New Non-MLS Listings & Open Houses

Open Sunday!

2395 Lukewood Drive, Chanhassen

MLS #3878893

12-2:00 PM

Stop in and check out this amazing family home in neighborhood of executive homes. Sited on a park-like .65 acres, this home offers one level living at it's best! Spacious rooms, large windows and great spaces for entertaing or relaxing. Stop in and check it out!

We have a few new Non-MLS Listings coming soon to market:

Timberwood Drive ~ Chanhassen ~ $475,000

This amazing family home is sited on 2.86 acres in Chanhassen. Enjoy country style living with all the ease of downtown Chanhassen. 3,160 Finished Square Feet feature 4 Bedrooms, 4 Baths, a fully finished lower level. Contact us today for a private showing!

Landmark Shorewood Estate

Call for Pricing

This English Manor Home is a landmark for residents of the Shorewood / Excelsior area. Sited on 1.72 acres covered with lush, professioal landscaping, this spacious home offers 4 Bedrooms, 3 Bathrooms and TONS of charm. Located on the grounds you will also find a Pool House with kitchenette and in-ground pool.

Eric & Sharla Stafford ~ 952.470.2575

10 Home Features Buyers Want

Home designers and builders speaking at the recent International Builders Show in Las Vegas say that buyers are seeking cost-effective features and rejecting things that don’t have lasting value.“It's all about family togetherness – casual living, entertaining and flexible spaces," says Carol Lavender, president of the Lavender Design Group in San Antonio.

Paul Cardis, CEO of Avid Ratings, which conducts an annual survey of buyer preferences, identified these must-haves in new homes:

~ Large kitchens with islands
~ Energy efficiency, including energy-efficient appliances, super insulation, and high-efficiency windows.
~ Home offices
~ Main-floor master suite
~ Outdoor living space
~ Ceiling fans
~ Soaking tub in the master suite and/or an oversize shower with a seating area
~ Stone and brick exteriors rather than stucco or vinyl
~ Community walking paths and playgrounds
~ Two-car garages, but three-car garages are even more desirable

Are you looking for a home with these features? Stafford Family Realtors have a selection of Exceptional Homes that fit most or all of the above mentioned criteria. Call us today or visit www.StaffordFamilyRealtors.com to see a list of all our homes for sale.


Source: MarketWatch, Steve Kerch (01/30/2010)

6 Surprising Facts About the Buyer Tax Credit

The homebuyer tax credit is not as simple or straightforward as you might think. Here are some nuances that will affect homebuyers who plan to use it.

- To qualify for the move-up tax credit, a home owner must have occupied the same principal residence for five of the last eight years consecutively.
- Buyers can elect to claim the credit on either their 2009 or their 2010 tax return, whichever is best for them.
- Buyers who claim the credit in 2009 can’t file electronically because the Internal Revenue Service hasn’t put the required forms on line. The wait for a refund is three or four months.
- The home can be a mobile home or travel trailer that is fixed to land owned or leased by the home owner. A mobile home or travel trailer that is actually mobile doesn’t qualify.
- The home can’t be purchased from a close relative, including a parent, spouse, child, grandparent or grandchild.
- A buyer who earns no taxable income or doesn’t owe any federal income tax can qualify for the tax credit and file a tax return just to claim it.

Source: Bankrate.com, Marcie Geffner (01/21/2010)

Newest Exceptional Home from Stafford Family Realtors

Trump Nets Big Profit for Florida Palace

Donald Trump has sold his Palm Beach mansion for $81 million, $24 million less than his asking price but up 150 percent from his $32 million 2004 purchase price.

A Russian fertilizer billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev bought the 60,000 square-foot, oceanfront home. The property was renovated by Kendra Todd, a winner on “The Apprentice.”

Todd is said to have added lots of marble and 24-karat gold fixtures in the bathrooms.

Trump says, “ In an age of so many people getting hurt in real estate, it shows that you can still do well.”

Source: Daily Mall (01/26/2010)