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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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....

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...

Itasca Lofts in The North Loop of Minneapolis 

Virtual 3D Tour

When you enter this remarkable loft at 708 N 1st Street in the Historic and award-winning Itasca Building, you immediately notice the blend of natural light, dramatic timber, and brick. The unique architectural combination of modern design and historic elements creates an atmosphere that is both dramatic and intimate.

A True Minneapolis Loft 

Do you crave the urban lifestyle? Does exposed brick, wood floors, soaring ceilings, lots of light, views of the city, the romance of the Mississippi Riverfront, and the North Loop right outside your door make your heart beat faster? Then you might fall in love with this fabulous loft too. 

Location – The North Loop

The North Loop is known as the trendiest neighborhood in Minneapolis. It has excellent restaurants like the Spoon and Stable and Bachelor Farmer. Beautiful boutiques, hip bars, and Whole Foods. The Mississippi River outside your door with walking and biking trails. It's also a neighborhood steeped in historical significance.

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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...

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...

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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Look Past the Pretty Package

When a buyer looks at a beautifully staged home that fits their criteria, emotions rule. Fall in love with a particular house, and almost immediately, the heart works against our own best interest by suppressing our better judgment. You know what I mean, that little voice inside your head saying, "but what about those battered floors?"

Consider the facts first.

The more you know about a home before making an offer, the better. The condition of the house should be a significant consideration. Hopefully, unless expensive, unforeseen repairs are part of your plan, you will have a professional home inspection as a contingency in the offer. But, before you even make that offer, you can do your preliminary evaluation of the home's condition yourself. 

Don't set the stage today for financial regrets later.

There is no way to say that refinishing floors, painting, or other minor repairs should be dealbreakers. But if too many items fall on the fix list, added altogether, they may prove to be a tipping point on the no-sale side or affect the dollar amount of your offer. Even when a home checks off all the needs boxes and many of the nice-to-haves, costly repairs can quickly lead to regret.

Look before you leap.

Here is a suggested list of items you can check before you take that first step by offering to purchase. A second visit to the property is preferred. Still, given the competitiveness of the housing market at the lower price brackets, this is also something you can do on the initial tour of the property.

Warning signs to look for inside the home.

• Floors – squeaks or sponginess, or worn-out carpet or wood that needs refinishing.
• Walls...

MN Realtor Reviews the Housing Market 

As we look at June and the end of the second quarter, we observe a continuing trend of a more equitable and viable real estate market emerging. We also continue to enjoy strong housing market performance due to low unemployment, strong retail sales, and the longest US economic expansion in history. 

Overall, the dynamics of the market have not changed noticeably this year. Although new listings fell by 3.1 percent compared to last June, the median sale price increased by 7.2 percent while days on the market flatlined at 40. We are slowly approaching balance in the price range of $350K to $500K, but certainly not there yet. When we go above that range, we reach a balance between buyer and seller. The highest price range is the buyer's market.

Meanwhile, back in lower price land, inventory is scarce. I know, I know. You have been hearing this story for a long time now. 

The High's and Low's of the Twin Cities MN Housing Market

Looking at June of this year compared to 2018, new listings are down 3.1 percent. That decrease also brought pending sales down 2.9 percent and inventory levels down 1.3 percent. Meanwhile, the Median sales price increased by 7.2 percent, causing sellers to smile. Closed sales decreased 8.2 percent, as did a percentage of list price received slightly by 0.3 percent.  Time on the market until sold flatlined.

A Deeper Dive into the Numbers

The most significant gain in sales rests at the highest end of the market above $1,000,001with, a 13.8 percent increase over last year at this time. The most significant price gains were in the condo market, with a median price of $182,900, up 11.5 percent....

A FICO Score Explained By MN Realtor

By the time you experience initiation into the adult world, you've probably heard the term credit score. It's a number you should be concerned about because others will be, and they will use it to judge your ability to pay back a loan.

So who cares about your credit score exactly? Credit card companies, banks, mortgage brokers, cell phone companies, insurance companies, and landlords, to name a few. Some companies even want to look at your credit score before offering you a job to see how responsible you are.

How is Your Credit Score Calculated

Your credit score is a number that captures your creditworthiness based on your credit history. Three major credit bureaus, Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion, track your financial information. The Fair Isaac Corporation takes this data and uses a model to assign a number known as a FICO score. Most creditors use this score to evaluate you when you apply for a loan such as a mortgage.  

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MN Realtor Shares Easy Ways to Boost Your Curb Appeal

If your curb appeal is missing that specific something that takes it from so-so to wow, I dedicate this post to you. If you are selling your home, you should already know how critical making that positive first impression is to potential buyers. You want to hit them with your best before they walk in the front door.

Curb Appeal Works Magic on MN Home Buyers

Even if you are not selling your home, boosting your curb appeal adds value to your property. You will also win the admiration of your neighbors and become the most popular house on the block. After you finish my list of suggestions, it will amaze you that such a small investment of money, time, and creativity will result in a noticeable uptick in curb appeal.

Here are my best, inexpensive tips for upping your curb appeal game. So please put on your sunscreen, and let’s get outside!

1. Up Your Front Door Mojo

True story. Several years ago, I had difficulty selling my home in Rhode Island. It was a newer home, a colonial replica associated with like homes. Great location and landscaping but not getting the attention from buyers my agent and I anticipated.

