Celebrity Listing: Katherine Hepburn

In her six-decade career, Katherine Hepburn amassed more Best Actress Oscars (four wins and 12 nominations) than anyone else, ever. Her home in Old Saybrook, CT, on the shores of Long Island Sound, has been in the Hepburn family since 1913 and can be bought for a cool $28,000,000. It was rebuilt in 1939 after a hurricane destroyed it, and the star lived there until her death at 96 in 2003. The 8,400-square foot six bedroom home has a private dock and beach, as well as a pond, is very private, features large grand spaces, huge porches, sweeping views and a wonderful gourmet kitchen. It occupies 3 lots spanning 3.5 acres with nearly 700 feet of waterfront. 

And as far as the inside goes, let's just say....the lady liked WHITE!

Open Houses: November 6, 2011

8088 Savanna Valley Way - Victoria
$399,000
5 bedroom/4 bath
Open:  12:00 to 1:30

Only relocation makes this beautifully finished home available! Located in Savanna Valley on a premium walkout lot with wetland views! This home has been beautifully updated with a Gourmet Kitchen featuring granite counters, pantry, tiled backslash and stainless steel appliances, 5 BRs & finished lower level. Walk to the neighborhood park, Holy Family High School & the Victoria Field House.

Click HERE for more information.


7705 Ridgeview Way - Chanhassen
$500,000
4 bedroom/4 bath
Open:  12:00 to 1:30

Nestled on a .43 acre lot, this home shows like new construction! With a Great Room floor plan, Office & Gourmet Kitchen, Private Master Suite & Bonus Room. Relax in the private backyard or take a dip in the neighborhood pool.

Click HERE for more information.

Weekend Happenings: Artisan Fair, Walker Art Center

Artisan Fair
Chanhassen Rec Center
2310 Coulter Boulevard
Chanhassen, MN
Sat. November 5, 2011
10:00 am to 2:00 pm
Cost:  Free, Donations of non-perishable food item for CAP Agency welcomed

Get a jump start on holiday shopping as the Chanhassen Rec Center is transformed into a crafter's village. Area artists will have a variety of crafts and handmade items for sale. Come to the Rec Center to shop locally for your holiday gifts.


Click HERE for a list of exhibitors.

Free Saturday at the Walker
Walker Art Center
1750 Hennepin Avenue

Minneapolis, MN
Sat. November 5, 2011
10:00 am to 3:00 pm
Cost:  Free



Gallery admission is free for everyone on the first Saturday of each month. Families can enjoy live performances, films, gallery adventures, and hands-on art making.

Weekly Market Update: October 31, 2011

This week's market scorecard shows increased activity levels for buyers and a modest decline in seller activity. Consumer purchase demand posted a welcomed increase over the same week in 2010. Sellers brought fewer new listings onto the market than last year. Home purchase activity is still one of the most paramount drivers of sustained recovery. The key then becomes determining the overall market momentum.

In the Twin Cities region, for the week ending October 22:

• New Listings decreased 15.8% to 1,100
• Pending Sales increased 28.8% to 822
• Inventory decreased 21.5% to 22,132

For the month of September:

• Median Sales Price decreased 7.2% to $155,000
• Days on Market increased 5.5% to 137
• Percent of Original List Price Received increased 0.3% to 91.1%
• Months Supply of Inventory decreased 21.9% to 6.8

For Sale: 5BR/2+2BA Single Family House in Victoria, MN, $325,000

 Presenting a Gorgeous Home from Stafford Family Realtors

8088 Savanna Valley Way ~ Victoria, MN

$325,000

Located in Savanna Valley on a premium walkout lot w/wetland views!  This home has been beautifully updated w/a Gourmet Kitchen, 5BAs, & fully finished LL.

For more information please visit http://www.staffordfamilyrealtors.com/or for a private showing please call 952.470.2575

For Sale: 5BR/2+2BA Single Family House in Victoria, MN, $325,000

Happy Halloween!

