Short Sales in Minnesota

December 27th, 2009

With the current real estate market conditions that we are finding here in Minneapolis, Minnesota, there still exists a very large number of short sales on the MLS for sale. Our team, The Minnesota Real Estate Team, has a number of agents who have been able to successfully close so many MN short sales throughout 2009.

As a buyer in today’s market, realize that more than ever, you need a top, top buyer’s agent to help you navigate through a short sale real estate transaction. We are finding timelines for these transactions vary. However, the general consensus is that if you need to be moved in by a certain timeline, offering on a short sale may not be your best option.

Moving into 2010, we have recently been seeing some of the larger national banks to have speeded up the approval process on short sales. However, this is not happening consistently across the board.

As a seller, if you are experiencing difficulties in making your mortgage payments, please realize that you do have options. Wherever your home may be located here in Minnesota or Wisconsin, we have an agent on our team who can help.

Short sales often times can be a frustrating real estate transaction for a buyer and buyer’s agent. However, often times a buyer is able to negotiate a discount on the property for sale.

Please don’t hesitate to contact our team if we can help with any of your short sale buying or selling needs here in MN. There is never any rush or obligation when working with our team.

MN homes for sale

December 9th, 2009

It is interesting to see how the inventory levels of homes for sale here in the Twin Cities are still at relative low levels. Currently there are around 22,000 active homes for sale on the MLS, and this is down over 20% year over year.

Last weekend on The Minnesota Real Estate Show, we discussed the “shadow inventory” of bank owned homes that appear to be coming onto the market here in 2010.

How and when this will take place remains to be seen.  Clearly however the number of foreclosures that have hit the MN MLS in recent weeks and months has dropped significantly. This has certainly helped existing homeowners who are competing against these bank owned homes for sale.

Buyers at price points $250,000 and under in many parts of Minneapolis and the Twin Cities area are finding a lack of homes to choose from. This of course is creating multiple offer situations and a buying rush.

Now that the tax credit has been extended for first time home buyers, and also a $6500 tax credit being extended to existing homeowners, I really believe that our local market will continue to see and a slow steady uptick in pending sales and Minneapolis mls listings.

Lastly, a brief congratulations to The Minnesota Real Estate Team. We just found out that we are currently the #3 ranked REMAX team in the United States for 2009 closed sales (through October).

The Minnesota Real Estate Show is now moving to Sundays, 10-11 AM on Twin Cities News Talk, AM 1130. Call in with any and all of your real estate related questions!

Minnesota first time home buyer programs

August 4th, 2009

With this amazing $8000 first time home buyer tax credit being currently offered, our team here in Minnesota is finding first time home buyers to really be in the “driver seat.” Though the supply of homes for sale on the MLS is not huge, there are still a number of outstanding properties for sale throughout the Twin Cities and Minnesota as a whole. Not only bank owned properties, but some short sales as well as regular “retail” listings.

If you are a prospective first time home buyer, realize that there are so many outstanding programs available to help you get the property financed. Not only on the federal level, but the state, county, and often times city level as well.

Every month, our team puts on a monthly first time home buyer seminar here in the Minneapolis area. We discuss many different items: down payment assistance for first time buyers, grants available, the $8000 tax credit, and really any and all details regarding the first time home buyer programs available for buyers here in Minnesota.

Stop on out to our next free class on August 13th, 6:30-8 PM. We provide the information to all attendees in a low pressure yet informative setting.

The Minnesota Real Estate Team of REMAX Advantage Plus takes great pride in providing our first time home buyer clients as much information as we can. We have been the #1 RE/MAX Team in Minnesota from 2006 through 2009. Our team is here to help you however we can.

For more info on this event, email Request@MnRealEstateTeam.com or call 952-223-1150.

Minnesota First Time Home Buyer Tips

July 28th, 2009

Today, we would like to offer some great first time home buyer tips for buyers here in Minnesota.

