Robert Guthridge's Blog

“The Right Things Wrong” How do you know when you’ve found a home that’s a good candidate for rehab/remodeling? In the words of one of my favorite contractors, Phil Raskin, “it has the right things wrong.” Definition: the home has good bones and a nice floor plan, but discrete, correctable problems. Black, White — and Gray So, what are some examples? An ancient gravity furnace (“octopus”), decades-old wallpaper, or ancient appliances. Even better: all three. By contrast, examples of “the wrong things wrong” include: a foundation problem; “location issues” (in the shadow of a busy freeway); an incoherent floor plan; and/or poor construction quality. P.S.: a bad odor would be . . . an example of something that’s in the gray zone. If it’s attributable to a single, obvious source — yes. If it’s pervasive — for example, animal odors — the risk that it will linger even after extensive remediation efforts is much higher. from RSSMix.com Mix ID 8230700 https://ift.tt/2YhpmPJ vi...

It’s not uncommon for agents to see homes marketed as a “Grandma’s house.” Less usual:  homes marketed as a “ Grandpa’s house.” I’m not sure what the listing agent’s association for each type of home is, but here are mine (and I’m sure, many other Realtors’): Grandma’s House: –“Vintage” Kitchen with lots of old appliances (wall oven, mixer, etc.); –Old(er) window treatments, floor coverings, and wallpaper; –Wood paneling; –Lots of pictures of grandchildren. Grandpa’s House: –Utility Room with a workbench; –Garage with lots of “stuff” (stray engine parts, power tools, etc.); –Wood paneling; –Old(er) window treatments, floor coverings, and wallpaper. Cosmetic Improvements = Instant Equity While dated, such homes usually boast “pride of ownership” and are (very) well-maintained. They also frequently spell opportunity for Buyers, who can create instant equity by doing such things as pulling up old carpeting and refinishing the hardwood floors underneath; skim...

I have sold thousands of houses in my career for both clients as a real estate agent and my own properties. Over the years, I have learned a few things about selling. In the past, I was hesitant to stage properties, but lately, we have been staging our properties and I think it has helped ... Read more The post Should You Stage a House When Selling? appeared first on InvestFourMore . from RSSMix.com Mix ID 8230700 https://ift.tt/2VFRkmm via IFTTT

Building Boom on Minneapolis – St. Louis Park Border Exactly how big is the construction crane at the new development — a 49 unit apartment building — now going up just southeast of France Ave. and Lake Street? At 250′ (my estimate), the crane is so big that it straddles the border between Minneapolis and St. Louis Park (which just so happens to be France Ave.). When I snapped the photo above recently, the vertical part of the crane (including the base) was in Minneapolis, with the arm mostly in St. Louis Park. Or, should I say, “over” St. Louis Park? With the new light rail line to Eden Prairie (“Southwest LRT”) under construction just to the south, the area is experiencing the most development in decades (note: the Edina Realty-City Lakes office is located almost across the street). from RSSMix.com Mix ID 8230700 https://ift.tt/3bwJOA1 via IFTTT

Anyone Home?? [ 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.] Show me a “For Sale” sign that’s badly listing, week after week, and I’ll show you a “For Sale” property where no one’s home — figuratively, and quite likely, literally. That’s because a falling-over sign can be easily corrected with a phone call to the sign installation company, which then doubles back to reset it (at least in Minnesota in the Spring, the tilt is invariably due to the ground thawing). Usual lag to have fixed: a few days, max. “Never Just One Cockroach” Which begs the question: If no one’s taking care of the easy stuff, how likely is it that they’re taking care of the hard(er) stuff? That includes things like expertly staging, pricing, and marketing the home; scheduling showings with prospective Buyers and their agents; and comp...

