In his recent post, Bill Austin summarized the federal tax credits for home buyers in 2008 and 2009 and the repayment requirements that came along with some of them.  Some folks will be repaying the credits, and many will not. Bill's post got me to thinking about just who was helped and who was not helped by the credits.  My original thoughts during the credit periods have changed little.  The credits had some good effects in relation to the overall economy, and they didn't do much for the people who actually got the checks. The idea that consumer spending needed a shot of energy was probably valid during the recession that coincided the home buyer tax credits.  The fact that one needed to be reasonably solvent to buy a home self-selected home buyers as excellent candidates for recyclin... 03/18/2012

Ready To Buy Eagan Foreclosures? So you want to buy one of the foreclosures in Eagan? Whether you own a home now or are a Minnesota first time home buyer, you will want to learn the basics before going out to buy. While there are many great values in Eagan foreclosures you should be prepared for how to negotiate your offer. City of Eagan Info If you are planning a move to the southern metro you should really consider looking into Eagan foreclosuresCITY. With convenient access to the Twin Cities, the City of Eagan has grown rapidly over the years. As recently as the 1960's, Eagan had only about 3,000 residents, but as of the 2010 census now has over 64,000. This means that most of the housing stock is in newer, well-planned communities. Because Eagan is in Dakota County, qualifying first... 03/08/2012

Another major commercial development may be destined for Eagan.  The current location of the Lockheed Martin campus has been sold to a developer, CSM Equities, and the tentative plans are for a 47 acre development to include largely retail space.  The company is in the process of requesting the necessary zoning changes from research and development to accommodate their retail development vision.  A portion of the project would be office space and several free-standing restaurants.  The Lockheed Martin facility is scheduled to remain operating until its scheduled closing in 2013. The Pilot Knob - Yankee Doodle Road area has become the major center of Eagan commerce, and the proposed new project will be a great addition to this already prominent location. 02/17/2012

Eagan Residential Sales Increased 21% In 2011 Eagan, Minnesota has had a substantially improved year for sales of residential real estate.  According to the Regional Multiple Listing Service of Minnesota, there were 775 residential sales in 2011, which is approximately 21% more than the 640 tallied in 2010.   While there are many ways to measure market trends, the total units sold represents buying interest and also suggests that there may have been more qualified buyers in 2011.  2011 sales also exceeded 2009 by about 3.5%.  2009 and the beginning of 2010 were the years of the homebuyer tax credits, and many analysts believed that the credits would influence buyers to accelerate their plans to the detriment of the years following.  That does not seem to have significantly affected 2011... 01/02/2012

Last year, my state of the industry post  followed the state of... addresses by the President and heads of various states.  This year it's my turn to go first, and like last year, the following are opinions that are based only on my personal perception.  The industry is almost the same as the beginning of 2011. Prices are not changing with any alarming velocity, and the number of sales, although somewhat improved in many markets, are not approaching robust levels.  The new distressed properties are, like many in the beginning of 2011, no longer the result of loans to the unloanable accidental homeowners, but now the result of a poor economy and a job loss or other hardship.  The fact that many persons who can't keep their homes cannot afford to sell them is perpetuating the poor state o... 01/01/2012

Eagan homes for sale in Eagan, MN.  Over the last year, the Eagan realestate market has improved dramatically.  Although economic setbackshave occurred with the closing of Lockheed Martin and a few othercompanies, real estate continues to sell in Eagan for a number ofreasons.Like other prestigious areas of the Twin Cities, Eagan homes for saleoffer numerous advantages over other areas.  Besides an award winningschool system, Eagan sports excellent access to Minneapolis and St.Paul.  Get to downtown Minneapolis via 35W, Cedar (77), or Hiawatha -or get to downtown St. Paul via a half dozen access points.Eagan homes for sale average $175,000 for 2011 thusfar and stay on themarket an average 128 days.  Eagan has its share of foreclosures andthose are generally found in higher concentration... 12/05/2011

Plan ahead for postage increase Those of us who operate a business, whether real estate or otherwise, understand that sometimes things don't go well.  The Amazons and Netflixes and others like them have distressed many brick and mortar businesses that attempted to compete with them.  Some survived and some did not.  Anyone who has been in business for more than a few days understands that competition is nothing to be ignored.  Well, everyone but businesses connected with the government. The US postal service has for decades competed with United Parcel Service in the package delivery business.  For most of those decades, UPS has been profitable and the USPS has not.  Now there are more players in the same area including FedEx and others.  They all tend to be profitable while USPS operate... 12/01/2011

