Stop the stress is home buying with great preparation.
Low inventories and the probability of multiple offers can cause more than a little stress
when you are searching for your new home. If you want to de-stress the home buying process, it doesn’t matter if you are a first-time buyer or a move up buyer the basics for getting your ducks in a row remain the same.
How are you going to pay for it?
What do you want in your new home?
Unless your answers are: CASH and whatever is available you have some work to do.
The first thing to do is figure out how much home you can afford and where the money is coming from. Cash is usually king but most buyers are using some type of financing 
(mortgage) to purchase. It’s critical that you work with a knowledgeable, credible mortgage professional that will walk you through the process and ask all the right questions. You also are looking for a lender who will pre-approve you after you have submitted proper documentation. A pre-qualification letter stating that you are qualified for mortgage pending employment and income verification is not the same as a pre-approval. With all the competition from other buyers you want to be the
STRONGEST BUYER in the pack.
Buyers that are utilizing a government program like Rural
Development, FHA, DVA, etc. are great candidates if they have done the upfront work with the lender and have chosen a property that will qualify for that type of financing. The government programs have more stringent requirements for home condition than most conventional loans. Distressed properties that need major repairs or have significant maintenance issues will likely not qualify for a government back loan. You can try to make an offer but if the property fails to pass through the appraisal process you will be out the cost of the appraisal and perhaps a home inspection.
One other thing that should be on your financial list is livability costs. Aside from the property taxes and homeowners insurance what about utilities (bigger house means more heat and lights). Are sewer and water rates higher in the new city? What is the impact on your commute expense to get to work, shopping, school????
Livability costs are something every home owner should consider before venturing out to tour homes.
So now you know where the money is coming from. What will the next home look like?
What are your must haves? What are your dream features? The preparation in this step is critical to avoid unnecessary challenges and missed opportunities. Trying to see every house in your area is not productive. You want to see the right house because that’s the one you’re going to buy.
I love lists so I suggest you establish a solid checklist that has “Must Haves”,
“Deal Breaker Can’t Haves”, “Would Like To Haves” and “Would be nice to haves”
Here is a check-list you can use to get started on the process.
So take a deep breath gather your thoughts and you can begin to reduce home
buying stress.
THIS HOUSE IS OVER PRICED? Only if that’s what you pay………………..
I think everyone knows this is and has been a Seller’s market for sometime. There is less inventory then there is demand. The law of supply and demand are pushing up the prices. A look at the data from my area shows a 5.5% increase in 2019. Good news for homeowners. Some Sellers have gotten TOO aggressive with their asking price and are “out of the market” This I believe is an opportunity for Buyers who want to avoid the bidding wars that occur today. You usually don’t find a long list of Buyers for properties that are over priced. You may be the only one willing to try and work out a deal. There is no rule that says you can’t offer $200,000 for a home priced at $225,000. As an agent, I have a fiduciary responsibility to present any offer you make. I frequently provide input as to the probability of an offer being accepted. My Dad used to tell me the answer is always NO until you ask. I have heard agents say, “I won’t present low ball offers” While that statement may make great “water cooler chatter”, it is not consistent with Your Buyer Representation Agreement. Remember, your Agents job is to act in YOUR BEST INTEREST!
If you think a house is overpriced by $20,000 but you like the house, why not make an offer? What is the worst that could happen? The Seller could say NO THANK YOU! That’s not too devastating, is it? Sometimes the real art of negotiating is having a willingness to start the conversation. Oh and as far as hurting the Seller’s feelings, unless the Seller is your relative and you have to see them at every holiday for the rest of your life, it should be of little concern. This is a business transaction not an assessment of the Sellers taste in clothing or a critique of their peach cobbler recipe. If the house is in need of updates, has deferred maintenance or other issues it may be advisable to outline your reasons for the offer price.
