Weekly Market Update: December 29, 2014

Even though interest rates remain low, there is talk of homeownership numbers being at 20-year lows. Tight lending restrictions may be partly to blame for the dip in the number of people flocking to buy a home. A turnover of the trend could be possible in the new year, but during the weeks surrounding the big winter holidays, we all tend to have to play the wait-and-see game.

In the Twin Cities region, for the week ending December 20:

• New Listings increased 6.1% to 592

• Pending Sales decreased 1.3% to 689

• Inventory decreased 4.4% to 13,698

For the month of November:

• Median Sales Price increased 5.1% to $205,000

• Days on Market increased 5.3% to 79

• Percent of Original List Price Received decreased 0.7% to 94.7%

• Months Supply of Inventory increased 8.8% to 3.7

Source:  Minneapolis Area Association of Realtors

Helpful Habits For Homeowners

It's that time of year again where we start thinking about resolutions and goals.  When you're making out your list of what you want to accomplish in the coming year, don't forget to include goals for your home.

Maybe you're planning to move.  Or maybe you want to tackle a huge renovation.  Or maybe you just want to get better at general maintenance.  Whatever you are trying to accomplish, you will be more likely to succeed at your goals if you write them down and establish good habits that will help you accomplish that goal.  We've suggested a couple that will help you out no matter what.

Habit 1:  Make your bed...every day.

photo credit:  onlyfromscratch.blogspot.com

Making your bed is what some experts call a Keystone Habit, which is a habit that sets a chain reaction leading to other good habits which can ultimately transform your entire life.  Why is making your bed a keystone habit?  It takes very little time to accomplish, it gives you a sense that you've already accomplished something (a small win), and it sets the stage for productivity and happiness the rest of the day.

Habit 2:  Use your calendar

photo credit:  diyonthecheap.com

Part of the reason we don't accomplish so many things regarding our homes is because we don't put those tasks on our calendar.  Spring cleaning seems to always get bumped to summer, then to fall then to winter and then we find ourselves going a whole year and still haven't cleaned the top of the cupboards.  Or you find that it's starting to snow and you still didn't put in that garden that you wanted to get started this year.  If you had a reminder on your calendar that you wanted to get these jobs done, you'd be much more likely to accomplish them.

Whether you use your phone, or your computer, or prefer a printed calendar, just use it!  Start by making a list of whatever you want to accomplish for your home that year, what steps are involved and how much time each one takes.  Then take a look at whatever else you have going on in your life that year.  If you have a big graduation party planned for the end of May, that would probably not be the best time to be in the middle of a bathroom renovation.  Plan out each step and put it on your calendar.  Block off weekends to get the work done.  Mark deadlines on your calendar for tasks that need to be accomplished before the next phase of the project needs to start.

Habit 3:  Break big goals into many small, attainable goals

galleryhip.com

Let's say you want to tackle a big renovation.  That's a big task!  But it can only get accomplished if you actually get started on it.  Make a plan of tasks that need to be accomplished to reach the final destination.  For example, you might break down this big renovation into a few major steps like Planning, Budgeting, and Execution.  Then break each of these steps down further into many manageable tasks.  Get each of these down on a calendar so that you can see what needs to be done each month, and each week and each day.  There's nothing like crossing off a item on your checklist and knowing that you're one step closer to your goal.

Habit 4:  Start a house fund

property24.com

When it comes to maintaining our home, sadly many of us wait until something breaks to fix it and then we find we don't have the funds to cover it.  So we scramble to find the money, many times going into debt to do it.  A much better way to handle maintenance is to set aside a little money every payday for your house fund.  This way there will be money in there if any unexpected problems arise and also for regular maintenance tasks that help prevent many of those unexpected problems in the first place.  Make a list of maintenance tasks for your home, decide how much it costs for a year of maintenance, then divide that amount by your pay periods and start setting aside that amount every time you get paid.  Before you know it, maintaining your house will be an easy habit because you have the money and the schedule for when it needs to be done.


Source:  Michelle Schwake for Stafford Family Realtors

Merry Christmas 2014

From all of us here at Stafford Family Realtors, we wish you a Merry Christmas and many blessings in the New Year.

Eric, Sharla, Mike, Jane, and Michelle

Look What Your Kids Just Paid For

I'm guessing if you have kids they have at the very least heard of the video game "Minecraft" and at the most it is the game that you cannot get them to stop playing.  Minecraft is so popular that the creator of the game can live a life of luxury!