All Part of the (Ongoing) Job If you went to your estate attorney for a will in 2016, then needed an update now, you’d expect to be invoiced for the new work, right? Similarly, if your dentist put in a crown four years ago, then you needed a cavity filled today, you’d expect the dentist to bill you a second time, correct? So, when a Realtor represents you in the purchase of your home in 2016, then you need their help refinancing your mortgage in 2020, how much do you suppose it costs? At least if the Realtor was this Realtor (me), the answer is: $0.** Low Appraisal  That’s because I view helping out my former (and hopefully future!) clients as part of my job description. In this case, a home buyer I’d represented four years ago got back in touch to say that their refinancing application was rejected, because their home appraised too low. They asked if I could look at the Comp’s (“Comparable Sold Properties”), to see if I could tell what was going on. I could, and I did. ...

This interview explores a very simple investment scenario using a single family rental income. This will give you the building blocks to get started with using both Valuate and working with investors. from RSSMix.com Mix ID 8230700 https://ift.tt/2Kl7ds1 via IFTTT

Building Boom on Minneapolis – St. Louis Park Border Exactly how big is the construction crane at the new development — a 49 unit apartment building — going up just southeast of France Ave. and Lake Street? At 250′ (my estimate), it’s so big that it straddles the border between Minneapolis and St. Louis Park (which just so happens to be France Ave.). When I snapped the photo above recently, the eastern part of the crane (including the base) was in Minneapolis, with the remainder in St. Louis Park. Or, should I say, “over?” With the new light rail line to Eden Prairie (“Southwest LRT”) under construction just to the south, the area is experiencing the most development in decades. from RSSMix.com Mix ID 8230700 https://ift.tt/3bwJOA1 via IFTTT

Anyone Home?? [ 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.] Show me a “For Sale” sign that’s badly listing, week after week, and I’ll show you a “For Sale” home where no one’s home — figuratively, and quite likely, literally. That’s because a falling-over sign can be easily corrected with a phone call to the sign installation company, which then doubles back to straighten it out (the tilt is due to the ground thawing). Usual lag: a few days. “Never Just One Cockroach” Which begs the question: If no one’s taking care of the easy stuff, how likely is it that they’re taking care of the hard(er) stuff? That includes things like expertly staging, pricing, and marketing the home; scheduling showings with prospective Buyers and their agents; and completing the Seller Disclosure and any city-required inspection....

All Part of the (Ongoing) Job If you went to your estate attorney for a will in 2016, then needed an update now, you’d expect to be invoiced for the new work, right? Similarly, if your dentist put in a crown four years ago, then you needed a cavity filled today, you’d expect the dentist to bill you a second time, correct? So, when a Realtor represents you in the purchase of your home in 2016, then you need their help refinancing in 2020, how much do you suppose it costs? At least if the Realtor was this Realtor (me), the answer is: $0. Low Appraisal  That’s because I view helping out my former (and hopefully future!) clients as part of my job description. In this case, a home buyer I’d represented four years ago got back in touch to say that their refinancing application was rejected, because their home appraised too low. They asked if I could look at the Comp’s (“Comparable Sold Properties”), to see if I could tell what was going on. I could, and I did. Wrong Side of t...

This interview explores a very simple investment scenario using a single family rental income. This will give you the building blocks to get started with using both Valuate and working with investors. from RSSMix.com Mix ID 8230700 https://ift.tt/2Kl7ds1 via IFTTT

$%#@?!! Ok, so 10¢ is the wholesale price of a barrel of oil right now — specifically, something called “West Texas Intermediate crude” — not the retail price (at the pump). And refining and transporting oil isn’t free. But, given that there are 31.5 gallons in a barrel, that translates to something like .03¢(!!) a gallon before adding shipping and refining costs. Of all the shocking economic developments the last two months, this one ranks near the top (bottom??) . . . from RSSMix.com Mix ID 8230700 https://ift.tt/2ypPrRL via IFTTT

