minnesota: Relocating to Forest Lake Minnesota? The Schools are Full of Ranger Pride
- 04/25/07 01:21 PM
Forest Lake School District #831 is a bit of a misnomer. Most people would not realize how many communities and neighborhoods are a part of this north metro Twin Cities school district with the motto: Inspire the Learner...Ignite the Potential!
Located 35 minutes northeast of the downtown St. Paul, Minnesota, the Forest Lake School district is geographically huge. Covering one of the largest areas in the state with over 240 square miles of area, Forest Lake schools are the educational home of 12 communities in 3 different counties. Students come from Columbus, East Bethel, Ham Lake, Lino Lakes, Linwood in Anoka County. … (4 comments)
|
minnesota: Home Buying 101: How Much Earnest Money Do I Need?
- 04/23/07 09:24 AM
Every home buyer loves the process of visiting homes and finding that perfect place to call home. Sitting down and writing the offer is not always as much fun! For many people, the process of buying a home is something they go through only once or twice in a lifetime. New terms and questions come are the norm as the purchase agreement is prepared. As a Realtor in the northeast Twin Cities metro, whether I am working with first time buyers, move-up buyers or empty-nesters, one question always stops the process for a moment of discussion. How much earnest money are … (0 comments)
|
minnesota: It's a Buyer’s Market—Why You Shouldn't Necessarily Give a Lowball Offer
- 04/22/07 01:46 AM
In Minnesota, we are currently experiencing a buyer's market. There are many more homes for sale than buyers in the Twin Cities market right now.
As a Realtor working in the northeast metro, I can pinpoint homes in neighborhoods throughout Anoka and Chisago Counties that haven't sold after being on the market for several months. Communities north of the Forest Lake and Ham Lake areas that were booming a few years ago, like Stacy, Linwood and North Branch are experiencing a tremendous slow down. From Hugo to Lino Lakes, acreage properties and lake homes aren't exempt from the slowdown. There are … (17 comments)
|
minnesota: Moving to Minnesota? FREE Relocation Information
- 04/20/07 08:33 AM
Will you be making a move to the Twin Cities area in the next few months?
As you plan your move to Minnesota, you'll want to be sure to have the right Realtor® representing your interests. I have the training and experience needed to look out for your interests in Twin Cities' real estate market.
Whether you are considering a move to Blaine, Forest Lake, Ham Lake, Lino Lakes, Maplewood, North St. Paul, Shoreview, White Bear Lake, Wyoming or any of the surrounding communities, I am ready to assist your family.
With thousands of homes available to you, it's my job … (0 comments)
|
minnesota: Hidden Treasures near Ham Lake, Minnesota
- 04/19/07 04:36 AM
It is amazing how many unique activities and fun adventures you can have minutes your home. As a Realtor in the northeast metro area of the Twin Cities, I am often asked, "What can we do for fun?" Here are some of my families' favorite hidden treasures in Anoka County that remind us of why we love living in Ham Lake, Minnesota.
Who wouldn't love a pony ride! Bunker Hills Stables is a wonderful place to spend a family day. It is a great opportunity to bond with your younger child or grandchild as you lead them on a pony down the … (2 comments)
|
minnesota: Keller Williams Realty almost 1500 Strong in MN
- 04/18/07 04:06 AM
Three and a half years ago I made a jump to a new brokerage, Keller Williams Premier Realty, that had recently opened in our state. It was a big move as I was doing well with one of the major real estate companies in Minnesota. To transfer to this unknown organization was a big risk for my personal business, but I made the move and never looked back.
I remember speaking of Keller Williams to a new client on the first day after my decision. The potential seller was concerned, "Who is this company?" My answer was look at the red signs in yards … (8 comments)
|
minnesota: Buyers' Market Dilemma—200+ Homes! How Many Should I See?
