About Cass County, ND

Real Estate Definition & Terms “A piece of land, including the air above it and the ground below it, and any buildings or structures on it. also called realty.” Real Estate Terms commonly used: First Time Home Buyer, First Time Homebuyer, HUD Homes, Best Assets HUD Homes, Best-Assets HUD Homes, Realtor, Realtors, Real Estate Agent, Real Estate Professional, Personal Property, abandonment option, abeyance, title, asset class, REIT, capital asset, fixed asset, closing statement, mortgage, REMIC, commercial property, economic rent, income property, passive income, listing, exclusive listing, illiquid, non-financial asset, right of redemption, tenancy, time-sharing, real estate owned, Listing Realtor, Exclusive Realtor, Buying Realtor, Listing Agent, Buying Agent, Buyers Agent, For Sale By Owner, Home for sale by owner, For Sale, Realtors, & Real Estate Specialist, 1031, 1031 Exchange, Short Sales, Pre Foreclosure, HUD properties, Foreclosures, Sheriff Sale, Redemption Period, Equitable Redemption Period, Statutory Redemption Period, Early Move in Agreement, Purchase Agreement, Property Condition Statement, Lead Based Pain Addendum, Addendum, Disclosure, Contact Dave Werth Realtor with any Real Estate Questions you might have or Real Estate terminology you are interested in understanding. Information on HUD Programs, REPO's, Foreclosures, Short Sales, & Discounted Property's in the Fargo or Moorhead Real Estate markets. Dave is the Northwest territory representative for HUD homes. Working with Best Assets, Dave has the detailed information on all HUD homes in Moorhead, and surrounding area HUD homes within 200 miles of Fargo & Moorhead. HUD homes are FHA guaranteed homes that went into foreclosure and are offered for sale on Best Assets. Purchase a HUD home through Dave and find out how to get the lowest price on a HUD home with his resources. Dave Werth, FM Area Realtor is one of the best sources for people searching for RELOCATION DEPARTMENTS such as jobs, homes, education, food, and entertainment. I have created this website with its numerous search tools to help people browse the multiple listing system on their own & at their own pace. When they are ready to relocate or make a move, I am ready for them to give me a call. Buyer's Agents working with me, have access to ALL companies and ALL the homes for sale located on the MLS. It is my obligation to find property for my clients, buyers, & sellers. Talk to Dave Werth Realtor about searching, buying, and selling Fargo Moorhead area Homes and Fargo Real Estate, Moorhead Real Estate, West Fargo Real Estate, or any of the Fargo Moorhead Rural Real Estate Property all the way to the Lakes Area Real Estate! Dave Werth Real Estate Agent & Real Estate Specialist offers property information related to buying and selling homes for sale in Moorhead and Fargo..... and links for listing information about North and South Fargo & Moorhead neighborhoods, Downtown Fargo businesses, West Fargo and Fargo Moorhead schools, house value, area home values, appraisals, taxes and special assessments, Cass and Clay County and FM area maps, mortgage financing in Fargo, buying tips, selling tips, relocation information for Fargo ND and Moorhead MN, and almost anything else related to living in or working the FM area. . Please see the links to MLS Property Search listed on the home page, as well as Featured Listings, and Selling links. Find Fargo and Moorhead residential condos, condominiums, town homes, twin homes, investments, real estate and new construction properties marketed for sale and for rent by Top Fargo Moorhead Realtor Dave Werth. NewRealEstateProperty.com offers information on VA, HUD, Multiple Listing (MLS), Owners (FSBO), Banks, Apartments Association, Commercial Agents, and Homebuilders. Explore the communities of Fargo, Moorhead, Dilworth, West Fargo, Hawley, Glyndon, Harwood, Reiles Acres, Detroit Lakes, Sabin, Horace, Harwood, North Fargo, South Fargo, and Casselton. This site has extensive Fargo and Moorhead information links, consumer links, school information, free reports, answers to commonly asked real estate questions, Use these key terms to find information about a specific Realtor, MLS Listing, MLS Fargo Homes, MLS Moorhead Homes, Fargo Homes for sale, Moorhead Homes for Sale, For Sale by Owner, Fargo Moorhead Homes for sale, FSBO, Fargo Property for Sale, Moorhead Property for sale, Fargo Realtors, Fargo Moorhead Realtors, Moorhead Realtors, Homes for Sale Fargo, Homes for Sale Moorhead, Homes for Sale West Fargo, and Homes for Sale Dilworth. First Time Home buyer Dave Werth, First Time Home buyer Fargo, First Time Home buyer Moorhead, or First Time Home buyer Fargo Moorhead Please visit the First Time Homebuyer link on the home page for information on First Home buyer Loans & First Time Home Buyer Classes ! North Dakota and Minnesota have specific programs for First Time Home Buyer Programs. If you're thinking about buying a home, attend The Home Buyer Homebuyer Education Program, & First Time Home Buyer Classes. The program can help you qualify for down payment and closing cost assistance from the city of Fargo, ND, and the city of Moorhead, MN. Free Home Buyer Assistance is available for First Time Homebuyers with Free counseling. Plan now to home buyer FREE homebuyer education classes and individual financial counseling sessions. Contact Dave Werth for additional information on First Time Home Buyer classes and dates. Dave Werth - ABR Kvamme Real Estate davew@KVAMMEREALESTATE.COM

