Newman's Neighborhood

Minnesota, what a place to live!

2010-04-06T00:56:00.004-05:00

About three months ago I had the pleasure of chatting on the phone for about 1/2 an hour with a prospective relocating buyer. Now this buyer was potentially moving from Chicago but was concerned about our climate. She was very unaware of the similarities in the climate of our two communities so much so that I think she was trying to get me to answer whether we had grass or if she would need cleats for her ice boots year round! Where did she say she was moving from?!

She continued to ask me about local activities and if there was anything to do up here. If you know me well, you know I passionately talk about a lot of things but when it comes to knowing this great state that I grew up in, I get a little juiced up when I get to share my knowledge.

I have to tell you, after some recent events in my life, I wish I had the chance to talk with her for the first time all over again. If I had that chance, I would share these three experiences with her:

Experience #1: The Minnesota State High School League Boys Basketball Tournament.

The B-Ball Tourney is nothing new for me, in fact, my dad and I were talking and we have only missed one year since I was a freshman in high school. We were on a family vacation out of state the year we missed. That means dad and I have shared our annual tradition for 18 years. Wow, how time flies. This year was one of the best sets of games we have seen in recent years. Every year it seems we talk about the Red Lake vs. Wabasso game that we witnessed during the late 90's. It was a multiple overtime game with both teams scoring in the 100's. I don't think any game will ever top that one! Minnesota puts on quite a tournament every year featuring some very good teams.

Experience #2: My daughter in the great outdoors in March.

We have been having a very early spring complete with some temps in the 70's but the day I witnessed my daughter on her scooter on our driveway, the temps were more February like than June like. She decided she should put on her snow boots and helmet and ride around the driveway a bit. Now this normally would have been a great March activity if her main article of clothing wasn't a leotard. I think the neighbors were pretty close to calling someone. Note for my new Chicago friend: In Minnesota you can get by with hopping on your scooter in March in snow boots and a leotard.

Experience #3: Target Field (And the Twins too!)

Wow! Did I say wow? After painfully sitting for years in the blue plastic seats of the Metrodome which are more appropriately positioned for a monster truck rally, the fans of the Minnesota Twins are in for a treat that may just bring a tear to the eye. My brother-in-law Brad and I witnessed this past Saturday's Twins exhibition game at Target Field against the Cardinals. The weather could not have been more perfect. The food was great, the seats were pointed at home plate, and we got to see multiple jet airliners pass between us and the occasional white fluffy cloud in the mostly bright blue sky. There are so many perfectly planned little details around the stadium. One of my favorites was seeing the photos of all of the fans and small town ball fields throughout Minnesota at the Town Ball Tavern. If you haven't made plans yet to see the stadium, make sure you make it a priority this year. You can still get tickets at the Twins official website or you can visit stubhub.com to buy tickets from a season ticket holder.

Don't forget, you don't have to be a relocating buyer to take advantage of and appreciate all our state has to offer. I have already been having a blast in 2010 and we haven't even gotten the boat out yet!

Leave a comment and share with me some of your favorite Minnesota experiences!

I've Got the Fever...

2010-03-29T23:51:00.004-05:00

And the only cure is more cow bell. Oh, wait, that is a Saturday Night Live Skit. I think the real cure for my fever is going to be a trip to Target Field. It seems every where I turn or whoever I talk to the topic these days seems to be on our Minnesota Twins and their new stadium that they will be debuting this coming weekend with a couple of exhibition games.

Speaking of Twins, yes that is right; your NewmanSellsHomes.com spring magnet is on the way featuring your Minnesota Twins’ 2010 schedule!

It became quite apparent over the last few years that this little tradition of sending out Vikings and Twins magnets has a bit of an impact on my “fan base.” For example, this last summer/fall I was a bit behind on getting my Vikings magnets out. I received a phone call from one of my past clients making sure I hadn’t forgotten to send their Vikings magnet to them. This last week I had a similar experience. I was at a funeral visitation and I had one of my long time magnet recipients come up to me and ask where his Twins schedule was. I’m not sure how you feel about my real estate related mailers but I know one thing for sure, if I didn’t send out the sports magnets I might have an uprising on my hands.

Have no fear, you have my commitment that the annual Twins and Vikings magnets that I send out will be coming your way until I retire or someone stops me from sending them out. Whichever comes first.

If you aren’t currently on my mailing list and would like to be added, shoot me an email with your phone, email, and mailing address and I will gladly add you to my list. Here is to another successful Twins season and the beginning of a new era for our Minnesota team!

Trees for Toys 2009

2009-12-11T23:45:00.003-06:00

This past Saturday, our office and company held our annual Trees for Toys open house. This event has become an absolutely fantastic event for so many reasons. We get a chance to reconnect with our past clients, friends, and family; we share a little holiday spirit while enjoying some goodies; and we collect toys for Toys for Tots which benefit children, teens, and families in need.

So how does it work you might ask? Each agent in the office has the opportunity to purchase a tree or wreath for their past clients or anyone they would like. The agent then invites the client to pick up the tree or wreath and join us for a holiday open house complete with goodies, Santa, face painting, temporary tattoos, plus much more. We ask everyone to bring a toy to be donated to Toys for Tots if they are so inclined.

This year we were able to add a new element to our party which was the addition of two Marines who joined us on behalf of the Marine's Toys for Tots program.

My wife Jessi took the photos of all of the kids who sat on Santa's lap including my troop.

She also got to snap a few photos of big kids as well. My dad got in on the action on this one!

Our day was another huge success. In the end we collected 252 toys between 10am-2pm this past Saturday. Santa even took a photo with our collection.

If you are in the Shakopee area next year on the first Saturday of December, please stop by and join us for the party. I would like to thank everyone who joined us this past Saturday for your generous toy donations.

Don't forget, we are collecting toys right up until December 20th so if you would like to donate, stop by my office anytime. We are located at 8170 Old Carriage Court in Shakopee.

Have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Won't You Be My Neighbor...

2009-11-08T22:57:00.004-06:00

Looking for a very clean nicely updated 2-story in a fantastic neighborhood? Oh wait, it's my neighborhood!

Click here to check out the virtual tour of 1808 Alden Avenue in Shakopee.

Call or email me to schedule a private showing of this 4 bedroom, 3 bath, 2002 built home priced at $259,800!

Have a great week!

Potential Tax Credit Extension

2009-11-02T22:17:00.001-06:00

There has been speculation and rumblings about the potential tax credit extension so I thought I would post an update on what I know as of today.

If you would rather watch the 6 minute video from the Minnesota Association of Realtors click here.

In case you would rather take a couple of minutes to read, here is my brief recap:

Legislation would:

Extend current 1st time home buyer tax credit of $8,000 from December 1st, 2009 thru April 30th, 2010.
Expand tax credit to anyone who has lived in their home for at least 5 years in the amount of $6250 also thru April 30th, 2010.
The extention and expansion listed above would require contracts (purchase agreements) to be on a home by April 30th, 2010 with a closing date within 60 days of the 30th of April.

Remember, the extension and expansion above has not yet passed but it looks like it is well on its way. Stay tuned for updates right here at NewmansNeighborhood as they become available.

Have a great week!

Adopt-A-Highway

2009-10-23T16:45:00.002-05:00

I thought I would share with you a couple of photos of my new team beautifying the roadways in Scott County!

Our Coldwell Banker Burnet - Scott County office that I manage is involved with several organizations/events that give back to the communities in which we live, work, and play.

One of our projects includes Adopt-A-Highway. We have a 2 mile section of County Road 16 in Savage.

Our group of about 20 was able to tackle our stretch of road in about 30 minutes this year! Great team work!

Our current project is collecting food items for the Scott County CAP agency food shelf. If you get a chance, we would love to have you stop by with a food item. We are located at 8170 Old Carriage Court in Shakopee.

Have a great weekend!

A rainy but successful tailgating party!

2009-10-09T23:04:00.000-05:00

The weather could have been a bit better but nevertheless we had a very successful tailgating party.

As you can see from the pictures, we had a steady rainfall during the entire event. Thankfully I have done quite a bit of tailgating during my Vikings season ticket ownership days so I was well prepared for the elements.

Yep, that's the official NewmanSellsHomes.com tailgating tent that I am grilling under in the 2nd photo.

Despite the weather and throwing the event together at the last minute, we had 29 people show up and 52 items were donated to the Scott County CAP Agency food shelf.

Thank you to everyone for your food donations and for stopping by to share a brat and some football talk. I am already planning the same event for next year but I am going to plan a little more in advance and I am going to order some better weather. My goal is 100 people next year!

On a side note, I am wearing my Favre jersey to antagonize Larry who lives in the house you see in the background of the photo above. He is a huge Packer fan!

Thanks again to everyone for your support! Enjoy another Vikings season and Skol Vikings!

Tailgating is still on!!!

2009-10-05T15:47:00.000-05:00

Oh what to do? A little rain shouldn't stop some good old fashioned tailgating should it? I have all the food and hope to collect some food items for the Scott County CAP Agency Food Shelf so I say let's do it!

Don't worry, I am setting up a tent at the edge of the garage and will have our garage open so everyone can stand in the garage and eat, drink, and be merry all while staying dry!

Please still plan on coming and enjoy some pre-game fun less a few outdoor games and football tosses.

See you tonight between 5-7pm!!!

Border Battle!

2009-10-05T11:30:00.002-05:00

No rain yet! We are looking forward to seeing everyone at the tailgating event this evening!

Are You Ready For Some Tailgating...

2009-10-01T12:17:00.005-05:00

If you know me well (or no me a little) you know that I am a huge Vikings fan. Nothing thrills me more than the fact that we now have Brett Favre on our team and we are playing the Packers this week!

In honor of this big event which includes Favre playing his former team for the first time, I wanted to concoct an idea that would allow me to have some fun in preparation for and in anticipation of the big game while giving back to the community in which I work, live, and play.

