Minneapolis Homes | Lofts | Condos

I’ve been posting on facebook a fair amount lately about what the communication error is with regard to home buyers of Minnesota homes for sale not using a licensed REALTOR® to assist with their purchase.  My Q & A on Trulia is often in response to a buyer who is now in trouble because they don’t have an agent working for them.

I wonder if it’s because they think they might be saving some money.  Well, let me bust that myth.  Here in the middle part of the country (unlike some areas on the coasts), real estate commissions are still paid by the seller.  So, that means the buyer does NOT pay the real estate commission out of their pocket.

So, what……..is it??  I’d love to hear/see your comments.  Please reply.

My friend and colleague, Eric Hempler, wrote an article on his blog.  With his permission, he’s allowed me to re-post some of that content here today.  Read through and see what rings true:

“If you’re searching How to Buy a Home by Owner my guess is you’re already pre-approved for a loan and if not, I would recommend it. Otherwise, a Seller may not take your offer seriously.
The first thing you need to realize is that this may be a lot of work, which is why consumers find an agent to help them find a home because it’s convenient and free…why wouldn’t you want to use something that’s free.
Any way…
The Ground Work
The first thing to do…track down the owners of the homes that are for sale
If the home you’re interested in is listed with an agent it really doesn’t matter because the Seller Pays the commission regardless if you use an agent or not.
Now that you have the names and contact info of the owners give them a call and see if you can view the home…if you were using an agent you could save some time and have the agent make arrangements and they could also look up the homes to see if there is already an offer on the property…websites don’t have this info, but if it’s listed with an agent and the agent has updated the MLS then the Buyer’s Agent will know if there’s an offer on the property.
You would also be able to view several homes over the course of an hour or two versus calling each person one by one and trying to schedule them as they called you back…that’s assuming they call you back. Sometimes agents aren’t real good about returning calls.
Making the Offer
Now that you’ve found the home it’s time to write the offer…you’ll need a purchase agreement. I unfortunately don’t know were the public can get one.
Here are a few questions to ask about the property
Will the Seller pay your closing costs?
Is there well? does it need to be sealed?
Is there septic? is it in compliance, if it’s not what do you need to do?
Inspections – property, well, septic
Lead Paint – what do you  need to do if the property has lead paint?

Closing on the Property
Should you use a Title Company to make sure the title is clean and there are no leans on the property?
What should you do when the appraisal for the home comes back for less than what you offered on the home?

The Other Option

Call an agent…find someone you feel comfortable using and give them a call…meet with them and then you can decide if they’re the right fit.”

Please let us agents know what we’re doing wrong in order for us to learn how to appeal to more home buyers.

Susan Hofflander is a seasoned real estate professional, providing real estate consultations for     home buyers and sellers in the Twin Cities since 1994. Susan specializes in homes for sale in Lake Calhoun/Lake Harriet, Minneapolis, Plymouth, MN, Minneapolis Western Suburban Cities and Downtown Minneapolis Lofts.

One might not think of the Midwest as being the healthiest part of the country.  I mean we have all the dairy products, red meat, and we consume LOTS of fries!!

But, according to Forbes magazine, there are healthy cities from coast to coast.  AND, Minneapolis is ranked number one in healthy lifestyle cities.  It’s no wonder really.  Minneapolis boasts the largest number of health food stores per capita.  We’ve also been ranked the #1 Biking city in the US.

Take a look at this article and find out why Minneapolis is a great place to put down roots.  That means you’ll want to buy a home!!!  Make sure you contact me to find out the best way to do that.

Susan Hofflander is a seasoned real estate professional, providing real estate consultations for     home buyers and sellers in the Twin Cities since 1994. Susan specializes in homes for sale in Lake Calhoun/Lake Harriet, Minneapolis, Plymouth, MN, Minneapolis Western Suburban Cities and Downtown Minneapolis Lofts.

It’s that time again!  Tax time is nearly upon us, so many of you have already done it.  You’ve gone to Turbo Tax or H&R Block or your favorite accountant (mine is Steve Zelinsky who works out of Wolf Tax in St. Louis Park, MN).  That also means you are entitled to purge another year of paper work!

Some advisers suggest keeping 3 years of back financial paper work, some suggest 7, some say 20 or more!!  Whatever you believe is the correct advice for you, there are always times when we need to purge our paper work in a safe and secure way.

I’ve posted frequently about free document shredding events.  Unfortunately, I’m not finding any scheduled just yet. It may be because of the rough winter we’ve just had.  I did find one sponsored by the City of St. Louis Park, but not until June.  Click on this link and scroll to almost the bottom of the page to read about their “clean-up day”, where they will be providing free shredding of limited quantities of bags/boxes of papers.

DON’T JUST THROW IT AWAY!!!  Don’t throw it in recycling either!  That’s the surest way to have your identity stolen which causes the public more financial trouble than we should ever have to bear.  Protect yourself from identity theft and have your sensitive documents securely destroyed by professionals.