1.  Be sure to talk to a top loan offer and know what you are preapproved for before you start looking for various properties. As a first time buyer, this will save you time and allow you to know exactly what price of home you can afford.

2. Attend a first time home buyer seminar and get as much information about the buying process as you can. With our team, we strongly believe in offering free montly first time buyer classses here in MN.  Each month, the seminar is in Bloomington. It gives buyers the chance to ask all type of questions regarding the first time home buying process.

3. Plug in with a loan officer and a real estate agent that you like and you trust.  In today’s market, there are a number of various programs that offer down payment assistance. With our team, we work with Waterstone Mortgage. They have a strong focus specifically on first time home buyers and all of the various programs, grants, and down payment assistance that are available.

4. Know your credit score! Find out what your score is and what you can do to concretely improve it! Credit scores are king in this market.

5. Get to understand the $8000 tax credit! Remember that this expires as of the end of November 30th.

These are just a few tips to share with you. Don’t hesitate to contact us if you would like to attend our free monthly First Time Homebuyer Seminar here in MN.  Our forum is very laid back, and we give you a chance to air all of your questions.

For more info on this event in Bloomington, email Request@MnRealEstateTeam.com or call 952-223-1150.

Here’s to you during this exciting time of looking for your first home!

MN short sales

July 27th, 2009

Perhaps you are behind on mortgage payments on your home feeling like there is no answer? Maybe you feel your home value is so “upside down” that there is no way out.

Rest easier knowing that there is help for you. With The Minnesota Real Estate Team, we take great pride in helping sellers who are facing a “short sale” situation. Foreclosure is certainly not the only option for you.

On our team, we have a number of top, top short sale listing agents: Rob Reinke, Jesse Grumdahl, Mary Alice Short, Bernie Borschke all have successfull closed numerous short sales. If your home, condo, townhome, or multifamily property is in Minneapolis, St Paul, or throughout the state of Minnesota and Wisconsin, we can certainly help out.

Please don’t hesitate to email us today if you are facing a short sale situation and you are not sure which direction to turn. Please know we respect each and every client’s privacy greatly.

We are certainly here to help out. Please call 952-223-1150 or email Request@MnRealEstateTeam.com today to inquire how The Minnesota Real Estate Team, the #1 Real Estate Team in Minnesota, can help out with your short sale situation.

Minnesota First Time Home Buyer Class

July 27th, 2009

It’s that time again! The Minnesota Real Estate Team is very excited to share with any and all first time buyers information regarding our free upcoming seminar.

Each month, Waterstone Mortgage and Paul Docauer on our team will be going over anything and everything buyers need to know about buying their first home in MN.

We have this free class each and every month at 3800 American Blvd W, Suite #140, Bloomington, MN.

As a first time home buyer, it is important to get information about the buying process. And if you do have any plans whatsoever on purchasing your first home within the next few years, stop on out to our free monthly seminar.

We will be covering the various financing programs in regards to down payment assistance, all sorts of first time home buyer tips, as well as a question and answer session where you can ask and all questions that you may have.

Questions on your credit score, how that is determined and how that can influence your interest rate? We will cover this. Questions on how to write an offer, find a top real estate agent, what you need to do to qualify for a loan? We will cover all of these items as well!

For more info on this seminar or to sign up, email Request@MnRealEstateTeam.com or call 952-223-1150. We are here to help!

$8000 tax credit – MN First Time Home Buyers

July 27th, 2009

Now is certainly an outstanding buying opportunity for any and all first time home buyers here in Minnesota! The government is giving each buyer an $8000 tax credit that does not need to be repaid!

In addition, there are a number of great down payment assistance programs available to first time buyers.  Through many different state, local, county, and city programs buyers can receive down payment assistance. Our team works with Waterstone Mortgage who specialize in first time home buying financing options.

