Before you DIY...

1. Don’t believe everything you see on HGTV. 
Those shows have professionals working the projects. There is also a lot that goes on behind the scenes – like a 30-person team working around the clock to finish a large project in 2 days. Don’t let this stop you from taking on a long project but have realistic expectations. If you want to take on your kitchen you should go for it. There is nothing better than when you get a compliment on your project and can say you did it yourself. 

2. Time…So much time
It almost always takes longer to do something then you think it will.  It’s not a good idea to decide to re-grout the bathroom two hours before you have a party. It’s also not great to have a hard timeline for a project. Inevitably something will come up that will delay the project. Try adding some fix it padding time into your timeline. You’ll be much happier in the long run. 

3. Tools
Do you ever wonder why Menard’s or Home Depot have so many tools? Every job has it’s perfect tool. While you can get by with the basics for a specific job it might be worth it to get the tool needed. You can always find someone to borrow from too. Basics would be a hammer, drill, level etc. 

4. Know your capabilities
With a huge project, there might not be steps that you are not comfortable with. Consider having an electrician come in before you attempt something or a plumber. Those can be costly mistakes if not done correctly. 

Good Luck and Have Fun DIYing. 

Weekly Market Activity Report For Week Ending March 4, 2017

Tight inventory, lower affordability and higher mortgage rates continue to dominate
residential real estate news, but a declining unemployment rate offers a bright spot.
Employment in the construction industry had some of the largest gains. It would be
great to see this increase translate into an impact on the construction of new homes
for sale.

In the Twin Cities region, for the week ending March 4:
• New Listings decreased 11.9% to 1,727
• Pending Sales increased 0.3% to 1,155
• Inventory decreased 23.4% to 9,042

For the month of February:
• Median Sales Price increased 7.6% to $223,000
• Days on Market decreased 14.6% to 82
• Percent of Original List Price Received increased 1.4% to 96.5%
• Months Supply of Homes For Sale decreased 28.0% to 1.8

Publish Date: March 13, 2017 • All comparisons are to 2016

Thank You!

Yesterday morning the Stafford Family Realtors attended our office awards breakfast where we received some shiny new pieces of hardware. Among our International Presidents Elite distinction, our 100% Club award, and recognition for supporting Burnet Title, we walked away with the piece de resistance.... Our team ranked as the #15 Sales Agents and the #32 Listing Agents out of all Coldwell Banker Burnet agents! All of this success would not have been possible without the support of our amazing clients and friends! We would like to sincerely thank you for a fantastic 2016 and are very excited to see what 2017 has in store for us! 

Weekly Market Activity Report For Week Ending February 25, 2017

As mortgage rates rise, median sales prices increase and stiff competition for low
inventory continues, buyers are beginning to face some limitations with their
housing options, especially for first-time buyers. That being said, for most weeks in
2017, sales have been higher in year-over-year comparisons with the same weeks
in 2016.

In the Twin Cities region, for the week ending February 25:
 • New Listings decreased 7.6% to 1,345
 • Pending Sales decreased 6.7% to 980
 • Inventory decreased 23.7% to 8,950

For the month of January:
 • Median Sales Price increased 4.6% to $224,900
 • Days on Market decreased 7.1% to 79
 • Percent of Original List Price Received increased 0.9% to 95.9%
 • Months Supply of Homes For Sale decreased 26.1% to 1.7

Publish Date: March 6, 2017 • All comparisons are to 2016

5 Ways to Sell Your House Stress-Free!

You’ve made the decision to sell your house. You may have been mulling it over for years, or perhaps a sudden life change has prompted you to make the leap. Whether you’re relocating for a job, empty-nest downsizing, or just need a change, you’ve made it past the first hurdle of reaching the decision!

But the many complicated logistics of selling your house may feel overwhelming. Before you get stressed out and change your mind about the whole thing, know that there are some great ways to stay focused and positive as you navigate this important step. Here are some tips to help you sell your house stress-free to make this leap a very positive one.

