Some advice when selling your home
If you are thinking of selling your home, you may consider a few of these tips from me! I have been a Realtor in the Lake Minnetonka area for 24 years.
Curb appeal is so important! You will not get a second chance to make a good first impression. You and perhaps a friend should approach the front of your home is if it is the first time you have been there. Look for Peeling paint, damaged siding or loose gutters. Clean up and trim your landscaping, add some new plantings, flowers and fresh mulch or rock. Sealcoat the driveway? Patch dead spots in the lawn from pets. Pay special attention around the front door where the buyers will be standing for minute while the agent unlocks the door.
When your buyers enter the front door what do they see? A clean rug, no shoes or boots laying in the entry and fresh, unmarked walls should welcome them. Do your best to avoid cooking foods that could have strong or offensive odors. I have seen sellers keep cookie dough at the ready and bake cookies just before the showing. It really is appealing, leave out a few cookies for the buyers.
They say less is more? Declutter rooms throughout the home. One less piece of furniture here and there will make rooms seem more spacious. Of course you can leave some family pictures up, but maybe limit the number of pictures on the shelves and tables. Borrow some better artwork from a friend or relative?
Turn on the lights! Bright rooms are far more inviting and warm. Open the blinds and let the sun shine in. If you have bright sun be sure and dust furniture regularly?
A clean home is a happy home. Clean the refrigerator, wash windows, straighten up cabinets and closets. I know this sounds picky but a serious buyer will look at storage and will be impressed by your neatness and it will extend through the showing! Newspapers, magazines and clothing picked up? Clean the carpeting of spots? Freshen up paint? Clean and straighten up the garage!
Finish up the home repairs you started. Change furnace filters and clean the air exchange filters. A freshly mowed lawn always looks nice!
Call me if you would like me to stop by and take a look at your home. I will give you my honest opinion and comments to help you prepare for showings.
Always at your service,
Tim Landon
New Year’s improved housing resolution!
Happy New Year to all my clients, friends and neighbors!
It sounds as though 2013 is going to be a good year for real estate values in the Twin Cities and Lake Minnetonka area. According to Case-Shiller, home prices posted their largest annual jump in 2 years. Business Insider is saying that buyers will be rushing to buy homes and the housing recovery is just getting started. And J. P. Morgan has a base estimate that home prices will rise 3.4% and could rise as much as 9.7%. Any positive gain is just fine by me!
I personally think it is a great time for any first time buyer to step out of their rental and get into a house. With interest rates between 3 and 4% a house payment is about equal to what you pay for rent. Plus you gain the pride and privacy of home ownership.
With houses starting to move I think even the middle range homes in the $300 to $500,000 range will see some nice sales numbers this year. Consumer confidence and perhaps a more stable job market would help with these numbers.
Of course, we have all heard that new construction starts are on the rise! This is great news for excellent paying jobs in plumbing, heating, electrical, millwork, painting, landscaping and finishing work.
If you are considering buying or selling a home in the western suburbs, Westonka and Lake Minnetonka area please give me a call. Watch for my new ads in The Laker and Minneapolis/St. Paul Magazine.
Best wishes to you in 2013!
Tim
Merry Christmas and Many Thanks!
Dear friends and clients,
I just want to say THANK YOU for what has turned out to be a great year! My family and I are greatful for all your support and loyalty over the 2012 year. We had a huge change with a new broker buying our office, we are now Re/Max Advantage Plus. The transition was seamless and business seemed to improve. Thanks to YOU!
As we all know, the last 4 years in the real estate market have been rocky and more down than up? Whether we owned lakeshore homes, single family homes or condos, we looked at our assessed values each year and felt a shiver run down our spine. In my opinion that shiver may become a warm and fuzzy feeling in 2013.
I was so pleased to see numbers and the overall outlook turn positive across the board for several months in a row. Single family home sales are seeing the best reported numbers in years. Lake Minnetonka lakeshore homes, many in the upper bracket ranges too, are selling at a pace not seen in many years. Perhaps consumer confidence and low interest rates are a few of the reasons.
