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Teri Eckholm, REALTOR® Anoka&Washington Counties Acreage & Lakeshore Homes

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Amazing Deals on Anoka County Acreage Foreclosures—Offer NOW or Regret Later!

02-25-12
Teri Eckholm, REALTOR® Anoka&Washington Counties Acreage & Lakeshore Homes

Looking for an Anoka County foreclosure, bank-owned or short sale but need to be able to live in the home immediately after closing?

Good news is that foreclosures are not always destroyed homes requiring major rehab. Some of today's foreclosures can be MOVE IN READY! This economy has forced builders and responsible homeowners alike to let amazing properties go back to the bank. Many are still in pristine condition. Some still may require a bit of cleanup or a few cosmetic changes but there are many in move in condition too.

Here are a few of the treasures I noted on the Twin Cities MLS in Anoka County:

  • Andover 5BR/3BA on 2.5 Wooded Acres. New septic, appliances,& carpet. Sold for $380K in 2007, bank asking $249,900.
  • Starter home in Columbus on 9 Acres. Move in condition 3BR/1BA/2 Car. $169,900.
  • Ham Lake 4BR/3BA/2 Car 1994 Stone front Rambler on 4+ Acre Lot New Appliances, carpet & septic. Bank offering at $207.5K.
  • 10 Acre Executive Estate in Ham Lake with 12 Stall Garage! 3BR/5BA w/Granite, New Stainless appliances, HWD, whirlpool mstr suite& sauna. Sold in 2008 for $1.1 Million, bank list $495K.
  • Linwood 6BR/4BA 2Story w/3 Stall Garage+Pole Barn on 3 Acres 4500+ Finished +Unfinished Basement. Four fireplaces, new carpeting offered by the bank for $339.9K.
  • 4BR/2BA on 43 Acres backing to Golf Course in Oak Grove with 1100+ finished sq ft and 2 stall garage bank list price $194,900!

If you are in the market for a great deal on a foreclosed home, time to get organized because the rules to buy are a bit different than when working with a traditional seller.


Seven Tips for homebuyers considering a foreclosed home:

  1. Banks LOVE clean offers. Buyers MUST be preapproved with credit checked and employment and funds verified. Documentation must accompany the offer or it won't be considered.
  2. Banks reject lowball offers...no negotiation. They are a business and know the value of the asset they are selling.
  3. Well priced foreclosed homes get multiple offers. Serious buyers put in their best bid first.
  4. Banks sell homes AS-IS. What you see is what you get. Repairs will not be made.
  5. Banks will not pay for inspections in most cases. This includes the septic system and/or well. Be prepared as all inspections could end up being the buyer's responsibility. If you chose to inspect the septic or the county requires a septic compliance test, expect to pay $400-$500 for this inspection. A well test will run around $150. A whole house inspection is $350-$500.
  6. Personal property is not included as part of the sale. So if the appliances are at the home when you close, they are a bonus. The bank will not remove. But they don't guarantee will remain at the home or that they are in working order. This means if someone breaks in the home prior to the closing and takes them, the bank will not replace.
  7. Having your own REALTOR® to represent your interests is essential. The listing agent is under contract to represent the bank. In many cases, the bank will not allow a dual agency so if a buyer contacts the listing agent to write the offer, the buyer does not have representation. This means all of your information goes to the bank...the listing agent is required to tell the bank everything that you say about your financing and the amount you are able or willing to pay. But the agent is not required to tell you anything in return. The agent works only for the bank.

Are YOU ready to get a great deal on a foreclosed home? Let me be your professional REALTOR®!