Markus Persson just purchased this 23,000 square foot glass palace in the posh Hillcrest Drive neighborhood of Bevery Hills, CA for $70 million, the most expensive home ever sold in the Hills to date.

I guess there is an upside to playing and creating video games all day.  The 35 year-old billionaire bachelor was able to move right into the turnkey mansion since all artwork, furniture and even table settings were included.

So what exactly will $70 million get you in Beverly Hills?  According to CNBC here are some of the home's features:

• A massive living room with a 54-foot, retractable wall of glass that opens to an infinity pool and one of the best views of LA and the ocean in all of Beverly Hills.
• The ultimate candy bar. The house has a massive wall of candy dispensers with more than $200,000 worth of candy. Conveniently, it's right next to the home gym.
• A gallery for your Bugatti. Every bachelor needs a place to keep their Lambo. But Persson's new garage is more of a high-tech viewing gallery, with hydraulic floors that lower cars into the home's downstairs lounge and giant rotating floors to turn the car to the perfect viewing angles.
• Living in the fast lane. The living room has a sofa and chair set built by Bentley Motors, with their signature leather and wood. Cost: $500,000.
• The wine cellar is stocked with hundreds of bottles of Dom Perignon and other fine champagne and wine, so Persson will never go dry.
• The 24-person dining table has place settings by Roberto Cavalli at $3,700 each.
• A lot of skin. There are rare animal hides everywhere in the house, with the drawers of the men's dressing room lined with alligator skin and the door to the cinema room (one of the most expensive in LA) lined with Italian lizard skin.
• Logos everywhere. From the Fendi logos on the rugs to the Bentley "B" on the couches and logos in the paintings, this house screams status. The walls of the master bedroom suite were covered in a highly crafted material found only in Louis Vuitton stores.
• Tons of art. From a giant Leica camera to a replica of James Dean's motorcycle and a massive $250,000 sculpture of a hand-grenade and antique machine gun, the art in this house plentiful but manly.
• A gold toothbrush. Persson can move right in, since everything in the house is included. He even gets a special gold toothbrush made specifically for the house.
  

Source:  MSN.com and Michelle Schwake for Stafford Family Realtors

Weekly Market Update: December 22, 2014

We have reached the time of year when year-to-date and rolling 12-month time calculations become especially reliable. Buyer and seller activity continues at a decent clip, though generally lower than the spring and summer selling seasons. With the price of gasoline where it is, holiday spending should be strong, which benefits the economy and is, therefore, also good for housing. There's plenty to be cheerful about this December.

In the Twin Cities region, for the week ending December 13: 

• New Listings decreased 12.9% to 661

• Pending Sales increased 6.6% to 679

 • Inventory decreased 2.7% to 14,268

For the month of November:

 • Median Sales Price increased 5.1% to $205,000

 • Days on Market increased 5.3% to 79

 • Percent of Original List Price Received decreased 0.7% to 94.7%

 • Months Supply of Inventory increased 8.8% to 3.7

Source:  Minneapolis Area Association of Realtors

Moving This Year?

photo credit:  Svilan Milev

You've finally decided that this upcoming year is the year you're going to move.  Maybe you want a different school district for your kids, maybe you've outgrown your current home, or maybe you got a new job and want to cut down on your commute.  Whatever the reason, one thing is certain.  You're going to have to get ready for that big move.

Spring market will be fast approaching.  It is the best time to get your house on the market and have the most people looking at it.  And while you may think you can get your house ready in a couple of weeks, the reality is that it will take a lot more than that.

We've provided a list of things you can start doing now so that when springtime comes, you'll be ready to sell.

Find A Reputable Realtor

Selling your home is a lot harder than it looks.  There are many things that realtors can do for you that are very hard to do on your own from marketing to all the paperwork involved.  Start by asking your friends and neighbors for referrals. You may find that one or two names always stand out.  Once you've narrowed it down to a few realtors, then go to their websites and do a little research.  See how they show homes on their website, check out testimonials, read their About Us page.  You can get a good feel for a real estate agent from their website.  Then give them a call, and have a chat with them to see if they are a good fit for you.  After all this, you should feel very comfortable with your choice.  At least more comfortable than being forced to use your step-mothers niece once removed!

Research Moving Companies

Sure, you can probably coerce your friends and family into helping you move, but a better idea is to hire a moving company.  And it doesn't have to cost a fortune.  You can save money by packing the items yourself and just having them move them to the new location.  And if you start now, you have plenty of time to get several estimators in your house so that you can snag the best deal.  Once you've made your choice, then start saving money for the actual move.

