Love at First Sight is Reality--For Home Buyers too!

I believe in love at first sight. Do you?

Yesterday there was an wonderful story on the national news about the longest married couple in America. The enchanting couple, 99 years young, have been happily married for 81 years. When asked how they met he said he just drove by and saw her on the front porch and that was it.
Decades ago as a handsome 20-something, blue-eyed man walked through the door of a local restaurant, his eyes connected with the sparkling eyes of a young girl. A short while later they talked and their lives changed forever. I still remember that first moment and the twinkle in the blue eyes of my future husband.

These days I get to see that starstruck look of love every time my buyers fall in love with a house. Whether they are first time buyers or moving up or downsizing, I can see it in a buyer's eyes when it is the one!

• It is not always the best house.


• It is not always the most expensive.


• The property is not always perfectly staged.

But something about the home pulls at the heartstrings of these buyers. I can see it in their eyes they are home!
I am a firm believer in houses selling themselves.
For most home buyers, a housing purchase is unlike any other investment; it is an emotional decision. My job as a buyer's representative is to provide stable, unbiased support and assistance throughout the home buying process. So while my buyers are starry-eyed looking at the warm paint colors, brilliant hardwoods and room sizes, I check out the nooks, crannies and seller's disclosures to discover things that might be overlooked through the starstruck eyes of my client. While not an inspector, it is my job to point out potential issues to question the sellers about (and home inspector should the buyers decide to write an offer). Sometimes flaws are hard to see with stars in our eyes.

Falling in love at first sight is a wonderful experience whether with a person or a home. It is important to take the time to get to know that object of your affection before making a commitment. As a professional REALTOR®, I guide my excited clients through the home buying process so their dream home is a continued love story. My job as a real estate agent when representing buyers is to look out for my clients’ best interests so they can remain in love with their dream home as long as the live there.

♥ Have a Wonderful Valentine's Day!♥

READY TO MAKE A MOVE? Let me be your professional guide. If you are buying, selling or relocating to Minnesota and need help from a professional REALTOR®, give me, Teri Eckholm of Boardman Realty, a call or visit my website for a FREE Home Buyer Success Guide or FREE Home Value Report. I specialize in acreage and lakeshore properties in the north and east Twin Cities metro area including Ham Lake, Lino Lakes and all communities in the Forest Lake School District. Serving Anoka, Chisago, Ramsey and Washington Counties in Minnesota.

Copyright 2015 www.terieckholm.com

Halloween Safety Tips for Homeowners!

Halloween Safety Tips!  

 Make your house Trick-Or-Treater Friendly!

Halloween is an exciting holiday for kids of all ages. It is FUN to dress up, get together with friends, and go door-to-door in search of the best treats in the neighborhood.

Whether you are in a development full of little ghosts, goblins, superheroes and princesses or you only have a few costumed visitors, you’ll want to be sure your yard and front steps are safe and welcoming. Plan ahead to prevent unfortunate accidents that could ruin a festive evening.

Here are a few pointers to keep your home a safe place for trick-or-treaters on October 31st!

Keep Pets in Check. Dogs, cats, and other furry family members can be agitated when oddly dressed strangers approach the front door. Make sure your pet is in a safe and comfortable place away from costumed visitors.
Keep Walkway and Steps Clean and Clear. Pack away the toys, rakes and other yard tools, hoses and rake the leaves. Make sure the path to your front door is free of potential hazards like electrical cords and pumpkins.too.
Keep it Lit!. Spooky is fun but if it is too dark, it could be dangerous. Make sure the path to your candy bowl is well-lit. 


I hope your family has a frightfully fun-filled, but very safe Halloween with no tricks but many, many treats!

Looking to Buy or Sell a Home?  If you are buying, selling or relocating to Minnesota and need help from a professional REALTOR®, give me, Teri Eckholm of Boardman Realty, a call or visit my website for a FREE Home Buyer Success Guide or FREE Home Value Report. I specialize in acreage and lakeshore properties in the north and east Twin Cities metro area including Ham Lake, Lino Lakes and all communities in the Forest Lake School District! Serving Anoka, Chisago, Ramsey and Washington Counties in Minnesota.

Copyright 2014 www.terieckholm.com

Pack It Up! Test your Moving Skills

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to drop off one of my Christmas packages in person. I have been taking the easy way out and letting the postal service do the bulk of the work but I do like to add a personal delivery where it makes sense.

This client just sold his east Twin Cities metro home and after a month of packing and unpacking was down to the very last box. I said, “You know if you don’t get that one done, it will remain unpacked until you move again.” (I’m speaking from experience as there is one unpacked box from our move 16 years ago on a shelf in our basement.)

He responded, “I’m not moving again for a very long time!”

Funny…when we listed his house, he and his new fiancée had planned to sell her home too and start their new life in a brand new neighborhood. It is funny how quickly thinks can change...I just smiled.

Packing is a chore but it is a very big part of moving. This morning I ran across a fun interactive game that might be of interest to anyone planning a move soon. It gives the player a chance to test his/her packing skills by loading a simulated moving van, which is actually just a cube, with boxes as they come off the conveyor belt. So far, the men are getting higher scores than the ladies, even though many more women have tried playing the YOU-PACK-A-CUBE Game. It's on Facebook so you have to have a Facebook Account to play. I wasn't very good at the game but it was fun to try...and a bit addictive. My excuse...I do better when packing boxes, cars and vans in person.

