Expanded Tax Credit Might Make Moving in a MN Winter Worth the Effort

Everyone knows that S word associated with a Minnesota Winter: SNOW! The dreaded elements of the season that scare many "sunshine and warmth" lovers out of our great state do present problems when it comes to moving and selling a home.

But this year if you wait until spring, you could lose out big time. The expanded and extended tax credit for homebuyers will expire in April 2010 just as the warm winds of spring make a comeback. If you are considering a move in the next 6-12 months, listing your home now could definitely be to your advantage.

Here are a few reasons…besides the $6500 tax credit…that might convince you to put your home on the market now:

1. Buyers who look at homes in the winter months in Minnesota are serious about purchasing a house. There are less “snow” tire-kickers when you have to navigate to showings along icy roads.


2. Not all first time buyers could find that perfect foreclosure home this summer. Many would prefer to work with a traditional seller who can provide a history of the home on a disclosure.


3. Buyers like viewing homes where the utilities have not been disconnected, and this is true especially in the winter. As a traditional seller your home isn’t winterized and disconnected like vacant, foreclosed properties. Buyers will definitely feel a warm glow any home with the lights and heat on!


4. Snow can cover landscaping flaws. If fido has left dead spots in the grass, now one will notice.


5. Homes look very festive during the holidays! Of course don’t go overboard with the lights…This means NO Griswold decorating! But tasteful holiday décor will make a house feel more like home.

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

HO HO HO! Santa is Coming to YOUR Ham Lake Neighborhood!

You’d better watch out and better not cry—Santa Claus is coming to OUR Town! The big guy himself will be coming through a Ham Lake neighborhood on his annual firetruck/food drive.

One of the most fun and unique experiences that our family looks forward to every December is when Santa rides through the city on a fire truck, passing out candy canes to the good little (and big) residents of Ham Lake. Santa’s fireman helpers use this opportunity to collect non- perishable food items to stock the Ham Lake food shelf for the holidays. This trip to the end of the driveway or road is not just for the kiddies; Santa passes candy canes, donated by the Ham Lake Chamber of Commerce, out to the young and young at heart.

As Ham Lake is a rather large area geographically and the fire truck is not as swift as flying reindeer, Santa makes his pre-Christmas visit on a 3-day schedule from 6PM to 9PM.

Thursday December 4: The width of the city from the south border to 145th Lane.

Friday, December 5: The width of the city from 145th Avenue to Constance Blvd.

Saturday, December 6: The width of the city from Constance to the city’s north boundary.

New homeowners and past residents alike enjoy this unique Ham Lake Christmas tradition. Don’t miss out on the fun! Mark your calendar, listen for the sirens and bring the food donations to the end of the driveway. It is a great way to get into the holiday spirit.

Looking for a new home for the holidays? If you are buying, selling or relocating to Minnesota and need help from a professional Realtor, give me a call or visit my website for a FREE Relocation Packet or FREE Buyer’s Success Package. 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.

Buying a Home? Check out my new HOME BUYER'S BLOG!

Copyright 2008 terieckholm.com

It’s Historic! It’s Irish! It’s St. Patrick’s Day with a Minnesota Flair!

Or Flaherty…In this case! Though many consider Minnesota to be the home of Swedish and Norwegian immigrants, the Irish have very deep roots in Minnesota’s soil. Railroads and farming opportunities enticed Irish immigrants in the late 1800’s to the state to settle in colonies along the Mississippi. Of course on St. Patrick’s Day every Minnesotan has a bit of the Irish in them. The traditional St. Patrick’s Day parade in St. Paul was held this past Saturday as to not conflict with holy week but Minneapolis is holding true to a celebration today.

Growing up in St. Paul as a Flaherty, we did participate from time to time in the St. Paul St. Patrick's Day parade and watch the Gaelic events. I think we may have had a traditional familiy corned beef and cabbage dinner once or twice too. Whether as a spectator or walker, it was fun to watch the celebration of our heritage. The Irish dancing and music are a unique cultural experience, though I doubt my hair would have ever held those tight ringlets.

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

• Meet St. Patrick


• History of Irish in Minnesota


• Irish Songs and their lyrics


• Irish Recipes


• St. Paul St. Pat's


• St. Patrick's Day Online Games


• The Irish Gazette


• Official Government Website of Ireland
  

And here is the chorus of my favorite Irish song:

When Irish eyes are smiling, sure, 'tis like the morn in Spring.

