“It’s the Next Big Thing”* OK, I’m not sure if that caption is especially witty, lame . . . or incredibly obvious. But, I couldn’t resist throwing my hat in the ring in the weekly New Yorker magazine caption contest. The winner will be announced next Sunday. *The actual image — which I didn’t reproduce for...Read More
Hardwood Floor Favorites (Still): Oak, Maple Once upon a time — like 5 years ago — it seemed like bamboo floors were The Next Big Thing. Bamboo was touted as cheap, long-lasting, aesthetic, and — best of all — environmentally friendly (technically, it’s a grass, not a tree, and grows much faster). Marketplace as Ultimate...Read More
The Nest Thermostat First, a caveat: I’ve yet to see a “Nest” thermostat in an actual home in the Twin Cities. And you’d certainly guess that the spate of recent (and well-timed) news stories extolling its virtues have as much to do with holiday shopping and marketing as the device’s revolutionary technology. However . . . in...Read More
Real Estate’s “Next Big Thing” — Really Electronic signatures are one of those developments that are supposed to be The Next Big Thing — every year for a decade running (see, “2012: Year of the Electronic Signature“). Yet anecdotally, I’d say that less than 5% of Realtors have made the switch to date. So, what’s holding...Read More
Greek Deja Vu See if you can guess what I’m talking about: –It’s from Greece. –Leading American companies are playing a central role in creating and exporting it. –It’s likely to affect every American household. Give up? Greek . . . . yogurt!! (what did you think I was going to say, “sovereign debt?” “Financial...Read More
Is Virtual Staging “the Next Big Thing?” The “next big thing” in real estate likely has nothing to do with “social media” (Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.). Rather, my guess is that it’s “virtual staging” — using software to simulate what an empty house would look like (nicely) furnished and accessorized (wall art, area rugs, mirrors, etc.)...Read More
