Seller Psychology vs. Market Reality Quick! Which of the following are relevant for determining a home’s current value? A. What the owner/seller paid for it. B. What their neighbor sold their home for a year ago. C. What the another neighbor currently is listing their home for. D. How much money the owner spent on improvements. Answer: none of...Read More
Quick! Name a Pretentious Synonym for “Custom-Made” Once upon a time, the adjective “bespoke” applied to exactly one thing: clothes. Specifically, high-end, custom clothes like men’s suits and shirts, or women’s gowns (although I think “couture” was and is the more popular term for the latter) . Now? Here’s a partial list of things (and...Read More
Actuarial (and Other) Calculations Apparently, roof shingles are getting better and longer-lasting. Traditionally, a standard 3-tab or 4-tab asphalt shingle had an expected life of about 20 years. Now, in addition to the 30-year “Timberline” brand, there are a bevy of new, longer-lasting shingles expected to last several decades. Along with a longer life expectancy,...Read More
“Eat Street” Art — Amateur Division I don’t know about the drawing skills of the tagger(s) who spray-painted the graffiti at 27th and Nicollet (above). But, they certainly are good climbers, with a sense of balance to match: the tag is just above a narrow ledge on the 2nd floor, easily 15′ off the ground (photo, below)....Read More
At least to me, there are two things that are depressing about a high temp of 18° locally today, in what the calendar says is still officially mid-Fall: 1) the high temperature today was eighteen #$!&!% degrees; and 2) somehow, that merely ties the Twin Cities record for November 11 (gives you a sense of...Read More
Not-So-Name Brand Minneapolis Neighborhoods If you have kids and live in the Twin Cities, you’ve doubtless heard of Minneapolis’ Linden Hills neighborhood. With Lake Harriet on the east and Lake Calhoun on the north; terrific retail and coffee shops; and a range of housing (prices, style), it ranks amongst the Twin Cities’ most popular. But,...Read More