Both must wait until the other has passed There has been a report floating around the internet for years that says there is a law, usually reputed to be in Washington, that two trains coming to a crossing must both wait until the other has passed.  I've seen variations of this absurdity.  Once I found a rural intersection with a four-way yield, about the same as the train law.  Another absurdity is the rhetoric about the housing industry and the economy, unemployment levels to be more specific.  The story goes like this, "Housing will return to normal when the economy recovers and there are fewer unemployed people."  Of course there is the other story, "Unemployment levels and the economy will only return to normal when the housing industry recovers."  Apparently, both must wait until t... 11/17/2011

Happy Bank Transfer Day Today has apparently been designated by the folks in the street as the day to move your accounts to credit unions and community banks.  Since the street people claim that 99% of us have nothing, I assume that the transfer will have to come from the other one percent.  Perhaps that will happen, or maybe the rest of us really have enough wealth to make a difference.  I don't know. What is hard to deny is that credit unions deserve our business.  Why?  They deserve our business because they charge less almost always.  My credit union offers low interest loans, free checking, no charge credit card cash advances, and they act happy to see me when I walk through the door.  Their ATM network is at least as large and convenient as the largest of banks, and their mortgage... 11/05/2011

If you're a renter, there's a good chance that you have given some thought to owning your own place.  There's also a good chance that part of the reason for wanting to own your own home is the conduct of your landlord.  He will not let you do hardly anything to personalize your home, he won't let you have a dog, he won't let you park your boat in the driveway, and he gets really upset when you're a couple days late with the rent payment. You're paying your landlord's mortgage, and he is making a profit renting to you.  Why is he so demanding?  Well, you need to keep in mind that there's a reason why your place is not really your place.  That's because you are living in temporary housing.  Look around at the other tenants.  There are lots of young people experiencing their first attempt ... 10/09/2011

There are some self-proclaimed experts on housing, most falling into two groups.  First, the journalism majors who just read everything they could find in Wikipedia on real estate, or at least all they could find in twenty minutes.  Housing is a trendy topic, and the journalists always strive for popularity.  You definitely know more about yourself and what will best improve your future lifestyle than that journalism major armed with twenty minutes of generic research.  The amount of time they have resided outside their parents' home or a college dorm can often be measured in weeks or months, not years or decades. The second group is landlords.  Yes, the people who benefit from renters the most will tell you how great it is to rent.  They are correct, but it's great to rent out property... 10/05/2011

Are you thinking of buying your first home in Eagan? Many people who are renting today are realizing that the recent increase in rent payments is making Eagan more reasonable than ever before. With the combination of low mortgage rates and lower property values monthly payments on a home of your own in Eagan may be cheaper than what you are paying for rent! If you are a MN first time buyer I would love the opportunity to talk with you about the possibilities. To take advantage of the benefits in today's Eagan home values, get started with these 3 steps. Step 1: Let's Discuss Your Goals There are more things to consider when buying a home than simply the monthly mortgage payment. I will want to talk with you about what your short and long term goals are for buying a house. After learning... 09/20/2011

This is an odd year which means that there will be a school board election in Independent School District 196.  The requirements for serving on the board seem fairly simple, be eligible to vote, be at least 21 years old, live in the district, and don't register as a convicted sex offender.  Seven people have filed as candidates in this year's election.  Four are incumbents, and they are facing three challengers.  The school board election will be Tuesday, November 8. There is also one board member, Kevin Sampers, who has announced his resignation, and the remaining years of his term which runs through 2013 will be served by an appointee.  Sampers, an eighteen year member of the board, announced his resignation at the end of the August 15 meeting. Among other responsibilities, the school... 08/21/2011

4130 Rahn Rd #B308 Eagan, MN 55122 Granite, Stainless Steel, Gorgeous closet sys Home Photo Gallery Virtual Tour Property Map Payment Info Request Showing Contact Me Brian Amiot REALTOR, E-Pro, CDPE Office:612-251-8003 Mobile:612-251-8003 Website:Visit Website Price : $76,900 Bedrooms : 3 Bathrooms : 1 Square Foot : 1,200 County : Dakota Property Type : Condo or Townhouse Year Built : 1972 MLS Number : 3962669 click for more information and pictures Property Description Newly remodeled with gorgeous new hardwood floors, stainless appliances, granite countertops, glass tile backsplash, and carpet. Luxurious closet system in master! Maple cabinets, basketball and tennis courts and much more! Features List 3 Bedroom 1 Bathroom Great Closet System Ceramic Tile Bath 2 Car Garage Tennis Cour... 07/14/2011