Our Coldwell Banker Burnet office recently became an official drop off site for the Scott County CAP agency food shelf so I thought there couldn't be a better way to get people involved then having a tailgating party to benefit the food shelf.

So here is the plan: NewmanSellsHomes.com will sponsor a tailgating event right before the game and provide Brats, hotdogs, chips, and beverages. We are asking that anyone who attends bring a food shelf item that we will donate to the local CAP agency.

For more information on the CAP agency or to check out what type of items are needed for their food shelf, visit their website at www.capagency.org.

If you live in or around the Shakopee area and are interested in attending this coming Monday, text or call me at 612.719.9245 and I will get you more information on our little party.

You can still own a little piece of summer in Minnesota!

2009-09-25T14:47:00.005-05:00

Thought we were done with summer and heading into fall? Think again!

Check out this fantastic new listing in Eden Prairie. You even get a little piece of summer with this one in the form of an in-ground swimming pool!

Click the pool photo or visit NewmanSellsHomes.com and click on Featured Homes for a virtual tour of this home. Text, email, or call me to set up a private showing.

We will also be holding an open house this Sunday September 27th from 1-3pm.

Where has Newman gone?

2009-09-04T14:39:00.003-05:00

Where has Newman gone could mean so many things! Well first of all, I haven't written a blog entry for exactly 49 days. Where did Newman go?

Second, where is Newman physically located? I can't seem to find him in his Chaska office. Where did Newman go?

Third, "why is dad gone all the time?". Where did dad (Newman) go?

If you look below, I wrote a short post about heading on vacation and then fell off the face of the earth. We had a fabulous vacation by the way.

While I was on vacation I received a phone call asking if I would like to take on an opportunity to move from managing the Coldwell Banker Burnet Carver County Office in Chaska to managing the Scott County Regional Office in Shakopee.

After careful consideration I made the decision to grab hold of the reigns of a new office. I returned from vacation on the 29th of July and was in my new office on the 30th. Hence, the lack of visibility on this blog and probably other places as well. Ah, that's where Newman went.

It has been a blast getting to know my new agents and my new office and I am very much looking forward to bringing my thoughts, ideas, and culture to my new office. After more than a month I am settling in and things are starting to feel normal. I am even finding some time on a Friday to write a blog entry!

If you are ever in the area, my new office is off of county 18 and highway 169 in Shakopee. If you are on that corner you can't miss us. Stop in and see me, I would love to show you around.

For all of you regulars to NewmanSellsHomes.com, I am getting ready to announce an exciting change to my website. Look for a new Home Search coming soon. More about that in next weeks post.

Have a very safe and happy Labor Day weekend!

Vacation Time!

2009-07-17T16:22:00.003-05:00

Vacation time is here! We are heading out for a good old fashioned family fun time vacation. I am hooking up the boat on Sunday and off we go for a week full of lake activities in the Grand Rapids, MN area.

If you have any real estate needs while I am gone do not hesitate to contact my business partner Jessica Gorres at 612.518.2297 or jjgorres@cbburnet.com

Have a great week!

What is currently happening in the real estate market?

2009-07-10T09:54:00.014-05:00

Who says homes aren't selling? I am currently working with buyers who put an offer on a home yesterday that has 3 other offers on it. Here is the interesting part, the home was brand new to the market yesterday!

I thought I would share with you the latest YouTube video update on the Twin Cities market courtesy of the Minneapolis Area Association of Realtors.

Have a great weekend!

Let summer begin...

2009-06-29T11:35:00.006-05:00

Summer is already flying and it has only just begun! As you can see by my lack of blogging as of late my real estate business has been a bit busy this spring! That is very fun to say after the real estate market was not that great in 2008. 2009 has come in with a bang so much so that it has been hard to keep up with blogging, tweeting, and Facebooking!

Summer is only about a week old but with the 4^th of July approaching fast it feels like it will be over before we know it. We have already had some fun times this year visiting the Taste of Chaska (see the attached photo of the kids listening to live music) and some not so fun times getting swimmers itch (often referred to as “chiggers”) in one of our 10,000 lakes last weekend. I won't show you the picture of that!

Last night we hosted the 3^rd annual NewmanSellsHomes.com basketball team party at our home. We had a great time and had Famous Dave’s cater the event this year which ended up being a wonderful decision. They delivered the food, plates, napkins, sauces, and even the wet naps. All we had to do was recycle a few aluminum pans.

This last week Jessi and I celebrated our 8^th wedding anniversary and we had a fabulous evening out. We tried a restaurant that was new to us called Biella in downtown Excelsior. The food was fantastic by the way. We ended our evening by heading across the street to enjoy a movie at The Dock cinema. In true romantic style we saw The Proposal.

So what does this all have to do with real estate? Well, as important as the actual home you live in is, your community just may be even that much more important. I encourage you to explore what your area (and surrounding areas) has to offer and take part in the many celebrations and events that are happening throughout the summer. What a great way to get to know more about the many different businesses, services, and programs in the area while spending some quality time with family and friends.

In fact, my open house is just ending so I think it might be time to take down my open house signs, put the boat in a local lake, and explore a little nature. Have a great summer from all of us at Newman’s Neighborhood!

Home sales hot streak continues into spring heat

2009-05-20T17:01:00.004-05:00

I haven't given an update on the market recently so I thought I would share with you some great information that came out from the Minneapolis Area Association of REALTORS:

Minneapolis, Minnesota (May 12, 2009) – April home sales in the Twin Cities were even stronger than March's upswing, according to the Minneapolis Area Association of REALTORS® (MAAR) based on data from the Regional Multiple Listing Service of Minnesota, Inc.

There were 5,211 pending sales in April, up 23.8 percent from last April. This is the highest showing of signed purchase agreements in April since 2005 and the tenth consecutive month of year-over-year increases.

"Low rates and excellent affordability are what this is all about," said Steve Havig, MAAR President. "Buyers can see for themselves that opportunities are available and the time for action is now."

Of the month's pending sales, 46.0 percent were lender-mediated foreclosures and short sales—down from the last few months as more traditional properties are sold during the spring selling season but up from last year at this time.

The supply of homes for sale continues to experience sluggish growth this spring. There are currently 26,410 homes for sale in the Twin Cities, up 416 units from last month and down 18.4 percent from this time last year. The number of houses for sale for each buyer, as measured by our Supply-Demand Ratio, sits at 5.23 for May—down 28.6 percent from this time last year.

The median sales price for all properties in April of $153,000 is down 25.2 percent from a year ago. While this figure is mathematically correct, it is conceptually flawed. Since a higher share of sales this April were lender-mediated than last April, the number is skewed downward. The median April sales price of traditional homes was $205,000, down 8.5 percent from a year ago. Lender-mediated homes posted an April figure of $120,000, down 21.5 percent from a year ago.

"The overall median price in this market is misleading," said MAAR President-Elect, Brad Fisher. "The traditional and lender-mediated markets don't exist in separate vacuums, but they do include very different kinds of sellers and buyers. It is important to note the distinction."

Have a great Memorial Day Weekend!

Christmas In May

2009-05-10T14:09:00.016-05:00

This past Saturday our office had the opportunity to participate in the 13th annual Christmas In May event in Chaska. For the past 13 years the community has come together in the form of volunteers who work together to help make needed repairs on homes where the homeowner does not have the financial or physical ability to complete them on their own.

The repairs can be anything from landscaping to electrical and anything in between. This year between 40-50 volunteers joined together on our project which was just one of 5 projects going on that day in Chaska. Our project consisted of fixing a rotting wooden swing set, removing and replacing edging and rock around the entire home, cutting down tree limbs, and cleaning up a large lilac hedge among other items.

It was amazing to see about 50 people come together on Saturday morning to complete the majority of the work in about 2 1/2 hours. We started out removing old edging and sod, we then dug part of the trench for the new edging, we laid new weed barrier, and finished up by scooping rock into wheel barrows and pushing them around the back side of the home.

The day was extremely rewarding and it felt good to give back to one of the communities that gives us so much. An event like this truly shows what community is really all about. It also was great to use some muscles that do not normally get used throughout the work day!

If you would like more information on volunteering you can call 952.361.5350, if you know of someone who may need assistance with their home they can call 952.448.7715, or if you would like to make a financial or materials contribution you can call 952.556.1317.

Happy Mother's Day!

Contract for Deed: Good for Buyer and Seller!

2009-04-27T16:03:00.007-05:00

I attended a contract for deed continuing education class today which made me realize what a great blog topic CD's would be.

You may be asking what a contract for deed is exactly? In short, a contract for deed is a type of seller financing. Buyer and seller would agree on a sale price and would negotiate the rest of the financing terms including the down payment, interest rate, term, etc. The seller would then accept payments directly from the buyer over the course of the agreed upon term in lieu of receiving the entire sale price at closing.

So when would a contract for deed be a good option?

Although interest rates are phenomenal right now and there are great financing options available, there are some situations where a buyer does not qualify for traditional financing. Maybe the buyer has no credit or they had a few bumps in the road but have since shored them up. The buyer could have plenty of cash flow or reserves to purchase a home now but do not start their new job until a later date and because of that do not qualify for a loan right now.

Sellers have a great opportunity to open up their home to an entire new pool of buyers who may not be able to qualify to purchase a home otherwise. A seller may not have plans for the proceeds of the sale of their home and by offering a CD they may see the return on their investment dollars as a far superior one to other investment options they may have for their money. A contract for deed can also provide a seller with monthly income or cash flow while they hold the contract.

A contract for deed can be a creative way to get a buyer and seller who might otherwise not meet get together to form a relationship that might just be made in real estate heaven!

If you have questions on whether a contract for deed may be right for your situation, give me a call or shoot me an email.

Have a great week!

The Skinny is Out!

2009-04-21T13:01:00.002-05:00

Every month the Minneapolis Area Association of Realtors produces a fantastic (and short) video that gives the latest run down on what is happening in the local real estate market.

