How to Sell my House

The first time we reach a milestone in our lives is generally an event we remember for a lifetime. For many of us, the purchase of our first home fits into this category. Before our marriage, my future wife Kate and I bought our first home! As a surprise for her, I hired a contractor to renovate it on our honeymoon. When we returned, she was tickled pink, and we were both on cloud nine. That first home is associated with many happy memories as we began our life together. Selling it was bittersweet. We needed more space and felt excited about finding our second home. It was the right decision but an emotional process to let go and say goodbye to that first home.

Best tips to sell a house in MN

A great deal of advice is available for first-time homebuyers, but for first-time sellers, there is a void. I have helped hundreds of first-time homeowners sell. As a guy who has been there and done that first-time seller gig, I also have some personal insights. Here are my best tips to help you sell your house. Use the internet to learn as much as you can about the process of selling your home. Below are some great topics I might suggest to search. We have a lot of great information on our website, and I have included links to posts you may find helpful.

• preparing to sell my home
• Home Staging Tips
• How to create curb appeal
• Should my agent do open houses...

Twin Cities Real Estate Review

Even as we advance into the new year, we have one piece of unfinished business to conclude in 2019 before closing the books. The Twin Cities housing market numbers are out for December, and here is the story they told.

It’s a tale that is long in the tooth by now about a market that is struggling to find balance. Limited inventory at lower price points makes the real estate market in the Twin Cities a seller’s dream. Even in the face of strong demand and insufficient stock, millennial buyers are achieving the objective of buying their first home.

Housing Inventory

While new listings for December saw a gain of 3.9%, overall inventory levels were down 19.6% compared to December 2018. The townhouse segment, down 12%, lost the least inventory, while single-family homes were down 20.8%, and condos lost 14.2%. The month’s supply of inventory for December was dipped 21.2% overall. In the Twin Cities metro, we saw 1.6 months of supply for single-family homes (down 20%), 1.1 months for townhomes (down 8.3%), and 1.5 months for condos (down 11.8%). 

Real Estate Sales

Closed sales in the Twin Cities were up 13% in December, and pending sales were up 8.2% compared to the same time from the previous year. The category with the most significant gain in sales was single-family homes, with the most robust sales falling in $500,001 to $1,000,000 pricing tier, up 17.2%

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A particular excitement surrounds buying a home that makes other major life purchases pale in comparison. Expect to be excited and joyful about the prospect. If, by chance, you are lucky enough to find a home that feels perfect as soon as you step through the door, it can be magical.

Don't Overlook Important Considerations

Remember that magic can also be an illusion, and reality may be around the corner, waiting to tap you on the shoulder. Don’t let the euphoria of the moment keep you from delving deeper when you are purchasing a home.

Your relationship with your home is not a superficial one, and neither should your hunt for it be either. Here are mistakes you can easily avoid when buying a home. It will be a small investment in balancing your time with how long you may live there.  

Failing to Research the Location

It’s not enough to look at the properties surrounding the home you want to buy; you want to dig into the details. Start by doing a practice run on your commute to work and determine if it is doable or so far away that you will be sure to experience regret from making the drive twice a day.

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Ways to Transition Your Real Estate Business Into the New Year

It’s impossible to think of ending one year without looking ahead to what’s around the corner. I love the mystery that awaits, knowing that I can prepare for events down the road. With that in mind, I anticipate the new year with excitement and optimism and a dusting of prudent vigilance.

The last couple of weeks of December is the perfect time to review the past twelve months. When the pace of the real estate market slows down, an opportunity to streamline my goals and business plan enables me to be ready for the start of the new year. My words of the day are: review, reorganize, refresh, and recycle. Here are twelve ways to do it.

1. Freshen Up Your Real Estate Bio

Now is the time to bring your bio up to date on your real estate and social media accounts. Elements you want to include when you refresh your bio are awards, achievements, real estate courses completed, professional certifications earned, and milestones reached. It would help if you could also talk about any community service projects or volunteering you participate in. Connect personally with marriage and birth announcements, interests, or hobbies. Also, consider new professional photos, especially if you didn’t take one last year.

