Electric Toothbrushes and Modern Gas Pumps One of my favorite “Family Circus” cartoons shows the children in the bathroom in their grandparents’ house, holding a manual toothbrush. The caption: “Look, Mom! A toothbrush you don’t have to plug in!” The Kaplan household recently had our own version of that experience, when my 17 year-old son (and...Read More
Whole > Sum of Parts [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. If you need legal advice, please consult an attorney.] One of the (many) fringe benefits of working at the best office (City Lakes), at the...Read More
Is That, “No Finished Square Feet in Lower Level?” or, “There’s NO LOWER LEVEL . . . AT ALL?!?” “If your parents don’t have kids . . . you won’t either.” –Anonymous “If your listing doesn’t get showings . . . you won’t get offers, either.” –Real estate corollary, Ross Kaplan [Editor’s Note: The views expressed...Read More
Doesn’t “FD” Stand for “Fire Department?” “Things should be made as simple as possible — but not simpler.” –Albert Einstein I’m all for making things simpler when it comes to real estate terminology. But, there comes a point where it . . . becomes kind of silly. Exhibit A: showing instructions that refer to the...Read More
Key Questions: 1) Will it fit in the elevator?; 2) IS THERE an elevator? When you see a crane outside a commercial property, it’s usually hoisting a piece of HVAC-related equipment (heating, cooling, electrical) onto the roof that’s too big to fit in an elevator. By contrast, when you see a crane outside a residential...Read More
In a supposedly paperless world, why does anyone still need something to correct paper mistakes? I know at least one, non-standard application: touch-up paint for Realtor sign riders. 🙂 It’s not as good as white nail polish, and not as water-repellent (or long-lived) as oil-based paint, but in a pinch . . . it’ll do!Read More
