But First . . . a Brief History Lesson I don’t know about other states ” I’m only licensed to sell real estate in Minnesota ” but here, residential property taxes are due twice a year: May 15 and October 15. Those non-randomly chosen dates stretch back to when Minnesota’s economy ” like practically every...Read More
When? How Much? If an otherwise well-staged, well-marketed home isn’t selling after a reasonable interval on the market**, a price reduction is invariably indicated. How big? It all depends on how overpriced the home appears to be. Toss Out the CMA Once a home is actually on the market, interest from prospective Buyers ” or...Read More
Nesting Instinct It’s not just would-be Buyers who are tirelessly searching for a home this Fall, before the arrival of colder temps and harsher weather. So are critters (and insects, if that’s a separate category). The list includes bees, wasps, mice, squirrels, & raccoons (a few years ago in the Twin Cities, it was even...Read More
Deciphering Teen-Speak OK, so this post just might have something to do with having multiple teenagers under my roof. But, as they say, “write what you know.” In that vein, no one is more familiar than me with all the nuances and shadings of that timeless phrase, “Shut up.” Here’s my lexicon: One. “I don’t...Read More
Fall Equinox: From +16 Hours Daylight on June 21 . . . to Exactly 12 Hours If Sellers were OK with it ” and Realtors’ “smart” keys worked then ” it would be possible to show homes in late June in Minnesota between 9 and 10 p.m. After all, in the Twin Cities, the sun...Read More
The Four Types of Housing Market Participants, in One, Easy-to-Explain Graph Every housing market has its winners and losers. Every housing market. So, a decade ago, when the market was tanking, the big winners were first-time Buyers ” at least ones with (good) jobs and unblemished credit. With rock-bottom prices and an ocean of inventory,...Read More
