Minnesota Broker/Owner Kimberly Koehler, EXIT Three Rivers Realty

Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas - Our Well Wishes To You For a Joyous Season

2008-12-25T19:37:20Z

5 Cheapest Places to Retire Abroad

2008-12-21T15:31:00Z

5 Cheapest Places to Retire Abroad

With the credit crunch biting, Christmas costing a fortune and banks being bailed out by the tax payer but still demanding more money, it seems that us Britons have to escape Great Britain if we want to avoid drowning in a sea of governmental and institutional debt!

Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if we were the ones who had built up substantial arrears and liabilities - but because it is mainly the government and financial institutions that are dragging us down, the only way to escape the inevitable recession/depression is to escape UK!

British retirees are among the most active group in seeking a new life abroad where they can afford to have a decent standard of living, and so for pre-retirees and retirees seeking an affordable life overseas, here are the Shelter Offshore top 5 cheapest places to retire abroad!

1) Cyprus

Despite the fact that the Republic of Cyprus is now in the European Union and the Euro Zone, (i.e., its currency is the euro), it is our number one pick for Britons seeking an affordable place to retire overseas. It charges a maximum of 5% income tax on pension income - meaning that it is far cheaper to live in Cyprus even with the pound buying fewer euros these days. What's more, property prices have been wintering something of a negative pricing adjustment in recent months as the nation has also been hit by the global effects of the credit crunch. This means that it is cheaper now to buy property in Cyprus than it was just a year ago. Mortgages are available on the island, it enjoys up to 300 sunny days annually, heating costs are therefore far lower, and all in all, with its strong expat and retirement communities, excellent quality and standard of living, we rate Cyprus as the number one cheap (ish) place to retire abroad.

2) Belize

For Britons who are willing to be a little more adventurous in their choice of overseas retirement destination, what about the tropical paradise that is Belize? Formerly a British colony, English is widely spoken in Belize and therefore adjusting to life in this stunning nation is quite straightforward. There is a retired person's incentive programme in place too, this ensures that qualifying individuals pay no tax - that's right, no tax at all - on their pension income as long as it is earned outside of Belize! The quality of life in Belize is what you make it - i.e., you can spend whatever you want to buy the standard of living you want. It has long been a popular retirement hotspot for in the know Americans, but until recently it was lesser explored by Britons. All that is now changing as Brits are becoming far more active in seeking an affordable place to retire to.

3) Panama

Another tropical paradise that was an American favorite for a long time is Panama. It too is now becoming more actively explored by Britons seeking a cheap place to live. Property in Panama is very affordable compared to what Brits are used to, the cost of living is far cheaper than in the UK or our number one choice of Cyprus, English is the business language in Panama therefore it is widely used, and what's more, any income earned outside of Panama can be remitted 100% free of tax! Naturally this makes Panama a far cheaper place to live in at the moment than the UK.

4) Malaysia

If you fancy an even more exotic retirement destination what about Malaysia? The country has an economic incentive programme to attract relatively affluent individuals to move there - entitled ‘Malaysia: My Second Home,' the programme has tax benefits for example. If you qualify for the programme you can move to Malaysia and your pension is tax free when remitted to the country. Other benefits of retiring to Malaysia under the terms of the programme include the fact that you can own freehold property there, you can import a maid (?) and buy or import a car tax free! The cost of living in Malaysia outside the main city areas is much cheaper than in the UK, and because of the climate, heating costs are a minimum.

5) France

This is not a tax advantageous nation to move to, especially if you're a higher rate taxpayer - however it has numerous other fiscal and lifestyle benefits for retirees. It will be cheaper and easier to get back and forth to the UK if you still have family there, if you earn a low income then your tax rate will be low in relative terms, property prices are falling, the cost of living is a lot less for a higher standard when compared to the UK, utility costs tend to be lower and qualifying Britons are eligible for free healthcare!

Hopefully you can see that there are affordable and even economically advantageous escapes for you if you're a Briton approaching retirement - or even early retirement. You just have to look overseas, consider each country on a like for like basis, determine the criteria you're looking for in a nation in terms of cost of living and quality of life, and ultimately, be brave enough to make the move! After all, what have you got to lose if Britain is about to enter a depression!

By: Shelter off shore & solpropertygroup

Our Mission IS Possible, Tami Bonnell

2008-10-24T21:59:37Z

Our Mission is Possible! Tami Bonnell, Day 2 of Speakers at the EXIT Realty 2008 Convention.

