HALLOWEEN SAFETY TIPS FOR KIDS

There are many ways to keep your child safe at Halloween, when they are more prone to accidents and injuries. The excitement of children and adults at this time of year sometimes makes them forget to be careful. Simple common sense can do a lot to stop any tragedies from happening.

• Help your child pick out or make a costume that will be safe. Make it fire proof, the eye holes should be large enough for good peripheral vision.
  
• If you set jack-o-lanterns on your porch with candles in them, make sure that they are far enough out of the way so that kids costumes won't accidentally be set on fire.
  
• Make sure that if your child is carrying a prop, such as a scythe, butcher knife or a pitchfork, that the tips are smooth and flexible enough to not cause injury if fallen on.
  
• Kids always want to help with the pumpkin carving. Small children shouldn't be allowed to use a sharp knife to cut the top or the face. There are many kits available that come with tiny saws that work better then knives and are safer, although you can be cut by them as well. It's best to let the kids clean out the pumpkin and draw a face on it, which you can carve for them.
  
• Treating your kids to a spooky Halloween dinner will make them less likely to eat the candy they collect before you have a chance to check it for them.
  
• Teaching your kids basic everyday safety such as not getting into cars or talking to strangers, watching both ways before crossing streets and crossing when the lights tell you to, will help make them safer when they are out Trick or Treating.
  
• Make Halloween a fun, safe and happy time for your kids and they'll carry on the tradition that you taught them to their own families some day!
  
  Sharla Stafford, Realtor
  Coldwell Banker Burnet, Minnetonka Office
  Distinctive Homes Division
  Cell: 612.282.6895
  Direct: 952.470.2578
  Fax: 952.474.9583
  www.StaffordFamilyRealtors.com
  skstafford@cbburnet.com

Open Houses - Sunday, October 14, 2007

Time: 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM - Sunday, October 14, 2007
Address: 3416 Robinwood Spur
Location: Minnetonka, MN 55305

Time: 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM - Sunday, October 14, 2007
Address: 5695 Star Lane
Location: Shorewood, MN 55331

Time: 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM - Sunday, October 14, 2007
Address: 2295 Clover Field Drive
Location: Chaska, MN 55318

Coming Soon - 5695 Star Lane, Minnetonka

Priced at $394,500. A Colonial with 4 Bedrooms up, totally updated on a wooded lot.

New Listing - 3416 Robinwood Spur

Priced at $415,000. A beautifully executed renovation turns this 50's walkout rambler into a stunning home that rivals new construction. Every surface has been renewed - from the exterior to the interior - with new siding, windows, roof, mechanicals, wiring, plumbing, wood floors, carpet, paint, millwork, doors, & light fixtures! With a gorgeous, top of the line Gourmet Kitchen decked out with Stainless Steel Appliances, Granite Countertops & Custom Cabinets! 3 Bedrooms on the main floor and a spacious Master Suite complete with a full Bath with Spa Finishes and Walk-in Closet with Custom Organizers. Situated on a quiet cul-de-sac with a park-like backyard, fully fenced with new drain tile & irrigation system. With easy access to the entire metro located in award winning Hopkins School District.

Weekly Market Activity Report

While sellers continue to list fewer homes, buyers remain firmly in control in the Twin Cities housing market. New listings on the market for the week ending September 16 were behind the same time last year by 11.4 percent, while newly signed purchase agreements (pending sales) fell by 26.3 percent for the same time period. With slow sales comes decreased inventory absorption; the number of homes for sale is 9.9 percent higher than at this time in 2006.