2. Evaluate Your Real Estate Tools

Today’s homebuyer is very tech-savvy and expects the same from their real estate...

Buying a Home in the Twin Cities MN

The logistics of buying a home in the Twin Cities can be complicated for most of us. There is a lot of paperwork and steps we take before we arrive at the closing table and are given the keys to our new kingdom. What many buyers are not aware of is the battle between logic and emotion that is part of the homebuying process.

For most of us here in the Twin Cities, the purchase of real estate is the most substantial monetary investment we will make in our life. Given that, we should consider the pros and cons of buying a home logically and make sure the numbers work before offering any property. However, buying a home is more than values on a spreadsheet, and emotion must play a part in the process.

Important things to Consider When Buying a Home in MN

A home is a place we celebrate our lives. It’s where we display family heirlooms and treasured mementos. It’s the place we rock our babies, dry their tears, share their laughter, and help them realize their dreams. It’s where memories are born of family gatherings, where we break bread with friends, toast success, and mourn a loss. When considering a home’s potential, if our heart is not singing a little song, it may be wise to take a pass.

Every buyer wants to avoid remorse over the long term, and there are ways to achieve that tricky balance between logic and emotion. Working with a professional whose advice you trust is the first step, but as a buyer, you need to set some ground rules for yourself from the beginning of the home buying process....

The Fourth Quarter nationality

It seems like last week I was still sporting shorts and flip-flops, yet here we are fully ensconced in fall, with winter just around the corner. As we focus on Thanksgiving and gratitude, I am thankful for the strength of the Twin Cities housing market.

The cold months may be the slowest time of the year, but due to historically low mortgage rates, housing demand remains strong while home values continue to rise. Buyers should notice and not let the cold weather stop them from following their dream of homeownership.

The Story of Low Inventory and Strong Demand Continues

If you are looking for a home at the lower price points, you face competition. There are still not enough homes to satisfy the hunger for homeownership. Although we saw a 3.8 percent increase in new listings compared to October of last year, inventory fell short by 5.8 percent. At the higher-priced end of the market, it is either balanced or leaning in favor of the buyer.

Property Values

The trend for rising home values began in 2011 and continues. For October, sellers enjoyed a 5.7 percent increase in the median sale price last year at this time. At the same time, homes spent 4.2 percent less time on the market, approximately 46 days. With demand strong,...

MN Realtor Reviews the Market

Can you believe summer is over, and we are firmly ensconced in fall? Halloween may be right around the corner, but I’m happy to say there is nothing scary about the Twin Cities housing market. Just the opposite.

Although we now head into the slowest time of the year for real estate, currently we are seeing lots of buying and selling activity. This activity is partly due to a dip in mortgage interest rates and a carryover of strong demand for housing.

Currently, you will see fewer homes for sale. However, there are fewer buyers, as well. There seems to be less urgency, generally speaking, allowing buyers to take a deep breath before deciding to make a purchase offer on a home. So if you have been on the fence about to buy or not to buy, this may be a great time to jump into the market.

MN Realtors See Low Inventory

I’m tired of saying it, and likewise, you are tired of hearing it, but lack of affordable inventory of homes is holding back an otherwise vibrant and robust housing market. At the lower price tiers, demand still outstrips supply with inventory falling 5.6 percent from September of 2018 with the most significant declines in prices below $250,000. 

Property Values...

My Best Advice For First-Time Home Buyers

Joy. Joy is the first word I think of when I hear the term first-time home buyer. It’s what my wife and I felt moving into our first house. It’s what I always hope my clients feel at closing because buyer remorse has never been on anyone’s bucket list.

The process of buying a house has a lot of moving parts and involves many people. It can be stressful and intimidating even when it’s going well. When the pieces do not fall into place as you expect, it will be frustrating and even overwhelming on occasion.

