Telling Buyers Why the Owner is Selling You see it all the time on MLS: a listing agent who trumpets that a home is “only available due to Seller relocation.” Such verbiage is: A. Smart marketing, because it lets prospective Buyers know why the property is available. B. Neither a marketing plus nor minus. C. A violation of...Read More
Seller Dilemma: List This Fall, or Wait Till Next Spring “Beggars Home Buyers in Seller’s markets can’t be choosers.” –Proverb (slightly altered). One of the discussions agents are having with their clients, post-Labor Day, is whether to put their home on the market this Fall, or wait till next Spring. Arguing in favor of the...Read More
“Yeah, That’s It, Why Don’t You Get a Little CLOSER?!?” When someone driving in front of you does something dumb or dangerous (texting while driving qualifies as both), alert motorists honk. But, what do you do when the aggressive/dumb/inattentive driver is behind you? You could slow down or even hit the brakes, but that seems...Read More
Passing on Overpriced Listings Everyone knows this famous passage from The Serenity Prayer: God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference. –Reinhold Niebuhr Here’s my version for listing agents (Realtors representing home sellers): God, grant me...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