CURB APPEAL 101: Fall Tips to Make Your Landscape Shine

1. Convince yourself that raking leaves can be fun. Rather than wait for a single weekend, break this chore into stages. Matted leaves can lead to insect and disease problems and smother your turf, especially cool season grasses like Kentucky Bluegrass.
2. To fertilize – or not to fertilize? Cool season grasses like Kentucky Bluegrass, fescues and perennial ryegrass often need fertilizer this time of year. Grasses that go dormant in the winter, such as Bermuda, Zoysia and Centipede may not. Visit www.lowes.com for information on soil testing and choosing the right fertilizer.
3. Repair and re-seed. Fall is a great time to repair a damaged lawn and re-seed. Fill any holes or bare spots with topsoil and add grass seed. It’s important to choose the right kind of grass for your growing zone; go to www.lowes.com to learn what’s best for your area.
4. Don’t forget to water. New grass in particular needs frequent but shallow watering. Once the grass is established, water deeply to reach the roots. To minimize the threat of fungal disease, water in the morning or early afternoon so that the grass blades are not moist overnight.
5. Prune with care. Pruning promotes growth, so be careful not to encourage growth when plants are about to go dormant. By all means remove diseased, dead or broken branches.
6. Transplant trees and shrubs. Autumn is a great season for transplanting trees and shrubs, allowing roots to get established before the cold sets in. Also, heat stress is not a concern. Visit your neighborhood Lowe’s Garden Center for a broad selection of trees and shrubs that can bring new life to your landscape.
7. Spruce up flower beds. Replace warm-weather annuals with seasonal favorites like pansies and mums. Clean out summer perennials and add a fresh layer of mulch, which can help protect plants from hard freezes.
8. Divide established perennials. If your perennials are looking a bit lackluster or overgrown they may need to be divided. The best candidates have large, healthy clumps and have been in the ground for
   years. By dividing these in the fall, you’ll enjoy healthier plants in more places next spring.
9. Plant ahead for spring. Foolproof and fabulous, spring-flowering bulbs put gardening within everyone’s reach. When choosing bulbs, focus on your favorite color, or try shades that accent already established plantings throughout your garden. For more information on cutting gardens, see “Bulbs in Bloom” at www.LowesCreativeIdeas.com/OutdoorLiving.

Weekly Market Activity Report

Twin Cities consumers didn't do much laboring to purchase a home over Labor Day weekend, as sales activity for the week ending September 8 was down significantly. There were only 500 new purchase agreements signed in the metropolitan area during the week, the lowest number since the beginning of 2007. New listings increased slightly from the previous week, likely buoyed by post-holiday relistings.

Top 10 Cities with the Highest Cost Loans
The Chicagoland area ranked highest in the country in total high-cost loans in 2006, according to data released last week by the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council. Chicago has led the nation in high-cost loans for the past three years.

"High-cost" loans are identified in federal mortgage lending data as first-lien loans with interest rates at least three percentage points above the U.S. Treasury standard. The U.S. Treasury standard stood at 5.19 percent in mid-July for a 30-year mortgage.

African-American home owners were nearly three times as likely to get high-cost loans as their white counterparts. Even when African-American applicants went through prime lenders, they got high-cost loans 37 percent of the time, according to the report. Latino home owners were twice as likely as white home owners to get high-cost loans. From prime lenders, Latinos got high-cost loans 19 percent of the time compared with just 9 percent of the time for whites.The top 10 areas for high-cost loans were:
1. Chicago-Naperville-Joliet
2. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale
3. Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario
4. Phoenix
5. Washington, D.C.
6. Atlanta
7. Houston
8. New York
9. Miami
10. Tampa, Fla.

Creating a Beautiful Autumn Lawn

Nothing improves curb appeal more than a thick, green lawn. Though summer is drawing to a close, now is just the time to stimulate a strong network of roots and top growth on lawn grasses. Here’s a short, nine-step course in keeping grass healthy. Much of the information comes from "Better Lawns Step by Step," by Joe Provey and Kris Robinson.

Mow regularly. Set the mower for 3 to 3 ½ inches. Cut no more than one-third of the blade height. Cutting too much shocks the grass and taller blades of grass allow fewer weeds to break through.

Keep the lawn mower blades sharp. Dull blades tear grass.

Get rid of the leaves. Heavy accumulations of leaves can weaken and kill grass.

Aerate regularly. Rent a core aerator that removes plugs of soil or hire a lawn maintenance company that uses instead of the kind that just punches holes. Go over the lawn three or four times.

Spread compost. Sprinkle it into the aeration holes. Don’t cover the blades of grass.
Lay 40 to 50 percent organic fertilizer over the soil surface after aerating and sprinkling compost.

Get rid of weeds. Use pre-emergent weed killer spring and fall. Pull the surviving weeds by hand. Only use chemical spot treatment if pulling them out doesn’t work.

Overseed existing laws with three to four pounds of seed per 1,000 square feet of grass. Chose top quality seed appropriate for your region.

Water, water, water.

Weekly Market Activity Report

The Twin Cities housing market is seeing huge week-to-week declines in seller activity as we enter the fall and the school year begins again. Just four weeks ago, home sellers placed 2,324 new houses on the market for sale; for the week ending September 1, only 1,659 new units were listed. Compared to one year ago, this most recent figure is a drop of 16.7 percent. Not surprisingly, buyer activity remains stunted as uncertainties in the mortgage market and a fragile consumer psychology persist. The most recent tracked week shows a pending sales decline of 22.5 percent from this time last year.

