Archive for the 'North Minneapolis' Category
Silly Property Repairs In North Minneapolis
August 1st, 2008 Categories: Minneapolis Home Buyers and Sellers, North Minneapolis, Real Estate News, Silly Property Repairs, That Flippin' House, Twin Cities Home Buyers
One of the Realtors that blogs has some great posts about stupid property repairs here in the Minneapolis area. I am blatantly copying his idea, but instead of calling it “stupid property repairs”, I’ll just call it “silly property repairs.” (Scott, consider it a compliment!)
Here’s a silly repair that my client and I found in North Minneapolis this week.
I call it Mini Door Knob. This was the only way to get the storm door open to get to the front door.
It’s always good times in North, that’s all I have to say!
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Minneapolis Real Estate Foreclosures are Tapering Off
July 31st, 2008 Categories: Minneapolis Home Buyers and Sellers, North Minneapolis, Real Estate News, Twin Cities Real Estate Economy
Good News - Bad News in the Real Estate Foreclosure Market
While the number of foreclosures is dwindling in North Minneapolis, they are rising in Hennepin County. It’s all a matter of time before these numbers shrink, as well. President Bush just today signed a bill to aid financially strapped homeowners and banks.
This situation has been a huge eye-opener for all of us in the real estate profession, as well as, those of you who have been considering buying a home. The rules have changed and we will now deny people who cannot afford to buy homes the chance to ruin our economy and mooch off us taxpayers.
Tough talk, tough times
I’m in the real estate business for the long haul, so I consider this a short term problem that will not affect my resiliency. I will continue to have a positive attitude about the future of our country and it’s economic growth.
I hope you will, too!
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Trust. It’s a Big Deal for This Realtor in Minneapolis, That’s For Sure. Let’s Talk Dual Agency.
May 22nd, 2008 Categories: Minneapolis Home Buyers and Sellers, North Minneapolis, Real Estate News, Twin Cities Home Buyers
Who do you trust, buyers? How about you, sellers? I just did a dual agency transaction. My seller in North Minneapolis wasn’t thrilled. My buyer wasn’t too concerned. Do I care? ABSOLUTELY!
Well, I think everybody’s happy. I’m not sure. Paranoia runs deep. When we do a dual agency transaction, we Realtors have a duty to the sellers and buyers to make sure everybody’s on the same page.
Best wishes to my buyers and seller!
3323 Morgan Avenue North…the gem of North
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Lucky Me, I’m a Realtor in Minneapolis!
April 27th, 2008 Categories: Minneapolis Home Buyers and Sellers, North Minneapolis, Real Estate News
I have awesome sellers! They know that the market has shifted. They know what they need to do to get their homes looking in tip-top shape. They know that they need to be competitive in this market. They know that I will be there for them and communicate with them at every turn.
Here is one of my favorite listings because of my client’s forthright effort to get her home perfectly posed to sell. She rocks!
This one is in North Minneapolis. She has worked very hard on it. It’s a beauty!
3323 Morgan Avenue North, Minneapolis
| Discussion: 4 Comments »
Empty Houses in North Minneapolis are Demolition Candidates - Uhhh…Gee, Do Ya Think So?
March 17th, 2008 Categories: North Minneapolis, Real Estate News, Twin Cities Home Buyers, Twin Cities Real Estate Economy, Twin City Sellers
After viewing hundreds of homes in North Minneapolis with my clients and seeing the obvious decay of some homes, it’s clear that they should be demolished.
The main issues are serious mold intrusion, dilapidated flooring, walls and ceilings, buckling and cracking cement floors in the basement, roof rot and subsequent surrounding areas, such as soffits, venting, etc., etc., etc.
The Strib came out with this story today:
One estimate says a third of foreclosed homes in north Minneapolis should probably be demolished.
One-third of the foreclosed houses inspected so far in north Minneapolis are candidates for demolition, according to the agency trying to rehab the state’s largest concentration of empty housing.
Carolyn Olson of Greater Metropolitan Housing Corporation (GMHC) said her nonprofit housing organization has been inside 157 of the hundreds of foreclosed North Side homes. It’s evaluating them for fix-up and resale.
But many pose a range of problems, from neglect issues like rampant mold to functional obsolescence due to size or floor plan. Some simply cost too much to fix. One house the agency toured contained only 500 square feet of space — less than a standard one-bedroom public housing high-rise apartment — carved into four apartments.
“That’s probably not a keeper,” Olson said.
Some houses have caving retaining walls. One otherwise nice triplex was covered in mold, Olson said.
One reason for the neglect, Olson said, is that about two-thirds of the foreclosed homes were owned by investors rather than occupants. “Some of that has not been very well taken care of,” she said.
