It's a Crazy Market for First Time Buyers!

I haven't written a blog post since March. It's not that I have been slacking off or there is nothing to write about in the Minneapolis/St Paul real estate market. On the contrary, I have been just too darn busy writing offers for buyers. (And fielding them for my sellers). It is not a market where you write one offer per buyer when they find their perfect dream home. Oh no, I am talking multiple offers for the same buyers on dream home after dream home until they get an offer that is accepted.

First time home buyers are having the most difficult time with this market. They don't have time to think or process whether or not the house is a good investment. They have to make a decision and write up an offer immediately. And not just any reasonable starting offer, it has to be a good offer because 9 times out of 10, there will be multiple offers.

Advice for Home Buyers

1. Work with an EXPERIENCED Realtor. My 15+ years of experience means something. I know how to negotiate and write a good offer that will increase your chances of getting it accepted. There are tricks to this trade and an experienced agent will coach buyers to write the best offer for the situation.


2. Be Preapproved. Your offer will not be taken seriously if it doesn't have a pre-approval letter (or proof of funds when paying cash).

Advice for Sellers

If you are selling in this market, it might cross your mind that you do not need an agent. Statistics show that homes sell faster and for more money if it is listed on with an agent. There are numerous hiccups in a home sale that can arise in a frantic market like we are seeing in the Twin Cities metro. Not only is it difficult to assess multiple purchase agreements should there be more than one offer. Buyers rush writing offers to get in first. This often leads to buyer' remorse before the sale closes. There is additional negotiation that happens after the inspection. With a good agent by your side, a seller can focus on packing rather than dealing with the details of the closing process.

READY TO MAKE YOUR 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 2016 terieckholm.com

Get My Ham Lake Minnesota Home Value!

Are you planning to sell your home in Ham Lake, Minnesota soon? Do you need more information on where to start? 

When you need to sell a home in the Ham Lake area, I will help you get the process started quickly. My innovative marketing and top notch negotiating skills will get your property sold FAST and at the best possible price too.  A market analysis by a professional REALTOR® is your first step in the home selling process. It will give you an ACCURATE VALUE of your current home...not a quick computer generated one. 

Interested? Read testimonials from my sellers

The Ham Lake winter market is active! Home buyers are still searching for acreage homes but few good, affordable options have listed in the north and east Minneapolis/St. Paul metro since fall. 17 homes have sold in the city of Ham Lake in November but only 12 listed. AND 3 of these homes are already under contract! Currently there are 44 homes listed in Ham Lake (34 previously owned and 10 new construction). Only a handful of these properties are priced at a number affordable to the average home buyer. Listing your home in the next few months could maximize your sales price due to the low housing inventory in the area.

Selling acreage is one of my specialities. I have 15+ years experience with septic systems, compliance tests, well disclosures and other rural real estate issues.

For additional information about working with me, contact me to obtain a FREE Home Value Report. Or better yet call me, Teri Eckholm/Boardman Realty 651-336-7073 and arrange a no cost/obligation market analysis on your home today.

FYI-- I do answer my own phone so when you call, you will be talking directly to me!



Copyright 2015 www.terieckholm.com

What’s My House Worth in Ham Lake, MN? Or Lino Lakes, Forest Lake, Hugo orBlaine?

It's not a trick question. But it can be tricky to get a realistic answer because whether it is a buyer's market, seller's market or something in between, there is no simple way to come up with an exact market value for the average homeowner

Many people think if they pull out the big vinyl envelope from the last time they refinanced they have a document with an accurate home value. After all good money was paid, usually several hundred dollars, for an appraiser to come up with a dollar figure of value for the bank to approve the loan. So is the appraised value what your home is worth?

Some people look to the assessed values that arrive on an annual basis from the Anoka County or Washington County assessor. It seems reasonable that this would be an indication of a property's current value.
 
Another resource internet savvy people look to for an idea of the value of their home is an  interactive real estate website like Zillow  or Trulia. Type in the property address and within seconds a slew of interesting information pops up the computer screen. But is a Zestimate value as accurate a resource as Kelly's Blue Book is for an automobile?
 
In a word, no. But all of these values and resources do provide some clues to the value of a property. 

People with no plans to sell their home, will often use these resources to get a ballpark idea and indication of their home's value. But if a homeowner wants to put their home on the market and sell,  there is no special real estate Magic 8 Ball for determining the best starting price. A savvy home seller will work with a knowledgeable REALTOR®, who knows their community, to get the best advice on their home's market value.

Many things affect the selling price.  For instance a Forest Lake area home located on the west side of 35 in Columbus with quick access to 35, convenient to schools and shopping might be more desirable to buyers than a home on the far eastern side of Forest Lake. But a home in town with public utilities rather than a private well and septic system also affects market value. Value is also dependent upon whether or not the property on a busy road, near power lines or close to parks and playgrounds. And of course the home's ammenities like, square footage, how many updates have been done to the home and do they fit the property and the neighborhood need to be assessed. Considerations like these are only the tip of the iceberg in determining a market value of a home.