This week's edition of the MAAR Weekly Market Activity Report features several new updated figures. The Percent of Original List Price Received at Sale for July 2007 fell to 94.7 percent and likely will keep falling through the end of the year as the winter buyer pause creates additional short-term downward pressures on home prices. Mortgage Rates for September rose slightly to 6.8 percent, which, coupled with a slight seasonal decrease in the median sales price, caused the Housing Affordability Index to hold steady at 127 for September.

Weekly Market Activity Report

Sellers and builders continue to curb activity in the Twin Cities housing market, with the week ending August 25 posting only 1,874 new listings—down 9.5 percent from the same week in 2006 and even further from their early summer peak. Despite the decline in new seller activity, the number of homes on the market remains at a record high for this time of year with 34,225 residential units for sale. This persistently high inventory is due to slowed absorption caused by sluggish home sales; newly signed purchase agreements were 18.7 percent behind this time last year.
This week's edition of the MAAR Weekly Market Activity report features an updated September 2007 figure for our Supply-Demand Ratio (SDR). The SDR grew to 10.39, which means there are 10.39 homes for sale per buyer. This is an increase of 24.8 percent from last September, and this figure should continue to grow through December before declining in 2008 with the end of the winter season slowdown.

Weekly Market Activity Report

Activity in the regional housing market continues its downward trend as buyers and sellers respond to a changing market landscape. For the week ending August 4, newly signed purchase agreements (pending sales) posted 802 residential unit sales, down 15.4 percent from the same week in 2006. Sellers and builders are slowing their activity as well, as new listings were 8.0 percent behind for the same time period comparison. In the last 19 weeks, this is the 17th week of year-over-year declines in listings.

This week's edition of the MAAR Weekly Market Activity Report features updated figures for Percent of Original List Price Received at Sale, our Housing Affordability Index (HAI) and our Housing Supply Outlook (HSO). The average percent received at sale for July was 95.3 percent, down slightly from last month. The HAI held steady at 127 due to flat interest rates and home prices. And our HSO grew to a 9.7 months supply of homes on the market.

To see how the Twin Cities housing market performed in July, see our July 2007 Monthly Indicators. This report features a new format designed to be consumer friendly and easy to understand.

Open Houses - Sunday, August 19, 2007

Time: 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM - Sunday, August 19, 2007
Address: 2221 Lukewood Drive
Location: Chanhassen, MN 55317

Weekly Market Activity Report

As summer enters its final full month, both seller and buyer activity are beginning to gradually decline in the Twin Cities housing market. For the week ending July 28, there were just over 2,100 new listings on the market, down a few hundred units from the weekly velocity levels seen earlier this summer. Similarly, newly signed purchase agreements (pending sales) are down from the higher absorption levels seen in May and June. Compared to this time in 2006, new listings were behind by 1.9 percent and pending sales were behind by 22.0 percent.

This week's edition of the MAAR Weekly Market Activity Report features updated August 2007 figures for Supply-Demand Ratio (SDR) and Mortgage Rates. The SDR posted a figure of 8.57, which means that there are 8.57 houses on the market for every buyer. Mortgage rates held steady from last month at 6.7 percent. While rates have risen in recent months, they remain favorable relative to historical conditions.

Open Houses - Sunday, August 5, 2007

Time: 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM - Sunday, August 5, 2007
Address: 2229 Clover Field Drove
Location: Chaska, MN 55318

Weekly Market Activity Report

As the home sales slowdown continues in the Twin Cities housing market and throughout the country, slowed inventory absorption is keeping the number of homes for sale at record levels in July. There are currently over 35,000 residential properties for sale in the 13-county metropolitan region, up 12.0 percent from this time in 2006 and 56.7 percent from this time in 2005. The rise in inventory this year has less to do with new construction projects, as builder inventory has actually declined from this time in 2006 by 600 units.

Seller activity remains flat, with new listings for the week ending July 21 falling behind the same week last year by 0.5 percent. Buyer activity is even slower, with the number of newly signed purchase agreements declining by 10.2 percent for the same time period comparison.