Subjective Tolerance Levels First, the good news:  assuming the house is a couple of decades old, the settling is very likely historic. So, for a home that was built in say , 1925, the settling likely occurred (and stopped) by 1927. The bad news? It’s (very) hard to correct. It’s possible to use floor jacks — but those risk doing severe damage. Repairing a foundation, meanwhile, can cost tens of thousands of dollars, and even then there’s no guaranty. “Settling for Settling” Instead, I tell my Buyer clients to decide whether the settling is something they can live with. Practically, if they notice settled floors immediately upon entering a home (vs. my pointing them out) . . . I recommend they keep looking. P.S.: pronounced settling can also be relevant if the home is a prospective tear-down. That’s because settling suggests soft(er) soil, a high water table, or some other condition which can require pilings to correct. That adds to the construction cost — and sub...

When the Neighbors are the Dealbreaker Prospective Buyer : “We love the house.  But we could never live across the street from that pornographic statue.” Phil Dunphy : “Oh . . . huh . . . I never noticed it.” Prospective Buyer : “ Yeah . . . you can see it from inside when you look out the window.” Phil Dunphy : “ Oh . . . ahh . . umm . . are you talking about that one?” (points). Prospective Buyer :  “It’s quite large.” Phil Dunphy : “I’ll take your word for it.” –-Modern Family; “Marble With Wood” episode. Unlike TV Realtor Phil Dunphy, I’ve never had a listing torpedoed by an obscene statue on the neighbor’s front lawn (this is Minnesota, after all). But, I’ve had sales where the neighbor’s snowmobile(s)/kayak/under-repair-motorcycle was an issue. Sugar vs. Vinegar Step #1 is always a friendly, “We’d really appreciate it if you could relocate your [ _____ ] while our house is on the market.” If the “For Sale” homeowner doesn’t feel comfortable making ...

The Art of Comp Selection One of the trickier home features to account for in a Comparative Market Analysis (“CMA”) is a busy street. For a family with little kids, a busy street may very well be a deal breaker — in which case the discount is theoretically infinite. At the other extreme, an investor looking for a rental property may see the location as a plus: free advertising! Of course, not all busy streets are created equal: depending on how far the home is set back; elevation differences; the individual home’s layout; and even landscaping and other topography, and the noise level/loss of privacy can vary significantly. Two Strategies Faced with so many variables, Realtors and Appraisers can always simply choose an average discount — say , 10% off. Strategy #2? Choose as Comp’s (“Comparable Sold Properties”) only homes that are also located on busy streets. Even better: the same busy street. Then, there’s no need to make any adjustment, because all the ho...

Housing Market Misnomers One of the biggest misconceptions in residential real estate is that, to be a teardown, a home must first be falling down. Hardly. All “teardown” means is that the home is less valuable than the land underneath it. That can be the case for at least two reasons other than physical condition: One . The home is undersized relative to its lot size. Dozens (hundreds?) of perfectly habitable ’50’s ramblers in choice Edina neighborhoods have been torn down the last decade or so because they’re simply too small. When a 3 BR, 2 Bath rambler with 1,500 square feet sits on a .30 acre (or bigger) lot in an area of +4,000 square foot homes, it’s destined to be a teardown regardless of its condition, because the neighborhood supports new construction over $1.5 million (note: if you live on the coasts, add a zero). Two . Functional obsolescence. Of course, it’s also the case that lots of those ramblers — while in perfectly good condition — also had small Bedrooms ...

[ 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.] During his long and storied career, Donald Trump has (so far) plastered his name on casinos, steaks, airplanes, golf courses, hotels, office buildings and sundry other things. Now, at his direction, the IRS will put his name on millions of government stimulus checks (though apparently only in the “memorandum” field, not as signatory). In light of the United States’ world-leading death toll from Coronavirus — close to 30,000 and climbing — I’ve got one more thing his name deserves to be on . . . from RSSMix.com Mix ID 8230700 https://ift.tt/3a9pYZX via IFTTT

