Answer: Pretty Damn Good (If I Say So Myself) January: stocks soar. February: stocks dive. March: stocks soar April: stocks dive. I think you get the idea . . . –Ross Kaplan, “2015 Stock Market Prediction” (12/29/2015) I made that only somewhat whimsical prediction almost exactly a year ago today (367 days, to be precise)....Read More
The King Queen Has No Clothes (Other Than Black) “U.S. Probes Theranos Complaints” —Headline; The Wall Street Journal (Dec. 21, 2015) If you’re not familiar with blood testing start-up Theranos, here’s the Reader’s Digest version: wunderkind founder Elizabeth Holmes drops out of Stanford at 19 years old, comes up with a revolutionary (and vastly cheaper)...Read More
Deal Makers & Deal Breakers I don’t know about other housing markets, but at least in the Twin Cities, it’s not customary to include floor plans in MLS listings. In fact, I’d estimate that fewer than 1% of all listings have them. The two exceptions I’m aware of: 1) new construction, especially upper bracket and...Read More
“Sellers Who Don’t Have to Sell,” or Picking Up Their Marbles & Going Staying Home It’s always nice to discuss housing market statistics with a fellow quant — which is why it was nice chatting with fellow Edina Realty agent (and now technology consultant) Aaron Dickinson earlier this week. His/my take on housing prices following The...Read More
Corporate vs. Individual Homeowner Owner: National Residential Nominee Services Inc, 7500 Dallas Pkwy Ste 100, Plano , TX Taxpayer: National Residential Nominee Services Inc, 7500 Dallas Pkwy Ste 100, Plano , TX —Property tax statement, Hennepin County One of the first questions I try to answer, as a Buyer’s agent checking out a listing is,...Read More
The Twin Cities Housing Market in One Number: “12,984” “Warmer weather heats up Minneapolis housing.” —CNBC (12/10/2015) It’s oddly fitting that, as 2015 winds down, many Buyers are saying the same thing now that they did at the beginning of the year. Namely, that there’s nothing for sale. And they’re not imagining: according to the...Read More