- 04/17/07 01:14 AM
Cities across the U.S. are in serious buyers' markets. These markets offers more housing inventory than has been seen in a decade. As a Realtor in the Twin Cities north metro, I have had clients with very loose selection criteria, have hundreds of homes available to choose from. The amount of homes is overwhelming to the buyer going it alone. Work with an experienced agent, to get that list of homes down to a manageable level.
According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development website, the average buyer sees 15 homes before writing an offer on a home. In my experience … (8 comments)
|
minnesota: Appreciation in the Twin Cities Down to Half a Percent—But Median Sales Price Up!
- 04/16/07 03:51 AM
In the fall of 2004, I attended a presentation on mortgages given by a lending group that I worked with on a regular basis. As a Minnesota Realtor, I work to find the best products and options for my clients. One of the presenters started an explanation on zero down interest only loans and what a great opportunity it was for us as agents and our clients. He explained that across the country, people are able to purchase more home than in the past with this innovative loan product.
The basis of this loan officer’s argument was that interest only loans … (2 comments)
|
minnesota: Looking HOT From the Street—Tips for Curb Appeal
- 04/12/07 01:26 AM
Selling in a buyer's market like we currently are experiencing in the Twin Cities metro, is tricky. Your home needs to look HOT from the outside in!
As a Realtor, I have been showing homes all over Anoka County, from Blaine to Forest Lake this month. As the snow melts, some yards are looking rather boring. When buyers have hundreds of homes to choose from, decisions are made in a split second from a photo on a computer screen or from the moment a potential buyer drives up to the curb. It takes only a few moments for a buyer to … (14 comments)
|
minnesota: Mother Nature Perpetuating the Minnesota Myth
- 04/11/07 08:53 AM
Whenever I travel or am on the phone with an out-of-state client, I get the weather question: "How cold is it in Minnesota?" or "It must be freezing where you are, right?"
One July while in New York business trip, a colleague asked if my system was shocked when I arrived to the almost 100 degree heat. I was confused as I had just left a similar heat wave behind in Minnesota. It was then I discovered the myth:
People who have never been to Minnesota believe the state is snow bound and freezing 365 days a year!
Sure our state has … (8 comments)
|
minnesota: First Time Buyers: Realtors Help to Define YOUR Dream
- 04/09/07 04:35 AM
I love assisting first time home buyers! The opportunity to own their home is exciting and that excitement bubbles right out of these buyers. Many have a picture in their head of what their dream home looks like and it is my job to figure out what that picture is and help them find it. Is it the little bungalow with the white picket fence? A new trendy condo with views of the Mississippi? Or a fixer-upper that they can renovate and build equity?
Everyone has a different dream. As a home buyer's representative, I work with you to define your dream. … (6 comments)
|
minnesota: Bird Watching in Off and On-Line in Minnesota—Help Keep Power Lines Clear and the Electricity ON!
- 04/08/07 12:15 AM
From the windows in our Anoka County home, we have the opportunity to bird watch. There is a falcon that has nested in a catalpa tree in our front yard. There is huge barn owl in one of our back oaks. A male pheasant lives under a towering pine. All year round we see song birds, blue jays, cardinals, and wood peckers. It is great fun to watch and identify different species. We know we are fortunate in Ham Lake. Not everyone can see such an array of birds at home.
If you like to keep an eye to the sky and … (4 comments)
|
minnesota: Wave Goodbye to the Snowman—Hwy 36 is Under Construction!
- 04/07/07 12:28 AM
East and West bound Twin Cities commuters won't be able to wave at Frosty this summer. The North St. Paul Snowman located on the south side of Margaret St. on Highway 36 will be tied up in the construction project that will affectively split the town in two for the summer.
The business community will remain open but the spring Crazy Days festival is cancelled this year. A temporary Detour Days will be celebrated in its place. Antique and custom car enthusiasts may have to find another venue this summer as the Friday Night Car show which is a huge tradition … (2 comments)
|
minnesota: Dreaming of Life on MN Acreage?--What YOU Need to Know Before YOUR Move!