When I find more events, I’ll post it here.  Contact me for any real estate advice or services!! That’s why I’m here~

Susan Hofflander is a seasoned real estate professional, providing real estate consultations for     home buyers and sellers in the Twin Cities since 1994. Susan specializes in homes for sale in Lake Calhoun/Lake Harriet, Minneapolis, Plymouth, MN, Minneapolis Western Suburban Cities and Downtown Minneapolis Lofts.

There’s SO much to know to conduct a real estate transaction. Whether you’re new to the process, buying your 2nd, 3rd or 4th home or if you’ve always wanted to find out about investing in real estate, the MN Real Estate Team (of which I’m a member) provides all of the information you need.

The seminars contain all of the content you need to answer the questions for yourself about whether it’s the right time for you. There are seminars for

First time buyers
Investment property beginners
Advanced property investors
Commercial Real Estate Transactions
Home sellers

Don’t let your lack of knowledge keep you from achieving your goal. These classes are all at no obligation and NO CHARGE!!!

Please let me know if this is something you’d be interested in and I’ll make sure you have a place in class, even if the enrollment is already full.

Susan Hofflander is a seasoned real estate professional, providing real estate consultations for home buyers and sellers in the Twin Cities since 1994. Susan specializes in homes for sale in Lake Calhoun/Lake Harriet, Minneapolis, Plymouth, MN, Minneapolis Western Suburban Cities and Downtown Minneapolis Lofts.

Walk in the store, not really sure what you’re looking for; browsing.  A sales clerk comes up to you, “Can I help you find something?”  You say no thanks.  Another clerk comes up, “Finding everything OK today?”  Yes, thank you, I’m fine.  Yet another clerk, “What can I do for you today?”  Well, for one thing, you can leave me alone!!

Have you had this happen??  I’ve experienced this.  Sometimes even when I DO know what I’m shopping for, I don’t really want to have my shopping experience intruded upon until I’m ready to make my purchase.  It’s annoying and sometimes irritating.  I know they’re just doing their job, but I want to be in my own head without having that sales person jump in my head.

And, my question is, Do Home Buyers Feel the Same Way About Real Estate Agents?  Understandable.  You want to “shop” in anonymity until you’re ready to make your purchase.  The thing is a real estate purchase is NOT the same as shopping for groceries or a car or a computer or just about anything else!  Why?? Well, there are several reasons.

• Unlike a purchase in a store, a real estate transaction involves a legal contract
• Unlike a purchase in a store, you can’t just return it after you’ve purchased it
• Unlike a purchase in a store, you’re purchasing land and improvements
• Unlike a purchase in a store, it’s probably the biggest purchase of your life
• MOST IMPORTANTLY, Unlike a purchase in a store, the salesperson works for YOU the BUYER!!

This is something lost on most home buyers.  When you go in to any store, you can safely anticipate that the salesperson works for the store, or, in real estate terms, the SELLER.  The real estate industry has gone through a painstakingly involved process to make sure that BOTH sides of the transaction have equal representation!

Please, home buyers, even if you don’t hire me (which would be a good idea ) it’s in YOUR best interests to secure your agent before you do ANY shopping.  There are legalities about a real estate transaction that obligate you from the minute you start contacting agents to look at properties.  Don’t jump in to these tricky waters of a real estate LEGAL transaction without an agent who works for YOU to navigate you through the transaction from DAY 1!!

Susan Hofflander is a seasoned real estate professional, providing real estate consultations for home buyers and sellers in the Twin Cities since 1994. Susan specializes in homes for sale in Lake Calhoun/Lake Harriet, Minneapolis, Plymouth, MN, Minneapolis Western Suburban Cities and Downtown Minneapolis Lofts.

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Over the last 18 years, I’ve met and provided real estate services for hundreds of wonderful clients (and a few not so wonderful ) who are looking to buy a home for sale in any Minneapolis cities!!  I strive to always put my best foot forward with regard to professionalism, caring, protection, advice.  It’s also my goal to keep my clients comfortable in my car, so sometimes I pack lunch, snacks and beverages to make the travel easier.  This also helps people stay energized for the long haul!!

So, it is my great pleasure to present for your amusement, some testimonials provided by my good clients.  You have all meant so much to me and I continue to provide high quality service for those referrals you send that honor me immensely!!!

Here goes:

“Susan was recommended by many of my co-workers when my fiance and I were looking for our first home. We instantly felt comfortable with Susan and were extremely glad we went with her. She was very thorough, knowledgeable and honest with us, and though we must’ve looked at over 25 homes, there was never a sense of discouragement. I will be sure to recommend her to anyone I know who is on their first house hunt!” May 21, 2008  Top qualities: Great Results, Personable, High Integrity – Jeff Wright

“Susan was our agent for our first (and so far only) house purchase. She was infinitely patient and understanding in helping us find and negotiate for what we really wanted, where we really wanted, within our budget. She went through a lot of extra trouble to make sure we were happy. I’ve recommended her to other buyers, and everyone has reported back a very positive experience.” May 21, 2008   Top qualities: Great Results, Expert, High Integrity – Elinore Marks

“I have learned so much about buying a home from Susan. I am amazed at how knowledgeable she is and how she can save people time and money while buying their dream home. Plus, she’s a great singer!” May 22, 2008 – Ann Treacy

