Hurry Up and Wait Every day you see one more card You take it on faith, you take it to the heart The waiting is the hardest part —”The Waiting“; Tom Petty, lyrics In my original post, “The Waiting (is the Hardest Part),” I discussed the various kinds of waiting that people frequently have to...Read More
Thanksgiving Lost and Found, or “Minnesota Wisconsin Nice” “Minnesota Nice” has a lot of detractors — especially amongst non-Minnesotans. However, the locals’ practice of behaving nicely and exuding warmth (however superficially) does have its redeeming qualities. Like when you’re traveling to the Twin Cities for Thanksgiving with a bunch of small kids and lose your iPad...Read More
Fans of the old “Taxi” sitcom — featuring Judd Hirsch, Marilu Henner, Tony Danza, and “Latke” — will recall the infamous bit where Latke is taking his driver’s exam, and all of his buddies are just outside the door, trying to coach him without getting caught. “What does a flashing yellow light mean?, Latke mouths. “Slow...Read More
Side Effect(s) of a Sluggish Market Some things are just ingrained in you: you don’t leave the Kitchen with a pot of boiling water on the stove. You don’t leave the house — at least during the day — with the lights on. And, if you’re a Realtor, you don’t leave a “live” (counter)offer on the...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
Christmas & the Housing Market There are plenty of reasons to explain why the housing market decelerates around the holidays: it’s customarily a time to celebrate with one’s family; take a respite from work (vacation, even!); and generally reflect on one’s — shall we say — existential circumstances. Plus, the weather (at least in Minnesota)...Read More
