tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60059554954549723142011-09-28T15:31:23.613-05:00Your information resource for Real Estate in the Twin Cities.Darwin Barkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18261206079353749623noreply@blogger.comBlogger231100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6005955495454972314.post-19623813696829223132009-11-14T12:11:00.005-06:002009-11-14T12:44:01.246-06:00

As you no doubt have heard, the up to $8,000 tax credit for first time home buyers has been extended into the spring of next year. In addition current homeowners purchasing a new owner occupied home will be able to take advantage of a new tax credit of $6,500. Is this cool or what!...I think it is. Will this continue the stimulus upsurge or create a backlash later on? I can only hope for the

Darwin Barkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18261206079353749623noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6005955495454972314.post-25589185609665135622009-05-26T13:52:00.002-05:002009-05-26T14:54:02.580-05:00

More good news for the Twin Cities from MAAR, the week ending May 16th new listing were down a little over 10% from the same week last year. Will the decline in new listing continue?In 2008, 50% of the listings sold were between April and August. So buyers get out there and sellers get ready. MAAR is reporting that “Inventory is being sold through at a rate that is still flying high above last

Darwin Barkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18261206079353749623noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6005955495454972314.post-68520307761270389922009-04-13T14:58:00.003-05:002009-04-13T15:19:06.149-05:00

Wow! The Minneapolis Area Association of Realtors reported this that pending sales are up 28.7 percent over last year and new listings went up compared to last week with 2,055 for the week ending April 4, but still is 11.2 percent behind the same week a last year. Current supply of homes on the market in the region is at a little over 26,000, 17.5 percent below this point last year. Thus moving

Darwin Barkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18261206079353749623noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6005955495454972314.post-88813709221078349932009-03-18T20:04:00.006-05:002009-03-18T21:04:23.941-05:00

I just read an artcle on the Minnesota Public Radio Web page that our Governor is concidering taxing the miles we drive. I had to take a second look and yes I was reading it right. There would be a device in your vehicle and on the gas pump that would capture your milage and assess the fee at the point of sale. Apperantly Oregon is testing the process along with other states that are also

Darwin Barkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18261206079353749623noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6005955495454972314.post-6014432310881599072009-03-14T15:40:00.005-05:002009-03-14T16:01:42.115-05:00

A value added service I provide clients is to preview all homes that the buyers might be interested in. This way I only show them homes they will consider saving all time and effort. Well I was out previewing homes that showed on my clients radar. I called for appointments only to find that one was a non-confirmation. I actually called the REALTOR and was told that the house in not ready for

Darwin Barkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18261206079353749623noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6005955495454972314.post-46331046183514081862009-03-09T19:40:00.003-05:002009-03-09T19:53:51.085-05:00

The latest Minneapolis Area Association of Realtors reported a 19.2 percent decline over this week last year. Pending sales are also up 12.1 over last February. This is great news and should be celebrated. John Tucillo, one of the foremost real estate economists in the U.S. and former Chief Economist for NAR, reported there are three necessary phases that must occur for the housing recovery to

Darwin Barkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18261206079353749623noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6005955495454972314.post-44034801446737419572009-02-11T13:03:00.002-06:002009-02-11T13:06:01.891-06:00

Home sales are brisk...with a caveatMinneapolis, Minnesota (January 11, 2008) – Low mortgage rates and an ample supply of affordable properties kept January home sales strong despite a month of harsh weather, according to the Minneapolis Area Association of REALTORS® (MAAR) based on data from the Regional Multiple Listing Service of Minnesota, Inc.Pending sales during the month posted a figure of

Darwin Barkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18261206079353749623noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6005955495454972314.post-58532031624112148302008-12-31T06:44:00.001-06:002008-12-31T06:44:33.722-06:00

A combination of substantial declines in mortgage rates and the continued downward movement of home prices are leading to an unusually attractive affordability environment. The November Housing Affordability Index is up by 19 points over last month and is up 27.7 percent from last December's mark. This is the highest recorded HAI since the Minneapolis Area Association of Realtors began tracking