As a REALTOR®, I serve the communities in the Forest Lake school district and Anoka County. From Forest Lake to Hugo and Lino Lakes to Blaine and beyond, I keep my ear to the ground to hear what affects the prices of homes in the north and east Twin Cities metro area. Are you planning to move this summer and need to know what your home is worth? Do you want expert advice from someone who knows the Anoka County and Forest Lake District #831 area? Let me help you! Contact me to schedule a FREE market value assessment.  I won't bring a magic 8 ball, instead I will bring my real estate pricing expertise and experience!

 Copyright 2012 www.terieckholm.com

Love Your Pet! Protect Your Home!

Tips for protecting home from pet damage

Just yesterday I was out showing homes in northern Anoka County. We were at a lovely, well kept home in East Bethel. As we pulled into the driveway, we could hear barking from the garage. The two kenneled dogs did not bother the showing at all. But as I inspected the home with my buyers, we noticed chew marks on the oak door frame near the floor.. In this particular case, my buyers discounted the small flaw in an otherwise meticulously well kept home, Pets do make a difference when selling a home.

Americans LOVE their pets! Dogs, cats, bunnies, snakes, hamsters...you name it. Some people let them sleep in the bedroom or eat in their kitchens. Others will cook fresh food for the dog, while nuking a frozen meal for the family. People dress their pets up and treat them like a member of the family (well, they are, aren't they?) But it is important to remember the damage a pet can do to your home.

As a REALTOR® working in the north and east Minneapolis and St Paul metro area, I have seen some strange pets inside of some homes...everything from lizards to a tank of fresh trout and a rabbit with the run of the house. And of course, there are people who have dogs and cats too. Many homeowners take great measures to protect their homes and property but some do not.

A few years ago I walked into a vacant home that was clean to the eye yet the potential buyers who were able to pick out the exact closet where litter box used to be located. Not only have I have seen puppy's teeth marks on the sides of oak door frames, I have seen similar damage to cedar decking and claw marks on wood floors. I have walked through extensively landscaped yards destroyed by holes dug by chained dogs. I have witnessed the family cat of a seller jumping up and attaching itself to the screen apparently to notifiy its owner it was time to come back inside. One home had a huge terrarium full of noisy crickets and a note letting all potential buyers that this was the food for the lizards in the other room. There was a family of sellers with the horse in the front yard leaving droppings by the entrance. But the loose rabbit hopping through the home leaving droppings (that were NOT jelly beans) had to be the worst!

While these "petscapades" are amusing to read about, it's not so funny when you go to sell your home. When if you are trying to sell and haven't addressed pet damage and odor issues, you may find yourself discounting your selling price significantly to attract a buyer.

Odors are the worst. People who keep pets in carpeted rooms even in cages or kennels can have serious problems. Clean any accident immediately with a special cleaner designed to remove pet urine odors. In extreme cases the odor will not be removed with a simple steam cleaning. In this situation the carpet should be replaced. Homeowners with poorly trained pets may find that they are not only replacing the carpet but also the padding and  the sub-flooring to eliminate the smell.

But smells aren't the only problem. Stains from accidents or the ground-in dirt from a favorite sleeping spot can be impossible to remove. Our cats knocked down a just-watered plant onto our light-colored carpeting a few years ago. The damp potting soil never completely was removed from the carpet. We plan to replace that carpet prior to selling our home. When our dog started to stain the carpet by sleeping in the exact same spot day after day, we invested in a few dog beds. By strategically placing the beds around the house, we protected our carpets from further discoloration.

It is possible to love your pet and protect your home!

• Keep your pet well groomed to reduce odor, hair and nail damage.
• Get a pet bed for your dogs and cats. Dogs loves the extra comfort and it keeps dirt and sweat from his coat from going into the carpet fibers. We will move his from room to room during the day so he can stay with us. If this is too much trouble, buy several. They are considerably cheaper than replacing carpet. Our cat uses his bed daily too. It is positioned for his easy access in front of his favorite window so he doesn't jump and leave marks on the woodwork.
• Have a proper sized kennel or cage for exotic pets and clean often.
• Clear all accidents immediately. Use special pet cleaners to remove odors and stains.
• Cover all exposed woodwork especially around windows. Pets love to jump up and look out windows. Use gates to limit your pet's access to soft wood floors like birch or cherry wood. Nail marks require the floor to be completely sanded down before refinishing. It can get very costly.
• Don't chain your dog to the side of your house. Chains and bolts can cause both cosmetic and structural damage to your home.
• If your dog shows behavior problems such as chewing, clawing etc, address them immediately to avoid damage to your home.

Copyright 2012 Teri Eckholm