Top Realtor Not Making New Year Resolutions.

Another New Year celebration is over. As our planet begins another journey around the sun, so we start our quest for perfection vis a vis New Year’s Resolutions! While most of us are on board with improving our personal and professional life, resolutions may not be the best way to achieve our goals.

Studies show that only 9.2 percent of us complete new year resolutions. What’s even worse is that 80% fail by February. Why are failure rates so stunningly high, and what can we do to improve our chances for success?

Why do our resolutions fail?

There are several reasons why so many of us crash and burn regarding the promises we make in the final days of the outgoing year. We are swept up in those moments when we feel buoyant and inspired about all the glorious opportunities we anticipate in the upcoming twelve thirtyish day blocks of time on the calendar. We feel invincible and as if there is nothing we can’t accomplish. We see traits of Mario Batali, Mary Barra, and Marie Kondo in ourselves. And so we launch another year with too many expectations and unrealistic goals, setting ourselves up for another epic fail.

Typically it may look like this: after-work rush to the gym...

Do Your New Year’s Resolutions Need a Reboot?

Are you among those people who started the New Year with some well-intentioned resolutions only to find that your resolve has dwindled? Perhaps those goals that have slipped below the horizon of your consciousness during the day come back to haunt you at night like an insect buzzing around your head as you try to fall asleep.  

According to statistics, by February 42% of us who made resolutions have not maintained them. We share your pain. We know the feeling when our willpower is on life-support and the loudest voice we hear is shouting self-criticism and blame.

It’s not easy to feel like you set yourself up for failure back on January 1. Statistics also tell us that 42% of Americans fail to achieve their established goals on a regular basis with only 9% feeling they had a successful outcome.  However, and here is the good news to hang your hope on, people who start out the year with defined resolutions are ten times more likely to achieve their goals than those who do not make any.

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Twin Cities Real Estate Market Review by Top Remax Results Team

It’s that time again, the brand new year that marks the start of 365 days of new opportunities as well as new challenges. It is a psychological line of demarcation between what past and what will happen in the next 12 months. Some factors we can control and others we can’t but still, it is a fresh start. An opportunity to review and evaluate, amend and renew as we head into the new year. 

This is the time I look back and celebrate the accomplishments of the Minnesota Property Group of RE/MAX Results as a team, and mine personally as the team leader. While I celebrate the successful outcomes, the resolve to do better for my clients, my team, my community and my family is the cornerstone on which I will build my priorities for 2017.

It Was A Great Year in Real Estate for The Twin Cities Top Realtors

The Minnesota Property Group, like the 2016 housing market, had a very successful year in local Real Estate.  As the team leader, it has been profoundly gratifying for...

Local RE/MAX Agents Named Among “America’s Best”

The Minnesota Property Group Earned Ranking for 2015 Home Sales

Plymouth, Minnesota July 26, 2016 – The Minnesota Property Group led by Joe Houghton with RE/MAX  is among the 2,691 RE/MAX agents and teams featured in the 2016 REAL Trends “America’s Best Real Estate Agents” survey. The agents included in the survey represent less than 1 percent of all real estate professionals in the United States.

On learning the news, team leader Joe Houghton said, “Our team focus is treating our clients like members of our own family to provide them with the best possible home selling or buying experience on the planet.  To have our team recognized alongside of so many hard working, dedicated real estate professionals is an accomplishment and we are honored to be named ‘America’s Best’. I’m so proud of my awesome team!

“America’s Best” is the industry’s largest ranking of agents based on homes sold in 2015. The survey is open to individual agents who closed at least 50 transaction sides or $20 million in sales volume and teams who had at least 75 sides or $30 million in volume.  The fourth annual ranking groups agents...

Sell Your Home with Remax Results and the Minnesota Property Group

The beginning of a new year is a beautiful thing! It is a perfect opportunity to review the past 12 months and compare it to the previous 12 and celebrate the success we have achieved. It is a time when we can continue to grow and to show you why you should sell your home with remax results and the Minnesota Property Group. Also, as we learn what worked well and what did not, we are in a better position to focus our energy in the coming year where we may have fallen short of our goals. For many of us it is the fresh start we need to clean the debris field of the old year and start with a clean slate for the new while for others it’s the beginning of another cycle of building on past achievements, adjusting priorities as well as setting new goals. To me it is like a pool of crystal clear still water waiting for me to stick my toes in and create some ripples, or maybe jump in with my whole being and create a huge splash!   

 How to Market Your Home for Sale in the Twin Cities

For The Minnesota Property Group, it was another outstanding year of showing the Twin Cities how to market your home for sale. We started some great new projects last year that we want to build on, improve and expand. The...

Thoughts for the Weekend

Our attitude is extremely important to our behavior yet how much time do we really spend thinking about the condition of our “attitude”?  For that matter, how often are we even aware of our attitude on a specific day, hour or minute.  Yet, we talk about attitude quite a lot and common phrases in our language revolve around attitude.  For instance, you have a bad attitude, you need an attitude adjustment, or you have too much attitude!

Our attitude affects how we think, act, relate to others, and how we approach and solve life’s problems. Witnessing a positive attitude at work is a beautiful thing! We are drawn to those who have mastered that discipline, hoping they will inspire us, offer us guidance and lead us into the light, because people with a positive attitude are generally happier and more successful.

Now this guy has attitude!.

