From the category archives:
Only fools rush into this major DIY undertaking.
Painted cabinets are ruling Pinterest these days, since intrepid DIYers love the idea of updating their kitchens with only a few coats of a new color. It seems like a no-brainer project, but this undertaking actually has many potential pitfalls. Avoid these blunders to end up with cabinets you can’t wait to show off:
Read More at 11 Big Mistakes You Make Painting Cabinets
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Looking to buy a luxury home in Minneapolis, St. Paul, Lake Minnetonka, or the Twin Cities metro area? Here are more ideas on what to do before your next home purchase:Traveling to Denver to attend a luxury real estate conference is a highlight of my year. It’s a good way to market my listings to agents from across the country and meet people to send clients to when they move out of the Twin Cities.
Leaders in Luxury is an invite only event for the top luxury real estate agents in the nation, and I had the privilege of being invited again this year.
The chandelier shown above is located in the Ritz Carlton – Denver and was created by glass artist Dale Chihuly. It is an amazing work of art!
When it comes to selling your home, honesty is always the best policy, especially when speaking with your agent.
Each time I meet with home owners to discuss their property, I let them know up front that I offer complete honesty, adding that I don’t “sugar coat things”. I’m blatantly honest to the point that I have had a few home owners get mad at me for “insulting” their home. (Some home owners don’t want to face the facts that the home needs a MAJOR cleaning.)
Of course I asked them if they would rather have an agent lie to them to get a listing, or have an agent tell them what they most likely don’t want to hear and help them get the home sold. I have yet to have someone tell me to lie.
But the main point of this story is that after I state my commitment of honesty to them, I notify them that I expect the same level of honesty from them in return. Remember, anything you tell your agent is confidential. So don’t be afraid to tell them a divorce is on the way, or that you just received a notice of foreclosure.
What ever you do, DON’T hide facts that can affect the listing.
I once had a home listed that I was heavily marketing, and putting a ton of time and money into getting it sold.. It wasn’t fun getting a call one day from a buyer’s agent asking how long my clients had been in foreclosure. This was news to me. I had specifically asked the sellers if they were in foreclosure and had been told no. I had also looked into public records, and there was no foreclosure notice posted. Of course the day it became public was the day this agent had seen it, and thus called me because he had an interested client.
When I asked the home owners why they hadn’t told me, they said it was private information and that they were embarrassed to tell me. Unfortunately, their failure at being honest cost us months on the market. Now we had to regroup and talk short sale. Time was running out, and a short sale takes time. Luckily, they had a bank that was on top of things, and we were able to get a short sale approved. Unfortunately, their lack of honesty caused unnecessary stress and loss of time for all involved.
I could go on and on with examples of how past clients have been less than honest with me, and each one has had it affect them negatively – either through more time on the market, less money earned on the sale of their home, or no sale at all. Don’t let this be you! Be HONEST with your agent because they’re there to help get your home sold, no matter what the circumstances.
Thinking of selling your high end home? Want something different that sets your home apart from others on the market and really grabs a buyer’s attention?
Check out the new video released by Jennifer Kirby, Broker/Owner of Kirby Fine Homes, that features one of her luxury listings in Minneapolis. It not only blows the ho-hum virtual tours of still shots used by most agents out of the water, it tells a story about the home and creates an emotional reaction from buyers that could just make them say “This is the ONE!”.
Want your high-end luxury or historic home to be featured next? Give Jennifer a call for a professional marketing consultation and analysis.
On Friday, March 7, 2014, the Minneapolis City Council voted 13-0 to immediately enact a moratorium on residential redevelopment in the Armatage, Fulton, Kenny, Linden Hills, and Lynnhurst neighborhoods. This action was brought by newly elected Ward 13 Councilmember Linea Palmisano, and will last for ONE YEAR!