So take a break from wrapping presents and baking cookies to test your packing skills…And when you are ready to make that move, give me a call!

 

Copyright 2012 www.terieckholm.com

It's No Trick--Here's a Halloween Real Estate Treat!

Real estate closings can be fun this time of year and not just because there is a big bowl of candy on the closing table. In Minnesota, when a home is sold by a traditional seller to a new home buyer, all parties sit down in the same room during closings as all the paperwork is done at the same time. After all the signing is done, the closers leave the room to make copies of the documents and to prepare the checks from the final settlement. During this time, sellers often pass over the keys and explain some idiosyncrasies of the home, Often these expected concerns like how to change the code for the electronic door opener or where the water shut off is located. Buyers will question what day the trash is picked up and what the schools are like.

But just before Halloween, the questions and necessary information traded between the seller and the new homeowner become a little more festive. New homeowners from neighborhoods big and small often want to know how many kids are in the neighborhood and consequently, how many bags of candy will be needed. One time an Anoka County seller in a very small neighborhood noted that the 6 year old next store had already come over and let it be known that she prefers Reese's Pieces. Since the little girl was missing a front tooth, the seller made sure to add the necessary lisp for effect. It is good to share a light-hearted moment after all the stress of buying/selling is complete!

Have a festive, fun and safe HALLOWEEN!

Copyright 2011www.terieckholm.com

Happy Mother's Day! --The Meaning Behind the Greeting

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A “Happy Mother’s Day” greeting has a deeper meaning than to just have a joyous day. Sharing these three words with your mom, grandma, stepmom or other person is a way to say, “thank you”, “I honor you”, “I respect you”, and “I love you.” It is about putting a mom’s happiness first for the day.

In the United States we have been honoring mothers for nearly a century on the second Sunday in May. Credit for the holiday is attributed to Anna Jarvis, who spend much of her lifetime promoting this special day to honor her own mother, Ann Jarvis. She was inspired by her mother’s dedication to her eleven children.

On the second anniversary of her mother’s death which fell on the second Sunday in May, Anna Jarvis worked with her mother’s church in West Virginia to create a celebration for all moms. She decorated the church with her mother’s favorite flowers, white carnations which were symbolic of her mother’s love; full of sweetness, purity and endurance. Carnations still are used today in Mother’s Day celebrations. Red carnations are symbolic of mom’s who are living and the white flowers memorialize the ones who have passed away.

This first Mother’s Day was such a success that support grew for Anna Jarvis. She recruited a team of supporters to write politicians, congressmen and ministers throughout the U.S. It was a century ago, in 1910, when West Virginia became the first state to officially recognize Mother’s Day as a holiday. The following year almost every state observed the day to honor mothers as well. In 1914, President Woodrow Wilson officially declared the second Sunday in May as the holiday: Mother’s Day.

In the past 90+ years though the family structure may have changed, creating many more “mothering” people to be honored, one thing has stayed the same. This day is for remembering and honoring moms for all of the good you do and the love you share. Happy Mother’s Day!

Copyright 2010 Teri Eckholm

Minnesota Traditions for St. Patrick's Day Fun!

Growing up Irish in Minnesota made March 17th an official holiday! (Okay...I'm only a quarter Irish but on St. Pat's day, whose counting?) From time to time we attended the big parade in downtown St Paul and once even walked under the “Flaherty” banner. But it was much more fun to watch the festivities from the safety of the curb.

I think my mom tried to feed us a dinner of home cooked corned beef and cabbage once...not a big success in our house. We didn’t dance, but sang the “When Irish Eyes are Smiling” all day (my Prussian grandmother's favorite song)! It was fun to celebrate our heritage.

In honor of St. Patrick’s Day,I wanted to share some fun Minnesota Irish websites. Enjoy!

• Meet St. Patrick


• Irish in Minnesota


• IrishSongs and their lyrics


• Irish Recipes


• St. Paul St. Pat's


• St. Patrick's Day Online Games


• Official Government Website of Ireland

May you have all the happiness

and luck that life can hold—

And at the end of all your rainbows

may you find a pot of gold. Traditional Irish Toast

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Copyright 2010 Teri Eckholm

Merry Christmas LOLCat

The morning of Christmas eve, Muffin decided it would be a great time to sit on the new dining room table. It had been up for a couple of weeks and he never put a paw on it but there he was. So I removed him with a thump...Moments later he returned with a very smug look. He was mocking me...So I bought him a gift...Merry Christmas!

Copyright 2009 Teri Eckholm http://www.terieckholm.com/

Ham Lake Firefighters Transported a COLD Santa!

It was the coldest night yet this season but that didn't keep Santa from making his holiday rounds in the firetruck throught the northern tier of Ham Lake last Saturday evening. Riding in the basket of the extention truck, Santa cheerfully greeted residents as he collected canned goods and donations for the local food shelf. A windchill of a few degrees below zero couldn't keep the jolly old elf and his Ham Lake helpers from their appointed rounds. Hopefully they collected a ton of food for their efforts. I know they brought more than a few smiles to faces...though they may have stayed frozen on for awhile.

Happy Holidays!