“An Ounce of Ice Dam Prevention = . . . . “ To an untrained eye, there are simply two spots on the roof that are snow-free. To someone who knows about ice dams, though, there are two “hot spots” on the roof (missing insulation? directly above a Bathroom or shower?) where heat is escaping,...Read More
October 2012 vs. February 2013 With Fall shadows growing and the thermostat dropping, many would-be Sellers are wrestling with a big decision: whether to rush to get their home on the market now, or wait for Minnesota’s Spring market (note to non-Minnesotans: the local “Spring” market actually kicks off in February, right after the Super Bowl)....Read More
Sellers’ Four Big Sins: Music, Mirrors, and Masking Scents & Paint It’s been a long time since Richard Nixon and Watergate, but it remains true — at least in real estate — that “the cover-up is worse than the crime.” In that vein, here are four things that home Sellers misguidedly do to throw Buyers (and...Read More
How do you spell “ice dam?” I know more than a few local homeowners filling out their Seller Disclosure this Spring — or maybe just bad spellers — tempted to add an “n.” And if you had one this past Winter, you’d better disclose it. Either that, or hope that: a) the Buyer’s inspector is oblivious; and b) the...Read More
As a public service for anyone else out there dealing with excessive window condensation this (very cold) Minnesota winter, here’s what to do: Assuming that the windows are in good repair (no broken seals, etc.), the issue is excessive humidity. Ergo . . . identify and remove the source of the humidity! If that’s temporarily...Read More
Beginning about six weeks ago, the windows in my Master Bedroom and Bath began to collect major condensation — to the point where they literally needed to be toweled off daily, lest the wood frames start to rot. What’s going on? The (4 year-old) windows have gone through three previous Minnesota winters, so I ruled out...Read More
