Collecting (Mining?) a Treasure Trove of Personal Data on Home Buyers and Sellers (and their Realtors) [Note to Readers: The views expressed here are solely those of Ross Kaplan, and do not represent Edina Realty, Berkshire Hathaway (“Berkshire”), or any other entity referenced. Edina Realty is a subsidiary of Berkshire.] To consumers and even...Read More
Before and After Pix Painting stucco, a cement-based siding, used to be a “no-no”: the exterior paint didn’t adhere well, which meant that, forever after, the home needed frequent re-painting. Which sort of defeated the purpose of stucco in the first place: its famously low maintenance. Now, thanks to more stucco-friendly products, the interval between re-painting...Read More
Bullish and Bearish Bellwethers [Note to Readers: in the wake of GameStop’s Reddit-fueled roller coaster ride, the post below is getting renewed attention. To would-be market timers, though, here’s a heads up: the post appeared almost 5 years ago, when the Nasdaq — which contains many high-flying tech stocks — closed at 4,476. Its close...Read More
“Just Say (Hell) No!” ” Realtor Version; or “It Doesn’t Hurt to Ask, Right?” Wrong! [Note to Readers: Realtor rant alert ” if you are one of the vast majority of prospective home Buyers and Sellers who value and respect your Realtor’s considerable efforts on your behalf, please skip the following. If, however, you’re not...Read More
More than WHAT? My short answer to the question, “Can I get more for my house if I put on a new roof?” is, “yes, you can.” That is, if by “more,” you mean, “more than what you could have gotten for the home without a new roof ” especially if the current one is...Read More
“I Can’t Get Covid — Can I??” As stressful as selling a home and moving to another is for people . . . it can be even more so for animals. Specifically, the family pet(s). The obvious reason: there’s no way to explain to them what’s happening (at least that I know). The cure? Extra...Read More