Be Clear About Your Objectives Up Front

A lot of communication is required when selling a house, so it’s critical to set a clear set of objectives to yourself and everyone else involved in the process: your real estate agent, your family, and your friends. From the outset, determine an attainable selling price for your home with your real estate agent, and set up clear and reliable lines of communication.

Be clear with your family and friends about what they can expect during the process, and what you’ll need from them to help facilitate the situation with as little stress as possible. Determining your goals and expectations and sharing them clearly with those closest to you is a critical step in eliminating undue stress as you maneuver through the process of selling your home.

Stay Flexible

You may have an idea in your head of how long it will take to sell your home. If it begins to take longer than what you expected, the stress will grow. Keep in mind that there are so many variables at play—the location, the price, the market—and you’re setting yourself up for disappointment if you set your mind to a too rigid deadline. An immediate house sale is rare, so it’s best to curb your expectations and stay flexible as the process unfolds.

Keep Things Tidy

You may be required to show your home to potential buyers at a moment’s notice. Maybe they’re in the area and want to pop in to view your home, or perhaps some out-of-towners want to add your house to their list before ending their visit. You won’t be so easily rattled by these last-second requests if you work diligently to keep your house tidy and in order at all times.

Make beds before leaving for work in the morning, never leave dishes in the kitchen sink, and keep up with the laundry and vacuuming. Thoroughly clean the bathrooms every week. If this is overwhelming, consider hiring cleaning help during this transition period. You may want to consider enlisting the help of a willing friend or neighbor who can help with last-minute tidying up if you can’t leave work. Keeping things neat consistently will dramatically reduce your stress level when last-minute showings come up.

Leave the House for Social Activities

Sometimes the pressure of unexpected showings and persistent phone calls can begin to take an emotional toll. To stick a pin in the building stress of selling a home, give yourself permission to get out of the house on occasion.

Go out to dinner with friends. Take a long weekend trip. Go to a museum or sporting event. Think of this time as an investment in your personal well-being, by getting your mind off the house sale for a bit. Getting out of the house can work wonders, especially during the first few weeks your house is listed.

Adopt a Healthy Lifestyle

No matter how all-encompassing it may seem, selling a house is never more than one piece of the large pie of life. Don’t forsake your other needs and demands while navigating the process of selling a home. Maintain a healthy lifestyle throughout the process by eating healthy meals and getting plenty of exercise and sleep.

If you plan to move out of town, you may not be inclined to get a gym membership or join a yoga class. But you can still walk for a half hour every day or take the kids to a park where you can blow off some steam together.

Getting the appropriate nutrition is a natural way to help your body fight stress. Drink more water, pass on the fried foods, and get more hours of sleep than normal. You’ll thank yourself for the extra effort.

Selling your house can be stressful, but if you set realistic expectations and come to terms with the certainty of uncertainty for the time being, you’ll make it through with a smile.

Source: Sharon Lee - http://blog.coldwellbanker.com/5-ways-sell-house-stress-free/

Weekly Market Activity Report For Week Ending February 18, 2017

In much of the country, both new and existing home sales increased in January. At
the same time, prices continue to rise in year-over-year comparisons, and the
number of homes available for sale remains quite low. The low inventory situation
and affordability crunch is particularly hard on first-time buyers, leaving some
properties available for landlord buyers with more available funds for investment.

In the Twin Cities region, for the week ending February 18:
 • New Listings decreased 6.5% to 1,334
 • Pending Sales increased 11.1% to 989
 • Inventory decreased 23.8% to 8,751

For the month of January:
 • Median Sales Price increased 4.7% to $225,000
 • Days on Market decreased 7.1% to 79
 • Percent of Original List Price Received increased 0.9% to 95.9%
 • Months Supply of Homes For Sale decreased 26.1% to 1.7

Publish Date: February 27, 2017 • All comparisons are to 2016

What’s happening this weekend? – The Home and Garden Show!

The show started today but it will run for the next two weekends at the Minneapolis Convention Center. They have features like the Idea Home, Tiny Homes, Backyard Lounge, Feature Gardens, Better Gnomes and Gardens, DIY Inspirations, Ask a Designer and the New Products Showcase in addition to tons of individual venders.

