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Apple Valley, MN Real Estate News

By Mike Carlier, More opinions than you want to hear about.
Alan Greenspan spent an hour on CNBC's Squawk Box this morning and expressed an opinion that borders on the obvious.  He said that the nation's emergence from the economic downturn depends on higher employment levels, and that employment levels cannot return to a reasonable level until the housing industry resumes building a large number of homes.  Until housing recovers, there will not likely be employment recovery.  There are few who disagree that unemployment levels, the housing industry, and the general economic condition of this country are dependent on each other.  There is some disagreement on which is the cause of what, but that does not affect the fact that each is either the cause or effect of the other.  There is some disagreement on the role of government in improving the si...
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By Mike Carlier, More opinions than you want to hear about.
There are a few fortunate folks who are able to buy a home today, but they're not convinced that this is the best time.  Many of them are ready to declare independence from the dictator who is affectionately known to them as Mr. Landlord.  They want a yard and another bedroom and a dog.  They wish they had some control over what they can do to the place they call home.  They might want to paint the walls colors that scream independence. Other folks still have some equity in the home that they own, but it's lost a lot of value.  They need more room and can afford a larger payment.  Some want to move to a neighborhood that seems a better fit, or is located in a school attendance area they really like.  But they're just not sure this is the right time to pull the trigger. Maybe you're read...
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By Mike Carlier, More opinions than you want to hear about.
The weekend of June 10-12 is designated as Take-A-Kid-Fishing weekend.  As long as you're accompanied by someone age 15 or under, no license is needed on those three days.  This is an annual program that is an opportunity for folks who are not already hooked on fishing to introduce themselves and their kids to the sport. There are loads of places in Minnesota to fish, and many opportunities to fish without a boat and without burning hardly any gas to get there.  In Apple Valley, there are four lakes with public shore fishing or pier access.  Lakes Keller, Farquar, Alimagnet, and Lac Lavon are all easily accessible for shore fishing.  Also, the Minnesota DNR lists three dozen  Dakota County locations where you can catch fish without putting an oar in the water.  Mark the second weekend i...
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By Mike Carlier, More opinions than you want to hear about.
Are you thinking about declaring your independence from your landlord and buying your own home?  It's probably a wise decision, but not one that should be made in haste.  Do your homework and plan thoroughly.  You're likely to never make a single financial commitment as large as your home purchase. My home buyers' orientation and strategy session is a good way to begin your buying journey.  It's a personal planning session conducted in my Eagan office.  It takes between one and two hours, and it's free.  We cover the basics like how to use the internet to narrow your choices, some financing options and why it's a good idea to meet very early with a mortgage loan professional.  We'll discuss the current market and the risks and rewards of buying a foreclosure or a short sale.  Most folks...
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By Mike Carlier, More opinions than you want to hear about.
Much of the media and public attention to housing is focused on economics and the economic health of the  industry.  The by-product of the spewing of sometimes questionable data is that influences some folks' home buying decisions.  They are making a decision to correct a lifestyle deficiency based on whether some home builder had a good year, or if banks have sold more foreclosed property last month.  They hear that home values are going up or down, mostly down.  They are concerned that buying a home today may not be a good investment. Unless you are a professional landlord or house flipper, you are not making a financial investment decision when you decide to buy a home.  If you need heart surgery and decide to go ahead with it, you are making a medical decision, not a financial inves...
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By Mike Carlier, More opinions than you want to hear about.
According to data supplied by Regional Multiple Listing Service of Minnesota, Inc., there are currently 315 homes listed for sale in Apple Valley.  In the month of April, 65 offers were accepted, a quarter of which were listed the same month.  Apple Valley has a good inventory of affordable homes for sale, and the best listings don't last very long.  The unbest can endure months and years with the owner mowing around a for sale sign. My advice to potential sellers is to prepare and price your home for maximum attractiveness and quick sale.  Don't price your home to leave room for negotiation because nobody will show up to negotiate.  If you have a home that was listed and the listing failed to sell, call for a free listing failure analysis.  To sell, your home has to be the most attract...
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By Mike Carlier, More opinions than you want to hear about.
There are many ways to measure affordability, and they all have their attributes and shortcomings.  For this report, I chose to simply measure the ratio of homes priced at or under $150,000 over the total number of active home listings. According to information provided by the Regional Multiple Listing Service of Minnesota, Inc., there are 2,525 homes listed for sale in Dakota County.  of that total, 927, or 37% are priced at or below $150,000.  In comparison, Apple Valley has 316 homes for sale with 124 of them (39%) priced at or below $150,000.  That makes Apple Valley appear above average in its current availability of affordable homes. Given its commutable location, award winning school system, and its availability of recreational and commercial services, Apple Valley is an excellen...
