Stephanie Fox

You may have heard by now, but there is an effort in the Minnesota House to pass legislation that will potential harm the already-struggling real estate market. On April 20, the Minnesota House of Representatives Tax Committee released a "delete all amendment" to HF2323 and added provisions that are negative for real estate in the Omnibus Tax Bill. The measure would essentially eliminate most of the state tax deductions that home owners currently claim, thereby increasing their state income tax. The call-to-action for all real estate agents, homeowners and other concerned individuals has been circulating via email and blog posts the past few days. I am asking my readers to act by contacting your legislatures via mail (not email) and phone and by spreading the news on to others. Feel free to reblog this post. To read the Minnesota Realtor’s Association statement about the legistation, and to access the email to forward, click here.

Little things can make a big difference in selling your home

If your real estate agent suggests that you spend a little time staging your home, you should listen to this advice. While you may love your home as it is, a buyer is looking at your house through entirely different eyes. Staging your home emphasizes your home’s best features while deemphasizing any weaknesses. Staging need not be expensive – there are a lot of little things a home owner can to make a good impression without spending a lot of money.

First, repair anything that needs fixing. It’s easy to live with minor problems for years, but a buyer seeing your home for the first time will notice small imperfections. Let your real estate agent help you do a survey of your home and don’t feel slighted if problems are pointed out to you.

Once everything is repaired, clean your house from top to bottom, even in places you think people will never look. (They will.) Windows, mirrors and hard surface floors should gleam. Clean the grout, not just the tile. If the walls are dingy, refresh them with new paint. Sweep the garage and considering painting the garage floor. Don’t scrimp on lighting. A bright home makes a good impression while a dark home will seem smaller and dingy. Avoid overhead lighting except in work areas. Table and floor lamps give softer shadows.

If a room is crowded with furniture, get rid of some pieces, even if you just move them to the garage. Pack up personal items and knickknacks (you have to pack them to move anyway) including family photos, awards and religious items. Remove fridge magnets and notes. A good rule of thumb is that there should not be more than four items on any flat surface, including floors and walls. Your goal is a home that’s attractive but impersonal, so the buyers can picture themselves living there.

In neutral colored rooms, add a spot or two of bright color (a throw pillow, a vase with fresh flowers, a brightly colored tea pot, perhaps.) Move furniture away from walls into cozy groups, which will make the room seem larger and friendlier.

Your front door is the first thing a buyer sees, so consider painting it a bright, welcoming color. Currently, deep red is popular, but other colors can also work. Avoid primary colors, but chose colors that are in style and that are found in nature. The paint expert at your local hardware store can help you choose. In warm weather, bright flowers outside the front door will increase the ‘welcome’ effect.

Once a buyer makes an appointment to see the house, do a quick cleaning and straightening job. Hang up clothes, put away dishes, toothbrushes and cleaning supplies. Make the beds with matching linens. Dishes shouldn’t be left drying in a rack. Even the bathroom cup should shine. Wipe out all sinks and, for heaven’s sake, put the toilet lid into the down position (unless you think buyers are in love with exposed plumbing.)

The result of a well staged home is a house that should sell for more money and in a shorter time. The time and money you put in to staging will be worth it at closing.

Contact Stephanie Fox for more tips specific to your home.

A $7500.00 tax credit!

If you're one of the many in the Twin Cities who are thinking of taking advantage of the current buyer's market to buy your first home, the federal government has added an incentive. First-time home buyers - anyone who has not owned a home for three years - can take advantage of new tax credit for any home purchased between April 8, 2008 and July 1, 2009.

The amount of the credit is 10 percent of the purchase price of the home for single taxpayers or for married couples who file jointly. To be eligible, married couples cannot make more than $170,000 and single taxpayers cannot make more than $95,000. The credit has a $7,500 limit ($3,750 for a married person filing a separate return) and must be repaid over a 15-year period. This tax credit will either reduce the amount of tax owed or will increase the refund and will be paid out even if no tax is due or the credit is more than the tax owed.

The refund money can give new buyers extra cash to pay the mortgage, make home repairs or improvements or to simply save or spend. The full credit is available for most homes purchased for $75,000 or more. Vacation homes and rental properties are not part of this proposal. There are other rare exceptions, but most first time home buyers in the Twin Cities will qualify.

First time home buyers who want to take advantage of this tax credit should start looking for their new home soon. Most buyers are taking a month (often more) to find their perfect home and buyers should expect 45 days after making an offer to close on their home. It is not expected that the Feds will extend this offer after July.

Dog Day at the Dome
Tuesdays, February 3 and March 10, 6:00 to 9:00 $1 per dog
Location: HHH Metrodome, park and enter at Gate B. Park free.

It may be too cold for the dog park, but that doesn’t mean that your dog can’t run off leash. On the first Tuesday of each month until Spring, the concourse at the Metrodome becomes an indoor off leash dog park.

Dogs need to be licensed, but if yours is not, officers from local animal control offices are there to sign you up. Each person is limited to two dogs, so if you have a pack, bring more people. The busiest times are from 6:30 until 8:00.

Be aware that there are a lot (I mean A LOT) of dogs, big and small, so your dog should be socialized, or at least not aggressive. These events are a bit overwhelming for my bulldog, Maybull, who likes people better than dogs. But a friend’s dog Brody, a 10-month old Kelpie-mix rescue, thought it was heaven. Maybull got a lot of attention and petting from other dog owners, which makes her happy. The cutest thing I saw was a Chihuahua who strutted down the concourse bossing around dogs 20 times his size. I even met another real estate agent who’d brought her beautiful baby bulldog, Bandit.

Twin Cities Bulldog Meetup
February 14, (Valentine’s Day). 11:30 am. $2
Location: 1752 Grand Ave., St. Paul,
651-642-9663

Who can come? Anyone with an English, French, Olde English or other variation of bulldog. Bring your well-behaved bullie for socializing and fun. It’s snort, run, play, drool time.
RSVP: Bulldog Meetup

MN Bully Lovers Meetup, Indoor Sniff ‘n’ Greet
Saturday, February 7, 12:15 to 1:15 pm $10 or less (price not available at this time.)
2120 Myrtle Ave., St. Paul
651-642-9663

This is an on-leash event with may become off-leash once the dogs get to know each other. This even is for any ‘bullie-type’ breed such as American Bulldogs, Olde English Bulldogs, AmStaffs, pitbull types and mixes. There is a limit of 10 dogs. RSVP should reflect the number of dogs coming, not the number of people. Be aware that these dogs tend to be rowdy. Aggressive dogs are welcome with muzzles. This is a good time for such dogs to learn socialization.
To find out more: Bully Lovers Meetup

The Humane Society Minnesota Lobby Day
Feb 11, 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
Minnesota State Capitol Building, Great Hall
75 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.St Paul, MN
(612) 802-2058

The Humane Society is asking dog lovers (and others) to help animals by meeting with elected officials and their staff members about upcoming legislation. There will be a short training session and information on pending animal bills soon to come before the legislature. Appointments are made for you with the legislators that represent you, so you can visit with the legislators face to face and ask for animal-friendly votes. Two of these bills are anti-puppy mill bills and there will be more on these bills from this blog in future articles. The HSUS is asking people to RSVP by 5:00 pm, Feb 4^th. For more information, go to: Humane Society Minnesota