This weekend some of the guest speakers are:

Jeff Lewis

He is one of America’s most well know house flippers because of his role on Bravo’s Flipping Out. He has been renovating properties for over 20 years. He also designed the House Beautiful Magazine Kitchen of the Year, which is displayed in Rockefeller Center in 2010. You may also know him from his line of paint, rugs, tile or barn doors.

Saturday, February 25^th at 12pm- Main Stage

Tyler Wisler

He is one of New York’s most influential and dynamic designers. Tyler’s been featured on hit shows like HGTV’s “Design Star’’, ABC’s “Good Morning America”, and NBC’s “George To The Rescue.’
Friday, February 24 at 5pm – Main Stage
Saturday, February 25 at 4pm – Main Stage
Sunday, February 26 at 12pm & 3pm – Main Stage

Miriam Johnson

               She is an actor and Home DIY enthusiast. She joined the Hometime crew in 2004 and brings her DIY interest and skill with power tools. She’s learned about everything from drywall to landscaping.

 Sunday, February 26 at 1-3pm – Idea Home

For more information check out the website: http://www.homeandgardenshow.com/

You can also buy tickets for $2 off online. 

Thinking about Buying a Home?

Are you thinking about buying a home? It can be a little overwhelming if you are thinking about making the transition from renting to buying a home. It can be a great decision no matter when you decide to buy. Here are some reasons that buying a home is great:

You can do whatever you want. 

If you want to paint your walls you can. If you want to replace the countertops or cabinets in your kitchen you can. You don’t have to ask for permission. You are in control. As long as something doesn’t compromise the integrity of your home and is within budget you can do whatever you want. If HGTV makes you want to knock down that nonload bearing wall go for it. Y

You can save money. 

If you are smart about your mortgage options and refinancing, you can spend less on your mortgage than you do on your monthly rent. This can let you put some of that extra money into savings for your future.

You can build home equity. 

Creating a schedule and making smart home improvements can help increase your home equity even more.

You can finally get a dog. 

Having a dog in an apartment can be a real hassle. Many apartments don’t allow dogs or charge more in pet rent. Those that do allow dogs can have weight or breed restrictions. Having a house puts you in charge and lets you get that 80lb dog. It also gives you space for the pup to live in.

A garage. 

Think of all the things you can store in a garage! You can stop storing things in a storage unit or the trunk of your car and put them in a garage instead. The fact that you’ll always know where you parked your car is an added bonus.

The best part of being a homeowner is the feeling of home and making it your own. 

Weekly Market Activity Report For Week Ending February 11, 2017

The total supply of homes for sale at this early juncture of 2017 coupled with the
relative low affordability of those homes have made the market interesting to watch.
The combination of broad personal financial situations is particularly pronounced
among millennials celebrating their prime home-buying years. While some
individuals may have a decent amount of money saved up for a home purchase,
others have educational debt, lowering their maximum affordability price. Being
aware of this situational variety will help both lenders and agents.

In the Twin Cities region, for the week ending February 11:
 • New Listings decreased 5.2% to 1,338
 • Pending Sales increased 1.1% to 859
 • Inventory decreased 23.3% to 8,583

For the month of January:
 • Median Sales Price increased 4.7% to $225,000
 • Days on Market decreased 7.1% to 79
 • Percent of Original List Price Received increased 0.9% to 95.9%
 • Months Supply of Homes For Sale decreased 26.1% to 1.7

Publish Date: February 20, 2017 • All comparisons are to 2016

What would a listing look like for the White House?

To celebrate President’s Day, I’d like to give you a tour of the home of our great nation and of all Presidents since John Adams. So here is what a listing for the White House might look like:

1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20500

Single Family, 132 rooms, 35 baths, 54,900 sq ft

This stunning home designed by Irish-born architect James Hoban was built in 1792 from sandstone bricks from Virginia and lumber from North Carolina and Virginia. Unfortunately, it burned down in 1814 after a British attack, but was rebuilt meticulously in 1817.

Today, a circular drive leads up to an enormous front entrance with 4 whitewashed pillars and a porch. In fact, the entire house is whitewashed with about 570 gallons of paint. Step inside and explore all 54,900 square feet. The 6 levels of living and working space contains 132 rooms, 35 bathrooms, 147 windows, 28 fireplaces and 3 elevators.

