Housing Multiple Choice What do local real estate insiders think is the biggest threat to housing prices prospectively? A. The winding down of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. B. A spike in mortgage rates. C. Phasing out the mortgage interest deduction. D. Imposing a tax on real estate commissions. *Answer: C The above observation is...Read More
Best exchange at today’s Exceptional Properties meeting? That would be the one between Matt Loskota, newly named manager of the merged City Lakes and Parkwest offices, and John Shaw and John Smaby, office managers of Edina’s 6800 and 50th & France offices, respectively. The meeting typically attracts 40-50 upper bracket agents from 3-4 nearby Edina offices, and...Read More
Tom Sawyer would be impressed by one of my favorite stagers. Sawyer, of course, managed to get paid both by the homeowner whose fence he painted, and the boys who paid him for the privilege of actually painting it. By contrast, depending on the project, my stager gets paid by one of four parties: 1) my client (the homeowner); 2)...Read More
I haven’t looked in the mirror lately, but I don’t think I’m green (or furry). But I am decidedly under the weather. So, my “Realtor triage” mode is: 1) existing clients; 2) prospective clients; 3) family obligations (unless it’s an emergency, in which case they become #1); and 4) blog posting. More posts when I’m...Read More
Blizzards & Tornadoes Suddenly Not So Daunting I’ve got to assume that I’m not the only area resident who suddenly feels a little less put upon by this season’s seemingly endless snow and winter. While the Twin Cities may suffer from blizzards and subzero temperatures — and areas abutting rivers habitually risk flooding, especially this year —...Read More
A Year to Remember — With 9-plus Months to Go Looking back over the last — oh — couple decades, there are years that simply fade into history, when nothing memorable or significant seemed to happen. Like 1994. Or 2006. Or the seventies. 2011 is not going to be one of those years. Between the political...Read More
