Fall Bucket List

Last night was the first night in quite some time I went to sleep leaving the windows open throughout my apartment. I woke up feeling so refreshed with the crisp fall air pouring in. It was nothing short of magical. I promptly brewed a cup of caramel drizzle coffee, lit a pumpkin spice candle, and pulled out some of my fall décor that has been hiding in the closet for a year. I don't think there is a season us Minnesotans appreciate more than fall. Though I can't quite admit I'm ready for summer to be over, I do love fall more than anything.

Since summer flew by faster than I had expected, I started thinking about all the things I wanted to do but never quite got to because there just weren't enough weekends. This prompted me to think about all the things I want to do this fall, and I quickly started a new note on my iPhone so I wouldn't forget about them. After all, since this season is just kicking off I actually have time to get to everything on my list!

Here's a few of the activities on my list:

1. Visit Parley Lake Winery - Some of my girlfriends and I visited this winery/apple orchard last fall, and I can honestly say that day was one of the highlights of my year. Is there anything better than a perfect fall day, your girlfriends, and wine? We loved it so much, we've actually planned to go back next Saturday, and I couldn't be more excited!
2. Have a BBQ - I can't host one myself, but I've got plenty of friends who can. 
3. Go to the Minneapolis Farmers Market - This is something I failed to do this summer, and it maybe actually be more enjoyable with the cooler weather. I am some what of a health fanatic, and loading up on fresh produce excites me. Plus, I live less than two miles from the Lyndale Ave market, so there are no reasons for me not to make at least one stop on a Saturday morning.
4. Walk around the Chain of Lakes - This is something I do on a regular basis regardless, since Cedar Lake, Lake of the Isles, and Lake Calhoun are all less than a mile from me. I'd like to do it even more, so I can soak up as much fresh air as possible before I hibernate for the winter months. Especially once the leaves start to change.
5. Sit by the fire -  I'm not really sure where I could check this off the list other than back at my parents house, so good thing I'm headed there this weekend. I know my dad will be more than willing to have some drinks, roast some marshmallows, and relax by the fire on Saturday night.
6. Get ice cream from Sebastian Joe's - Whether its the Linden Hills or Franklin Ave location, I've got to get one last cold treat before it's too cold.
7. Dinner on the patio - Dinner, drinks, coffee, lunch, etc. There are countless patios to enjoy in Minneapolis, and again, I'd like to get to as many as possible before it's too cold.

What's on your fall bucket list?

 

Written by Jenna Maxfield

 

 

Tour de Luce

What is Tour de Luce? Tour de Luce is a free-form bike ride between all Twin Cities Pizza Luce locations. You can begin and end at ny location you choose and you can visit as many of the 6 Twin Cities locations as you'd like. For each check-in and a Pizza Luce location you will be entered into a prize drawing not to mention you will gain the honor and prestige of getting a stamp in your Tour de Luce passport. To make your tour more convenient they have created a "suggested" route between each location.

The Tour de Luce is scheduled between the hours of 8am to 4pm, the same day as Open Streets Lyndale Ave in Minneapolis (Sunday, June 23rd). Lyndale avenue will be closed to motorized traffic between the hours of 10am and 4pm.

The cost to enter Tour de Luce is $10 per adult and $5 per child 12 years of age and younger.

Register for the Tour de Luce today

Jumbo Loans and Luxury Homes

Expensive homes come with expensive mortgages. Lenders have developed large specialized loans known as "jumbo loans" that allow borrowers to borrow more. The luxury home market is continuing to rise, so naturally, the jumbo loan market is following. According to the National Association of Realtors, sales of homes worth between $750,000 and $1 million are up 38.7% since last year. Homes selling for over $1 million has gone up 25.7%

Interest rates of these jumbo loans have been creeping closer and closer to the rates of ordinary loans, some jumbo's interest rates have been just as good as the average priced loans. This is one of the main reasons we are seeing a boom in jumbo's. The rates have been able to decrease because only the most qualified buyers are being approved for such a large amount of borrowed money.