The day started out with a wonderful performance from a children’s organization that helps the hearing impaired and gives them a venue to perform and sing/sign on stage. The video clip is part of one of their performance. They were adorable and I wish I had the entire performance. I would find it hard to believe that it would not make every Realtor out there smile.

Followed by renowned trainer Bill Nasby. To watch Bill up on stage open up was amazing. Bill shared with us some of his lifes struggles, successes, and the power of positive thinking and breaking free.

After our teary eyes with Bill Nasby, Tami Bonnell powered up the stage with her passion. Tami Bonnell is EXIT Realty's US President. Tami is an outstanding speaker, leader and inspires us to not

give up. Her message was very clear and that was if we believe in ourselves, our mission and stay focused on what it is we should be doing we will survive. We should be reaching out for training, education and to one another.

In September Tami shared with us as she did again at convention the power of "just one more". I have often asked my agents is there more you can be doing. Tami in her sharing of "just one more" brings agents to a very manageable concept. It is simple and is this... as we look at our activities, is there one more call we should/could be making? Is there one more appointment we should/could be having? Is there one more event we should/could be attending? Is the just one more training we should/could be attending? This is a very simple and powerful concept.

So I ask you... is there just one more activity that you can be doing in your business?

A Glimpse Into the Heart & Soul of An 80 yr. Old Real Estate Veteran, Bill Nasby

2008-10-21T21:47:42Z

A Glimpse Into the Heart and Soul of an 80 year Old Bald Eagle, Bill Nasby. Day 2 of Speakers at the EXIT Realty 2008 Convention.

Following that was renowned trainer Bill Nasby. To watch Bill up on stage open up was amazing. I had the privilege to meet and listen to Bill Nasby speak at EXIT Corp. broker/owner training in Mississauga, Canada in Nov/Dec of 2006. He was passionate about his message yet also I found him a bit intimidating. Several in my class were friends with Bill and shared stories which dissolved my idea of him being a complete hard#!%. His assignment from Steve Morris was to speak about his struggle with authority.

As Bill shares with us his family struggles growing up. Giving us a glimpse into a window of time in his life when he was a child his family living off the land of a national park in Canada. He openly shared his father was a heavy drinker and hinted it lead to some pain and sorrow for his mother and his siblings. There were moments when he would tear up, his voice would shake and you could tell he was there and the

reflection was in his heart and all though he has over come and has rose above his heart has not forgotten. He had the greatest love and respect for his family and yet those yrs. of his life were pivotal in the development in how he viewed authority. There was this aura in the audience that we all were there for him, encouraging him to go on, to share, while having the greatest desire to run on stage and give him a hug.

Nasby took us though his yrs of service to his country. His struggle with drinking and the pain that it brought to is own family. His sobering moment and shared with us some of the people that has helped him along his journey that he has the deepest respect for. He spoke of his career, how he came to EXIT, how he HATED the name and thought Steve was crazy with the name and even with that thought he still respected and held Steve in high regard.

I am not a Bill Nasby expert however I have listened to his CD’s, and listened to him speak at broker/owner training. I believe he is an outstanding trainer and I am going to be working to get him into our region to train our agents. What I do know is parts of his story. I felt a bond because there were bits and pieces that were part of my life in his life. He has worked very hard to over come some incredible battles and is greatly loved and admired by many. I would say he has lived a great life, one not absent of pain and sorrow and is an example to us that with determination, a positive mind and some caring friends along the way we can rise above and over come life struggles.

My hat is off to you Mr. Nasby for having the courage to stand before us and share moments in your life that were of struggle. Through your sharing I know you brought tears to our eyes, warmth to our hearts and inspiration to our lives. Thank you!

"Right Now You are Exactly Where You Want to Be in Life", EXIT Realty Convention 2008, Nashville, TN, Day 1 of Speakers

2008-10-19T22:46:50Z

EXIT Realty Convention, Day 1 of Speakers, October 15^th, 2008

The day started with speaker Richard Flint speaking on “How to Stand Tall When Others Are Falling Down Around You”. Flint was an outstanding speaker that spoke about leading a life by simple principles and coming back to basic in life. Building your life and business around relationships, true real relationships, conversations and connecting with one another. He is a true believer in we chose our attitude and the places in life we are at. He was comical, particle and to the point. On a scale of 1-10 I give him an 11.