Entertaining is a delight and a necessity due to the roughly 6,000 visitors that appear each day. However, there is plenty of room to get away. This house has it all, including: a movie theater, billiard room, a bowling lane which was added by Nixon in ‘69, a swimming pool, hot tub courtesy of Bill Clinton, jogging track, tennis court, a flower shop, carpenter’s shop and even a dentist office. The chef’s kitchen comes complete with 5 full-time chefs! The private office is fit for a President and leads outside to a putting green installed during the Eisenhower administration in 1954, but relocated to its current location in 1995.

You won’t believe your eyes when you see the ghost of Abraham Lincoln walking the halls. It has been said that some, including Winston Churchill, have claimed that Lincoln’s ghost visits frequently. But don’t worry, the security system and Secret Service is top notch.

The “quaint” yard has walking paths, gardens, a fountain, basketball court, and it’s own helicopter pad. Walking distance to great dining, parks, Smithsonian Museums, and so much more. Offsite parking is included and has enough room for the entire Secret Service fleet.


Source: http://cbburnetblueprint.com

Weekly Market Activity Report For Week Ending February 4, 2017

According to a recent Gallup poll, it is the first time in more than 15 years that a
majority of Americans are optimistic about finding a quality job. This is great news
for the entry-level housing market, as job growth and improved wages fuel demand
for home purchases. Rents have also been on the rise, another factor that has put
the entry-level market in strong demand.

In the Twin Cities region, for the week ending February 4:
 • New Listings increased 3.3% to 1,282
 • Pending Sales remained flat at 882
 • Inventory decreased 24.0% to 8,399

For the month of January:
 • Median Sales Price increased 4.7% to $225,000
 • Days on Market decreased 7.1% to 79
 • Percent of Original List Price Received increased 0.9% to 95.9%
 • Months Supply of Homes For Sale decreased 26.1% to 1.7

Publish Date: February 13, 2017 • All comparisons are to 2016

Tips for Getting your Home ready for a Showing.

If you plan to sell your house this spring here are a couple of tips to keep your house in tip top shape while it is being shown. With a little preplanning having an open house or showing in your home can be enjoyable.

1.     Make a ckeck-list of things that are easy to forget like:

a.     Kitchen counters and table wiped down

b.     Bathroom sink and mirror wiped clean and toilet seats down

c.     Toys put away in baskets and bins

d.     Entry cleared of shoes and personal items

e.     Window shades open

2.     Keep a stack on nice, clean towels to put in the bathrooms. It’s easier keeping a separate set then worrying about cleaning your towels before each showing.

3.     Have your kids make their beds every morning. If they get into the habit without you asking even better. This way you don’t need to rush and make a lot of beds.

4.     Simplify your belongings. If it is too much to go around and pick up everything for every showing consider starting to pack your home for when you move. This is especially helpful with kids toys. Simplify their toys and cleaning will become a lot easier.

5.     Add more containers. When in doubt hide the mess. It’s easy to pile things into a contained and close the lid. You can use baskets for laundry, blankets and toys while smaller boxes can hold things like papers or other clutter. 

Weekly Market Activity Report For Week Ending January 28, 2017

While the winter months that lead us through the holiday season and to the end of
December are typically a slower time for the housing market, the beginning of each
new year tends to bring a renewed interest in moving or buying. The annual January
resolution effect is in full swing so far in 2017. Prices are increasing, purchase
agreements are being signed, and despite record inventory lows, demand remains
strong.

In the Twin Cities region, for the week ending January 28:
• New Listings decreased 3.0% to 994
• Pending Sales decreased 9.5% to 777
• Inventory decreased 24.2% to 8,427

For the month of December:
• Median Sales Price increased 3.9% to $228,000
• Days on Market decreased 10.1% to 71
• Percent of Original List Price Received increased 0.6% to 96.0%
• Months Supply of Homes For Sale decreased 26.1% to 1.7

Publish Date: February 6, 2017 • All comparisons are to 2016

Weekly Market Activity Report For Week Ending January 21, 2017

The number of existing homes sold in 2016 was 5.4 million, which exceeded the
5.25 million sold in the previous year and is now the highest in a decade. Declining
inventory and affordability are both going to be closely surveyed this year, as a
continuation of those trends could negatively impact sales. For now, prices are still
running higher and days on market are still lower, both indicative of healthy
demand.

