Get Qualified!

It's been a crazy week. I have shown probably 50 homes since Sunday. I get them all confused at that point. And yet, my buyers still have a hard time finding *the one*

It has really moved into a sellers market but at the same time buyers ultimately hold the control still. Homes are selling so fast and in multiple offers but as a seller you need to be spot on with how you present your home. I always tell my sellers, imagine if you were a buyer walking into your home, how would you want it to look?

Not to mention land and lot sales are going crazy. A year ago there was a development near my home that had 50 lots in it priced between $25k and $35k. In the last year they have all sold and have been built on with lot prices up to $59k. Land is hard to come by, and they aren't making more of it!! 

If you want to know where to start, and what you will qualify for, you should get going quickly as this market is only going to get better! Visit my preferred lender at Envoy Mortgage in Blaine, talk to Nate or Pierre and they will help you get started on a path towards your dream home!!

Apply online here!

"We will be mowing lawn pretty soon!"

That's what Ben said this morning. Unfortunately our yard floods every spring because we back up to a nature preserve. So I don't actually mow half my yard until maybe...July?

If you plan on selling your home, I always suggest you sell during the season that best highlights your home and its features. For example, I would wait until the fall to sell my home because I have huge perennial gardens, bright maple trees, a perfect late night bonfire pit and a very earthy colored home. I think selling in the fall would make my home seem cozy and warm and show off its beauty inside and out. 

I just sold my neighbors home this spring, if you can call it spring. She has very light, cool colors, very fresh and open and spring feeling in her home. Photos of flowers and light colored furniture and large open windows to let in light. It sold in less than a day. 

I think homes have seasons, I love cabin like homes in the winter. Wood burning fire places, big thick blankets on the couch, warm oak colors. Take a look around, what is your homes season?

FHA Mortgage changes are coming!!

This week is a very crucial week for buyers! If you have been approved for an FHA mortgage, you will want to have an offer accepted by March 31st to avoid life long mortgage insurance premium.

Talk to your lender for specifics, or contact my preferred lender Envoy Mortgage Nate Raich

Happy Tails

Do you ever work long hours and feel bad your puppy is stuck in the kennel? Or when you go on vacation, where do your furry kids go?

Happy Tails is a new home away from home for your dogs!

Doggy Daycare- allowing your pup to run with friends during the day and get all their energy out! No sleeping in a cramped kennel, but rather supervised play time! A tired dog is a good dog!

Boarding- short term or long term housing for your dog while you and your family are away. Don't worry, your pup will still be treated like family at Happy Tails. Day time play time, warm cozy beds, peanut butter treats and bed time movies.

Training- What do you want your dog to do better at? Come when they are called? Take a treat nice? Or everything!?!? Customizable training programs to help both you and your dog be perfect little angels. 

website and FB to come soon!!

 

ilovehappytailsmn@gmail.com

Warm sun and Hot Homes

I was standing in the window watching Steve scoot around the front yard and the morning sun was so warm and felt amazing. I didn't want to move! Reminds me of the housing market right now, except its HOT and it is moving. Here's a little factoid from the Minneapolis Association or Realtors;

"There were 2,736 closed home sales during February 2013, 4.7 percent fewer than February 2012. There were 3,689 pending sales, a 2.0 percent increase over last year. The median sales price rose 15.5 percent to $160,000. Inventory levels declined 31.6 percent to 12,202 active listings, the lowest number for any month going back to January 2003. The number of homes for sale is at a 10-year low."

You know what that means? Sell your home!! If you've considered selling and are not under water on your mortgage, let's get that puppy on the market!!

I have about a handful buyers right now searching for homes who just cannot find one. We have searched high and low and either everything has multiple offers on it or its getting scooped up by investors. 

As always, let me know if you'd like a free market analysis on your home :-)















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Tulips and Fresh Air

It's the first day of Spring!! 

It doesn't feel like it however, it is only 7 degrees out. But, while showing homes last Saturday I was walking around the exterior of a house with my client checking out the siding (very important) and I saw some tulips trying to shoot up through the snow and brush!! So I have faith we will have pretty flowers soon. 

