612.208.2421
November 20, 2019
First time home buyers are on the rise and our team is here to educate you on the process!
A majority of non-homeowners are eager to own a home. The question is, what is holding them back? Do they have realistic expectations? Millennials tend to have higher expectations than older homeowners did about their ideal starter home.
According to Clovered.com, Here are some of the top factors first-time buyers tend to place the most weight on when considering where to buy their starter home:
* Area Affordability
* Crime Rates
* Proximity to Workplace
* Neighbors, Friends and Family
* Geography of the Area
* Move-in Ready
* Tax Rates
The housing market is changing, and what people are looking for in a starter home is changing right along with it. While previous generations might have looked for smaller, less expensive properties to start their journey as homeowners, millennials are looking to transition from renters to buyers and have a slightly different plan in mind.
Pulling the trigger on your first home can be a nerve-wracking experience. Considering it’s the biggest purchase most people will make in their lifetimes, it’s OK to be a little worried about the home-buying process. Reach out to me and we can sit down and put a plan in place for you!
Darcy Warcken
Buyer and Listing Specialist
The Better Living Group/Avenue Realty
Realtors- GRI, ABR, CDPE
darcy@avenuerealtymn.com or 952-500-3166
October 28, 2014
Why is it so important to use a Realtor when selling your home? There is an abundance of reasons as to why working with a Realtor in the sale of your home is so important. They are here to help in pricing your home at the correct figure, to all negotiations and finally, getting you to the closing table.
Pricing your home to fit the current market in the area is very important in having the sale of your home be successful. All homes will sell when they are priced appropriately and to match the market. When we are pricing a house, there are many factors we work in to make sure we come out with the correct figure. This includes (but is not limited to) other properties in the area and the size and updates your home has.
When you receive an offer on your home, negotiations come in to play. Both parties, in most cases, will not agree on everything right away. There are particular items that may need to be discussed and even removed from the offer in order for it to work. Whether that is a home warranty or adjusting the price, your Realtor will be there to help and give you the best advice and guidance in order for you to make an informed decision on the sale of your home.
Closing is right around the corner! Getting to the closing table is what both buyer and seller look forward to. Your Realtor will make sure you are paired with only the best title company to assist in getting you to the closing table!
If you or someone you know is thinking about buying a home and/or selling your current home, contact the Better Living Group today! We are here to provide you with information on purchasing a home and a free market analysis for the home you are considering to sell. The Better Living Group are Real Estate professionals in the Twin Cities and Greater Metro areas who are ready and able to assist with all of your Real Estate needs and goals and to provide only the best Real Estate service to all of our clients past, present and future.
The Better Living Group
Realtor- GRI, ABR, CDPE
Keller Williams Classic Realty NW
Posted in: Community, Open House, Real Estate News, Updates & Trends
May 13, 2014
When purchasing a home there are many factors to consider. One major factor, is mortgage rates. Mortgage rates are constantly in a state of ups and downs with weekly, if not daily changes. This is something to keep in mind and consider when you are thinking about purchasing a home and/or selling your current home.
In a recent Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Survey, mortgage rates, for the week of April 17th on a 30 – year fixed mortgage were at 4.27% compared to 4.34% the week prior – still up from 3.42% in 2013. For a 15 – year fixed mortgage, rates fell from 3.38% to 3.33% – still up from 2.64% in 2013.
Speaking with a mortgage lender prior to looking for a home is very important. They are able to give you all of the information needed to make an informed decision on the current interest rates and how they will effect your monthly mortgage payment. They are also available to answer any questions you have regarding the lending side of purchasing a home.
If you or someone you know is thinking about buying a home and/or selling your current home, contact the Better Living Group today! We are here to provide you with information on purchasing a home and a free market analysis for the home you are considering to sell. The Better Living Group are Real Estate professionals in the Twin Cities and Greater Metro areas who are ready and able to assist with all of your Real Estate needs and goals and to provide only the best Real Estate service to all of our clients past, present and future.