Written by: Brad Novy

Cafe Ena Restaurant Review

Cafe Ena is locally owned and operated by restaurateur Hector Ruiz who also recently opened Rincon 38, a small Tapas bar and restaurant on Grand Avenue S. Cafe Ena offers a culinary fusion of Latin American flavors with plenty of Delicious choices on the menu. The service was excellent and the food was even better! Our table started with a Ceviche appetizer, a traditional South American ceviche of fish, shrimp, calamari, and scallops in a cilantro-Aji sauce, topped with pickled red onions.

Our main courses consisted of a South American style curry dish, a goat cheese omelet, and a plate of shrimp sauteed in a delicious sauce I can not pronounce. All plates were cleaned and we were all very satisfied! At the end of our meal, Chef Hector sat with us and we shared a few laughs. We were lucky enough to get a short business lesson from such a successful entrepreneur! If you are in South Minneapolis and feeling hungry, Cafe Ena is a must try! http://www.cafeena.net/

Written by: Brad Novy

Bidding With Multiple Offers: The Smart Way

Most real estate markets are picking up and the Minneapolis market is no exception. The housing affordability index is high and home buyers have been waiting to jump into action. With the shortage of good inventory however, there are more buyers than suitable properties, and we are seeing some multiple offer situations.

Multiple offer situations can cause buyers to make hasty and sometimes irrational decisions. The first piece of advice for buyers is to relax, take a deep breathe, and don't worry too much about the other offers. There will be some competition for the house, don't let it pressure you into making an offer, especially if you're not ready. You might find that you will have to write an offer sooner than you thought. If you are comfortable with the house and the situation, move forward.

Only pay what the house is worth to you, and only pay what you are comfortable paying. You don't know what the other offer or offers may be, they could all be "low ball" offers! There are many different scenarios that could happen and you may be the most attractive offer for many different reasons. Focus on the negotiation of your offer, don't worry about the other buyers, you aren't working with them, you are working with the selling agent. If you are serious about the house, put your best foot forward with your earnest money deposit. It shows the buyers you mean business!

Final piece of advice. If you finally find the house you have been looking for and you have to compete with other buyers, you don't want to have any regrets. Would you like to find out that you missed by $500 dollars? would you have paid $1000 more to get it? If you don't end up with the house, at least you know that you gave it your best effort.

Written by: Brad Novy

When Will Spring Come!?

Does this Minnesota winter seem longer than normal? Well that's because it has been! The average temperature for this time of year in Minneapolis is in the mid fifties! This drawn out cold weather is not slowing down home buyers though! Spring is one of the busiest times of the year for home buying activity, the low inventory levels are driving some competition in the marketplace! If you are buying a house, you might find yourself in a multiple offer situation!

The weather forecasts another snow fall this weekend, but it may be mother nature's last hurrah for winter. Everyday it seems that the snow is melting away, soon we will see the brown grass turn green, leaves forming on the trees, and the ice melting on the lakes.

Before you buy or sell a house, make sure you have done your research, and have consulted with a professional. This Spring will be very busy and it's important that you are prepared to move fast in today's market!

Attention Apple Valley Area Residents!

There will be a Home and Garden show on Saturday, April 6th! This event will feature over 100 vendors from the area, representing many different companies and proffessions. Also, there will be animals from the MN Zoo, plenty of activities for the kids, free ice cream, and free seminars! Come to this Home and Garden show for free, no addmission charge! For more information about this event click here.

Parade Of Homes!

Have you ever been to the Parade Of Homes? If you have, you are probably just as excited as I am right now! If you have never participated in the parade of homes, you are missing out, and you need to mark a day on your calendar and go to the parade!

The Parade Of Homes is an event that spans from March 2nd to the 24th. During this time, home builders throughout the Twin Cities will have their model homes open to view! All newly built model homes are open Thursday - Sunday from noon to 6pm. The Parade Of Homes also features remodeled homes. These will be open on Friday from 1pm - 7pm and Sat/Sun from noon to 6pm.

