Realtors & the Rental Market If you are a prospective home seller who is convinced that prices are temporarily depressed, what do you do? Contemplate renting. If you are a prospective home buyer who is convinced that prices have further to fall, what do you do? Contemplate renting. For the above-mentioned reasons, Realtors — myself...Read More
Exurbs: ‘Tomorrow’s Low-Income Housing?’ As the housing bust and recession has turned the exurbs from engines of growth to economic laggards, many [families who bought recently] have the worst of both worlds. They are still on the fringes but have no equity. In many cases the amenities they hoped would follow — new shopping centers,...Read More
Considering an Auction? Buyer Beware (Very) I have had more clients ask about — and have noticed myself — that more distressed property is now being sold through auctions locally (see my post discussing wwww.AuctionToday.com). I don’t handle those — such auctions typically are an alternative to selling through Realtors. However, I feel I’d be...Read More
More Turmoil at Star Tribune The stager I work with most often, Lori Matzke, mentioned in passing that her regular Saturday column in the Star Tribune is ending. The column was a highlight for many readers, and juxtaposed “before” and “after” staging shots with Lori’s (always insightful) commentary. That’s one less reason for people to...Read More
“Auction Today”? Not Exactly I spent a good chunk of today’s broker tour going through a 90 unit condo project in St. Louis Park. (If you didn’t know, Realtors spend a part of each Tuesday looking at all the new properties on the market, in a ritual called “Broker Tour.”) The condo complex caught my...Read More
The Market Bottoms . . in Fern Hill The first hint of a bottom came around Thanksgiving, when this non-descript rambler in St. Louis Park’s Fern Hill neighborhood came on the market for $189,900. What happened next could only be described as a feeding frenzy: 17 offers in less than 72 hours, with the winning...Read More
