Value is in the Land (Duh!) As both a Realtor and a self-confessed number cruncher, I couldn’t resist asking two questions after seeing the headline (above) in USA Today: One. What kind of annual return does that represent? To answer that, you (also) need to know that the actress Eve Plumb bought the 850 square...Read More
Realtor Version: ‘I’m Out Selling Houses’ It’s certainly possible that this Linden Hills photographer is out on an extended photo shoot, that just coincidentally straddles the long, Labor Day weekend. 🙂 Theory #2: they’re taking a little time off. Ditto for lots of Twin Cities Realtors, who just finished as busy a Spring-Summer stretch as...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
Home Schooling — When “Home” is Somewhere in the Cascade Mountains I guarantee that — at least for a few overweening parents of pre-college kids — the Ivy League admission “royal flush” scored by the 17 year-old son** in the indie film “Captain Fantastic” will be the takeaway from the provocative and occasionally inspiring movie....Read More
Negotiate Formally or Informally? It Depends [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.] OK, so “Written vs. Verbal Counter-Offers” isn’t a very sexy title. But it’s a fascinating...Read More
Providing Useful Info to Buyers/ Heightening a Home’s Emotional Appeal “Good artists copy, great artists steal.” –Attributed to Picasso. I think most good Realtors informally debrief their selling clients about their home’s emotional “hot buttons”: what they love about their home, neighborhood, etc. But, consummate Edina Realty agent Bill Minge does it explicitly, via a...Read More