We also offer a free Minnesota First Time Home Buyer Class each month. At 3800 American Blvd W, Suite #140 in Bloomington, our team covers many of the various questions that first time buyers have:

1. What types of financing options and programs are availabe for first time buyers?

2. How does the $8000 tax credit really work?

3. When do I need to puchase a home in order to receive the $8000 tax credit?

We go over these questions and of course much, much more.

With interest rates historically low, and many foreclosure and short sale properties “on sale” here in Minneapolis and the Minnesota Real Estate Market as a whole, first time home buyers are seeing an outstanding buying opportunity.

If you have interest in learning more about this first time buyer seminar, please give us a call today at 952-223-1150 or send us an email at Request@MnRealEstateTeam.com

The Minnesota Real Estate Team has been the #1 REMAX team from 2006 through today. We take great pride in helping first time buyers at THEIR pace. We look forward to helping you.

The #1 ranked real estate team in Minnesota

June 8th, 2009

The Wall Street Journal just released their 2008 sales numbers for the Top 400 real estate teams and individuals in the United States.

The Minnesota Real Estate Team finished as the top Minnesota team and the #21 real estate team in the United States in closed transactions for 2008, with 452 homes sold. http://online.wsj.com/ad/top100teamsides.html 

The team also finished as the only Minnesota team to make the Top 100 teams in “Sales volume.” Our team finished 80th.  http://online.wsj.com/ad/top100teamvolume.html

We continue to take great pride in our approach on helping buyers and sellers with their real estate transactions here in Minnesota and Wisconsin…most importantly…helping you at YOUR own pace. With our team, there is never any timeline or rush you will feel working with one of our top agents.

Please don’t hesitate to call us today at 952-223-1150, to learn more about our:

1. Free monthly seminars – first time buyer, investment property, moving up in a down market

2. Our Guaranteeed Sale program

Or if you simply would like to chat with an agent over a cup of coffee in regards to your real estate situation.  And as always…the Java is on us 🙂

 

RE/MAX Advantage Plus – Lakeville, MN

May 5th, 2009

Are you a prospective or current real estate investor?  Are you a home seller needing to do a short sale? Are you a bank looking for a top REO agent to market your properties? Perhaps you are a first time home buyer or move up buyer looking for someone to trust in this market?

Meet The Minnesota Real Estate Team of RE/MAX Advantage Plus. We are a team of 40 plus real estate agents here to help you with all of your real estate needs.

Tonight, our team learned that we are currently the #7 ranked REMAX real estate team in sales in the entire United States (for January through March 2009 closed sales.)

We take great pride in not only working at our client’s individual pace, but bringing results to our clients as well. Contact our team today at 952-223-1150. We are here to help you with any real estate and mortgage related questions that you may have.

The Minnesota Real Estate Team

February 10th, 2009

I wanted to take this opportunity to congratulate the members of The Minnesota Real Estate Team for finishing as the top ranked REMAX real estate team in commissions and transactions for 2008.  The final yearly numbers were just realized, and the team was very excited to hear the news. This is now the third year in a row the team has finished #1 for the entire state of Minnesota.

There are a number of agents who had outstanding sales years for the team. Scott Ficek was voted “The 2008 Agent of the Year” by team members, Rob Reinke won the sales volume competition, Kim Dohm the “Rookie of the Year,” and Kevin Curtis sold the most number of homes in 2008.  Mary Alice Short, Jesse Grumdahl, John Stenroos, John Tschida, Jim Lacher, Bernie Borschke, Ross Lumley and Adam Benedict all had outstanding sales years as well.

Our team has always taken great pride in helping buyers and sellers at their own pace. We believe in a low pressure but informative sales approach. And we too are able to help you whatever your real estate situation may be. Do you need to short sale a property? Are you a first time buyer? Are you an out of state buyer needing a real estate buyer’s agent to search properties and represent you?  Are you a high end seller looking for a marketing campaign second to none? Do you want to invest in real estate or purchase a commercial property?

Regardless of your situation, please let us know how we can help.