Kinder, Gentler Store Security Once upon a time, a shoplifter (at least one who was detected) was met with a hail of “Stop! Thief!” With the advent of electronic tags, that changed to alarm bells, flashing lights, or other gaudy displays. Today? At least at Knollwood the other day, I heard this polite-but-loud announcement over the public...Read More
Question: How Fast (or Slow) is the Housing Market? “Absorption rate”: the rate at which available homes are sold in a specific real estate market during a given time period. It is calculated by dividing the average number of sales per month by the total number of available homes. –Investopedia.com Assuming the standard definition of...Read More
The Unmotivated Unrealistic Buyer, Circa 2017, or, “Waiting for Godot, Home Buyer Version” In a housing market characterized by an ongoing, acute shortage of inventory, it’s an all too familiar lament: frustrated Buyers (and Buyers’ agents) who bemoan that they “just can’t find what they’re looking for.” I’m certainly sympathetic — to a point. However,...Read More
I just heard through the grapevine about a Realtor who was in competition for a listing, and apparently lost out because the Seller objected to a term the agent used. The offending word? “Homework.” Realtor Job Interview (“Consultation?!?”) So, prior to their meeting**, the agent requested that the prospective Seller pull together some key information. The items...Read More
“Fake it till you make it.” —Career advice to newbie real estate agents. In a hyper-competitive field where sales bluster is an ever-present temptation, real estate agents aren’t exactly the type to betray ignorance or confess a lack of confidence. And even consummate Realtors with years of experience can’t predict the future, any more than...Read More
“There Goes My Realtor!” Admittedly, the intended effect is for clients who see me in and around the neighborhood where I live (by Cedar Lake in Minneapolis) to see my car on the road and say, “There Goes My Realtor!” But, my custom license plate (above) is also a conversation-starter when I’m parked. Like today,...Read More