In the Twin Cities region, for the week ending January 21:
• New Listings increased 12.8% to 1,025
• Pending Sales increased 4.0% to 730
• Inventory decreased 25.3% to 8,379

For the month of December:
• Median Sales Price increased 3.9% to $228,000
• Days on Market decreased 10.1% to 71
• Percent of Original List Price Received increased 0.6% to 96.0%
• Months Supply of Homes For Sale decreased 26.1% to 1.7

Publish Date: January 30, 2017 • All comparisons are to 2016

Deal Hunting for Your Home

It’s January and if you are like a lot of people you’re itching to make some changes in your house. Maybe your style has changed or you have some pieces that are worn out. It’s great to have something new but it’s even better to have a deal on that something new. There are different deals throughout the year. For the best time to buy check out the guide below:

January –Furniture, Linens & Home Gym Equipment

February – TVs, Home Entertainment Systems & Mattresses

March – Gas Grills & Air Conditioners

April – Cookware & Carpeting

May – Mattresses, Refrigerators & Paint

June – Dishware & Tools

July – Grills, Furniture & Home Decor

August –Air Conditioners, Linens & Storage

September –  Lawn Mowers, Office Furniture

October – Outdoor Furniture & Appliances

November – Everything as stores roll out Black Friday deals.

December – Large Appliances & Pools

If you need something and it’s not the best time of the year consider looking at thrift stores, consignment stores or online for discounts.

Good Luck!

Turn Your Cookie-Cutter House into a Personalized Home

 Paint your front door

Start with the first thing you see – your front door. Changing the color and making it bright or unique is an easy way to make a house your own. Any color works as long as it compliments your house color and makes you happy. It’s also an easy way to distinguish your house from your neighbors – we’re the home with the yellow door.

Add Molding

Turn a new construction house into one with character with some molding that suits your style. You can be as fancy or as simple as you like. Going with plain white molding adds a classic feel or add some carefully distressed baseboards to add a rustic feel.

Upgrade Fixtures

Changing faucets and fixtures is an easy way to change the style of your home. You can even change the handles on cabinets and make them unique adding charm to your bathroom or kitchen.

Add Color

Painting the walls from beige to a color you enjoy turns a house into a home. This can be a small accent wall or a whole room. You can be creative and paint a mural in a room or add texture to your wall. If you don’t want to paint consider using wall paper to add a bit of fun.


Add Personality with Furniture

The easiest way to turn a space into your own is with furniture that shows your personality. Once you figure out how you want your house to feel work on finding furniture that fits that dream.

Happy Home Making.

Weekly Market Activity Report For Week Ending January 7, 2017

If predictions hold true – a continuing inventory crunch, moderate price gains,
higher mortgage rates – 2017 will likely be in favor of the seller. On the other end of
the spectrum, deals may be harder to come by if the largest potential group of
buyers, the millennials, do not start wading into the buying pool with more fervor.

In the Twin Cities region, for the week ending January 7:
 • New Listings decreased 15.1% to 969
 • Pending Sales decreased 21.1% to 555
 • Inventory decreased 25.5% to 8,298

For the month of November:
 • Median Sales Price increased 4.1% to $228,500
 • Days on Market decreased 10.1% to 71
 • Percent of Original List Price Received increased 0.6% to 96.0%
 • Months Supply of Homes For Sale decreased 26.1% to 1.7

Publish Date: January 16, 2017 • All comparisons are to 2016

It’s Arctic Fever Weekend!

The cities of Shorewood, Tonka Bay and Excelsior are banding together for this winter festival.

 Events started yesterday and continue through this Sunday. Most activities are free. There will be dog sled rides, an Excelsior Library magic show, human bowling on ice, a snow sculpting contest and a pizza party.

