No, there’s no category for “Best Actor” or “Best Actress” — though arguably, there should be. But the first-ever Edina Realty City Lakes Awards (“ERCL”) do recognize outstanding achievement in 17 (mostly serious) real estate categories. Without further adieu, here are the categories and winners — all painstakingly chosen by City Lakes Manager Matt Loskota:...Read More
“UB?” How About “UO” (“Uhh, Ohh!”) What’s the counterpart to a FSBO (Realtors’ term for a “For Sale By Owner”)? I suppose that would be an unrepresented Buyer. But interestingly, there’s no analogous, universally recognized term (“UB,” anyone??) One possible reason: the way today’s housing market works, Sellers pay the Buyer’s agent. If the Buyer elects not to...Read More
The Microsoft Precedent What turned Microsoft from the preeminent company of the early Internet era (circa 1999) to a company that is now eclipsed by such juggernauts as Google, Apple, and even Amazon.com? One theory is that its focus on “legacy” products — operating systems and applications software — caused it to miss such innovations as Internet search, smart phones,...Read More
Short-Term German Bonds Pay Negative Interest “I am not so much concerned with the return on capital as I am with the return of capital.” –Will Rogers Want an indication of just how bizarro today’s environment of zero percent interest rates (“ZIRP”) is? Investors just accepted a negative interest rate on short-term German bonds: In an...Read More
Realtor “Loss Leaders” First of all, how can professionals who are paid via commission have such a thing as “non-billable hours?” Don’t you have to be a lawyer (I was), CPA (ditto, a long time ago), financial advisor, etc. for that to apply? Technically, yes. But what I mean by “non-billable hours” for Realtors is...Read More
Three (and one half) Theories One of the more confounding things about today’s — shall we say — “unusual” housing market is the conspicuous absence of what Realtors used to call the “sweat equity” Buyer. In no particular order, here are the three explanations I hear most often — and find most credible. One. Soft...Read More
