This strategy often doesn't work out, but it did here

Back in September, 16 Hedgerow Lane was put up for sale at $5.650 million, and the market’s response (and, probably, comments from colleagues of the listing agent) must have been overwhelmingly negative, because it was yanked two weeks later. Builders were called in, repairs made, and it was put back on the market in late March at $6.750 million, with this notation on the listing:

Extensively renovated 2024 (new roof, new floors, new kitchen, new boilers, new bluestone front and rear, updated exterior, systems, electrics, plumbing etc.)

That did the trick — it was under contract a month later, and now it’s pending. In my experience, an owner is usually better off lowering the pie-in-the-sky price of a house that won’t sell, rather than gambling that expensive repairs and improvements can be recouped with an even higher price, but this time that gamble paid off.

So, good for the seller, but I still wouldn’t advise it in the usual case, where owners simply want to sell their house and move on — better to leave the renovations to the next owner.

A fish rots from the head down

Columbia Faculty Members Strike in Solidarity With Arrested Anti-Israel Students

“We will not return to a campus that is extremely dangerous for Black, Palestinian, Middle Eastern, Latinx, South Asian, Arab, Muslim, trans, queer, and other communities who are disproportionately profiled by police”

There’s probably nothing more easily replaceable than a university professor or TA, and Columbia’s administration could fire these people today and be fully restocked tomorrow. Could, but won’t.

Pending in Havemeyer

9 Marshall Street, $1.750.

Not my taste.

Final price for 18 Simmons Lane has been reported: $10.4 million

well, we tried

Following up on my post of a few days ago that reported that 18 Simons Lane, last asking price $12.995, was pending, it has been reported sold for $10.4. The sellers paid $18.5 million for it i 2005, but Russian billionaires can probably take paltry hit like this without crying into their samovar.

Any cop would have told her that when someone offers you money, take it, put it in your pocket, and continue on your beat

Los Angeles bus driver fights back after female suspect attacks her over alleged fare dispute

“The suspect was boarding a DASH bus, which offers free service, and tried to pay a dollar to the driver, the Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) told KABC-TV. When the driver declined to take the woman’s money, the suspect began attacking the driver.”

We’re living in the end stage.

Admittedly, it's Stamford, it's cheap, and it was built by an Albanian, but is all that sufficient to excuse its hideousness?

I don’t usually write about or cover Stamford real estate, but a picture of this new construction at 610 Rock Rimmon Road was posted on the MLS today, and it caught my eye, although I wish it hadn’t.

The listing confesses that it was built by “artist” George Pali, an Albanian refugee who now lives in Stamford. I suppose his intention here was to blend his creation into his adopted community’s existing architectural character and design, but if so, he’s overdone it; nothing else is this ugly.

610 Rock rimmon rtoad, $1.799 million

You know enough by now to not dismiss either of these stories as implausible

Wait ‘til August

This one’s probably already true

U.S. — Forbes has released its newest list of "Most Desirable Employee Candidates", which saw Ivy League graduates slip down just below carnies and the people who wash car windows at stoplights.

"We surveyed the top 500 companies in the United States," explained lead author Dan Rollins. "Employers consistently stated they would pass over a Harvard or Columbia grad for a guy with two years of experience operating a Tilt-A-Whirl. It's been quite a shift."

According to Rollins, most CEOs stated they wouldn't even bother interviewing an Ivy League grad if they had the option to hire a four-year carnie with balloon dart experience. "The carnies are so much better at conversing with people from every walk of life. They aren't stuck in that Ivy League bubble," explained business owner Larry Fink. "Also, they don't attempt to burn down your corporate office because the break room coffee machine was made in Israel. Advantage, carnie."

Carnies received higher marks than Ivy League grads in work ethic, interpersonal communication, and not attempting to destroy people and institutions with racist neo-Marxist ideology. "The only real downside to hiring carnies instead of Columbia grads is we had to go back to allowing smoke breaks," said Fink. "Otherwise, it's been a massive upgrade. No stating pronouns, no trigger warnings, no boycotts... and they actually know how to work. I'll take that along with some Marlboro Reds any day."

At publishing time, Forbes had updated the list again as Ivy League graduates fell below guys who drive poorly marked ice-cream trucks around family neighborhoods.

In-town home on Lenox is pending

10 Lenox Drive, $5.5 million, pending after 18 days. Once a gracious, 1913 house, it had been converted to a two-family by the time someone bought in 2004 for $1.850 million. The buyer completely renovated it and it returned it to a single-family, then sold it to these owners in 2007 for $4.595. They, in turn, continued the improvement program and now, it seems, they’ll be rewarded for their efforts.

Considering what’s happened to in-town prices the past few years, this one’s doesn’t seem at all surprising. Nice house, excellent location, why not?

No she didn't

she knows so many things that aren’t true, and is happy to share them with us

Gov. Hochul says she 'misspoke' when she said some 'black kids' don't know the word 'computer'

[Right] now we have young Black kids growing up in the Bronx who don’t even know what the word 'computer' is. They don’t know. They don’t know these things."

Seven years ago, Ami Horowitz interviewed Berkeley college students about their views on voter ID laws, then went east and asked Blacks what they thought. The patronizing, racist views of the Berkeley students are appalling but, as Governor Hochel has just shown, they’re as strong today as they ever were.

As a general rule, buyers are reluctant to take on someone else's unfinished building project

279 Riversville Road, described as”70% restored” is up for sale for $1.395 million. It certainly looks like it has potential, but buyers are usually uncomfortable picking up where someone else has left off, and contractors, who will be responsible for the entire project when completed, including work performed before they came on the scene, are even more cautious.

That doesn’t mean it can’t be done, only that, in my experience, a severe discount is applied to these uncompleted dreams.