buyers: Top 8 Upgrades to Make Buyers Flock to Your Door - 02/22/19 10:09 AM
We live in a word of reality TV, and home improvement shows are 24/7.  Every buyer is HGTV trained, and they drool over cosmetic appeal. What can a homeowner do on a budget to have buyers stampeding your door?
Kitchens sell homes. Without having to do a whole kitchen remodel, what’s important? All the flips advertise granite countertops and new appliances. Granite is losing favor because it scratches, stains and cracks. There are a plethora of laminates with a Hi Definition photo quality without the extreme price. Freshen kitchen cabinets with a coat of paint. There are water based paints just … (1 comments)

buyers: My Life as a TV Real Estate Reality Show Star (imagined) - 03/16/18 07:50 AM
Every morning I wake up with my head exploding with brilliant Instagram images on rehabbing houses. It's not an easy work, it takes a village. There are project plans, the decor has to be gorgeous, crew lined up, and buyers vetted. Hair and wardrobe make or break the image. What should I wear swinging a sledgehammer or showing a dingy basement? The look has to be professional and glamorous, yet with homey relatable images.
At 10 AM I meet the new couple at my office. They've been vetted by the casting team, contracts are signed, budget is set, and they’ve already bought … (24 comments)

buyers: How Many Houses Do You Need to See? - 03/01/18 09:34 AM
First time buyers are used to scrolling through hundreds of options on Zillow, Trulia and Realtor.com. Some think that they need to see every home on the market to make a decision. They form a wish list from houses online, and by visiting a few open houses. There is a better way.
Searching for homes has gotten easier, but still requires a little due diligence. In the late 1990s, buyers were sure that they knew everything about a house from a 1” square photo online. After seeing a few homes in person, they quickly discovered that one small photo didn’t tell them … (7 comments)

buyers: What I Love About Google Maps for Real Estate - 01/30/18 08:34 AM
It’s more than just finding the right address.
Did you ever find yourself standing outside of a house that you loved online, but.. the yard is tiny, or it backed up to an airport?  Or, it’s next to a gas station, bus stop, trailer park or swamp?
Google maps are usually current, and we can do a lot more than find an address.   Real estate listings describe the house, the photos show it’s best features.   The info isn’t always 100%.  Google maps fill in some of details that a listing feature sheet can’t cover.   It’s my number ONE tip for buyers searching homes online.  You … (4 comments)

buyers: The Spring Real Estate Weather Report for Minneapolis - 03/24/17 12:27 PM
January acted like March, February behaved like April (unseasonably warm, as in 30 degrees above normal), and March is bi polar. We have 60 degrees one day, and 6 above zero the next morning. The weather is still chilly, but the market is SIZZLING in Minneapolis!!!
Usually the spring market in Minnesota starts in March, but this year is started in January. No one told sellers. We’re in a drought of listings. The Mpls Association of Realtors shows that we are in a 25% decline in homes for sale year over year. And last year was a 30 year low. There is … (3 comments)

buyers: 7 Tips to Win in Multiple Offers - 03/13/17 12:31 PM
A couple weeks ago I showed a home in NE Minneapolis whose owners had spent months preparing for the sale. The photos were from last summer. That means that they meticulously planned every corner and cranny since then. There was a constant stream of buyers. That evening I received an email from the listing agent, “Thank you for your patience while we comb through 28 offers.”
 
The next weekend I showed a similar smaller home, and the 27 who weren’t the winner last week showed up on a Saturday morning to try again. There were 14 offers on that home.  Last week … (6 comments)

buyers: What's the most romantic place for Valentine's Dinner in Minneapolis? - 02/13/17 03:30 PM
Where's the most romantic place for Valentine's Day dinner in Minneapolis for Millenials?  
In the new home that they closed on last week.
Skip the crowded restaurant, the exhausted waiters, and over priced dessert.  Cozy up in your new home, make memories.  This is why you bought a home of your own.  What's really important here is that you are building your dreams together on your own terms. Start now. 
… (1 comments)

buyers: Thank You for your Patience While we Comb through 28 Offers……… - 02/06/17 01:00 PM
Last week I showed a home that just came on the market to a buyer who has been waiting for some new options in South Minneapolis.  This home was well priced, excellent condition, and had everything a first time buyer could want. 
 
Of course, he loved it, but his wife was out of town, so he hesitated to write an offer.
 That evening an email came in from the listing agent.  “Thank you for showing our new listing and your patience while we are combing through 28 offers…..”
 
It’s no accident that this home had multiple offers. There are reasons why it happened:
… (3 comments)

buyers: Death, Taxes and now... Trended Credit - 08/01/16 12:13 PM
                                                                                        Or, what Fannie Mae is up to, and how it affects you. 
Come September Fannie Mae's underwriting is adopting Trended Data.  Last October Fannie's website headlined, "Fannie Mae Announces Innovations for Lenders, Borrowers.'  Trended data is a detailed history of a consumer's spending and credit habits over 24-30 months.  Although Fannie Mae is only involved after a loan is closed, … (1 comments)