Canadian Garth Turner spoke to us about “The Future of Real Estate”. Mr. Turner is a Canadian journalist, broadcaster, and politician. He is a popular public speaker on financial issues. His discussion points as I am sure you have guessed were about where our market was, how it got where it is today, and what we he perdicts to be where we are going. Key points of his speech was about the lending restricution lifting and because of that we will not see in our lifestime something so laxed again. He shared that boomers are the movers and shakers of our investments. The consumer confidence is the worst it has been in some time and the boomers will switch their investments from the stocks/bonds to real estate once again. Note I said once again, his point is that real estate is cyclical and that as real estate has become incredably afforable and our finacual markets distrought the money that is looking to be invested will once again turn to real estate as it has so many times before. Once elections are over and about in a yr or so we will be seeing a positive lift in our real estate world.

Dr. Robert Rohm was our afternoon speaker. He was comical and very energized. He is the personality expert that works with the D I S C personality system. D I S C is a system that breaks down personalities so we can understand how to work better with one another based upon personality comminalities in the 4 different groups. He had the group moving around the room ultimitly dividing the group up into the 4 different personality types. He took time to discrib the 4different personalities and give recommendations how one personality can work best with another. Angle Tucker is the EXIT traininer that specializes on the D I S C profiling. I would highly recommend taking the D I S C personality test to find out about your personality and developing your skills to identify others personalities. This is a powerful tool not only for your business life but also for your personal realtionships as well.

The evening ended a beautiful cocktail party that was abondant of food. The location was in the Delta Island of the Gaylord Opryland Resort. This setting was in the river walk area that has small bridges over the water, over looked water fountains and falls, and was surrounded by the shops. In the core of the location you felt like you were on the streets of a small, small town. You were surrounded by outstanding food, pleanty of bars so no long lines and the envirment was warm, encouraging of networking.

EXIT Realty's Broker Fun Night, 2008 National Convention, Nashville TN

2008-10-19T10:45:04Z

Day 1 for me of the EXIT Realty Convention stated Tuesday October 14^th. I arrived in Nashville, registered for convention found my wonderful room and began to get ready for Broker Fun Night.

Broker Fun Night, was held at The Wildhorse Saloon which was yes, you guessed it a HUGE Country Bar, 3 floors that all over looked a large stage and a HUGE dance floor. In true EXIT style Steve Morris and the EXIT family spared no expense. There was the dinner buffet line and then there was the appetizer line. I would imagine that the appetizers would have been more then substantial enough for most everyone yet I am sure EXIT desired to not fall short of anyone’s expectations.

They brought in LoCash Cowboys who rocked the roof off of the place. Before they started to play it was a bit of a slow go. They came on stage and the floor filled, the energy was soaring and the EXIT party life hit the floor. Man that Jody Keats sure can dance and looks great in a cowboy hat.

Part of the EXIT Realty Convention experience is the beauty of the hotel the EXIT Realty Convention is held at. The interior of the Gaylord Opryland Resort is stunning. It in some ways reminds me of the Venetian in Las Vegas, NV yet with the rooms wrapped all around all the interior scenery, and all though it seems to be hosting several conventions and there seems to never be a shortage of people wondering about there still is this calming peaceful aura throughout the hotel. Then you take the previous and invite EXIT to come under your roof with their banners, flair, energy and excitement and you have a cocktail for an experience that impacts you in a manner that can only be truly understood if you were here.

Enjoy the pictures and the day by day blogs that will share with you a glimps of what this experince is like.

EXIT Realty 10TH Annual Convention, Oct 14-18th 2008, Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center

2008-10-18T13:04:07Z

As I sit on my comfy bed, with laptop in front of me, occasionally pausing a moment or two to gaze out my window to appreciate the beautiful views I have of the atrium of the Gaylord Opryland Resort. I am in Nashville, TN for the 10^th annual EXIT Convention. I look forward to share with you my experience.

Enjoy the pictures and the day by day blogs that will share with you a glimps of what this experince is like.

Minneapolis Saint Paul Open House Sales Blitz THIS WEEKEND!!!

2008-10-02T18:49:31Z

Join Us!

