Weekly Photo Challenge: Summer

Two Cardinals
May 27, 2012

Captured these two cardinals at the feeder on a window.

This week’s photo challenge is to post an image that signifies summer. What signifies summer to you? Learn more about the Weekly Photo Challenge here.

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Real Estate Update

Weekly Real Estate Update
May 21, 2012

Houses are just things. Boxes waiting to be filled. In the hands of caring, nurturing citizens, those simple boxes become homes that create memories and fortify communities for generations.

This month, more than 13,000 REALTORS® rallied at the Washington Monument to preserve the American Dream of homeownership. Some components of the dream are being threatened by budget pressures and market realities. But homeownership is very much alive and well, as more than three out of five residencies are owner-occupied in the U.S. Moreover, buyer demand has been impressive throughout the year. As Franklin D. Roosevelt famously stated: “A nation of homeowners is unconquerable.” Our response in 2012: Fill the box!

In the Twin Cities region, for the week ending May 12:
• New Listings decreased 11.8% to 1,485
• Pending Sales increased 18.9% to 1,159
• Inventory decreased 28.3% to 17,761

For the month of April:
• Median Sales Price increased 12.1% to $162,500
• Days on Market decreased 15.1% to 135
• Percent of Original List Price Received increased 3.6% to 93.4%
• Months Supply of Inventory decreased 42.4% to 4.7

Click on charts below to enlarge.

Number of Pending Sales Continue to Increase Each Month

Inventory Levels Continue Their Downward Trend

As reported by the Minneapolis Area Association of Realtors.

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Quintessential Blue

Weekly Photo Challenge: Blue

This week’s photo challenge on the The Daily Post is ‘Blue’. So many images come to mind with this word. The sky. Water. Cobalt blue glass. Pottery. Coldwell Banker Burnet real estate signs. The blue jay. Blueberries. Hydrangeas. Where to begin? Let‘s start here:

This, to me, is quintessential blue; the beloved blue jean.

A magazine cover depicting water and the word blue.

Lake Calhoun and the Minneapolis Skyline

A starlit background with a message.

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Ready to buy or sell a home? Call us.

Ellen Walsh | 612.220.3304 | emwalsh@cbburnet.com

Kate Walsh | 612.220.3309 | info@designhouse9.com

 

Coldwell Banker Burnet
Minneapolis Lakes Office

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Has the Bottom of Real Estate Come and Gone?

Hunting for Market Bottom? You May Have Missed It

Minneapolis, Minnesota (May 10, 2012) – The momentum from March continued into April as the market showed further signs of strength and stabilization. Homes are selling faster, sellers are seeing a greater share of their asking price and prices continued to climb over year-ago levels. Driven by sub-4.0 percent interest rates and high affordability, buyers have been active in 2012.

The median sales price for the Twin Cities metro area for April 2012 was up 12.4 percent from last April to $163,000. That’s the largest jump since January 2004. Since median sales price can be manipulated by the mix of homes that happen to close in a given month, whether condos, foreclosures or new construction, the Minneapolis Area Association of REALTORS® (MAAR) has developed a new home price index through its 10K Research and Marketing division that will account for that changing mix of homes selling as well as for seasonality. The 10K Home Price Index is now part of MAAR’s Monthly Indicators, available at mplsrealtor.com.

“The index will provide a more accurate view of home value movement,” said Cari Linn, President of the Minneapolis Area Association of REALTORS®. “For example, traditional home sales now account for the majority of the market, which tends to drive up median and average prices since they tend to sell for more than foreclosure properties.”

Indeed, traditional sales were up 58.8 percent, while foreclosures fell 8.1 percent and short sales increased 13.8 percent. Distressed homes made up 34.0 percent of all new listings and 39.3 percent of all pending sales, the smallest shares since July 2008 and August 2008, respectively. Traditional prices fell 2.2 percent to $198,500; foreclosure prices jumped 15.9 percent to $119,900; short sale prices fell 4.4 percent to $129,000. Traditional sales made up 57.1 percent of all closings and sold roughly 50.0 percent more than foreclosures and 20.0 percent more than metro-wide prices, generating the strong gain in overall median sales price.

The number of homes for sale has dropped for 15 consecutive months, down 29.2 percent from last year to 17,312 active listings – the lowest inventory reading for any month since January 2004. Months supply of inventory plunged 44.0 percent to 4.6 months – the lowest reading for any month since August 2005.

On average, homes sold in 135 days, down 14.9 percent from last April. Sellers received an average of 93.3 percent of their list price, up from 90.1 percent last April. Cash buyers made up 20.7 percent of all closed sales, down from 24.8 percent at this time in 2011.

“We’re impressed with the accelerating improvements,” said Andy Fazendin, MAAR President-Elect. “High-quality, move-in-ready inventory is limited. Those waiting for falling prices will likely be disappointed.”

All information is according to the Minneapolis Area Association of REALTORS® (MAAR) based on data from the Regional Multiple Listing Service of Minnesota, Inc. MAAR is the leading regional advocate and provider of information services and research on the real estate industry for brokers, real estate professionals and the public. MAAR serves the Twin Cities 13-county metro area and western Wisconsin.

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Real Estate Update

Weekly Real Estate Update
May 14, 2012

If only there were a system of grand, colorful lights for tracking residential real estate. Green for rising market, yellow for a transitional market and red for declining market. Let’s see if we can try to determine today’s market without the ease of well-known signals. Prices are bottoming and starting to rise. Buyer activity is showing year-over-year gains. Homes are selling faster and closer to list price. Multiple offers are becoming commonplace. Inventory levels are leaning toward the seller. Green means go.

In the Twin Cities region, for the week ending May 5:

• New Listings decreased 6.6% to 1,643
• Pending Sales increased 41.9% to 1,232
• Inventory decreased 28.3% to 17,579

For the month of April:

• Median Sales Price increased 12.1% to $162,500
• Days on Market decreased 15.1% to 135
• Percent of Original List Price Received increased 3.6% to 93.4%
• Months Supply of Inventory decreased 43.1% to 4.7

As reported by the Minneapolis Area Association of Realtors.

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Arched French Windows

Framing Art with Architecture

I attended an art exhibit one day. A glance upward brought this window into view. I found I liked this window more than much of the art hanging on the walls and displayed throughout the space below this window. (Photographed with a cell phone.)

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Antique Car and a Penny-Farthing

Photo of the Day
May 11, 2012

This was a fun way to start my day last Friday. I drove up next to this antique car with the penny-farthing on the back. The car was perhaps a Model A or a Model T. I positioned myself behind it once the road went to two-lanes. At that point, I remembered I had my cell phone and snapped a few photos. I loved seeing this car and bike and traveling down the road with it. I only wish I’d had my other camera with the zoom lens. Happy Friday everyone!

Note: Click on the photo to see it larger.

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