Overpriced Home as Buyer Bait? Maybe, Maybe Not [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.] I know many of my colleagues vigorously disagree with me — especially in a seller’s market with crazy-tight inventory like today’s —...Read More
Target Market: Baby Boomers Who Want to Age in Place The term “life cycle build” is new, but the concept isn’t: a new construction home that’s versatile enough to accommodate the (invariably Baby Boomer) owner’s various life stages. Typical features include: —Two owner’s suites, one on the main floor and the second on the upper...Read More
Price & Other Terms What is the Seller’s objective in multiple offers? If you said, “obtain the best offer,” you’d only be half-right; the better answer is, “obtain the best offer from the strongest Buyer.” “Eyes on the Prize” (Closing) That second, broader criterion takes into account not just the selling price, but such things...Read More
“No-No’s” for Would-Be Home Sellers, or “What’s the Opposite of an Achilles’ Heel?” My #1 piece of advice for would-be home sellers prepping for market this Spring (or any other time of year) is, “make everything consistent.” Which suggests this corollary: “don’t over-improve.” In fact, there are two kinds of over-improvements: 1) within the home; and...Read More
Everything You Wanted to Know About Ceiling Finishes As best I can tell, the reason it’s called a “knockdown ceiling” is because calling it a “knock-off ceiling” would have been too confusing. What gets knocked off — er, knocked down — is the joint compound that’s first applied to the ceiling, and allowed to partially...Read More
The “Air Force One Theory” of Farmhouses What makes a farmhouse a farmhouse? A. A farmer lives in it (or used to).* B. It’s located on a farm (or was). C. A unique architectural style.** D. All of the above. Correct Answer: “A.” and “B.” Admittedly, you don’t run into many farmhouses in the more...Read More