We invite you to visit the best North Dakota Real Estate School. Our North Dakota Real Estate Courses are fully accredited and approved. Our North Dakota real estate school is one of the leading online Real Estate Schools in North Dakota offering the best prices for ND online real estate courses available. Licensed Instructors are available to assist you with your North Dakota Real Estate course and North Dakota real estate license. http://www.rowlettcareerschool.com/nd-north-dakota.htm

The secret to passing the North Dakota real estate license exam is in knowing exactly what is most important to the regulators and knowing the right information to pass the exam. Our first time passing rates meet or exceed any other provider including in-class instruction.

Our online real estate school offers pre and post licensing and continuing education for North Dakota Real Estate, Appraisal, Home Inspection, Mortgage Broker, Land Surveyor, Engineer, Personal Finance, Professional Development, Counselor, Social Work, Tax Assessor, funeral director services, consumer education and legal CEU. http://www.rowlettcareerschool.com/nd-north-dakota.htm

One of your first decisions is whether to take an North Dakota real estate course in-class or online. Adding to that challenge is choosing a provider that gives you the highest chance for success in passing your North Dakota real estate exam on your first try. Choosing an education provider with a Proven Track Record Guarantees you have the foundation of knowledge to succeed. You can be on your way to becoming a North Dakota Real Estate Professional in just One Click of the mouse! Let your career start here with Rowlett Career School.

Free Classes For Our Troops

Free Course for our troops. >click here. <

members of our Armed Forces who have served our country in Iraq or Afghanistan, by offering"for free" the Florida classroom 63 hour Real Estate course. We will also extend this offer to the spouse of any member of the armed forces who is currently serving in Iraq or Afghanistan. (OEF/OIF Vets) For more information and qualifications, call Captain Wayne Rowlett, 1800-482-1375

North Dakota Real Estate Courses "A mouse Click Away http://www.rowlettcareerschool.com/nd-north-dakota.htm

North Dakota Real Estate Courses

• Continuing Education

North Dakota Appraisal

• Appraisal Exam Prep

North Dakota Home Inspection

• Home Inspection License Course
• Continuing Education
• ASHI Courses
• NAHI Courses
• NACHI Courses

North Dakota Mortgage Broker

• Not at this time

Legal & Consumer Ed. Courses

• Credit Restoration
• Foreclosure Prevention
• Personal Financial Management
• Saving your Home From Foreclosure
• Avoid Homebuying Mistakes

• Legal CEU

Professional Course List

• Land Surveyor (PDH)
• Professional Engineer (PDH)

• Personal & Professional Development
• Counselor
• Social Workers

Recently several homeowners have said to me “I didn’t know how long the inspection was going to take.” or “I didn’t know you needed in there.” Often these same homeowners have spent hours “preparing” for the inspection by making their home super neat, super clean and super aromatic. These actions are appreciated and useful during showings, but don’t improve the inspectability of the house.

A typical home inspection will take from two and a half to three and a half hours. The range covers the fact that older homes tend to take longer and newer one often less. The course of an American Society of Home Inspectors (www.ashi.org) or National Association of Home Inspectors (www.nahi.org) Standards of Practice, www.homeinspector.org/standards/default.aspx , inspection involves inspecting 1400-1600 items regardless of age. It simply takes time to do properly.

Home Inspectors are not supposed to disturb the homeowners personal effects and this often presents a problem when we find loose or boxed items blocking access to an attic hatch, furnace, water heater or electrical distribution panel. These items may be fragile, and guess whose fault it is if they show up broken later, and in a few cases I have seen items that were much more personal than I wished to become involved with.