Weekly Market Activity Report

Following the annual Independence Day break, the Twin Cities housing market rebounded the week ending July 14. Seller activity shot up almost 900 units from the previous week. There were 2,720 new listings on the market, down 4.2 percent from the same week in 2006. Buyers also returned from their holiday siesta, writing 893 new purchase agreements. While this is an increase over the previous week, it is behind last year at this time by 17.2 percent as the market remains in a relative power nap.

4 Tips for Cooling Down Your Energy Bills

You know August is approaching when temperatures are heating up and air conditioners seem to be constantly humming. Staying cool is on everyone's mind. But many home owners are equally concerned about how they can cut down on their energy consumption and reduce their monthly cooling bills. The American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE) has a few suggestions:

• Clean or replace air filters in air-conditioning units to keep cool air moving a reduce electricity consumption.
  
• Have an air conditioner tune-up performed by a qualified contractor.
  Make sure your attic, which traps a lot of hot air, is adequately insulated.
  
• Replace old equipment. A new high-efficiency unit not only pares down utility bills; it can help you qualify for a federal income tax credit. But before you buy something new, do your research. “Often people are so desperate to replace their equipment that they don’t take the time to research the investment, locking themselves into high cooling bills and less comfort,” said ACEEE researcher Katie Ackerly.

For more information log on to www.energytaxincentives.org/consumers

Weekly Market Activity Report

The word of the month for buyer activity in the Twin Cities housing market is "flat." For the week ending June 30, newly signed purchase agreements (pending sales) posted 926 units as compared to 924 units the week before and 925 the week before that—now that's consistency. The unfortunate reality is that this flatness is taking place during what is normally the peak season for sales growth. Compared to one year ago, pending sales were down 15.4 percent. Seller activity has also declined, but to a lesser degree; new listings were behind last year at this time by 3.2 percent for the same time comparison.

Weekly Market Activity Report

Week by week and month by month, we have been saying the same thing for well over a year now. The Twin Cities housing market is in a state of post-boom correction and recalibration; both buyer and seller activity are down from 2006. It's also important to note that the 2006 market was down from 2005, making our current activity levels seem even slower in comparison. Newly signed purchase agreements (pending sales) for the week ending June 23 were behind last year by 9.3 percent and behind 2005 by 33.8 percent. Seller activity is also on the decline, but to a much lesser degree than buyer activity. New listings for the same week were 2.2 percent behind 2006 and 0.8 percent ahead of 2005.

As of the morning of Monday, July 2, there are 34,630 single-family housing units for sale in the Twin Cities region, up 12.2 percent from last year and 60.2 percent from two years ago. Inventory growth has been less dramatic this year due to a relative drop-off in new construction activity. One year ago, new construction housing units for sale accounted for 19.4 percent of total inventory; new units account for just 15.2 percent of inventory today.

Five Inexpensive Ways to Revitalize a Kitchen

Replace the flooring. Install laminate floor over old linoleum, vinyl or chipped tile. It costs just $1 to $5 a square foot and looks like wood, stone or tile.
Replace the lighting. A new ceiling fixture costs less than $100 and will brighten up the place. Adding some under-the-cabinet lights will illuminate work surfaces.
Give the cabinets a new life. A coat of paint and new knobs is the cheapest way to go. If you’re able to spend $4,000 to $6,000 on the project, hire a refacing company to replace the doors and drawerfronts.
Refinish the appliances. For a few hundred dollars, an appliance refinisher will re-enamel your stove, refrigerator and dishwasher door in the color of your choice, including a stainless steel look-alike.
Update the backsplash. Replace the space between your cabinets and the countertop with fashionable stone or inexpensive wallpaper.

Open Houses - Sunday, June 24, 2007

Time: 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM - Sunday, June 24, 2007
Address: 4870 Woods court
Location: Greenwood, MN 55331

Time: 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM - Sunday, June 24, 2007
Address: 2221 Lukewood Drive
Location: Chanhassen, MN 55317

Time: 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM - Sunday, June 24, 2007
Address: 17652 Cascade Drive
Location: Eden Prarie, MN 55347

Weekly Market Activity Report

June is traditionally a busy time for the real estate community and the most recent reporting week is no exception, as Total Active Listings for the 13 County Metro area continues at a record level. While buyer and seller activity accelerated as compared to recent weeks, the Twin Cities market continues at a lackluster pace in comparison to previous years. Weekly Single Family New Listings are down 1.2% and Pending Sales are 17.8% below the same week in 2006.

