Before . . . and After What’s the difference between the two photos (above)? Actually, surprisingly little. In place of ugly horizontal siding above the front door (upper photo), the new-and-improved curb appeal (lower photo) features diagonal half-timbers. Not only are those more consistent with the home’s Tudor style, but they create a dramatic focal point...Read More
I Do Now That’s what a former client just asked me, in order to find a local agent to sell some family property. To find out, I contacted Kay Mcdonough, the manager of Edina’s satellite office in Frederic, who gave me the names of two agents and a quick overview of the local housing market....Read More
Out: Gaudy. In: Practical Hummer’s are out, BMW 3’s and 5’s are in. Auto’s, right? Those, too, but I was thinking about the housing market equivalent: well-built and updated homes with all the bells & whistles in high-demand Twin Cities neighborhoods like Tyrol (Golden Valley), Fern Hill (St. Louis Park), and Linden Hills (Southwest Minneapolis)....Read More
Modern Greek Drama That seems to be the question of the hour — along with a certain Greek (financial) drama playing out in Europe (plus the winding down of the Fed’s QE II campaign). My take: with rental vacancy rates at 3% (and falling) in the Twin Cities, I see lots of demand for houses in...Read More
“Evo 3-D,” Anyone? In a world where new cell phone models seem to be coming out daily, how do you tell which one(s) are the real deal vs. a flash in the pan? I subscribe to what I’ll call the “brand extension” theory — namely, if you want to know which products have a shot...Read More
