real estate: My 2019 Real Estate Crystal Ball - 01/17/19 08:24 AM
2018 started out with great expectations, it was supposed to have been a year of massive sales.  Economists warned of an overdue recession (not the 2008 kind, just a cut back). That’s not what happened. Economists talk about data, not trends, and there is no why in data. 
The spring market started early in February in the Twin Cities, multiple offers were expected. Spring is always our strongest market season. 2018 spring market rumbled along with buyers jostling amid multiple offers for the home of their dreams. Then we got to Memorial Day, and multiple offers turned into a faded memory. Sellers … (0 comments)

real estate: The Kardashian Market/Your House is Not an ATM - 08/27/18 09:55 AM
A real estate coach once said to me, “The real estate market can go up and down, but stocks and bonds can disappear. The land is always there, that’s why they call it real.”
Residential real estate is owned by millions of average Americans. For many, it is their biggest investment. Everyone wants to know that the value of their home appreciates and that they have the lowest interest rate possible. Values have increased steadily for the last 60 months. Your mortgage is a tool that allows you to borrow at today’s price against tomorrow’s value.
Rates have been historically low since the … (0 comments)

real estate: How does Immigration Impact Real Estate in 2018? - 01/30/18 08:26 AM
The phone rang on a Saturday morning, “I don’t know if you remember me, you sold me a house a long time ago, and I need to talk to you urgently.” I remembered him and his wife, we had talked a few years ago about selling, but they decided to stay. Their faces were tense, and his voice was very soft when we met. “I’ve worked at my job at the hotel for 20 years, but I had a traffic ticket. Are they going to deport me?  Should I sell my house now?” 
Another woman asked in desperation, “My husband was deported, … (0 comments)

real estate: Earnest Money Nightmare - 09/07/17 07:28 AM
My sellers were excited, we had delayed closing to allow the renters a 60 day move out. The offer was $40,000 over asking, and they wanted to be done. The buyer was anxious to take over and requested permission to clean out, paint, and show potential renters weeks before closing. Whoa. I told the agent that presented a huge liability. The seller would want a hold harmless addendum, buyer’s insurance in place. No, he didn’t want to do that, so he moved up closing. Everything went smoothly, we wished each other luck and waved goodbye. 
 
I trotted the settlement statement and … (4 comments)

real estate: They Don’t Build them Like they Used to - 03/23/17 10:54 AM
No, they don’t. And you wouldn’t want it any other way.
As much as I adore historical homes for their character and craftsmanship, they do need maintenance and upgrades to keep them in shape. Old homes, for all their charm and detail, had few of the essentials of how we live today. They had no insulation, drafty chimneys, leaky windows, and dank basements. 
What you probably don’t know is that energy efficient homes are in two categories; 1. Pre 2006 and 2. Post 2006 built. You might be surprised that in 2012 there was a 30% energy efficiency improvement over 2006, and another … (5 comments)

real estate: This Could be YOU, Kyle’s Story - 02/08/17 03:02 PM
An idea popped into Kyle’s head before she opened her eyes on a warm September morning in 2015.  She was renting part of her Grandma’s house, but it was being sold. Her mom offered that she could live with her, but this morning Kyle knew that she wanted a place of her own. Breathing in the steam of her first cup of coffee that morning, the idea started taking shape. She wanted a home with a yard for her daughter to play, bedrooms for each of them, space for a real home office, a kitchen where they could cook together, and … (5 comments)