Earnest Money Earnest money, also called "good faith" money is money you put down to indicate that you are serious about making an offer on a home. Basically it stops 500 people from just "making an offer" on every house out there. Not just everyone will be willing to write a check for a few […]

Homeowners Association (HOA) Explained When you are looking at purchasing a townhouse or a condominium, you'll oftentimes hear the term "association" or "homeowners association" or may some other derogatory names. No matter what they are called, I'll be using the term HOA to refer to the Homeowners Association. Many people, when they consider purchasing their first […]

Reserve Funds are a necessary part of an association. Part of your association dues goes towards this fund that will help pay for future repairs. This fund is typically used for roof replacement, deck replacement, siding, driveways, and other big ticket items. When you purchase a condo or a townhouse, you should pay special attention […]

Phase 1: Thinking Figure out your needs ►Monthly cost of owning a home◄ Ideal Neighborhood Financing Your Purchase The FHA Mortgage The Conventional Mortgage The Adjustable Rate Mortgage Department Of Veterans Affairs Mortgage Pre-Qualified vs Pre-ApprovalPhase 2: Looking Looking at homes Types of homes Single Family Homes Townhomes Condminium Twin Homes Multi-Family Homes Types of sellers […]

Many sellers want to ask for the highest price possible. But is that in your best interest? Below I'll go over a couple scenarios that could ultimately net you a higher price. Start Higher, Lower Later Let's say that my analysis shows that your house should sell with a net sales price of about $300,000. If […]

In each real estate transaction, there are buyer's closing costs, as well as seller's closing costs. But increasingly, buyers are asking sellers to cover their closing costs. Why should sellers pay for buyer's closing costs? The main reason is that this is purely an accounting move. With the way we structure purchase agreements, it is […]

When people are thinking of selling their homes, I always get this question asked: What are inexpensive ways I can increase the value of my home? In this brief post, I'll outline 5 inexpensive ways you can help the value of your home. Sometimes the value will be in immediate increase in price, or others may […]

What makes one lender better than another lender? I've been asked this question by buyers looking in the Minneapolis and St. Paul area many, many times. There are many little differences between lenders, but there are some very basic differences that can make your home buying process go smoothly or bumpy like the potholes we […]

Yesterday I was talking with a person that is looking to downsize and sell their 5 bedroom home and buy a 2 bedroom home. We talked about a lot of details, but as a South Minneapolis REALTOR, I asked him this question:  Do you need to SELL your home in order to BUY a new […]

I have recently just heard about the Sassy Spoon restaurant in South Minneapolis. It is entirely gluten free and the owner is focusing on providing healthy foods with high quality ingredients. She got started in the restaurant by means of sharing nutrition information with people. From there she started a food truck to show people […]

Radon Testing Radon is radioactive gas that you can't see or smell or taste. It is found all over the entire United States and can build up in homes. The radon gas enters a home through cracks in the foundation or slab and then gets trapped inside homes. This build-up of radioactive gas can be […]

Radon is an important issue here in Minnesota. The EPA estimates that at least 1 in 5 homes have levels greater than the "Action Level" of 4 pCi/L. There are a few different ways to mitigate radon. The most cost effective method involves cutting a hole in the basement (floor) slab and inserting a PVC […]