“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
Bonus Question: “What Can You Skip?” I don’t know that there’s a rule of thumb — or a formula — for determining exactly when a home is (very) well-staged. The closest I’ve got is this: “A home is well-staged when all of its unique attributes are identified and optimally showcased, and any Achilles’ Heels have...Read More
It’s not unusual for the same word to have multiple meanings. “Aloha” is Hawaiian for both “hello” and “goodbye.” In Hebrew, “shalom” means “hello” and “goodbye” — and “peace.” But, no single English word I’m aware of has more protean meanings than the word “on.” I catalog no less than 27(!) discrete definitions. Consider: One. Throwing down the gauntlet...Read More
Housing Market Misnomers One of the biggest misconceptions in residential real estate is that, to be a teardown, a home must first be falling down. Hardly. All “teardown” means is that the home is less valuable than the land underneath it. That can be the case for at least two reasons other than physical...Read More
“Lakeview” vs. “Lakefront” [Editor’s Note: The views expressed here are solely those of Ross Kaplan, and do not represent Edina Realty, Berkshire Hathaway, or any other entity referenced. If you need legal advice, please consult an attorney.] In a state famed for its 10,000 lakes (actually, 11,842), you’d figure that there are LOTS of lakefront...Read More
Tying Up Loose Ends & Open Offers Admittedly, there’s usually not much doubt. But if you want absolute, “case-closed” proof that a Buyer’s offer qualifies as a lowball, here it is: when the Seller rebuffs it*, they never even bother to withdraw it. Either the offered price is so preposterously low they know the Seller will never...Read More