Open Houses - Sunday, June 3, 2007

Time: 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM - Sunday, June 3, 2007
Address: 10 Hill Street
Location: Chanhassen, MN 55317

Time: 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM - Sunday, June 3, 2007
Address: 2221 Lukewood Drive
Location: Chanhassen, MN 55317

Time: 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM - Sunday, May 20, 2007
Address: 2500 Clover Field Drive
Location: Chaska, MN 55318

Go to http://www.staffordfamilyrealtors.com/ for more information. For questions, call Sharla Stafford at 612-282-6895.

Weekly Market Activity Report

I remain very optimistic about the market - it seems there are pockets that are selling quickly - coming back to location, location, location. So, please read the following info with the understanding this is across the Twin Cities - not necessarily specific at all to the West Metro. It's good information as this is what the general public reads/believes so does influence the market. Please call or email me if you have any questions. Here's the update:

The song remains the same from week to week in the spring Twin Cities housing market; new listings are flat relative to the previous year while buyer activity declines further. New listings for the week ending May 19 were 0.7 percent behind this time in 2006, posting 2,656 new units. Of these new listings, only 301 were new construction, bringing the new construction share of our total current inventory to 16.1 percent compared to 19.7 percent one year ago. Newly signed purchase agreements (pending sales) were down 21.5 percent from the same week last year, continuing the trend of significant declines seen in recent weeks.

The residential market discord reflects a period of widespread recalibration of home values, lending standards, housing affordability, supply-demand dynamics, and construction activity; and the climax of this is depressed consumer confidence relative to real estate. The frenzied boom we saw from 1998 to 2005 was so extreme that it necessitates the market correction currently underway. The uncertainty surrounding our shifting market causes angst for both consumers and REALTORS® alike, but the adjustments now taking place will inevitably lead to long-term health and stability to our market.

Weekly Market Activity Report

Buyer activity in the Twin Cities housing market remains low compared to the past several years, with newly signed purchase agreements (pending sales) for the week ending May 12 falling 21.8 percent behind the same week in 2006. Seller activity posted an increase of 4.7 percent for the same year-over-year comparison—the first annualized increase in four weeks.

Inventory continues to grow as the summer selling season approaches. There are approximately 34,000 single-family housing units for sale in the metro area, 11.6 percent more than were available at this time last year. New construction homes comprise 16.5 percent—roughly 5,550 units—of total inventory.

Open Houses - Sunday, May 20, 2007

Time: 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM - Sunday, May 20, 2007
Address: 10 Hill Street
Location: Chanhassen, MN 55317

Time: 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM - Sunday, May 20, 2007
Address: 2221 Lukewood Drive
Location: Chanhassen, MN 55317

Time: 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM - Sunday, May 20, 2007
Address: 2500 Clover Field Drive
Location: Chaska, MN 55318

Go to http://www.staffordfamilyrealtors.com/ for more information. For questions, call Sharla Stafford at 612-282-6895.

Weekly Market Activity Report

Buyers and sellers in the Twin Cities housing market continue to exercise restraint. There were just over 2,800 new listings for the week ending May 5—down 5.2 percent from the same week in 2006. Newly signed purchase agreements (pending sales) were 13 percent behind for the same time period. The total inventory of homes on the market continues its gradual spring growth, rising above 33,000 single-family units—up 11.8 percent from this time last year.

This week's edition of the MAAR Weekly Market Activity Report features updated figures for Mortgage Rates, the Housing Affordability Index (HAI) and the Housing Supply Outlook (HSO). Interest rates in May continue to hold steady at 6.1 percent. Despite no movement in these historically low borrowing costs from last month, the HAI dipped one point to 139 due to a slight increase in median home prices. The HSO increased to 8.5 months, which means it will take the current inventory of homes on the market 8.5 months to be absorbed by buyer activity.

Weekly Market Activity Report

As we approach the summer selling season, buyer activity remains relatively subdued when compared to previous years. Pending sales for the week ending April 28 were down 11.3 percent compared to the same time last year, while new listings were 1.8 percent behind using the same year-over-year comparison. The total inventory of homes on the market is growing as we near summer but not at the same pace as 2006 thanks to a needed curtailing of new listings by builders and sellers. Only 16.8 percent of the region's available housing stock is new construction, down from a 22 percent share in December of 2006.