Darwin Barkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18261206079353749623noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6005955495454972314.post-73667555456572461012008-01-17T06:10:00.000-06:002008-01-17T06:19:41.745-06:00

NEWS RELEASEFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE from the Southern Twin Cities Association of Realtors, North Metro Realtors Association, Minneapolis Area Association of Realtors, and the Saint Paul Association of RealtorsCorrections Continue in 2007 Twin Cities Housing MarketTwin Cities, Minnesota (January 16, 2008) – On the heels of several uninterrupted years of frenzied growth, the Twin Cities housing

Darwin Barkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18261206079353749623noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6005955495454972314.post-76287891773103343932007-10-23T13:48:00.000-05:002007-10-23T14:10:18.487-05:00

The Public Affairs Task Force and the Board of Directors recently heard from representatives from the Minnesota Department of Transportation and the Metropolitan Council about current road and bridge projects, planning for the Central Corridor LRT and North Star Commuter Train, and proposed transportation projects.Our region has fallen behind in funding needed maintenance and expansion of road,

Darwin Barkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18261206079353749623noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6005955495454972314.post-12081315363452847962007-10-23T13:45:00.000-05:002007-10-23T13:48:00.585-05:00

Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak recently signed the unanimous Minneapolis City Council action to approve a proposed settlement that will provide relief from airport noise pollution for residents in the cities of Minneapolis, Richfield and Eagan. The $127 million agreement provides airport noise protection for 9,560 homes.The settlement stems from an airport noise lawsuit brought in 2005 against the

Darwin Barkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18261206079353749623noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6005955495454972314.post-13834024825005552282007-10-23T13:06:00.000-05:002007-10-23T13:07:49.506-05:00

Buyers remain firmly in the driver's seat in the Twin Cities housing market, but sellers have begun to do a little backseat driving. Over the past three months, sellers have put 6.0 percent less homes on the market than they did for the same period last year. And for the week ending October 13—our most recent reporting period—they put 7.9 percent less homes on the market. While inventory is still

Darwin Barkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18261206079353749623noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6005955495454972314.post-72555309548299254982007-10-11T07:56:00.000-05:002007-10-11T08:02:07.354-05:00

Minneapolis REALTORS® Made Their Mark OCTOBER 2007 - With roots back to 1887 it isn’t surprising that the Minneapolis Area Association of REALTORS® has produced so many outstanding real estate professionals. That year 18 local men organized the Minneapolis Real Estate Exchange, committed to “maintaining principles of honesty and fair dealing” and to put “real estate upon a foundation of influence

Darwin Barkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18261206079353749623noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6005955495454972314.post-50292309517351388992007-08-24T18:00:00.000-05:002007-08-24T18:03:06.327-05:00

On Monday , CNBC delved further into a Forbes story about cities with bargain real estate buys that ranked Minneapolis No. 2. Along with REALTORS® from other high-ranking cities, Tampa and Kansas City, MAAR's 2007 President, Deb Greene, fielded questions from Maria Bartiromo on CNBC's "Closing Bell" about what's going on in our local market.click here or on the imagefor the video story from CNBC

Darwin Barkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18261206079353749623noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6005955495454972314.post-2127966110042580092007-08-09T08:00:00.000-05:002007-08-09T08:06:13.972-05:00

As I-35W in Minneapolis is such a vital transportation artery, we anticipate major adjustments to our transportation infrastructure in the immediate disaster area. Three websites have emerged as logical locations for current information:MN Dept. of TransportationCity of MinneapolisMpls. Regional Chamber of CommerceMetro Transit is another good resource for transportation options available to

Darwin Barkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18261206079353749623noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6005955495454972314.post-92125844962980035282007-08-04T09:24:00.000-05:002007-08-04T09:26:56.110-05:00

