Minneapolis Homes | Lofts | Condos

Minneapolis Monthly Skinny

Every month, the Minneapolis Area Association of Realtors compiles these video presentations of the Minneapolis real estate market statistics.  They are just a thumbnail sketch of the market info.  GREAT NEWS for the month of June is that housing prices are up!!! Definitely getting us back on a more even keel.  Bad news is that sales are down for May and June.  No big surprise there.  Ever since the tax credit expired, it’s understandable that we wouldn’t have as many buyers out there.  And, summer is usually another lull time in the market, even in robust times.

Now this video has just the bare essentials.  For more detailed information about YOUR specific area, don’t hesitate to contact me.  Better to have too much information than not enough!!!

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There’s nothing worse than traveling to a foreign country and discovering that your temporary home away from home is a dump!  It’s not easy to find good places to stay.  Luckily, these days there are many reliable websites on which you can find more than suitable accommodations for a trip.

Frankly, I don’t like the idea of staying in the tourist-ey areas of places.  It’s like riding the tour bus to the sights and not getting off the bus.  You’re not REALLY seeing what there is to see, you’re seeing a reasonable facsimile of the city.  Heck, if I wanted that, I’d just go to EPCOT or Las Vegas! (not that there’s anything wrong with that)

So, I’d much rather stay in a place that’s off the beaten path to soak up more of the local culture.  And, true to form, the internet is providing more and more websites for travelers to find such quarters. AirBnB.com is the largest of this new generation of social B&B’s and has garnered the most reviews for their offerings.  Istopover.com started in 2009 in Toronto.  They specialize in big event accommodations.  Crashpadder.com originated in London and can find you everything from a room in a house to a WHOLE house!  Roomorama.com is more geared toward high end properties, especially in New York city.

I imagine, if you had a place for people traveling to Minneapolis or St. Paul, you could probably list it on these sites, too.

For assistance with more permanent houses for sale in Minneapolis cities, 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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Have you ever dreamed of living downtown? The hustle and bustle of people, nightlife, cultural activities, trendy restaurants and bars, sporting events, the works. Not to mention being able to walk to so many things and not have to rely on a car or even, in the nice weather, public transportation. I believe the Twin Cities are finally starting to catch on and catch up in the public transportation realm. We have the Northstar Railway from Big Lake to downtown Minneapolis. Then, there’s the light rail going up the Hiawatha corridor. There are still buses that connect Minneapolis to St. Paul and all of their surrounding suburbs. So, now that we know we can get around, there is no reason not to live the dream.

It’s always been a fantasy of mine to live the high life of an independent (and independently wealthy) woman in a downtown condo with a fabulous view. Many young people are making their homes in one of these places with exquisite views of downtown Minneapolis or St. Paul, views of the river and the falls, or views looking East or West of the City for miles. But, it’s not just for singles anymore. Many young married couples are engaging in this life style before the kids come along. And, many retiring baby boomers are looking for a new experience once the kids are grown and gone or once they have fulfilled their suburban dream. Some folks that live in small town areas are even purchasing downtown Minneapolis lofts for sale as something called an “urban cabin”. That allows them to come to town to go to the Guthrie or a Minnesota Opera production at the Ordway, or grab a Wild game at the X-Cel or enjoy the brand new Twins stadium on a wonderful spring day.

This article elaborates on the theme of families living a downtown loft. There are certainly more educational opportunities available these days in downtown areas to make it do-able.

Looking for information about downtown Minneapolis lofts and condos?  You’ve come to the right place!  Contact me today to get more answers to your specific questions.

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.Are

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Many of my regular readers know that I also have the good fortune to engage in professional performing.  I’ve done shows at the Guthrie, Minnesota Opera, concerts with Minnesota Orchestra and St. Paul Chamber Orchestra.  I’m a regular soloist at Spirit of Hope United Methodist Church in Golden Valley and my current “gig” is with a group called Voice 360, a vocal group that creates all kinds of wonderful sound!  Click Voice 360 to hear audio excerpts.

This week, I’m sharing company with other top performers of the Twin Cities at the McKnight Theater at the Ordway.  We are joining our respective talents in a stellar show to benefit the people of Haiti.  It’s called Heart for Haiti.  It’s my pleasure and thrill to be singing “You’ll Never Walk Alone”.  Very fitting for this event.  Click here to buy tickets.

I depend on your referrals!  At work, at play, at networking or family events, when you hear someone mention buying a house or getting a mortgage, please mention my name.

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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I post a fair amount on this blog about the importance of identity protection.  I’ve recommended many times for consumers to protect themselves by shredding old documents that contain sensitive information.  M & I Bank has hosted several free shredding events at their location. They haven’t had any since November.  So, I’ve been searching high and low for other entities that will host free shredding events.  Found one!!   Saturday, January 9th you can bring your sensitive documents to American Bank at 1578 University Ave., St. Paul (it’s in the Midway).  Shred Right is providing these free services in the next few months.  There’s no charge, but they are taking donations for these services if you feel so led.  It’s still cheaper than trying to pay for these services.

This website will offer you more information.

Do you want to buy a house?