Over the years, I have shared all those emotions with my clients on their journey to home-ownership. No two experiences are ever the same. However, it becomes glaringly evident that buyers who have the best outcomes are those that are most prepared. Knowledge is power. Here is some of my primo advice if you are buying your first home or even your last.

Make an Appointment with a Mortgage Broker

Before you get serious at looking for a home, you need to know if you qualify for a mortgage and how much the bank will lend you. You will also discuss what type of mortgage will best suit your financial circumstances and how you can receive the best interest rate. Shopping lenders is wise. Some offer better deals and options. A half-point or even a quarter-point less on your rate can generate significant savings over the life of your loan.

Decide How Much You Can Afford

Twin Cities Housing Market Review From Top Local Realtor

There are currently numerous factors that affect the housing market. However, right now, more than anything, it is the consistent lack of homes available for buyers in the lower pricing tiers. This fact holds true both in the Twins and in most markets across the nation.

It's significant that while home values are still increasing, it is slower, more closely matching income and wage growth. While you may be frowning if you are thinking about selling your home in the future, the alignment is healthy for the market. We all knew that sharply escalating prices for homes could not continue indefinitely.

MN Housing Market Trends Have Been Consistent

While we continue to see constraints on available homes for sale at the first-time buyer level, the market is becoming more balanced as we move up to higher price ranges. So sellers are still enjoying a market that favors them under $500,000.

Meanwhile, lower interest rates are helping to continue to make housing affordable despite the rising prices. Even though new listings were up 1.8 percent over July of 2018, inventory levels in the Twin Cities fell 4.4 percent. Despite the fact, demand remains strong, with closed sales up 4.5 percent and pending sales up 3.2 percent.

Although prices are not rising as quickly and steeply, the median selling price was up 5.9 percent over July of last year and up 7 percent as a rolling 12-month comparison....

This is how Top Plymouth Realtors Sell Homes

Interactive Video Tour

We found a treasure of a home in Plymouth, and we are excited to share it with you. This 2700 square foot residence sprawls lavishly along a circular drive, surrounded by enchanting gardens of flowering perennials, shrubs, and trees.

This home has been meticulous and lovingly maintained by the current owners since 1973. It's easy to see why they moved in and never wanted to leave. This property has so much to offer regarding lifestyle, comfort, and location. Let us tell you some of the features we love about this home.

Outstanding Location

Plymouth, MN, has been on America's Best Places to Live list on three occasions and once including winning the #1 spot in 2008. With an outstanding location 12 miles northwest of downtown Minneapolis, extensive parks and trails, several bodies of water for recreation, convenient shopping and entertainment, excellent public and private school options, it is not surprising that it is one of the sought-after western suburbs.

Right around the corner from this home, you will find a wide variety of shopping and dining options. The expressway is 2.5 minutes away, which opens the entire metro access. Medicine Lake is a 10-minute drive to the west, and downtown Wayzata and Lake Minnetonka are 10 minutes to the south. Did we mention that your...

How to Write a Winning Offer in a Seller's Market

Forget the spin. Take off the rose-colored glasses too. Let's be honest. Most buyers are hoping to score a home at the current real estate market's lower pricing tiers and face fierce competition, creating a process fraught with disappointment.

That's the bad news. But I am by nature a confident guy, a problem solver, and a believer in the philosophy that winners never quit. So here is the good news. A buyer with a savvy agent can write an offer that a seller will find hard to refuse.

Be Ready to Act Fast

Desirable properties often have multiple offers a couple of days after hitting the market. There is no margin of error for indecisiveness or being unprepared to offer a hot property as quickly as possible. That means you should not even consider offering a home if you do not have a preapproval letter from an accredited lender.  