Collect Boxes

Believe it or not, but boxes are expensive!  Start your search now for boxes.  Great places to check are liquor stores and grocery stores because they tend to have large sturdy boxes.  Ask friends who have recently moved if they have extra boxes that they haven't parted with yet, especially if they had a moving company pack for them.  They have the ultimate boxes for every type of item.   Check online sources like Craigslist.   If you have the room, always try to keep the big boxes that your TV's and other electronic equipment comes in so that you can pack them back up when you move.

Start Decluttering

It's never too early to start decluttering.  It's a win/win every time because you are already starting on your packing, and it's way easier to keep an uncluttered home clean for showings.  So get started on those storage closets, the basement, the garage, the attic and anywhere else you store your stuff.

For every item you look at you're going to decide whether you have used it in the last year or not.  Be tough on yourself!  If you know you haven't used it for a long time - maybe it was an impulse buy or maybe you bought a better version and don't use it anymore - then get rid of it.  If it's something you love, has sentimental value, or you use only on special occassions, then keep.

Get-Rid-Of-It Pile

Once you have your keep and get-rid-of piles, go through each item in your get-rid-of pile and decide if it has enough value to sell, or if its in good enough shape to donate, or if you just need to toss it.  Separate everything from the get-rid-of pile into these 3 piles.

Sell Pile:  You might even want to go a step further and divide your Sell pile into higher value items that can be sold on Craigslist or eBay and other items that would work better in a garage sale.  For those items to be sold online, take good pictures of them and get them posted right away so they have every opportunity to sell before you move.  For the rest, box them up and find a spot in your garage or shed and label it Garage Sale.  Decide on a date and start pricing your items.

Donate Pile:  Box or bag the donate items and put them right into your car and get rid of them at your next opportunity.  But first check with the place you are donating.  Some places will not take out-of-season clothes, or won't accept certain items like furniture.  Whatever they won't take, put in the garage sale pile or the toss it pile.

Toss It Pile:  If you find that your toss it pile is getting pretty big, you might have to have a dumpster brought in.  Or you could order up a second garbage can from your waste hauler for a couple of months.

Keep Pile

Next, go through your keep pile, and decide if you will need it before you move or not.   If not, box it up and label it carefully showing the contents and what room it belongs to.  Another option is to place these items in see-through plastic bins so that you can tell by looking at it what it is.  If you find that this pile is getting pretty big, you might want to look into renting a storage locker.

For those items that you think you will need before you move, but you don't need on a daily basis, find a spot in your home (like the basement) or the garage where you can store them until the move.  The more things you can pack away, the better.

Do A Critical Sweep

When buyers are walking through your house, you want them to envision their stuff in the space.  So you want to de-personalize your rooms as much as possible while still making them look inviting and showing them to their best advantage.  Think of a very nice hotel, sparse but tasteful.  You want everyone to be looking at the space and not at your stuff.

Therefore, take down those photos of your kids, eliminate 80% of your little decorative touches, and even take out some furniture.  The idea is to make your spaces look bigger and very clean.

Whatever you take down, decide if you want to keep it or get rid of it like you did earlier with everything that was in your closets.

While you're doing this critical sweep, have a clip-board in hand and note anything that needs repair or replacing.  It's amazing how your eye slips past those dings along the wall in the stairwell after you've lived there for a while.  Walk through the house like you're a buyer and take note of anything that doesn't look it's very best.

Check Out The Competition

Find homes in your neighborhood that are for sale and check them out, both online and in person.  Try to find homes that are similar in size, style and location to yours so that you can see what you're up against.  Take note of how they compare with yours in upgrades.  Do most houses in your area have stainless steel appliances with granite countertops while you have standard white appliances and formica countertops?  If so, will you upgrade your kitchen to be on par with them or are you willing to accept less money and more time on the market by keeping it the way it is?  Do most homes like yours have finished basements?  Is it worth it to finish yours off?

Remember, that you will almost always lose more money from dropping the price of your home when it has been on the market a long time than you will spend on upgrading before you go on the market.  It is in your best financial interest to get your home looking as good as it can and to be on par with other homes in your neighborhood BEFORE you go on the market.