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By Mike Carlier, More opinions than you want to hear about.
Apple Valley's Home and Garden Expo will be held tomorrow, April 2, at the Dakota County Government Center, which is located at Galaxie and County Road 42.  The Expo, sponsored by the Apple Valley Chamber of Commerce, features free admission and free parking and over a hundred vendors and exhibitors.  It's a popular way to spend the first Saturday in April with something for all ages and interests.  Hours are 9AM to 3PM, and you certainly can't beat the price.  This is a great way for folks from Apple Valley and the surrounding communities to welcome spring.  
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By Mike Carlier, More opinions than you want to hear about.
Home buyers who have targeted Apple Valley, MN, have made a great choice.  The city has grown at a controlled but moderate pace since its incorporation in 1968.  It is well planned and located perfectly for commuting to the Twin Cities.  Award winning schools add to Apple Valley's appeal, and home prices are reasonable. Now the bad news for buyers.  There have been a lot of homes sold in Apple Valley so far this year.  According to Regional Multiple Listing Service of Minnesota, there are 295 homes actively listed for sale in Apple Valley today.  In the first thirty days of March, sixty-seven fortunate home buyers have had offers accepted.  That means that the sixty-seven best home buying opportunities in Apple Valley are no longer available. While some folks were sitting in their apart...
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By Mike Carlier, More opinions than you want to hear about.
If your lease ends on May 1, there's a good chance that you need to notify your landlord by tomorrow if you want to renew.  The options given to you may include a rent increase, and probably will be another year indentured to the mandates of the owner.  If you're not sure whether you can gain your freedom, insist on a month to month lease.  That will give you the flexibility to move on with a relatively short notice rather than waiting another year to fire your landlord. What's another year? If you're 25 years old, it's 4% of your life so far.  That's another 4% of obeying that paternal figure who won't let you decorate to your taste and who is spending some of your hard-earned rent payment for food for the dog he has and you can't have.  It's another year of making a mortgage payment f...
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By Mike Carlier, More opinions than you want to hear about.
February 2 marked the beginning of the Minnesota house hunting season, and it looks like buyers have responded well in Apple Valley.  According to Regional Multiple Listing Service of Minnesota, there are 194 homes for sale in Apple Valley priced at or below $200,000.  Since February 2, there have been thirty-nine accepted offers on homes in that price range.  That's about one in five homes no longer available to buyers who have not yet started house hunting. There are still a lot of homes on the market, and some of them are almost as nice as the ones you missed.  If you have any interest in firing your landlord this year, now is the time to take action.  Call me today for a free and fun house hunting strategy session. It will help prepare you for the challenges of house hunting in toda...
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By Mike Carlier, More opinions than you want to hear about.
The official Minnesota house hunting season began on February 2, and renters across the state are reporting that their landlord did not see his shadow when he ventured out to collect any rent payments that were a couple days late.  A sunny morning would have delayed the house hunting season another six weeks, but it didn't happen. The reports are in for the first ten days of the season, and Apple Valley sellers did well.  Of 295 homes on the market on opening day, twenty four have accepted offers and cleared contingencies, with another fifteen with only the results of a physical inspection before they are officially off market too.  That's almost fifteen percent of the homes available on opener now committed to anxious and satisfied smart buyers. Fifteen percent of Apple Valley homes fo...
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By Mike Carlier, More opinions than you want to hear about.
One of the things about all of us humans is that we have a lot more in common than we think.  When we are shopping for a new home, we usually surf through a pile of home listings and pick a handful that look fairly good.  Typically there are some doubts and questions that require in person examination, and probably the assistance of a good buyer's agent.  Your agent can do some preliminary checking to determine whether there are any huge issues that may make an attractive listing not too desirable.  The home may have a high speed, high traffic railroad in the back yard, or it may have a few walls missing.  Eventually, you will need to walk through the choices you have not eliminated. A tour of the six or sixty homes you have found interesting should leave you with a few that look attrac...
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By Mike Carlier, More opinions than you want to hear about.