Many people dream of buying a house, but when you buy, you usually need to sell at some point. Even if you never buy a house, you may end up having to sell a house you inherit. There are many ways to sell a house, and most people want to make the most money they ... Read more The post How To Sell a House for the Most Money appeared first on InvestFourMore . from RSSMix.com Mix ID 8230700 https://ift.tt/2V5EcH2 via IFTTT

April 12, 2020: Record Easter Snowfall in Twin Cities Thanks to a record 4″ (and still falling) snow today, area “For Sale” homes that had embarrassingly unseasonal exterior photos . . . suddenly don’t . But here’s an educated guess: even when warmer weather returns — 60’s are forecast here next week — the (literally) frozen-in-time listings will still sport the same wintery photos. See also , “ Out-of-Season Photos on MLS” ; “ Unseasonal Photos on MLS” ; “Realtor Buying & Selling Tricks “; “ Broken Clocks and Stale MLS Photos “; “ Unseasonal Photos “; and “ Suddenly Unseasonal Home Photos on MLS .” from RSSMix.com Mix ID 8230700 https://ift.tt/2yQeUnv via IFTTT

“Better Late Than Never” Dept. “Congress, Come Home: Faxes Can Do the Talking on Capitol Hill”** –Ross Kaplan, Star Tribune Op-Ed page (1993). OK , so I got the part about faxes wrong: today’s technology, including Zoom, FaceTime, and streaming video, positively blows away fax machines. And, I didn’t anticipate the health and safety reason (i.e., a pandemic) for Congress to work remotely. But, my four other reasons for members of Congress to be able to vote (and work) from their home districts are just as compelling today as they were almost 30(!) years ago: One . Closer to voters (literally). Want politicians to identify more closely with their constituents and their concerns? Bring ’em closer, literally, to their voters. Two . Less accessible to corporate lobbyists (the converse of #1). Lobbying members of Congress now is like shooting fish in a barrel, because they’re all conveniently located in one place, Washington. Dispersing legislators around the country raises the...

Not Measuring Up? There’s no harm in touting that a home has an especially nice backyard, sits on a large or impressive piece of land, etc. However, the term “double lot” — at least to me — has a specific, defined meaning. Namely, it’s a least twice the size of a standard city lot. In urban neighborhoods in the Twin Cities, that’s most commonly 40′ x 120.’ Ergo , a double lot is at least 80′ x 120′. Anecdotally, I’d guess that something like 30% – 40% of the lots billed as “double lots” on MLS are in fact smaller than that. Sometimes by, umm . . . a lot (sorry). Extra-Deep Lots While I’ve never seen a lot that was 40′ x 240′, I have seen plenty of lots that were especially deep (up to 180′ with a width of only 40′). There are also plenty of oversized lots that are irregular-shaped. What then? I don’t know about other Realtors, but as a listing agent I would take one of two approaches: 1) bill the lot as “extra-deep,” and provide the measurements (along with a photo or two...

Realtor Scorecard Yeah, yeah , there are dozens of metrics (quantitative benchmarks) for judging how good/effective Realtors are (Brokers, too). For most consumers (and not a few Realtors), however, there’s really only one number that counts: Yup , sales. No surprise, the agents who sell the most homes each year proudly trumpet that fact in their email, direct mail marketing, on social media — and every other way they can think of. Quantity > Quality Are sales relevant? Of course. But, they’re not dispositive. Toyota sells a lot more cars each year, but I’d still rather drive a BMW. McDonald’s outsells Manny’s, but guess where I’d prefer to go for my anniversary dinner? H&R Block prepares more returns — but, that’s not who does my taxes. You get the idea. Realtors who sell 50 (or 150!) homes a year do that by employing an army of assistants. Once clients are under contract, it’s those folks — not the agent — who clients often find themselves dealing with. Realtor ...