The April edition shows some very positive signs for the market. Sales are hopping and interest rates are low! Check out the short 3 minute video:

The April Skinny

Enjoy the 80+ degree weather that is coming our way this week!

Free Video Emails: Try Eyejot.com

2009-04-05T23:08:00.003-05:00

If I didn't drive Jessi crazy this evening she at very least thinks I am goofy. Oh wait, she figured out I was goofy a long time ago. I do not yet have a web cam (it will be here on Tuesday!) so I had to use her Mac this evening to record my very first video email. After several practice takes, I finally was successful in recording my very first video email that I will be sending out to the agents in my office tomorrow morning. Look out office here I come!

I stumbled on a free video email service called eyejot.com. Check them out, it is very cool. The system is very easy to use and as I mentioned it is free! The only downfall is that the videos are limited to one minute so for a guy like me who can get a bit windy, I may have trouble keeping my messages to one minute. I guess I can always send out multiple emails!

My primary intention for this new found toy is to use video emails to relay announcements to the 40+ agents in my Carver County Office in Chaska. Who knows, I may also use them every once in a while to relay information to my buyers and sellers.

I sure had fun making my first video so if you want me to send you a sample to see how it works just let me know and I will be happy to create a personalized video just for you.

It sounds like we are going to have a pretty nice week of weather this week. Enjoy the warmth and sunshine and if I don't get another post done at the end of this week have a happy Easter!

Mortgage Rates May Be Near the Bottom

2009-03-26T23:46:00.006-05:00

Interest rates hit an unprecedented low over the past week or so. Rates for a 30 year fixed rate mortgage were hovering right around 4.75%. Unbelievable! So if you are thinking about refinancing or buying a new home and are planning on holding out a little longer until rates get down to the low 4's, you might want to rethink that strategy.

I recently red an article in The Wall Street Journal (www.wsj.com) entitled "Under 5%, Mortgages May Be Near The Bottom." The article referenced projections for the coming year of rates anywhere from 4.5% to 5.5%.

What was the reasoning for the projections? An increase in refinance applications has backlogged mortgage lenders forcing them to keep workers on overtime. If lender costs are increasing, the chances for them lowering rates and competing on price is not very good. A decrease in the number of mortgage companies may also cause a further decrease in competition which in turn will naturally cause rates to move a bit higher.

Perhaps the most exciting part of the article referenced the fact that these fantastic rates will most likely cause the prices of homes to hit bottom this year if they haven't already done so.

We have really seen sales in our market pick up over the last two months and I think the combination of great rates, low prices, and a good inventory are to blame! Whether refinancing or buying, you may want to get out there and take advantage of these great rates sooner than later.

I am going to take a day off tomorrow to rest and relax in preparation of busy times ahead! I am off to the MN Boys Basketball Tourney with my Dad tomorrow! Have a great weekend!

How much money do I need for a down payment?

2009-03-20T13:54:00.009-05:00

What a great question and I recently realized how relevant it was. The media has created a misconception that if you want to buy a home today you need to have at least 20% down.

Fortunately that is just not true! I was talking with a very good friend of mine the other day and in our conversation I realized he thought 20% down was the standard. This guy is a well educated business man who knows his stuff when it comes to financing. It dawned on me that if he thought 20% down was the norm then everyone probably thinks the same.

Here is the great news of the day. There are several programs out there that are available that allow you to purchase a home with less than 20% down. The most popular of those right now is the FHA program which allows you to purchase a home with as low as a 3.5% down payment. Of course there are always qualifying criteria but I encourage you to give me a call or shoot me an email if you have more questions. I will gladly refer you to a great lender who can answer all of your questions.

Oh, and don't forget it is always fun to "shop" for homes at NewmanSellsHomes.com. It doesn't cost a thing!

Have a great weekend!

Twitter Away!

2009-03-13T14:03:00.003-05:00

All of this social networking is amazing to me. I wasn’t sure at first about it but now I have jumped in full force! I even have incorporated this stuff into classes and presentations for the agents that I manage, coach, and train.

I have decided that our society is only going to become more mobile so why not embrace it. I have really become a fan of Facebook and believe there are both social and business benefits that can come from it. But what is this Twitter thing all about?

From what I know about it so far, I compare Twitter to the “Status Update” piece on Facebook. Twitter doesn’t have all of the photos, games, etc. but rather simply tracks what you are doing throughout the day. You can follow anyone you like and they can follow you.

I really don’t think my life is all that exciting and in fact I think it might be quite ordinary. So why would people be interested in my every move? I still haven’t figured that out yet and don’t think they probably really are all that interested. On the other hand, I do find myself to be intrigued by many of the status updates that I read on Facebook.

So why “Tweet” or “Twitter”? One of my colleagues here at Coldwell Banker Burnet shared with me a phone app called Twitterberry that allows you to update both your Facebook and Twitter status’ at the same time from your Blackberry. So I say, why not.

Let me know if you are on Twitter because I would love to follow you.

As you can see from the widget that is on the upper right hand corner of this blog page, you can follow me on Twitter right from NewmansNeighborhood.com. Want to know more about this crazy phenomenon? Check out the Twitter website at www.Twitter.com.

Happy Socializing!

Foreclosure Search Now Available at NewmanSellsHomes.com!

2009-02-26T23:14:00.005-06:00

Should I be including foreclosure properties in my home search? Are foreclosure properties really a good deal? Does it make sense to invest in a foreclosure property right now?

These are all very good questions and I have been hearing them all a lot lately. While I am not excited that there are several foreclosure and lender mediated properties on the market right now, I am pleased to announce that we have added a specialized Foreclosure Search to the Home Search at NewmanSellsHomes.com.

To access the various search features, click on Home Search at NewmanSellsHomes.com and you can choose any of the tabs that run across the top to search for Active Listings, Open Houses, or Foreclosures.

If you don't like searching from the map, you can also select to search using County/City, Address/Zip, School District, or Body of Water by selecting the appropriate Search Type under the search tabs.

Another hot tip if you are using the map search is that you can change the type of map you are using. By simply clicking the the links in the upper right hand corner of the map you can switch between a Street, Hybrid, or Aerial view. The Street view looks like a street map, the Hybrid is a combination of a street map and a satellite view, and the Aerial view is a satellite view which allows you to see actual neighborhood views of the homes you are searching.

So how about the answers to the questions above? Well, those can be complicated. It really depends on your individual situation and what goals you are trying to accomplish. If you are interested in potentially purchasing a foreclosure property give me a call and I will be happy to help you make the determination if a foreclosure property may be right for you.

$8000 First Time Homebuyer Credit

2009-02-18T16:20:00.002-06:00

So what is this about a first time home buyer credit? Who qualifies? Is it a loan or is it a true credit? All of these are great questions which I will address below.

Here is a quick rundown:

The credit is available to first time home buyers or anyone who has not owned a home for the last three years.
The buyer must live in the house for at least three years, or they will be obligated to pay back the credit.
The purchase must be made between Jan. 1, 2009 and Nov. 30, 2009.
Buyers must make less than $75,000 for singles or $150,000 for couples. (Higher-income buyers may receive a partial credit.)

A huge positive and a change from the most recent tax credit that was available is that the newly passed $8,000 tax credit does not have to be repaid. The previous $7,500 credit that was available acted more like a loan which had to be paid back (interest free) over 15 years.

I have also attached a link to a CNN article that is a bit more detailed than this explanation and includes examples of different tax refund scenerios.

http://money.cnn.com/2009/02/13/real_estate/homebuyer_tax_credit_finalized/index.htm?postversion=2009021712

Along with a fantastic inventory, great prices, and low interest rates, this newly passed tax credit makes it the best time in history to buy a home!

As always, consult your tax advisor for your particular tax situation but I am always available should you have additional questions. Just shoot me an email, text message, or phone call.

Have a great Wednesday!

Eric

2777 Pampas Court, Shakopee, MN

2009-02-06T15:03:00.003-06:00

I want to share a fantastic listing I have in Shakopee with you. This home is priced at $289,900 and the sellers are also offering a permanent interest rate buy down for an interested buyer. That means a buyer would get an interest rate below the current market rate for the life of their loan!

To view a virtual t our of this home you can always visit NewmanSellsHomes.com and click on Featured Homes or you can click the address in the title above.

Weather sounds like it will be beautiful this weekend. I hope you have the opportunity to get out and enjoy it. Jessi is gone with Avery on a business trip so I am hoping to take the boys outside a bit!

Have a great weekend!

$7500 Tax Credit

2009-01-29T09:14:00.008-06:00

If you are a first time home buyer or have not owned a home over the past 3 years you may want to take advantage of the $7500 tax credit that is currently available.

There is new legislation in the works that may turn the current $7500 tax credit (which is essentially a 15 year interest free loan) into a full blown grant that would not have to be repaid.

I have attached 4 links below to some great information on the new legislation as well as the current tax credit.

Send me an email or give me a call anytime if you are looking for more information.

Star Tribune Article

CNN Article

IRS Info

The National Association of Home Builders has a well done site that thoroughly explains the tax credit.

Home maintenance...

2009-01-26T00:45:00.005-06:00

Gotta love it!

This weekend was a great reminder for me that I have to be sure to prep my first time home buyers for potential moments to come.

I came home late on Thursday night to find that my garage door would not go up. Of course this little hiccup was not the end of the world at all and in fact it is a minor inconvenience but why do these things happen when it is -5 degrees instead of 70?

So through playing around with manually lifting the door up (my wife pulled out her farm girl pipes to help out!) and mechanically putting it back down I eventually ended up with the results above. If you can't tell from the photo, the door is a bit kitty-wampus! (is that how you spell that?)

I found a couple of problem spots and tried some minor nuts and bolts fixes but still could not get the door fixed by myself. So now who do I call to fix a garage door? This is a question I thought other people might have as well so I thought I would share my thoughts and give you some options.

