ARCHIVED BLOG POSTS
2017
Bumps can happen. Anyone planning home is expecting their dream house to be perfect. They imagine that everything happens just like HGTV without the pauses for commercial breaks. What could possibly go wrong? The truth is a number of things could go off the rails. I'm writing this series precisel...
10/31/2017
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St. Paul's historical district prides itself on gorgeous pre 20th Century mansions. Most are kept in impeccable condition, the original owners who built them would be proud. No two are alike, some were built by lumber barons, some brewers, but each home was custom built for the personality of the...
10/30/2017
Toll Brothers invited me to an open house before the holidays last winter. It was a gorgeous starry night, and the home glowed in the dark. I whipped out my iPhone 6Plus and grabbed this shot crouching down to make myself a human tripod. Who wouldn't love to come home to a home that sparkled i...
10/27/2017
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A window to the world of the miracle of new windows.I have an older home, a Tudor built in 1941. It needs new windows. When the thermostat says 72 degrees, it feels like 65. I’m cold all winter long, and wear layers of sweaters. For a long time I thought it was charming, true to the architectural...
10/26/2017
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This is always a buyer’s first question. You need to know what you are buying for your dollars. Pricing is based on list of upgrades and codes different than existing homes. First is the land. New construction is scarce in urban neighborhoods because there aren’t many vacant lots, builders buy ...
10/24/2017
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Well, what could possibly go wrong with new construction? It’s new right? So it should be perfect. Everyone wants a new home to be as perfect as possible. There are bumps that can happen along the way. The builder hires contractors to work under him. That would be the plumber, electrician, HVAC, ...
10/20/2017
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When you’re looking at a new home most buyers are mesmerized by cosmetic charm. Homes are staged, lights sparkle, and builders want you to be dazzled. Beyond a gorgeous kitchen, generous open spaces, there is a lot of what you don’t see. Energy ratings and Green Building are major components of y...
10/17/2017
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If you’re thinking about new construction, but don’t want to go through a long wait and the gazillion choices that you have to make, now is the time to strike. The Fall Parade of Homes just ended, and most builders have some extra homes to sell. What most people don’t know is that there are pre f...
10/12/2017
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I’m writing the Raise Ur Roof blog because about three years ago I had several clients buying new construction. Each experience was terrible. I realized that post-recession and Boom new construction were very different. One of my client’s put down $15K in earnest money in April 2014 couldn’t move...
10/05/2017
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Take a First Time Home Buyer Quiz to see if you’re ready to be a HOMEOWNER. Do you have a job, or some form steady income? Does your shower turn icy when your neighbor turns on the water? Did you find your neighbor’s underwear in your laundry basket? Is your car buried by snow, or towed for par...
10/02/2017
