Broker Open Today 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

One Block to Cedar Lake!

Where: 2705 France Ave. South, in Minneapolis' Sunset Gables neighborhood
What: 3 BR/2 Bath Cape Cod with almost 2,200 FSF, including a huge first-floor Family Room.
How much: $439,900
Who: listed by Ross Kaplan, Edina Realty City Lakes
When: on market yesterday (Nov. 15).

If you're anywhere Cedar Lake over lunch hour today, please feel free to stop by my Broker Open at 2705 France (even if you're not a Realtor).

You'll be impressed by this home's fine construction, period details like cove moldings and a Dining Room arch, and the spacious, eat-in Kitchen.

Oh . . . . and there's a 600 square foot, 2 1/2 car garage (detached) in back to go with the one car attached -- not something you commonly find with 1938 Cape Cod's in such a great location.

P.S.: in keeping with the "man plans, God laughs" theme a few posts back, my gorgeous Fall shots (including the one above) turned out to have a shelf life of 48 hours: taken last Thursday, the Twin Cities almost immediately turned white with the arrival of the season's first big storm Friday.

Oak -- the "Chicken" of Hardwood Floors

"Tastes Like Chicken"

If you can't identify a food you've never tasted before, the cliche answer is that it "tastes like chicken."

That's usually a safe answer, because, depending on how it's prepared, chicken can taste like anything.

Oak floors are a bit the same way (at least to my eye).

I just previewed a home with what appeared to be striking walnut floors.

In fact, they were oak, just stained darker to look like (more expensive) walnut.

Nice way to save some money -- and I'm guessing 9 out of 10 prospective Buyers can't tell the difference (and won't care!).

Stuck in "Housing Pergatory"

Too Many Shortcuts Add Up

What makes a home "stuck in Pergatory?"

Too much Pergo, for one thing (sorry, bad pun).

For those who don't know, Pergo is a laminate made to look like hardwood floors, and is about half the price per square foot as the real thing.

The problem is that Pergo doesn't really fool anyone; on the contrary, the minute I see an ocean of Pergo, I immediately look for other shortcuts. Like:

--Cheap replacement windows (usually vinyl)
--Off-brand appliances and plumbing fixtures
--Bargain Kitchen cabinets and counters
--Cheap mill work and doors (millwork is all the wood and wood trim in a home, including doors, mouldings, baseboards, arches, etc.).

Penny Wise, Pound Foolish

That last one in particular always strikes me as penny wise, pound foolish: nothing torpedoes the feel of an otherwise well-built home than opening a cheap (and hollow) aluminum front door.

Once you've toted up all the visible shortcuts, your attention (legitimately) turns towards what you can't see (or don't initially focus on).

Like, the status of the home's plumbing and electrical systems; the condition of the roof (if it's winter and covered with a foot of snow); the furnace, a/c, and water heater; and the home's light fixtures.

I still remember one of the most devastating -- and succinct -- comments I got from a prospective Buyer while holding a Sunday open years ago: 'looks like too many trips to Menard's.'

P.S.: Stagers and home sellers love Ikea because it's so stylish and cheap. Long-term homeowners . . . usually don't.