Another reason is that inventories are down too. While demand, due to low interest rates, is up. Economics 101 will tell us that lower inventory and increased demand will bring increased values/prices. This is great news that the market is stabilizing. Now is the time to buy!
Thanks again for a great year and I wish you and your loved ones good health and happiness over the holidays.
Tim
Home Sales and New Construction Homes on the Rise
We have all noticed it… Fewer “for sale” signs in front yards and now we are seeing “SOLD” signs clipped to the signs! Yes, inventories are down and buyer activity is up. I’ve said it before, the economic lines of supply and demand are moving toward each other.
We also know that things are improving when the “Oracle of Omaha” Warren Buffett is starting to buy up real estate brokerages. This year my own broker, Eric Malmberg, has purchase three brokerages in Spring Park, Excelsior and Minnetonka. We are going to expand our business in the Westonka area to new highs… Listing inventory is down in the Mound, Westonka and entire Lake Minnetonka area. You can easily see that the number of lake homes for sale on Lake Minnetonka is down.
Another true sign of recovery is that the foreclosure levels have fallen to new lows in 62 major housing markets! Our brokerage of 10 offices has a behind the scenes view of the foreclosures in the pipeline and they are at their lowest level in years. The market will stabilize in 2013!
Availability of new construction homes are at some of their lowest levels in 50 years according to a major research group. Now, building permits are on the rise. It is the American dream to own a home and then it is a bonus to have it be brand-spanking-new!
With these fantastic interest rates the average home sale price this year has gone up as much as 12% in some areas. Yes, 12%! Of course, some of that is an increase in value and some is due to inflation. It sure beats the last few years.
Give me a call if you would like to discuss the real estate market in your neighborhood.
Home For Sale Off of Minnehaha Parkway
Outstanding home for sale is one block off of Minnehaha Parkway in
South Minneapolis. This cozy cottage is located in the Shenandoah area with a wonderful community feel, easy walk to shops, dining and Nokomis Beach. This urban home retains its 1925 charm, but with many recent updates such as Andersen windows, stainless appliances, boulder retaining wall, asphalt driveway and more. The focal point of the living room is the wood burning fireplace with elegant custom mantle and surround. Enjoy the large windows that let in natural light and the beautiful hardwood floors.
This home boasts a stunning outdoor living room including a second wood burning fireplace. Enjoy entertaining friends and family on the patio among the beautiful perennial gardens. Outstanding landscaping in the front and back of the home as seen on the August 27, 2011 KARE 11 Grow with Kare garden show!
For more information on this wonderful Shenandoah area home in South Minneapolis CLICK HERE or contact me directly at 612-978-5471. To see other listings I currently have for sale in the Lake Minnetonka and surrounding area visit ALL MY FEATURED LISTINGS page on this site.
Fewer Short Sales and Foreclosures!
According to Money Magazine measuring the last quarter of 2011 and the first quarter of 2012, roughly 700,000 fewer homeowners are underwater or up-side-down in their mortgages! Underwater meaning that they owe more than their home is worth. This is great news! A person who is up-side-down in their mortgage can become a short sale or a foreclosure. In my opinion, the market is on the mend… Our office at Re/Max Advantage Plus has seen a large reduction in numbers of foreclosure and short sales. Yes, they are still there, but they are much fewer in numbers.
As an experienced Lake Minnetonka Realtor, inventory on Lake Minnetonka is actually down right now. There are more than 10% fewer homes for sale but all those buyers are still out there looking… I did an open house in the upper $500’s range and had 9 tours thru the open house.
I recently showed homes in Plymouth and Maple Grove and we were pressed to find a nice $300,000 to $400,000 home that was not near a major highway or on a busy road! And homes in the $150,000 to $200,000 are getting bought up by first-time buyers. I think the buying public realizes that we may have “hit the bottom” and it is a great time to buy!
A very successful business man, and super client of mine, once told me that when the press tells you the market is better it really happened 6 to 9 months ago. History shows that.