Let’s, for a moment, think about a Seller who in an overheated real estate market (like we have today) has been on the market for over 90 days. And lets also suppose that they have had some showings but no offers. Is it possible they would welcome an offer even if it’s lower than the asking price? I would say in most cases the answer is YES!!! Remember, the actual market value of anything (including homes) is the price a willing Buyer and a willing Seller agree to.This strategy can work if you and your agent are willing to do the homework. What is the market value of comparable homes in the neighborhood? Similar = style, age, finished sq. feet, amenities, finishes
Also, be ready to execute. Have a pre-approval letter , Sufficient earnest money
What are your contingencies? Inspection? Sale of your home? Or ???????
Making a low offer with multiple contingencies and asking the Seller for other concessions such as closing costs may be piling on. Make sure you are aware of the cost 
of all the concessions will be. The bottom line is you may be able to put yourself in a position to buy a home if you are willing to venture outside the proverbial box. You don’t have to be clairvoyant to know “What Sellers Want” They want to SELL.
Buying a home in today’s market can be difficult, but not impossible. You may need to get outside your comfort zone a bit and be willing to look where others dare not go!!
Rising costs, a shortage of personnel, and other issues threaten to undo the plans of boomers and seniors who intend to age in place. Genworth’s daunting picture of long-term care costs may cause some baby boomers and seniors to reconsider the plans they had for aging. The surprise from Genworth’s 2019 Cost of Care Survey is that the fastest-rising costs aren’t for skilled care but for what’s called homemaker services — help with simple household tasks like cooking, cleaning, and running errands. Those costs spiked by 7.14 percent just in the last year. In the most expensive places, those homemaker costs translate to $68,640 in Washington, $67,450 in Alaska, and $66,532 in Minnesota annually. In the least costly markets, it means annual costs of $38,621 in Louisiana, $40,726 in Alabama, and $41,184 in West Virginia.
Among the other reasons for the price hikes are a tight labor market and costs associated with complying with new local, state, and federal certifications and regulations. In addition, Medicare reimbursement changes that cause hospitals to discharge patients sooner – people who may go home with greater care needs than they did in the past – are creating greater demand for caregivers. Check out this link to calculate costs in your hometown or to compare homemaker costs city by city.
The Study also showed the 2019 median yearly costs for other care including:
Your Senior Real Estate Specialist – William Carrington – (763) 234-2211
Undertaking a major bathroom renovation can be intimidating. For one, the choices are 
overwhelming. If your plan is to update your home to sell it or to finally create a dream space for aging in place, get some help mapping your project by looking at the new 2019 U.S. Houzz Bathroom Trends Study It gives you a read on what’s in and what’s out, what’s motivating home remodelers, and how much they’re spending on bathroom upgrades.
It turns out that homeowners are willing to make a big investment in master bathroom
renovations. The median spent on master bathroom remodels increased from $7,000 in 2017 to $8,000 in 2018 nationally, and from $10,100 to $12,000 during the same period for major master bathroom remodels.
Maybe you’re finally planning a renovation because your bathroom just looks outdated. That’s a common motivator, and Houzz found that it was the reason 59% of renovators decided to tackle a bathroom upgrade. Functional limitations also were drivers, including small showers (38%), insufficient storage (37%), insufficient lighting (29%), limited counter space (28%), and poor ventilation (27%).
Nearly half of renovated bathrooms don’t have a tub: 20 percent didn’t have one before a
renovation and 24% of renovators removed it. Eighty-three percent of homeowners upgraded the shower and 54% enlarged it.
A major renovation also is a terrific time for you to embrace an entirely new aesthetic.
Nine in 10 homeowners changed the style of their master bathroom during a renovation.
During the last two years, transitional and modern styles got more popular, increasing to 21% and 22% in 2019, respectively. Less popular were contemporary (16%) and traditional (9%) styles. Other style-related items included adding an accent wall (35%), 
new mirrors (77%), toilets with high-tech features (growing form 28% in 2018 to 34% in 2019) and installing vinyl/resilient and engineered wood flooring materials (growing from 6% in 2017 to 10% in 2019).