Your first option is to find the little bright orange tag still connected to the door track that has the installing company's name and phone number on it. That worked for me but what happens when you don't have that information handy?

I have a wonderful 2nd option for you! My company has a division called the Coldwell Banker Burnet Home Resource Center. The HRC can provide you with quotes or contact information from pre-screened contractors, handymen, moving companies, plus much more! Give them a call any time at 952-820-HOME (4663) or click the link above.

Here's to the convenience of working garage doors and remote openers!

Cold Days, Hot Real Estate Market...

2009-01-16T09:53:00.003-06:00

or at least a warm one any way! The real estate market received a positive shot in the arm when WCCO TV aired a report two nights ago on our current real estate market. I won't go into any more detail as I figure the story will have more impact if you simply watch the short video clip. Here is the link: http://wcco.com/consumer/metro.housing.market.2.908738.html.

If you have an opportunity to stop by to shoot the breeze this weekend, I will be hosting an open house from 1-3 on Sunday at my listing located at 2777 Pampas Court in Shakopee. My business partner will also have our listing at 1737 Philipp Drive open that same day and time. Have a great weekend and stay warm out there!

It's a Fine Time to Buy!

2009-01-12T15:13:00.004-06:00

The snow is falling, the wind will start blowing soon, and tomorrow we are supposed to have a high temperature of -5. There isn't a better time to be buying a home!

In all seriousness, there isn't a better time to be buying a home! I don't believe there has ever been a time in history where we have seen low prices and low interest rates at the same time. As of today, our lender was reporting interest rates in the upper 4% range for a 30 year fixed rate mortgage.

To make that rate even better, our company recently rolled out a special buy down program that allows a seller or buyer to buy down that rate by a 1/2 point which would bring it into the low 4's for the entire length of the loan.

Combine that great news with a projected inventory of 8.36 homes for every buyer along with an average sale price that is down by 13.1% overall in the twin cities and the buyers should be jumping out of their sneakers in anticipation!

As far as money availability goes, there are many financing programs out there for buyers to take advantage of. If you know of anyone thinking about making a move or investing in a 2nd home, this just may be the best time ever to realize those dreams.

As always, if you want more specific inventory or interest rate information or have any housing related questions at all, do not hesitate to contact me. Enjoy the snow out there!

Trees for Toys

2008-12-22T16:23:00.010-06:00

Tis the season for being a little behind with everything including this posting! I wanted to share the success we had again this year with our annual Trees for Toys event. Each year we invite clients and referral partners from the current year to join us for a holiday open house where they can visit with Santa, his reindeer, and pick up a Christmas Tree or Wreath as a thank you for their business and referrals. We also ask them to bring along a toy if they are able which we donate to the local Toys for Tots organization.

The event has been a fantastic one and the last couple of years we have opened it up to anyone who would like to see Santa and his reindeer and enjoy some goodies and holiday cheer with us! Of course we are not able to give everyone a tree or wreath but that doesn't seem to be a problem with anyone.

Jessi has been our photographer the last couple of years and has done an excellent job of capturing the moments when each child sits down on Santa's lap. Some of them have been good and some of them have been down right entertaining (not so good)!

Thank you again to everyone for your business and referrals throughout the year and for joining us at our open house. A special thank you for all of the toy donations. Thanks to you, our company was able to collect over 9100 toys this year at this event!

Have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Exterior Illimunation, Stage IV: The Holly and the Ivy...

2008-12-12T08:50:00.008-06:00

Or is it the garland, tree, and wreaths? Wow is it a good feeling every year when I finish the lights! Last Saturday I picked up our fresh cut tree for our front porch from our Trees for Toys event at my office (more on that in my next blog entry). I used last years roof line lights to decorate the tree and the garland that is swagged across the front railing. The garland by the way came from our local boy scout troop. You will notice the color difference between the porch lights and the roof line lights. We still like the porch lights better but the roofline lights are LED energy savers so we are going to stick with them.

I also hung a wreath on every garage light. You can see one of them below.

And here it is...

the final product from dead on.

Here is the final product from our cul-de-sac. Maybe next year Jessi will let me put a blow up Santa on the front yard. Okay that is doubtful but I am going to add some lights to my evergreen trees in the back corners of my lot.

Here's to hoping you are moved to let a little Clark W. Griswold out of your personality in the coming years. Remember, it isn't too late to throw some lights up this year!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Holiday Open House: Come visit Santa and his reindeer!

2008-12-03T16:02:00.007-06:00

For some silly reason I had this idea in my head that this holiday season would come at a much slower pace and we would be able to sit back and relax the entire month of December. As usual, here we are 22 days away from Christmas, it feels like we have a lot to do yet, and this month might be as hectic as ever! Tis the season!

No matter how crazy and busy the holidays get, there always seem to be those times when we get to slow down and appreciate each other and soak up the spirit of the holidays.

Well, the first opportunity is just days away! NewmanSellsHomes.com along with my Coldwell Banker Burnet office in Chaska is holding a holiday open house for the 7th year in a row this coming Saturday December 6th.

For the 2nd straight year, Santa and his real live reindeer will be available for photo opportunities and for the kids to share their wish list with Jolly old St. Nick. We will be holding our open house (see the attached flyer) from 10am - 1pm at 510 Chestnut Street in Chaska.

So here is the really cool part about our open house. Not only is it great to drink some cider and enjoy some goodies with past clients, friends, and family but we also give our guests the opportunity to bring a toy to donate to Toys for Tots. Our office has a goal of collecting 200 toys this year which will be delivered early next week to the local charity.

If you have the opportunity to join us this Saturday we would love to see you. If you also are able to bring a toy to help a child that may not normally receive a gift this year we will gladly make sure it gets to a local child in need through Toys for Tots.

I hope to see you this weekend! Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a Happy New Year!

Exterior Illumination: Phase III

2008-11-27T00:31:00.004-06:00

Well, phase III is complete! I have both roof lines and the garage doors done which was my goal to have completed before Thanksgiving.

The fourth and final phase will have to wait until a week from Saturday. Every year I place a fresh cut Christmas tree on our front porch and we hang a swag of garland on the front railing.

The boy scouts dropped off the garland a few days ago but the tree will not arrive until December 6th.

Once I have finished decorating the porch I will post the fourth and final exterior illumination entry for your viewing pleasure.

One quick hint that I came up with this year involves the garage door lights. The "Light Tacker" worked great for the garage door lights by the way! Of course, the light string length never works out perfectly for the door frames and because of this there has to be a partial string of lights on the ground that goes between the big garage door and the little one. My old C7's used to allow me to remove bulbs without affecting the rest of the lights in the string. These new LED lights do not allow me to pull bulbs without knocking the whole string out. Because of this, I came up with the idea to wrap black electrician's tape around the 10 bulbs that I needed to hide. It worked perfectly!

Once again I have attached a link to a classic clip of Clark W. Griswold's light display in one of my favorite movies "Christmas Vacation" which you can access by clicking on the title above.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Exterior Illumination: Phase II

2008-11-24T16:30:00.015-06:00

If there is one thing I have learned over the years it is that when it comes to exterior illumination you have to be flexible. Now I am not talking about my particular athleticism either.

I originally thought I would be writing about "Phase II: The lower level roof line" but I had to complete a blended phase II over the weekend. Because I purchased all new lights this year, that meant I also had to re-clip all of the lights where in the past I could simply pull out the lights from the previous year and get at it. I realized in a hurry that I was going to run out of clips and still had lights that I could hang. Solution: put up as many of the lower roof lights as possible and then shift gears to hang garage door lights.

You will see from my photo that I made it to the peak of the garage before running out of clips. I then started to hang the garage door lights with my new toy the "Light Tacker" (see below). I have to black out some lights with electrician's tape that run along the ground to the 3rd garage stall but will do that in phase III on Wednesday of this week.

I thought I would briefly talk about equipment as a good set of tools is key to a successful light display. Last year I purchased a high quality Werner extension ladder which is probably the single most important tool in my arsenal.

I'm a little higher than you may think!

I also made a small purchase this year to add to the excitement! The "Light Tacker 3000" (okay it is really called the "Light Tacker" but I thought I would add "3000" to spice it up a bit) has been a very nice addition so far. This is not your ordinary staple gun. The little white pieces shown directly below the staple gun are placed between the light strand and the staple to prevent a staple from entering the strand directly and thus shorting out the lights. Pretty slick!

I also use the universal light clips shown above to attach the lights to both the shingles and the gutters. It is a great all purpose clip that works on several different surfaces as well as with several different types of lights.

I should be done with phase III of my display by Wednesday night and will post another blog entry early next week. Phase IV involves a fresh cut Christmas tree which won't be available until December 6th.

As an added bonus, click the title above to view a classic clip of Clark W. Griswold's light display in one of my favorite movies "Christmas Vacation".

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Exterior Illumination: Phase I

2008-11-19T10:50:00.015-06:00

The holidays are fast approaching so I thought I would write about a Newman family tradition that started when I was a kid and has continued on as Jessi and I started our own household.

Clark W. Griswold has been an idol of mine for many years and in fact, I like to think I have a little "Clark" in my blood. From lights to Christmas music to all kinds of other holiday traditions, we like to celebrate the holidays to the fullest. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not quite as aggressive as some of the local radio stations who started playing holiday music earlier this month but nevertheless I like to try to take it to the extreme. Thankfully, Jessi has the common sense to hold me back and keep me from going too overboard!

Our tradition has included decorating the interior of our home during the weekend after Thanksgiving but I like to have my "exterior illumination" completed and ready to hit the "on" switch the day after Thanksgiving. This past weekend I started on phase I of my project. As you can see from the photo above, I like to get my upper roof line completed as early as possible before the snow, ice, and frost settle onto the roof for the winter season.

