As Opposed to, “Income-Gushing Investment Property” If the facts are against you, argue the law. If the law is against you, argue the facts. If the law and the facts are against you, pound the table and yell like hell.” –Carl Sandburg’s advice for lawyers. What do Realtors often mean when they tout a “For...Read More
“That About Covers It” Department The line, “owner occupant and investor offers welcome” sounds plausible enough. Then I stopped to think: is there another kind of Buyer?? Short answer: not that I’m aware of. I suppose “2nd home” or “vacation home” Buyer, if the property had been a lake cabin. But in this case the...Read More
When to Skip Home Improvements In general, I applaud homeowners who want to make improvements to their homes and property. See, “Let’s Hear it For Granny Flats!” However, at least when it comes time to sell, there’s one scenario where owners are better advised to save their cash, and simply market their home to builders: ...Read More
Playing Housing Market Arbitrage, or, The Substitution Effect to the Rescue I don’t know about anyone else, but I see an imminent collision — the good kind — between what’s happening in the rental market and the “For Sale” market. In the Twin Cities and nationally, rentals are scarce — and getting scarcer. In the...Read More
Investors (and non-Cubans) Not Wanted When Cuba legalizes buying and selling homes by end of the year — as the government promised again this week — [observers] expect a cascade of changes: higher prices, mass relocation, property taxes and a flood of money from Cubans in the United States and around the world. –Damien Cave, “Cubans...Read More
Deciphering “Realtor-Speak” I’m sure I’m not the only listing agent out there who’s recently fielded some variation of the following query: “I’ve got an investor who might be interested in your client’s property. Would they be open to something like that?” For those who don’t know Realtor-speak, let me translate: ‘my client would be interested in buying...Read More
