When Appraisals Don’t Matter (and When They Do) [Editor’s Note: The views expressed here are solely those of Ross Kaplan, and do not represent Edina Realty, Berkshire Hathaway (“Berkshire”), or any other entity referenced. Edina Realty is a subsidiary of Berkshire.] “Federal regulators have proposed loosening real-estate appraisal rules so a majority of homes can...Read More
Competing Business Models: Referral Fees vs. Advertising (Wanna Guess From Whom??) [Editor’s Note: The views expressed here are solely those of Ross Kaplan, and do not represent Edina Realty, Berkshire Hathaway (“Berkshire”), or any other entity referenced. Edina Realty is a subsidiary of Berkshire.] With artificial intelligence gaining momentum, it was only a matter of...Read More
“What Will Buyers Pay?” vs. “What Value Does a Bank Need to Refinance the Current Mortgage?” [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’re an appraiser or mortgage lender, stop reading now. No? Good. One of...Read More
Guess Which Direction “Zestimates” Err On? The local MLS just shared this tidbit (via Inman) about Zillow and its notoriously unreliable “Zestimates”: “If you’re an agent, you’ve probably worked with a Buyer or Seller that has found the “Zestimate” on Zillow of the property they’re selling or interested in buying. It can work as a...Read More
(And You Should, Too) My job — and every other Realtor’s — would be a lot easier if Zillow simply didn’t exist. Notwithstanding its (inexplicable to me) popularity, information on Zillow is frequently wrong, dated — or both. Oh, and one more thing: Zillow’s margin of error for calculating home values — the “hook” that...Read More
Lies, Damn Lies, & (Real Estate) Statistics — Cont. CoreLogic says its estimate is within 10% of a sales price for between about 55% and 75% of homes, depending on the region. Zillow’s estimate is within 10% of sales price almost half the time. –“Housing Statistics Hit Rough Waters“; The Wall Street Journal (Jan. 8,...Read More