Medicine cabinets got more attention during renovations, with 31% homeowners upgrading their medicine cabinets. Forty percent chose custom or semi-custom cabinets (40%) and a majority recessed the cabinet into the wall (68%). Premium features on those cabinets included mirrors and lighting on the inside and outside, and anti-fog systems (12%). If you’ve had your eye on some luxury items, consider some of the most common splurges. They included rainfall shower heads (58%), dual showers (23%), body sprayers (16%), thermostatic mixers (12%), mood lighting (5%), digital controls (5%),and shower heads with LEDs (2%). Cleanliness, a lack of clutter, neutral tones, and gray or white flooring and walls all have worked in concert to contribute to a spa-like environment and to create a relaxing sanctuary for homeowners, found Houzz.
*Content From SRES NEWLETTER DECEMBER 2019
I sure your home doesn’t look like this. (Unless you are the Adams Family) Many people selling their homes will often go all out preparing the inside and then forget about what their front yard looks like. Your front yard is like a window to your property. If it leaves a bad impression, you may have a hard time getting buyers to come through the front door to see all the wonderful upgrades you have done in the inside.
If your yard has patches of grass missing, overgrown shrubs and piles of brush lying around, it will make a potential buyer question how much care you have taken with the rest of the house. They may skip your home altogether and not even schedule a showing. Even if they do, it may be a hard obstacle to overcome in the person’s mind, no matter how nice the interior of your home is. Before putting your house on the market pay some
strong attention to your front yard. If it isn’t in the greatest shape, it might be worth it to shell out the money for a professional lawn and landscaping service. Tight on money? Get out and doing some or all of the work yourself. It will be well worth it at closing time. Statistics suggest basic but well-done landscaping may raise property values by as much as 12 percent.
_____ Put down some fresh mulch in flowerbeds and around trees.
_____ Put a fresh coat of paint on any wood surfaces such as wood siding, window shutters, your front door, or the garage door.
_____Repair and clean up water features, such as a fountain, if you have any. Use a power washer on and hard, non-wood, surfaces.
_____Reseed or re-sod your lawn if patches of grass are dead from the Winter.
_____Edge your lawn – walks, patios, driveways and beds.
_____Fix any issues with your irrigation or sprinkler system.
_____Trim any overgrown trees or bushes. Replace any that are dead.
_____Repair and paint fence.
_____Replace or clean any outdoor containers like flower pots or storage.
_____Replace, repair, or repaint your mailbox.
_____Lead potential buyers to your door with a walkway or stepping stones.
_____Replace welcome mat.
_____Put some colorful flowers in a flower pot next to the door.
Solving The Pricing Puzzle
Do more days on market mean less money for your house? If it sells
too fast was the price too low? How can I get all the house is worth?
Almost every listing appointment comes to a point where the Seller wants to make sure they aren’t giving their home away. This is a totally normal concern. It’s a big ticket item and for many people, their home is an integral part of their financial plan. Even when the agent is well armed with statistical facts, Sellers can want to “at least try” and get more for their property. We all want to sell high and buy low. Well, in the case of home pricing the statistics may indicate that “trying to get MORE may actually get you LESS”. This has been the claim agents and real estate publications have been making for a very long time.
I decided to check the facts in a very non-scientific way with a perhaps flawed methodology. I really just wanted to see if there was market data that may support the claim. I got very local and looked at sold homes right here in Rogers, MN. over the previous 12 month. (3+ bedrooms; built 1990-2015- 142 units
sold) Here’s what I found;
House that were on the market 45 days or less, sold for an average
of $133.14 per sq ft House that were on the market for 46 days or more sold for $129.54 per sq ft. That doesn’t sound like much of a difference, does it? $3.60 per sq ft, BIG DEAL!! Well, the average sale price in Rogers last year was $351,781 and that $3.60 translates to 2.78%. That means, houses that were on the market for under 45 days sold for 2.78% more than those on the market longer. The average would be something in the neighborhood of $9,792.