A really great guide for all of your sellers is found at the NAR site. http://www.realtor.org/toolkits/close19

As a final note your sellers may want to consider the benefits of a pre-sale inspection. Once again the NAR site has valuable information to help your seller make the best decision. http://www.realtor.org/archives/preinspectkenarchive2000jan

For all your residential and light commercial inspection needs contact

Marshall Brown, BSEE, CRI, CHI

Alexandria: (320) 846-0004, Detroit Lakes: (218) 841-4514, Fargo/Moorhead: (218) 287-0877 Fergus Falls, Wadena, Perham and the Lakes Region, Toll Free: (866) 475-2253

Marshall.Brown@pillartopost.com

www.pillartopost.com/moorhead

Contact Dave Werth for more statistics or additional information on the greater FM area!

www.NewRealEstateProperty.com - 218-790-7653 Cell/Anytime

Fargo is the largest community in North Dakota. Moorhead borders Fargo to the east. The communities are located near the intersection of I-94, which runs east/west, and I-29, which runs north/south. Residents have easy access to several forms of transportation including the Hector International Airport, Amtrak train station and Metro Area Transit - the city's bus system.

The Fargo Public School District provides instruction through 15 elementary schools, three middle/junior high schools and three senior high schools. There are also several private schools in the community.

During the summers, students in grades 6-12 can participate in the Trollwood Performing Arts School, a unique youth development program committed to providing high quality performing arts education, community entertainment and an appreciation of the arts. The program takes place in Trollwood Cultural and Arts Park and utilizes 36 acres of wooded riverbanks, open-air stages and Fargo Moorhead was voted the #1 area to start a business in 2006. In 2005, Fargo Moorhead was one of the Fastest "Top 10" growing cities in the United States. In 2007 New Home Construction grew 4.7%. Fargo Moorhead Real Estate continues to grow each day & is not showing any signs of slowing up soon. Major areas of growth today are; South East Moorhead, the Osgood area by West Fargo, & rural Sabin, Glyndon, Dilworth, Barnesville, Mapleton, Casselton, and Horace. Rural Real Estate has become popular due to lower taxes & a very short commute.

Fargo is the largest community in North Dakota. Moorhead borders Fargo to the east. The communities are located near the intersection of I-94, which runs east/west, and I-29, which runs north/south. Residents have easy access to several forms of transportation including the Hector International Airport, Amtrak train station and Metro Area Transit - the city's bus system.

The Fargo Public School District provides instruction through 15 elementary schools, three middle/junior high schools and three senior high schools. There are also several private schools in the community.

During the summers, students in grades 6-12 can participate in the Trollwood Performing Arts School, a unique youth development program committed to providing high quality performing arts education, community entertainment and an appreciation of the arts. The program takes place in Trollwood Cultural and Arts Park and utilizes 36 acres of wooded riverbanks, open-air stages and renovated farm buildings to conduct its program every year. A major production of a main stage musical that features the students as participants is the highlight of this program.

For those seeking higher education, there numerous colleges and universities located within 50 miles from the city center. North Dakota State University is a four-year institution and is located right in town. Concordia College and Minnesota State University are located in nearby Moorhead. Northwestern Technical College, also located in Moorhead, is a two-year campus that offers programs for associate degrees, diplomas and certificates as well as technical training courses.

The Fargo Park District prides itself on the numerous beautiful parks located throughout the city offering everything from ball fields and basketball courts to picnic facilities and shelters. The district oversees several other facilities including the Robert D. Johnson Recreation Center, the Edgewood Chalet, the Northern Pacific Depot and three indoor ice facilities; Coliseum, Sports Arena and Metro Rec Center. In the winter, skiing, sledding and tubing are available at the Edgewood Chalet and the Dike West.

The Northern Pacific Depot has been a Fargo landmark since its construction in 1898. In 1971 Burlington Northern, successor to the Northern Pacific Railroad, deeded the depot and its grounds to the city of Fargo. Momentum to preserve the historic landmark began to gather steam. In 1975 it became the first Fargo building entered on the National Register of Historic Places, and a campaign was begun to restore its interior. Presently owned by the Fargo Park District, the depot also houses the Fargo Senior Commission and the Senior Center.

Fargo offers a wide array of entertainment opportunities from sophisticated drama to world famous singers to an old-fashion rodeo. The Celebrity Walk of Fame - located at the Convention and Visitors Bureau -- is a growing collection of more than 100 star signatures, handprints and footprints in cement.