Well, the celebration known to many real estate professionals as the event marking the end of the non-buying season is behind us.  The five major groups who watch the big game have been satisfied in varying degrees. Group one is the group of watchers who are actual fans of the two teams that were privileged to play in the game.  Overall grade on this one is a C, with half loving it and half extremely disappointed. Group two is the group who attended parties and don't really care that much about the game.  We'll give this segmant an A.  Everyone loves a good party. Group three is the group that watches because they have some numbers drawn in the office pool, and they have hopes of big winnings and bragging rights on Monday morning.  Grade for this is D- because only about 5% are happy wi...
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By Kenden Post
(Coldwell Banker Burnet)
Short sale completed in Apple Valley MN Home owner saved from foreclosure on credit report. If you are in a situation where you are facing a short sale ask yourself this, "Am I hiring the best person for the job possible"? Looking at many short sale listings in the MLS I see time and time again the same situation. I'm going to hire my Uncle Junior's 3rd cousin removed because he is related to me. It doesn't matter that they have never completed a short sale nor have the competence to complete one. I have a sign in my yard and it will take care of itself. Wrong answer. I'm working with an agent that we are representing the buyer in this transaction. We wrote our offer in September and I have had contact with the listing agent a total of 3 times. I can never get this individual on the ph...
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By Mike Carlier, More opinions than you want to hear about.
In real estate, we have this phenomenon called the starter home.  It has been sometimes used as an excuse for buying something that we really don't like very much, but we want to own it anyway.  It only has two bedrooms, and it's really small, but it will do for a starter home.  It's next to the rail track, but it will do for a starter home.  You have to walk through a bedroom to go from the kitchen to the living room, but it's fine for a starter home.  Many buyers and some of the professionals who help them excuse fundamental reasons for not buying a particular property by calling it a starter home.  Today, there is a half generation of owners of starter homes who are locked into them because of deflated values and negative equity.  The smartest of the presently immobilized half-genera...
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By Mike Carlier, More opinions than you want to hear about.
If you're considering buying a home in Apple Valley, demand that the agent assisting you advocate exclusively on your behalf.  If the agent does not put his/her commitment in writing, you are being short-changed.  A buyer agency agreement binds agents to put your interests ahead of theirs.  They must advocate on your behalf to help you find the best property, they are pledged to do all possible to determine the value of your chosen property, and they are committed to do everything possible to negotiate the best possible price and terms.  Without the buyer agency agreement, a licensed agent is just somebody who unlocks doors for you and shows you where the basement is located.  You, the consumer, deserve more.  Call me for an Apple Valley home buying strategy and orientation session.  We...
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By Mike Carlier, More opinions than you want to hear about.
So, your Apple Valley home has been on and off the market without being sold.  Your agent gave it his/her best shot, and it turned out to be a blank.  You still want to sell your home, and you aren't particularly thrilled with the prospects of another round of failure. Well, you could try contacting us.  We are estate professionals who specialize in tough love and thorough analysis of failed home listings.  You will get an explanation of the reason(s) that your home didn't sell with absolutely no sugar coating.  We should probably charge for our analysis service, but we don't.  All we ask is that, if you believe our findings, you lend us your ear to learn how we will do things a little differently than the last guy. Not only are we capable of explaining the reasons why your house didn't...
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By Kenden Post
(Coldwell Banker Burnet)
Real estate market update for first time home buyers, home sellers, and relocation for Apple Valley MN. The November home home sales information for Apple Valley is in and is as follows. New listings were down 12% and closed sales were down 15%. November traditional starts the slow time for home and property sales so this number isn't surprising. Median homes sales and average sales price were basically unchanged. The percent of original list price received at sales was down almost 6% meaning home sellers are not adjusting to the market changes and trying to list their house for more than the market will bear. Home sellers don't fall into this trap. Your greatest traffic on your new listing is going to be in the first 3 weeks. If you start to make big adjustments in your price after th...
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By Mike Carlier, More opinions than you want to hear about.
We all tend to miss opportunities of various importance.  Yesterday, I missed my chance to write 1-1-11 on a check.  It's just such a concise date that I should have somehow found a reason to write it.  Next big chance will be in November. How exciting. Our children are with us for under twenty years, and then they are gone.  Even if they don't take the hint and they try to continue living with us, they are our adult daughters and sons, not our children.  Children are born to a path leading to independence, and that path, with a few twists and turns, ends in adulthood.  We have about an eighteen year window of opportunity to work and laugh and cry and provide for and enjoy our children.  Every year, the window closes a bit, and it closes more rapidly as time progresses.  Some of the lif...
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