Walking the Dog in 20 Below? Roseville MN has an INDOOR Option for That

For the past few years or so, my household has been cat friendly and canine free. However, this winter we have a guest in our Ham Lake acreage home. Spencer is a St Paul resident who's normal life includes daily doggie daycare, keeping the bunnies out of his fenced backyard and sharing the sidewalks daily with his canine friends. Spending weeks in Anoka County without neighbor dogs to hang with has been boring. The squirrels and white-tailed deer that frequent our backyard are fun to watch from the window but when Spencer goes out, only the tracks in the snow remain.

This past week has been the worst. Brutally cold below zero wind chills have made tracking interesting scents a less enjoyable adventure. Spencer is not an winter dog. As a terrier mix, the cold makes him shiver. He has had to don not only a coat but four  little booties to keep his feet warm as well. Anything longer than a 5 minute walk can be rather painful.

So early this morning we packed up Spencer and drove south about 20 minutes to Rosedale for the weekly indoor dog walking event. As feline owners, we were not prepared for the hundreds of people and pets walking through the Roseville shopping center so early in the morning. The final lines from Dr Suess's Go Dog Go came to mind..."Big dogs, Little dogs, Red dogs, Blue dogs all at a dog party!"

Spencer was in heaven! Forty-five minutes later after taking three laps around the mall, we were all ready for heading back home.

While living on acreage is an adventure, visiting other areas in the Twin Cities has it's perks. And as a local real estate agent, I find many fun events in the areas I serve. Roseville, Minnesota and other north metro communities have much to offer and it is fun to explore whether it's warm and sunny or seasonably cold.

Thinking of buying a home in the Twin Cities? Call me and let me help you find the perfect home to meet your family's requirements (and your pet's requirements too!) 

READY to Make YOUR Move? It IS essential to have a knowledgeable agent at your side. 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 at 651-336-7073 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 2019 terieckholm.com

Twin Cities North and East Metro | Thinking About Buying? Know Your Credit Score

Buying a home in the Minneapolis St Paul area is much easier than in other areas of the country. Why? Affordability. I have had first time home buyers in the North and East Twin Cities Metro as young as 18 years old who made the leap into home ownership over the years. All of my young home buyers retained and improved their investments. But the first step in any real estate investment requires a hard look at numbers. 

Today I would like to discuss the topic: Thinking of Buying  a Home? Know Your Credit Score.

Knowing your credit score or getting a recent copy of your credit report is one of the first steps that you can take toward knowing how ready you are to start the home buying process.
Make sure all the information listed on your report is accurate and work to correct any mistakes. The higher your credit score, the more likely you will be to receive a better interest rate for your mortgage, which will translate into more ‘home for your money.’
Many potential buyers believe that they need a 750 FICO® Score or higher to be able to purchase a home. The truth is that according to Ellie Mae’s Origination Report, over 53% of loans were approved with a FICO® score under 750 last month!

Here are some tips for improving your credit score:

• Make payments, including rent, credit cards, and car loans, on time.
• Keep your spending to no more than 30% of your limit on credit cards.
• Pay down high-balance credit cards to lower balances, and consider balance transfers to free up credit.
• Check for errors on your credit report and work toward fixing them.
• Shop for mortgage rates within a 30-day period — too many spread-out inquiries can lower your score.
• Work with a credit counselor or a lender to improve your score.

Once you know your score, your next step will be finding a lender and getting pre-approved for a mortgage. Doing this will ensure that you know your budget before you start looking for your dream home.

  Source: KCM Teri Eckholm Blog

READY to Make YOUR Move? It IS essential to have a knowledgeable agent at your side. 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 at 651-336-7073 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 2017 terieckholm.com