I recently sat down with a Twin Cities luxury home owner and discussed listing their property in the next few weeks. When it comes to selling a luxury home, I usually do what is called a "two-step" presentation. The first meeting is a chance to tour the home, listen to the homeowner's wants and needs, and get an overall idea on the scope of the property and its relationship to the market. Either the next day, or a few days later, I meet with the owners again, and give my presentation on the state of the market, my recommended listing price range, and the marketing plan I have developed specific to their home.After I list the home, I come back into the home, without the owner present, and go over every detail, like a home inspector would, and find any flaws that a buyer might object to. ... 02/14/2008

Both Pending Sales and New Listings are up this week.  Not a big surprise.  The news is that Pending Sales are only up a very small amount, while the number of New Listings rose significantly.  Therefore we are left with a net increase to the available inventory.     The "health" real estate market, is driven by supply and demand.  We all know there are more homes for sale than there are buyers.  The critical question is, "Do we have too little demand, or too much supply?" The number of homes sold has been on the rise for many years, but has plateaued, and fallen slightly recently.  Meanwhile the number of homes for sale has continued rising.  It's tempting to say the buyers left the market, there's no more demand!  But ask yourself, "How often can we expect people to move?"  The number... 02/13/2008

Real Estate Market Update: Duplex sales in NE MinneapolisSale Price down 24% and Sales Volume down 49%Northeast Minneapolis, February 2008Northeast became one of the hottest markets in Minneapolis during the "boom" appreciating and average 62% since 2000.  Given the relatively modest home vales and it's proximity to the two downtowns, the University, major industry and business centers, Northeast is a natural rental area.  Since it's development in the first half of the 19th century, it's been a solid residential neighborhood, with strong ethnic, and working class, roots.  It's storied reputation as a "pub crawl" destination has drawn attention to the area in ore recent decades.  A plethora of neighborhood pubs have kept the local history and traditions alive and kicking.Duplexes are a ... 02/11/2008

Check out our site, visit www.gofishcommercial.com to list and search all the commercial properties in Minnesota. If you have any questions call me at 612-819-4449. 02/11/2008

1522 3rd St NE Minneapolis, MN Click For Listing Website Click For Interactive e-Tour The National Real Estate Stimulus Program is now available to all buyers of real estate in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Now all buyers purchasing any property qualify to receive a cash bonus of one point seven percent of the sales price, up to a maximum of ten thousand dollars. A tax-free cashier?s check is mailed to the buyer after closing and upon receipt of proof of purchase and verification of identity. All buyers qualify for this stimulus program regardless of price range, income, type of real estate or financing. If you are thinking of purchasing a real estate property, you qualify for this real estate stimulus program. For more information on how you can receive your real estate stimulus program bo... 02/10/2008

Are you looking for minneapolis properties listed in mls?  If so, the time has never been better than right now to check out some of the great homes that are for sale here in Minneapolis!  Prices are LOW and interest rates are LOW!For more information check out my website by visiting http://www.minneapolisstpaulrealestate.info/ 02/09/2008

Pending sales jumped up again for the 4th straight week.  New listings are popping up all over the place, Spring Market has arrived!  Keep an eye on the newly listed homes, the good ones (condition & price) are selling fast.  And remember if you think it's a nice home, and a good deal, other buyers will too!If you think you recognize some of these new listings, you're probably right!  Roughly half of these are re-lists that have already been placed on the market at least once in the last 12 months.The best thing about the current market is that you can find really high quality homes, and maybe even think about it over night before buying!  Look for quality, think of resale, and don't settle.  But when you find the home of your dreams...don't hesitate and don't haggle over the small stuf... 02/05/2008

