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 […]

Fixed Rate Mortgage There are two typical types of mortgages in our industry today, the FHA mortgage, and the conventional mortgage. The main difference is that the FHA has a lower minimum downpayment than a conventional loan. A conventional loan has a typical minimum downpayment of 20%, but some mortgage companies go down to 10% […]

Many people are always wondering how people are financing homes in today's market. I took a look at some data and found that over the course of 2014, people were financing their home purchases as follows: 59% conventional financing 20% cash 16% FHA financing 3% VA financing 2% other financing

What is arbitration? Arbitration is a way to settle disputes between parties, usually between a buyer and a seller. This is one way, among several, to resolve disputes. In the context of a home purchase between buyers and sellers, the outcome of the arbitration process is binding. That means whatever the outcome is, it's final. […]

I recently took the Old Home Certification course that is put out by Preservation Alliance of Minnesota. It was a fantastic 2 day course and we covered so much material that I had to take a day off to let it all soak in. This course had topics that included such items as: Why old […]

How much does it cost to sell a home? I have been asked this question many times by many sellers in the Twin Cities. If you are reading this article from another area, your numbers may be different. Real estate is local, and the cost to sell a home is also very local. I'll be […]

I get asked this question all the time. Buyers and sellers alike want to be able to figure out what the value of a home should be. I have a separate post as to how I go about figuring valuation of a home, and you can read that post on Market Valuations here. If you […]