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First Time Home Buyer Statistical Snapshot of Maplewood MN Home Sales

02-25-12
Teri Eckholm, REALTOR® Anoka&Washington Counties Acreage & Lakeshore Homes

First Time Homebuyer Real Estate Maplewood MN

first time homebuyer snapshot of Maplewood by Teri Eckholm REALTOR

Maplewood Minnesota has many affordable opportunities for the first time homebuyer. A first home could be a single family 1950’s bungalow or rambler or a newer townhome. Affordable homes are located in the north section of the city near Maplewood Mall or farther south near the 3M complex.Whether a foreclosed home or a traditional seller with the home priced to sell, first time buyers have many options right now in Maplewood.
In the eastern Ramsey County community of Maplewood, MN real estate sales statistics were similar to many other communities in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro. New Listings were down, closed sales up and average price sold down from the similar time period in 2010. New listings were down nearly 15% from 801 in 2010 to 684 in 2011, while closed sales were up by nearly 8%. The average sales priced dropped by a whopping 14% to $146,957, down from $170,959 in 2010. Homes are bringing in an average price per square foot of $82 which is similar to other communities in the northeast Minneapolis/St. Paul area but still down a bit from $95/sq ft that homes in Maplewood were getting on average in 2010. Like most other north and east metro suburbs, sellers are getting around 90% of their asking price; but at 88.8% this average is a bit less than in other areas. The average time on the market to sell a home rose quite a bit from 140 days on the market in 2010 to 164 in 2011. Again the DOM statistic is comparable to other surrounding neighborhoods. While these changes look alarming, it is really just a correction as the foreclosures and other lender mediated homes continue to work their way out of the Maplewood real estate market. It is an important step in toward the market becoming balanced.
For additional details on home sales in Maplewood MN at the end of 2011, Click HERE.

first time homebuyer snapshot of Maplewood by Teri Eckholm REALTOR
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First Time Homebuyer’s Real Estate Word for Today is Short Sale

02-24-12
Teri Eckholm, REALTOR® Anoka&Washington Counties Acreage & Lakeshore Homes

First Time Homebuyer Word of the Day Short Sale

As a Minnesota REALTOR®, I have received many calls in recent weeks from excited first time homebuyers and/or their parents as they assist their children looking for a first house. A lot has changed since dad and mom bought their first home a decade or so ago so are many questions.
A few days ago a call came from an excited first time homebuyer who has been scouring the internet for the perfect property at the ideal price. He calls and wants to set up some showings for the homes he has found. With a quick email, he forwards a list of a half dozen MLS listings and I bring up an array of his dream homes. With five of the six properties, there is an agent note that indicates the home is in short sale. When I pass on the information, I hear a puzzled silence and pause.
What exactly is a Short Sale?
Even after the abundant media coverage of the mortgage crisis over the past few years, many people still do not understand exactly what a short sale is....And more importantly, how it affects the home buying process. In a nutshell, a short sale is when the seller owes more on the home than it can be sold for in today’s market. In order to sell the home and avoid a possible foreclosure, the homeowner must ask the bank to take a loss on the sale by approving the purchase at the lower value. It is also know as a pre-foreclosure home and can be a way for a homeowner to avoid being foreclosed upon if they can no longer pay their mortgage.
Why should a homebuyer care if a home is in short sale? When a homebuyer writes and offer on a short sale home, the offer is submitted with earnest money to the property owner selling the home just as in any other real estate transaction. The sales price and terms are negotiated and agreed upon by the homeseller who then signs the purchase agreement. But the agreement is contingent upon the bank who holds their home mortgage agreeing to accept less money than is owed on the market to clear the title for sale. Some larger banks have hundreds, if not thousands, of these files waiting for short sale approval. It is normal to wait 12-16 weeks for an answer from the bank. Adding to the problem, many sellers will have more than one mortgage on their home and therefore more than one bank will be involved in the approval process. In some cases, the purchase price might cover enough for the first bank to receive most of its money back so it will be willing to approve the sale. But the second bank, who is in a subordinate position, will get nothing and not approve the deal. It can be frustrating for a home buyer to wait for a closing to be scheduled when there is no guarantee as to when the bank (or banks) will respond.
How does a short sale compare to a foreclosure? In a foreclosure, the bank has taken back the home from the owner. The seller is now the bank and homebuyers along with their agents, deal directly with the bank when an offer is written. A bank representative did not reside at the home so cannot fill out a disclosure with information about the condition of the home. While negotiations are easier and much faster, buyers must accept the risk and purchase the home in as-is condition. While it is always recommended to have a home inspected, it becomes extremely important to be diligent and inspect everything thoroughly when buying a bank owned property.