Home Staging is So Much More Than De-Cluttering and Moving Furniture - Part 1 Home Staging Minneapolis, MN  Yes, Home Staging is about de-cluttering, yes it is about moving furniture for the best traffic flow and focal point. But it is so much more. In this Four Part Series I will show one home with suggestions made to each room. This room is the Family Room. The paint was the main issue. Although blue is an 'in' color right now, it depends on the shade and hue of blue and the room it is used in. This blue wasn't doing much for the room, it didn't show off the beautiful wood floor or the hand crafted white entertainment center.   I suggested a dark paint color.....yes much darker than most people would think a home stager would suggest. The homeowner even emailed me and said "Shar, this... 06/27/2011

What to do in case of an auto accident   An accident can be a very scary experience. Whether it is a simple fender bender, or an serious auto accident, our minds scramble to think of what to do next. At the James Fink Insurance Agency, we want to make sure you are prepared to handle anything. Here are seven steps to take if you are involved in an auto accident: 1- Stop and check for injuries. If anyone is injured, call 911. 2- Set flares, or signal with a flashlight, to warn other drivers and prevent further damage. 3- Notify the police. 4- Gather facts - names and phone numbers of any witnesses, and information about the other driver (driver's license number, phone number, insurance information, and description of the other vehicle) 5- Be careful what you say. Don't admit responsibilit... 06/08/2011

The only sure way to turn the housing industry around is to make more people, and make them willing and able to buy real estate.  Assuming the continuation of the present sentiment against importing home buyers, it will take about one generation of passionate procreators followed by twenty or so years of nurturing and a touch of financial prosperity. In the meantime, we continue to ignore the half generation of would-be move up buyers, many of whom have the ability to make substantially larger monthly payments. Unfortunately many of them are stuck in too small starter homes with negative equity, the result of falling prices. Simple solution -- let them port the debt to another home. While we're growing more home buyers, it would be prudent to focus whatever attention our half-blind gove... 06/06/2011

It's been a while since I posted anything about one of my favorite people, your landlord.  You know, the guy who just raised your rent and scolded you for not following all his rules.  Landlords are renters' favorite people, I guess.  They must be your favorite, because you're making their mortgage payment for them.  And, yes, there is probably a huge tax deduction for the interest on the mortgage.  And, no it's not your deduction, it's your landlord's.  You make the payment and he gets the deduction. Your landlord is happy this month, because the rent increases are helping him pay for the high cost of gasoline he puts into his RV (thank you for helping him buy the RV with your rent payment).  He is also happy that the increased price of dog food is being paid with your rent increase.  ... 05/11/2011

According to information provided by the Regional Multiple Listing Service of Minnesota, Inc., there are 2,525 homes listed for sale in Dakota County.  of that total, 927, or 37% are priced at or below $150,000.  In comparison, Eagan has 361 homes for sale with 147 of them (41%) priced at or below $150,000.  That makes Eagan appear above average in its current availability of affordable homes.  Given its commutable location, award winning school system, and its availability of recreational and commercial services, Eagan is an excellent place to begin a house hunting expedition.  Buying a new home is the most economically significant single act in most of our lives, and it requires lots of sound planning.  We offer a free, no obligation house hunting strategy session and orientation for ... 04/13/2011

City of Eagan MN City of Eagan, MN was originally home to the Dakota and Sioux Indian tribes. Now the eighth largest city in the state of Minnesota, the city of Eagan is ranked nationally as one of the best places to live. The city of Eagan is a beautiful community known for its amazing scenery, shops, restaurants, and businesses. The city of Eagan encourages its residents to become actively involved within the community. One major community program in the city of Eagan is the neighborhood watch. The neighborhood watch is where the residents come together and keep a close watch over the community in order to keep it safe. The city of Eagan is home to a beautiful community center where the residents can enjoy fitness classes as well as a full gym. The community center also has activities... 03/18/2011