Minneapolis Real Estate

Minneapolis Housing Market Report

Imran — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 04:27:55 +0000

per Minneapolis Area Association of REALTORS®

What’s in store for the Minneapolis housing market? What has it been doing lately? The above video offers a few insights.

What’s Been Happening with the Minneapolis Housing Market?

For Jan, 2010, sales of Minneapolis homes were down 3% for the same month last year. The hot streak in the market has cooled off a bit. This has been the second consecutive year-over-year drop in sales, although the decreases have been very small.

Traditional, or non-lender mediated sales were up 27% since Jan 2009, coinciding with a drop in short-sale and foreclosure home sales of 12% since last year. In the meantime, inventory levels dropped 16%. This has caused home prices to stabilize; January 2010 was the first time the median Minneapolis home price was up 1.3% after three years of declining prices.

Days-on-market times are down 7.5%, giving home sellers a ray of hope.
What’s Next?

It’s hard to say, although we know that the two things that have fueled overall improvements in the Minneapolis housing market might be going away. The federal home buyer tax credit will expire April 30th, and the insanely low interest rates are bound to go up when the Fed stops buying mortgage-backed securities.

Eden Prairie Townhomes in Hawthorne

Imran — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 19:48:38 +0000

Sometimes Eden Prairie townhome buyers call me to say that they are looking for a “wooded townhouse association.” To a real estate agent, this is an oxymoron; most associations afford views of other townhomes and can boast only a few trees planted in common areas.

See all Eden Prairie condos and townhomes for sale

However, for Hawthorne townhomes in Eden Prairie, this is not quite true. It would be an exaggeration to say that Hawthorne units are buried deep in the forest. Yet these Eden Prairie townhomes enjoy winding trails through woods full of birds and deer. You may be able to spot an occasional pheasant walking around on an end unit patio. Also, if you take a shortcut through the woods on the east side of the association, you will find the west end of Mitchell Lake where you might catch a walleye or two.

The common elements of Hawthorne are managed by a professional management company called Rockford Inc. The grassy knolls and landscaping of common elements are always well maintained. The neighborhood is characterized by tree-lined cul-de-sacs.

These Eden Prairie townhomes enjoy a convenient location. Residents have easy access to the new Hwy 212 and convenience shopping. Major retail venues are just a short drive into Chanhassen. Hawthorne Association is a top pick for those who would like to live in the Eden Prairie school district (ISD 272.)

End unit homes feature two bedrooms, two bathrooms, lofts, skylights, a true dining room, gas fireplace, high ceilings, and a walk-thru master bath upstairs. Hawthorne Eden Prairie townhomes offer about 1423 square feet of living area. An insulated two-car garage is attached.

Interior unit features include an insulated single car garage, two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a loft area. There is also a patio area for each unit.

Hawthorne Eden Prairie townhomes were quality-built in 1995 by Centex. Fees are low, and the lifestyle is easy. Call me at 651-230-4889 to get up-to-date information about available properties.

Staring Lake Townhomes in Eden Prairie

Imran — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 06:52:38 +0000

If convenience and carefree living is for you, then Staring Lake Eden Prairie townhomes are for you. You are a just a short walk to recreational trails and Staring Lake. If you need to grab a gallon of milk, a convenience store is just a stone’s throw away from you townhouse. Eden Prairie Center, Walmart, Target, and Cub Foods are all just up the road along Highway 212. Own an Eden Prairie townhome in Staring Lake, and you will have easy access to several major routes. If you are attending the Hennepin County Vocational Technical College, you can literally walk to school.

See all Eden Prairie townhomes for sale.

The Staring Lake townhome neighborhood was built by Pulte in the mid-90’s, and is comprised of several styles of homes. In Staring Lake, there truly is a townhome for every buyer.

On the starting end of the price spectrum you will find the “Village” homes have about 900 finished square feet, a tuck-under garage, two bedrooms, and two bathrooms. This might sound very big, but the design makes the most of available space, so they feel quite roomy. The buildings surround a neatly manicured courtyard graced with nice-sized trees.

Midrange units come in the form of two-bedroom, two bath, side by side two story townhouses, which are the predominant type of units in Staring Lake. These slab-on-grade all have 2 bathrooms, two bedrooms plus a loft or den. and nice walk-in closets. The two car interior units actually have a bit more square footage than the end unit townhouses. These townhomes are unique for Pulte, because most of similar units in other parts of the Twin Cities do not have the nice pantry that these Staring Lake units do.

Some nice all-one-level twinhomes are also available. Coming in at about 1500 finished square feet, these units have large garages with windows, sunny laundry rooms, kitchen windows, and a sunroom. Some of these units also have a walkout basement, but sometimes they are unavailable. The turnover in the one level homes is less than any of the two story styles.

More about Eden Praire real estate..

Pinebrook Townhomes in Eden Prairie

Imran — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 17:06:33 +0000

If you are looking for Eden Prairie townhomes located in a quiet setting, yet close to shopping and recreation, Pinebrook Association is the place to start your quest. Pinebrook townhouses are conveniently situated near Highway 212, convenience shopping, and close to the Purgatory Creek Recreation Area. Eden Prairie Center is just a short drive up the road, yet it is not unusual to find deer wandering around the neighborhood. Some residents put out bird food and find pheasants on the patio.

See all Eden Prairie town homes, condos, and twin homes for sale.