Fargo prides itself on its rich history. The initial settlers in the area were Scandinavian, German and European immigrants. The city was named for William G. Fargo, a partner in the Wells-Fargo Express Company. Early Fargo was then a collection of small shops, stores and warehouses that were clustered along Broadway and Front Street. In 1893, nearly all of downtown Fargo was lost in the Great Fire of that year. After the fire, new construction favored more fire resistant buildings. Fargo continued to expand during the national economic boom that started in 1898 and ended with World War I. During the war, The Ford Motor Company built a large assembly plant downtown on Broadway and the Northern Pacific Railroad came through the area. Both of these events brought more residents to the area.

Today, Fargo is a rapidly growing cosmopolitan or as the locals call it a micropolitan city. While some may believe that Fargo is a place of never ending snow and unusual accents, the city has been consistently recognized as a place where an excellent quality of life can be found.

But there is more than just parks to enjoy throughout the year. There are a variety of golf courses in the area and the Red River Valley is home numerous bike and walking trails. Zoos, museums, theatres and historical sites are located throughout the area. With 300 acres of bluestem prairie woods, a swimming area, camping and river communities, Buffalo River State Park is well suited for family fun and environmental education. A variety of free programs and field trips are offered to the public, area school districts and other groups.

Another great diversion for residents and visitors are the many shopping possibilities. The First Center South, the Northport Shopping Center and the University Square are all located in Fargo. The busiest area in Fargo is around I-29 and 13th Avenue and this is where the largest shopping mall in the region is located. West Acres Shopping Mall features retail stores, department stores and a host of restaurants. There is also an antique mall for those that are looking for that special antique.

renovated farm buildings to conduct its program every year. A major production of a main stage musical that features the students as participants is the highlight of this program. Contact Dave for more statistics or additional information on the greater FM area!

How to Sell Your Home

Getting Started

1. CMA Appraisals & Market Value
2. Listing Price & Price Reductions
3. Disclosures / Property Condition Statements / CLUE Reports
4. Staging & Getting Ready to Sell
5. Days on the market & price drops or adjustments
6. Contracts & Offers
7. Closing Dates / Possession Dates
8. Closing Day

1. CMA Market Value

Standard ways to determine how much a home is worth. A comparative market analysis and an appraisal are the two most common and reliable ways to determine a home's value. Dave can provide a comparative market analysis, an informal estimate of value based on the recent selling price of similar neighborhood properties. A CMA will have comparable homes that have sold within the past year and includes the listing, asking price, current homes for sale, days on the market and values per square foot. An estimate of value is given and there are variables that make a difference such as specials, closing costs, additional fees, or improvements to the property. All of these influence the CMA to give you true market value or what your property should be listed at or the value of your home. City and County tax values should not be used for the CMA as each area varies and marketable property values are separate from taxable property values.

2. Listing prices

The difference between listing price and a sales price. The list price is your MLS advertising price or the asking price for a home. The sales price is the final price paid for on a property. The sales price is the actual amount the home sells for.

3. Disclosures

Property Condition Disclosures are used by sellers to give the buyers a chance to see information about the property while the sellers have lived there. Such as any changes to the property, improvements, damages, flooding, hail, environmental concerns, methamphetamine production, and basic facts about the property and structure of the home. This is a report that the sellers provide when selling their home, of all facts of the property while they lived there. If the house is a foreclosure, the banks do not have to offer a disclosure condition report. Usually the property in a foreclosure is sold as is.

4. Staging the home to sell.

Rule of thumb is bigger, cleaner, and not broken. What sells a home the most is the price. Houses must be ready to sell, and cleaned free of debris inside and outside, and must appear to be clean and spacious. Clutter is a houses worst enemy. For example, go to a furniture store, and look how that is staged. Clean, organized, and free of bad odors. Smoking, pets, and environmental smells will create a bad stigma for buyers. From the curb to the good bye, the house should be prepared and ready to sell, or put the listing on hold until this is done. Ask Dave how to get a house ready to sell. Putting money into your house before you sell, can make a difference, only if it is to bring it more marketability, not improvement to the price. Improvement to the price must be looked at closely with an agent, as this is the biggest myth sellers do not discuss with their agents when trying to increase the value of their home. Money spent in areas of improvements should be: Professional cleaners, carpet cleaners, paint, window cleaners, professional movers cleaning out the house to look bigger & spacious using storage units if possible, fixing minor broken things to repair, and the entry into the house should be clean and free of anything. Contact Dave to help you understand where to spend your money wisely instead of wasting it on your old home, when you could of used it on your new home.