This week's edition of the MAAR Weekly Market Activity Report features updated figures for both the Percent of Original List Price Received at Sale and the Supply-Demand Ratio (SDR). The April 2006 Percent of Original List Price Received at Sale was 95.9 percent, up slightly from the previous month. The SDR for May 2006 is 6.64, which means there are approximately 6.64 homes on the market for every buyer. The SDR should rise through the rest of 2007, as buyer activity will taper off in the second half while more homes continue to come on the market.

Weekly Market Activity Report

The key word in explaining the current state of the Twin Cities housing market is caution. There is a renewed sense of caution in the lending industry following the subprime mortgage market fallout, with lenders tightening restrictions on loan qualification. And buyers are showing continued restraint despite a market with improving affordability and a wealth of housing stock to choose from, possibly wary from the slew of anxiety-invoking media pieces on the housing market.
The effects of this caution can be seen in our spring activity, which is growing at a slower pace in 2007 than it did in 2006. Newly signed purchase agreements were 15.6 percent behind the same week last year and new listings were 7.1 percent behind for the same time comparison. Growth should remain gradual and measured in the coming months as we enter the summer selling season.

For more information on your city, click here:
Chanhassen
Chaska
Eden Prairie
Lake Minnetonka
Minnetonka
Victoria
Wiconia

Open Houses - Sunday, April 29, 2007

Time: 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM - Sunday, April 29, 2007
Address: 10 Hill Street
Location: Chanhassen, MN 55317


Time: 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM - Sunday, April 29, 2007
Address: 2500 Clover Field Drive
Location: Chaska, MN 55318

Go to www.StaffordFamilyRealtors.com for more information. For questions, call Sharla Stafford at 612-282-6895.

2500 Clover Field Drive, Chaska, MN 55318 - $400,000

Only relocation makes this home possible – totally turnkey and immaculate! This is a wonderful family home that shows like a Model with a price that beats new construction. Situated on a premier lot in the Clover Ridge Neighborhood – a family friendly community with private parks, tot lots and walking trails. The fully-fenced backyard is perfect for play – with plenty of room to run. The views are magnificent – with mature trees and a huge pond that is home to wildlife and waterfowl. With an Open and Spacious Floor Plan and a welcoming and elegant 2 Story Foyer, a Gourmet Kitchen with a Breakfast Bar, Granite Countertops, Stainless Steel Appliances and large Walk-in Pantry. The Kitchen opens to the Great Room with a Gas Fireplace surrounded by built-in bookshelves and cabinets for storage. There is a “lifestyle” room that can be used as Formal Dining Room, a Main Floor Office or an Away Room. There is also a main floor Laundry Room with loads of cabinets and large Mudroom. The upstairs has a spacious Master Suite with extra large Walk-in Closet, His/Her sinks, Jacuzzi Tub and Separate Shower. Three additional Bedrooms share a Family Bathroom with Double Sinks. There is plenty of storage with large closets in all the Bedrooms and a Linen Closet in the Bathroom. The Lower Level is unfinished – finish to your liking and build equity in this wonderful home! Conveniently located to schools, shops, restaurants, trails and parks – just minutes to the new HWY 212 with no negative noise impact.

10 Hill Street, Chanhassen, MN 55317 - $700,000

Enjoy this beautifully remodeled walkout rambler on Prime Lotus Lakeshore! 50 Feet of flat, sandy shoreline on 1+ Acres situated on a park-like setting. This walkout rambler has been completely remodeled and is turnkey - it is truly “like new” down to the framing. With an open, Great Room Floor plan, the design makes great use of space and reflects the character of an older home with wood floors, arches and right-sized rooms. Sunlight pours through the west facing wall of windows flooding the home with warmth and light all year long. The all new white enameled kitchen has a large center island with Corian countertops. It looks out to a hearth room with lake views and a wood-burning fireplace. The Lower Level has been finished for fun with a Billiards are, Full Bar, and Family Room. Walkout and enjoy Lotus Lake year round! Oversized 2 car Garage and 1 Car Tuckunder. Panoramic Lake views from nearly every room of this exceptional home.

Simple Ways to Boost Curb Appeal

The outside of a home can be just as important as the inside in attracting buyers. Maureen Gilmer with the DIY Network offers the following five cheap and easy ways to improve curb appeal:

1. Edge it. Make the distinction crisp between lawn and flowerbed or sidewalk. Replace old edging materials with tumbled concrete payers — the heavier they are the better they stay in place.

