twin cities

Real Estate Investment Opportunities within the Twin Cities

To better serve the needs of real estate investors in Minneapolis & St Paul as well as surrounding areas within the Twin Cities, I have recently earned the Certified Investor Agent Specialist™ (CIAS) Designation. With the CIAS, I have the training, tools and calculations to effectively serve the five investor types: First-Time Investor, Move-Up Investor, Portfolio Investor, Performance Investor, and Rehab and Resell Investor.

Real estate represents a consistent and stable way to build wealth, brings liquidity to our housing market, and stimulates our local economy. In fact, in the past year, investment and second-home properties represented approximately 27% of all residential sales. It’s also worth noting that nationwide, 43% of real estate investors earned less than $75,000 per year.

Today, real estate is quite literally on sale! There is an unprecedented opportunity to build wealth through real estate, and I specialize in helping all investors achieve their goals.

Contact me today at 952-929-2577 to learn more about investing in real estate.

In my 26 years of real estate sales, I can tell you the values are extreme. Don’t let this opportunity pass you by. Now is the time to purchase real estate.

Powered By WP Footer

twin cities

First Time Buyer Down Payment Assistance-Now In Minnetonka

See the guidelines about this new program for Minnetonka. These programs exist in other communities as well. I will help you find programs-just like this-in other communities within the Twin Cities. NOW is the time to take advantage of these programs. If lack of a down payment has held you back, now is the time to take a look at these special programs. WelcometoMtkaguidelines.doc

Powered By WP Footer

twin cities

WHY Pick RE/MAX?

There are lots of reasons why you might choose to select one agent or company vs another. Unless you have a best friend or relative who you “have” to use, I would like to show you how I am different. I believe I have an excellent value proposition as to why you would select me as your agent and RE/MAX as your company. I would welcome the opportunity to meet with you and discuss how I can help you meet your housing goals-whether it be buying or selling. Interview a couple of agents, you will see there is a difference. You may wonder how does RE/MAX stack up within the Twin Cities. The attached PDF’s will give you some market share information as well as agent productivity-based on a 2010 compilation of the numbers. While these are just some of the metrics on which to base your decision, success does leave clues. How can I help you?

Powered By WP Footer

twin cities

What Is Your Home Worth Today?

I found a cool resource at http://www.FHFA.gov. If you go there, in the middle of the page you will find something called the Home Price Calculator. You input your home purchase information in terms of State, quarter in which you purchased and the quarter in which you’d like to get the valuation. Next, you hit calculate, and it will show you a chart. While it isn’t specific to YOUR exact home, it does give trends for your area. If you want specific information-specific to your home-within the Twin Cities metro-give me a call and we can discuss your situation. I can then give you guidance on what the value might be.

Powered By WP Footer

twin cities

Buying Rental Property In The Twin Cities

Have you ever wanted to own rental property, but were unsure where to start? I teach a class on the topic. I’ve decided to make the outline into a PPT. I cover the information in my class in much more depth and breadth, but this will give you a lot of useful information. If you are interested in discussing purchasing a rental property as an investment, just give me a call and we can set up a time to meet and review how I can help you become a “real estate mogul”.

Powered By WP Footer

twin cities

Twin Cities Foreclosure Update

Here is our latest newsletter that has updates on foreclosures in the Twin Cities.

Also, watch the video below

Powered By WP Footer

twin cities

Minnesota First Time Home Buyer Tips

Powered By WP Footer

twin cities

Twin Cities Home Prices Fall, Affordability Up

By Aaron Dickinson

According to the Minneapolis Area Association of REALTORS newest figures, the Housing Affordability Index is up 4.5% in November 2007 versus November 2005, from a value of 132 in 2005 to 138 today.

While this is an improvement from much of 2006 and 2007, it is still substantially lower than the index’s record of 160, set in 2003. The index’s low of 122 was set in 2006.

The Housing Affordability Index formula measures housing affordability for the Minneapolis/St. Paul market. An HAI of 138 means the median family income is 138% of the necessary income to qualify for the median priced home using a 20% down payment, 30-year fixed mortgage.

The October 2007 Median Sales Price for Twin Cities homes fell 3.5% from a year ago and 4.3% from two years ago, to $220,000. The Median Sales Price is the price at which 1/2 of the homes sold for more and 1/2 of the homes sold for less.

While this sounds like negative news, pricing is all relative. The only people who suffer in a falling real estate market are the downsizing & downpricing homeowners. For those who bought in the last few years that are trying to sell today will see red ink on the sell side but will see savings on the purchase of their new home. Most of all, first time buyers and move-up buyers are definitely winning in this market. The future of the Twin Cities real estate market is not certain, but most experts believe we will be in for at least another 18-24 months of a slow real estate market before we find returning strength and balance between buyer and seller demand.

Edina Realty agent Aaron Dickinson works with buyers, sellers, banks and investors in the Twin Cities, MN area and is the author of the Twin Cities Real Estate Blog and Minneapolis Real Estate Blog

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Aaron_Dickinson
http://EzineArticles.com/?Twin-Cities-Home-Prices-Fall,-Affordability-Up&id=835411

Powered By WP Footer

twin cities

Top Ten Twin Cities MN Relocation Considerations

By John Mazzara

Moving to the Twin Cities Minnesota is similar to moving elsewhere within MN. Before you make the move, there are things you need to consider and think over and over again to make sure that:

1) You are not making the biggest mistake in your life

2) You have a budget that can sustain you in the big city until you have found a job.