Well, I am telling you now, before the press releases, the market is better! Lock in these mortgage rates and these prices? Looking back 5 months… April thru August 2012, the median home sale was up anywhere from 10 to 13 percent. Real numbers, real positive numbers!
Good luck out there!
Tim
Confidence of Home Builders at a 5-Year High
Confidence of home builders in the U. S. is at a 5-year high! If this is the first time you are hearing of this news or if you haven’t had a chance to read the Bloomberg report that came out in mid-August 2012, then I encourage to click the link, Bloomberg , to take a read.
With property values being less expensive, mortgage rates at all all time low (check out the rates as reported by Mortgage Daily News), fewer foreclosures and faster hiring rates the U.S. real estate market is seeing home building on a rise.
Of the four regions of the U.S., the Midwest region showed the highest improvement in builder confidence. PulteGroup, the largest home builder based on revenues, and Home Depot both reported better than expected profits this past quarter. What great news to see both home builder and home improvement retailers showing improvements.
I primarily help clients buy and sell real estate in the Lake Minnetonka Area and this is definitely the busiest summer I have had in the past 5 years too. I have helped several people sell their home, buy a new home and I am currently getting many new leads on a great piece of land that is 11+ acres in the Mound Westonka area that would make a wonderful location for new construction. It is on 1600 Game Farm Road in Minnetrista just Click Here for more details on this piece of land and other properties I have for sale.
I truly believe Bloomberg when they say home builder confidence is at a 5-year high. I have been selling real estate for almost 24 years and have seen many trends. It is clear to me the activity in the housing market has been on the rise and will continue to climb!
Home Buying in Lake Minnetonka Area is Thriving!
Buying homes in the Lake Minnetonka Area has been a hot item this summer! Being a realtor in the Mound, Minnetrista, Wayzata and Excelsior area for over 23 years I have continued to sell real estate during all the market ups and downs. In the past 4 years, we have experienced some downward trend but we have entered the summer of CHANGE and GROWTH!
This has been a BUSY spring and summer when it comes to buying a house or selling a house in the Lake Minnetonka Area. This summer I currently have 11 properties for sale with another one coming on tomorrow, just click and take a look at all my Featured Listings.
In helping my home buyers and sellers this spring and summer, I alone will reach double digits in the number of units sold! In comparison to the last two summers, this growth is EXPONENTIAL and a definite sign that the REAL ESTATE MARKET IS IMPROVING!
Looking to buy a home? Now is the time! Today’s 30 year mortgage rate is 3.75%. This is an exceptional rate and NOW is the time to take advantage of it and buy a home. FHA and 15 year rates are also excellent, click on and take a look at all of Today’s Mortgage Rates.
Looking to sell a home? Again, it is clear the market is improving. Agents in the area are getting single and multiple offers that sellers are willing to work with to get a price they want. If you are looking to sell, I encourage you to click on Selling Your Home on my website YourLakeMinnetonkaRealtor.com and learn how I can help you.
I pride myself on being Your Lake Minnetonka Realtor and would love to help you in your real estate endeavors. If you have EVER been thinking about buying or selling a home, now IS the time!
NEW: Your Lake Minnetonka Realtor Website!
As of Monday, August 13th, my website TimLandon.com has now become YourLakeMinnetonkaRealtor.com! If you are a past user of TimLandon.com you may be wondering why I have a new site.
As technology and the world become more as one, so too must my website. YourLakeMinnetonkaRealtor.com is a new and improved version of TimLandon.com. YourLakeMinnetonkaRealtor.com still has great search engines to find properties for sale within the state of Minnesota. The new website also continues to have information for sellers and buyers but now with more functionality.
YourLakeMinnetonkaRealtor.com is more interactive and dynamic with slideshows, videos and interactive forms. This site can be used as your one-stop shopping to buy a house or to look for a realtor to sell your house. I have added more information about the schools, communities, restaurants and going-ons in the Lake Minnetonka Area. There are also many internal links to other helpful resources such as testimonials, financing, short sales and mortgage rates.