Make Repairs and Upgrades

Base on your clipboard list and what you noted when you checked out the competition start making repairs and upgrades.  At the very least you should address dinged up walls with spackel and a fresh coat of paint.  Upgrade lighting, get the carpets cleaned, and even consider new bedding or furniture.  Then decide on the bigger ticket items like new carpet, hardwood floors, new appliances, or a new roof.  If you can't afford it all, talk it over with your realtor to determine what would be the best thing to address for resale.

Prepare To Show It Off

See, that was a lot more to take care of than you thought, wasn't it?  Aren't you glad you didn't put it off?  If you want a few more tips on getting your home ready to sell, we've done many articles on this in the past.  You might want to check out Clobber Cluttered Counters,  Stage Your Mudroom?, The Importance of Staging, and  Going Above and Beyond For Your Open House.

Now that everything is done, the only thing you have to do is keep your house clean and orderly so that there isn't much to do to get ready for showings.  There are many things you can do to make this easier than it sounds. Just check out our blog post, Show-Ready In A Flash for all the tips you'll need.

After a few showings, you'll start receiving offers and before you know it, that moving company will be putting all your things into your beautiful new home.

Source:  Michelle Schwake for Stafford Family Realtors

Weekend Happenings: Take the Whole Family Out

Holiday Lights Tour

Mall of America Transit Station

24th Avenue, Bloomington, MN

Sat., Dec. 20th, 2014

6:00 pm

Cost:  Adults $29, Seniors (55+) $28, Students (13-21) $23, Children $20, Children 5 and under are free when not occupying a seat

The Holiday Lights Tour travels through colorful city streets and past the beautiful decorative lights of local merchants and residents.  While aboard a warm, deluxe motorcoach, a knowledgeable tour guide provides commentary on the fascinating holiday traditions and local lore.  You'll experience quaint residential neighborhoods as well as glittering city streets.  Bundle up and hop on board!

Making Spirits Bright

MN Landscape Arobretum

3675 Arboretum Drive, Chaska, MN

Fri. - Sun., Dec. 19-21, 2014

Various times throughout the day

Cost:  Admission: $12 for ages 13 and up, 12 years and younger FREE; Various activities and classes may require additional fees

'Tis the season for celebrating the serenity of winter beauty, the gifts of family and friends ... and childlike wonder.  If you have a lot of family in town this weekend for the holidays, you're sure to find something to do at the MN Landscape Arobretum.

The Minnesota Landscape Arboretum presents "Making Spirits Bright," a season of live music, visits with Santa, a 20-ft. Poinsettia Tree and other holiday trees decorated in natural ornaments. Making Spirits Bright runs Nov. 28-Jan. 4.   

Here is a sampling of some of the things you can do throughout this event:

• Live Music from "Arbor Bells" handbell ensemble, "Westside Strings" violin music, "Select Chambor Choir of Waconia High School"
• Excelsior Winter Farmer's Market
• Photos with Santa
• Holiday Story Times
• Holiday Tea
• Wintergreen Mysteries Family Fun Learning Activities
•  "Holiday Spirits," art displays, paintings festive and serene capture the mood of the season
• Sunday Supper: Enjoy classic comfort foods – served family style – at Sunday Supper in the Arboretum Restaurant.
• Arboretum Outdoors! with Hoigaard's:  Learn Nordic Walking techniques
• Hot Chocolate Walk  with naturalist Matt Schuth.

Christmas By Design: ASI's Christmas Rooms

American Swedish Institute

2600 Park Avenue, MPLS

Fri. - Sun., Dec. 19-21, 2014

Fri. & Sat. 10:00 am to 5:00 pm

Sun., Noon to 5:00 pm

Cost:  Free/ ASI members and kids ages 5 and under; $9 - adults, $7 - ages 62 and above,
$5 - ages 6-18 and full-time students with ID

An “Only in Minnesota” holiday experience, the beloved ASI Christmas Rooms celebrate the holiday traditions of the five Nordic countries (Iceland, Denmark, Norway, Finland and Sweden) in ornately decorated rooms throughout Turnblad Mansion.

The 2014 Christmas Rooms celebrate “Christmas By Design” with a look at how design plays a role in creating holiday traditions, and how these traditions influence modern design. Featured Nordic designers include Swedish glass artist Ingalena Klenell and Arne Jacobsen of Denmark. This year, a sixth holiday room celebrates local design in Minnesota showcasing how Scandinavian design has influenced design in the state, with works by Blu Dot, Forage Modern Workshop, and The Foundry Home Goods of Minneapolis.