Look at different types of homes made by all of the different builders. Shop for your next home! Check out the different areas of the metro. Discover trending styles and decor. Make it a cheap date!

Ready to get started? Grab a directory for the parade, you can find them at any Holiday Stationstore! What are you waiting for!? Get out there and check out some homes! More info here

Robots In Real Estate?

The world is constantly being changed by technology, the iPad is becoming a must for real estate agents. Could robots be the next must? A recent article from inman news showcased five ways that robots could change the real estate business.

The first showcased robot is a telepresence robot made by Double Robotics. This robot basically allows you to be in two places at one time! It requires two iPads, one mounted to the robot, and the other in your hands. It features a remotely adjustable neck height so you can remain at eye level when having conversations. This model is available for just $1,999!

Next, we have Romo. Romo can be an extra hand around the office, and it can help take photos!

Another Robot will enable Realtors to take pictures from up above without the use of a ladder. The AR.Drone 2.0 is a flying drone that can record video and take pictures, all while being controlled using your mobile device! Check out the article here.

What do you think about these devices? Could you see them being frequently used in the near future?

Apple Valley Market Update!

Changes in the real estate market are happening, and the recovery of the market is becoming more publicly known. Since last January, the inventory of available homes in the twin cities has gone down 32.2%! The recovering economy and low interest rates means more people are looking to buy houses, therefore, demand is rising. If you aren't sure why this is significant, it means that prices are rising! The median sales prices of homes in the twin cities has risen 14.3% since last January.

The Apple Valley real estate market is booming! The median sales price has risen 30.2% to $185,000 in the last year! Home owners are finding relief and peace of mind in this market turnaround. The average time on the market for a sale is under 100 days. This is all good news for people who are looking to sell their house. It is also good news for buyers, knowing that the market will more than likely put them in a good position for a quick gain in equity. Click here for a more detailed look into the Twin Cities market.

Everything you need to learn the Twin Cities real estate market.

The Minneapolis Association of Realtors website offers a very unique tool to help people learn about the real estate market of the twin cities. This tool is great for everyone from home buyers and home sellers, to real estate investors, to individuals who just want to learn more about the market. This tool is appropriately called, "The Thing".

"The Thing" lets you search for information on any part of the metro area you wish. It really has every metric you could think of. Click here to learn more about the real estate market using "The Thing"

Casting for Sweat Equity on the DIY Network

The show Sweat Equity on DIY Network is casting for homeowners in Minneapolis/St Paul area for their new season. I love this show! The host, Amy Matthews, is a Minnesota native and she really knows renovation. I enjoy seeing the homeowners on the show go through the renovation process and see how much value they add to their home by doing as much of the work as possible themselves.

Here are the details if you want to apply and get help on your next renovation. If you haven't watched the show, check out full episodes on-line.

-Jacqueline Knauf, RE/MAX Results

Green Friendly Home Materials for Home Improvement

Looking to do some green friendly home remodeling and don't know where to start? I recently made a trip to Natural Built Home, a Minneapolis based home material store that sells only products that pass the U.S. Green Building Council's criteria for environmentally friendly and sustainable materials. Their focus is on factors of sustainability, recycled content, low to no toxicity and V.O.C.'s, and locally or USA made. They have everything you need for your remodeling projects - paints, flooring, insulation, counter tops, tiles, etc. I was blown away at the superior craftsmanship and design of the products - very stunning (I will attach pictures below). The metal tiles and the backsplash made from recycled wine corks were as nice as I have seen. They would make a sharp addition to any home. Along with doing good for the community, improving the quality of air in your home, and refreshing your current decor, these materials will make for a solid selling feature if and when you decide to move. :)

The Natural Built Home is located at 4020 Minnehaha Avenue S in Minneapolis. Here is their website.

Those looking to do an extensive "green friendly" or sustainable remodeling project should contact me for a referral to a local architecture firm that is doing some cutting edge green projects in town.

-Michael