In the lilt of Irish laughter, you can hear the angels sing.

When Irish hearts are happy, all the world seems bright and gay.

And when Irish eyes are smiling, sure, they steal your heart away.

If you are buying, selling or relocating to Minnesota and need help from a professional Realtor, give me a call or visit my website for a FREE Relocation Packet. 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 2008 Teri Eckholm http://www.terieckholm.com/

Twas the Week Before Christmas and all through the County—I’m Showing Houses!

Here it is a week prior to the Christmas Holidays and I am frantically getting ready as I always do this time of year. But in the midst of shopping for presents, sending packages, wrapping gifts and baking cookies, I have to set up and show homes to clients.

A normal year would see a slow down around the holidays but this year real estate has been anything but normal. Buyers have been out there all year long but with change on the horizon for 2008 in the mortgage industry, some buyers are very motivated to find the perfect home now!

So off we went this weekend for showings throughout White Bear Lake, Forest Lake and Hugo and Ham Lake….Surprisingly most of the homes we saw were well prepared for our visit. Christmas trees were lit and added extra sparkle. Sidewalks were shoveled at most homes. And the chocolate chip cookies were a nice touch…Hope they were meant for us and not Santa.

Not all stockings were hung with care in preparation for our visit. The one home owner that did not bother to shovel their driveway after the huge 8-12 inch snowfall last week, did miss out on a sales opportunity. The home was not bad inside but when a homeowner doesn’t bother to maintain the exterior, the interior is reviewed with an extra critical eye. The potential sale was lost as my buyers trekked up the hard packed uneven snow banks to the front door. The Rainbow Goldfish crackers left in a pile on the table were not as appealing as the cookies at the other home either.

Sellers make the most of this week and the opportunity it presents! If a buyer requests a showing on your home, make it available and make them welcome. Many buyers are very serious this time of year! A beautifully prepared home could mean the best present of all for a seller; an acceptable offer all wrapped up for the holidays!

If you are buying, selling or relocating to Minnesota and need help from a professional Realtor, give me a call or visit my website for a FREE Relocation Packet. 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 2007 Teri Eckholm http://www.terieckholm.com/

Sleigh Bells Ring are You Listening?—Winter is a Great Time to BUY a Home!

A fresh blanket of snow covers the landscape across the Twin Cities from North St. Paul to East Bethel and Ham Lake to Scandia. Winter is not a time to hide from the elements and wait until spring to make a home buying decision! Although making a move in a Minnesota winter’s snow and ice is not ideal, the timing could not be more perfect to buy a home and get a GREAT DEAL!

Here are the Top Ten Reasons to Buy a Home THIS Winter!
Reason 10—Holiday Décor. Visiting homes this time of year will really put you in the holiday spirit. Many homeowners use this opportunity to deck the halls with hopes that there will be a purchase agreement in their Christmas stocking!

Reason 9—Check Window Efficiency. No that frost on the window is not a holiday decoration! Subzero temperatures really put windows to the test. Some windows will fog between the glass panes, others will ice up on the interior and then there are those that stay crystal clear in the cold. This energy efficiency test can only be done when the temperature is extreme outside.

Reason 8—Low Traffic/Less Competition. While most Minnesotans are shopping at the Mall of America for gifts or attending “A Christmas Carol” at the Guthrie Theater, savvy home buyers are visiting homes with their Realtor!

Reason 7—Realtors have Tons of Time. Most Realtors are not juggling several clients and will be able to spend more time scouring the MLS to find the perfect home for their buyers!

Reason 6—Tightened 2008 Mortgage Guidelines. In the first quarter of 2008, most borrowers who have good credit, but have FICO scores below 680, will be required to pay more points at closing or incur a higher interest rate. The amount that a borrower could be forced to pay, even if they've never been late on a payment, could be as much as 2.00% in points or an interest rate that's 1.00% higher than the going rate.

Reason 5—Check the Heating System. Whether the home is heated with a forced air furnace or a hot water boiler, checking out the heating system in the summer is hard to do. On a cold Minnesota evening, a furnace problem is very obvious!

Reason 4—Builders Discounts. New Construction developments hoping to clear inventory before the end of the year will often slash prices. Buyers ready to buy non-contingent are in the best position for a deal…Especially when they are accompanied by their agent to assist with the negotiations!