Via Frank D'Angelo Minneapolis Real Estate Broker:

FEATURED OPEN HOUSES BLITZ THIS WEEKEND

CLICK ONTO THE EXPLORE MINNESOTA OPEN HOUSES LINK

Minnesota Foreclosure Report, St. Paul, Minneapolis MN and Twin Cities Subarbs

2008-09-08T13:32:44Z

The Minnesota Foreclosure Report

The foreclosures in the Twin Cities metro area of Minnesota, are having a profound impact on our local real estate market. Foreclosures are a force to be recon with and are not going away any time soon.

This report examines Lender Mediated Listings in comparison Traditional listings. Lender-Mediated refers to the transaction that the lender or bank has a decision making voice such as a foreclosure, REO or short sales.

With respect to your time I will not review the entire second quarter report however I will give you the highlights. You can request the complete report which covers break downs on Minnesota real estate price points and the real estate market for the individual cities across the Twin Cities metro area, by going to our website www.MinnesotaMetroHomes.com

According to the published MAAR report in the second quarter we had a total of 33,121 properties offered for sale in the Minnesota metro

real estate market. Out of those Minnesota home listings 7,171 are Lender-Mediated properties and 25,950 of them are considered traditional listings. This means the Twin Cities area of Minnesota had 21.7% of the homes on the market during the second quarter were Lender-Mediated. Single family homes were leading with 23.5% lender-mediated, while townhomes & twinhomes were at 20.35% and condos are the lowest Lender-Mediated properties at 10.8%.

The Minnesota foreclosure report also indicates the Lender-Mediated share of New Listings is 24.3% and of closed home sales it represents 25.8%. These numbers are up roughly a 300% increase from last yr. and over a 500% increase from 2006.

What does this mean to you, home buyers and sellers of Minnesota? As a buyer this means 1 out of 3 to 4 homes you view will be foreclosures or short sales. It also means the odds are incredibly high that the home you purchase will be a lender-mediated property. Due to the complexity and sheer value of foreclosed transactions it is even more imperative now then ever before that you are educating yourself and hire an agent that is fluent in the foreclosure process and will make sure your interests are protected.

To those traditional sellers out there, this means you need to be paying attention to the SOLD homes in your neighborhood. The oldest data you should be paying attention to is 3 months back and no farther then 1 mile from your home. You need to be better then the best of the best and priced either with them or below them if you are desiring a relatively quick sale or an offer that is respectful to your bottom line. Condition and pricing of your home are crucial.

My closing thoughts to you are these... This is a market of opportunity. You owe it to your self and your future to be educated... knowledge is power. Happy hunting and good luck to you.

Current Minnesota Real Estate Market Stats

Foreclosure Bus Tours

First Time Home Buyer Seminar

Rate Lock Advisory

2008-08-28T16:33:50Z

This is wonderful information when you are looking to buy a home. Understanding what is happening in the markets and coming to understand how that effects rates will allow you to be informed when you are speaking with your trusted lender about locking your rate.

Via Aaron Abed:

Rate Lock Advisory - Thursday Aug. 28th

Thursday's bond market has opened in negative territory after this morning's GDP reading fueled a stock rally. The stock markets are showing gains with the Dow up 143 points and the Nasdaq up 19 points. The bond market is currently down 5/32, but we will still see an improvement in this morning's mortgage rates of approximately .125 of a discount point due to strength in bonds late yesterday.

Today's update to the 2nd Quarter Gross Domestic Product (GDP) reading revealed a higher level of growth than what was expected. Last month's preliminary reading revealed a 1.9% pace, but today's revision showed a 3.3% annual rate. Analysts were expecting to see a 2.7% rate, meaning that the economy grew at a rate that was faster than what analysts had forecasted. That is bad news for bonds because it raises inflation concerns that drive bond prices lower.

The Labor Department said that 425,000 new claims for unemployment benefits were filed last week. This was the third straight week that new claims have dropped, but analysts were expecting to see this number.

There are two pieces of economic data scheduled for release tomorrow. The first is July's Personal Income and Outlays and the second is the University of Michigan's Index of Consumer Sentiment. The income and spending data measures consumer ability to spend and current spending habits. It is expected to show a decline of 0.2% in income and a 0.2% increase in spending. Weaker than expected numbers would be good news for the bond market and mortgage rates.