    I think we all would agree that volunteering and helping those less fortunate than ourselves...or doing something for the greater good....is a good thing.    Often I've thought....and maybe you have too, "I'm just too busy to help". That's why I got involved with efforts in my own backyard...Historic Northeast Minneapolis.      The Northeast Lions Club, of which I'm a member, goes out 1 day per month to deliver for Meals on Wheels...our local chapter is called "Dinner Bell".   We deliver hot meals....low sodium...when requested..meals to the elderly, handicapped, and shut-ins.    Often short volunteers...our 1 day a month may turn into 3-6 days per month.    There are a few reasons I like this cause...1) it takes just an hour out of my day at lunch.  2) It's helping those in MY neig... 02/04/2008

*Go to http://www.doitgreen.org/newsletter/subscriptions to subscribe for the Do It Green Newsletter.Hi everybody!In the February - Green Living and Homes Newsletter:1) February's Do It Green! Workshop Schedule: Green Living and Homes2) Green Building and Remodeling!: Minimize indoor air pollution during building or remodeling.3) Do It Green!: Tips to get your family involved and an easy switcheroo that will make your life greener.4) Green-It-Yourself!: Learn how to make your own household cleaners.5) Keep Greening!: News and links to more info6) Upcoming Workshops!: Careers, Business and Socially Responsible InvestingFEBRUARY: Do It Green! Workshop Series - Green Living and Homes Thurs Feb 7th: Green Building 101 with Rachel MaloneyTime: 6:30-8PMLocation: Nokomis Public Library, 5100 3... 02/04/2008

Minnehaha Falls In WinterMinnehaha Falls is a beautiful area to visit anytime of the year in Minneapolis. This weekend I went to the park to get some snapshots of the frozen waterfall. Yes, those are people walking at the bottom of the falls. At 53 feet, it is quite a sight to see in summer and in the winter. HistoryMinnehaha Creek flows 22 miles from Lake Minnetonka through Minneapolis before ending its journey at the Mississippi River. The word, Minnehaha, comes from the Dakota language and literally means, "curling water", or "waterfall". Minnehaha Falls is located not too far from where the creek meets the Mississippi. History has it that the falls were named "Brown's Falls" in the early 1800's after United States Army Commander Jacob Brown, while the Dakota called Minnehaha Creek,... 01/31/2008

Minneapolis Real Estate - MARKET UPDATEIt's 14 degrees below zero - SPRING is HERE!January 30th, 2008 by Ben Kolkman, REALTOR, Great Minneapolis Real EstateIn Minneapolis the spring season, in real estate at least, starts in January.  Ironic, considering it's so cold right now, that keys sitting in frozen lock boxes on the front doors of homes, can cause instant frost bite!  (And some say we don't earn our living ;-)People are putting homes on the market at an alarming pace, but don't be scared, we won't know how heavy the flood of new listings will until February, and there is good news I'll get to soon!  As you can see in the chart below, courtesy of MAAR the number of homes being put up for sale each week has spiked dramatically.  But that's to be expected, it happens every year.If w... 01/30/2008

01/29/2008

Short Sales are when the Seller of a home owes th bank more than they get in the sale.  They are coming up "short".  To more exact the Seller does not have enough sale proceeds to pay the mortgage(s) and all the closing costs incurred with a transaction.Sellers contact their lender(s) to try to negotiate a deal to sell the property for less than the full amount owed.  Typically the sellers make this known early on, so Buyers aren't surprised once an offer is written.We are seeing a lot more of these in the Twin Cities for a number of reasons.  It's good to remember that while on the rise, the number of short sales, or foreclosures for that matter, is still a very small number of total home sales.Here are some tips for handling a short sale if you find yourself interested in a home in th... 01/23/2008

Greetings one and all.  We have some REALLY exciting events coming up in February.The themes and topics for the months are all about YOU, YOUR HOME & LIVING GREEN!!!*Mark your calender with the following events and feel free to either call or email me to RSVP for any of these great events:-----------------Thurs Feb 7th: Green Building 101 with Rachel Maloney of Natural Built HomeTime: 6:30-8PMLocation: Nokomis Public Library (5100 34th Ave. S., Minneapolis)An introduction to green building practices from site selection to finishing materials with Rachel Maloney of Natural Built Home, the Midwest's primary resource for eco-friendly building materials. She will be discussing key issues, including recycled materials and water and energy conservation, and how to implement sustainable or gre... 01/22/2008

