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Ahhhh, winter. The snow starts falling, the temperatures drop, and maybe you’re wondering what all of that means for the real estate market.

I know we are all interested to see how this winter market unfolds, coming off of one of the most aggressive and competitive real estate years in history. Traditionally, the winter is a slower season in real estate. Fewer homes go up for sale, and fewer people are out shopping for new houses. The winter season does have its own benefits though - for both buyers and sellers!

Winter Buying Benefits

Less competition against other buyers. One of the biggest benefits for buyers is that there is much less competition. Because the market has been so intense and competitive over the past year, the winter could…

We know the real estate pattern well, home sales heat up every spring and summer, and then, as the leaves begin to change, the market begins to cool. Conventional wisdom says that the best time to buy and sell a home is in the spring. However, it's worth considering your options of buying or selling in the Fall. Here's 5 reasons why...

Avoid peak real estate season
With fall usually comes the start of real estate’s slower season. Typically, there are less people looking to buy a home in fall, and less people putting their homes on the market. This gives you a leg up in either scenario. If you’re a Seller, your home has fewer homes competing against it. As a Buyer you’ll have fewer people competing against you! As a side note: we have seen an…

Buying a home is no easy feat, especially in an extremely competitive market. With a competitive market comes an amplified homebuying process. Emotions run higher, it can be more stressful and the process can take longer. So we thought it would be helpful to touch on some aspects of the homebuying process that you may not hear a lot about, the less “tangible” aspects that can make all the difference. 

1. Starting earlier has its advantages and can really give you an edge. If you feel like you’re going to buy within the next year, start reaching out to a few Realtors in your area. Interview multiple people, get to know their processes, and make sure you feel comfortable with them. It’s never too early to get your ducks in a row!

2. …

Some of the most impactful decisions to make when preparing to sell your home are deciding what improvements to take on to get the most out of your home sale. Some projects add value well over the amount they cost - some, not so much. So which ones should YOU take on before putting that lovely sign in the yard? Well, now may be the time to start considering what to tackle, as some projects may take longer than they have in the past.

If your home just needs some sprucing up with some paint and light landscaping, then sure, that may only take a few weeks. But what if adding a deck would transform that standard backyard into a stunning entertaining space? Maybe bringing the laundry room from that old basement up to the 2nd floor would make a big…

Those of us Minnesota dwellers have witnessed a myriad of changes in the housing market throughout the Twin Cities over time. And it’s true — Minneapolis and Saint Paul continue to evolve. Even with changes that COVID-19 has brought upon our economy, along with the ever changing political backdrop of our communities, the demand for housing in the Twin Cities remains at an all time high. Home sales and prices skyrocketed as buyers outpaced sellers in some parts of the metro.

And so this leads us to the buzz term of the year: “It’s a Seller’s Market.” But what does that really mean for sellers, buyers, and real estate as a whole? While the market remains hot across most larger cities in the country, it’s hard not to acknowledge the growth and demand here…

Written by VIBE Agent, Susan Bonne

You’ve likely been hearing, from every rooftop, that we are in the hottest seller’s market in a generation. That listings are scarcer than hen’s teeth. And that buyers have to pay thousands over asking, and throw in homemade cookies, a puppy and maybe a Tesla to be the winning bid and secure a new home. Yes, it’s more than a typical spring real estate frenzy, and multiple offers on desirable properties in affordable price ranges are the norm rather than the exception. 

So what’s a savvy buyer to do? How do you give yourself the best possible chance of winning when you’re working within a set budget, potential time constraints, and the many unknowns in the process, not the least of which is, what is everyone…

The days are getting longer and we can see the light at the end of the tunnel, literally. The sun is starting to shine, the snow is beginning to melt, and that only means one thing — spring is in the air. While we aren’t necessarily holding our breath that we won’t see another quick gnarly snow storm in May, (hello Minnesota?!) we can’t deny that the spring market is upon us, AKA peak season for real estate. 

First, let’s face it, doing just about anything in the winter is more difficult and that includes moving in and out of a home. The homes that didn’t sell in the fall are now coming back on the market, and many people want to sell and buy before school starts in the fall and before the snow starts up again this coming winter. Though the market…

It's 2021, and if you've paid any attention to the Twin Cities real estate market over the last year, you may have noticed that things have changed a bit when it comes to selling a home. There's no question that buyer demand is at an all time high, but pair that with a global pandemic, and you've got yourself quite a chaotic home-selling cocktail.

So what's changed? Well, from a real estate market standpoint, we basically skipped the busiest selling season of the year in 2020. Spring market was gearing up to likely be a busy time for buyers and sellers alike, with lots of listings preparing to hit the market that would have helped balance out some of this intense buyer demand. Then, 'round March, that all changed. Overwhelmingly, sellers…

We made it! 2021 is officially here, and there's a renewed sense of optimism in the air for many. That optimism doesn't walk through the door on its own, though...it comes with some baggage. First Monday of the year jitters? Yup. Anxiety around creating (and sticking to) your new Year's resolution? Oh, for sure...and the list goes on. After a long holiday season of relaxing and bending the rules around our normal eating habits, reality has set in that we can't do that forever. Now is just as good of a time as ever to get back into the swing of things.

So what do your 2021 goals look like? This is the time of year where you get to decide what you're going to set out to accomplish, no matter how big or small. Speaking of big, one of your future goals…

Do people actually move in the winter time? Oh ya, you betcha!

While there are definitely busier home selling seasons throughout the year here in Minnesota, life still happens in the winter, and that life often includes buying and selling real estate. So what are some of the key things we see as industry professionals when it comes to moving in the winter versus the other seasons? Let's take a look!

Dealing With Unpredictable Weather

What's the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Minnesota in winter time? It's cold! Well, turns out the same rings true when it comes to moving. Consider that you may end up being outside for a longer period than most humans would typically desire, and on top of that, you'll likely be lifting…