August's revision to the University of Michigan's Index of Consumer Sentiment is the second. It gives us a measurement of consumer willingness to spend. It is expected to show an upward revision from August's preliminary reading of 61.7. If it revises lower, consumers were less confident about their personal financial situations than previously thought. This would be good news for the bond market and mortgage rates.

Also worth noting is that the bond market will close at 2:00 PM ET tomorrow ahead of the Labor Day holiday. It will remain closed Monday and reopen Tuesday morning. The stock markets will be closed Monday also. This may create a little more volatility during afternoon hours as traders prepare for the long weekend. However, I don't think it will affect mortgage pricing.

If I were considering financing/refinancing a home, I would.... Lock if my closing was taking place within 7 days... Float if my closing was taking place between 8 and 20 days... Float if my closing was taking place between 21 and 60 days... Float if my closing was taking place over 60 days from now... This is only my opinion of what I would do if I were financing a home. It is only an opinion and cannot be guaranteed to be in the best interest of all/any other borrowers.

Economic Recovery and Real Estate

2008-08-24T23:39:35Z

Economic Recovery and Real Estate

The state of our economy and the real estate market has historically gone hand in hand. We hear softly in the wind the whispers of recession. With expert economists and Realtors projecting some markets throughout the country may fall an additional 15 to 20%. Which could push for a deeper whisper.

Yet, wait there maybe some good news. While no one can dispute the real estate down turn and the impact it has had on the country there have been additional powers that have also caused economic ciaos and are just as critical to our recovery. We have seen the sharpest correction in the oil and commodities markets in years. If we can decrease the fuel impact on our agricultural products and our cost at the pump, we would be putting money back into the pocket books of Americans. This would allow more money for consumers to apply to their mortgage and decrease the heighten levels of stress most Americans are experiencing.

Real estate is not the only force affecting our economy. While selling may not be ideal for some sellers, the opportunities for buyers are amazing. While I do not hold a crystal ball to what the future holds for my beloved real estate market, I can say with confidence that those investing in this real estate market should be doing it wisely, with the assistance of a creditable Realtor and mortgage professional. Interest rates are still very low while housing affordability is the best it has been in decades.

My advice… Sit down with your personal finances and assess how you can invest in this market. Educate yourself on your options, your limitations, and your opportunities. If you have credit issues start working on them and start saving money to assist you when it comes time to purchase that American dream or those investment properties.

FREE Home Search, Minnesota Foreclosure Bus Tour, Mortgage Professional, A Career in Real Estate

Fannie & Freddie's Woes are Trickling Down to Consumers

2008-08-20T13:09:35Z

Fannie & Freddie Woes are Trickling Down to Consumers

As the mortgage melt down continues and whether a government bailout will or will not be needed for Fannie & Freddie, the mortgage finance companies' decline has brought their woes to their consumer. There are four downsides the borrowers are seeing today.

1) Higher interest rates - Yet still relatively low in comparison to double digit interest rates of the past

2) More fees which means higher closing cost

3) Bigger down payments

4) Oct 1st will bring fewer loan choices

So how as borrowers do we move safely forward?

My first suggestion is if you are looking to buy and take advantage of the affordable house prices, you sit down with a trusted mortgage professional. There are still many programs available that will off set the Fannie and Freddie downsides. One of the most popular is the Nehemiah Program^®.

A very short overview of the Nehemiah Program is that it gives borrowers a path to have sellers contribute up to 3% for a down payment for the buyer and additionally 3% that the borrower can put towards closing costs and prepaids. That is a total of 6% seller contribution... you gotta love that! here is the downside... like many wonderful programs this one is scheduled to be taken off the "shelf" Sept 30th.

I strongly believe that if you are even thinking about buying a house. Now, is the time to educate yourself about what is going on in the mortgage industry, so you can make safe, confident decisions for your financial future.

I will be posting more later about other National and State programs that are out there to help with down payment assistance, closing costs and buy down points for a lower interest rate. If you have questions about Nehemiah or any other loan programs you have heard of please feel free to post them here or send me an email directly at Kim@ExitThreeRiversRealty.com.

Wine & Cheese Broker's Tour, Aug 21st 4:00-6:00pm Boutique Style Condo's, Mpls, MN

2008-08-19T01:55:14Z

Wine & Cheese Broker's Tour
Aug 21st, 2008
4:00 - 6:00

Your Invited, Please Join Us

Come enjoy the lifestyle of the Inglewood Boutique Condominiums, located on the Minneapolis (Lake Calhoun area) and St. Louis Park boarder.