I decided to paint the two yellow front doors turquoise over the objections of my realtor, who was reminding me that my choice wasn’t a traditional colonial-era color. A few days later, we had several showings and an offer....

375 Ferndale Road N, Orono MN

If you search for a great family home in the western suburbs, you may fall in love with our newest listing in Orono. This 2,783 square foot walkout rambler is spacious and stylish and offers charm, comfort, and modern functionality.

The current owners meticulously and lovingly maintain this beautiful home. The updates and improvements they make will impress you. Since we feel pictures tell the story of a home best, let’s begin our mini-tour and point out some of the features that we love about this home.  

Outstanding Location...

Minnetonka Real Estate Agent Marketing 

Do you dream of a home that is a peaceful suburban oasis yet near a vibrant urban center? You can have it all when you purchase this outstanding 4000 square foot two-story Minnetonka home nestled into idyllic landscaped surroundings.

This elegant, graceful residence features spacious living areas soaked in sunlight. The flow of indoor and outdoor spaces is seamless and ideally suited to entertaining friends and family. The resort-style backyard with an inground pool is fenced-in for privacy. 

A Minnetonka Home for All Seasons

During the summer, enjoy the backyard sanctuary and luxury of your heated pool. Relax on one of two decks and enjoy dining al fresco.

In the evening or the high heat of the day, relax on the screened-in porch. When fall descends on Minnetonka and the nights turn chilly, sit around the fire pit with a glass of vino or your favorite local brew.

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MN Realtor on the Importance of Home Staging

Just a few years ago, staging a home for sale was rare. It was also generally for homes on the higher end of the pricing scale, new homes or empty homes. Today the story of home staging is entirely different.

The National Association of Realtors study conducted in 2017 found that 58% of real estate professionals said that when you stage, the sale price can increase as much as 20%. This same study found that 39% said staged homes sell much faster. The message of staging and selling a house quickly and for more money resonates with today’s home sellers at all price points and for all types of housing options.

Even sellers with starter homes or small condos with a limited budget can stage their property to make it more desirable. I will share some great tips that I guarantee will make your home more marketable and cost very little as long as you are prepared to invest some time into the project.

The Five Basic Building Blocks of Home Staging

What I am about to share can be considered the foundation of staging a home. Whether the seller has a small or large budget, these are five rules that everyone will incorporate into the staging plan. Those with a generous budget will spend money instead of time, and those with fewer funds will sacrifice their time.

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Real Estate Agent On Why Your Home Won't Sell

When your home is not getting offers in a seller’s market, it is no surprise that you are not in your happy place. It’s not how you expected things to go. You thought it would sell quickly. Now you are asking your realtor why other properties are selling while your listing is growing moss.

Taking more time to sell a home happens all too often. As an agent who has been in the business for 16 years, I have been in this scenario. Here are what I’ve found to be the seven most common reasons a home isn’t selling.

The Price is Too High

The most common reason a home is not moving even in a market favorable to sellers is incorrect pricing.  At the listing time, your realtor should do a market analysis of properties comparable to yours that recently sold. The price comparison is the best method to determine the asking price.

There are times sellers disagree and insist their home is worth more. There are often factors that the seller didn’t consider that affect the value. To neutralize the adverse effect of imperfections, a price adjustment is necessary. The price of a home should align with its condition.

Buyers today are savvy, and most of them are working with agents who...

Home Buying Advice MSP

One thing I know for sure is the passage of time always brings a change in its wake. Fashion, food, hairstyles, home décor, and lifestyles have become extremely sensitive to trends. Some embrace change, and others fight it.  Whichever the case, a constant we can depend on is that trends will come and go regardless.

Sifting Through  Home Buyers Advice

Along with style changes, there is an incredible amount of advice about what we should hold on to and what goes off. Real estate is no different, and we must weed through all the bits and pieces of information and discover what is still meaningful and what no longer serves us when we decide to put a roof over our heads.

Purchasing a house is the most expensive buy of a lifetime for most of us. It is predominately a joyful experience, but a certain amount of stress is inherent in the process, especially for first-time homebuyers. We want to make the right choices, so we seek advice from family, friends, and the internet. But with so many tips out there, how do we know which keepers we should ignore? Here are several pieces of home buying advice that have not met the test of time.

You Will Always Be Better Off Owning Than Renting

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 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...

Minneapolis-St Paul Housing Data

As we say adios to 2018 and move into the new year, expectations include some long-awaited changes. In the last half of the year, we saw increases in new listings, decreases in sales, and median sales prices on homes rising more slowly.

The increases we are experiencing in no way are enough to balance the market at the lower pricing tiers. However, first-time buyers and downsizing boomers will begin to find more home buying options in the coming year. That fact alone will make buyers smile.

A Look at December Housing Numbers

Looking at a comparison of December 2018 to the same time last year, we see new listings up 3.5 percent, closed sales down 9.9 percent, list price received down 0.2 percent, and the median sale price of $258,000 up 4 percent. Pending sales showed a decline of 3.3 percent, while the month’s supply of inventory rose 13.3 percent. Days on the market decreased by 6.6 percent.

What story do these numbers tell us about the housing market in Minneapolis and Saint Paul? Pretty good news. We are finally starting to see more housing choices at lower pricing levels. Sellers are more flexible when they receive less than full-price offers. This situation takes some pressure off of buyers.

Sellers also have reason to smile. Property values continue to rise, with median sales prices up 4% over December 2017. Additionally, sales of homes are still brisk as we see days on the market drop to 57 from last year’s...