5. DOM or days on the market

How many days on the market is it going to be before my house will sell? The biggest question is how well is your home priced. The right price will bring you more traffic and more offers. If you are too high, you may scare away buyers and don't think that someone just might place an offer just to shoot you low. Pricing your house accordingly to what your agent knows what it will sell for, is the best way to go. Your mindset of how much it's worth to you, is not how much it is worth the buyers. The market will dictate the price, and length of time it will take to sell. Check with your agent on the average days on the market for a home similar to yours as this should also be included in your CMA or market analysis. Each area varies, and each market will fluctuate year to year.

6. Contracts and Offers

There is no such thing as a low ball offer. Its only an offer the buyers are willing to start the negotiations with. Do not be offended by any offer, as the rule of thumb is sometimes your first offer might be the only one you might see, or the only one you can negotiate with. Your agent will advise you of techniques within a contract to make things come together, and bring more buyers offers coming. The purchase agreement will give you the terms and strengths of the contract which usually indicates a lot of information, as the buyer's agent cannot disclose any information besides price, terms, and motivation. Reading into a contract is impossible to do, so don't spin your wheels to fast. The earnest money is sometimes an indication, but not to be a determining factor. Offering price, date of closing, where the buyers are from, pre approval letter, additional addendums, assumed specials, closing costs, and warranty & inspections will give you an idea of how serious they are. There is not one thing on a Purchase Agreement that will give you more insight than another. If the property is offered cash, this is sometimes the stronger offer, as there are no financing hang ups or money that will be asked to drop because of appraisal issues. Also home inspections are also a buyers source of negotiations which can hinder a buyer from purchasing your property. I do not recommend getting a home inspection report to give to buyers as this is sometimes a waste of your money, that can be used in negotiations. Contracts and offers should be looked at carefully with your agent and bad or good, do not get discouraged, as it is a sign that your agent is successfully marketing your property in the eyes of the public and realtors.

7. Closing Dates

When are we going to be closing and they are going to take possession of our home? The closing dates are in the purchase agreement and should be followed through with. There are some cases the closing dates do change so don't get too worried. Talk with your agent about any closing date changes and opportunities that may arise. When getting ready for your closing date, make sure to follow instructions from your agent about times and closing information you will need to provide your closing company. You have the choice of choosing a closing company or having your agent choose one for you. Your agent may have good relations to make the closing smoother with a preferred closing company, and I suggest letting them choose one for you. Just correspond what times work best for you. Who goes first? It will change sometimes as the buyer usually will go before the seller and the other way around, so don't worry about whom goes first. Money has to be released to the closing company in order to consummate the sale of the property and final numbers are final. Make sure to get a HUD 1 statement a day or two in advance to see what your final amount will be if you are or are not receiving money back. In some cases sellers will have to pay in some money if they are upside down on their homes. The closing company will provide you with a HUD 1 statement and your agent and you should review all of the line items on each statement to make sure everything is accurate before you go to closing.

8. The day of closing

Under the purchase agreement you have till the closing time, to have the property removed. You do not have to have everything out before the final walk through. Some agents are impatient and want their clients to check out your home before closing, which is fine, but they need to understand moving is not an easy process. To make your house readily available for possession is certainly the right thing to do. Round up all keys, garage openers, brochures on included items being sold, receipts of improvements, mechanical companies you worked with, and let your agent know where they are at so they can get dispersed to the buyers at the time of closing. Make sure to contact all utility companies, phone companies, city records, post office, rental agreements, fuel companies, and additional bills you have coming to your property and advise them that you are moving. You may decide to have your carpet professionally steam cleaned as this is not a requirement of selling your property, but if it is in the contract, you must have it completed before closing. Some people will have the carpets cleaned just in good standards for the new home owners to show them appreciation of buying their house. Try to clean the house as you would like to have done when you move into your next home. Do not try to get sneaky about things, as everything must be disclosed before you close, as some final walk through will come across issues that can create problems. Follow your purchase agreement terms, and get ready to close on time. Bring a drivers license to your closing. If you have to pay for any liens, mortgage satisfactions, or any money, contact the closing company to make sure what type of funds you may pay them with. At the closing, you will have quite a stack of papers to be signed. Make sure to sign your name just as they ask, and to make sure to keep all documentation you receive that day, and store it in a safe place for records. Tax information may be used later by your tax advisor, so have all information readily available for easy access. Other than that, congrats, as you just sold your home, and it's time to move on!