2. Mulch it. Cover bare ground with two inches of attractive mulch.

3. Stain it. Old concrete walks, steps, and planters crack, stain, and discolor. Cover them with new colored concrete stains. The result unifies paving and mimics more expensive stone.

4. Color it. Worn out fences can give the property a black eye. Stain them with muted colors like warm gray, soft green, antique gold, or subtle blue.

5. Plant it. Buy whole flats of six packs of single color annuals.

Record Setting Foreclosures

Foreclosures slipped 4 percent in February from the month earlier, but were 12 percent higher than the same time in 2006."Based on our numbers for the first two months of 2007, foreclosure activity is running at a rate that would project to a 33 percent increase over 2006," said James J. Saccacio, chief executive officer of RealtyTrac.States with the highest foreclosure rates in February were Nevada, Colorado and Florida. Nevada had one foreclosure filing for every 278 households. Colorado reported one foreclosure for every 345 households, and Florida had one foreclosure filing for every 382 households. Nationwide, there was one foreclosure for every 884 households.

We're seeing several homes that are facing foreclosure coming on market in the West Metro and Twin Cities. If you're interested in learning more, please contact Eric or Sharla Stafford at 952.474.2525.

Weekly Market Activity Report

Unsurprisingly, the Twin Cities housing market found it difficult to battle through the monumental snowfalls seen during the week ending March 3. With schools and offices closed throughout the metropolitan area due to the inclement conditions, buyers and sellers followed suit. Compared to one year ago when weather conditions were relatively normal, new listings fell by 23 percent and pending sales fell by 28 percent. Time will tell just how much of this decline can be attributed to meteorology rather than general market conditions.

This week's edition of the MAAR Weekly Market Activity report includes updated March 2007 figures for the Housing Affordability Index (HAI) and the Housing Supply Outlook (HSO). The HAI grew to 141 due to another dip in interest rates and a slight decline in home prices. As our market continues to work through its post-boom correction period, housing affordability is making important improvements. Home prices, interest rates and consumer income will affect the HAI.

The HSO grew to 7.0 months, which means it will take approximately 7.0 months for the current supply of available properties to sell. The market is considered balanced when there is roughly a 5-month supply of homes available for purchase. Previously owned homes have 6.4 months of supply, while newly constructed homes have 10.5 months of supply.

Sharla Stafford, Realtor
Coldwell Banker Burnet, MTKA Office
Cell: 612.282.6895
Direct: 952.470.2578
Office: 952.474.2525
Fax: 952.474.9583
www.StaffordFamilyRealtors.com
skstafford@cbburnet.com

Experts Predict Big Foreclosure Fallout

As home prices fall and lenders tighten credit terms, some observers close to the subprime market predict that things are going to get worse before they get better.

The delinquency rate for all types of mortgages rose to 4.67 percent in the third quarter of 2006 from 4.39 percent in the prior three months, a gain of 6 percent, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Foreclosures last year were up 42 percent from 2005 levels, and will likely rise another 20 percent to 25 percent this year, predicts RealtyTrac Inc., a real estate information service."It's going to be a bloodbath this year," says Renae Gorney, director of loss mitigation at Freedom Foreclosure Prevention Services in Mesa, Ariz.

Christopher Cagan, director of research and analytics at First American CoreLogic, estimates that adjustable-rate mortgage resets will trigger some 1.1 million foreclosures over the next 5 or 6 years, wiping out $110 billion in equity.

While that may sound like a lot, Cagan doesn’t believe the fallout will significantly slow the U.S. economy or even severely damage the mortgage industry because it’s actually a pretty small percentage.Source:

Reuters News, Emily Kaiser (03/12/07)

7 Ways to Get Rid of Pet Odors

When a house you’re trying to sell smells like a pet, there are some tactics that can improve the odor situation. Don Aslett, owner of Varsity Contractors, one of the country's largest cleaning companies, offers up these tips for identifying the source of the smell and then eliminating it:

• Use a fluorescent black light (pet-supply stores sell them), to expose odor-producing spots on the carpet, couch, floorboards and even on drapes.
  
• Remove all solids and blot up as much liquid as possible with a clean towel. Apply an appropriate odor neutralizer or cleaner according to directions.
  
• Never use ammonia, which takes on the smell of what it's supposed to be cleaning, can trigger more accidents.
  
• Choose the best product to remove the problem. On water-safe surfaces, try Simple Solution stain and odor remover. The problem area must be thoroughly soaked and left to dry.
  
