More People Living ” & Working ” by the Lakes? “You Betcha!” Once upon a time, on an especially nice weekday in Summer, the traffic heading east to Lake Calhoun would back up a couple blocks during rush hour. No more. Now, it’s practically year-round, in both directions ” at least any time the windchill...Read More
More People Living — & Working — by the Lakes? “You Betcha!” Once upon a time, on an especially nice weekday in Spring or Summer, the traffic heading east to Lake Calhoun would back up a couple blocks during rush hour. No more. Now, it’s practically year-round, both directions — at least any time the windchill...Read More
(Even) Lower Interest Rates vs. Weaker Economy “It’s too soon to tell.” –Chinese leader Mao Tse-tung, when asked — in 1948(!) — about the historical significance of the French Revolution. To accurately assess the potential effect of Brexit on the housing market, one must first identify and analyze the biggest variables. Here’s my take: Positives...Read More
[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. Berkshire Hathaway is the ultimate parent company of Edina Realty.] Aficionados of Warren Buffett’s annual missive to shareholders (I’m one) will recall that last year’s included a doozy: Buffett’s advice...Read More
Contrarian Indicator: My Perfect, 7-for-7 Forecasting Record Want to make a fortune? Don’t follow my advice. Do the opposite. In the interest of full disclosure, herewith are all the market calls I got wrong the last few years (in my defense, so did almost every other so-called “expert”): 1. Stocks: Prediction: ↓ Actual: ↑ Explanation:...Read More
Sudden — & Unpredictable If major changes in interest rates are like seismic events, the “tremors” are intra-day mortgage rate changes. On a typical day, there are one or two; this Monday, there were six — all up. To be sure, the increments are small, and the current 30-year rate is (still) a historically low 3.75% (up...Read More