Waconia Wine Country Wassail Tour

Waconia Area Wineries

Sat. & Sun., Dec. 20-21, 2014

Noon to 6:00 pm

Cost:  $35 per ticket

A collaborative tour with the three award-winning Waconia Wineries--Parley Lake, Schram Vineyards, and Sovereign Estate. Celebrate the season and benefit the Minnesota Military Family Foundation by participating in the Winery Wassail Weekend. Your ticket ($35) gets you 3 sample size pours and a souvenir glass from each winery. Select from wine, beer, cider, or wassail. You can visit each winery at your leisure between noon and 6pm on Saturday and Sunday. Festive events, activities, food, and music at each location.

Storing Wet Winter Boots

www.etsy.com

I don't know about the rest of you but I'm getting kinda tired of walking into cold, wet, sandy spots in my entryway and mudroom!  With snow, mud, sand, gravel, salt and whatever else is out on the roads I can't manage to keep the floors clean.

www.twoskinnyonefat.blogspot.com

So let's look at some handy solutions for storing wet winter boots that will keep all the grime off my (our) floors and allow said boots to dry out properly, shall we?

I like this option except for the two tiers.  The poor people with boots on the bottom are likely to have muddy drips on the inside of their boots - not good.  Maybe if they hung upside down instead?

www.bobvila.com

Ah, here we go.  Boots are off the floor and upside down so that no drips get in.  If you could just place this over a heat register you'd be golden!  And it looks as though there are plenty of different designs on this theme.

www.allaboutyou.com

Here's one you can mount on the wall.  You'll need several, though, if you have a family.

www.thekingsbay.com

Here's a boot dryer!  Not the prettiest thing in the world, but if your kids come home after playing in the snow for hours, it would be awesome to have several of these lined up and ready to go.

www.workingperson.com

In this mudroom the boot dryer concept has been taken to the next level.  Each locker has boot dryer pipes!  Now they just need those rock trays below and they'd be set.

photo credit:  Vanessa Vanderspuy

If you want your boots hidden away this is a great idea.  This padded storage bench is lined with a rubberized tray (in green) and has rocks on the bottom that the boots rest on so that the water and grime drips down through the rocks.  However, I see two problems with this design.  One is that no one can get to the boots if someone is sitting on the bench putting their boots on.  In my house it's a mad dash in the morning to catch the bus and this would be a huge problem.  And number two, I think lifting the lid on this unit after boots have been in there for a day or two would make a strong man feint from the musty sweaty smell.  Just sayin'.

www.iheartorganizing.com

Same idea as above but out in the open so that the boots can dry out a bit, both inside and out.  True, they aren't hidden away, unless you put these babies in closet.  But getting people to put things in a closet is such a hassle that we created mudroom lockers, right?  So just keep them out and put one of these under each locker!

www.pinterest.com

This is a great idea that still incorporates a bench, and sort of hides away the boots but keeps them accessible to others and keeps them in the open air.  I'm liking it!

www.houselogic.com

And if you'd like a little spot just to dry off those boots, but want it out of the way later, here's a handy dandy shelf that folds back up against the wall.

www.blog.ikarus.de

So go splash in the snow and the rain and the mud.  Now you're equipped and can handle anything they throw at you!

Sorry, this was just too cute to pass up!
www.wewomen.com

Source:  Michelle Schwake for Stafford Family Realtors

Weekly Market Update: December 15, 2014

Trendsetters in economic analysis have lately been choosing comparative figures between the present and 2007 as the must-have items of the season. Comparing recent data on unemployment, spending habits and housing starts to the vintage days of 2007 are opening up the conversation of the economy's future. Recovery is in style and may even continue as we dive headlong into the heart of the winter months.

In the Twin Cities region, for the week ending December 6:

 • New Listings decreased 4.4% to 849

 • Pending Sales increased 5.7% to 815

 • Inventory decreased 0.9% to 14,806

For the month of November:

 • Median Sales Price increased 5.1% to $205,000

 • Days on Market increased 5.3% to 79

 • Percent of Original List Price Received decreased 0.7% to 94.7%

 • Months Supply of Inventory increased 8.8% to 3.7

Source:  Minneapolis Area Association of Realtors

Squeeze In Some Guest Space

It's the holidays which means you might be welcoming overnight guests.  If you live away from family and friends you may have chosen a home that has a separate guest room, knowing you'd be having guests from time to time.

But what if you don't have any extra space?  Perhaps that one extra child came along and took the spare bedroom.  Or you started working from home and that spare room is now your cluttered office.  Or maybe you're planning to host the entire family and not just Grandma and Grandpa.