Looks like we'll have great weather tonight!  We hope that you all have a fun night of Trick or Treating!  Our girls will be going as a Veterinarian, a Kitty Cat, and a Butterfly Queen.   Maybe we'll see you out and about.  See below for some great Halloween Safety Tips.

Warmest Regards,
Eric & Sharla


Halloween Safety Tips
Halloween is an exciting time of year for kids, and to help ensure they have a safe holiday, here are some tips from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Feel free to excerpt these tips or use them in their entirety for any print or broadcast story, with acknowledgment of source.


ALL DRESSED UP:

• Plan costumes that are bright and reflective. Make sure that shoes fit well and that costumes are short enough to prevent tripping, entanglement or contact with flame.
• Consider adding reflective tape or striping to costumes and Trick-or-Treat bags for greater visibility.
• Because masks can limit or block eyesight, consider non-toxic makeup and decorative hats as safer alternatives. Hats should fit properly to prevent them from sliding over eyes.
• When shopping for costumes, wigs and accessories look for and purchase those with a label clearly indicating they are flame resistant.
• If a sword, cane, or stick is a part of your child's costume, make sure it is not sharp or too long. A child may be easily hurt by these accessories if he stumbles or trips.
• Obtain flashlights with fresh batteries for all children and their escorts.
• Do not use decorative contact lenses without an eye examination and a prescription from an eye care professional. While the packaging on decorative lenses will often make claims such as “one size fits all,” or “no need to see an eye specialist,” obtaining decorative contact lenses without a prescription is both dangerous and illegal. This can cause pain, inflammation, and serious eye disorders and infections, which may lead to permanent vision loss.
• Teach children how to call 9-1-1 (or their local emergency number) if they have an emergency or become lost.

CARVING A NICHE:

• Small children should never carve pumpkins. Children can draw a face with markers. Then parents can do the cutting.
• Consider using a flashlight or glow stick instead of a candle to light your pumpkin. If you do use a candle, a votive candle is safest.
• Candlelit pumpkins should be placed on a sturdy table, away from curtains and other flammable objects, and should never be left unattended.

HOME SAFE HOME:

• To keep homes safe for visiting trick-or-treaters, parents should remove from the porch and front yard anything a child could trip over such as garden hoses, toys, bikes and lawn decorations.
• Parents should check outdoor lights and replace burned-out bulbs.
• Wet leaves should be swept from sidewalks and steps.
• Restrain pets so they do not inadvertently jump on or bite a trick-or-treater.

ON THE TRICK-OR-TREAT TRAIL:

• A parent or responsible adult should always accompany young children on their neighborhood rounds.
• If your older children are going alone, plan and review the route that is acceptable to you. Agree on a specific time when they should return home.
• Only go to homes with a porch light on and never enter a home or car for a treat.
• Because pedestrian injuries are the most common injuries to children on Halloween, remind Trick-or Treaters:
• Stay in a group and communicate where they will be going.
• Carry a cell phone for quick communication.
• Remain on well-lit streets and always use the sidewalk.
• If no sidewalk is available, walk at the far edge of the roadway facing traffic.
• Never cut across yards or use alleys.
• Only cross the street as a group in established crosswalks (as recognized by local custom). Never cross between parked cars or out driveways.
• Don't assume the right of way. Motorists may have trouble seeing Trick-or-Treaters. Just because one car stops, doesn't mean others will!
• Law enforcement authorities should be notified immediately of any suspicious or unlawful activity.

HEALTHY HALLOWEEN:

• A good meal prior to parties and trick-or-treating will discourage youngsters from filling up on Halloween treats.
• Consider purchasing non-food treats for those who visit your home, such as coloring books or pens and pencils.
• Wait until children are home to sort and check treats. Though tampering is rare, a responsible adult should closely examine all treats and throw away any spoiled, unwrapped or suspicious items.
• Try to ration treats for the days following Halloween.

© 10/10 American Academy of Pediatrics

Appraisals: Now 'Green' Can Make You Some Green

Green or energy-efficient features in a home often don’t get factored into appraisals. But they can be an important selling point in a home, and many home owners say “green” should count when valuing homes.