The Inglewood Boutique Condominiums, are stunning with no detailed missed. Each unit is custom with it's very own Tuscany design and layout. This building is far from the boring, standard condos on the market.

The Boutique promises to captivate you the moment you enter. You will enjoy lighting and mirrors from Cartier, Nieman Macus and Southern Lights. The kitchens, baths and laundry areas feature the most luxurious stones such as marble, granite, imported limestone and slate. Each home features real wide planked wood flooring, their own air to air exchanger, a generous appliance allowance and a deck or patio.

The exterior of the building is just as stunning as the interior. Nestled at the end of Inglewood Ave and at an entrance of the Minneapolis's Midtown Greenway your could not ask for more of a picturesque surroundings. If the views from your oversized windows isn't enough, you can enjoy guest or relaxation at the Olympic style pool that over looks the park and beautiful tree line.

TheInglewood Boutique Condominiums are continently located blocks from Lake Calhoun, shopping, bike and walking trails. Minutes from Uptown, DT Mpls, 50th & France and the Minikahda Club.

Open every Sunday! For your private showing please contact Kimberly at 651-209-9366. You can visit us online at www.InglewoodBoutiqueCondos.com.

Taking time to Reflect

2008-08-13T00:54:51Z

Taking a Moment to Reflect…

Today, 8 other business professionals and myself were asked to take part in a panel discussion with Lakeland Mortgage Company. Lakeland Mortgage is currently ranked within the top 10 mortgage companies in MN. The goal of the event was to essentially pick the brains of the panel in hopes that the audience would learn and grow from the experience.

As the questions were asked and as the various panel members answered I sat there thinking WOW if you could not only bottle up the knowledge of these fellow panelist along with the rest of the room you would have super agents, mortgage professionals and truly unstoppable business professionals. The message that was being shared was one we all heard before however was coming out as an internalized version from each of the panelist. I wondered who in the audience connected with which panel member and will their business change because of it? I truly hope so.

The panel addressed change, prospecting, networking, client retention and business growth. Where you start. How you maintain relationships and some tips, tricks and some great real life stories.

As a business owner and a dedicated leader myself, I could see the message the Wade Abed of Lakeland Mortgage was bringing to his people. It was one of hope, faith in a time of struggle. To share with them that there are always options and opportunities, you just need to reach out and keep playing in the game.

My best advice for anyone who is struggling whether it is business or personal is to take a moment, reflect in word and ask;

· How can I change it / what actions should I be taking?

· How can I be more positive about the situation?

· Who should I reach out to and ask for their assistance?

· With whom should I be surrounding myself?

· What personal improvement, growth, and changes do I need to make?

I will end my thoughts with these quotes:

“You cannot change your destination overnight, but you can change your direction overnight” Jim Rohn

Giving is better than receiving because giving starts the receiving process. - Jim Rohn

“When you are down reach up, when you are up reach down” Steve Morris

Lastly, how can you apply this one to your life?

"A kiss is something you cannot give without taking and cannot take without giving" - not sure ;-)

Professional Networking Event in MN, 'Work SMARTER, Not Harder', Free Real Estate Lunch & Learn, July 23rd

2008-07-21T11:48:05Z

Work SMARTER, Not Harder
Round Table Discussions
Lunch & Learn
July 23rd, 2008 - 10:00-12:30
Wildwood Lodge, Woodbury/Lake Elmo

Join us for a fast-paced round table discussion with real estate experts. This event is open to EVERY REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONAL. This is an out standing way to learn and network with other professionals that are serious about growing their business and helping their clients.

Topics Include:

Taking Your Business to the Next Level
Business to Business Transactions
Fractional Ownership

Join us for this fun, informative event! You will leave with innovative ideas you can use today as well as valuable reference materials and free resources you can use tomorrow!

Cottage Grove, MN - Home for sale in Minnesota - Short Sale & Foreclosure Assistance

2008-06-29T18:06:55Z

7620 Hyde Ave, Cottage Grove, MN

We invite you to join us in touring this wonderful "split-entry home" that is "for sale" in "Cottage Grove," "Minnesota". This is a lovely home that has been hit by the selling misfortunes of today's "real estate market". These "Minnesota sellers" have listed this home below what they own in order to ensure a "great deal" for the future 'home buyer'.

