hathaway,...Read More
Minnesota Specifies (Kind of) Timing of “Related Party Disclosure” Requirement [Note to Readers: 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.] Minnesota real estate agents have always had a duty to...Read More