Friday, January 13^th: Tonight is the pizza party from 5:30 – 7:30. It’ll be at the Southshore Center (5735 Country Club Road, Excelsior 55331 -right next to Badger Park and Shorewood city hall).  There will be an ice carver, fire dancers, kid crafts by New Horizon Academy, a candlelight tour, photo booth and geocaching all for free! There will be free Joey Nova’s and samples from Excelsior Brewing.

Saturday, January 14th: Excelsior Brewing Company and Erik’s Bike Shop are hosting the Arctic Fever Fat Tire Race. The race will go across the lake, on the islands, down the LRT and back to the Excelsior Brewing Taproom. 200 people can participate, if you’d like more information or to register ($10) click here: http://www.eriksbikeshop.com/Arctic-Fat-Fever.aspx

Sunday, January 15^th: Lord Fletcher’s is hosting the Princess Brunch. You can make reservations between 11am-1:30pm. All princess activities are free and include:  making a crown, face painting by Cambridge Ambassadors, princess story-time, and beautiful harp music by Lauren Marty. Each child also has a chance of winning one of two American Girl Dolls. To RSVP call 952.471.8513

For a complete listing of the events happening in each city check out: www.arcticfever.net. 

Storage, Storage and More Storage.

Shows like Tiny Houses on HGTV show that you can fit a lot in a tiny space. You don’t need a tiny house though to want to maximize space. Here are some quick and easy ways to utilize a small space better no matter the size of your house:

Empty all the big boxes out of your pantry. If you’ve ever purchased a large cereal box and then tried to fit it into your cupboard/pantry you know what a pain they can be. An easy solution is to get some clear containers. You can empty those ungainly boxes into pretty storage containers. They even make square ones with locking lids for freshness and easy stack-ability. The clear containers also allow you to see what’s in your pantry.

Store your clothes in your dresser vertically instead of stacking them in piles. This allows you to fit more in and lets you see what you have better. Also consider organizing your closet but clothing type or by color (dark to light). This will help make the space feel bigger and more organized. It might also create room under the short articles where you can set up a shoe rack and keep those shoes that you don’t use very often. Another way to organize shoes is to put them in stacking plastic containers. This way you are able to label each container and stack them.

Utilize every available inch. Find space under the stairs and create storage options there. Look and see if you have space above or below cupboards to add some cloth boxes for storage.  Buy multipurpose furniture like a storage ottoman or a daybed that pulls out to a overnight bed for guests. 

Weekly Market Activity Report For Week Ending December 31, 2016

At the outset of 2017, we are watching for upward movement in some of the same
areas that we were watching in 2016. Inventory remains a key metric, as continued
decreases may push out potential buyers, especially if mortgage rates continue to
increase. However, buying a home is still considered more affordable than renting in
two-thirds of the country according to the 2017 Rental Affordability Report by
ATTOM Data Solutions.

In the Twin Cities region, for the week ending December 31:
 • New Listings decreased 7.5% to 384
 • Pending Sales decreased 14.9% to 474
 • Inventory decreased 24.9% to 9,049

For the month of December:
 • Median Sales Price increased 4.1% to $228,500
 • Days on Market decreased 10.1% to 71
 • Percent of Original List Price Received increased 0.6% to 96.0%
 • Months Supply of Homes For Sale decreased 30.4% to 1.6

Publish Date: January 9, 2017 • All comparisons are to 2015

Weekend Events

It’s Friday!

Even though it is freezing cold there are still things to do this weekend and coming week!