I also decided to go to LED lights which meant I had to replace all of my lights this year. The downside is the initial cost of new lights while the upside is the energy savings that we will see over the next several years. Another bonus of these fantastic lights is that they rarely burn out. Every year it seemed like I would get the upper roof line up and within an hour or less I would have to climb back up to replace burnt out or broken bulbs. Not the case this year!

Besides the initial cost, the only other downside I can see so far is that the lights are not quite as bright. Jessi also thinks they are a little more blue than white and I will have to agree as they are a little less white/yellow than I thought they would be. Maybe that's not necessarily a bad thing though because as I was crawling around my roof after dark the other night, my neighbor across the street came out of his garage to let me know he liked them better than last year's lights.

I think we just may officially have a great start to the holiday season! I can't wait to share with you the next 3 phases of my project coming to a blog near you. It sounds like this weekend's weather should be prime for some light hanging and roof crawling so be sure to check back soon!

Happy Halloween (A Day Late)

2008-11-01T08:05:00.010-05:00

For a change, I am not going to tie this entry at all into Real Estate. Except for maybe the fact that a great neighborhood can sure be a bonus. Wow was it fun seeing all the kids out and about last night. It seems like there are more and more ghosts and goblins every year. That probably has something to do with the fact that we are not the only family on the block who has added multiple children to our brood since we moved in!

Well the Newmans were successful at being sick two Halloweens in a row! Tate was sick a year ago and when Avery had a fever earlier this week we thought oh boy, here we go again. Avery was feeling just fine for trick or treating but our fears were realized with both Beckett and Tate battling the fever yesterday. (Notice how I put "the fever" instead of "a fever". Jessi loves when I talk or write like that!**) Tate and Beckett were feeling well enough to go out and collect some goodies from a few neighbors however. Besides, when Jessi goes to the effort of planning a theme, you can't leave behind one of the characters!

As you can see from the photo, Captain Hook, Tinker Bell, and Peter Pan made it out to a few homes before retiring for the night. Avery was especially putzy while we were walking the neighborhood and I kept saying, "Are you coming Tink?" My favorite was when she responded one time, "Dad, I love when you call me Tink."

Jessi started the tradition of carving the kids' names and ages in the pumpkins each year which I know we will appreciate some day when we look back at photos. Now we will have to see if a new tradition of themed costumes for the kids is started. My sources tell me there is already a theme in the works for next year!

I hope you all had a wonderful, safe, healthy, and Happy Halloween!

**Sarcasm was applied here

Fall Clean Up

2008-10-27T13:25:00.004-05:00

What a beautiful day it was on Saturday! The fall colors have been some of the best this year mostly I think because we haven't had the wind blowing all the leaves off of the trees. Even though I have really enjoyed taking in all the colors this fall, I seem to have lost track of time and finally realized I better get some outdoor tasks completed before the white stuff starts flying!

Tate helped me out this year as you can see by the "leaf angel" he was making. He was pretty excited that our front maple is finally big enough to produce enough leaves to make a pile!

We took the time to lower the mower deck and scalp the lawn, we planted two new bushes, we drained the hoses and put away the hose carts, and we raked some leaves. I still need to get the hedge trimmer out and give some bushes a haircut, put away sandbox toys, put the patio furniture away, and dare I say hang Christmas lights! But we at least got a start on the chores for fall.

Here is a brief list of some things you may need to do yet before Old Man Winter comes to your neighborhood:

Winterize Sprinkler System
Rake Leaves
Drain Hoses and Put Away Hose Carts
Lower Mower Deck and Mow Lawn
Store Patio Furniture and Grill
Trim Bushes
Fertilize Yard
Wash Windows
Change Lawnmower Oil and Store
Prep Snow Blower
Hang Christmas Lights

Hopefully you have a few more things completed than I do but if not and this blog entry isn't enough to remind you that winter is coming, you probably got the message when you stepped outside yesterday and today! Not to worry, I hear we are in for a nice Halloween weekend this year.

Happy Halloween?

2008-10-17T12:42:00.008-05:00

A couple of the agents in my office forwarded this photo onto me which I thought was worth talking about!

The caption in the email below the photo said, "Halloween is going to Suck this Year!"My initial reaction was to chuckle but I also realized with the economic times we are living in there is some seriousness to the intended humor.

So how do foreclosures factor into the market? Each area is a bit different giving some true meaning to the phrase, "Every real estate market is local." In most neighborhoods the photo above does not even come close to representing a common street view. That being said, unfortunately there are some pockets within neighborhoods that are vaguely reminiscent. So do we have a foreclosure problem that is running rampant? No, I do not believe we do. Will we see some more foreclosures over the next year or so due to not only the economy but also questionable and illegal lending practices that have occurred in the recent past? Yes, I believe we will.

These are some interesting and some would even say "scary" (I thought you might like that Halloween reference) times we are living in. On the other hand, there have been some very positive indications lately that the housing market is headed in the right direction and many believe that a re-energized housing market will lead our country out of an economic slump. I was talking with several of the agents in my office the other day and one of them who has been in the business for 30+ years summed up the market like this:

"These have been some of the most unique and challenging times I have ever seen in this industry but at the same time none of us will probably ever see a better time for buyers. Usually if we see low prices we see high interest rates or vice versa. Right now we are seeing a fantastic inventory of homes, great prices, and great rates all at the same time. Investors, first time homebuyers, and move-up buyers should all be taking a careful look at the opportunities in this market."

I couldn't have said it any better myself. What a great time to be a buyer or even a seller who has lived in your home for a while and is looking to improve your quality of life. And as far as mortgage money goes, there are ample programs available to buyers right now.

So how will this trick or treating season turn out? Fortunately I saw a news cast last night talking about a very active Halloween shopping season. Despite a few vacant homes, it sounds like those ghosts and goblins will have a very scary Halloween after all!

What is happening in that crazy real estate market of ours?

2008-09-22T15:22:00.004-05:00

I have recently had several people ask me about this crazy real estate market we are experiencing. Is it a good time to buy? Is it a good time to sell? What is happening out there?

Unfortunately the answer is not a simple one but hopefully with help from the Minneapolis Area Association of Realtors (MAAR), I can give it a little more clarity. I have attached a link to September's "The Skinny" brought to you by MAAR. Take a few minutes to watch this video clip as I think it provides a lot of clarity to what we are facing.

In short, inventory is decreasing (good for sellers), buyer demand is increasing (also good for sellers), however prices seem to still be decreasing slightly (good for buyers). Talk about something hard to get a handle on!

The biggest factor in all of this appears to be lender mediated properties (foreclosures and short sales) which I can explain a little more in depth in a different posting. Even though demand is up and inventory is slowly decreasing, lender mediated properties are causing prices across the market to decline slightly. You will see in the video that median sale prices of lender mediated properties went down in August by 9.6% while owner occupied home prices only declined by about 4.3%.

So what is the answer? It is a good time to buy or sell? Buyers still have a fantastic inventory to choose from, interest rates have recently declined to under 6%, and as long as homes are priced well and properly staged, homes are selling allowing sellers to move on to make a great buy of their own!

Take a minute to watch "The Skinny". I would love to have your feedback and questions. Call or email me anytime!

Are we in a real estate crisis?

2008-07-20T13:59:00.007-05:00

Well I am finally back blogging! I would like to apologize to my many loyal blog readers who have had to wait for a new blog entry. (Okay, that was supposed to be a bit sarcastic!) In all seriousness, I haven’t had time to write an entry because the last few weeks have been pretty darn busy in the real estate world! That is some very positive news compared to the constant negativity we hear from the media in regards to foreclosures and the real estate “crisis” we are supposedly in.

Because of the increase in activity I thought I would keep this entry fairly short and share with you a link to a fantastic commentary on the market that puts foreclosures and our current market into perspective. This two minute video simplifies what is happening nationwide and sheds a pretty positive light on our current situation.

Now there is no doubt the economy doesn’t feel great right now and we are definitely in the middle of a real estate correction but buyers are realizing that combined with great inventory, a decrease in prices, and some of the lowest historical interest rates, the time to buy is now! Sellers are also taking advantage of some very nice opportunities to move-up and realize that even if they have to reduce their price they are gaining more on their purchase then they are “losing” on their sale. And as you will see in the video, if you purchased your current home before the year 2000, on a national basis you would still have gained 34% on your investment if you were selling today. Not bad if I do say so myself.

Enjoy the video from CNBC and have a positively great day!

http://www.cnbc.com/id/15840232?video=780461999

My Wife: The Entrepreneur

2008-06-30T11:50:00.001-05:00

Oh how the tides can turn. My wife Jessi, in a way has had a chance to walk in my shoes. And in a way, I have been able to see the different aspects of starting a business how she must have experienced it through her eyes. I don't know if I would call it refreshing but I would certainly say it is a very interesting change of pace!

Jessi took a 2 year maternity leave with the birth of our youngest son and in doing so discovered a new hobby. Her new hobby has been surfing a website called Etsy. This crazy website is a site that acts as an online boutique where individual sellers create their own "shops" and sell their wares. Ironically, a great deal of the shop keepers are stay at home moms who have decided to branch out from their main career to create a release away from their day job with the kids.

So this is where the entrepreneurial spirit comes out in Jessi. This blog entry may include a little bit of bias because this is my wife I am talking about but Jessi I believe has always had a talent for decorating, design, and party planning. She not only embraces but she epitomizes the phrase "Go Big or Go Home" when it comes to these hobbies. So it really didn't surprise me when she told me she wanted to go into business for herself.

What feels like overnight (now that I think about it, it may have actually been overnight), Jessi decided to create her own shop. Before I knew what hit me, Polka Dots and Pirates (http://www.polkadots-pirates.com/) was born. She isn't up and running quite yet but she will be soon. I won't go into detail on what she will be selling as she has created her own blog for that (http://www.polkadots-pirates.blogspot.com/) but I will tell you that she will be starting out by designing and creating party planning accessories for numerous life events.

