Blast email: “Buyer Need — Deer Run, Victoria” I couldn’t figure out why an Edina Realty office manager was broadcasting — via email to 2,100+ Edina agents this week — what initially looked like “Buyer Need — Beer Run.” Then I re-read the email; it actually said, “Buyer Need — Deer Run, Victoria.” My bad (good?) ....Read More
Marketing Practice > Theory At first blush, it seemed like a terrific idea: use the back of your (Realtor’s) business card to showcase an individual listing. My second thought: why didn’t I think of that?? But, on reflecting a little more, I realized why the business card of the Buyer’s agent who showed my listing...Read More
Don’t Call it a “Traditional” Sale — It’s a “Long” Sale [Note: for the uninitiated, a “short sale” is when the homeowner’s mortgage(s) exceed the home’s fair market value — a condition referred to as being “underwater.” Depending on the specific housing market, short sales have receded from more than 50% of all sales five...Read More
Question #2: Is That Different Than “Large?” “Original hardwood floors have just been re-done, four oversize bedrooms, tremendous woodwork & period fixtures.” –“Public Remarks,” MLS [Editor’s Note: No, this isn’t another Donald Trump-inspired post. If you’re looking for one of those, check out “Trying to Find Mar-a-Lago? Look for Donald Trump’s Very Big (in fact,...Read More
Dangers of Dual Agency: Representing the Seller, and Angling to Represent the Buyer, Too [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.] I just went through a “For Sale” home on high-profile France Avenue near Minneapolis’ Cedar Lake,...Read More
“That About Covers It” Department The line, “owner occupant and investor offers welcome” sounds plausible enough. Then I stopped to think: is there another kind of Buyer?? Short answer: not that I’m aware of. I suppose “2nd home” or “vacation home” Buyer, if the property had been a lake cabin. But in this case the...Read More