Olson’s one-third estimate sounds low to one neighborhood leader, Roberta Englund of the Folwell and Webber-Camden areas.
“I think she’s underestimating it, without a doubt,” said Englund, based on her walk-throughs of similar housing.
“This is an American nightmare,” said Rep. Keith Ellison, D-Minn. Ellison represents the area and organized a discussion of foreclosure and credit issues Monday.
The event began with a street-corner discussion at 29th and Dupont Avenues N., where adjoining blocks average six foreclosures each in the past two years.
Even when the house is fixable, fixing isn’t simple. Every one that GMHC has encountered so far requires extra financing, because the market price of the renovated house is less than the cost to acquire and bring it to saleable condition. The state allocated $10 million that is being used to buy the North Side housing, while the city and state finance the rehab work.
“If the market keeps going down, the gap will be bigger,” Olson said.
Despite the obstacles, GMHC has purchase agreements on 43 properties, with offers outstanding on another 16.
City Housing Director Tom Streitz said that a process is needed to guide the rehab vs. demolition decisions of nonprofits. “I’m hearing that a lot of the stock is not going to pass the test,” he said.
“We’re very careful on what we would tear down,” Olson said. She said some of the candidates for demolition may still attract offers from investor owners.
Mayor R.T. Rybak has said he’d like the city to have a right of first refusal on foreclosed housing.
Ellison touted legislation introduced by Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass. It would provide up to $300 billion in new federal guarantees for loans that refinance at-risk borrowers into viable mortgages. It would also provide $10 billion in loans and grants for the purchase and rehab of foreclosed homes, similar to GMHC’s work.
Steve Brandt • 612-673-4438
My clients and I know what are “keepers” and what aren’t. And we don’t have to be rocket scientists (home/building inspectors) to figure it out. Let’s dump these dumps and restore this area back to it’s beauty, once again.
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Minnesota Lawmakers Looking in to the Foreclosure Arena - What are Those Rascals Up to Now?
March 4th, 2008 Categories: Mortgage Stuff, North Minneapolis, Real Estate News, Twin Cities Home Buyers, Twin Cities Real Estate Economy, Twin City Sellers
Minnesota Lawmakers are working on assisting folks with their home foreclosures. Read the rest of this entry »| Discussion: No Comments »
North Minneapolis - Icky Murder Update
February 16th, 2008 Categories: North Minneapolis, Real Estate News
I cannot tell you how disgusted I am with the latest murder of a fine human being in North Minneapolis. Thankfully, it’s only the second since the new year which is better than a lot of big cities.
I want to make it clear that we are still taking back North and won’t be stopped.
The father of one of boys who is responsible for this has come forward. Here’s the rest of the story, so far… Read the rest of this entry »
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Taking Back North Minneapolis - One House at a Time…Ya Gotta See This!
January 27th, 2008 Categories: North Minneapolis, Real Estate News, That Flippin' House, Twin Cities Home Buyers, Twin Cities Real Estate Economy, Twin City Sellers
Looking at several homes in North Minneapolis…their natural beauty, character, charm and ultimate sad disarray, my client and I have chosen just a few for her to return them into beautiful new gems of the North.
Or as I like to call them, “Stars of the North”. I also call them the “Best of the Bunch”.
Whatever you want to call these lovely homes, it is absolutely a thrill to take a true piece of art—turned in to a piece of trash—turned back into a true piece of art.
It’s taking a step back into Minneapolis history. I love it!
Make no mistake.
My client has done all the work, along with her helpers, taking these homes back to their natural beauty. Some of them are just a little beyond the point of original state, however, by today’s standards she’s got it down pretty close! Here is her latest at 1211 Irving Avenue North.
Here are the before pics…(click on each pic for a full view)
Here are the after pics…(click on each pic for a full view)
| Discussion: 4 Comments »
Minneapolis Foreclosure Boom - Everybody Get Off the Bus!
January 26th, 2008 Categories: Minnetonka Real Estate Statistics, Mortgage Stuff, North Minneapolis, Outside of the Box, Real Estate News, St. Louis Park Current Housing Statistics, St. Paul Current Housing Statistics, Twin Cities Home Buyers, Twin Cities Real Estate Economy, Twin City Sellers
There will be an end to the “foreclosure boom”. Foreclosure boom. That’s a funny term. Boom. Bummer. Blame. Yeah, that’s right, blame. I end it there. Have at it. Blame who and what you want.
Let’s just say… Read the rest of this entry »
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The Jordan Neighborhood of Minneapolis, Minnesota. A Neighborhood With a Future.
December 7th, 2007 Categories: North Minneapolis, Real Estate News, Twin Cities Real Estate Economy
I hang out there all of the time. What? Why would one do that? Am I crazy?
No, I’m not crazy.
The reason that I do that is Read the rest of this entry »
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