1) Bigger Garage; 2) Attached (vs. Detached); 3) No More Shared Shoveling If you’re a developer who just bought a dated, undersized tear-down on a small(er) city lot, what do you do? To maximize profit, you want to build as big as possible, consistent with city zoning and setback requirements. However, if you overdo it,...Read More
Test your knowledge of the Twin Cities housing market, and guess the list price of this 3 BR/2 Bath 1955 rambler with 1,830 finished square feet (it debuted on the market this afternoon): A. $119,900 B. $179,900 C. $249,900 D. $699,900 Before I provide the answer, here’s a helpful clue: the home sits high above...Read More
Hot (Cold?) Off the Presses If you can’t tell the difference between a fresh and stale-looking listing . . . you haven’t been selling real estate very long. In this case, the home pictured above — 5141 12th Ave. South, in South Minneapolis — hit the market . . . about an hour ago. The...Read More
‘Vúja de’: the strange feeling that somehow, this has never happened before. –George Carlin I suppose the flip side of stumbling across a new listing you instantly recognize is, seeing one that you know looks familiar, but can’t quite place. Or, driving past such a house. In the case of this Fern Hill home (above),...Read More
Signs, Signs, Everywhere there’s signs. Blocking out the scenery. Breaking my mind. Do this! Don’t do that! Can’t you read the signs? –Lyrics, “Signs”; Five Man Electrical Band Adding a 2nd “For Sale” sign for a home on a corner lot is smart marketing. That’s especially true when the home — in St. Louis Park’s Triangle...Read More
1921 Franklin Ave. West in Minneapolis’ Kenwood Neighborhood When does it make sense to build a balcony off the Master Bath? When it has a (seasonal) view of Lake of the Isles, just one block to the east (photo at left). The rest of the 4 BR/4 Bath Arts & Crafts home — overlooking Kenwood...Read More
