Beyond “Fair Trade” ** What is beyond “Fair Trade?” Fair Trade products delivered by bicycle. Which Minneapolis-based “Peace Coffee” claims it does. Demo’ing its (very tasty) product at the local Whole Foods over lunch hour, I pressed the company’s sales rep whether that policy applied equally in January as in June. He insisted it did. The...Read More
S&P Case-Shiller: ‘Home Prices Rose 1.3% in April’ It’s well-known that various housing market cheerleaders (the National Association of Realtors; your friendly local Realtor?) have a tendency to put a positive spin on housing sales statistics. But, prominent housing bears tend to do the opposite (would that qualify as “backspin??”). Exhibit A: Barry Ritholtz’s take...Read More
15 Showings — and a Deal! — Last Week Where: 4336 Browndale Ave. in St. Louis Park. What: Stunning Craftsman bungalow with 3 BR/3BA and 3,000 FSF; potential for another +1,000 FSF in lower level with high ceilings, lookout windows. Who: listed by Edina Realty City Lakes agent Jacqui Day. How much: $795,000 When: on...Read More
Something New Under the Sun In a decade-plus in residential real estate, I’ve seen: one-car garages (lots); two-car garages; three-car garages; four-car garages; five-car garages; tandem garages; no garage . . . and probably a couple other configurations as well. I’ve also seen listing agents (or homeowners) mistakenly bill a two-car garage as a “double-car...Read More
Punishing the Whistle Blowers “I saw the crisis coming; why didn’t The Federal Reserve?” –Dr. Michael Burry, 2012 UCLA Economics Dept. Commencement Address If you read Michael Lewis’ “The Big Short,” you doubtless remember Michael Burry: the brilliant, one-eyed medical doctor/investment savant with borderline Asperger’s who predicted — and cashed in on — the looming financial...Read More
OK, Two-Plus Years I started writing about virtual staging on this blog almost 2 1/2 years ago (“Is Virtual Staging ‘The Next Big Thing?‘”), and began using it for clients a few months later. The Star Trib? Today’s Sunday paper has an article titled “Sellers Turn to Virtual Staging.” Previously on this blog: –“Virtual Staging: Ready...Read More