How do you spell “ice dam?” I know more than a few local homeowners filling out their Seller Disclosure this Spring — or maybe just bad spellers — who are tempted to add an “n.” And if you had one this past Winter, you’d better disclose it. Either that, or hope that: a) the Buyer’s inspector is oblivious; and b) the Buyer never has a recurrence. Se e also, “ How Do You Abbreviate “Assessments?” ; “ Realtor Gaffes — Listing Presentation Edition “; “ Realtor Gaffes & Bloopers “; “ Buyer Freudian Slips “; “ Realtor Freudian Slips “; and “How’s THAT For Seller Candor .” from RSSMix.com Mix ID 8230700 https://ift.tt/3dZpgS8 via IFTTT

Adding Insult to Injury? WSJ Headline: “Facebook’s Road to Redemption Runs Down Main Street” [ 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.] Call it , “sloppy late Sunday afternoon editing.” While The Wall Street Journal’s full headline reads, “Facebook’s Road to Redemption Runs Straight Down Main Street,” unfortunately, the summary headline on The Journal’s home page omits the word “straight.” Which leaves this: “Facebook’s Road to Redemption Runs Down Main Street” (see screen capture, above). Given that “run down” has a secondary meaning — “disparage” or “speak slightingly about” — the effect is potentially very different than what the author undoubtedly intended. “Serving Facebook Right?” I’ll Say Scarcely five paragraphs into the body of the article, The Journal does it again — or more accurately, ...

“Sellers Who Don’t Have to Sell,” or Picking Up Their Marbles &  Going Staying Home Would-be forecasters trying to divine the future of home prices, post-pandemic, would be wise to remember the aftermath of The 2008 Financial Crash ( sorry , I never bought “The Great Recession” label). Namely, housing prices weakened much more slowly than stocks, employment, and other economic indicators. In fact, Realtors active back then (I’m one of a relative handful) will recall that the most salient, immediate effect wasn’t a dramatic drop in prices — it was a drop in sales volume. Discretionary Sellers The explanation? At any given time, a significant percentage of Sellers “don’t need to sell.” When such discretionary Sellers don’t like prevailing prices, they simply take their houses off the market, causing supply to contract (or set unreasonably high asking prices — essentially the same thing). So, even though housing demand dropped sharply after The Crash, hou...

It was only a matter of time until housing, like every other sector of the economy took a big hit.  Of course the housing cheerleaders thought somehow that a global pandemic would keep housing untouched while every other facet of the economy would come to a grinding halt.  So it should come as no surprise […] from RSSMix.com Mix ID 8230700 https://ift.tt/2V0CMxj via IFTTT

Three Explanations for Sinking Soil (Two Good, One Bad) Good home inspectors don’t just check out the interior of a home. They also check the home’s exterior, and even the yard for clues that something “just isn’t right.” That includes getting to the bottom ( sorry ) of a conspicuous depression in the yard — back or front. Possible Culprits The concern? The soil could be settling due to a problem with the main sewer line — essentially, the return from the home to the street or alley. When there’s a leak, the escaping waste water erodes the soil and causes the ground above it to sink. Cost-Benefit To determine whether that’s the case, the Buyer needs to have a drain and sewer contractor run a camera through the sewer line (and yes , they — not the Seller** — usually pays for it). Given the cost, about $150 (vs. $5,000 or more to correct a leaking main sewer connection), that’s a smart step for a prospective Buyer to take . . . **If the sewer inspection finds a problem, t...

Effective immediately you can create up to 4,000 labels monthly. The normal amount is 2,000. Yep, we doubled it! This increase extends through June 30th. from RSSMix.com Mix ID 8230700 https://ift.tt/39TYuYc via IFTTT

At RPR, we’re doing everything we can to help REALTORS® stay busy and stay sharp while the country waits to get back to business. One way we’re accomplishing this is by asking users what they want to learn about, and the topic of direct mail targeting, specifically Absentee Owners vs Owner Occupied mailing lists, has come up more than once. This how-to article will show you how it’s done. from RSSMix.com Mix ID 8230700 https://ift.tt/2y77vje via IFTTT