A new form by the Appraisal Institute aims to make sure these key selling features–from those energy-efficient appliances to solar panels–are no longer overlooked and are factored into the equation. The form is also viewed as a big step in helping the appraisal industry standardize the way residential energy-efficient features are reported and analyzed.

The form is an optional addendum to Fannie Mae Form 1004, which is the appraisal industry’s most widely used form for mortgage purposes. It is used by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the Federal Housing Administration.

“We hope lenders, home builders, real estate agents, and home owners will take advantage of this new tool,” says Joseph C. Magdziarz, president of the Appraisal Institute. “Mortgage lenders who want to see energy features analyzed should request the green addendum to be included with Form 1004. We also encourage lenders to provide the green addendum to home owners so they can fill it out and provide it to their appraiser. If a new home is being appraised, home builders can use the addendum to provide data to appraisers. Real estate agents also can use the data to help populate the MLS.”
 
Source: By Melissa Dittmann Tracey, REALTOR® Magazine:  Styled, Staged and Sold

Weekend Happenenings: Halloween Festivities

If you're looking to stretch out the Halloween fun, be sure to attend some of these fun family-friendly and local events this weekend.

Goblin Boo-gie Dance Party
Shakopee Community Center
1255 Fuller Street, Shakopee, MN
Fri. October 28, 2011
10:00 am to 11:15 am
Cost:  $5 per child

Enigma becomes a haunted Halloween haven so costumed kids can march through and dance to boogie music. There will be classic disco and boo-gie tunes, dancing lights, bubble machines and hula hoops for this morning dance party for preschoolers. The entire family gets into the groove for this one-of-a-kind event. No pre-registration required.


DJ Night/ Halloween Dance Party
Shakopee Community Center

1255 Fuller Street, Shakopee, MN
Fri. October 28, 2011
7:00 pm to 10:00 pm
Cost $3 (grades 6-12)

 Enigma becomes a haunted Halloween haven.   Costume prizes! Bring your friends and have fun



Trunk-n-Treat
Westwood Community Church
3121 Westwood Drive, Excelsior, MN
Fri. October 28, 2011
5:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Cost: Free

Join us for a fun, fall family gathering – indoor and outdoor games, food, face painting, praise & worship and Trunk & Treating! Invite everyone!

Halloween Ghost Trolley

Board the Trolley at the Water Street Station

Excelsior, MN

Fri. October 28, 2011

6:00 pm to 9:00 pm

Cost:  $7 Adults, $5 Children 10 and under

This family-friendly Halloween event includes entertainment on stage (you never know who is going to show up), concessions, a trolley ride down the spooky trail, and a trip through the “haunted” museum.

Spooky Saturday
Eden Prairie Community Center
16700 Valley View Road, Eden Prairie, MN
Sat. October 29,2011
3:00 to 5:00
Cost:  $5 per child, $20 max per family



Join us and enjoy trick-or-treating, arts and crafts activities, music and games, skating exhibitions, the Indoor Play Structure and more!  All participants are entered in a drawing to win a birthday party with eight friends and everyone who wears a costume receives a special treat!




Ghouls and Goblins At The Maze
Arboretum Maze Garden on Three Mile Drive
Sat. October 29, 2011
1:00 to 5:00
Free Gate Admission (Reservations Recommended)

 

It's a spook-friendly Halloween celebration for the whole family! Come in your most imaginative costumes. At the Visitor Center, enjoy "spook-tacular" music and family-friendly activities such as decorating "apple-heads." Or walk the fun-filled Trick or Treat Trail to the Magical Maze Garden - chock full of surprises. Scare up a good time at the Arboretum!


 
 
Halloween Show At The Old Log Theater
Old Log Theater
5185 Meadville Street, Greenwood, MN
Sat. October 29, 2011
2:00 pm
Cost:  $10

This is a special Halloween show for kids featuring the Medicine Show Music Company. There will be dancing, comedy and snappy patter. In addition to Scott Crosbie playing the whiz-bang, entertainment includes Bob Andrews on bass and Bill Mooers on the giant bango. There’s even some magic and many musical surprises. The Halloween show will also present magician/comedian/juggler Craig Carlson. Come dressed in Halloween costumes!




