Addition By Subtraction Just like staging a home’s interior is mostly about subtraction, not addition, improving a home’s curb appeal is usually about paring back. Most common task: cutting back overgrown landscaping that obscures the home’s curb appeal. In this case, removing this Fern Hill duplex’s window awnings (above) was a 2-for-1: 1) it punched up the...Read More
Real Estate Photography 101 Buyers will find out soon enough that this cute Longfellow (Minneapolis) home only has a one-car garage. But, the combination of the (head-on) angle and the bright red color make it rather inescapable. Marketing Strategy? I don’t agree with it in this case, but there IS a school of thought that says...Read More
Square Pegs Business Cards in Round Holes How do Realtors make their business cards stand out from hundreds (thousands?) of others? Dazzling design and colors is certainly one way. But there’s another, even more obvious strategy: alter the shape. So, instead of a standard rectangle, I’ve now seen a handful of square Realtor business cards....Read More
Bonus Question: Where’s the House? That’s one long boom — at least several hundred feet high, judging from appearances. Call that possibility unlikely at best. Instead, it’s likely that the photo (above) was taken by a drone, or, perhaps a low-flying aircraft (if Google Maps can do that — please let me know!). Location, Location...Read More
Is the Absence of a Negative a Positive? Yes, But . . . Do home sellers get credit for a dry basement? Answer: “absolutely” (I mean, “you betcha!”). It’s just not something that — as a listing agent representing the owner — I’d necessarily put in the home’s marketing materials.* Rather, a bone dry basement ensures that the...Read More
Not Changing Horses Brands in Midstream [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.] Looking for awnings and billboards in the Twin Cities plastered with the name “Berkshire?” You’re not likely to find them. “Is That Spelled I-D-I-N-A-H?”...Read More