What once was her job has now become mine. I am the main marketing and business start-up consultant for her new business. Okay, I am actually just a sounding board but it sure has been fun to watch her start a business from scratch much like I did about 7 years ago. If you own your own business you will probably relate to the fact that one of the biggest burdens is constantly thinking of new ideas and ways to stay on top of your game while bettering your business and your clients' experience with you. Jessi even said to me the other day, "Ideas are just swirling in my head right now and I can't stop thinking about my business. Tell me this will get better." I don't think my answer to her comment was one she wanted to hear!

So here we are playing role reversal. Instead of me asking Jessi if I can work with a client on a certain night or weekend, Jessi asked me this morning if she can have 4 hours on Saturday to work on her new business. I have a feeling scheduling work time on the nights and weekends may have gotten a little bit more complicated!

I am very excited for Jessi. In a way it has rejuvenated me and reminded me of the joys of starting fresh and new. She will do great I know. I just hope I have as much fun in the role of "marketing consultant" as I have imagined Jessi has had helping me!

Light Rail To Minneapolis: Mall of America Parking

2008-06-22T15:03:00.008-05:00

This past Thursday I had the opportunity to spend the day with 3 of my good friends at a Twins game at the Metrodome. Two of my buddies and I were coming from my house in Shakopee and our fourth counterpart was coming from Eagan. I suggested we meet at the Mall of America and take the light rail from there to downtown Minneapolis.

If you are taking a trip downtown for any reason I highly recommend trying the light rail if you haven't already done so. It is a very nice ride where you can relax and visit with the people you are traveling with or you can even get some work done or do some reading if you are traveling alone. Not only can you save on parking but with the gas prices creeping up on what seems to be a daily basis, you probably can save a fair amount on fuel costs as well.

Whenever I am going to a sporting event in downtown Minneapolis (and not planning to tailgate) I like to take the train. Most of the time I park at the MOA because the 28th Avenue park and ride lot is always full by the time I get there. On this trip I learned that the new ramp at the 28th Avenue park and ride is almost complete. This will be a fantastic option for future trips but for now the Mall of America is the place to park.

I always park on the lowest level of the east side ramp near a stairwell that takes me right down to the trains. I am a landmark guy so I always seem to find it with ease but to try to explain how to get their is a whole different story. I tried to tell my buddy coming from Eagan where to park without success so I decided to take note of where I actually was in the ramp for future trips.

If the MOA is a convenient park and ride location for you, I highly recommend parking in the East ramp. I usually come in on 24th Avenue and pull right into the middle of the East ramp. I take the first right into "Maine" or you can pull into "Georgia" and take an immediate left down aisle 9 or 10. You will want to drive until you see signs that say aisle E9 and E10. When you see a stairwell by those signs, park as close to that as possible. You can take the stairwell down to the bottom level, walk across the crosswalk in the bus lane and head to the loading station for the trains. You can purchase your tickets right where you load with cash or credit card.

It was a lot of fun to take in a game and some camaraderie with some near and dear friends but it was even better not having to deal with traffic afterwards!

An Early Father's Day

2008-06-08T23:24:00.005-05:00

A few weeks ago I heard a morning show describe the difference between Mother's Day and Father's Day. It was stated that Mother's Day is a day when mothers everywhere get to take a day off to enjoy doing something for themselves while dads watch the kids for the day. Father's Day was then described as a day very similar to Mother's Day in that dads get to be dads and spend a day by themselves with the kids.

I know they were attempting to be humorous and I did laugh quite a bit, but if their definitions hold true then I got an early Father's Day yesterday! Jessi and her three sisters spent the day shopping which left me alone with our three children. I decided the kids might get a little antsy if we stayed home all day and to be honest, I might go a little stir crazy myself. So what to do on a Sunday afternoon?

Prior Lake is just a few miles from our home so I pulled out my real estate map book to see if there was a park on the lake that we could picnic at. I immediately noticed the massive green space on the map that was labeled "Lakefront Park". In the 6 years that we have lived in Shakopee I can't believe I haven't discovered this gem until now.

I packed a picnic, loaded up the kids, and headed out to see what the park had to offer. This park has it all! We found a very clean picnic shelter fully equipped with bathrooms waiting for us to enjoy our lunch. The kids behaved very well and Tate and Avery were very patient as Beckett took his time finishing his lunch. We then headed past the skate park (which was of great interest and conjured up many questions from the kids) to the large playground. The kids loved everything but probably would say the pirate ship was their favorite.

After some playtime, I was able to coax the kids into taking a walk while enjoying some nature along a portion of the more than 3 miles of trails. We headed toward the swimming beach and on the way we saw turtles, dragonflies, and ducks to name a few. I found out that there is a sandy beach with life guards on duty as well as boat slips available to park and swim. I couldn't be more pleased about the boat slips. This will give me some more ammunition to hopefully convince Jessi that a boat would be a great idea for our family!

If you are ever in the southwestern suburbs looking for something to do, I encourage you to check out this wonderful resource. From party pavilions to beach volleyball, this place seems to have it all. They have a very comprehensive website to check out photos, maps, and more information on the available amenities. Just visit: http://www.cityofpriorlake.com/parks_lakefront.shtml With gas prices continuing to rise, this park may become a very popular entertainment venue for our family this summer!

To go green or not to go green?

2008-05-29T15:39:00.003-05:00

Have you seen the canvass shopping bags at Cub Foods or your local grocery store? Jessi and I bought a few a while back and they are fantastic! The larger bag allows us to carry more items than the standard paper bag, they save us empty bag storage space as we are no longer coming home with both paper and plastic bags, and of course they help the environment by not creating as much plastic waste and by saving our precious tree resources.

I recently made the decision to carry the green factor over into my business. If you are on my mailing list you may have already noticed that you are receiving less paper postcards and have begun to receive eCards from me advertising my listings and upcoming open houses.

Environmentally, to go green is a no-brainer. Where I stumble a bit is when I view it from a marketing perspective. Are eCards as effective in marketing my business and my clients homes? On one hand is the fact that everyone receives a lot of junk emails. You may not receive my email either because it is filtered out before you see it or because it is overlooked as unimportant. On the other hand, a lot of paper mail is simply tossed out as junk mail and never looked at. There is also the fact that an eCard can be more interactive. By clicking a link on an eCard you can view more information and photos and even access a virtual tour of a home you may be interested in.

Ultimately I want to do what is best for the environment but at the same time I have a duty to my clients to do the best job of marketing their home as possible. So this is where your opinion comes in. What are your thoughts on postcards via the mail vs. eCards in your email inbox?

Click the comment button below and let me know your thoughts. Tell your friends about this blog entry and let them weigh in as well. If you aren't currently on my mailing list or want to be added, send me your current email address to newman@newmansellshomes.com and I will include you on my eCard emails. Don't worry, I plan to send them out once or twice a month at the most!

Investment Properties - Now is the time to buy!

2008-05-15T13:01:00.006-05:00

I recently ventured into the land of investment property ownership. Jessi and I purchased a home with Jessi's mom and dad up in Duluth. We will be renting it this coming summer and school year to Jessi's sister and her friends who are all attending UMD.

Earlier in the year, I offered to find Jessi's parents a Realtor up in the Duluth area to help them find and negotiate the purchase of a home. I used the many resources of my company's relocation division to locate a qualified sales agent to help them out. I found myself so excited about the possibilities that exist for an investor in this market that I decided to jump into the market myself. Jessi's mom and dad gladly welcomed us in to the investment partnership and the rest is history. Well actually being a landlord is an ongoing process so technically the rest isn't history but rather future.

The process of finding and purchasing the property was a tremendous experience that made me realize that it would be a good topic to write on. First of all, being a licensed Realtor in the state of Minnesota means I could have went up to Duluth and represented myself in the transaction. The best thing that we did was enlist the services of a qualified Realtor who knows the Duluth area. He could speak to the many questions we had on the rental licensing process as well as to the local real estate market in Duluth.

So how do you decide if a property is a good investment? Great question. The first thing you should do is talk to a few lenders to find out what loan programs are available to you and how much money you will have to put down in order to finance an investment property. After you have determined how much cash outlay you will need and that you are qualified for financing, let the fun begin!

The next step is to determine what local rents are going for on the type of property you are purchasing. In our case we were buying a property near a college campus that would be rented by college students. We looked at available properties in local newspapers and college publications, talked to students that were currently renting homes, and used the internet to determine what college kids were paying each month to rent homes.

We then used the home search at http://www.newmansellshomes.com/ as well as my access to the Duluth multiple listing service to find properties for sale that fit our criteria. I then took the pertinent information (list price, taxes, and an insurance quote) on one of the homes we found to our lender to determine what our required downpayment as well as what our monthly payment would be to purchase that specific home.

From there I could take the downpayment and monthly principal, interest, tax, and insurance information and plug that data along with some other estimates into an investment worksheet that I have access to. We could then determine if our property would cash flow (if we would receive more money in rent each month than what our expenses including our mortgage payment would be), and what our return on investment would be. Once we determined that the homes we were looking at would cash flow and the return on investment was high enough compared to the risk involved, it was time to start looking.

For those of you who felt overwhelmed by those last couple of paragraphs, don't worry, this is where the fun begins. You now get to go look at homes and make a decision on whether to put an offer in on one or not! You still need to do the analysis mentioned above but that is something I am happy to help you complete and sort through.

There are other considerations you need to look at as well. For example you will want to factor in needed improvements or repairs, whether you need to hire a management company, and you need to find out if there are any rental licensing laws governing the rental of your home. Again, all things that I can help advise you on.

If the information above sparked your interest, do not hesitate to contact me. Whether you are looking for a home for a child at college, want a vacation home that could produce rental income, or just want to diversify your retirement portfolio, give me a call and I will be happy to either assist you with the process or will find you a qualified Realtor that works in the area you are specifically considering.

Happy investing!