Make sure your credit scores are protected.  Protect them by keeping your identity information secure.  That way, when the time comes to buy a house for sale in the Lake Harriet or Lake Calhoun neighborhoods of Minneapolis or homes for sale in any other Minneapolis cites, you’ll have a sound credit score to show the under writer.

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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Well, it’s about time we have some good news in the housing market.  The S&P/Case-Shiller home price index reports home price increases in 17 of the 20 most watched housing markets.  Topping the list, MINNEAPOLIS HOMES FOR SALE!  Minneapolis housing market saw a 3.2% increase, more than any other of the most watched housing markets nationwide.  Still declining, Las Vegas, Charlotte and Cleveland.

So, how much longer are you going to wait for our market to “hit bottom”.  As is often written here, if you wait for the media to report it, it’s already happening.  Prime example, readers!  The media is reporting that our Minneapolis housing market is leading the nation in price increases.  Hmmmm, couple that with the tax incentives offered to ALL home buyers of homes for sale in Minneapolis neighborhoods, like Lake Calhoun, Lake Harriet, or other Minneapolis cities like Plymouth MN, Maple Grove Mn, and any downtown Minneapolis lofts for sale, it seems like it would be important to get your ducks in a row to start your property search process, like, yesterday.

Read on for more details on the 20 important housing markets being tracked by S&P.

Contact me right away to find out how to get started!!!  Have a house to sell?  Give me a call to set up your appointment for a free market analysis.

Susan Hofflander 763-438-7249

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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Housing sales are up for the 16th consecutive month, year over year.  That means homes have been selling in increasing numbers every month.  As a matter of fact, home sales for the month of October are up 34% over what they were on October of ’08.  Why is this important to you?  Why is it valuable information for sellers and buyers of homes for sale in Minneapolis, whether they are homes for sale near Lake Harriet or Lake Calhoun; homes for sale in Plymouth or Maple Grove?  Because this information tells us where we’ve been, where we are now and how far we have to go to get to an evenly balanced real estate market.  Prices are somewhate stabilized, but they are decidedly lower than they were at the height of the market in 2005.  At that time, median home prices were somewhere around $220K.  Now, they struggle to stay at $175K.  So, while the lower end of the housing market, price wise, is selling very well, the middle and high end homes are remaining on the market longer and experiencing more significant dips in price.

This video will provide all the current information as of November 2009, including info about the tax credit changes.

Do you have a house to sell in Minnneapolis near Lake Calhoun or Lake Harriet, or in the Western suburbs of Minneapolis?  You need to call a 15 year expert of the real estate industry who is up on the latest in technology and real estate trends, but can give you the benefit of long term perspective.

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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Information is essential when learning how to buy a house.  There’s much to learn.   Make sure you have the knowledge that puts you in a position to make it happen. You’ll learn about how to make the biggest decision of your life without fear and without regrets. The key is preparation!!!

Join Carrie Guarrero of Cornerstone Mortgage and The Minnesota Real Estate Team as they cover everything you need to know. We will cover the basics from thinking about owning a home, to moving into the home, including: how to make the important decisions like choosing a real estate agent, a mortgage company and what is the best loan program for you. Other topics include: the 10 Biggest Mistakes Home Buyers Make, How to Negotiate for the Best Deal and more!  All classes are held at Cornerstone Home Mortgage, 436 Gateway Blvd., Burnsville.

Click here or call 763-438-7249 to sign up today!

Future dates:  December 17, 2009

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 Plymouth, MN, Minneapolis Western Suburban Cities and Downtown Minneapolis Lofts.

Technorati Tags: buying process, classes for home buyers, homes for sale minneapolis, homes for sale Minneapolis cities, homes for sale Minneapolis Western suburbs, Minneapolis, minneapolis cities, Minneapolis loft, Minneapolis lofts and condos, relocation information

Buyers who wish to purchase a downtown Minneapolis Loft or Condo are looking for something. For many, it’s a place to live. For some, it’s a place to vacation, sometimes called an “urban cabin”. In the minds of these downtown Minneapolis home buyers, they have certain amenities in mind.

Many want a specific style of downtown Minneapolis loft / condo. They choose to have something that’s more like an apartment or one that’s more like the industrial style lofts. They choose exposed brick walls or fully finished walls, they choose completely updated with all the modern conveniences, or more rustic, with original wood floors and exposed pipes.

But, what most everyone wants is a view!

ST. ANTHONY FALLS

Many Minneapolis loft inhabitants enjoy the downtown skyline view, especially facing West, so they can watch the sun go down over the buildings. There’s something so calming about a bustling urban city juxtaposed with the serenity of nature. Other downtown Minneapolis loft buyers are taken with the amazing views of the Mississippi River and St. Anthony Falls.

There are many downtown Minneapolis Loft buildings from which the river and the falls can be seen (Riverwest, the Carlyle, The Zenith, The Bridgewater, etc.).

Minneapolis loft projects have so many options these days! Contact me today to start looking! by Susan Hofflander 763-438-7249 susan@mnrealestateteam.com

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 Plymouth, MN, Minneapolis Western Suburban Cities and Downtown Minneapolis Lofts.

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