Don't Be Coy

In this market, you can feel reasonably confident that if you have fallen in love with a home, so have other buyers. The occasion calls for an assertive approach, not a timid one. Open with your best offer, which should equal the asking price or higher. Your real estate professional will provide insights based on competitive properties also for sale in the neighborhood and homes that have already sold.

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Prepare Now to Sell Your MN Home in the Spring

If you plan to sell your home in the spring, now is an excellent time to begin the process. I know what you are thinking. Now? Really? Is spring seven months in the future? I wasn't planning to even think about the logistics of putting my home on the market until after the winter holidays. Has Joe lost his mind!

Believe me when I say my sanity is not at risk. There is logic at the heart of what appears to be madness. For those organized, pulled-together people who prefer to plan for significant events, this is going to resonate with you. I'm hoping to convert others who feel they perform best under pressure. Here are several reasons that make the argument for getting a head start on the spring competition.

Give Yourself the Gift of Time

Even facing the best of circumstances, selling a home is a life-altering, stressful experience. The luxury of time goes a long way to reducing the pressure of working against the clock when there may be many more demands on your time. Starting the process sooner provides you the grace to prioritize work and family responsibilities over home-selling tasks when necessary. This alone is a huge stress reducer and worth its weight in bitcoin!  

Get a Headstart on the Spring Competition

In the Twin Cities, the spring market will burst on the scene sometime after the Superbowl. The weather is the key, and if it is a mild winter without...

MN Home Selling Tips

When your home is for sale, the most significant challenge is keeping it ready for people who want to drop in on the short notice. I’m not talking about a neighbor that might pop over unexpectedly to borrow a cup of flour. She won’t think twice about the dirty dishes in the sink and your unfolded laundry occupying prime real estate in the living room.

But those other people will care. They will look in all your corners, open all your cabinets, peer into your closets, and they will judge. They are picky and often quick to find fault and not shy about voicing their opinions about the condition of your home or your housekeeping habits. They are called buyers.

The Goal - Ready to Show at All Times

Before you listed your home, you developed a plan for preparing for this event with your Realtor. You got rid of clutter, you organized, and you cleaned. You repaired, refurbished, and recycled. You gave up a month of precious weekends, your book club night, and Netflix to get it done, and never hardly ever did a complaint escape your lips.

Now you have to do one thing. Keep it tidy, clean, and show-ready until you find a buyer. That is the one request your agent will make while your home is on the market. I know you have kids. You work. You have a dog who thinks it’s his job to...

 Realtor Reviews Minneapolis Housing Market

The 2018 housing market has sure been a wild ride. The year began with rapidly rising home prices and low mortgage interest rates. Bidding wars were the norm for highly desirable homes. It was not unusual for sellers to find a buyer in the first few days after putting their house up for sale, generally at the total asking price or even above. Sellers were riding high while buyers struggled to close a deal on a home.

But in the last few months of the year, we begin to see a shift in the market. Prices are finally stabilizing or increasing at a slower pace. Interest rates reach 5.2 percent, an 8-year high. Now rates have fallen back to 4.59 as a benchmark for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage. The market still favors sellers but to a lesser degree.

2017 compared to 2018

• new listings down -0.3%
• pending sales down -3.6%
• closed sales down -3.4%
• overall median sales price up +7.7%

Now what you have all been waiting to hear. What are the takeaways for the 2019 market?

The Economy

The economy right now is still vibrant but showing signs of moderating. Everything that happens in the future will hinge on the trade war.

If the US and China reach a trade agreement by March, that should send the stock market soaring and consumer confidence along with it. However, if the trade war continues and the tariffs become even more punitive, that will own the world economy and the US along with it.

Now you might ask, why do we care, and how does China affect the housing market?  It’s about interest rates and how often the Fed decides to raise...

Can You Recognize a Super Real Estate Agent When You Meet One?  Take This Quiz!

