"Calhoun Lake??" Is that by Isles Lake?

Neighborhood Expertise -- and Lack Thereof

Want a sure sign that a Realtor doesn't sell much by the City Lakes?

They refer to "Lake Calhoun" as "Calhoun Lake" in their marketing materials.

Fish (er, Realtor) Out of Water

It may be forgivable to confuse Forest Lake (the city 40 miles north of the Twin Cities) with Lake Forest (the St. Louis Park neighborhood just west of Cedar Lake and north of Fern Hill).

But getting "Lake Calhoun" (pictured above) wrong is pretty glaring -- just imagine someone calling it "Minnetonka Lake," or "Superior Lake."

In turn, a Realtor who doesn't know the local landmarks is often a sign that the home owner hired a family friend or relative, opting for a personal connection over local expertise.

P.S.: If instead it's just a typo -- it's a big one.

Competing for Listings, or, "The Brother-in-Law Factor"

Blood is Thicker Than Water (in Real Estate, Too)

I don't imagine that, in medicine, a neurosurgeon who was being considered for a life-saving operation finds out that the patient chose another surgeon because . . . the patient's wife and the other surgeon's wife are best friends.

But that kind of thing happens to Realtors all the time.

People understandably want to do business with people they already know and trust.

It's also the case that not going with the Realtor cum son-in-law/best friend/cousin would risk jeopardizing important relationships.*

However, it's hard not to conclude that at least some of the foregoing preferences reflect ignorance about how the real estate business works -- and specifically, an assumption that "all Realtors (and Brokers) are created equal."

Interview a few, and you'll likely find out otherwise . . .

*Of course, it's also the case that some people assiduously avoid working with friends and relatives, because of the threat(s) it can pose to the relationship.