Additional Terms in the Real Estate Glossary:
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First Time Home Buyer Statistical Snapshot of Mahtomedi MN Home Sales

02-16-12
Teri Eckholm, REALTOR® Anoka&Washington Counties Acreage & Lakeshore Homes

First Time Homebuyer Real Estate Mahtomedi MN

First Time Homebuyer Snapshot of Mahtomedi by Teri Eckholm REALTOR
Surprisingly, Mahtomedi does have a handful of options for the first time home buyer especially if a buyer is ready to purchase and watched for foreclosures and short sales. It is important to keep a close eye on the market though as these homes are usually off the market very quickly. In general, as the average price of homes sold indicates, the price point of most housing in this community is on the higher end of the spectrum.
In this northern Washington County community, just east of White Bear Lake, new listings were up in 2011 which was very unusual for most other north and east communities in the Twin Cities metro. They were not only up but up significantly, by over 36%. Likewise, home sales were up by well over 50% in 2011 and the average sales price was up just a bit. This is an indication of the start of recovery for the Mahtomedi area but only time will tell if the trend will continue into 2012. As this is the second year in a row for a somewhat stable market in Mahtomedi, it is apparent that the bulk of the distressed properties have worked their way out of this community. Sellers are getting just under 91% of their asking price and the average sales price is holding steady at just over $295,000. Time on the market to sell a home, rose somewhat significantly to 143 days and the price per square foot fell 5% to $117. Both statistics are comparable to other surrounding communities. It appears that the Mahtomedi real estate market continues to move toward becoming balanced.
For additional details on home sales in Mahtomedi MN at the end of 2011, Click HERE.
First Time Homebuyer Snapshot of Mahtomedi by Teri Eckholm REALTOR
Are YOU a First Time Homebuyer in Mahtomedia, MN?
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Dreaming of Life on Minnesota Acreage? 14 Important Considerations When Moving to an Acreage Home

02-16-12
Teri Eckholm, REALTOR® Anoka&Washington Counties Acreage & Lakeshore Homes