• Bramton's Oxy Solution Pet Stain and Odor Destroyer can remove odors and stains from surfaces that won’t withstand soaking, but test first in an out-of-the way place.
  
• The most effective and safest disinfectant for use around pets is Chlorhexidine, which is sold under such names as Nolvasan, Chlorasan and Chlorhex by veterinarians and medical-supply outlets. Use these for problems that demand deep cleaning.
  
• When all else fails, temporarily neutralize odors using a product such as Fresh Wave.
  

Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Sarah Casey Newman (03/10/2007)

Weekly Market Activity Report - March

Weekly Market Activity Report

Buyers and sellers in the Twin Cities residential real estate market aren't immune to historic snowfalls and blizzard conditions. For the week ending February 24 when the region saw the first of two monumental winter storms, new purchase agreements (pending sales) held relatively steady with the previous week rather than taking part in the annual uptick we typically see in late February. Compared to the same time in 2006, pending sales were 16 percent behind and new listings were 4 percent ahead. MAAR expects a similar stagnation to persist in next week's numbers due to the second stronger storm system seen in the first few days of March.

This week's edition of the MAAR Weekly Market Activity Report features an updated Supply-Demand Ratio (SDR) for March 2007 of 5.77. This means that there are approximately 5.77 homes on the market for every projected buyer in the month of March. The SDR typically reaches its lowest point in March of every year before rising alongside seller activity in the spring market. Compared to one year ago, the SDR for March 2007 is 29 percent higher.

Longacres listings

We are so excited about 2 new listings that we are bringing on market. One was listed last night - 7265 Hillsdale Court. A wonderful, turnkey home on one of the best lots in Longacres! The sellers were surprised with twins 8 months ago so have out-grown their home and just put it on the market with us. Check out our website for more details, virtual tours and photos - it is beautiful and at a great price point for the neighborhood which averages in the $600's. We'll host an Open House this Sunday from 1:00 - 4:00 (unless we are buried under 2 feet of snow).

We're listing another home on March 5th that is also on a premium, wooded, cul-de-sac lot with pond views. We're going on market at $669,900 and it is absolutely beautiful - upgraded with custom finishes throughout.

In spite of the wintry weather and impending snowstorm (as I'm writing this the wind is howling off the lake), we are definitely in spring market in the real estate world - and it looks like it's going to be a great year!

Market Analysis from the Minneapolis Area Association of Realtors

As the Twin Cities housing market inches closer to the active spring season, seller activity is not matching the white-hot records of 2006 but still remains ahead of previous years in this decade. New listings for the week ending February 10 were 7 percent behind the same time in 2006. New construction comprises 14 percent of this new inventory and will account for a lower market share in the coming months as existing homes are placed on the market more heavily in the peak spring and summer buying seasons.

Buyer activity remains relatively quiet but anecdotal comments from brokers and agents indicate that buyers are out looking earlier this year. That said, pending sales for the week ending February 10 were 11 percent behind the same time in 2006 and 22 percent behind the same time in 2005. Temperatures in the Twin Cities were unreasonably frigid for that week—an average of 10 degrees below historical norms—and may have helped to depress buyer activity further than market conditions alone would have. Historically low interest rates are still combining with flat home prices to improve affordability and draw buyers back into the fold.

Welcome to our First Blog

We love the web and all it has to offer - and as part of our 2007 Business Plan, we are creating a blog to serve our clients, friends and soon-to-be clients! This blog is going to be all about Real Estate - we serve the Distinctive Homes market in Minneapolis and the West Metro - and are specialists in Lake Minnetonka and it's surrounding areas.

We live on Cook's Bay on Lake Minnetonka and love everything the lake has to offer our family. Each season brings new views and landscapes as well as different outdoor activities - obviously! And this peaceful setting creates a retreat where we can unwind and relax after our whirlwind days of buying and selling homes.

Ever hear the phrase - "Do what you love, never work another day in your life?" That is us - we love what we do and it shows - 100% satisfied clients!

Keep this page bookmarked! We have a new listing coming up in the demand Longacres neighborhood of Chanhassen! This 4 Bedroom/4 Bathroom home is totally turnkey, beautifully finished and situated on a wooded, cul-de-sac lot. The lower level has just been finished and it just rocks! The best part is the price of $519,000! It's hard to get in Longacres for under $550,000 so if you're interested in a private showing, call quickly - this is sure to sell fast! Best way to reach me is at 952.470.2578.