Or Maybe They Should be Called “Dismaying Jeans” Yeah, yeah, I know what fancy-schmancy retailers mean when they refer to “distressed jeans”: jeans whose various holes and patches somehow make them look chic ” and worth a huge mark-up (also referred to as “vintage clothing” in some quarters). My definition of “distressed jeans” is a...Read More
Cost: More Than a Furnace, Less than a Roof (Usually) One of the biggest stealth expenses for homeowners is a new driveway. Depending on the driveway’s size and construction material (concrete vs. asphalt), the cost can easily exceed $10k. When should would-be home Sellers contemplate replacing it?** The Consistency Criterion My 2¢: the most important variable...Read More
Three Scenarios Wait a second ” when an otherwise well-prepped and marketed home isn’t selling, don’t listing agents try to get home sellers to reduce their price? And don’t most home sellers stubbornly resist, no matter how compelling the Realtor’s market data (or underwhelming Buyers’ interest)? Well . . . usually. But there are exceptions...Read More
Smart Landscaping, or, “What a Difference Three Weeks Makes!” The “it” in question would be the contemporary home ” make that homes ” at 2545 Huntington in St. Louis Park’s Fern Hill neighborhood overlooking Cedar Lake and the downtown Minneapolis skyline. The two-story structure on the south end of the lot (photos above and below...Read More
Test your knowledge of modern residential real estate practice, and answer the following multiple choice question: Q: Who should the listing agent (representing the Seller) meet at the home? A. The appraiser working for the Buyer’s lender; B. The home inspector doing the city Truth-in-Sale-of-Housing (“TISH”) inspection; C. The photographer; D. The Buyer’s home inspector. Correct...Read More
Silicon Valley vs. Twin Cities Housing Prices Yeah, Yeah, California has mountains, the ocean, and a (too-nice?**) sunny, mild climate. But, it’s also got a ton of people, earthquakes, sky-high gas prices, and even crazier housing prices — at least in the heart of Silicon Valley (note: I visited my college sophomore son there recently)....Read More