- 04/04/07 01:14 AM
About 10 years ago, my family came across a home being renovated on 3 acres in the country. It was a bit of a drive from North St. Paul and Maplewood, the quiet little suburbs where we had spent most of our lives. But there was something intriguing about the beautiful landscape with dozens of towering oaks and pines. We loved the idea that our two preschool boys could play hide and seek and ride their bikes right in our own yard. We made the leap without considering all of the differences that faces us switching from a city to a … (14 comments)
|
minnesota: Natural Gas and Propane—What’s the Difference?
- 04/03/07 12:47 AM
Communities outside the Twin Cities metro area do not always have the infrastructure that home owners in the city take for granted. In rural communities where homeowners live on and own acres of land, they may not have water or sewer systems to the home. The electrical, cable and gas utilities may not provide service to any or all homes in the area. Alternatively, homeowners will have private services where the public utilities do not exist. Homes on acreage will have private wells for water and septic systems for sewage. If the home does not have cable access, they can use … (2 comments)
|
minnesota: How to Locate Your MN Unique Well Number
- 03/31/07 01:44 AM
Many of the homes and property I sell are on acreage or a in area that do not have city water and sewer lines. These properties have special disclosure forms for their private sewer and water systems. The well disclosure form requires a seller to indicate what wells are on the property...sealed and unsealed....and to provide a map of where each is located. As you can imagine, on an old farm property this might be a huge task as farmers were known to dig shallow wells as needed for irrigation. But for most homes on acreage property, there has only been … (0 comments)
|
minnesota: Gloom and Doom for MN Real Estate? Maybe not…Check the Numbers!
- 03/29/07 01:40 AM
It is easy to get caught up in believing the hype of the tragic situation in today's real estate market. Every day in the national and local news there is a new story of a housing development or community somewhere in the United States that has been affected by the sub-prime lending debacle that has taken place with zero-down and piggyback financing. But is it really that bad in Minnesota? Maybe and maybe not.
According to a study that was done through collaboration between the Minnesota Association of REALTORS® and the Shenehon Center for Real Estate Education at the University of St. … (3 comments)
|
minnesota: As a Minnesota Realtor, These are the Rules I Live By
- 03/28/07 02:07 AM
From the time we are children we learn right from wrong. As a child our parents guide us and build an internal compass that directs us throughout our lives. I have always abided by the Golden Rule; Do unto others as you would have done to you.
The Realtor's Code of Ethics is based on this same principle. It is an outline as to how we as Realtors conduct our real estate business. It defines how we are to treat our clients. It specifies how we are to treat the public. And it further directs how we as Realtors should treat … (3 comments)
|
minnesota: Teri's Top 10 Tips for a Quick Sale!
- 03/27/07 01:56 AM
Get ready! With the spring sale season just around the corner, now is the time to get your home ready to put on the market. As a Minnesota Realtor, I have seen many homes go on the market that simply are not ready. This decreases the amount a buyer is willing to pay buy thousands of dollars.
These are my Top 10 ideas for sellers to get their homes in top condition for a quick sale.
1. Make the Front Entrance SPARKLE!You need to make a great first impression! A coat of paint and a new brass kick plate or doorknocker says "welcome … (2 comments)
|
minnesota: Home Buyers Guide: Important Checklist for a Final Walk Through
- 03/26/07 01:45 AM
What an exciting day; the day you close on your new home! A few days before, your Realtor had called to schedule the date and time of the final walk-through. You thought, "This is great! I needed to check the paint color in the bedroom and measure the windows for blinds." But that is not what the final walk-through is for. This is the last opportunity for you to see the home prior to closing. It is an appointment not to be missed or glossed over. It is a time to stay focused on your investment and examine the condition of … (2 comments)
|
Forest Lake School District #831 is a bit of a misnomer. Most people would not realize how many communities and neighborhoods are a part of this north metro Twin Cities school district with the motto: Inspire the Learner...Ignite the Potential!
;)
;)
;)
