How to Score Free Home Improvement Help - 10/31/07 09:10 AM

To save money on a home renovation project, it's a no-brainer to do the work yourself. Get the skills necessary through free workshops at your local hardware store.
For example, Home Depot provides free hands-on clinics on topics such as installing flooring, tiling a backsplash and installing a wireless home network. You can also find handy video how-tos at HomeDepot.com, Lowes.com and ThisOldHouse.com.
… (2 comments)

Great Bargains for New-Home Buyers - 10/31/07 09:05 AM
During the housing boom, new-home builders were like the hosts with the hottest invitation in town. They could raise prices with every newly opened phase of a development and display a "take it or leave it" attitude toward buyers. Now, amid the downturn, homebuilders are the hosts everyone avoids. In July, new-home sales nationwide were down 10% from the previous year, and the National Association of Home Builders expects them to continue falling until the second half of 2008.
The decline in home starts (down 25% nationwide for the year ended in July) and permits for future projects (down by almost one-third) … (0 comments)

Number of Empty U.S. Homes = All Homes in Detroit - 10/30/07 08:58 AM
From CNNMoney.com:
For purposes of comparison for the current situation, imagine the Detroit metropolitan area, which the Census Bureau estimated had 2.08 million households in its 2000 Census. Now picture virtually every house or condo empty, with a for sale sign in the front yard of every home, from inner-city Detroit to its suburbs, all the way to nearby cities such as Flint and Ann Arbor.
There are always some homes vacant and for sale, even in a booming real estate market.
But the combination of overbuilding by home builders in the middle of the decade and problems in mortgage markets this year that made … (0 comments)

Check Out This Great Web-Based Tool! - 10/30/07 08:25 AM
If you haven't already seen it , you have to check out this site: http://www.cyberhomes.com/. It's free to use and even though it's not quite as accurate as the MLS, it's a great way to get an idea of comps quickly. The database includes more than 100 million property, ownership, sales, and mortgage records, covering more than 85% of the U.S. population. And what's even better about it, is that you can view just about any home in the United States in 360 view (N,E,S,W) as well as home prices around it. Type in your own address to get an idea of how it … (1 comments)

Dome Home Suvives Again! - 10/29/07 11:18 AM
The MonolithicTM Dome is the most disaster resistant building that can be built at a reasonable price without going underground or into a mountain. And this Dome of a Home, in Pensacola Beach, Florida, has survived its third serious hurricane in a year.
If you are interested in building your own Dome Home, you can visit other Monolithic Dome homes at the Monolithic Dome Institute Web site. These homes are located throughout the U.S. and other parts of the world, and some are for rent and for sale.
… (0 comments)

Now is the Time to Refinance - 10/29/07 10:35 AM
 
Rates on 2 million mortgages are scheduled to rise by the end of 2008. If yours is one of them, consider refinancing now - if you can. Even if your loan isn't going to reset soon, there are reasons not to wait. MSN Money's Liz Pulliam Weston says sinking home values eat into your equity, making it harder to get a new loan. Full story
… (0 comments)

Minneapolis Tops in Home-Heating Marathon…..(unfortunately!) - 10/25/07 08:17 PM
It's been a long, hot summer, but winter is on its way. It brings with it the promise of ever-higher heating bills.
Forbes took a look at which U.S. cities are the priciest for anyone trying to keep the home fires burning.
To determine this, the magazine examined expected temperature patterns, historical energy demand and projected heating commodity prices (oil, propane, natural gas and electricity). Then it calculated how much an average family of four with a 2,100-square-foot house would spend to heat their home.
Here are the winners - or the losers - in the home-heating marathon.
1. Boston, average heating cost: $1,635.94
2. Buffalo, … (0 comments)

"Significant" Stress Hits Home - 10/25/07 08:04 PM
According to USA Today, a study of stress in the U.S. finds that housing costs worry 51 percent of adults.The survey by Harris Interactive for the American Psychological Association found housing is a "very significant or somewhat significant" source of stress of 61 percent of residents in the West and 55 percent of those in the East, compared with 47 percent in the Midwest and 43 percent in the South.Money and work are two other serious sources of stress with 73 percent of Americans stressed out by concerns over money and 74 percent worrying about work. That's up from 59 percent for … (0 comments)