Pinebrook association is aptly named, as it is adjacent to woods, water, and wildlife. Pine and hardwood trees surround the development, and some nice sized trees are planted among the common elements.
Pinebrook Eden Prairie townhomes were built by Centex in 1993 and 1994, and offer plenty of counterspace, kitchen cabinets, gas fireplaces, walk -in closets, natural oak woodwork, heavy duty GE appliances, and an abundance windows and transoms. All units are slab-on-grade two story side by side townhomes. Floor plans range from 1160 to 1400 finished square feet. Price-wise, they are close in price to townhouses built by Pulte and Centex, but they offer many additional features. Floor plan sizes range from End units have double garages, true dining rooms, vaulted ceilings, corner fireplaces, and a generous loft usually adorned by sunny skylights.

Find out more about Eden Prairie real estate.

Homes on Spring Lake in Scott County MN

Imran — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 04:23:05 +0000

Here is a Scott County MN lake that sits below the radar for most Twin Cities angling enthusiasts. This is not a well known lake; perhaps it is because it is upstaged by the Upper Basin of Prior Lake, which is located across the road to the north.

See all Dakota County MN lake homes for sale.

It’s not very big, either. This 580 acre lake is a fully recreational and a promising place for catching crappies and especially bluegill sunfish. Walleyes have been reported to be lurking where the water drops off near the northeast end of the lake. If you want sunfish, head for the weedlines on the southwest end of the lake. It’s not very deep here, so watch out for rocks. If you use bright crappie jigs, you have a very good chance of catching some largemouth. More specifically, you will find them between The water gets a bit soupy near the end of summer, but all of that will change as plans have been made for public sewer to be extended to all homes on Spring Lake. Spring Lake homeowners are a friendly lot, and work together aggressively to control noxious weeds.

Scott County MN Lakeshore on Spring Lake

Take advantage of market conditions that are still sharply tilted towards Minnesota lake home buyers. Get the jump on springtime and summer home shoppers and take advantage of historically low rates. Be forewarned; lakeshore inventory is down, and overall home sales are up in the Twin Cities and suburban real estate markets.

At the time of this post, there were only three Spring Lake homes for sale, with prices in the $300’s and $400’s. Call me at 651-230-4889 to ensure that you will be the first to know about new Spring Lake properties or other Scott County MN lakeshore listings.

Lake Marion Homes are in Short Supply

Imran — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 07:02:38 +0000

Everyone knows that a bad day of fishing is better than a good day at work. If you are going to sneak out to the office, head on out to Lake Marion. It is located in Lakeville, just a few miles south of Minneapolis along 35W, so it is easy to get to. Besides, if you are going to have a day of fishing, it might as well be a good one.

Browse all Dakota County MN lakeshore currently available.

The crystal clear water (10.5 feet per secchi disc) is swarming with schools of bluegill sunfish that you can catch just about anywhere in the lake. Buy any Lake Marion home, throw a jig with a waxworm on it off of the end of your dock, and you will catch all of the sunnies you want.

This Dakota County MN lake is well oxygenated, thanks to an aeration system. Walleyes do well here, and are found in good numbers and sizes. In addition, the DNR stocks Lake Marion with tens of thousands of fingerlings every year. Don’t use bright lures to catch them because the water is so clear that they are easily spooked.

Homes on Lake Marion

Lake Marion homes are always in short supply, and they are always in high demand. In fact “Lake Marion MN homes” is one of the most heavily Googled terms for local real estate of this type. If you want one, keep your eyes open and don’t blink. Right now, at the time of this post, there are only two lakeshore properties for sale on Lake Marion, and you could hardly go wrong purchasing either of them, considering you can choose between 50 or 100 feet of prime sandy Dakota County MN lakeshore.

If you want to be the first to know about any new lakeshore listing in Lakeville, give me a call at 651-223-1547 and I can notify you about them before the sign even goes up.

Southwest Minneapolis Homes for Sale

Imran — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 18:22:13 +0000

Minneapolis has been dubbed “City of Lakes,” and could just as easily be called “City of Parks.” Miles of beautiful walking and bicycle trails grace the edges of Lake Harriet and Minnehaha Creek. If you own a Southwest Minneapolis home, your summers will be filled with opportunities for swimming, sailing, biking, or rollerblading. Lake Harriet is also home to the Lyndale Park Rose Garden and the Japanese-style Peace Garden containing various dwarfed trees.

Browse all Minneapolis homes here.

If your interests include fishing, you are in the right place. Lake Harriet is so densely populated with bluegill sunfish that stunted growth has been observed. Surprisingly, this metro lake also contains walleyes. The lake gets deep fast, so the best place to find them is right off of the weedlines.

Southwest Minneapolis Real Estate

The community consists of several neighborhoods, including East Harriet, King Field, Fulton, Lynnhurst, Armatage, Windom, Kenny, and a trendy, upscale neighborhood called Linden Hills. The commercial section of Linden Hills was originally built along a trolley corridor. A portion of that trolley line still operates, and serves as a summer attraction at the northwest corner of Minneapolis. Stroll through Linden Hills, and you may spot a newly built, traditional Craftsman style bungalow by Highpoint Builders, or a Charles Cudd cottage residence mixed in with some of the older Tudor and Victorian style homes.

According to the Northstar Regional MLS, there are 265 Southwest Minneapolis homes for sale, going for an average listing price of 407,790, although this may be skewed downward by a handful of lower priced lender-mediated properties. Styles represented in this area include European Country Villas, Georgian Colonials, and some stately three story homes.

Contact me at 651-230-4889 for more information about available Southwest Minneapolis homes.