I want to caution against the thinking that goes “So what? I started $10,000 higher so I actually net more money” NOPE, NOT TRUE! (That logic is likely more flawed than my methodology) The average assumes the actual market value of the homes sold. (market value = the price at which a Buyer and Seller agree to a deal). When a property starts above the actual market value it risks becoming market stale. That staleness usually results in one or more price reductions. In effect chasing the market down. The result is often a final sale price that nets the seller less money. The Rogers data seems to indicate that Sellers get more when it sells fast.
Anecdotally, I have seen properties that are initially priced below market value get
multiple offers and usually sell for a higher than asking price. With the plethora of information available to Buyers today it is unlikely that home values are much of a mystery. One other thing to keep in mind: time is not FREE. Holding on to a property has costs. Mortgage payments, utilities, taxes, maintenance, etc. That does not include the cost of lost opportunities when you can’t purchase the replacement home you’ve found. Also there is additional stress with continually having to be “on stage” and “showing ready” .
So, I have to say my limited research supports the “right pricing” strategy. “Fish where the fish are” is what my Dad would have told me….. still good advice Pops!!
master bedroom, and master bath. That doesn’t mean
Get a complete copy of “148 Ways To Prepare Your Home For Sale”
Pseudo winter is boring. Little real cold and half hearted snow storms lack the excitement Minnesotans require to maintain sanity. I miss hearing “Is it cold enough for you?” or “Nothing like the blizzard of 89′” It seems almost docile. We may be in jeopardy of losing the claim of being hardy.
OUTDOOR FUN
While the winter is closing in on the halfway mark, there are still plenty of opportunities to enjoy the great outdoors this winter. Here are some links to some very traditional activities. Many places rent to equipment so you can avoid a second mortgage to gear up only to find this may not be your cup of tea
Downhill Skiing & Snow Boarding – The Minnesota Ski Association can provide you with locations, snow reports and special offers.
Cross Country Skiing & Snow Shoeing – The Minnesota DNR website has information on locations, passes and rentals. Many of the regional parks like Three Rivers Park District or Elm Creek Park Reserve also have information
Sliding – There are enumerable local places to slide or tube but if you are looking for something a bit more dramatic and organized check out the Elm Creek Park Reserve or most of the large regional parks.
There are also lots of ice skating and hockey rinks in the metro area. A drive around after dark and you just need to look for the glow of the lights in a local park.
There are also some great organized events to fill your activity calendar;
St Paul Winter Carnival
Hockey Day Minnesota
Maple Lake Ice Fishing Derby
U.S. Pond Hockey Championship
If you’re looking for a more robust and up to date list of events in the area you could try Minneapolis.org/calendar, visitstpaul.com or Google twin cities winter events
INDOOR OPTIONS
For the temperature challenged residents of the Twin Cities there are variety of 
museums and attractions to pass the time until the Spring Equinox. Most area museums and area attractions are worth an investment of the day. (I’m not sure you can get through the Science Museum in a single day). Here are just a few:
Science Museum Of Minnesota – The Science Museum was founded in 1907. The museum’s current location on the banks of the Mississippi River in Saint Paul offers 370,000 square feet of space. It includes a 10,000-square-foot temporary exhibit gallery, five permanent galleries, 10 acres of outdoor exhibits, and an Imax Convertible Dome Omnitheater.
Minnesota Children’s Museum – Sparking Children’s Learning Through Play. Minnesota 
Children’s Museum is dedicated to providing children with a fun, hands-on and stimulating environment to explore and discover. The museum helps to instill a lifelong love of learning by nurturing the real-world skills children need to become engaged citizens in the future.
Minnesota Landscape Arboretum -The “Arb” is a top visitor attraction of more than 1,200 acres of gardens and tree collections, prairie and woods and miles of trails. As a premier northern garden, the Arboretum was borne out of the University of Minnesota Horticultural Research Center and established in 1958, with the Men’s Garden Club of Minneapolis, Lake Minnetonka Garden Club, Minnesota
State Horticultural Society and other community supporters creating the Arboretum as a gift to the University of Minnesota. Want indoor flora and fawna? The Como Park Zoo
and Conservatory might be just the ticket.
