Irking the Neighbors I can certainly understand how my client thought that the developer had had a change of heart. More than two months after they sold their home to the builder this Spring, the new owner was nowhere to be found. Meanwhile, the neglected property was becoming increasingly derelict (overgrown lawn, broken window, missing gutter extensions,...Read More
Guess #2: How Much? Owner’s suite w/Large Bath & Walk-in Closet. Open Floor Plan w/9′ Ceilings. Granite/Stainless Kitchen w/Undermount Sink/Peninsula. Barrel Ceiling. –Excerpt, MLS Listing Based on the accmpanying photos and marketing language (above), guess where this new single family home with 4 Bedrooms and 3 Baths is located: A. Linden Hills in Southwest Minneapolis; B. ...Read More
Home Spotlight: 2025 Thomas Ave. South I did a double-take when I saw the gleaming new home pictured on MLS (above) in Minneapolis’ Kenwood neighborhood, just northeast of Cedar Lake. For one thing, the house sits high atop a hill, not a flat, smallish lot. For another . . . there’s no house there! I...Read More
. . . . When Overall Housing Prices are Static How can housing prices (average and median) be galloping ahead in some Twin Cities neighborhoods, when overall prices are only modestly rising (from still very low levels)? Easy. Explanation #1: not all neighborhoods are experiencing modest appreciation — some are doing GREAT; and Explanation #2: tear-downs....Read More
City Inspections vs. Buyer Home Inspections “Needs extensive rehab or possible teardown. Not a bank-owned home. Very fast response to offers. Minimal T-I-H required repairs.” –MLS listing How can something be a possible tear-down, and yet have “minimal Truth-in-Housing (TIH) required repairs?” Isn’t that an oxymoron? Nope. As I tell my Buyer clients, the scope...Read More
Why do Realtors go to estate sales? To get deals, of course (a big “Thanks!” to the stranger who helped me pick two James Michener novels earlier this morning, for $2 apiece). But also to stay on top of the local real estate market. So, look for a new, $1 million-plus home at 3433 St. Paul...Read More