Halloween Spooktacular At Market Square
Market Square Shopping Center
7900 Market Blvd., Chanhassen, MN
11:00 am to 1:00 pm
Cost:  Free


A free, fun and safe way to celebrate Halloween in your community! There will be a haunted fun jump, costume contest at 1pm, games and prizes, trick-or-treating (children in costumes will receive treats from Market Square businesses), balloon animals, kids crafts & face painting at Finding Joy Boutique.

Bargains Abound: What Are Buyers Waiting For?

With low home prices and ultra-low interest rates, the housing market is offering “perhaps the best deals of a generation,” notes a recent article by Bloomberg Businessweek.


Since the housing boom of 2006, home prices have fallen about 31 percent. Also, mortgage rates have been hovering at record lows for the past few weeks (4 percent range or even lower on 30-year fixed-rate mortgages, according to Freddie Mac’s mortgage market survey).

“It’s hard to see the possibility of losing on a home purchase right now, with these mortgage rates,” says economist Dean Baker. “Prices may go lower, but not by much.”

The article notes the following scenario: Buying a $300,000 home with a 4 percent mortgage rate and a 20 percent down payment would mean a $1,145 monthly payment. The Mortgage Bankers Association recently predicted that home prices may fall another 3.5 percent by mid-2012 but mortgage rates will increase by a half-point. So for that same loan under that scenario, a home would sell for $289,000 while the monthly mortgage bill would be $1,171--only a $26 difference.

For those who can qualify for a mortgage, "playing the waiting game" won't result in much gain, Nariman Behravesh, chief economist at IHS in Englewood, Colo., told Bloomberg Businessweek.

Source: “Crazy Home Deals Await the Creditworthy,” Bloomberg Businessweek (Oct. 24, 2011)

Weekly Market Update: October 24, 2011

Another week in the books arrived with another strong showing from buyers, who ramped up their purchase activity this round. Seller activity fell short of the same week last year. The net result is that inventory is continuing to drop compared to a year ago.

Balance is still the name of the game here and right now we are heading in the right direction, with the Months Supply of Inventory currently sitting at 6.8, the lowest September mark since 2004.

In the Twin Cities region, for the week ending October 15:

• New Listings decreased 17.5% to 1,166
• Pending Sales increased 35.0% to 794
• Total available inventory decreased 21.2 percent to 22,374

Source:  Minneapolis Area Association of Realtors

Celebrity Listing: Micheal Jackson

While rehearsing for his "This Is It" concert series during the summer of 2009, pop music legend Michael Jackson stayed in this French Chateau-style mansion, where he later died of a propofol overdose. In 2010, the estate was listed for a whopping $28.995 by owner Hubert Guez, chief executive of the Ed Hardy fashion brand, who later pulled the home off the market. Spread over more than 17,000 square feet of living space, the opulent residence includes seven bedrooms, 13 bathrooms, 12 working fireplaces, an elevator, a home theater and a wine cellar.

Foyer
Located in a prestigious area of Holmby Hills, the grand estate was designed by award-winning architect Richard Landry and completed in 2002. The home's imposing entrance features a curved staircase, soaring ceilings and an oversized chandelier.

Living Room
A major achievement in design and proportion, the property incorporates classic design and impeccable craftsmanship and offers an integration of charm and elegance in a world-class setting.

Dining Room

 

Bedroom

Bathroom

Home Theater

Wine Cellar and Tasting Area

Office

 Landscape
Set on approximately 1.26 acres, the home is surrounding by lush, mature landscaping. A heated swimming pool lies between the main house and the guesthouse.

 Guesthouse
An elegant guesthouse with stained glass doors leads to the pool and gardens.