“Susan was a pleasure to work with during the purchase of my first home. We looked at several options, and her expertise and care made what could have been a “process” a real delight. The transaction went smoothly and seamlessly. I recommend Susan to other buyers looking for a trustworthy and knowledgeable agent.” May 23, 2008 Top qualities: Personable, Expert, High Integrity -           Jeff Cloninger

“During our first home buying experience, Susan had to do a great deal of educating my partner and I about how the process worked. Because of her deep commitment to personable client service, she quickly became our trusted advisor. We knew she was in our corner, advocating for our best interests and supporting us through the incredibly stressful event of deciding to buy a house. We wouldn’t hesitate to do business with her again!” June 2, 2008 – Jan Hepola

“Susan helped me and my wife find and purchase our first home in the wonderful Linden Hills neighborhood of Minneapolis. Susan is a very knowledgable and professional realtor, as well as a friendly and caring person. She is involved in her community and really cares about her clients. I’d highly recommend her as a realtor!” December 22, 2011  Top qualities: Personable, Expert, High Integrity – James Gebhard

“We worked with Susan to buy a house in 2000 and again in 2005. Both times, she worked with what other agents called “unrealistic” requirements. She led us through the home buying process methodically and enthusiastically, while pushing us to think critically about the houses we were seeing and make the best decision.

Here’s an example. The process of buying the house in 2005 started when we were out of town. When we arrived back, she picked us up as we were getting home from the airport in her car, with a packed lunch and drinks ready for us so we could go look at a list of houses quickly without worrying about getting dinner.

A genuinely caring person who looks out for your best interest in a field like real estate is a treasure that shouldn’t be under appreciated. If you want to buy a house in the Twin Cities, look no further.” June 27, 2008  Top qualities: Great Results, Personable High Integrity – J Wynia

“What can Remax Advantage Plus do to provide better service?  Hire more Susans!!” – May 10, 2010 – Sam Anderson

Susan Hofflander is a seasoned real estate professional, providing real estate consultations for home buyers and sellers in the Twin Cities since 1994. Susan specializes in homes for sale in Lake Calhoun/Lake Harriet, Minneapolis, Plymouth, MN, Minneapolis Western Suburban Cities and Downtown Minneapolis Lofts.

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Almost April 15th, T-Day!!  Time to “render unto Caesar”.  But, let’s look at it as an opportunity!  It’s always a good idea to periodically go through all of the papers we’ve saved over the years.  Things need to be purged from time to time in order to remain organized.

The IRS recommends we keep all files going back 7 years.  If that’s the rule of thumb, then we can dispose of everything from 2004 and back.  That’s usually quite alot of paper!  And, it’s also alot of sensitive and private information.

In order to protect yourself from identity theft, I suggest taking all of your old files to be shredded.  If you want to spend the time to shred in your home office one page at a time, knock yourself out!  I know I don’t have that kind of time.  So, I always look for free shredding events that occur around the Twin Cities.  A company called Shred It partners with different businesses in the community to provide this as a free service for anyone who wants to bring their papers.  Generally, they will accept up to 2 boxes for free.  Any more than that, they would probably want you to bring your files to a Shred It facility to be shredded.

Here’s a calendar of shredding events so you can find out when to make sure you have everything ready to bring to be shredded.  This is especially important if you work in an industry where you have client files that contain sensitive information!  In order to protect yourself from any private information about you or your clients, stay safe and take it to be shredded.

Susan Hofflander is a seasoned real estate professional, providing real estate consultations for home buyers and sellers in the Twin Cities since 1994. Susan specializes in homes for sale in Lake Calhoun/Lake Harriet, Minneapolis, Plymouth, MN, Minneapolis Western Suburban Cities and Downtown Minneapolis Lofts.

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I’m so glad to hear the news regarding the City of Minneapolis receiving a grant for clean up of the old Jaguar dealership location at Hennepin and Washington.  That building, even when the dealer was still there, is out of date at best; an eyesore at worst.  There were talks years ago of Whole Foods becoming the main tenant of the location, with other mixed use in the rest of the land.  That project went the way of The Nicollet, a proposed skyscraper project that fell apart in May 2010 because of the poor economy.

It appears that Whole Foods is still in to the project.  I find it fishy that Whole Foods won’t comment on veracity of that statement.  I believe part of why the project didn’t happen before is, not only because of the hazardous waste on the land, but also because the plan approval could  not be obtained from the city.  Apparently, there was inadequate parking and not enough side walk room.

MPR and KSTP have done a great job illuminating the public about the next step on the re-purposing of this land.  Kudos to the Met Council and Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development.  It appears this will not only remove that broken down dinosaur from that corner, but will help stimulate the economy by creating over 100 new jobs!!

Susan Hofflander is a seasoned real estate professional, providing real estate consultations for home buyers and sellers in the Twin Cities since 1994. Susan specializes in homes for sale in Lake Calhoun/Lake Harriet, Minneapolis, Plymouth, MN, Minneapolis Western Suburban Cities and Downtown Minneapolis Lofts.

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