By: Cecily O'ConnorRedwoodAge.comBaby boomers' idea of a dream home doesn't hinge on a warm climate or proximity to healthcare professionals.They are more concerned about designing abodes with home offices, broadband access and other features that enable them to be active and in touch, according to a study by the Internet Home Alliance Research Council. About two-thirds of survey respondents -

Darwin Barkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18261206079353749623noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6005955495454972314.post-45236591044507509002007-07-08T15:14:00.000-05:002007-07-08T15:21:10.145-05:00

By Stacey L. Bradford June 21, 2007THE REAL ESTATE MARKET may be slowing, but that doesn't mean you can't sell your home. It just means you need to be savvy and not fall prey to the common mistakes that home sellers often make. Here are five to avoid.1. Asking Too MuchThe single biggest mistake folks make is setting their asking price too high. In a softening market homeowners need to price

Darwin Barkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18261206079353749623noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6005955495454972314.post-3213408264033709782007-07-08T13:35:00.000-05:002007-07-08T13:37:46.862-05:00

By Jim Buchta, Star TribuneIn Minnesota, Funding America is no longer funding, A+ Mortgage Network is no longer networking and Premier Lending is no longer lending.They're among the growing casualties of the slowing housing market. Since January, nearly 90 companies have surrendered their Minnesota mortgage broker licenses, according to data from the Minnesota Department of Commerce. That doesn't

Darwin Barkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18261206079353749623noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6005955495454972314.post-68581727277632628652007-07-02T19:46:00.000-05:002007-07-02T19:47:26.368-05:00

In Minnesota, we like to talk about our seasons. You know the two: Winter and Construction.Sure, we joke about the difficulty of getting around the metro, but there's no denying that the laughs have started to dry up over the last decade. It turns out, our idyllic little island in "flyover country" is getting some unwelcome national attention for its congestion.California still leads the nation

Darwin Barkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18261206079353749623noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6005955495454972314.post-69642758221071680172007-07-02T17:03:00.000-05:002007-07-02T17:24:42.183-05:00

Hello,Week by week and month by month, we have been saying the same thing for well over a year now. The Twin Cities housing market is in a state of post-boom correction and recalibration; both buyer and seller activity are down from 2006. It's also important to note that the 2006 market was down from 2005, making our current activity levels seem even slower in comparison. Newly signed purchase

Darwin Barkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18261206079353749623noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6005955495454972314.post-90018601102848373742007-06-25T16:55:00.000-05:002007-06-25T17:01:11.369-05:00

Home sellers in the Twin Cities housing market continue to face a harsh reality: There are too few buyers for the number of homes on the market. Buyer activity remains at levels consistent with the start of this decade, with 871 units sold pending for the week ending June 16—19.6 percent behind the same week in 2006. Builders and home sellers appear to be getting the message that now is a

Darwin Barkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18261206079353749623noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6005955495454972314.post-90705411772440434492007-06-22T12:32:00.000-05:002007-07-08T15:19:49.190-05:00

Daily Real Estate News | June 20, 2007 5 Inexpensive Ways to Revitalize a KitchenHere are some quick, affordable ways to give your kitchen an update: Replace the flooring. Install laminate floor over old linoleum, vinyl, or chipped tile. It costs just $1 to $5 a square foot and looks like wood, stone, or tile. Replace the lighting. A new ceiling fixture costs less than $100 and

Darwin Barkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18261206079353749623noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6005955495454972314.post-19784693136118689732007-06-22T11:09:00.000-05:002007-06-22T11:14:01.950-05:00

REALTORS® – The Consumer’s Choiceby Lawrence Yun, NAR Senior Economist Most consumers like REALTORS®. So says a report from the Consumer Federation of America (CFA). More than two-thirds – 68 percent – of consumers surveyed viewed real estate brokers and agents favorably. The favorable rating is even higher among those consumers who had recently used a professional real estate service (79%).To

Darwin Barkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18261206079353749623noreply@blogger.com0