Fall is a GREAT Time to Sell a Home!

October brings to mind bright orange pumpkins, warm apple cider and the crackle of fallen leaves under your feet. It is a time of change. But few people are  thinking of moving in the Minneapolis/St Paul area...or are they?

This is a common misconception of Minnesota home sellers. Often they think they “missed out” on the busy season in real estate by late summer. But surprisingly, listing a home in October, can be a very wise decision indeed.

The summer and early fall can be very busy months for many things, including vacations and back to school. Many homes listed during this time have lingered on the market, partially due to there being an influx of listings at this “good” time.  Surprisingly, many home buyers are not waiting for the school year to end to make their move. These people can be very busy in the summer months with outdoor activities. But they want to move before the sidewalks get icy and lawns are snow covered so they really get down to the business of home shopping in the fall.

I have watched this trend for several years now. The market seems to pick up when the leaves start to turn through mid-November. It cools off again over the holidays due to busy schedules, but it homes don’t completely stop selling either.  The traditional theory of listing a Minnesota home in May-June to get the best price is simply not true. Homes do sell year round and the fall colors can be a huge boost to your curb appeal too!

READY to Make YOUR Move? 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 2016 terieckholm.com

Beyond Raking Leaves--Fall Home Maintenance Tips!

The recent cold blast that brought a blanket of frost this past week has most Minnesotan's embracing the return of fall. Down every street l drive throughout Minneapolis/St Paul's north metro, I am seeing leaves just beginning to turn gold, red and yellow. The fallen acorns and ripe apples have attracted white-tailed deer to our backyard  for their annual autumn feast. And all of these are just signs that we have to speed up the outdoor chores as we prepare our home for the winter ahead.

As a REALTOR® in the Twin Cities metro, I know how important how important continued home maintenance. There's no guarantee whether the upcoming winter will be on the mild side or brutally cold. But it is Minnesota so best to prepare for the worst. Getting your home ready in the fall can prevent damage from the winter ice and snow as well as costly repairs come spring.

Here is a quick list of recommended repairs and preventive maintenance tips for all homeowners to consider this fall:

1. Clean Gutters of leaves and other debris that might clog the drainage. A blocked gutter can cause an ice dam when the snow flies.
2. Winterize the lawn tractor or mower and get that snowblower tuned. If you have a plow service, make contact and update your contract prior to the first snowfall.
3. Change security lightbulbs in hard to reach outlets. It would hazardous to climb ladders to reach the tip of a garage over an icy driveway.
4. Unhook, coil and remove hoses from water spigots. Turn off and winterize sprinkling systems. Turn off water to outside spigots if not frost-free to prevent burst pipes in subzero temperatures.
5. Have the annual furnace cleaning and tune-up to be ready for those first cold evenings. Remember to change the furnace filter every month for best efficiency…even if the packaging says “6-month filter”. QUICK TIP: Change filter when you make your monthly mortgage payment so you don’t forget.
6. Check all windows and doors to see if new caulk or weather-striping is needed.
7. Fall is the perfect time to paint with the low humidity and crisp breeze. Check deck, siding and trim for peeling paint.
8. Fall is the last chance to seal the asphalt driveway prior to winter freezing. Fill cracks and topcoat if necessary.
9. Inspect the roof for missing or damaged shingles. Verify that the flashings are sealed from rain and snow.
10. Snap a few fall photos while the mums and trees are vibrant with color! Golden yellow oak leaves and vivid red sumacs are a striking contrast to the homes blanketed with white should you choose to list your home in the winter months!

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

Don't Wait Until Spring! Minnesota Homes Sell in the Fall and Winter too!

Think it is too late to sell your home because snowflakes are in the forecast? Think Again!

As a REALTOR® who lists and sells homes in the north and east Minneapolis/St Paul area, I come across this every fall. Potential home sellers complain that it is too late in the year to sell their Minnesota home. "It’s almost November and soon the snow will fly. No one will be buying a home now. We will have to wait until spring to get the best price for our home now.”

Most are surprised when I tell them they are wrong. “If you can list your home now, you REALLY should.”  

Why? Well the reasons are very simple:

1. Low Inventory
2. Continued Demand

The Minneapolis/St Paul metro area has become a year round market. Sure, more people do move in spring and summer but traditional sellers have an opportunity to shine if they list their homes in the fall and winter, when there are mostly distressed homes on the market. Interest rates are still low and projected to go higher in 2014.   This has home buyers off the proverbial fence and into the real estate market. Home buyers look for well maintained and well priced homes and jump on them quickly when they hit the market. This is an opportunity few Minnesota home sellers will take advantage of because they think people do not want to move in the winter slush and snow. And some people don’t want the inconvenience of showings during the holidays. 

But in my experience, the buyers looking in the fall and winter months are very serious about buying a home. Home buyers are tired of viewing bank-owned properties that need work and have no disclosures. They are frustrated with short sale homes that they will have to wait months for possession. Most buyers prefer to buy from a traditional seller….and buyers do worry that prices and interest rates will continue to edge up come spring. So home buyers are looking in late October and will be looking in November, December and January too. 