Realtor Humor — Pandemic Edition This one’s making the rounds on Facebook ( sorry , I couldn’t resist . . .). See also , “ Realtor April Fool’s Jokes “; “ Realtor Gaffes — Listing Presentation Edition “; “ “Phil Dunphy,” (TV) Realtor “; “What Loan Program is ‘The Bachelorette?!?’” ; “ And Now, For a Little “Real Estate Insider” Humor . . . “; and “Phil Dunphy . . . Not Just Another Realtor .” from RSSMix.com Mix ID 8230700 https://ift.tt/3ebwUZG via IFTTT

WSJ: “Wealthy City Dwellers Seek Refuge From Coronavirus at Remote Ranches” [ 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.] Three things perplex me about oblivious rich people who agree to be interviewed, on the record, for stories about oblivious rich people who are fleeing their primary homes and cities for the perceived safety of their 2nd (4th? 6th??) homes in remote areas. Namely: 1) why flaunt your wealth so publicly?; 2) why create an undue security risk at your primary residence by announcing your absence?; and 3) why raise your profile with your new, temporary neighbors, who may resent your presence — and any coronavirus exposure you may be bringing with you? While I’ve occasionally written travel-related posts on this blog, I make a point to NEVER do that — or allude to being out-of-town on Fac...

Stealing From “City Lakes Real Estate” Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery . . . but copying verbatim is illegal! That appears to be exactly what something called “Dirk Isabelle’s Blog” is doing to “City Lakes Real Estate.” I’ve been advised by a local attorney that simply locating the offending blog — never mind suing them for copyright infringement, or getting an injunction to prevent such behavior — could be exorbitantly expensive (likeliest location: somewhere outside the U.S.). So instead, I’ll settle for . . . embarrassing whomever is behind the offending blog (or is it “bot??”), on the assumption that they copy this post, too. P.S.: To Google, Bing, Yahoo! and American Online: if you’re reading this, how about helping me out? All you have to do is purge the copycat blog from your search engines, so that readers find “City Lakes Real Estate,” not my illegal doppelgänger, in their search results . . . from RSSMix.com Mix ID 8230700 https://ift.tt/2wrsOvI vi...

Not Measuring Up? There’s no harm in touting that a home has an especially nice backyard, sits on a large or impressive piece of land, etc. However, the term “double lot” — at least to me — has a specific, defined meaning. Namely, it’s a least twice the size of a standard city lot. In urban neighborhoods in the Twin Cities, that’s most commonly 40′ x 120.’ Ergo , a double lot is at least 80′ x 120′. Anecdotally, I’d guess that something like 30% – 40% of the lots billed as “double lots” on MLS are in fact smaller than that. Sometimes by, umm . . . a lot (sorry). Extra-Deep Lots While I’ve never seen a lot that was 40′ x 240′, I have seen plenty of lots that were especially deep (up to 180′ with a width of only 40′). There are also plenty of oversized lots that are irregular-shaped. What then? I don’t know about other Realtors, but as a listing agent I would take one of two approaches: 1) bill the lot as “extra-deep,” and provide the measurements (along with a photo or two...

Realtor Scorecard Yeah, yeah , there are dozens of metrics (quantitative benchmarks) for judging how good/effective Realtors are (Brokers, too). For most consumers (and not a few Realtors), however, there’s really only one number that counts: Yup , sales. No surprise, the agents who sell the most homes each year proudly trumpet that fact in their email, direct mail marketing, on social media — and every other way they can think of. Quantity > Quality Are sales relevant? Of course. But, they’re not dispositive. Toyota sells a lot more cars each year, but I’d still rather drive a BMW. McDonald’s outsells Manny’s, but guess where I’d prefer to go for my anniversary dinner? H&R Block prepares more returns — but, that’s not who does my taxes. You get the idea. Realtors who sell 50 (or 150!) homes a year do that by employing an army of assistants. Once clients are under contract, it’s those folks — not the agent — who clients often find themselves dealing with. Realtor ...