Reason 3—Low Interest Rates. Just after Thanksgiving, interest rates dropped to the lowest point in 25 months! If you don’t buy now, you could miss a great opportunity to cash in on the lowest rates since October 2005.

Reason 2—Amazing Inventory. Whether you are looking for a starter town home, a single family home, a private country estate, a McMansion or a lakeshore paradise, there are probably a slew of properties for you to select from. A search of lakeshore in Anoka, Chisago and Washington Counties alone, yields nearly 100 available homes. Now that is a great selection!

And, drumroll please, The Number 1 Reason for Buying in the Winter—Motivated Sellers. Homes that stay on the market in December and January in the Twin Cities are homes that need to be SOLD! If they are motivated enough to suffer through a Christmas Eve showing, they probably are willing to negotiate on the price as well!

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If you are buying, selling or relocating to Minnesota and need help from a professional Realtor, give me a call or visit my website for a FREE Relocation Packet. 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 2007 www.terieckholm.com

Forget Sleigh Bells, Sirens Announce Santa’s Annual Ride!

You’d better watch out and better not cry—He’s coming soon through a Ham Lake neighborhood soon. Santa Claus is coming to town!

One of the most fun and unique experiences that our family looks forward to every December is when Santa rides through the city on a fire truck, passing out candy canes to the good little residents of Ham Lake. Santa’s fireman helpers use this opportunity to collect non perishable food items to stock the Ham Lake food shelf for the holidays. This trip to the end of the driveway or road is not just for the kiddies; Santa passes candy canes, donated by the Ham Lake Chamber of Commerce, out to the young and young at heart.

As Ham Lake is a rather large area geographically and the fire truck is not as swift as flying reindeer, Santa makes his pre-Christmas visit on a 3-day schedule from 6PM to 9PM.
Thursday December 6: The width of the city from the south border to 145th Lane.

Friday, December 7: The width of the city from 145th Avenue to Constance Blvd.

Saturday, December 8: The width of the city from Constance to the city’s north boundary.

New homeowners and past residents alike enjoy this unique Ham Lake Christmas tradition. Don’t miss out on the fun! Mark your calendar, listen for the sirens and bring the food donations to the end of the driveway. It is a great way to get into the holiday spirit.

Looking for a new home for the holidays? If you are buying, selling or relocating to Minnesota and need help from a professional Realtor, give me a call or visit my website for a FREE Relocation Packet. 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 2007 www.terieckholm.com

Take the Home Off the Market or Stay the Course—What Should a Seller Do During the Holidays?

It is getting to be that time of year again. The holidays are upon us but the house hasn’t sold.

What should a seller do?
At first inclination most sellers opt to withdraw their home from the market believing that the preoccupation with the holiday season puts few buyers in the market. While there is truth to this belief, sellers can be ignoring another more important truth: Buyers looking at houses during the holidays are V-E-R-Y serious buyers.

There are not many tire-kickers running around with a Realtor when there are presents to buy and gifts to wrap. November, December and January showings are a seller’s opportunity as most homes that buyers visit at this time of the year are vacant. A buyer’s choices are down to model homes, empty relocation properties and foreclosures. A welcome home filled with the colorful sights, delightful sounds and wonderful aromas of the season give a unique opportunity for those wanting to sell.

Tips for Showing & Selling During the Holidays

1. Decorate! Tastefully of course. This might not be the year that you do the Griswold display of lights as in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, but a decorated tree, candles and wreaths can add a special touch.
2. Bake and leave out a Christmas Cookie or two. Why should Santa have all of the extra calories?
3. Keep the home fires burning! Make sure the fireplace is burning bright, warm and welcoming!
4. Play holiday music. Leave out the barking version of Jingle Bells and go for instrumentals or uniquely Minnesota regional artists like The Blenders.
5. Shovel and salt the sidewalk and driveway if necessary. No one wants to spend the holidays in the emergency room with a twisted ankle.
6. Leave the front light on! Don’t forget it is dark out during those early evening showings. Make certain buyers and their agents are able to see their way to your front door and lockbox.

If you are buying, selling or relocating to Minnesota and need help from a professional Realtor, give me a call or visit my website for a FREE Relocation Packet. 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 2007 www.terieckholm.com