You will notice as you pull up to this 'home for sale' the maintenance free exterior with a full brick front. The oversized driveway is cement with a bonus parking pad next to the garage, perfect for your 'boat', camper, extra car parking or whatever your imagination can dream of. There is a barn like, over sized, insolated shed in your 'fenced in backyard'.

As you enter the 'home' you are greated with new flooring in the foyer and warm paint colors. The layout is open and spacious with a traditional 'spilt-level' living room, dinning room, kitchen design, that is open to one another and has a soaring vault. This layout is perfect for those who desire the feeling of openness, enjoy socializing with all when entertaining, and gives way to easy access to the deck and backyard from the upper level. You will enjoy BBQ'ing and relaxing on the two tier deck.

The lower level features an entertainment room, laundry room and an over sized master bedroom with a walk through bath. With full windows this lower level is bright and has some room for you to make it your own.

The remaining 3 bedrooms are on the main level, perfect for those who would like a 'Minnesota home' with '3 bedrooms all on one level'. There is a master bedroom with a walk-in closet and two secondary bedrooms. One room would be perfect as a nursery, guest room, 'home office', hobby room or whatever you can think of.

To take a look at this wonderful 'Cottage Grove' home that is for sale at 199,900 you can contact 'Kim Koehler' either by email or by phone. Your 'hassle free', private showing will allow you to see for yourself what this awesome 'Minnesota home for sale' has to offer.

Helpful Links:

Map of Cottage Grove, MN + St. Paul Park, MN + Newport MN

Resturaunts in Cottage Grove, MN + St. Paul Park, MN + Newport MN

City of Cottage Grove web site

Lifestyles and Housing - Do they go hand in hand?

2008-06-19T00:00:24Z

Lifestyles and Housing - They go hand in hand

I am often asked by real estate agents that work with me in the office for a couple minutes of my time so they can speak to me about a client they are working with. As a caring friend, wishing for all my agents to be successful I gladly give to them my ear.

The story far to often is the same. The names maybe different, along with the price point however the song is the same. Here it is... "I have this buyer(s) and we are looking at homes in x price range. This is the max they are approved to and I confidently believe we can find something however the buyer needs to come to reality. What do I do?" Even better is the agent that has the client that is not realistic in the price range they are approved for and wish to up the price range but they can't afford it.

I hear this and I can see how my Realtor really cares about their client and sees a possible disaster waiting to happen. We work very hard at Exit Three Rivers Realty to have the best trained agents and one of the things we do is teach them how to advise clients like this. The more difficult thing however is to change the spending habits and financial understanding of the consumer. As buyers we far to often spend more then we can afford. I believe credit card debt is a good glaring example of this.

As Realtor's it is our duty to stop, listen, hear our clients and then be an advocate and advisor to them. To educate them on the process and also to show them how buying a home is truly a financial plan. Long has passed the days when the majority of our society is comfortable being house poor. We enjoy our lifestyles and because of this we forget our lifestyles play a key role in how much we truly can afford.

Lifestyle Considerations:

1) How much do you spend on entertainment?

2) Do you have to pay for any sports?

3) Travel/Vacations?

4) Hobbies or Passions you enjoy?

5) Habits that cost money?

6) Social Clubs, Groups or Organizations that cost a fee to belong?

7) School, Day Care...?

8) Toys and maintenance of ?

9) SAVINGS and RETIREMENT?

By now I am sure you have heard of the foreclosure crisis that is effecting the country. There are many causes of foreclosures and I am not here to discuss them in this blog nor point fingers. I bring it up simply because we do not want to see our home buyers nor any home buyer out there facing this very difficult process simply because of improper planning.

One of the greatest ways to do avoid foreclosure and successfully/comfortable own a home is to have a defensive and offensive plan. A strategy if you will as to how you not only are going to afford to buy a home but in addition afford to stay in the home. This is why picking a team of real estate professionals is so critical. Once you know your trusted advisors, be honest and open with them and listen to their advice. Weigh their advice and then make the decision that is best for you but do it armed with the knowledge and plan you come up with together.

This is the greatest housing market to buy!

If you would like to chat about real estate strategy and investing in your future please feel free to contact me and I would be more then happy to take sometime and chat. Feel free to email me or give me a call. Best wishes on your real estate endeavors.