Chelsea Knutson and the Better Living Group
Realtor- GRI, ABR, CDPE
Keller Williams Classic Realty NW
Posted in: Community, Open House, Real Estate News, Updates & Trends
April 28, 2014
There are many questions that buyers have when purchasing a home. All relate to the entire transaction from start to finish. As your local Real Estate Economists, we ensure all of our clients know what the process is to purchase a new home, every step of the way. We hear many of the same questions from buyers who are in the market to purchase a home and here are the answers to those frequently asked questions.
What is earnest money and where does it go? When writing an offer on a home you put down, what is called earnest money. This is to let the sellers know that you are earnest about purchasing the property. This earnest money is put into the Listing Brokers trust account within 2 business days of final acceptance and goes towards your loan at closing.
How do you (my Realtor) get paid? When working with a Licensed Realtor many clients ask how we get paid. There is typically a commission payout amount that the seller has previously agreed to pay to the listing agent, as well as the selling (buyers) agent. The buyer does not pay the commission.
Is this home worth the list price? Prior to writing an offer we do a Current Comparable Market Analysis to make sure the home you are looking to purchase is priced appropriately. There are many things that go in to this analysis. This will give us the correct price range at which the market suggests it is worth and will better prepare you for the price you choose to offer.
If you are thinking about purchasing a home and/or need to sell your home, contact us today. We go over current market trends and have fantastic lender referrals available, all who are ready and able to assist you. My team and I are licensed Realtors in MN, working in the Twin Cities and greater Metro Areas. We’re dedicated to providing the very best service to all of our clients – past, present and future.
Chelsea Knutson and the Better Living Group
Realtor- GRI, ABR, CDPE
Keller Williams Classic Realty NW
Posted in: Community, Real Estate News, Updates & Trends
March 21, 2014
Our team, the Better Living Group at Keller Williams Classic Realty NW in Maple Grove, MN has just listed this beautifully updated single family home in Coon Rapids! This home has many wonderful amenities including a fully updated and renovated kitchen with stainless steel appliances and beautiful granite countertops, as well as a large center island for plenty of counter space.
This home features 3 bedrooms and two bathrooms, both of which have been remodeled. There are new utilities: furnace, water heater and water softener. Beautiful hard wood floors accompany this home along with a new sliding glass door on the upper level leading to the deck, which over looks a large pond. This pond can be utilized as an ice rink in the winter and great for sitting on the deck and watching the ducks and geese in the summer.
If you are interested in purchasing a home in the Coon Rapids area, contact me today for a private viewing of this wonderful home – you don’t want to miss this!
The Better Living Group are licensed Realtors in MN, working in the Twin Cities and greater Metro Areas and we’re dedicated to providing the very best service to all of our clients – past, present and future. We know the current market trends and have some fantastic and reputable lender referrals available, all who are ready and able to assist you in purchasing your new home.
Chelsea Knutson and the Better Living Group
Realtor- GRI, ABR, CDPE
Keller Williams Classic Realty NW
Posted in: Community, Open House, Real Estate News, Updates & Trends
January 23, 2014
Our team, the Better Living Group, in Maple Grove, MN has just listed this beautiful single family home! This home has many great amenities including an upgraded kitchen with stainless steel appliances and beautiful granite countertops. It is a 4-bedroom house with 2-bathrooms, equipped with plenty of living space and extra storage.
An easily accessible location with front to back tree coverage, large backyard, a fire pit and a horse shoe pit – all made to entertain on those beautiful summer days & nights that are about to come our way! The backyard backs up to Elm Creek Park Reserve trails, with miles of fun for winter or summer activities.
If you are interested in this property, are thinking about purchasing a home in the Maple Grove area and/or need to sell your home, contact us today! We know the current market trends and have some fantastic and reputable lender referrals available, all who are ready and able to assist you in purchasing your new home.
The Better Living Group are licensed Realtors in MN, working in the Twin Cities and greater Metro Areas and we’re dedicated to providing the very best service to all of our clients – past, present and future.
Chelsea Knutson and the Better Living Group
Realtor- GRI, ABR, CDPE
Keller Williams Classic Realty NW
Posted in: Community, Open House, Real Estate News, Updates & Trends
October 16, 2013
If you are thinking about purchasing a home and are concerned about getting a loan due to what you’ve heard about and/or previously experienced when it comes to getting approved for a loan, it’s time to take another look.