Whatever the reason, you may find yourself in need of some extra beds for your guests and you don't want to subject your family and friends to that "bar in the middle of the back" hide away bed in your couch.  Check out some of these great ideas on squeezing out some much needed guest space for the holidays.

Murphy Beds

You've heard us say it before, but we love murphy beds.  They offer a comfy bed for your guest, but tuck away into beautiful cabinetry when everyone goes home.  Look for spaces in your home where you can incorporate a murphy bed.  Offices, craft rooms, recreation rooms, basements and even hallways can provide a great spot for a murphy bed.

www.livesimplybyannie.com

www.vizimac.com

www.vizimac.com

www.decoist.com

Slide Out Beds

Another option is to create a slide out bed system.   This could be as simple as adding a trundle bed to your kids room.  Or you can go with a more elaborate system. You'll need to have a space that will work with it, but if you do, hiding a bed for your guests will be a breeze.

www.makezine.com

www.home-designing.com

www.homedit.com

Window Seats

I'm a sucker for a good window seat.  And when that seat can transform into a bed with the addition of a couple of blankets, then I'm sold!  Check out these great spaces.  Who wouldn't want to sleep there?

www.decorpad.com

www.myparadissi.com

www.tumblr.com

www.indulgy.com

Built-In Beds

Find any extra space you have and build in a bed or even bunk beds for extra sleeping space.  Look for wide hallways, spaces under the stairs, attic dormers, lofts, or just about anywhere.  Use a little creativity and see what you can come up with.

www.andreasideablog.blogspot.com

www.indulgy.com

www.flor.com

www.curbly.com

www.kidspacestuff.com

www.pinterest.com

Maximize Your Guest Room

Okay, so maybe you do have a guest room.  Why not maximize the space so that you can fit a lot of people.  Give them each a curtain and a light so they can have some privacy.  A noise machine might be very beneficial in spaces like these as well!

www.decorpad.com

www.bendbulletin.com

www.homedit.com

www.thehandmadehome.net

www.betweennapsontheporch.com

Source:  Michelle Schwake for Stafford Family Realtors

Weekend Happenings: A Musical Weekend

21st Annual "A Child's Christmas"
Wayzata Community Church
125 Wayzata Blvd, Wayzata
Sun., Dec. 14, 2014
3:00 pm
Cost:  Free, donations appreciated



Join the Minnetonka Chamber Choir, Minnetonka Concert Choir and Minnetonka Cappella Choir in this annual holiday concert, featuring traditional carols and audience participation. Students from the St. Paul Conservatory of Music will also perform.

BierCycle Caroling Tours

Water Street, Stillwater

Saturdays, Dec. 13, 20, & 27, 2014

2:00 pm and 3:00 pm

Cost:  $12/person, Registration is required. Weather permitting: 100% refund if tour is cancelled due to weather.

Join us for some old fashioned caroling with a BierCycle twist! Sing the holiday classics that we all love while pedaling the streets in downtown Stillwater. We'll bring the music and you can bring the hot chocolate. Don't miss out on this festive experience! Each tour lasts about 35 minutes.

Clouds Choir for a Cause

Mall of America

60 E. Broadway, Bloomington

Thurs, Dec. 11, 2014

6:30 - 7:30 pm

Cost:  Free

www.irockthecause.org

We invite you to participate in KS95's Ryan & Shannon’s Largest “Clouds’ Choir for a Cause, presented byBest Buy, on Thursday, December 11, 6:30-7:30pm (check in 4-6pm) at Mall of America benefiting KS95 for Kids which raises money for Children’s Cancer Research Fund & Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare. No singing experience required! We’re hoping to get as many people as last year or even more to join us … school choirs, church choirs, groups and families. Register today and come out and join Ryan & Shannon and the Sobiech family to sing 4-5 holiday songs and for the finale, sing “Clouds” in memory of Zach Sobiech who passed away on May 20, 2013. All songs will be led by The Sounds of Blackness. We hope you can join us for this special event.

Michael W. Smith & Amy Grant

Target Center

600 First Ave. N, Mpls

Sat., Dec. 13, 2014

7:00 pm

Cost:  Tickets start at $34

Celebrate the magic of the season with Michael W. Smith and Amy Grant as they perform all of your favorite Christmas and holiday songs accompanied by a full symphony orchestra. The entire family will enjoy the Christmas event of the year.