Minneapolis Property Tax Sticker Shock: Exhibit A B C D E W(??) Where: 2737 Lake of the Isles Parkway in South Minneapolis. What: 1903 Dutch Colonial with 5 BR/5 BA and over 5,000 finished square feet. The home is a foreclosed property being sold by the lender, Bank of America. When: approaching 2 years of market...Read More
How Big a Premium? Do famous homes fetch a premium? In the Twin Cities, it’s hard to know — there aren’t that many of them. However — at least to Baby Boomer fans of The Mary Tyler Moore Show — there are few more iconic homes than the one (pictured above) on Kenwood Parkway, just north...Read More
“If at First You Don’t Succeed . . . “ Maybe they’ll try again. That’s my reaction to the news that North Dakota voters overwhelmingly rejected a constitutional amendment yesterday that would have eliminated that state’s property tax. To be fair, energy-rich (and financially flush) North Dakota is in a better position than most states...Read More
The Microsoft Precedent What turned Microsoft from the preeminent company of the early Internet era (circa 1999) to a company that is now eclipsed by such juggernauts as Google, Apple, and even Amazon.com? One theory is that its focus on “legacy” products — operating systems and applications software — caused it to miss such innovations as Internet search, smart phones,...Read More
Recognize This House? Where: somewhere in Minneapolis. What: a classic, older home with 4 BR/3 BA and over 3,000 square feet. Features gorgeous mill work, built-in’s galore, hardwood floors, beamed ceilings — and on and on. How much: list price now $989k, down from $1.395 two-plus(!) years ago. Property taxes: a gazillion dollars per year....Read More
Minnesota Too Nice Stay at a hotel in Manhattan, and various local taxes and surcharges will add more than 50% to your bill. The same phenomenon applies to car rentals, restaurants, and alcohol sales: namely, local tax authorities — especially in high-demand destinations frequented by tourists — disproportionately soak outsiders to fund their budgets. So,...Read More
