Minneapolis Homes | Lofts | Condos

The annual fall Hennepin Recycling Group (HRG) Special Material Drop Off Day is scheduled for Saturday, October 2, from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm at the Brooklyn Park operations and maintenance facility, 8300 Noble Ave. N.

Items accepted for no charge include:

• electronics (including computers, tvs, etc.)
• scrap metal (including lawn mowers, bicycles, etc. with all non-metal part removed)
• batteries (automotive and household)
• oil
• oil filters and antifreeze
• mixed paper

Items accepted for a small fee include:

• appliances (stoves, refrigerators, water heaters, etc. for $10-$15 each)
• tires ($1-2 each for car/pick up tires, $7-15 for over-sized tires)

Viet Nam Veterans of America will also be accepting donations of a wide variety of reusable items at the site.  A flier and a detailed list of acceptable items are available on the HRG website or call for a list at 763-493-8007.

Looking to recycle your home and find another place to live?  Contact me today!

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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Yesterday, the House of Representatives passed a measure  that would extend the home buyer tax credit to September 30, 2010.  This contradicts the vote down of this same idea in the Senate last week.  Because it was rolled in to an initiative to create jobs, it was rejected because of concern over adding too much to the federal deficit.  This sole measure passed the House overwhelmingly in a 409-5 vote!   Even though the extension of the CLOSING deadline may go through, the purchase agreement must still have been fully executed by April 30, 2010.

This is good for the 180 thousand home buyers that would lose out on the tax credit because their transaction didn’t close on time. But, this REALTOR begs the question, who is going to hold the lenders’ feet to the fire that didn’t do their jobs to make sure this didn’t become an issue?  We’ve been held hostage too long by the lending industry and those that “call” themselves a mortgage lender, but don’t perform they way they say they can.  My take:  Quit over-promising and under-delivering, and we won’t have to waste the time of the Houses of Congress on these issues!!!

Part of my job in helping buyers and sellers of homes for sale in Minneapolis cities is education.  You need to know what you don’t know in order to make informed decisions.  Contact me today to find out what you need to know!

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This great split-entry in Maple Grove has 1/3 acre of land!  3 Bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms, pristine condition.  Don’t miss it!!!!

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This property is amazing! Come and view at the open house this Sunday, March 7th from 2-4pm. If it’s not for you, pass this post on to an interested party!

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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This amazing 2 story on 2+ acres is welcoming visitors Sunday from 12-3. Don’t miss it! If it’s not for you, please pass it on to someone who might like to see it.

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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Don’t miss it!!! Tell your friends!

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This amazing property is now available!  It sits on a fabulous 1/3 acre lot.  Very easy access to shopping and freeways.  The owners have kept this house in pristine condition.  They added a new deck and have upgraded much of the electrical.  The garage is completely sheetrocked.  It’s just been painted in appealing, neutral tones.  With pergo floors, a pond in the back yard, 2 walkouts and a prime location, this house is a bargain at $169,900!
Don’t miss it!  Contact me today.

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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As I indicated in Step #1, subsequent to my conversation with the modification representative from Bank of America,  I consulted with my good friend Carrie Guarrero from Cornerstone Home Loans.  She suggested I find out if Bank of America has an online option to fill out the paper work, rather than waiting 45 days or more for it to come in the mail.  I was also told to ask what kind of modifications they would be willing to offer.

Turns out, Bank of America DOES have an online process to begin mortgage modification.   They actually take you through the steps that I went through over the phone a few days ago.  Once the online questions have been answered, a determination is made about whether a borrower is preliminarily qualified for any modification programs.  But, from there, the process is the same.  A borrower would STILL need to wait for the paper work to be delivered in hard copy.  From what I was told, they need actual signatures and copies of things like tax returns and bank statements in order to complete the process.  Once they have the signed paper work back, it will be submitted for review before a board.  Once it passes the board review, they will assign a negotiator that communicates directly with the borrower.

So, while the online process does not help expedite the actual “nitty-gritty” of the process, it does help borrowers determine if they actually fit the scenario that renders them eligible to move to the next step.

Next:  THE PACKAGE and submission of papers.

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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With the real estate market being somewhat volatile, many home owners are opting to remodel their current homes.  It’s valuable to know which projects will be the best return on your investment when you do sell.  As an agent, the best advice I  can give is:

• start with necessary items first (i.e. roof, siding, plumbing, windows, electrical, furnace etc.)
• kitchens and bathrooms will yield you high percentages on your dollar spent
• family rooms are a good choice
• decks and outdoor entertainment spaces

While the roof, siding, windows are not very glamorous, they are a large part of why buyers may choose one home for sale over another.  You’ll receive up to an 80% return on that investment.  Next, kitchens and bathrooms looking updated and sparkly are another big selling factor.  Those improvements will yield up to 75%.

Remodeling magazine’s feature, Cost vs. Value provides the results of their study each year, determining what the new data shows with regard to how improvements translate in to dollars returned when the homes are sold.

Contact me when you need information about your house in Lake Harriet or Lake Calhoun neighborhoods of Minneapolis, or Plymouth MN or any homes in the Western Suburbs of Minneapolis

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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