I read with interest, and have questions about an article and a picture of a home owned by the late Harvey Ball and his widow Barbara Ball, located at 107 East Lincoln Street, Luverne, Minnesota, that appeared on the front page of the Rock County Star Herald on Oct. 14, 2004. In this article, it states that the property was recently purchased by Ron and Katie McClure. I happen to be the real estate broker that handled the sale of the property. The closing date on this property is Nov. 1, 2004. Only after this date is there a recording at the Rock County, Minn. Courthouse of who the actual buyer of this property is. My questions. How can the name of a real estate property buyer be printed when there is no legal record of the sale of the property: Did anyone at the Rock County Star Herald see an actual copy of the purchase agreement on the sale of this property? I don’t think so. Copies of this purchase agreement, and this real estate transaction remain strictly confidential, and are only in the possession of the real estate broker, seller, buyer and closing attorney. It appears to me that this article was written based on "street gossip" rather than facts.Why print the picture of the home, when the focus is really on the garage/storage shed? Why not print a picture of the garage? Certainly, this article was written and photographed in poor taste, and written without research./s/ Duane MulderAuctioneer, Real Estate Broker and Certified AppraiserEditor’s note: All information in the Oct. 14 story is factual (the buyers have confirmed the agreement is signed). The photograph of the house was published merely for a point of reference.
