What Do You Call the Person Who Exposes You to Covid-19? Sometimes, a cigar is just a cigar.” –Sigmund Freud. I literally don’t understand 90% of the scientific terms on the resumé of my 21 year-old, premed son. In the course of doing volunteer contact tracing for Santa Clara county (Bay Area), he’s had to...Read More
Trump Impeached a Second Time [Note to Readers: The views expressed here are solely those of Ross Kaplan, and do not represent Edina Realty, Berkshire Hathaway, or any other entity referenced. Edina Realty is a subsidiary of Berkshire.] Of all the desecrations committed by President Donald J. Trump or his followers the last 4+ years,...Read More
Experiencing That “Vujà De” Feeling** (Hat tip: George Carlin) Zoom call with extended family set up for Thursday afternoon? “Check.” Basement prepped for newly-quarantining, back-from-California college son? “Check.” Grocery store run — including mask, hand sanitizer, and socially distanced wait line in front — successfully completed? “Check.” Fall leaves all raked? Umm . . ....Read More
“Virtual” vs. “Analog” (In-Person) Showings I certainly understand the temptation — in a worsening Pandemic — to substitute a virtual home tour for the real thing.** But, prospective Buyers should be aware that there are some critical limitations. Here’s my “Top Ten” list of things that are difficult (if not impossible) to detect online: One....Read More
Do Real Estate Photographers Get Overtime Pay?? They Should I’m a huge fan of backlit home photos like the one above. What’s more inviting or dramatic than a character-filled home — perhaps framed by snow — with all its lights blazing at dusk? While it’s purely anecdotal, at least in the Twin Cities, such photos seem...Read More
Total Cost = 94(!) Hurricane Katrina’s The coronavirus crisis has cost the United States at least $16 trillion in terms of lost lives, lost quality of life, and lost economic activity. –Amitabh Chandra, Harvard health economist; quoted in The New York Times (11/14/2020). Just how big a wallop is the pandemic? It may be years...Read More