Building Business Through or Buzz or Belly Laughs (or Both)? - 10/24/07 12:42 AM

Whether this billboard earns business by making someone laugh or snags a bit of buzz by pissing people off, it was a stroke of genius by whomever designed it. I would love to throw out some link love to the website that is advertised on the billboard, but alas, the website only goes to a placeholder. Not such a genius move...
Thanks to the Best Article Every Day blog for uncovering this billboard and 12 others that were quite worth a look.
… (0 comments)

Did You Know.....? - 10/24/07 12:16 AM
According to clickz.com, movers spend on average $7,300 in new products and services in the first 90 days after moving. Top methods to research and locate new businesses in the community are word-of-mouth through new neighbors (67%) and the Internet (61%). Email falls lower on the list, at 23%. 
… (0 comments)

Essential Tips for First-Time Homebuyers - 10/23/07 11:04 AM
Property Virgins takes viewers inside the intense world of house hunting through the eyes of first-time buyers. The series focuses on the roller-coaster journey of property virgins' first foray into real estate, offering tell-it-like-it-is entertainment and practical take-home advice. Part realtor, part therapist, friend and financial advisor, host Sandra Rinomato helps new buyers see the difference between their hopes of acquiring the out-of-reach dream home and the hard reality of what it takes to find the right property.
HGTV's Property Virgins host Sandra Rinomato shares her expertise on the homebuying process.....
The rule of thumb is that you should be able to afford … (0 comments)

Wild Fires Consume California Homes - 10/23/07 10:32 AM

Residents from Stevenson Ranch, north of Los Angeles, watch a helicopter aiding the firefighting effort scoop water from the 9th hole at the TPC Valencia golf course on Monday evening. According to MSNBC.com, at least 300,000 residents were evacuated yesterday and 700 homes destroyed as fires worsen. more 
… (0 comments)

Buy Up Bargain-Hunters - 10/22/07 10:35 PM
What happened during Friday's stock sell-off? The usual investor jitters were fueled by headlines on the housing slump resulting in crimped earnings reports from some more banks like Wachovia (WB) and housing-related companies such as Caterpillar (CAT).
Don't be spooked by the ghosts of 20 years ago though, BusinessWeek's Gene Marcial writes. Instead, scoop up some good stocks on the cheap. more 
… (0 comments)

Freebie of the Week: FREE BUDGETING - 10/22/07 10:24 PM

Looking for help keeping tabs on your budget? You don't have to shell out for Quicken or Microsoft Money software. Track your spending instead through the free service at Wesabe.com. You enter your accounts to organize your spending into different categories on one convenient site.
Wesabe will also help you pinpoint areas where you could improve, and lets you get feedback from other Wesabe users, all while protecting your passwords, identity and other sensitive information.
For more advice, see kiplinger.com's How to Create a Budget.
… (0 comments)

User Friendly Homes Through Universal Design - 10/19/07 01:23 PM
Is your home user friendly?
That's a question for people with disabilities as well as for anyone who's aging (OK, so basically everyone).
According to NPR and Future Home, the answer lies in a movement called "universal design."
Universal design aims to make products, services and living environments more suitable both for aging and disabled Americans. It has principles, which are spelled out by the Center for Universal Design.
These principles lead to safe, user-friendly products that everyone can use, to avoid stigmatizing or segregating those who need them.
On a practical level, universal design calls for brighter lights, safer stairs, symmetrical scissors (for righties and … (0 comments)

Credit Crunch = Career Change For Some - 10/19/07 12:11 PM

Following one of the worst summers in decades for the housing industry, mortgage bankers and real estate agents alike are rethinking the future of their careers as the residential real estate market continues to collapse amid the credit crunch. more
… (0 comments)

Excess Bed Baggage Before Your Big Move? - 10/18/07 11:35 PM

San Francisco-based BedBusters is focusing on a specific element of household garbage: mattresses. For about $100, the company will haul away a two-piece full-sized mattress set. Extra charges apply if the haulers must climb more than 18 stair steps, and removing bigger mattresses costs more. Riding the eco wave, the mattress disposal service has incorporated an important green element. Once the mattress is carted away, it's taken to a recycling centre where a machine grinds the mattress back into its basic elements of steel, wood and foam, all of which can be reused.
By contrast, many mattresses are simply taken to landfills … (0 comments)