A recent study by Housingwire, says that lenders are starting to ease up on borrowers. Lenders are beginning to approve more loans for those who have credit scores under 700. This is great news for all homebuyers who have some debt or discrepancies that held up the approval process in the past. Whether it is higher student loans, credit cards or a past short sale or foreclosure, you may now have the opportunity to purchase your new home, depending on your current credit score. The fact that lenders are easing up on requirements will make it easier for homebuyers to come in and get a loan to purchase the home of their dreams.
The Housingwire study also stated that banks have started to lend larger amounts of money while requiring a lower down payment. The minimum down payment for a Conventional loan could be as low as 3 to 5% and FHA is 3.5%, which is a low down payment for those who have cash flow, however, want to keep some of their nest egg in the bank.
If you are thinking about purchasing a home and/or need to sell your home, contact me today. We will go over current market trends and set you up with some fantastic lenders who are ready and able to assist you. I am a licensed Realtor in MN, working in the Twin Cities and greater Metro Areas and am dedicated to providing the very best service to all of my clients – past, present and future.
Chelsea Knutson
Realtor- GRI, ABR, CDPE
763-496-2903
the Better Living Group
Keller Williams Classic Realty NW
Posted in: Community, Real Estate News, Updates & Trends
September 20, 2013
Every real estate market in the U.S, never stays the same. Housing is nearly always shifting with market ups and downs that certainly change the way we move forward in selling and buying a home. The good news, statistics show Minneapolis is on the upswing and on the rise!
Many factors will go into determining what the current market trends are in a particular area. The Minneapolis Area Association of Realtors has reported that pending home sales, in August 2013, rose 10.9%. With less than 4 months of supply on the market, we are currently in what some would say is a Seller’s market. This means that home prices are on the rise and with inventory this low, many buyers looking to purchase are finding there is not much to choose from – which tends to give Sellers the advantage when it comes to negotiating the sale price. Current records show, the Real Estate inventory holds 15,773 active properties for sale, which is 9.9% lower then August 2012.
With that being said, more properties are coming up for sale and interest rates are coming in at a 5 week low. So even though home prices are on the rise, homeowners are still looking to sell and Buyers are getting great interest rate opportunities to purchase, which makes this the kind of market we all should be taking part in.
On a side note, foreclosures and short sales still have a presence when it comes to real estate inventory, something to keep in mind when either selling or buying in this market. In August of 2012 foreclosures and short sales made up 35.8% of the Real Estate sales activity, that number is down to 20.7% this year. Making it so the majority of houses for sale are traditional sales, thankfully, no waiting games or crazy addendums attached.
Of course when we take in all this information, we want to remember the current market in each area has its own local statistics, something my team and I are here to provide when you’re ready to sell or buy your new home. Feel free to contact us, anytime.
Chelsea Knutson
Realtor- GRI, ABR, CDPE
763-496-2903
the Better Living Group
Keller Williams Classic Realty NW
Posted in: Community, Real Estate News, Updates & Trends
September 12, 2013
Just listed open and spacious town house in Plymouth, MN. This is a 2-bedroom 2-bathroom townhouse with large rooms. It has an extremely open concept with updated appliances as well as newer major systems. Close freeway access and also close to shopping, parks, trails and entertainment. This is a MUST SEE!
Contact me today for a confidential showing of this wonderful townhouse! I look forward to hearing from you and helping you achieve all of your Real Estate goals!
I am a licensed Real Estate Professional in the Twin Cities Metro and Greater Minnesota Areas and strive to provide the best real estate service, with the support of my team the Better Living Group, for all of my past, present and future clients.
Chelsea Knutson
Realtor- GRI, ABR, CDPE
763-496-2903
the Better Living Group
Keller Williams Classic Realty NW
Posted in: Community, Real Estate News, Updates & Trends
September 5, 2013
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Posted in: Community, Open House, Real Estate News, Updates & Trends
If you would like to speak with a Better Living Group agent, contact us and one of our qualified Realtors® will be happy to assist you.
Phone: 612.208.2421
Email: Contact Us Now!
