Living in Minnesota is not as affordable as it once was. Home prices are continually increasing in the Minneapolis/St Paul metro. And to make things more stressful, rent costs in the Twin Cities are among the highest in the nation. Monthly rent costs for one and two bedroom units are nearly $1500 and $2000 respectively.  Check out this June 2019 report on rent prices nationwide.   This leads many renters to ask, “Should I Buy instead of Rent?” It is a continuing dilemma facing many would be first time homebuyers. It also creates a lot of discussion and sometimes debate. So why is “Rent vs Buy?” such a tough question to answer? There are many variables in a home purchase investment. The biggest is location which can often determine the price of a home. We used to be blessed in the Min... 06/03/2019

A headline in a April 2018 St Paul Pioneer Press article reads, "White Bear Lake Man Believes Old Batteries Robbed him of Health and Home". The foundation of his 1939 built lake home and surrounding retaining walls around the property were constructed using emptied out battery casings filled with concrete.  White Bear is  a community where I have sold many homes, and this situation is highly toxic. While this issue was not apparent to him when he purchased decades ago, it was to a local home inspector who actually mentioned the very home in another article about why get a home inspection.  This is not only a very sad story and unbelievable situation, this is a reminder of why buying  a FSBO (For Sale By Owner) can be costly. The form for a home disclosure in Minnesota wasn't as comprehe... 05/12/2018

  The housing market in White Bear Lake, Minnesota is booming. This northeast suburb of the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area had less homes list but almost an equal number of sold in the year over year statistic from 2016. The effect on average price was a solid 4.5% increase. While not as impressive as the 8.8% increase the previous year, this was none the less a sign that home sellers in  the White Bear Lake housing market is still remain in control when negotiating. In 2017, White Bear Lake homes sold for an average $245,347 and an average price per square foot $141/sq ft. Homes were selling at a faster pace in 2017 too, It took an average 43 days to sell in the city of White Bear Lake this past year. Sellers are in a strong negotiating position and offers are being accepted very clos... 01/20/2018

Are YOU facing the home buying dilemma? When is the right time to buy a first home in the North and East Twin Cities Metro? Funny thing is, there is no right answer. We are fortunate in the Minneapolis St Paul area. Homes are affordable for both single people and couples. There are abundant down payment resources available for Minnesota home buyers too.  Today I would like to talk more about the topic: Wondering If You Can Buy Your First Home? There are many people sitting on the sidelines trying to decide if they should purchase a home or sign a rental lease. Some might wonder if it makes sense to purchase a house before they are married and have a family, others might think they are too young, and still, others might think their current income would never enable them to qualify for a... 01/18/2018

Buying a home is not an every day event. The average person purchases real estate once every eight years .Whether you are a first time buyer or someone who hasn’t purchased a home for several years, sometimes a refresher on real estate terms can be very helpful. I often notice my Minneapolis/St Paul buyers (and sellers) with a glazed look on their face when certain terms come up so I thought an online real estate glossary would be helpful. The real estate term for today is: Buyer’s Agent An individual contracted by the buyers to represent them in the purchase of their home.When buying a house, the home is listed by a broker or company. The REALTOR® that lists the home is the listing agent for the home and is under contract with fiduciary duties to the seller. When a buyer calls on a si... 01/08/2018

 You've decked the halls to the max but as a homeowner it is very important to make sure your home is safe year round. A few years ago, just after the holidays, I was in the office when a past client called to say their parents were looking for temporary housing. While removing the Christmas tree from the house, a wayward branch had brushed past a lit candle and woosh...there was barely time to get everyone out before the entire home was destroyed.  Yes holiday fires happen very quickly.  Whether it is an overloaded outlet, a frayed cord, a lit candle or a stocking hanging too low on the mantel, holiday fires are tragic and devastaing. The National Fire Safety Protection Agency has a ton of good information and fun to read tips to avoid fires.  To avoid being a statistic, we have upgrad... 12/23/2017

  The housing market in White Bear Lake, Minnesota remained strong but was a  bit flat overall from 2014 to 2015. This northeast suburb of the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area had almost the exact same numbers of new homes listed on the market in year over year in 2015. There was a sizable increase in closed sales up by a dramatic 15%. Interestingly, this was on par with 2013 numbers so the lack of inventory in 2014 might have contributed to lower sales. The real estate demand is remains high and the market strong. The average price of a home rose by  3.5% in White Bear Lake going from $208,914 in 2014 to $216,127 in 2015. This raised the average price per square foot accordingly; going from $118/sq ft to $121/sq ft. The average days-on-the-market statistic was slightly higher in 2015. I... 03/02/2016