I hope you will take 5 minutes to browse through YourLakeMinnetonkaRealtor.com and see what you think. You don’t need to be buying or selling a home right now to take a look. My new dynamic website has much to offer besides home buyer and seller information. Enjoy!
By the way, don’t worry if you type in TimLandon.com, you will automatically be redirected to the new site YourLakeMinnetonkaRealtor.com
Lake Minnetonka Real Estate
If you have always wanted to buy real estate on Lake Minnetonka, now is the time! The Lake Minnetonka real estate market is in full bloom with homes for sale ranging from the 400’s to the multi-millions.
Just in this past month, I have sold three homes in the Lake Minnetonka Area. I have also helped many buyers purchase homes this summer. If you are interested in buying a home or selling a home in the western suburbs on Minneapolis, especially in the Lake Minnetonka Area, I encourage you to take a look through my new website YourLakeMinnetonkaRealtor.com
YourLakeMinnetonkaRealtor.com is an enhanced version of my current real estate website TimLandon.com. YourLakeMinnetonkaRealtor.com is a new and improved TimLandon.com site that has everything you’ll need to know about buying or selling a house in the Lake Minnetonka Area. This website is unique in that it offers you information not only on homes for sale in the Lake Minnetonka Are but also about the communities, restaurants, festivals, schools and much more in the area! You can think of my new site as a one-stop-shopping location for buying or selling Real Estate on Lake Minnetonka.
I would love your feedback on my new site YourLakeMinnetonkaRealtor.com. I encourage you to peruse through the site to see all it has to offer. Please let me know how I can help you buy that Lake Minnetonka real estate you’ve always dreamed of owning or to help you sell what you own today.
Home Ownership… It’s Your First Home
Are you thinking of buying your first home? Home ownership will probably be one of the biggest purchases you will make in your lifetime and it will also be one of the most rewarding!
Being know as “your lake minnetonka realtor” I have had the opportunity to work with first time home buyers in addition to past clients who come back to me to help sell their home or buy a different home. I have over 23 years of real estate experience and with that knowledge of the real estate market, especially for first time home buyers who are thinking of making home ownership a priority. If you are thinking of purchasing your first home I have four important first steps you should keep in mind.
1) Know your spending limit. Before you even begin to look at home with a realtor you should meet with a mortgage banker to see how much you qualify for and from there determine how much you want to spend. From there a real estate agent can help find the home that meets your needs.
2) Be ready with documents. Before you see a mortgage banker make sure you get your financial documents in order. In determining how much you qualify for in a loan a banker will need various financial documents from you: W-2, monthly bank statements (including checking, savings, and other types of saving accounts), and more. The mortgage banker you seek out for assist will let you know exactly what is needed.
3) Compare the lenders. I encourage you to shop around for the best interest rate on a mortgage. The amount of the loan you qualify for from a mortgage banker may not vary that much from other institutions; however, the monthly interest they charge may. The lower the rate, the lower your monthly payment which means either more money saved.
4) Prepare by saving money. When you meet with a mortgage banker you will learn there are different types of loans that require different amounts of money paid down at the time of purchase (the more money you put down at purchase time the smaller the mortgage you will have to take out). In addition, when you find a home and close on the sale you will also have to pay closing costs (typically around 1% of the purchase price of your home). Overall, the more money you have in savings the better.
As a first time home buyer if you take into consideration the four steps I mentioned, I believe you will find the home buying experience easier and more enjoyable, which buying a home should be!
If you would like help buying your first home or have any questions about mortgage bankers or the home buying process, please do not hesitate to contact me, Tim Landon, at 612-978-5471. I would love to put my 23 years of experience to work for you and get you in your first home!
Happy house shopping!
Why Go to Open Houses on Lake Minnetonka?
Click Here to Search CURRENT Open Houses
If you are in the market to buy a home or sell a house, I highly recommend visiting a variety of open houses on a Sunday afternoon. (If you are looking to buy or sell on Lake Minnetonka consider me, Tim Landon ‘Your Lake Minnetonka Realtor’, I’d love to help you.)