BUYERS: Eight Steps to Getting Your Finances in Order - 10/18/07 10:56 PM
Develop a family budget. Instead of budgeting what you'd like to spend, use receipts to create a budget for what you actually spent over the last six months. One advantage of this approach is that it factors in unexpected expenses such as car repairs, illnesses, etc., as well as predictable costs such as rent.
Reduce your debt. Generally speaking, lenders look for a total debt load of no more than 36 percent of income. Since this figure includes your mortgage, which typically ranges between 25 and 28 percent of income, you need to get the rest of installment debt-car loans, student … (0 comments)

Minnesota Fun Fact - 10/17/07 09:59 AM
Did You Know..... According to a lecture by Dr. William E. Lass, when the Minnesota Territory was formed, the three existing "cities" were St. Paul, St. Anthony (present day Minneapolis), and Stillwater. The cities competed for the home of the three most important institutions. St. Paul became the capitol, St. Anthony gained the university (University of Minnesota), and Stillwater gained the prison.
… (1 comments)

10 Tips for First-Time Homebuyers - 10/17/07 09:47 AM
Be picky, but don't be unrealistic. There is no perfect home. Do your homework before you start looking. Decide specifically what features you want in a home and which are most important to you. Get your finances in order. Review your credit report and be sure you have enough money to cover your downpayment and your closing costs. Don't wait to get a loan. Talk to a lender and get prequalified for a mortgage before you start looking. Don't ask too many people for opinions. It will drive you crazy. Select one or two people to turn to if you feel … (0 comments)

Questionable Tactics Worth Considering? - 10/16/07 08:15 PM
Getting asking price by doing nothing - or even a little bit less - when it comes time to show your house? Is it time to ignore the doom and gloom about interest rates and believe we are entering a golden age for sellers?
According to one man, that is the only possible explanation. He's managed to get the full asking price by leaving things in disarray; apparently, this inspires that "renovation feeling" in a buyer. Hmm...  more
… (0 comments)

Distinctive Dwellings With a Bird's Eye View - 10/16/07 08:03 PM

From Australia to Germany to our very own California, distinctive dwellings abound up above. Check out MSN Travel's treehouse lodging slideshow for more.
… (0 comments)

The Correct Equation of Staging = SOLD - 10/15/07 05:12 PM
If you spend any time researching home staging you will quickly read some of the most fundamental advice commonly given by home stagers is to remove the clutter and thin-out any excess "stuff" in a home that is going to be for sale. Stagers seem to effectively communicate the message that subtraction (-) is part of Staging 101.
However, the folks over at Real Estaging have come to learn that sometimes what it takes to properly stage an occupied home is not just what needs to be taken out... but what needs to be put in. Addition (+), or adding items to the home, is the other … (0 comments)

Homebuilder’s Stocks Continue to Crumble - 10/15/07 04:40 PM
  Across the U.S., builders have been offering drastic price cuts of as much as $100,000 on a new home, says Business Week. Stocks for the largest U.S. home builders have dropped 65% since the beginning of this year, but according to the publication, home builders may have more to fall before they hit bottom. The magazine's Web site includes a slideshow of "America's Most Battered Home Builders," and indicates that builders are likely to feel more pain next year when adjustable-rate mortgages are due to reset, which could push the number of U.S. foreclosures higher and hurt sales of newly built … (0 comments)

How to Get Your Credit Report (100% FREE, NO STRINGS ATTACHED) - 10/12/07 07:14 PM
There are a lot of scams out there saying that you can get your free credit report if you sign up for something (usually a service you have to pay for). Well, you actually are entitled to one 100% FREE, NO STRINGS ATTACHED credit report by law once a year from each of the three main credit bureaus. Go to http://www.annualcreditreport.com/ to see what lenders can see about your credit history.
Learn more about why your credit report matters from kiplinger.com.
… (0 comments)

2007 will be the 5th highest year on record for existing-home sales... - 10/11/07 10:34 PM
Conditions in the mortgage market are improving for consumers, which should help to release some pent-up demand in early 2008, according to the latest forecast by the National Association of Realtors®.
Lawrence Yun, NAR senior economist, notes that widening credit availability will help turn around home sales. "Conforming loans are abundantly available at historically favorable mortgage rates. Pricing has steadily improved on jumbo mortgages since the August credit crunch, and FHA loans are replacing subprime mortgages," he said.
Yun said it's important to place the current housing market in perspective, and that 2007 will be the fifth highest year on record for existing-home … (0 comments)