The search for a Minnesota vacation rental

2008-05-06T22:59:00.015-05:00

Oh the joys of vacation! Jessi and I were the benefactors of a free week stay in Puerto Vallarta Mexico a few weeks ago. It was an amazingly relaxing trip where Jessi and I were able to enjoy a week away without the kids. Our vacation provided us with time to reflect and examine our lives. We were able to enjoy some quality time with each other, we missed the kids of course (but not until day 5 or 6!) , and it also made me realize how much I like to take vacations!

Coming back to work usually means surviving the first week and catching up during the second week. This year the third week after vacation was reserved for implementing the plan I concocted while in Mexico for our next vacation! Being away from the kids made me want to plan a fun-filled family vacation. This time I wanted to stay a little closer to home and take the kids "Up North" to one of our crystal clear Minnesota lakes where they can fish from the dock and frolic in the water. We have vacationed with our good friends Gary and Kelley Pankake in the past and our families seem to mesh very well while we are away so we decided to try our third trip together.

I have had some very good success in the past renting private vacation homes for our week long accommodations. We have had so much success in fact that I would be bold enough to say renting a home is the only way to go. Forget hotels and resorts, getting away with all the comforts of home is where a vacation truly becomes a relaxing getaway. My only suggestion is that you don't want to just jump into the vacation rental market without doing a little research.

So where to start? There are so many avenues you could take in your vacation home search but thankfully the internet and your email account provide you with everything you need. I believe the best place to start is craigslist.org. There are numerous lake home owners that are not able to utilize their lake place to the fullest so they offer it up for weekly rentals when they can't be there. My second favorite outlet are local chamber of commerce websites. For instance, the Alexandria, MN chamber website provides an entire section dedicated to accomodations and lodging including private vacation rentals. You can also check out sites like http://www.vrbo.com/ (vacation rental by owner) or http://www.lakeplace.com/.

Don't forget about the power of networking. You can email or call people you know that live on lakes or coworkers who have cabins and ask if they know of anyone that rents a lake home or if they would ever consider renting their lake place for a week.

No matter how you find the home that fits your families needs you need to dot your i's and cross your t's. The first thing I do is visit the Minnesota DNR website. I use the lake finder to locate and research the lake our potential lake home rental is on. I look at lake maps, depths, water quality and clarity, and if you are a fisher person don't forget to check out the comprehensive data on the fish in the lake.

You should also tell the owner what you are specifically looking for and ask them pertinent questions in regards to those needs. For instance, our families first priority is a sandy beach with a fairly weed free swimming area so our kids can lounge in the water. I always ask for photos of the beach area and the water clarity as well as photos of the inside of the cabin and outside areas as well. Make sure to find out if the home is fully equipped with cooking utensils, linens, etc. and ask what you are expected to provide. If you require a DVD player or TV with cable, don't assume they are included.

No matter how much research you do, always plan for the unexpected or if you don't plan for it, don't let it ruin your vacation. Always know something might not be perfect and chalk it up as part of the vacation experience.

Once you find the joys of renting a lake place you just might decide to start looking to buy a lake place of your own to rent out to other families. That is another post for another day but if you are thinking about purchasing a lake place now or in the future, shoot me an email or give me a call and I would love to help you with the entire process.

Enjoy your vacation and don't forget to not only plan for the unexpected but to expect the unexpected. It will make your vacation a whole lot more fun!

Where Did Newman Go?

2008-05-01T23:00:00.011-05:00

So you may be wondering where Newman went? Or maybe nobody read this thing so nobody is wondering where Newman went. That is probably more so the case!

My last posting was a little over a year ago on April 26th, 2007. So what happened? Well, a lot has happened over the last year. In early May of 2007 I was offered the Branch Vice President position at my Coldwell Banker Burnet office in Chaska. It was an opportunity I could not pass up so I jumped at the chance. I have spent the last year learning my new position while maintaining and making significant (but very positive) changes to my sales career. Unfortunately something had to give so I temporarily had to suspend some things like blogging, holding online webinars, and chatting live with visitors to my website.

The time has come for me to officially make it back into the blogging world! So where to start? Well, I have a few topics in mind including "renting a summer vacation home", "buying a boat", and "purchasing a rental property" just to name a few. I will save those for future postings but for now I thought I would tell you a bit about what my new job entails.

My primary job is to coach, train, recruit, and manage an office of about 50 real estate agents in the growing community of Chaska, MN. I have very much enjoyed leading a wonderful office that includes the familiar faces of the agents and the staff that I started with when I started my real estate career back in 2001. I have implemented a lot of new policies and procedures and am working toward creating an office of the future by implementing new technologies that will enhance and grow the careers of my agents.

I also continue to sell and NewmanSellsHomes.com is alive and well. I have hired a licensed Realtor to assist me with the day to day operations of my business. It has been a lot of fun making changes to my business that have positively affected my clients. Coaching and training agents in my manager role has caused me to step back, analyze, and make many positive changes to my sales business including how I market homes.

My blog may have disappeared for a year but now that I am teaching classes on "How to Blog" I thought this would be a great opportunity to bring it back. You will see posts that will be similar to ones I have written in the past but I will also put a different spin on some of them as I relate topics to not only sales but also managment. And whether you like it or not, I will also throw in an occasional personal entry to just keep things light and hopefully entertaining.

Welcome back to Newman's Neighborhood and I hope to see you again soon!

A Saturday at Como Zoo

2007-04-26T23:23:00.000-05:00

As a Realtor, I am often asked and need to know about all of the things that make Minnesota and the Twin Cities metro area such a great place to live. Jessi and I have lived in the southwestern suburbs for the past six years and I still haven't come close to seeing all the metro area has to offer.

Two Saturdays ago I found myself with a day alone with the kids so I thought what better way to educate myself on the areas attractions than to get out and see one of them first hand. I loaded up the kids and headed to the St. Paul side of the TC to check out the Como Zoo. I hadn't been there since my parents took me when I was young so I didn't really know what to expect.

Wow was I pleasantly surprised! I had recently heard positive reviews about Como but thought the opinions might be a little hyped up. Well I was wrong, the hype was completely justified. Even with no leaves on the trees and the grass still having a tint of brown, the grounds were clean and beautiful.

I was not the only one with the idea of visiting the como park area that day. Vehicles packed the parking lots and streets and took up almost every parking spot available. We ended up parking at a nearby picnic area within the park. The parking situation wasn't even annoying as it was a beautiful day which was great for a short walk to the zoo. The only regret that I had that day was that I didn't pack a picnic to enjoy outdoors.

We hiked to the nearby zoo and encountered families, walkers, runners, bikers, and couples strolling the many paths around the park, zoo, and conservatory. Before we even entered the zoo, we stopped to see Tate's favorite exhibit of the day. "The lady with the spiders!" The staff (which I believe consists of many volunteers) were numerous and very knowledgeable. We stopped to make our donation and headed into the zoo.

Not only is this a wonderful place to spend a day but it is completely free if you choose. They ask for a $2 donation for each adult and $1 for each child but they make it very clear on the signage that everyone is welcome regardless of whether you donate or not. By the way, the donation is well worth it!

Tate and Avery loved the animals including the baby giraffe, gorillas, lions, tigers, zebras, fish, and much much more. They were all easy to see even from the stroller. We stopped to listen to a zoo keeper talk about a barn owl that has lived at the zoo for I believe 16 or 17 years when these owls, which are not native to Minnesota, typically live only about 2 or 3 years at the most in the wild. It was educational and all around a wonderful day. And we didn't even make it into the new tropical rain forest exhibit or the conservatory!

For more information on the zoo, park, and conservatory, I encourage you to explore their website at http://www.comozooconservatory.org/.

I have decided that I can read all I want about local attractions but the best way for me to gain knowledge and to be able to recommend things to see and do is to actually experience them first hand. Minnesota has so many assets and we live in one of the best areas of the country with one of the largest selections of activities, destinations, and events. From the various museums such as the Science Museum of Minnesota and Walker Art Center to the theatrical venues, culture, and arts, I am geared up to take the family to as many places as possible. Look out Minnesota, we are coming to explore!

So what do you do for a seller?

2007-04-12T22:21:00.000-05:00

As promised in my last entry, I thought I would touch on the job duties that come into play when I help a seller sell their home. The very first thing I do is take a step back and remind myself that I am not selling a candy bar or a cell phone but rather a place a family has called home. I am selling the home in which children took their first steps or where a young couple began their life together.

There are so many of life's different milestones and emotions that can occur in a home. This is first and foremost the reason I do not take my job lightly and the reason (for those of you who know me well) that I am able set aside my ever present joking demeanor in order to provide the best service possible to my clients. Don't get me wrong, I still like to have fun and there always seems to be a time and place to bring a little humor and light heartedness into the process.

There are many of the aspects of helping a buyer that I mentioned in my last entry that apply to selling a home. For instance, my negotiation skills are a very important part of what I provide for both my buyers and sellers. Just as I do for buyers, I also bring my knowledge and ability to explain addenda, financing options, earnest money, tax proration, inspections and much more.

My use of technology is where I believe I stand out from the crowd when it comes to marketing a home for sale. I use reverse prospecting to market to agents who have buyers looking for homes matching my listings criteria. I also pull up all sales that have occurred within the last year in an area immediately around my new listing and accumulate the contact information for all listing and selling agents who are working in that area. I then contact them to let them know when I am holding Realtor tours, to let them know about open houses, or to simply give them information on my new listing.

When a Realtor lists a home, we are allowed to put a maximum of 10 photos on the multiple listing service. Not only will I post no fewer than 10 photos on the MLS, I also take it a step further and create a separate Featured Homes page containing as many photos as I would like on my personal website NewmanSellsHomes.com. I usually post around 20 photos for a single family home.

I am always looking for new ideas and ways to promote my listings. I am in the process of obtaining a system that will allow prospective buyers who are driving by one of my For Sale signs to send a text message while sitting in front of the home and instantly receive a message back containing information and 4 interior photos of the home.