Usually, people fail to see the reason why they have to plan before they can move out from their comfort zone. Living with parents seem to be the most ideal plan but there is some point in your life where you will have to leave the home of your childhood and venture into the unknown. This is the most difficult phase because for someone who has been living with parents even way into the adulthood, they will have troubles living on their own, managing their own life and living alone.

If you are moving out because you are getting married, that is another problem but most people make their first move out of the house due to job transfer or getting a new job which is far away from home. So, they will have to move out to a place closer to the office so that they will be easier to go to work.

Now, there are ten things you need to consider when moving to a big city especially moving to the Twin Cities, Minneapolis and St. Paul. Moving to Minneapolis or moving to St. Paul can be difficult without a proper plan.

1) Accommodation

Have you found your accommodation in the new place? Have you rent the new home? Do you like the new home? Is the home affordable to you? You will find that Twin Cities homes are some of the best values in the country.

There are the questions you should be thinking way before you move there. Of course, when you want to rent a home, you will have to take some time off and go there so you can see for yourself the home you want to rent to make sure that you are not conned by scammers agent.

You must make sure that you can afford to pay the rental of your new home. The rental must be compensated with the utilities and amenities included with the home. Sometimes, you might like a home but too expensive for your wallet so either you negotiate for a better price or you back off and find other places.

2) Transportation

This is easier if you have your own car but unfortunately, not everyone has the privilege to own a car so you need to make sure that it is not a problem for you to go to work if your home is slightly far from your office. If you can walk to your office then there is no problem. Other wise you will need to make sure that bus or train service is available.

3) Food

Food is never a problem especially when you have the money but you have a budget to follow so it is not like you can eat whatever you want. Make sure that you can prepare your own meals at home. Then, check out the local grocery store so you will know where to buy grocery and food. Look out for the prices as well. This allows you to make a budget for food. In times like when you are working, you will have to have lunch somewhere nearby or in the café so you need to spend some money but it is ok, as long as you have plan ahead on how much you can spend for lunch.

4) Entertainment

What’s life without entertainment? I am sure that while you are in the big city, you will have the urge to have a tour and check out nearby locations to see if there is anything interesting. Occasionally you might want to catch a movie with your friends and colleagues so make a budget for entertainment as well but plan wisely so it doesn’t interrupt with your bigger expense. Otherwise, wait until you are stable before you venture for some outdoor entertainment.

5) Utilities & Amenities

Check out if you have to pay for the utilities bills such as electricity and others. If there are some bills you need to settle, make sure that you settle the bill as soon as possible to make sure that you don’t accumulate the bills which might end up more than you think when you finally realised about the bills.

6) Housekeeping

When you are living with your parents, your mum would be doing the laundry, the cooking and the cleaning of your room but when you are living on your own, you will have to do everything yourself. Make sure that you schedule when to do your laundry like every once in a week or twice in a week. Then, make sure you tidy your home and clean up any mess.

7) Security Level

Is your home located in a secure area? An area that has access to the police station, fire department and hospital or clinic? These are very important as you might be living alone and if something happened to you, you need to know where to ask for help. You need to be friends with your neighbors so that in case of emergency they can look out for you and help you.

Packing & Unpacking

So, you have a lot of things you want to bring along yet there is little space in your new home. You will need to discard those you don’t need at all so that you don’t clutter your new home. Remember you don’t have your mum there to help you tidy up and clean up. When you want to pack your items, make sure you use boxes so it is easier for you to store all your things. It is also easier for you to move the boxes around. You can buy new boxes or if you have some spare old boxes from the old set of TV or any boxes you find.

9) Moving Company

Do you need the service of MN moving company? For example, you might need to use the lorry and you can hire a lorry from the moving company. They provide the lorry, you pack your own things and they will help you to load the items into the lorry and deliver them to your new place with you in the lorry or with you in front of them in your own vehicle. Of course, hiring the lorry would cost you more but if you want to avoid the hassle, you should get the help from a moving company.

10) Total cost of moving

Finally, the most important part is to calculate the average total cost for you to move out.

This is to make sure you have the budget or else you have to find ways to cut down the cost.

Once you have considered all these, then you are set to move out and live on your own.

Minnesota Realtor and Minnesota mortgage broker-John Mazzara-Sells and finances homes throughout the Twin Cities metro area. John works throughout the Twin Cities and lives in Edina, MN. I service the entire 7 county metro area. If you are looking for relocation resources visit our site at http://www.TwinCitiesRelocation.com We would be happy to provide relocation information about housing and schools for communities in and around the metro area. You can begin your Minnesota real estate MLS home search immediately online through the links at http://www.MinnesotaRelocation.net We provide a number of useful links, reports and demographic information about Minneapolis homes, St Paul homes, and MN real estate. On our mortgage website you can apply for a mortgage. We broker loans only in MN. Our mortgage products include FHA, VA, rural loans, conventional loans, lines of credit, and reverse mortgages. If you are relocating to MN or even just moving across the city or state of MN you will find our sites useful. Minnesota provides a wonderful quality of life-low crime, excellent schools, and major attractions such as lakes, shopping, and entertainment.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Mazzara
http://EzineArticles.com/?Top-Ten-Twin-Cities-MN-Relocation-Considerations&id=1762942

Powered By WP Footer