Most Important Rooms to Update

These room updates will give you the most enjoyment for your effort.

If money was no object, we would love to remodel our entire home, but many of us have to pick and choose which remodeling projects we tackle. Certain rooms are used more often and can greatly effect your home price.

The following rooms and spaces are the most important to update for many reasons. Either they are used a lot or they can greatly affect the price of your home and its ability to sell quickly.

KITCHEN: This room is the heart of the home and from an investment standpoint, it’s the most important room to do and one that potentially can recoup a chunk of the costs. A major overhaul (new cabinets, floors, counters and appliances) may get you back about 68 percent of your investment, but if your space needs just a minor remodel (refinishing cabinets, paint and counters), expect about a 72 percent return on your investment. Kitchens need to be updated if you have plans to sell.

BATHROOM: It’s a potentially expensive room to repair, but it’s another one that is important to have updated and in great condition. Kitchens and bathrooms are what buyers want, if you are considering placing your house on the market in the near future.

In Love with Two Houses?

You have to choose between two great homes. Now what?

After weeks of searching, you’ve fallen in love with that perfect house. But you’re not feeling at all settled. What’s wrong with finding the perfect house? Nothing, unless you’ve actually found 2 perfect houses. Maybe you love the houses equally or you and your spouse each love a different house. Now what do you do? Here are some things to consider when having to choose between 2 houses you love.

Emotions Out:

The first rule of thumb it to keep emotions out of the equation – you need to approach this rationally! Many people resort to the good old’ pros and cons list. It’s a concrete list and usually one house will prevail as the ‘better’ house to buy. The list should start with your budget and your ‘must haves’ for the home. If there is no clear winner, dig a little deeper and include…

Make Your First House the Right House

What should you consider when shopping for your first home?

The first time through a home-buying experience can be both exciting and stressful. Before you let your high hopes, sticker shock and long wish-list blurr your vision, familiarize yourself with common home buyers mistakes here. But how exactly do you make sure that first home purchase is the right one for you? Here are a few things to consider when shopping for your first home.

Work with a licensed Realtor

The first time through, you need a professional to help you navigate the journey. A Realtor can help you save time by fine-tuning your search. They can save you money with their knowledge of the market values and by being your chief negotiator. Learn the difference between a Realtor and a Real Estate Agent in this blog.

Determine your neighborhood

You’ve heard the saying ‘location, location, location’ – so know the area that you want to live and concentrate your search there.

List the must-haves

What are those things you must have in your home? Is it a certain amount of bedrooms or bathrooms? Perhaps finishes are important to you? Or a fenced yard? Does it need to be near public transportation? Whatever those necessities are, make a concise list of them.

What to do with the Family Home after the Parents Pass Away

There are many difficult choices to be made following the death of a parent.

Losing your parents is clearly a very difficult time for all the loved ones involved. Many survivors don’t know where to start when it comes to finalizing the wishes of their parents. There are so many things to consider and emotions are running high. What are some of the things you should do with the family home after your parents pass away?

Appoint an Executor
First off, an executor should be named who will be in charge of all the upcoming decisions. This executor is either named in a will, or if a will wasn’t prepared, the process goes through the courts and an executor is appointed. Although the executor is the one in charge, ideally that executor will work with other survivors, as well. If the affairs are complicated, or family relations are particularly prickly, hiring an estate attorney for additional assistance may be worth looking into.

November Housing Report

Housing Inventory Down in November; Sales Prices on the Rise 

While potential homebuyers had fewer choices in November, sellers saw increases in both the average and median sales prices which is contributing to Minnesota’s market recovery.

New listings statewide were down 9.1 percent or 566 units over November 2012.  However, there are still over 31,000 homes for sale throughout the state – a 2.9% increase over last year’s listings.

Safety Tips for REALTORS

September is REALTORS Safety Month.

REALTORS work with an element of the unknown. The unknown of meeting with strangers in unfamiliar territories. While these elements don’t often combine to form an unfortunate situation, we advise REALTORS to be prepared. This September we’ll present you tips and advice for REALTORS safety that should be taken into consideration all year-round.

Safety Tips for REALTORS

• Ask your client for work, phone and cell phone numbers and a physical address. Try to verify the information by calling the client at one or more numbers.
• Carry a cell phone in your pocket and program it to dial 911 at the touch of a button.
• Do not meet unknown clients at a property.
• Give someone in your office an itinerary of properties you plan to show.

Selling Your Home in a Short Sale

Successfully sell your home in a short sale with these tips.

If you’re facing mortgage woes, then a short sale may be the perfect solution. A short sale occurs when a homeowner in poor financial shape sells a home for less than the amount due on the mortgage, with all the proceeds going to the lender. They offer an appealing alternative to foreclosures, but that doesn’t mean that it’s an easier process to endure. If you have time on your side, then follow these tips for a successful short sale.

How to Handle Low Appraisals

What to do when an appraisal comes back lower than the negotiated price.

Don’t let an appraisal ruin your home sale.

Banks require appraisals to verify that a home’s sale price is supported by its market value and won’t issue a loan for more than the appraised value. A low valuation can cause quite the dilemma when an appraisal comes in below the negotiated price. Of the real estate agents surveyed by the National Association of Realtors, 9 percent said a contract was delayed because an appraisal came in below the negotiated price, 15 percent said a contract was renegotiated to a lower price, and 11 percent said a contract was canceled as a result of a low valuation. Don’t let a low valuation ruin your deal. There are several things buyers and sellers can do if an appraisal is lower than the price originally agreed upon.

Packing Away Summer

Tips to transition your home from summer to fall.

As the days change from long and sunny to short and crisp, it becomes time to pack away those shorts and and stow the squirt guns. If you’re putting your home on the market this fall season, it is necessary to cut the clutter. This means swapping out summer clothes and toys around the house for ones appropriate for the cold weather ahead. Pack away summer and keep your home ready to show at a moment’s notice.

The Right Time to Sell Your House

Housing market primed for sellers

Make a move on buying a house while mortgage rates are still below 5 percent.

Get on the phone, call or text your REALTOR and list that house! That’s right, if you’ve been thinking about selling and have been waiting for the right time to sell your house, this is the best it’s been in a while. With interest rates at basement bottom numbers and a tight housing inventory, buyers are out there ready to spend money and your house may be exactly what they’re looking for.