To keep communication in the forefront for my clients, I incorporate a secure log-on page for each of my clients that gives them a place where they can go to find out what I am doing to market their home and to get feedback on showings.

As you can see, technology is a major part of the tools I use to promote my listings. There are many non-technology related aspects of the selling process as well. I provide all of my seller clients with photos and detailed information on similar homes that have recently sold in their area. In many cases, I also have my sellers accompany me while viewing homes that are currently for sale in their neighborhood. This helps us size up our competition while determining the best price for their home.

Providing clients with key statistics on the market including current supply and demand as well as interest rates so that we can accurately price their home is very important as well. I also make sure my sellers homes are in the best possible condition by giving them staging, maintenance, and condition advice.

As you can see guiding a client through all of the stages of selling a home can be complex and has many different aspects. I could go on writing more but do not want to go into too much detail in a simple blog entry. I don't want to scare you away from visiting my blog in the future! If you are interested in finding out about all of the marketing techniques that I implement when selling a home, feel free to contact me any time by visiting NewmanSellsHomes.com and clicking on Contact Info. All of my phone and email information is conveniently located in one spot.

I hope this information has been enjoyable, useful, and helpful. When you approach your next move I hope to hear from you and will look forward to working with you!

What Does A Realtor Do?

2007-04-05T22:49:00.000-05:00

I was driving down the road a few months ago with some clients of mine. We were heading to look at homes that they were potentially interested in purchasing. Mr. Buyer looked at me and said, “so if I have access to all of the homes that are for sale on the internet, what exactly do you do for me?” He and Mrs. Buyer had hired me to help them sell their current home and purchase their new home so he was joking of course but it did make me realize that there are probably some misconceptions and questions as to what I do exactly.

There are two main areas of my business. These include helping buyers purchase a new home and helping sellers sell their existing homes. These are two totally different realms with very different job descriptions so I have decided to talk about helping buyers in this entry and I will write about helping sellers at a later date.

Watching a buyer’s face light up when they walk in the door and fall in love with a home that I am showing them is one of the most rewarding parts of my job. Having the knowledge and ability to transfer that excitement into a successful purchase and enjoyable experience is the reason I have a job.

The client who I mentioned above was absolutely correct, there is little value in my house “finding” services for a buyer who is tech savvy and does a lot of internet searching. For example, all listings in Minnesota and Western Wisconsin that are listed on the Multiple Listing Service can be found by visiting the Home Search section at NewmanSellsHomes.com. You can even set-up a customized search that will alert you whenever there is a new listing that comes on the market.

There is a way that I can bring value to you during the house hunting process. Once you have determined where you would like to live, I am able to network with over 3000 agents within my company alone as well as several other agents with whom I have built a working network to find out about new listings before they even come on the market.

So with the exception of my ability to find out about pre-listings, if you are able to find homes on your own on the internet why should you hire me? I personally believe that a Realtor brings more value to the real estate transaction now more than ever. Transactions have become increasingly more complicated with longer purchase agreements and more and more litigation. I can help you through the twists and turns and hopefully avoid any issues in the future.

As I am looking at homes with my buyers, I can help give opinions on how homes compare to one another. I can point out positives and negatives for resale and can help determine the correct offer price. Once my buyers have located the home they would like to put an offer on, I always provide them with recent comparable sales to help them determine a price they are comfortable paying.

My experience with negotiating has become a key point of value for my clients. I am able to sort out the important points of the offer and take out the emotional aspects to help get the best price possible for my clients.

I personally believe one of the most important jobs I hold is making the entire transaction a walk in the park for my clients. I will explain the entire process from start to finish and make sure every piece of the puzzle is in place. This will ensure that there will be no questions, problems, or hiccups through closing and beyond.

There are so many other aspects that I help work with on a daily basis such as explaining earnest money, financing options, financing addendums and dates, inspections, tax proration, and much more.

For the person who is on the internet and has their home search under control you can see that finding homes may not be my biggest asset but rather the knowledge and experience I bring to the entire transaction may be the best reason to contact me when thinking about making a move!

A Sunday Off For A Realtor, Priceless!

2007-03-25T21:53:00.000-05:00

Sundays are generally a key day of the week for Realtors as we usually hold open houses or show homes to buyers. In fact, I can't remember the last time I have had a Sunday completely off. That streak ended today!

So what did I do with my day off? I spent some much needed time with my family! I started the day sleeping in. Okay, Tate actually woke me up at 6am as usual but I did get to take a little bit of a snooze on the couch while he watched Sesame Street.

After breakfast, Tate and I headed to Holiday to fill the Jeep with some gas, grab a coffee, and run the truck through the car wash. Tate loves when the car wash squirts the "colors" on the windows.

We all headed off to church at 11am, followed by lunch at Panera, with a quick stop at Menards. (Jessi ran in while I hung out with the kids in the car.) We made it home just in time to get the kids down for a nap. Okay, Avery had already started her nap in the car but was happy to continue it in her crib.

I decided to take Wrigley out to play some fetch with his favorite pheasant dummy while the kids napped. Wrigley was obviously in the house a lot this winter as it was pretty easy to wear him out this afternoon. While Wrigley took a break to drink some water, I decided the time was now to get my Christmas lights off the house. Yes, this is one of the latest dates I have removed my exterior illumination but the icy 2nd story roof prevented me from taking them down earlier. That excuse clearly was now invalid on this 70 degree day!

After the Christmas lights were packed away, I pulled the grill out of the garage, had my neighbor Troy help me get it up on my deck, and grilled some marinaded chicken. After supper we loaded the kids in the stroller and headed out for a walk. Tate even got to hold Wrigley's leash for the first time and it actually worked out pretty well. We finished the evening by reading books and putting the kids to bed.

Not only have I not had a Sunday off in months, I can't remember the last time I have had a day full of such quality family time. On a weekend that started with a slight feeling of guilt for not holding an open house on Sunday ended with a feeling of complete happiness and relaxation. A day off with my family has completely rejuvenated me and recharged my batteries for another busy spring market that is already underway. I am expecting my increased energy and production levels over the weeks ahead will more than outweigh any business that did not get completed on this unusually mild March day.

Is There a New Little Realtor On The Way?

2007-03-23T00:27:00.000-05:00

I want to thank everyone for visiting my blog over the last few days to check out Newman's Neighborhood! I have received a lot of nice emails and am looking forward to continuing with my entries. It is exciting to see how blogs are catching on. Within about 5 minutes of sending out an email this week letting people know I had created a blog, I had 15 hits on my website and they continued throughout the day at an increased level!

I originally thought I was going to shift gears for this entry and concentrate on a more informative real estate topic but what fun would that be!

Instead, I want to share some very exciting news from the Newman household. We are thrilled to announce we are expecting our third child in early October! We completely planned this but sometimes I wonder if we are crazy! Just yesterday Avery took a tumble out of her booster seat within a split second of me turning my back while I helped Tate. If I'm not quick enough to keep track of two, I can't help but wonder how I am going to handle three!

I've heard the transition from 1 to 2 kids is much harder than from 2 to 3 and I am banking on that! I have a friend that once told me upon finding out they were having their 3rd, "We are going from man to man to a zone defense." I always loved zone defense in high school so I am hoping it continues to be good to me.

So this brings me to an important question. Is our new addition going to be a Realtor? If not, which one of my children is going to be? Now that I will have three the odds are better that one of them will follow in my footsteps. If one of them does come on board will we change the website to NewmansSellHomes.com? Speaking of Newmans, maybe all of them will decide to join the team!

Okay, in all seriousness, I really am not concerned at all whether any of them join me in my career. My true hope is that they pursue whatever makes them happy and I want them to enjoy whatever job they choose as much as I enjoy mine. If one of them happens to choose a career in Real Estate that will be a bonus but regardless of their choice, I will be completely happy with whatever path they choose just as long as they eventually move out of the house!

Family Traditions!

2007-03-20T00:06:00.000-05:00

Well this is my first "go" at blogging! I am known at my Coldwell Banker Burnet office as the agent who is on top of technology and always looking for and trying the latest things to try to help my clients buy and sell their homes. Well, when it comes to blogging I am a bit behind the times as this is my first try at it. My hope is to add an entry every other day. Maybe it will be more, maybe less but my hope is that this will be enjoyable to read.

I would love your feedback as to what you would like to see on my blog. I want to provide relevant real estate content however I also want to make it light, fun, and somewhat personal.

I thought I would start out writing about an annual tradition I share with my dad as it is right around the corner. Every year since I have been a sophomore in high school, my dad and I have taken at least one day to attend the Minnesota State High School League boys basketball tournament. We are taking this Friday off to make the trip to St. Paul's Excel Energy Center to watch Minnesota's best teams battle for a championship title.

I used to be a Minnesota State High School League official so I love watching good basketball and over the years my dad and I have seen some great basketball. The one game that stands out is a game between Wabasso and Red Lake. The game was a shoot out with each team scoring over 100 points while taking the game into at least one overtime if not two. I think it might have been two overtimes but my memory is fading!

Even though it is great to watch the games, spending some time off with my dad has always been what makes our tradition special. We always go out to eat afterwards and over the years have tended to frequent Mexican restaurants at the end of the day.

So how does this relate to real estate you might ask? One of the most fun and rewarding parts of my job is helping clients find their next home. (If you notice, I never call a house a "house" but rather a "home". ) When you think about your home, your parents home, or your grandparents home, just think about all of the traditions that are shared between those walls or on those backyards. From trimming Christmas trees or hanging outdoor Christmas lights (exterior illimunation as I like to call it), to holding Easter egg hunts, or even playing an annual game of backyard football there are so many traditions that are associated with your home.

So when I see the face of one of my clients light up when they find their next home it isn't lost on me that they are not just about to purchase a place to live but they are purchasing their future and their memories and what life is all about.