Just listed: 4374 Buckingham Court, Vadnais Heights, MN 55127 for $88,000

Short sale opportunity, now with price reduction.

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REDUCED! 544 County Road E, Hudson, WI 54016 for $149,900

7.85 Gorgeous acres. Fixxer-upper opportunity. Or tear down and build your dream home!

From: http://ping.fm/mXO5u

Enjoy country living. Check out this new listing offering 7.85 acres of gorgeous landscape. http://ow.ly/4zDwz

Enjoy country living of hills, valleys, wildlife, trees and more trees.

Enjoy country living of hills, valleys, wildlife, trees and more trees.

The Upper Level

Here you’ll find a split-entry home that greets you with a bright and spacious floor plan as you enter in.

The upper level features new ceramic tile floor in kitchen and dining area, two bedrooms, a bath ready to finish and vaulted ceilings throughout, while huge windows on all sides bring the outdoors in. 

 

 

 

 

 

A well-designed kitchen keeps the cook in front of family and guests, and offers lots of cabinetry and counter space, plus a center island with sink and dishwasher frees up cooking counter.   

 

 

The Lower Level

The lower level is ready for you to make your own. Here you will find space ideal for two generous-sized side-by-side bedrooms with lookout windows and an L-shaped recreation room, plus a full bath that’s nearly finished already. When all is complete, you will nearly double your living space!

So, roll up your sleeves, bring your tools and complete the repairs and renovations already begun. It’s a dream fixer-upper on gorgeous landscape.

 

 

 

Awesome Country Setting

7.85 rolling acreas, heavily wooded with an endless variety of what nature does best. Winter, spring, summer or fall, colors will always abound. It simply begs for you to explore it.

Call today for your private showing.  651-295-0798.

The Real Estate Cycle is Slowly Turning

History indicates that a more balanced market is in our future.  Steep unemployment and record foreclosures make it seem like a mirage.  However, it is possible and it will happen, slowly but surely.  What reminds us that this, too, shall pass is gains in existing and new home sales, increasing activity with investors, upticks in housing stats with ongoing efforts to streamline short sales.

We’re seeing improvements that might not be dramatic or permanent just yet, but they show an important move toward restoring confidence in consumers and industry experts.  Hopeful buyers who are regaining their financial footing and building their savings are driving the market in the right direction.  Investors are focusing on long-term wealth rather than short-term gains.

More and more homeowners will be managing responsible mortgage terms and affordable payments.  Homeowners will, also, once again be selling homes with equity.  Real estate professionals know now is the time to be reaching out to buyers and sellers in all situations and providing the most comprehensive expert service possible.  Now is not the time to shy away from a better cycle in your career, with more coaching and a renewed purpose.

Why Buyers and Sellers Should Take Advantage of Today’s Real Estate Market

Get in while the getting is good!  The most popular way of measuring the movement of home prices is with the Case-Shiller Index, which show a 20-City Composite rating of 0.8%.  Prices are down from one year previously.  It’s the first decrease since October 2009.  As the report noted, some market sales were worse than ever.  Prices are still above the spring 2009 lows, but six markets—Atlanta, Charlotte, Miami, Portland, Seattle and Tampa, hit their lowest levels since 2006 and 2007. 

If you are a seller, your reaction might be to hide under the covers.  Buyers may be complacent, expecting prices to go down further.  Case-Shiller numbers have a tag line of several months that covers through October.  A lot of positive things happened.  A strong consumer’s holiday shopping report shows a big boost for retailers across the country.  A tax cut extension and a rising stock market have made people a little less nervous about opening their wallets. 

Unemployment is still a problem, but there is good jobs news, too.  Initial jobless claims fell to 388,000 for the week ending December 2010, which is down from 422,000 since July of 2008.  Reasons like increased consumer confidence and lessening of fear shows that you shouldn’t count on home prices dropping more.  As people see the financial and retail markets go up, it creates more interest in purchasing big ticket items.  It stands to reason that the economy’s starting to improve and the housing market is going to wind up costing much more at some point.  It’s better to get in the door now before you miss the boat.

There are still plenty of problems like unemployment, foreclosures and mortgage rates that are anything but friendly.  When interest rates go up over time, people have to bite the bullet.  They think buy now because they are most likely not going down any time soon.

With the mentality of getting in before things move up is something to think about if you’re considering selling.  Have a professional home inspector come and look over your home if you are planning to sell.  Fix major problems to make potential buyers interested.  And for buyers, there are many factors at play in today’s real estate market.  But for many, a simple saying may very well hold true.  Get in while the getting is good.

Consumers Feel Better About Spending…So Remodeling is Set to Surge This Spring

As the economy begins its recovery and consumers feel better about spending, remodeling is expected to surge this spring.  That spare cash is going back into their homes.  After the worst slump since the early 1960’s, the upswing is on and remodeling is finally back.  Many homeowners want to improve their homes because they don’t plan to move and many foreclosed properties need some tender loving care.  New kitchen and baths help homeowners get what they want for the price they want. 

Others are unable to sell and move because they owe far more than their homes are worth.  They’re investing in new floors, replacing windows and doors, and making changes as they wait for sales and prices to rebound.  A lot of people are in it for the long haul.  Houses with good structure may need a décor update.  Kitchens are being gutted, ripped up, retiled, and renovated.  The goal is to make your home an oasis.  This is also a good selling point when it comes time to sell your home.

Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies reported that the nation’s home improvement market was at $290 billion in 2009.  Their report predicts that spending on home improvements would increase at an average of 3.5% in the next few years.  Consumer confidence has reached its highest point since May 2010. 

People without equity in their homes are raiding their savings and doing more budget-friendly upgrades.  Financing remains an issue for many; however, banks are expected to start lending more in the next year.  In many states across the nation, before starting a project, you must have a permit.  Homeowners are also going after those lucrative tax breaks and rebates for energy-efficient upgrades.

Appraisers and other industry professionals caution homeowners to make smart improvements that will boost property values to attract buyers when the time comes time to sell.  When it comes to renovations, homeowners shouldn’t worry about adding resale values and guessing what the future buyers might like.  They say do it for yourself.  That’s where the real value is.