Pretty flowers = curb appeal = tips for selling your home

I think having a colorful pot of flowers on your front doorstep in the spring and summer and fall help create an inviting entrance when selling your home. I go overboard of course because gardening is one of my hobbies. I always get comments from visitors and neighbors though about how great the gardens look and my thought is to sell my home in the summer so people can see how awesome the plants look. But then I am torn....because I have many perennials that I don't want to leave behind. Would it be odd for me to list my home but specifically exclude my perennial garden? I've actually seen it happen before!

Since we can't really put pretty flowers outside right now, we can get ready for the spring indoors and start seeds, or even pick up a few house plants to help clean the air. I think a little bit of greenery right about now makes people feel good too. Check out these houseplants that also have air purifying abilities:

1. Bamboo Palm - removes formaldehyde, acts as a natural humidifier. 
2. Snake Plant - absorbs nitrogen oxides and formaldehyde 
3. Areca Palm - one of the best for general air cleanliness 
4. Spider Plant - removes carbon monoxide and other toxins or impurities 
5. Peace Lily - removes mold spores, formaldehyde and trichloroethylene  
6. Gerbera Daisy - removes benzene, improves sleep by absorbing carbon dioxide and giving off more oxygen overnight

Magical Market

The housing market is nuts right now. There is less inventory than what has been common the past few years. Fewer bank owned homes, fewer short sales. Traditional listings are going up in price and new construction is booming. 

I just finished writing an offer for a buyer of mine. He loved this quaint little home in St. Paul, we saw it twice and then it disappeared off the market in less than 3 weeks. He was bummed. Then, a week later...*POOF* it reemerged! I told him if he wanted it, we had to write an offer immediately! It is almost meant to be I think. This is the second time this month that I showed a home, it went off the market, and came back. So we are crossing our fingers. 

I also listed a home in my neighborhood last week, sent my usual marketing materials and we had a full price offer accepted in less than 2 days. I think buyers are understanding that good homes go quick and if you see one you like, you better buy it. That is the nature of the market. 

I have been blessed enough in my career to be able to sell every single one of my listing at full price or within 2% of the sales price within the first 2 weeks on the market. Not many people can say that! I go through painstakingly ridiculous actions to find the sales price to list homes at. I mean, I search recently sold, pending sales, I also sometimes go visit similar homes that are active in the area to see how they compare to mine. I think like an appraiser- that way when an appraisal comes around I can back up my sales price perfectly. I spend hours and hours doing it, but it has done nothing but work out fabulously.

Not to toot my own horn but the point I am trying to make is, in today's market- list price is pretty much what you should expect to pay. If you don't, you could end up in a multiple offer situation, or lose out on that dream home. A good Realtor should set that expectation, that if you really want a home, and that's the one you can't live without, you will need to pay the right price and it will all be worth it in the end :-)

Water meters and friendship bracelets.

It's early in the day but I've already been working hard trying to help my clients dreams of home ownership come true!!

I have been working with a certain capital city which I will not name :-) on getting a water meter put on a home and the water turned on so we can have our appraiser verify it is working. With FHA loans, it is required by your lender that all utilities be on and in working order so they can verify your home will be functional and safe. Well, I have been working with this city for about a month now to get the water on and FINALLY about 5 days before we close, they agreed to do so. 

So frustrating but you can't let it get you down, silly things will come up when you are buying a home and that's why it is important to have a good agent on your side. 

When I was buying my first home I had a pretty *awesome* agent, her name is Amy. I am still friends with her to this day, and I am so grateful I had the opportunity to maintain such a good relationship with her even after I bought (and sold) my home. Now, she and I are both Realtors and work together, I call us The Dream Team!!

Celebrate the small steps and stay close to the people who help you, that's the moral of my story. Have a happy Tuesday!!

Hi. Here's some pretzels.

I figured I would get into the world of Blogging because I always have so many interesting stories from my Real Estate World and crazy family. And, it's always cool to share my experiences with others!! For example; yesterday evening on my usual late night Pinterest search, I ran across the most enticing recipe for homemade hot buttered pretzels. Hot and buttery deliciousness. So I braved the near blizzard conditions outside today to get ingredients at the store and I made them tonight. So easy and OH MY GOODNESS....yum. Here's a photo and a link to the recipe. Enjoy and I look forward to sharing more fun things with you!