Are planning to sell your home in White Bear Lake, Minnesota soon and need more information on where to start?  When you need to sell a home in the White Bear area, I will help you get the process started quickly. My innovative marketing and top notch negotiating skills will get you the best possible price too.  A market analysis by a professional REALTOR® is your first step in the process. The White Bear Lake market is HOT! Home buyers are looking for homes right now because inventory is extremely low in the north and east Minneapolis/St. Paul metro. Since April 1, 2015, 46 homes have sold in White Bear Lake and 18 homes have sold in White Bear Township The average days on the market was 63 for homes in the 55110 White Bear Lake area. Prices ranged from the affordable starter homes to... 05/06/2015

A home buyer should impressed by the cleanliness of your home from the moment they step over the threshold.  PERIOD!   While the first step in home staging is decluttering, the second is to be cleaning. Not just “surface clean” either.   A seller must DEEP clean the home!  Potential home buyers will be assessing your property to determine if it is THEIR dream home.  Whose dream includes a half-eaten peanut butter sandwich on the kitchen counter and a dirty cat box in the utility room?     Sadly, there are places sellers will overlook when too eager to get their home on the market. Here a few spots to have clean and shining so your listing will be known as where Mr & Mrs Clean reside:   Refrigerators—Clean inside and out! Yes buyers will look INSIDE the refrigerator.  Throw out half-eate... 02/26/2015

      The historic and popular community of White Bear Lake, Minnesota saw bit of a decrease in the amount of new homes listed on the market in 2014 compared to 2013 and closed sales were down by a dramatic 15%. In this northern Ramsey County city, the real estate demand is high and the market strong. The average price of a home rose by nearly 10% in White Bear Lake going from $190,628 in 2013 to $209,273 in 2014. This caused jump in the average price per square foot too going from $110/sq ft to $118/sq ft; a 7.2% increase. The average days-on-the-market statistic dropped again and substantially in 2014. It took an average 69 days to sell a White Bear Lake home this past year, down from 88 in 2013. This is a welcome change as sellers are back in a better negotiating position and offers ... 02/21/2015

January is the time of year that I play catch-up. I catch up on all the paperwork for my taxes. I catch up on all the miscellaneous stuff around the house that was put aside over the holidays. You get the idea. One such task was to ask several recent clients for feedback on my service. Sometimes I remember and do this right after the closings and sometimes it is put off for a bit. So for about two weeks now I have been receiving some of the most awesome feedback from families I have helped recently. Here are just a few that I have received in the past few days. This kind of stuff really makes my day! “Teri was such a tremendous help in both the sale of our house and the purchase of our new house. We met with another Realtor® before finding her that suggested the price of our home was si... 02/18/2015

Welcome to 2221 Sierra Drive in White Bear Lake, MN   Well-maintained 4 bedroom/3 bath home on large corner lot of a cul-de-sac in a quiet White Bear Lake neighborhood. Private yet close to everything. Mature trees and wood fence line the back of the property. 3 bedrooms on main level, private master bath, maintenance-free siding, oak hardwood floors, newer appliances including cooktop and double wall ovens, newer roof, 2 fireplaces, eat-in kitchen and separate dining room, lower-level family room features ceramic tile, 2-car garage, storage shed... Quiet White Bear Lake Neighborhood Newer Appliances, Eat-in Kitchen Oak Hardwood Floors Under the Carpeting Nice Corner Cul-de-sac Lot $212,900 1-story, 2,089 finished square feet 4 bedrooms, 3 bath, 2-car garage Don't let this home slip awa... 10/10/2014

  Writing an offer on a home is an exciting time whether it is a first time buyer or someone who has purchased a home previously. Going through the offer raises many questions, one of the most important is about earnest money and how much should be written into the offer.  So what exactly is earnest money and how much does a homebuyer need? Today’s Real Estate Term is:Earnest money The funds that a buyer submits with their offer or purchase agreement to demonstrate to the seller their seriousness about buying the property. It should be an amount sufficient enough to indicate to the seller that the buyer will not walk away from the deal without good reason. It is not the same as a down payment. If your offer on the home is accepted, the earnest money check will be cashed and placed into ... 05/19/2014

