Today I wanted to speak to you about why you shouldn't be selling your home in a for sale by owner (FSBO) sale. Selling a home is a full-time job, and a lot of FSBO sellers figure this out after their home sits on the market for months without any buyer activity. Below are four reasons why you should avoid a FSBO sale.

If you need assistance selling your home, I would love to give you a hand.

Often times homeowners don't get the chance to sell their homes. Most people have bought before, but I've found that not a lot of people have experience with selling their homes. This is why I have chosen to present you with some common questions that my seller clients in Minneapolis have for me. 

These are the most common questions that sellers ask me when they go to list their home for sale for the first time. If you find yourself asking these same questions, then I suggest that you get in touch with me immediately. The spring market is really heating up, and you don't want to be left behind. Now is the time to get top dollar in a home sale!

Today I'm at The Links at Northfork golf course. Behind me is a home I sold a while ago. While these homes are usually very nice investments to make, there are some things that need to be considered.

If you're interested in buying one of these properties, make sure you know a Realtor that knows the area well and can steer you towards a nice property.

Today I'm going to be discussing five mistakes that all home buyers

make and how you can avoid them. If you want a smooth and painless real

estate transaction, just try to avoid these pitfalls that can cause you headaches and unnecessary stress.

Moving too fast: There are a lot of homes here in the Twin

Cities, so don't just jump on the first one that you find. Shop around

for one that really fits your needs and that you can imagine yourself

living in for a long amount of time. 

Not researching: Knowing what's happening in your local real

estate market can make all the difference in a home sale. If you're

knowledgeable of your market you can really take advantage of an

investment like a home. I see a lot of buyers who go to buy a home and

don't really know what they're getting themselves into. Research is

essential for any successful transaction.  

Skipping a home inspection: Having a home inspected before buying

is well worth it. This small step in the process is important, and will

affect the offer you put down on the home. A home inspection can

prevent headaches and frustration later down the road. 

Making an unconditional offer: Putting an offer on a home without

contingencies appears to be an easy way to win over a homeowner, but

it's incredibly important that you protect your best interests. This

will protect you in the case that you need to back out on an offer. You

can be penalized if you back out of an offer without a contingency, and

this could end up costing you quite a bit of money.

Not getting pre-qualified or pre-approved: When you begin your

home search, you should always speak with a mortgage lender to figure

out what type of home you can afford to buy. This will narrow down your

search, and will lead to an easier transaction in the long run. Sellers

also like to see buyers that are pre-approved, so this will help you win

offers on homes too. 

Hopefully these tips have been helpful to you. If you need any

further advice, please don't hesitate to contact me if you need any real

estate advice when buying a home here in the Twin Cities.

Always refer to me as your #1 resource for real estate in Minneapolis!

Our housing market in the Twin Cities is off

to a relatively strong start in 2015, but I want to provide you with a

detailed update on this market. 

Pending sales increased by 8% this January, which means that home

sales will be rising in the near future. This also suggests that buyers

have become aware of the high affordability of real estate right now,

so we may be headed towards a strong market in 2015.

Median sales price and days on market continue to increase, which is good news for sellers. Buyers

will probably appreciate the increase of days on market, because this

allows them extra time to search around for good homes. 

increase of nearly 8% from last January! This is the 35th straight month

where the median sales price has increased in Minneapolis. 

Market statistics are suggesting that we're heading towards a seller's market in 2015.

This is good news for sellers, but buyers shouldn't fret over this

either. Interest rates are extremely low, so even though inventory may

be low and the market will be more competitive for them, they can rely

on high affordability. 

If you're thinking of buying or selling a home in Minneapolis this

year, then now is the time to get in touch with me before the rush of

activity in the spring. You don't want to be left behind!

Please contact me via phone or email with any questions or concerns that you might have.