Open houses are a great way to see what type of properties are in your area or the area in which you hope to move soon. Every Sunday, you can search in the local newspaper or online for open houses. I also have a great tool on my current website www.lakeminnetonkahometeam.com to find open houses. These tools allow you to pick areas by city or zip code in addition to narrowing down your search by home price, number of bedrooms, and other criteria you may desire. (Just to the right of this webpage you can also see my upcoming/current open house.)
Clearly, if you are in the real estate market to buy a home it makes sense to visit a variety of open houses to see what is out there for sale. However, keep in mind another benefit of going to Sunday afternoon open houses is to meet various real estate agents who can help in your home search. I thrive on having an open house, typically one of my many homes for sale on Lake Minnetonka, so I can meet people just like you looking to buy a home. It is important you find a realtor you can trust, who will negotiate hard for you and who knows the area in which you want to make one of the biggest purchases ever in your life. I have lived in the Lake Minnetonka are for over 40 years and have been an agent for over 28 of those years. I have also had three homes of my own on Lake Minnetonka so if you are looking to buy a home on Lake Minnetonka I would love to assist you!
I also encourage you to consider attending Sunday afternoon open houses to look at real estate property even if you are in the market to sell your home. Again, attending open houses allows you to meet various real estate agents out there and interview them to potentially sell your home for you. Also, open houses give you an opportunity to see the prices for which other homes are going for in your area so you have a better idea of what your home may be worth. I throughly enjoy meeting new clients. When I meet sellers for the first time my goal is to get all their questions and concerns answered. One way I do this is by preparing a Market Evaluation for your home. This allows all of us to get a better understanding of what your home is truly worth then give us an opportunity to develop a sales and marketing plan to get you the most possible for your home.
I hope for you two things today: 1) if you are in the market to buy or sell a home that you find your way to some open houses and 2) if your home needs are in the Lake Minnetonka area that you make me part of your stop! CLICK HERE TO SEE MY CURRENT OPEN HOUSES
Good luck with your real estate needs, I truly home to meet you soon!
Best Regards,
Tim Landon
timDlandon@gmail.com
612-978-5471
Mound Centennial Celebration
Let the celebration of the Mound Centennial begin with the annual Spirit of the Lakes Festival!
Mound, Minnesota a small town made up of about 9,000 people just outside the heart of the Minneapolis suburbs and right on Lake Minnetonka is celebrating like no other. The annual Spirit of the Lakes Festival is normally a four-day event, but being this year is the centennial celebrations it will go on for ten days and many of the activities taking place at Surfside park and beach.
There is a lot to do, check out this event calendar to see. For activities Mound is offering beach volleyball, non-competitive 5K and 10K walk, competitive 5k and 10k run, adult triathlon, kids bike and run, kids fishing tournaments, skateboard competitions and more!
For entertainment there is a variety of live bands and dances (even square dancing!). There is always Thursday’s Music in the Park (Surf Side Park) to come and listen to but in addition there are bands and dances both Friday and Saturday night. The music tends to play until 11 pm or midnight. There is a Beach Bar, Tiki Bar , beer tasting and wind and sake tasting for adults to partake in, in addition to a wide variety of food vendors too.
For kids there are two parades: kiddie parade Thursday evening and grand parade Saturday morning. (I will be in the parade with Remax Advantage Plus and giving out pens, can coolers, magnets and Mr. Freezy pops.) Kids will also love to check out the kids arts & crafts and other various activities. If they can stay up past 9 pm, kids (and adults alike) will not want to miss the Fire Dancers and Fireworks show at dusk. Personally, I’ve seen this show year after year and it NEVER disappoints!
As you can tell, the annual Mound Spirit of the Lakes Festival and Centennial Celebration has MUCH to offer. I take part every year as a volunteer, family man and businessman (come check out the Remax booth and see the Remax hot air balloon get launched!). I would not miss this great celebration and I hope you will not either!