White Bear Lake Home Prices White Bear Lake Market Conditions 05/06/2014

Yesterday was the warmest Minnesota day so far in 2014. In fact, it was the warmest day since mid-October of last year! It finally feels like spring is here. Soon many homeowners in the Minneapolis/St Paul metro will be starting "honey-do" list of spring projects. Keeping your home in tiptop shape is essential in maintaining your property’s value. Even if you don’t intend to sell your home this summer, there are a few essential things to check, repair and or replace after a long winter.   As a Minnesota REALTOR®, I see often see homes that have not been properly cared for. Throughout Anoka County, Chisago County and northern Washington County, the areas where I work extensively, I have seen houses with interior ceiling damage from leaking roofs, severely cracked driveways and worn out d... 04/21/2014

White Bear Lake Minnesota Housing Market Conditions (March 2014). See where your home stands at http://PriceMyTwinCitiesHome.com 04/12/2014

  “I was accused of being a helicopter parent.”  This statement was recently made by a friend of mine while we were chatting at a local coffee shop about our adult children. My response to her was, “Really? Did you say thank you?”Being a helicopter parent doesn’t always have to be a bad thing. It means you care about your children enough to give them advice rather than let them go off on their own and make mistakes. Okay, it’s not a good thing to ride with them on the school bus, follow them into the classroom and do their homework. But a mom going to check out colleges with her daughter or a dad going to the car dealer with his son isn’t such a bad thing is it?  As a REALTOR®, I come across helicopter parents all the time. Buying a first home can be an exciting, but also a somewhat sca... 03/11/2014

            White Bear Lake, Minnesota saw an increase in the amount of new homes listed on the market in 2013 compared to 2012 and closed sales shot up by almost 19%. In this northern Ramsey County city, the real estate market improved considerably in 2013. Prices rose in White Bear Lake going from and average of $161,950 in 2012 to $178,500 in 2013. This caused a good bump in the average price per square foot too going from $98/sq ft to $110/sq ft; a 12.5% increase. The average days-on-the-market statistic dropped substantially in 2013, going from 113 days on the market to 88 days. This is a welcome change as sellers are back in a better negotiating position and offers are being accepted closer to listed price. Last year sellers in the White Bear Lake area received an average of just ... 02/12/2014

  NEW LISTINGS IN WHITE BEAR LAKE $339,000 - 4987 Campbell Avenue $67,800 - 1921 Clarence Street $214,822 - 2240 3rd Street $254,758 - 2161 Lakeaires Boulevard $199,795 - 3801 Dennis Lane $94,900 - 1819 2nd Street $499,900 - 4891 Johnson Avenue   NEW LISTINGS IN GEM LAKE $310,000 - 3880 Scheuneman Road   NEW LISTINGS IN GRANT $1,389,000 - 11202 Lansing Avenue N $439,900 - 11740 Lockridge Avenue N $399,900 - 11695 Lockridge Avenue N $439,000 - 11719 Dellwood Road N $1,559,000 - 10000 Lansing Avenue N $279,000 - 10510 60th Street N $450,000 - 10630 75th Street N   White Bear Lake Homes For Sale in Minnesota 3801 Dennis Lane, White Bear Lake $199,795 4 beds, 1 full, 1 part baths Home size: 1,330 sq ft Lot size: 10,454 sqft Year built: 1954 Parking spots: 2 Listed with Keller Williams Class... 06/27/2013

Committee pitches 6 solutions to the White Bear Lake water level.   Augment with surface water from the St. Paul Regional Water Service (SPRWS). Water would come from the Mississippi River. Cost is a factor and before it’s considered feasible, an ideal connection point and route for transmission and filtering out invasive species need to be determined. Augment with commercial discharge water. Water from Morningside Foods uses groundwater for non-contact cooling and discharges a large volume into Goose Lake. This water would be rerouted into adjacent White Bear Lake. Maximize efficiency of pump use for wells adjacent to lake. This reduces the use of the aquifer in some areas, which will reduce the rate of water leaking from White Bear Lake. Some wells in the northeast metro area have mor... 04/29/2013