Today’s fast paced and sophisticated world certainly presents us with constant challenges. Maintaining a positive attitude is not always easy, even for those who are naturally positive and upbeat.  Yes the dark side is always pulling at us, especially when life throws us a curve ball.

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Twin Cities Housing Market Predictions for 2014

Last year the Twin Cities Metro area saw the real estate market spiraling upward towards recovery. The hallmark was a competitive market with low-interest record rates coupled with low prices and a sense of optimism bolstered by a firmer job market and a more robust economy.

Predictions for the  2014 Twin Cities Housing Market continue to be optimistic for continued growth, but at a more moderate pace than the previous year as the real estate market and the broader economy improve. We can expect Minneapolis-St. Paul Metro home values to continue to rise from 4-6% in the coming year, and although interest rates are on the upswing, they are still historically low and expected to bounce around between 4-5% for most of the remaining year. Foreclosure numbers continue to decline, and Minnesota will contribute to sustainable home values with a meager 7% foreclosure inventory. Almost two months into the year, we see a stable housing market emerging as we head into the last month of the quarter. What trends are likely to occur as we run into the spring thaw, and what will that mean for buyers and sellers?

Good news for sellers 

• Low inventory of property for sale, especially in the early part of the year, lead to increased home values...

Buying homes in St. Paul, MN

There are many reasons for buying homes in St. Paul, MN. Paul is Minnesota’s capital city, home to Minnesota’s most popular cultural attractions and entertainment venues. The town is filled with gardens, parks, historic buildings, and cobbled streets. The old-world charm blends appropriately with an array of modern amenities for visitors and business travelers. Located in Ramsey County, Saint Paul is also known as “The Last City of the East” because early developers laid it out in an East Coast style, with the city squares and broad boulevards and buildings with elaborate ornamentation.  

Historic St. Paul Neighborhood Districts

There are five designated historic districts where you can consider Buying homes in St. Paul, MN: Dayton’s Bluff, Historic Hill District, Irvine Park, Lowertown, Summit Avenue West, and in University-Raymond Commercial District. The city’s website at www.stpaul.gov has more detailed information and boundary maps. 

Reasons to buy a home in St. Paul, Minnesota. 

Many people prefer to live there because it feels more like a small town than a big city. A lot of people look at buying homes in St. Paul Downtown. Here are some excellent reasons for buying homes in St. Paul, MN. The compact streets are more wholly residential than the streets of Minneapolis. There are restaurants, grocery stores, bookstores, and historical and cultural sites easily accessible by foot or bus from most neighborhoods. In general, housing on the east side tends to be cheaper than on the west side. Rents average $100 less per month than Minneapolis, and houses typically are proportionally more miniature. Buying homes in St. Paul, MN, can be confusing because it comprises several different neighborhoods, 17 to be exact (here called districts), assisted by district councils that work with the city government to...

Minnesota Hud Homes 

Certain professions can purchase Hud homes, Foreclosures, and the at a 50% discount for only $1,000 down before they are offered to the general public.  

The Good Neighbor Next Door Program

The Good Neighbor Next Door Program is a random lottery process. The buyer can’t increase or decrease her bid; everyone will have the same chance. You would be entering their name in the lottery on the HUD website. Full-time teachers, law enforcement, firefighters, and EMTs who work in the area where the home is located can receive a 50% discount at closing. To qualify for The Good Neighbor Next Door Program, participants can’t have owned a home in home in the last 12 months. These homes are located in revitalization areas, and those areas have a higher than average FHA foreclosure rate and a higher than average renter to homeowner ratio.

No Real Estate Commissions

It HUD doesn’t pay commission, but they allow buyers with FHA financing to add up to 5% of the pre-discounted price into their mortgage for the commission. HUD also doesn’t pay any of the buyer’s closing costs in the Good Next Next Door Program. The FHA buyer doesn’t have to pay for an additional appraisal unless they get an FHA 203K Renovation Loan. If they use FHA financing, they can add all their lender fees and escrows to their mortgage. For FHA buyers using The Good Neighbor Next Door program, the down payment is reduced to only $1,000. The earnest money is different than other HUD homes. It’s 1% of the list...

Rent vs. Own

When is the best time to buy a house? I am sick of throwing my money away on rent. The best time to buy a house is when you are ready for it and have analyzed every aspect of owning a home. Homeownership is a big step to financial freedom. Still, before you jump into anything, it is essential to thoroughly analyze your situation and whether or not it is right for you. If you haven't owned a house or met with a mortgage banker, you might not know if it is even possible. 

Renting vs. Buying 

Looking at Real Estate online can often be misleading. It can either lead you to believe your dream home is within reach or discourage you from ever thinking you can afford a home you would be proud of. Homes can be affordable. However, they can also be costly. For many homeowners, it's one of the smartest investments they'll make. Buying a home can be less expensive than renting, especially in the long run. When you rent, you are paying for a roof over your head. When you buy, you become the owner of that roof and everything beneath it.

Advantages of Renting

• Renting offers more flexibility. You can pack up and move at a moment's (or a month's) notice. Depending on the terms of your lease, you're not usually tied to a residence for more than a year or two at most. On the other hand, when you own a home, you need to sell the property or find a suitable tenant before you can move—or else you'll end up paying a mortgage on an empty house or letting that home go into foreclosure. If you know you're likely to move within two to three years, you might be better off renting than buying. If you sell soon after purchasing, you don't have much time to build up equity in your house (its cash value as you pay off your mortgage's principal) and often don't break even on your closing...