The New State of Real Estate on the Web - 10/10/07 10:53 PM
YouTube's "real" value discovered in TurnHere... ; )
TurnHere is a company that produces professional digital videos that can be used as a tool to research locations to purchase a home. Most of the videos are about "places and leisure activities in cities and neighborhoods" that you might be considering to move. TurnHere is now distributing its videos on the major search engines, including YouTube (TurnHere Channel), Google, Yahoo! and AOL.
Profiling a community on Web video is a powerful marketing tool for real estate companies. A great community profile can help consumers see what it's really like to live in a town or city and connect … (0 comments)

Government Buyout from Biloxi to the Bay? - 10/10/07 10:13 PM
In the still-ongoing aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, CNNMoney.com says that the federal government is considering buying out as many as 17,000 homes along the Mississippi coast and remaking the land into a vast hurricane-protection zone, raising anxieties that it could destroy the waterfront lives many residents are struggling to rebuild. more
… (0 comments)

FHA To Ban Seller Financing - 10/09/07 03:12 PM
According to a recent article in The Washington Post, the FHA is about to publish new rules that prohibit seller financed down payment assistance programs. With such programs, sellers can give money to charities, which, in turn, help buyers with their down payments, for a certain fee. The IRS has found that many of these deals are abusive to borrowers, because the fees are often included in the higher price charged. Studies have shown that borrowers using the assistance programs are twice as likely to default on their loans as those who don't receive assistance. Because seller financing is involved in … (0 comments)

Energy Assistance Programs - 10/09/07 02:46 PM
As temperatures drop, heating bills rise and sometimes they can get of hand. If you're concerned about catching the winter weather bills blues, the Minnesota Department of Commerce points us to some of the of the home energy assistance programs available to us and the income requirements associated with them. Weatherization       Program to help income qualifed people weatherize their homes. more
Energy Assistance Program       The Energy Assistance Program (EAP) helps pay home heating costs. Households with the lowest incomes and highest energy costs receive the greatest benefit. more
Reach Out for Warmth       Introduction to the Reach Out For Warmth program. more
Eligibility Guidelines       Use … (0 comments)

Random real estate fun... - 10/08/07 10:18 PM

For some random real estate fun, check out this cool Flickr set on the question of The Impossible Building.
… (0 comments)

Adjusting ARM Discomfort? - 10/08/07 09:36 PM
Facing a rate boost? According to Jessica Anderson of Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine, you're better off converting to a fixed-rate loan. For more detail, check out her article on "What to Do When Your ARM Adjusts". … (0 comments)

Avoiding the Meltdown - 10/05/07 01:28 PM
With the real estate industry's latest buzz words 'mortgage meltdown' covering the headlines, BusinessWeek's Five for the Money offers us a few tips on how avoid this financial fad and how to "shop" and "boost" our way around this mortgage mess. … (0 comments)

Small town Minnesota has it all! - 10/05/07 01:00 PM
For this year's Best Places to Live: Top 100 list, CNN's Money Magazine focused on smaller places that have everything any family could want - the best combination of economic opportunity, good schools, safe streets, things to do and a real sense of community.
And the winners for 2007 are...
1. Middleton, WI              
2. Hanover, NH  
3. Louisville, CO              
4. Lake Mary, FL              
5. Claremont, CA           
6. Papillion, NE
7. Milton, MA
8. Chaska, MN
9. Nether Providence, PA
10. Suwanee, GA
So if you're thinking about moving or already on the hunt for a new place to call home in Minnesota, Chaska is apparently … (0 comments)

Feasting on Foreclosures - 10/03/07 03:57 PM
For those of you who are looking to turn lemons into lemonade in the forclosure market, here are several links to free websites for locating foreclosed properties:
General Services Administration (GSA)
www.auctionrp.com/auctions2/
Department of Treasury- Internal Revenue Service
www.treas.gov/auctions/irs/cat_Real7.htm
Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
www.hud.gov/homes/
Homes for Sale by the U.S. Government
www.homesales.gov/homesales/mainAction.do
U.S.D.A.
www.resales.usda.gov/
FDIC
www.fdic.gov/buying/owned/index.htm
And if you're looking for real estate in the Twin Cities metro area of Minnesota, please call The Don Edam Group - Owner Options Realty at (952) 486-7584.
… (2 comments)

 
Don

Don Edam

Edina, MN

More about me…

The Don Edam Group - Owner Options Realty

Address: 4318 Upton Avenue S, Minneapolis, MN, 55410

Office Phone: (952) 486-7584 x 701

Email Me



Links

Archives

RSS 2.0 Feed for this blog

Find MN real estate agents and Edina real estate on ActiveRain.