When I talk about investing in the stock market versus investing in real estate, I often hear that the stock market is a better investment because of what Warren Buffet has done. Warren Buffet has made billions of dollars in his career, but was it because he invested in stocks? I think Warren Buffet has ... Read more The post How Did Warren Buffet Get Rich? appeared first on InvestFourMore . from RSSMix.com Mix ID 8230700 https://ift.tt/2UZIH4w via IFTTT

How do you spell “ice dam?” I know more than a few local homeowners filling out their Seller Disclosure this Spring — or maybe just bad spellers — who are tempted to add an “n.” And if you had one this past Winter, you’d better disclose it. Either that, or hope that: a) the Buyer’s inspector is oblivious; and b) the Buyer never has a recurrence. Se e also, “ How Do You Abbreviate “Assessments?” ; “ Realtor Gaffes — Listing Presentation Edition “; “ Realtor Gaffes & Bloopers “; “ Buyer Freudian Slips “; “ Realtor Freudian Slips “; and “How’s THAT For Seller Candor .” from RSSMix.com Mix ID 8230700 https://ift.tt/3dZpgS8 via IFTTT

Adding Insult to Injury? WSJ Headline: “Facebook’s Road to Redemption Runs Down Main Street” [ 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.] Call it , “sloppy late Sunday afternoon editing.” While The Wall Street Journal’s full headline reads, “Facebook’s Road to Redemption Runs Straight Down Main Street,” unfortunately, the summary headline on The Journal’s home page omits the word “straight.” Which leaves this: “Wall Street Road to Redemption Runs Down Main Street” (see screen capture, above). Given that “run down” has a secondary meaning — “disparage” or “speak slightingly about” — the effect is potentially very different than what the author undoubtedly intended. “Serving Facebook Right?” I’ll Say Scarcely five paragraphs into the body of the article, The Journal does it again — or more accurately,...

But, are they 6 feet away?? How to Encourage Showings During a Pandemic “The health and safety during the COVID 19 crisis is our top priority. We will not be allowing overlapping showings, and we have supplied sanitation wipes & had sanitizer that we ask you use when entering and exiting the home! As per our MLS, we will not be hosting open houses until the crisis is over. We do encourage showings though as the home is vacant and easy to show.” –Excerpt, MLS “Agent Remarks” section of listing in Edina’s Country Club neighborhood. [ Note to Readers : The views expressed here are solely those of Ross Kaplan, and do not represent Edina Realty, Berkshire Hathaway, or any other entity referenced.  If you need legal advice, please consult an attorney.] Assuming that the phrase, “ showing a home during a pandemic ,” isn’t automatically a deal breaker . . . exactly how does a listing agent (representing the Seller) encourage Buyers to view a “For Sale” home now? The listing ag...

Homonyms in the Age of Coronavirus It’s not an encouraging sign that I’m writing this. Until about six weeks ago, a “sewer” was an underground conduit that carried waste water and sewage. Now? It’s someone at home — or perhaps a worker at an idled clothing factory — who uses a sewing machine to create   ad hoc face masks, one at a time. “Sewer” vs. Sewer” Of course, that’s instead of mass-producing N95 masks by the tens of millions , and getting them into the hands of vulnerable healthcare workers, and after that, the general public. The other high priority now, at least outside of overwhelmed places like New York City and New Orleans: rolling out (vs. promising) mass coronavirus testing, followed by prompt, accurate results. P.S.: Runner-up coronavirus homonym: “bat” (as in, “baseball”) and “bat” (the flying mammal — and likely original host of the coronavirus). See also , “Masks Don’t Work — But, Save Them for Us!” (Huh?!?) “; and “ Real Estate Sales During a Pandemic:...

So much for COVID-19 not having an impact on the housing market. It is mind boggling how some housing bulls are so locked into their delusional world that a global pandemic that is putting billions of people under lockdown somehow seems to be good news for housing or is going to have a minor impact […] from RSSMix.com Mix ID 8230700 https://ift.tt/3dCnpT0 via IFTTT