Better Than Blueprints: The “Jumping-Up-and-Down” Test One of the issues that can come up for downsizers moving from a single-family home to multi-family housing (condo or townhome) is privacy ” specifically, noise. I don’t know about townhomes (see below), but I do know a surefire, albeit not-so-scientific way to test how quiet a given condo...Read More
“There Oughta Be a Word For That” Dept. What do you call all the things outside a home ” like concrete steps, pavers, custom handrails, retaining walls, etc. ” that don’t quite qualify as “landscaping?” Answer: “Flatwork.” “Flatware” — the word it’s frequently confused with — refers to eating utensils and plates.Read More
Not Measuring Up? There’s no harm in touting that a home has an especially nice backyard, sits on a large or impressive piece of land, etc. However, the term “double lot” ” at least to me ” has a specific, defined meaning. Namely, it’s a least twice the size of a standard city lot. In...Read More
What Happens After the Listing Contract Expires? [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. If you need legal advice, please consult an attorney.] “Seller understands that the Seller does not have to pay Broker’s compensation if Seller...Read More
Issues That Do (and Don’t) Come Up on Inspection Want to know how much it costs to fix a cracked chimney cap? A veteran Realtor probably has at least a ballpark idea. Ditto for a new roof, boiler, electric service panel, or central a/c. However, it’s a good bet that the same agent doesn’t have...Read More
Not Measuring Up? There’s no harm in touting that a home has an especially nice backyard, sits on a large or impressive piece of land, etc. However, the term “double lot” ” at least to me ” has a specific, defined meaning. Namely, it’s a least twice the size of a standard city lot. In...Read More