Home Improvement Shows – There are a number of community home improvement expos in the Twin Cities, but the Grand Daddy of them is the Home + Garden Show at the Minneapolis Convention Center. It runs two weekends and attracts tens of thousands area homeowners. There is also the Home + Remodeling Show at U.S. Bank Stadium
Sport, Camping and Boat Shows – Minnesotans love the outdoors. particularly the months where flip flops and shorts can be the uniform of the day. There are several exhibitions that take place that allow the summer outdoor recreationists to begin preparing and dreaming of sunshine, warm days, lakes and laughter. For those of you that do it on two wheels, the Donnie Smith Bike Show takes place at St Paul’s River Centre (adjoins the Xcel Energy Center – home of the Minnesota Wild). The other big show is 
the Northwest Sportshow which is held at the Minneapolis Convention Center . There are other shows that take place throughout the state and in some of the larger suburban venues.
No need to hibernate with all these fun things to do. Stay active and social even on the coldest of days. It’s great practice for later because the days are getting longer and in no time at all we will be grilling and chilling by the lake or on our decks.
a firm decision to do or not to do something.
a sudden, complete or marked change in something: the present revolution in church architecture
Our founding fathers did not just make a resolution to create a new nation, they reinforced the words with action. There was a revolution. They revolted! Sound dramatic? Perhaps. On a personal level, the only way for me to make significant change is to have a revolt against my current behavior or habit. Changing my thoughts is a great first step, but without the “revolt” I find myself floundering and all too often failing. I think there is one more word that needs to be included in my recipe for change. Something to add permanency to the change.
feel or express sincere regret or remorse about one’s wrongdoing or sin.
This common definition is often linked to religion. I am thinking of the Greek 
word that translates to repent: Metanoia- “a transformative change of heart”; a turning around if you will. This meaning for repent is the key for change. Without the turning around, change can’t happen. When I talk to someone who has made a significant change such as quitting smoking or the loss of significant weight, there always seems to be a moment of “metanoia”. An about face that drives the revolution which in turn fulfills the resolution. “I was this and now I am this”. Until the heart changes little else is likely to. So simple yet SO difficult.
So for my New Year message I need to channel my “inner Greek”.
I hope you repent, (experience metanoia) which fuels a personal revolution which in turn leads to success in your New Year’s resolutions. And if you don’t achieve a total success at least be above average. (remember the 92% failure rate- YIKES!)
There are many articles written each Christmas about the tens of thousands of people who live on the streets or in shelters. Most have some explanation as to why people are suffering and some offer ideas for social change that will correct the injustice that is taking place. I want to celebrate two of the Difference Makers in our area. Not to bring them celebrity (all though well deserved) but to show how a single person with a vision can change the world for people in need. I believe all of these people would tell you it is the support they receive from many people that makes it possible but I would assert that without their vision there would be no focal point to rally around.
Mary Jo Copeland founded Sharing and Caring Hands in 1985. She has worked tirelessly to bring hope to people’s lives and let them know: they’re not walking alone, and God will always be with them. Some of the people on the streets of Minneapolis call her their “street mother.” Most people refer to her as “an extraordinary leader” or an “urban saint.”She is not looking for praise. She knows from experience what it is to live in poverty and she is striving to make the world a better place for the poor today. 
Allan Law’s entire life has been consumed passionately and unselfishly serving the poor, vulnerable, disadvantaged youth, and their families. Since 1967 he has volunteered more than 175,000 hours, and has personally spent almost $500,000 serving. Allan is the sole delivery person, and spends every night from 9pm to 10am driving the inner city streets of the Twin Cities in search of people to help. He works overnight because that’s when shelters are closed, and homeless people living on the street are most vulnerable. He also responds to several calls a day 24/7 from people in crisis, with requests ranging from critical immediate needs, to others like help finding a job or temporary housing. Making as many as 50 stops a night, he provides urgently needed food, basic necessities, and compassionate care to hundreds of people from the back of his MRD minivan.