However, well prepared home sellers might not have to wait until January for an offer. I have seen well maintained, staged and priced homes receive offers within days of hitting the market in the fall and winter. Remember though pricing and preparation are always key to getting the quick offers at any time of year. 

Quick Staging Tips for Selling Your Home this Fall:

1. Rake leaves (or shovel snow) and clean gutters—Unfortunately, outdoor tasks will  need to be done every day you have a showing. Buyers cannot assess the condition of the lawn, sidewalk and roof if it is covered with leaves and even a dusting of snow can make sidewalks slick and dangerous.
2. Heat up cinnamon sticks—Put a few cinnamon sticks in a pan on the stove or in a microwave dish with water just before a showing so it smells like an autumn festival!
3. Turn on the gas fireplace—If you've got it, flaunt it! A crackling fire adds ambiance and makes a house feel like home!
4. Pumpkins and mums—Accent the entry with a pumpkin, colorful mum or other fall décor to give seasonal curb appeal. 

Copyright 2013 www.terieckholm.com

The Right Treat is no Trick in the Halloween Capital of the World!

Halloween is on the minds of many this time of year and at a real estate closing there's no exception. In the "Land of 10,000 Lakes" we are known to be "Minnesota Nice" so when a home is sold by a traditional seller to a new home buyer, all parties sit down in the same room for the closing transaction. After all the signing is done, the title company representatives  leave the room to make copies of the documents and to prepare the checks from the final settlement. During this time,  home sellers take a few minutes to explain some idiosyncrasies of the home and pass over the keys, Often these are expected concerns like how to change the code for the electronic garage door opener, which is the best cable company in the area or where the water shut off is located. Buyers will question what day the trash is picked up and what the schools are like.

As a REALTOR in Anoka County, Home to the Halloween Capital of the World, I have seen the  the questions and necessary information traded between the seller and the new homeowner become a little more festive in the days before the big holiday. New homeowners from neighborhoods big and small often want to know how many kids are in the neighborhood  which quickly translates to how many bags of candy will be needed.

A few years ago I attended a closing for a home in Anoka County. The seller lived on a dead end street with only a handful of neighbors as is quite normal in this area filled with acreage homes. The seller made certain to pass on the request of the  the 6 year old (and recently front-toothless) girl next store who had already come over and let it be known that  "Reethe's Pee-thes"  were her preferred Halloween Candy. 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 2012 www.terieckholm.com

Don’t Wait Until Next Spring to Sell Your Minnesota Home!

As a REALTOR® in the north and east Minneapolis/St Paul area, I hear it all the time...Potential home sellers lamenting about how it is too late in the year to sell their Minnesota home. It’s late October now, so soon the snow will fly and no one will be buying. “We missed the market this year so we will have to wait until spring to sell our house now!”

My response is quite simple. “If you can list your home now, you REALLY should.”  

And the reasons are equally simple:

1. Low Inventory
2. Continued Demand

The Minneapolis/St Paul metro area has become a year round market. Sure, more people do move in spring and summer but traditional sellers have an opportunity to shine if they list their homes when there are mostly distressed homes on the market. These very low interest rates and increasing news reports about how home prices are edging up, have gotten buyers off the proverbial fence and into the market. Home buyers are waiting for well maintained and well priced homes to hit the market. This is an opportunity few home sellers will take advantage of because they think people do not want to move in the winter. And some people don’t want the inconvenience of showings during the holidays.

But in my experience, the buyers looking in the fall and winter months are very serious about buying a home. Home buyers are tired of viewing bank-owned properties that need work and have no disclosures. They are frustrated with short sale homes that they will have to wait months for possession. Most buyers prefer to buy from a traditional seller….and buyers do worry that prices and interest rates could edge up in the spring. So home buyers are looking in October and will be looking in November, December and January too. But a well prepared home seller might not have to wait that long. In the past few weeks, homes that I have listed received offers within days of hitting the market. Pricing and preparation were key to getting the quick offers. These are not flukes either. I have seen many well priced listings fly off the MLS in October.

Quick Staging Tips for Selling Your Home this Fall:

1. Rake leaves and clean gutters—Unfortunately, this may need to be done daily if you are getting lots of showings. But buyers cannot assess the condition of the lawn, sidewalk and roof if it is covered with leaves.
2. Heat up cinnamon sticks—Put a few cinnamon sticks in a pan on the stove or in a microwave dish with water just before a showing so it smells like an autumn festival!
3. Turn on the gas fireplace—If you've got it, flaunt it! A crackling fire adds ambiance and makes a house feel like home!
4. Pumpkins and mums—Accent the entry with a pumpkin, colorful mum or other fall décor to give seasonal curb appeal. 

Copyright 2012 www.terieckholm.com