Yesterday I sat down to read the paper, something I have not been able to do for well over a week. I never expected to get emotional right off the bat, and when I say emotional, I mean the exact opposite of crying.When I came across an article about the Minneapolis City Council and their recent resolution regarding local foreclosures, I actually had to walk away from the paper before I crumpled it up and threw it into the trash. Since it was buried on page six of the Pioneer Press, many have most likely missed it. The non-binding resolution passed by the Minneapolis City Council is calling for lenders to stop foreclosures for the next three months. Apparently the city council thinks that the "pressure" they are putting on local lenders by passing resolutions like this will make banks st... 01/21/2008

And the listings come flooding back.  The number of new listings in Minneapolis soared up this week to 1544.  Doubling the number from the week before.  These new listings are just adding to the already flooded market.  Many of these "new" listings have previously been on the market, and were just taking some time off.  I guess everyone thought spring would be a better time to try to sell.  As long as inventory continues to be added to the market like this, for most Sellers it's going to be a long slow spring.  Markets do improve in various areas of the city, and at different price ranges.  The key to selling in a "flooded" market is to simply offer the best value on the market.  Keep in mind Buyers are going to visit all the homes for sale, then buy the one they felt was the "best" ove... 01/18/2008

The Minnehaha Apartments project, previously selected to be the recipient of NRP funds from LHiNC has secured full funding and is no longer in need of LHiNC's funds.  The Housing Committee will be seeking new projects for consideration.Planning was discussed for the upcoming "Foreclosure Crisis & Neighborhood Home Values" Town Hall Meeting, scheduled for March 4th.  Getting the word out via the SW Journal and the other Neighborhoods will be researched by Ben Kolkman.  Craig Anderson will be researching and documenting the process for disputing property tax values.NOTE: Views and opinions expressed in this blog are not those of the LHiNC (Linden Hills Neighborhood Council), nor does LHiNC endorse or support the content posted here.  This is the personal blog of Ben Kolkman.  Ben is a Rea... 01/15/2008

During the boom, business was booming for builders. It seemed I would wake up in the morning, drive to the office, and see a new development going up on the way. I wondered, "Geez, where are all these buyers coming from". After a while, I started to figure it out.Here is a story that beings during the boom:One weekend, a few years back, I had a buyer who wanted new construction. They had heard about a new neighborhood going up and wanted me to take them by for a look. Needless to say they loved the neighborhood. Being the dutiful Buyer's Agent, I started asking questions to the sales agent and was a little disturbed by what I heard. She told me they only had a few lots left so my buyers should act quickly. I commented how the neighborhood had just gone active two week prior and asked ho... 01/13/2008

The following information was copied from my web site at www.djBreck.com (Go to the GREEN Links & Housing tab):Green Links and HousingWe all know that GREEN is in, but who would ever have thought that it would reach the real estate industry?GREEN issues are truly one of the newest and most interesting areas within the real estate industry, and although there are a lot of great resources and information out there about it, it truly is just in it's infancy stage.  I can't think of a single area of our industry that has more potential for growth than "being GREEN".The following links are some very interesting and informative GREEN related sites.  And although some of these sites are completely devoted to GREEN issues within real estate, remodeling and construction areas, others are bit mor... 01/10/2008

If you read my blog, then you should know that I love photography. Sometimes words alone cannot express the beauty of a sunset, or the serenity of one simple gorgeous flower growing in a field. But great photography doesn't have to stop with nature. For the most part, photos tell a story. Real estate unfortunately has always been thought of as just "selling a home". Many agents neglect, or fail to see, that selling a home has become so much more. Buyers want to hear the story of the home and know the home has been loved. In addition, especially on high-end homes, the number one thing to sell is the lifestyle story. What better way to do this then through pictures.More goes into a photo then point and shoot. Lighting is probably the most important aspect of a great photo. The living room... 01/09/2008