“Build It and They Will Come” Real Estate Development “Silicon Valley Spec House Seeks $42.8 Million.” –Headline, The Wall Street Journal (3/2/16) For the uninitiated, a “spec” or “speculative” house is a home that a developer first builds, then tries to sell. That’s opposed to a home that’s commissioned by/for an existing client, and built...Read More
Can You Say, “Organized Seller?” In Minnesota, home Sellers generally must complete a state disclosure form detailing the condition of their home, and provide it to prospective Buyers. That is, unless the Seller and Buyer agree in writing that the Seller is waiving that duty. In practice, most Minnesota Sellers do the former. And that’s...Read More
Multiple Offers x 2 You know a home is a hot commodity when it hits the market; immediately attracts multiple offers; has a deal fall apart; goes back on the market; then immediately goes into multiple offers again. Believe it or not, that exact scenario just played out in St. Louis Park’s Fern Hill neighborhood....Read More
Proof That High Pressure Sales Tactics Don’t Work Based on 13+ years experience representing hundreds of Buyers and Sellers, I’d estimate that the odds of any one showing leading to a consummated transaction are perhaps 1 in 10. The exception to that? If the Realtor is headed to the airport, or otherwise under acute time...Read More
“Just Say (Hell) No!” — Realtor Version; or “It Doesn’t Hurt to Ask, Right?” Wrong! [Editor’s Note: Realtor rant alert — if you are one of the vast majority of prospective home Buyers and Sellers who value and respect your Realtor’s considerable efforts on your behalf, please skip the following. If, however, you’re not — or you’re a Realtor...Read More
MLS: “Pets – Cats Allowed; Pets – Number Limit” As you may (or likely may not) remember from high school civics, the U.S. Constitution provides that any powers not expressly granted to the federal government are reserved to the states. When it comes to pet restrictions, condo associations are the same way. Not Expressly Allowed = Forbidden...Read More