 Source:  HGTV Front Door

Open Houses: October 23, 2011

15709 Fairwood Lane - Minnetonka
$419,000
5 bedroom/4 bath
Open  12:00 to 2:00

A private .52 acre lot is the perfect setting for this lovingly maintained Rambler featuring an updated kitchen with granite & stainless steel appliances, new hardwood & tile floors throughout. Relax in the spacious backyard and enjoy the screened porch and deck. This home features a vaulted family room with exposed beams, 2 fireplaces, home office & spacious lower level family room with fireplace and wet bar!

Click HERE for more information on Fairwood Lane.

1575 Cavaletti Court - Victoria
$599,000
4 bedroom/4 bath
Open 12:00 to 2:00

Looks like a page from Pottery Barn. This popular Wakefield model is on a private lot & is beautifully finished with all the amenities for today's buyers. Enjoy a gourmet Kitchen with granite, stainless steel GE Monogram appliances and stunning hardwood floors. 4 Bedrooms up including a private master suite with a fireplace.

Click HERE for more information on Cavaletti Court.

4645 Old Kent Road - Deephaven
$749,000
3 bedroom/5 bath
Open 12:00 to 2:00

Nestled on a private lot in North Amesbury, this home offers gracious living! It is beautifully updated & designed with family and entertaining in mind. Enjoy Main Level Living with a lower level Guest Suite, Exercise Room & Custom Pub. The 5 Car Finished Garage is the perfect "Man Cave". This home is a must see! Contract for Deed financing now available. Please call 952.470.2575 for more information.

Click HERE for more information on Old Kent Road.

Master Bedroom Closet Must Haves

If you've been living in a home without enough closet space, then you know how important it is to have adequate, organized spaces to keep your things.  Master bedroom closets usually have to accomodate the clothes of two people and have become increasingly larger as master bedroom suites have increased in size.  But a closet the size of the Taj Mahal won't do you any good if it doesn't contain the elements that are important to you and make your life easier.  Read on for some practical ideas that should enhance any master closet, and some not so practical but very fun ideas as well.

Know Your Habits
Closets work best when they work for you.  Shorter people need useable shelving and spaces where they can reach them.  Do you hang all your shirts or do you like them stacked?  Do you have a large collection of ballcaps or sweatshirts?  Storage for each type can be very different.  If you bunch your socks you'll need more space than if you roll them. Think about what you wear and how you like to get dressed, and design the space to serve you: most-used items up around eye level, less-used below, and least-used high above. Most closets have too much hanging storage and far too little shelf or drawer storage.

Visibility
Some people like to see everything at a glance, others prefer a more organized look.  Either way, your options are endless.  Here a a few examples of more open and more closed designs.

Lighting
Most closets lack adequate lighting.  If you're looking to add some light to your closet keep a few things in mind.  Fluorescent lighting of the past reminds us of unflattering colors.  But flourescent lighting has come a long way and does not produce the heat that incandescent lights do, which could be a fire hazard in a small confined space.  Lighting should be placed between you and your clothes.  Lights that are behind you will create shadows and make it harder for you to see your choices.  Natural lights or skylights may seem like a great solution but sunlight has a fading effect on many clothes and accessories.  Consider carefully where sunlight will travel in your closet before installing any windows or skylights.

Smart Use of Space
Take advantage of all available space, up to the ceiling and down to the floor. Bins on high shelves, roll-out boxes that sit on the floor (available from many catalogues), even a third closet pole if your ceiling is over 9 feet high, are ideal for storing items you don't use all the time. Less accessible places work well for off-season storage; if you have enough room that you don't need to rotate clothes, use the space to get oddball shoes, hats, bags, or sentimental items out of damp basements and freezing/baking attics.

Little Luxuries
Who says a closet has to be completely utilitarian?  Chandelier in the closet...why not?  Washers and dryers are a handy luxury in your closet.  Comfortable seating, beautiful carpets, high-end cabinetry, vanities, refrigerators, full length mirrors, and televisions can all make a functional space a beautiful one as well.  Make the space work for you and enjoy EVERY room in your house!