house hunting: Burnsville home listings suggest high affordability
- 04/13/11 05:46 AM
There are many ways to measure affordability, and they all have their attributes and shortcomings. For this report, I chose to simply measure the ratio of homes priced at or under $150,000 over the total number of active home listings. According to information provided by the Regional Multiple Listing Service of Minnesota, Inc., there are 2,525 homes listed for sale in Dakota County. of that total, 927, or 37% are priced at or below $150,000. In comparison, Burnsville has 374 homes for sale with 168 of them (45%) priced at or below $150,000. That makes Burnsville appear above average in its … (0 comments)
house hunting: Good news for slow-to-start house hunters in Dakota County
- 02/20/11 09:31 AM
Minnesota's official house hunting season is about to complete its third week, and there are still a few house hunters who haven't started. The best deals are always gone in the first couple weeks, and the competition for what's left is getting stronger every day. As renters receive the news of rent increases in their lease renewal notices, many are electing to try to fire the landlord. More house hunters make the job of getting the best home at the best price even more difficult. But, don't worry, I have a plan. The good news for the procrastinators is that at … (2 comments)
house hunting: Dakota County (MN) house hunting report -- the first ten days
- 02/12/11 08:17 AM
The official Minnesota house hunting season began on February 2, and renters across the state are reporting that their landlord did not see his shadow when he ventured out to collect any rent payments that were a couple days late. A sunny morning would have delayed the house hunting season another six weeks, but it didn't happen. The reports are in for the first ten days of the season, and Dakota County sellers did well. According to Regional MLS numbers, of 1959 Dakota County homes on the market on opening day, 139 have accepted offers and cleared contingencies, with another 76 … (2 comments)
house hunting: House hunting season update day 5
- 02/06/11 03:04 AM
Minnesota house hunting season is officially in its first weekend and, since official opener on February 2, there is no doubt that the good stuff is going fast. For the early season hunters, there was lots of inventory and great buying opportunities on some really nice homes. Just like the Minnesota walleye season where most of the fish are caught in the first couple weeks, most of the best opportunities will be gone in a short time. Of sixteen home listings of interest identified by one of my clients last Wednesday, seven are off market with an accepted offer. The optimists … (2 comments)
house hunting: Northfield renters, are you ready for the house hunting opener?
- 01/23/11 04:09 AM
We are rapidly closing down on the official Minnesota House Hunting Opener which, of course coincides with Groundhog Day, February 2. Ten days from today the masses of homebuyers will wake up, fail to see their shadows, and hit the streets to find a place to buy before the lease expires in May. There will be some left behind in the rush. Some folks who are tethered to their landlords will approach the mandatory declaration of independence deadline prior to lease expiration and sign an extension in a moment of panic. Why? Why would anyone want to extend their apartment incarceration … (0 comments)
house hunting: House Hunting Season Opener --- Let's have a party
- 01/12/11 07:19 AM
February 2 is Groundhog Day. I'm not sure why nobody ever calls it Woodchuck Day, but that's an issue for another post. Groundhog Day is also the official beginning of the house hunting season in Minnesota. On this day, the sun sets just before 5:30 in the Twin Cities, and that is about what somebody on the day shift needs to see a home or two before dark. If you're thinking about buying s home this spring, everybody in Minnesota knows that the best hunting is during the first week or two of the season. That's also true for walleye fishing, … (4 comments)
house hunting: Attention home hunters : Days are already getting longer
- 01/07/11 10:02 AM
You can't see much in the dark, and winter months make it hard for home buyers to do much touring on weekdays. By the time you have left work, it's almost dark. That means house hunting probably is best done on weekends. Just a couple weeks ago, days began to get longer. There is now almost enough time for a quick home showing or two before it's too dark to see the outside of a home. If you're thinking of buying this spring, do yourself a favor and start looking now. Interest rates could creep up, and other buyers will also … (0 comments)
house hunting: Waiting for your chance to pay too much for a new home?
- 12/18/10 03:40 AM
Shopping for a new home is a lot like Christmas shopping. The best time to shop and buy is before the rush, while inventory is adequate and there is not too much competition for the most desirable stuff. Wait until a week before Christmas to start looking for the hottest toy of the year, and you'll probably end up on eBay bidding a lot more than list price, and you still might not get what you want. We are way past the part of the season when we complain that the retailers are rushing us. The complaints about Christmas promotions coming … (25 comments)
house hunting: Wanna buy a foreclosure? A dozen things you need to know
- 11/13/10 04:33 AM
If you are thinking about buying a new home, some of the most attractive properties and prices that you come across in your internet searches will be property that has been reposessed by the lender. Foreclosed homes come in all sorts and sizes, and they carry risks and rewards that all homebuyers should understand when house hunting. Here is my list of a dozen things that make foreclosed property different from homes currently owned by real people. While I feel that all are important, while actually touring homes, none will come close to the immediate impact of not remembering number twelve. … (6 comments)
There are many ways to measure affordability, and they all have their attributes and shortcomings. For this report, I chose to simply measure the ratio of homes priced at or under $150,000 over the total number of active home listings.
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