Highlighted Neighborhoods of Minneapolis Moratorium
This means if you are looking for new construction in these neighborhoods, you can’t build. If you want to sell your home to a developer as a tear down, you can’t because the developer won’t buy it. If you were thinking of adding on an addition to your home, you can’t do it unless the total above ground square footage is less than 1500. Oh, and if you are having a hardship, you have to appeal to the City Council and prove your hardship…if it isn’t good enough for the council, than you will be denied!
Is this stupid??? Ummm, YES!
The official council motion reads:
Motion by Palmisano to introduce an ordinance amending Title 21 of the Minneapolis Code of Ordinances relating to Interim Ordinances, for first reading and referral to the Zoning & Planning Committee (adding a new Chapter 590 providing for a moratorium on the demolition, new construction, or establishment of single and two-family residential dwellings in the R1, R1A, R2, and R2B zoning districts in neighborhoods of Linden Hills, Fulton, Armatage, Kenny, and Lynnhurst, and authorizing the department of Community Planning and Economic Development to conduct a study to inform future development of the area and to propose such amendments to the city’s official controls and other regulatory devices)
The full text of the ordinance can be found here.
Due to the invocation of the city’s Zoning Code Chapter 529, the council was able to make this ordinance effective immediately upon passage.
According to the Minneapolis Association of Realtors, “neither the housing industry nor the public was invited to engage with the city on any issues of concern leading up to this moratorium vote. We are very disappointed that the City moved to put a yearlong ban on housing in these critical Minneapolis neighborhoods. The disregard for constituents, both current and future, saddens and dismays all of us in the housing community. This moratorium will be incredibly damaging the overall housing market, and especially to the property rights of Armatage, Fulton, Kenny, Linden Hills, and Lynnhurst residents”.
A public hearing will be held on Thursday, March 20, 2014 by the City’s Zoning and Planning Committee at 9:30 am. That committee is chaired by Lisa Bender (Ward 10) with Vice-Chair Andrew Johnson (Ward 12).
I strongly suggest that the public attend this public hearing to voice your concern and thoughts on how this will affect the housing industry in these neighborhoods.
Currently the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) is processing an update to Minnesota’s Building Code. Minnesota’s code is based upon the International Residential Code (IRC), which it amends to reflect local climate and building practices. The DLI’s ongoing process to update the code has featured an intense debate over the inclusion of a fire sprinkler system mandate in Minnesota’s code update. Since 2011, state lawmakers have passed two bills that would have prevented Minnesota from mandating home sprinkler systems. Both times Governor Mark Dayton has vetoed the bills.
In late October the draft building code was released with a home indoor sprinkler system mandate for all newly built homes 4,500 sq ft (including unfinished living space) and above. Notice it includes “unfinished living space”. That means your unfinished basement square footage is included in the numbers. While it is my opinion that it actually might be a good idea to install sprinkler systems in expensive luxury homes, it is NOT a good idea for the government to mandate it. The choice should be left up to the consumer because it’s their pocket book paying for the extra expense.
Don’t get too comfortable if you see a new home in your future under 4,500 square feet. Tom Brace, executive director of the Minnesota State Fire Chiefs Association, has said in a recent article that his ultimate goal is to mandate sprinkler systems in ALL new residential homes.
If you would like to learn more about the push to prevent the mandate, check out the website sponsored by the Twin Cities Builders Association.
Looks like you may not be able to get your kids out of the house as soon as you hoped. According to the Pew Research Center analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data, 21.6 Million “adults” ages 18-31 lived at home with their parents last year. Those in college are more likely to be those living at home, but other factors like unemployment and fewer marriages contribute to the increase of kids not leaving the nest.
Having left the nest myself at 18 for college, it would never had occurred to me to move back in. I was raised in the belief that once you are an adult, you have to make it on your own, and I am amazed at the high number of adults in their late 20’s and early 30’s that still live at home. So with our ever changing society, how long is too long to stay at home with your parents? From a recent Coldwell Banker survey, it looks like many feel five years is the magic number. However, even though it has become more acceptable, 70% believe that too many adults are living with parents to avoid responsibility, and 65% young adults are overstaying their welcome.
So, what do you think about this growing trend of young adults refusing to leave the nest?