You have finally made the big decision to buy a home, and you’re ready to dive headlong into the real estate market! Congratulations!  Given today’s market and the great opportunities that abound in the Twin Cities Metro for homeownership, I applaud your decision.  But, (and yes, there is always a “but,”) before you take the plunge, just like every great athlete needs a coach, or every talented artist needs an agent, you need a Realtor© by your side, advocating for you.

“Why can’t I just advocate for myself?” you say.  Great question, and I am so glad you asked. An honest and ethical real estate agent will steer you in the right direction to not waste time spinning your wheels. He will offer expert advice when called for, even if it might not be what you want to hear, and will put your best interest at the forefront of any transaction.  Not only will he protect your interests, but he will also limit your liabilities and even save you money. 

“Wow,” you say, “having an agent will give me an edge!  I want one, but, with all those agents out there, how will I know a great...

Minneapolis-St Paul Housing Overview

As we approach years’ end, we see some subtle changes in the Twin Cities Metro housing market. The increase in inventory of homes for sale was10.5 percent over last month giving home buyers something to rejoice. This inventory boost by is by no means enough to bring the market into balance but does bring us closer. For consumers who have been trying to buy a home for several months, it was welcome news.

What’s Up and What’s Down

As we compare November of this year to November 2017, we find new listings up 12.6 percent, closed sales down 0.9 percent, the percentage of list price received down 0.1, and the median sale price of $265,150 up 8.2 percent. Meanwhile, pending sales were down 5.2 percent, inventory levels rose 2.3 percent with months supply up 10.5 percent. Days on the market fell 7.1 percent.

So while inventory is increasing and sales are decreasing, we are seeing more price reductions and fewer deals closing for full price offers. Although housing prices are still higher than last year, they appear to be slowing down. Properties for sale are still spending less time on the market than last year, an indication that demand is still robust, and buyers are scooping up homes quickly.

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The Minneapolis-St Paul Housing Market

Some say there are indications in the September housing stats that the market might be starting a shift towards balance. New listings increased 5.9 percent compared to September of last year. However, when we look at months supply of inventory that was down 3.4 percent.  So what does this mean?

Let’s keep in mind that although we see balance in the market pricing tier for $500,000 and above, inventory levels in all other price segments are not even close to approaching balance which is a five to six month level of homes for sale. If you are one of those hoping to break into the housing market, your choices are limited with desirable properties selling like lightning going through butter.

Probing into the data, we see that median sales prices are still higher than last year by 6.5 percent when we look at month to month and 7.7 percent over last year when we compare the year over year data.  Closed sales are down 5.8 percent and pending down 1.8 percent with properties spending 16 percent less time to sell.

Interest rates are bobbing around the 5 percent rate for mortgages which, combined with higher prices of homes may be sidelining some buyers and forcing others to rethink their home buying strategies. These numbers tell me demand is still strong. It’s...

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 St Paul Metro

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Our Favorite Blog Posts of 2017

It’s that time again. As we say goodbye to the old year and look ahead to 2018 with great expectations it is always worthwhile to reflect on the last 12 months and review the work accomplished with some satisfaction. On Our Twin Cities Home Blog, we try to bring you the best information we can find on everything real estate from buying and selling a home to living well in our vibrant and beautiful Twin Cities Metro.

As we look forward to more good work this year we’d like to share some of our favorite posts with you again. So without further ado, here is what we think deserves a second look before we close the books and begin the first chapter of the brand new year!

Linda’s Favorites

The Minnesota Property Group A Twin Cities Success Story

Has a year really passed since I wrote this one? It was one of my favorites because I am proud to work with Joe all 365 days of the year. He has a great real estate story and a great philosophy on how he approaches real estate so I felt it appropriate to tell it one more time.  

Passive Savings -  Like Giving Yourself a Raise

Saving more money is a popular new year’s resolution for many people. Well, it just so happens we know a little about that here at the Minnesota Property Group. When I started researching the topic of how to save, it got me thinking of other ways that you could do it without feeling the pain or strain of giving up stuff you like.  I called it passive savings...