The language of laundry
It is Friday and Fridays are for fun. Yesterday I found my winter jacket and got ready to take it to the dry cleaners. Usually, I do that in the spring but this year I didn’t.
For some strange reason, I decided to look at the care label. I got out my magnifying glass and looked at the little symbols. Usually, symbols make sense or have some resemblance to what they represent. This isn’t true with the washing/cleaning/ care symbols on clothing tags.
Apparently printing on clothing tags is expensive so it has to be small or the clothing makers won’t make a profit. Hence the little cryptic symbles. Capitalism is a magical thing that leads to all sorts of inventions.
I consulted the Google and learned that the jacket is machine washable and can be tumble dried on low. Who knew? The circle with the “X” through it means no dry cleaning and the circle inside the square means that a garment can be tumble dried.
When there is an “X” thought the symbol for washable then it isn’t washable. So clever!
There is a whole language in those little symbols. Those tiny, tiny symbols on the little tags.
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The 2021-2022 heating season starts tomorrow
We have had a lovely warm October but the heating season starts tomorrow.
Beginning Oct. 15 and running through April 15, utility companies must provide residential customers with payment plans if they can not pay their utility bills.
Low-income Minnesotans may also be eligible for energy assistance programs from the state, utilities or charities that offer discounted heat or other help during colder months.
For more information, the cold weather rule visit the Minnesota Utilities Commission Website. . . and yes your utilities can be turned off for non-payment.
I usually turn off the water to my outdoor spigots in Mid-October and get the furnace tuned. Getting a flu shot is also a good idea. This year I got my flue shot but I think I can leave the water on for another couple of weeks
Home sales in Minnesota
This just in from the state association of Realors®
Closed Sales of Residential Homes Drop as New Listings Shrink
“As fall approached, closed sales of residential homes in Minnesota declined 8.4% compared to September 2020. Correspondingly, new listings fell 8.5% over last year and pending sales were down 15.3%. Responding to the lean inventory, buyers competed for limited housing stock, reducing the average time homes stayed on the market to just 27 days, a 34.1% decrease over last September. Sellers were receiving 100.4% of their asking price for homes, a 1.2% increase. The overall number of homes for sale shrank 19.8% to 12,618, and months supply was down 23.8% to only 1.6.”
As we go into Fall we are still in a seller’s market.
Colorful Daytons bluff
I took some pictures on Sunday near East 7th street and Arcade. The area looks very different than it did when I was going to school in the area. I won’t tell you how long ago that was but it was a long time ago.
There is some newish senior housing in the area and of course Metro State University. There are also some amazing old victorian Queen Anne-type houses. The neighborhood is ever-changing and colorful too. There are several murals in the area. If you haven’t explored this part of the Dayton’s buff neighborhood you should.
Questions sellers agents don’t answer
There are question that the Realtor should not answer. Generally if it has to do with our clients motivation or financial information we owe our clients confidentiality.
Home buyers or their agents may ask why a home owner is selling or what their bottom line is or where they are moving to. Often buyers will have questions about who lives in the house. They will ask about age and family status. None of those questions are relevant and usually we can’t or won’t answer.
When it comes to motivation letting buyers know that a seller has to move or now owns two homes weakens the seller’s negotiating position. Sellers always have a bottom line but it isn’t wise to share it. Some sellers don’t share information with their agents.
Sellers agents can answer questions about the house. How old is the roof? Has the owner ever had water in the basement?
Questions about the house and about the property are expected. It is all about the real estate not about the owners.
We owe our buyer clients confidentiality too.
Minnesota home sellers are required to disclose that they have had pets living in the house.