Image by kitty.green66 via Flickr

This weekend is the Land-o-Lakes All-Breed Dog show. It started today and will run this weekend from 8am – 6pm. It features dog competitions, tours and demonstrations. You can meet the breeds and visit the market for all kinds of goodies. There will also be seminars on service dogs and therapy dogs. Tickets are only $9 for adults and $5 for kids. For more information check out: http://www.landolakeskennelclub.org/

There are two very different kinds of events happening this coming Monday. The first is the musical The Bodyguard at the Orpheum Theatre. It’s based on the hit film starring Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner. The show has all the classics from the film including:  “Saving All My Love,” “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” and, “I Will Always Love You.” Tickets start at $39 and the show runs through next weekend. You can get tickets here: https://hennepintheatretrust.org/events/bodyguard-broadway-tickets-orpheum-theatre-minneapolis-mn-2017/?gclid=Cj0KEQiAnb3DBRCX2ZnSnMyO9dIBEiQAOcXYHwE36afNmoLaNFKrdrYEM-jOrk-VJlmH8wzszU48XeQaAuQf8P8HAQ

The other event happening on Monday is out in Waconia at the Waconia Brewery Company. The WBC is having “BeerGo”.  It’s just like bingo but with beer. If you buy a beer you get a “BeerGo” card. The winner gets a free pint. The best thing is that if you miss it this Monday you can catch it next Monday. It’s from 6pm-8pm. For more info click here: http://www.waconiabrewing.com/event/beergo-19/

Resolutions for your home?

Since it’s a brand new year have you made any resolutions? What about for your house?

Here are 4 resolutions you should make and keep when it comes to your home:

1) Consider Minimizing -

This is the year to get rid of your things. Not just arbitrarily throwing things away but carefully going through your things to only keep what you love and what you need. Decluttering your house can help organize your life. Here are some articles detailing the benefits of decluttering and how to get started:

* Good Housekeeping – Why you should declutter: http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/organizing/a36247/how-clutter-impacts-your-health/

               * Becoming Minimalist – Creative ways to declutter: http://www.becomingminimalist.com/creative-ways-to-declutter/

2) Make your home safe -

This is the year to get some major things out of the way when it comes to your home. Things like cleaning the dryer vent. Dryers cause about 15,000 house fires a year. It’s time to take the lint trap off and shop-vac the buildup. You should also test your home for radon. Radon is a colorless, odorless gas. It can cause problems with your lungs. A test kit can cost as little as $20 at the hardware store and can give you piece of mind. Now is the time to check your fire detectors and carbon monoxide detectors too. Taking small precautions can really help keep your family safe.

3) Cut energy use -

A simple way to cut energy costs is to get a better thermostat. Something smart like the Nest that you can program is an easy energy fix. The thermostat can learn when you are home and when you are away saving the costs of heating or cooling when you are at work for 8 hours. A step above this would be to look at your HVAC system. Having someone out to look at and repair any holes in the duct work can greatly help your house be more energy efficient. The best part is that not only will you save money on your heating and cooling bills you can actually get a rebate for making your home more energy efficient. Xcel energy will discount the purchase of a smart thermostat. For other incentives check out the website below: http://www.dsireusa.org/

4) Set up a cleaning plan -  

Coming up with a set daily or weekly plan will help you keep your house cleaner and reduce some stress.  This could mean setting the resolution to always put dirty dishes in the dishwasher each night or creating and carrying out a schedule to clean your whole house weekly. There are a couple of books and websites to help give you ideas.

               * Speed Cleaning – Jeff Campbell – This is a great book with a really bad cover. Don’t let the cover deter you from the content inside. This book will help you clean your entire house in 45 minutes.

               * How to create a cleaning schedule that works – Living Well Spending Less: http://www.livingwellspendingless.com/2014/02/18/create-cleaning-schedule-works/

Weekly Market Activity Report For Week Ending December 24, 2016

As we look toward 2017, the entirety of the U.S. housing market has never been
worth as much as it is right now. Housing stock value grew to $29.6 trillion in 2016,
regaining all of the value that was lost during the last recession. An upward trend in
mortgage rates, mortgage credit and new construction are all common predictions
for 2017.

In the Twin Cities region, for the week ending December 24:
 • New Listings increased 32.5% to 359
 • Pending Sales increased 28.1% to 606
 • Inventory decreased 23.9% to 9,469

For the month of November:
 • Median Sales Price increased 5.5% to $231,400
 • Days on Market decreased 15.1% to 62
 • Percent of Original List Price Received increased 0.8% to 96.7%
 • Months Supply of Homes For Sale decreased 24.1% to 2.2

Publish Date: January 2, 2017 • All comparisons are to 2015