Moving to Minnesota Acreage or Hobby Farm

Remember the story of the country mouse and his city cousin that switched places? Rural life was so slow and different that the city mouse couldn’t stand it. And likewise the country mouse was so out of place in the city that he scurried home as fast as his little mouse feet could carry him.
Moving to Minnesota acreagedoesn’t have to make you feel like a fish-out-of-water, or a mouse in the wrong part of town for that matter! Planning before you make the move can ease the transition from
Ham Lake Acreage Home by Teri Eckholm REALTOR
life in the city so your family will love your new life on Minnesota acreage!
As a REALTOR® who works throughout the north and east Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area, I show homes to other families looking for the same escape from the city my own family made several years ago. We first felt like that crazed city mouse and wanted to sell our new Anoka County home and move back to North St. Paul where we had lived for years. But we soon found out, you cannot go back….the yards looked too small. Acreage has its appeal.
Since that first fateful year, we embraced our life on our small acreage in Ham Lake. In fact, over the past decade, as a REALTOR® , I have assisted several old friends and neighbors make similar moves to Anoka and Chisago County hobby farms and acreage homes. In each of these transactions, I notice that the same questions continue to come up whether considering a hobby farm in Forest Lake, an acreage lakeshore home in Linwood, a horse property in Columbus or an executive estate in Ham Lake. Though the properties that are being considered are only 15-20 miles from the bustling city life of downtown Minneapolis and the Mall of America, there are significant differences in the way of life out in the country.
Here are 14 important questions and considerations homebuyers should ask before they move from the city to acreage in Anoka, Chisago or Washingtion County
**What is a Septic or Private Sewer system?
Most rural homes have a private septic system. Not all systems are created equal. They are designed for the specific property and size of the home. Even a new septic system can fail if not properly maintained. How do you know if the septic system is working? Since not all communities require point-of-sale inspection, have your REALTOR® require the seller to supply certification of compliance from a certified septic inspector in your purchase agreement. This certification should be no more than three years old. Also, if you have never lived on a home with a septic system, it is important to educate yourself on how to best maintain and protect your private sewer system. Additional information on Septic Systems.
**Is there a city water utility or a private well? Will I need a water softener or other water treatment system?
Families new to the concept of well water have many questions regarding its safety. Most buyers will request the water be tested for bacteria and nitrates in the purchase agreement. This is usually paid for by the seller. If you want the well test for your property to include tests for other contaminants, like lead, it must be specified in the purchase agreement. Annual water testing is recommended for all home owners with wells. Locate your MN Unique Well Number.
One question often asked by home buyers considering a property with a private well is about water treatment options available. Many homes with private wells have water softeners to treat the water in the home. Some will go one step further and have a reverse osmosis water treatment system in the kitchens as a drinking water supply. Additional information on Water Softeners and Reverse Osmosis Drinking Systems.
**Is there a natural gas supply to the home or will a propane tank be located on the property?
Often people looking at acreage will have questions about the huge propane fuel tank located near the home. People from the city usually only see these tanks outside of the gas stations where they pick up the small refills for their gas grills. In the country, the large propane tanks are in many backyards as the source of fuel to heat the home and run appliances. As a fuel source the differences are not noticeable. Propane is the least expensive cleanest fuel if a home does not have access to natural gas. Additional information on the differences between natural gas and propane.
Sprint Airave by Teri Eckholm REALTOR**Does the home have access to cable or high speed internet or will a satellite connection be required? Which cable services are available to the home? What are the alternatives if DSL is not available through the phone or cable lines? Do I have to have cable or a dish to get television reception? Will I have cell phone reception?
A decade ago, these were not questions that people worried about in the rural communities. Today our interconnected world brings these questions to the forefront but no worries; there are tons of alternatives today to keep you connected. From hot spots to internet cards there are options to keep your family connected even out in the woods. However, there are many homes in Lino Lakes, Ham Lake, Forest Lake and East Bethel that do not have cable lines or high speed internet available through the phone lines. And there are cell phone dead zones no matter how numerous or close those towers seem to be. We have one less than a mile from our house and still have to have a Sprint Airave to get continuous cell phone reception. So if your family lives on the internet and could not live without a high-speed connection, it is essential ask questions to figure out how to get the best access and reception.
**If the road is gravel or unpaved, how often is it maintained by the city/county?
Our road was not paved when we first moved to Ham Lake. We were nearly a mile down a soft, gravel/sand road. When we moved it was late fall and were very surprised when the spring rains and snow melt left the road extremely poor condition. It was treacherous at times. The re-grading was done by the city on a periodic schedule so we had to negotiate the pot-holed road for days. Our road is now paved but the memories still remain.
