Best Real Estate Blog

August 2018 Twin Cities Housing Snapshot

Centennial Lake Park August 2018 Housing Stats

The Minneapolis-St Paul Housing Market Overview

As we look at the end of the summer real estate season, things have not changed very much. We see new listings up 7.6 percent over August of last year, which is a bright spot. However, for first-time home buyers, the story is still one of the limited housing choices facing continued strong demand. The situation when we look at listings under $300,000 is still critical regarding supply. The higher we go up the price tiers, the more balance we see. Properties priced from $500,000 up to $1,000,000, offer a more balanced market in which buyers have more options compared to the over $1,000,000, strata, which is a buyers market.

Looking deeper into the data gives us some reason to be optimistic but cautiously so. Even though we saw an increase in new listings, inventory levels fell 8 percent from last year. Pending sales were down 2.9 percent and closed sales ticked slightly upward at 0.2 percent over the same time last year. Home values continue to move upward to the tune of 6.3 percent while spending less time on the market. Buyers at the lower price range are making full price offers or engage in bidding wars to close a deal.   

New Construction in the Mpls...

Plymouth MN Home Searching for New Family

2860 Zanzibar Lane N Plymouth, MN

How Experienced Plymouth Realtor Marketed and Sold This Home

If you are on a search for a home in the award winning Wayzata School District we’ve got you covered. This stylish tri-level home is open and bright and offers warmth, charm, and comfort coupled with modern functionality. All the features and amenities on most buyers’ wish list are present in this well-appointed home, and you will love the improvements and updates that have recently been done by the current owners.

Four bedrooms and three baths on three levels of beautiful living space offer your family lots to enjoy.  Its excellent location is convenient to highways, shopping, parks, and recreation. Located in the sought after neighborhood of Mapledell, this outstanding home is right off the Maple Creek Trail and Park. Did we mention your kiddos would attend Wayzata schools? Well, it’s worth repeating!

2860 Zanzibar Lane N Plymouth, MN

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First-Time Buyer Mortgage Myths

First Time Home Buyer Mortgage Myths

First Time Home Buyer Options in the Twin Cities

It’s an indisputable fact that buying a home today is a complicated process. It can be especially intimidating for a first-time buyer. Also, there is a severe shortage of inventory in the category of entry-level homes making the transition into homeowner a challenge. The home buying process in the Twin Cities Metro is not as simple as searching for a house, finding one that suits you, making an offer and going to closing. Although these are indeed the basics, it is not the complete picture. There are a lot of pesky details that are not understood and become fertile ground for the seeds of mistaken beliefs.  The topic that seems to represent the most confusion is obtaining a mortgage. Let’s take a closer look at some of the most common myths about mortgage eligibility.

First Time Home Buyer Mortgages and Myths

Many people still believe you need a 20% down payment to buy a home in MN. No, you don't. Although a buyer needs to put 20 percent down on a home to avoid paying Private Mortgage Insurance, most can buy a house with much less money. When you look at real estate market statistics for home buyers in MN, the medium down payment is actually 10 percent. In addition, the statistics for first time home buyers in the Twin Cities is closer to 5 percent.

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