Porsches, Picasso’s, and Stradivariuses A Steinway piano is a hand-made marvel, full of intricate detail and workmanship, sought by collectors and valued accordingly. A true “piece of work,” one might even say. Ditto such treasures as a Stradivarius violin, a Picasso painting, a Porsche sports car, and a Rolex watch. So . . . how...Read More
Prepping for the SAT, 40 Years Later “As our circle of knowledge expands, so does the circumference of darkness surrounding it.” –Albert Einstein Who consults a dictionary more, smart people or . . . not so smart people? I sure hope it’s the former, because I’m constantly looking up new words (albeit online these days). “Conflated”...Read More
“So Done” vs. “Are You Done Yet?” For an unassuming four letter word, “done” sure has a lot of different connotations. I count at least eight (below), including two meanings — one good, one bad — popular in residential real estate. One. To perfection. Example: “That house is done. It’s not staged like a spec house.”...Read More
vs. “Family Home”(?) “Starter home“: a relatively small, economical house or condominium that meets the requirements of young people buying their first home. My association with “starter home” — and I’m sure many others’ — is a small house, usually two Bedrooms (or three very small ones), that may (or may not) be in rough condition....Read More
Knowing What You Don’t Know — & Doing Something About It “When I bore people at a party . . . they think it’s their fault.” –Henry Kissinger “Better to keep your mouth shut and let people think you’re an idiot, then open it and confirm it. –Yiddish saying Who says “I don’t know” more:...Read More
Standard for Buyer’s Walk-Through Inspection “I know it when I see it.” –United States Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart’s threshold test for defining obscenity. What’s fair game for raising issues during the Buyer’s walk-through inspection? (typically, conducted within 48 hours of closing). At least in Minnesota, any changes to the home since the Buyer’s inspection that substantially alter its...Read More
