Owatonna, MN

There was a house fire in Owatonna on Sunday. I've not heard any specifics, but it looked like the entire home was a loss. Even though October is Fire Safety month, it's never a bad time to think about fire safety and prevention. Here are a few tips and pointers to be aware of:

Get smart about smoke alarms - have one installed on every floor, replace them when they're more than 10 years old, and check and replace your batteries once a year.

Have a plan - have two exits from every room, choose a safe place to meet outside, get out first then call for help, and practice your plan so everyone knows how to respond.

Be on the lookout for household hazards - use portable heaters sparingly and be sure they are shut off when sleeping, be extremely careful when using candles - never leave them unattended, keep matches and lighters stored safely away from children, always have someone present in the kitchen when cooking, be sure that smokers use caution when disposing of ashes - put water on them, and be very careful when storing flammables - be sure they are in safe containers and not in the house.

Everyone in the family needs to be smart about fire safety and prevention.

A group of community minded individuals decided to combine their love of fitness and the outdoors with a passion for helping others with the first annual From The Heart Half Marathon and 5k Run/Walk. The race will take place the first Saturday in May and proceeds will be dedicated to help a local family that is currently faced with a difficult battle with cancer.

Lisa Hilstad was diagnosed with breast cancer about one year ago, and unfortunately it has spread rather aggressively. She has three children at home and continues to be actively involved in every facet of her children's lives. In spite of all the incredibly difficult treatments, Lisa has maintained a positive attitude and her strong spirit shines on.

I hope this first annual even will be tremendously successful. It's a terrific example of how a community can come together to reach out to a family in need of support and encouragement. My thoughts and prayers are with the Hilstad family. I hope they'll be able to create wonderful family memories for many more years to come.

What's the buzz so far this year?

We're seeing a strong surge of first time real estate buyers and investors. Both of those markets have been active and there seems to be a good supply of homes that appeal to both. We've noticed their influence in the average price of the homes that are pending and sold so far this year.

The 34 homes sold in 2009 year to date within an average of 107 days at an average of 94% of the list price and an average of 88.8% of the original list price. There are 47 homes that are pending sale with an average list price of $125,334. The 173 active listings are priced at an average of $197,479 and have been on the market for an average of 177 days.

This information has been provided by the South East Minnesota Association of Realtors.

The stimulus plan will put money in the pockets of those first time home buyers and hopefully continue the momentum through 2009.

We have a plentiful supply of building lots available with a variety of options and neighborhoods available. We've seen a definite decrease in the number of building permits that have been issued and we're hopeful to see things turn around for the builders in our area.

If you're thinking of buying or selling you can put our Owatonna Real Estate Pros (Chad Hacker and Lynn Johnson) team to work for you. Reach at us Coldwell Banker Home Connection at 507-451-8080.

What's the Buzz in the Owatonna Real Estate Market?

We've seen some good showing activity lately, and we continue to be pleased with the values that are available for buyers right now. We like to focus on the many positive things that are happening in our area - things that help buyers understand the opportunities that are out there in our Owatonna housing market.

We still have some zero down programs open to buyers in our community. The interest rates are terrific and offer affordable options like no other time in recent history. We've seen a slight drop in available inventory but we expect that to increase as Spring approaches.

So far this year we've seen 20 residential sales in Owatonna as compared to 23 for the same time last year. The average sale price of homes is $161,175 which is up from the aggregate average sale price from 2008. It takes an average of 130 days to sell which is (so far) down from 136 days this time last year. We currently have 176 homes in the market and the average list price of those homes is $195,486 with an average time on market of 176 days.

What will 2009 bring? Let's hope that the stimulus plan, the (up to) $8000 tax credit, and continued low interest rates will help buyers feel comfortable taking the steps they need to become proud homeowners - and we'll be there to help them

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