If you are considering acreage, remember many rural roads are not paved. If the acreage property you are considering is on a gravel or dirt road, try to visit the property on several occasions and under differing conditions. It might be a good idea to talk to the city and county to understand how the road is maintained. Also be sure to ask if there are any plans to pave the road in the future and what would be assessed per property owner for the project.
**Is there wildlife?
Anoka County Minnesota Wildlife by Teri Eckholm REALTOR
Well maybe not lions and tigers, but we have had bears and cougars seen near our home in Anoka County. We also have pheasant, hawks, bald eagles, raccoons, foxes, several varieties of squirrels and deer. A flock of wild turkeys have made their home in our neighborhood and continue to nest year after year. And an owl and a hawk have nested in trees in on our property. I rarely saw blue jays, cardinals or hummingbirds in the city, but in our Anoka County acreage home, we see them on a daily basis. While exciting, the downside is sometimes the wildlife comes in. I don't know anyone on Ham Lake acreage that hasn’t had an occasional field mouse enter their home.
**Can I have horses?
If your move to acreage is for having horses or other farm animals in your backyard, keep in mind that most communities have restrictions on how many, if any, animals are allowed. Whether you can have horses, pigs, cows, chickens, ducks, sheep or goats will be determined by the local city regulations. Even the amount of domesticated dogs and cats can be restricted on acreage property, just as it was in most urban communities. So if you plan to run a dog kennel, breed cats or train horses, for business or pleasure, make sure it is allowed in your new rural community prior to writing an offer.
**Is hunting allowed?
In some rural areas hunting is still allowed depending on the amount of acreage, the development restrictions and city and county rules. It was a rude awakening for us to discover our neighbors were allowed to hunt….and it seemed right outside our door too! Imagine our shock that first deer opener when the hunters came out in blaze orange to hunt in the woods next to our home. The property owner, at our request, posted the land and the hunters left. The land has since been developed but it is something everyone moving should understand before buying any acreage home. Check with the city and county for all ordinances regarding firearms.
**Where are the schools?
The public school districts in rural communities can be vast. In the Forest Lake School District 831, students come from communities as far west as Ham Lake, as far south as Lino Lakes, as far east as Scandia and as far north as Stacy! It you drive from the western border to the eastern border of the district, it takes almost 45 minutes, one way! There is only one high school in the district, so your children's best friend from school could literally live almost an hour from your home. But the opportunities to get to know kids from all areas can outweigh any negatives. The bottom line here is, it pays to research the school district prior to any housing decisions.
Also school alternatives can be limited. Communities in the city have dozens of private and charter school options. These options are much lower in rural areas due to the smaller population. Additional information on Educational Alternatives in the North Metro.
**Can we have a bonfire and burn all this debris?
There are strict state and local restrictions regarding burning of construction debris and yard waste. There are restrictions on the size of the fire and what can be burned. Many construction materials cannot be burned because they release chemicals into the air that pose an environmental hazard. There are times of the year where burning is only allowed by permit and sometimes not at all. Before burning it is best to check the local restrictions as well as the DNR. More information on MN Fire Restrictions.
**Where do we shop? How far to the nearest corner store, gas station, shopping center and mall?
Depending on how often you like to shop, this may or may not be a big concern. But it is always nice to know how far you will have to go for a gallon of milk for breakfast, a propane refill for the BBQ or gas for the lawn tractor.
**How long does it take to cut the grass?Oak Wilt in Ham Lake by Teri Eckholm REALTOR
If your yard is over an acre with few trees, you might consider a lawn tractor. Many people on acreage only cut certain areas leaving the rest to grow to a natural prairie. Another consideration would be whether or not to install an irrigation system for the sod near the home.
**Wow! There are a lot of trees! Do I have to worry about oak wilt and emerald Ash Borers?
Oak wilt is a big concern in Anoka and Chisago counties. Many of the communities have information and programs to help protect and save the oak trees from this disease. And Additional information regarding oak wilt. Recently people have been extremely concerned with the emerald ash borer that has been found in Ramsey County communities including St. Paul and Shoreview. These insects bored into ash trees and tunnel under the bark eventually killing the tree. There are programs to control the spread of the insects. Additional information on the Emerald Ash Borer
**What about emergencies? How far to the nearest hospital? Where is the nearest fire station? Who provides police protection?
No one wants to think about these things when moving but accidents and illnesses do happen. It was a long hour drive to Children's Hospital in St. Paul when my young son fell and needed stitches. If the nearest fire station is staffed with volunteers and over five miles away, it will seem like a lifetime during those 5-10 minutes while you wait for the fire truck to show up to YOUR home. And big fires in dry areas will need the water trucked in due to limited water hydrants, if any, like in the city. Many rural communities do not have police officers but are patrolled by the county sheriff's department. Understand your options before an emergency occurs because it will likely take a bit longer if you are in a rural area.
With a little planning your move to a home on acreage can be a great one! If you are considering purchasing an acreage foreclosure, there are additional things to consider. Please read Buying a Foreclosed Home on Minnesota Acreage
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