Here’s what’s happening in our market and how it affects you. There’s a lot happening in the market, and it’s starting to get a little weird. That’s why I wanted to share some hard data with you today to show you what’s taking place. Let’s dive right into these numbers and what they mean for you as a buyer or a seller. You can watch the full video …

Even though we’re in a hot seller’s market, you may not want to sell right now. Considering how much homes have increased in value recently, many people are wondering whether they should sell their homes or cash in on their equity. Selling may or may not be a good idea, so today I’ll give people in this position something to consider: capital gains…

Here’s what’s happening in our market as we head into spring.Let’s talk today about the early spring market. Our state association of Realtors says that the number of closed sales fell by 50% compared to March 2021. If the market is so hot, how can we sell fewer homes? It’s just because we don’t have enough homes. It’s hard to sell properties when …

Please take a close look at your valuation notice when you receive it.Today we’ll talk about the property tax valuation notices for Scott County that were recently sent out. It’s no surprise property values increased last year, but is the county’s valuation accurate?We’ve been talking to past clients about the valuations, and we’re seeing a fairly …

Here’s how sellers can prepare for our spring market in Minnesota.When we meet with sellers this time of year, we usually advise that they have their homes ready for the spring market around the time of the Super Bowl. It still feels like winter, but about that time is the opening of our Minnesota real estate market. This year we’re seeing more his…

What trends emerged from 2021 that will predict the market next year? It’s hard to believe, but we’re nearing the end of 2021. This has been a pretty crazy year in real estate, so today we want to take a look back and wrap up 2021’s market for you. It’s hard to remember at this point, but even before COVID in 2020, we had low inventory. Once the pa…

Here’s a really quick end-of-summer/early fall market update.We’re here with an end-of-summer or early-fall market update. First, let’s talk about what we’d expect a normal market to look like for comparison.We’ve seen a bit of this in 2021 during the summer. Right after school ended, activity slowed down a bit before picking back up towards June a…

Here’s an overview of what it’s like to be a buyer or seller in this market.What are we seeing when homes go live on our market?First, most listings coming onto the market are doing so under the ‘coming soon’ status. We’ve done a few videos that delved into this topic, so be sure to explore our website to learn more about what ‘coming soon’ means. …

Here's an on-the-ground perspective of our wild spring market thus far.2021 is the third straight year of low inventory in our market. Here in early spring, we’re already seeing an extreme amount of buyer demand. Given these low interest rates and a lack of new construction, this should come as no surprise. Not enough homes are hitting the market t…

Here’s how the beginning of the spring 2021 market has been faring.Today we’re sharing how the early spring market is doing. We are assuredly in a seller’s market; we’re seeing unprecedented shortages of inventory. Usually, we’d be seeing many more homes coming onto the market by this time in the season; it hasn’t happened yet, but we’re hoping it …

Our Real Estate Review will let you know what your home is worth. If you’ve ever wondered what your home is worth, that’s a perfectly reasonable question to ask. We get asked this question a lot, and not always from prospective sellers. Sometimes people want to know what their home is worth to understand their equity position. Others are looking to…

Here’s where the ‘coming soon’ and ‘pre-marketing’ statuses differ.Many people assume “coming soon” status and “pre-marketing” status are the same thing, but they’re not. The coming soon status is for sellers who are preparing to put their homes on the market. It’s a status the general public can find and see online. It’s searchable and the home do…

January and February are great months to put your home on the market.If you need to sell your home in January or February, we have good news: Now is a great time to put your home on the market, and there are several reasons why. For one thing, inventory is low. It’s been low for a couple of years, but it’s really low at the moment. Interest rates a…

As 2020 finally draws to a close, we wish you a happy holiday season.We wanted to take a moment today to extend a happy holiday greeting. As 2020 winds down (which we’re willing to bet a lot of people are excited about), we hope your year has gone well. We’ve seen first hand how the pandemic has affected people’s lives, especially as it relates to …

Here are three vital mistakes to avoid when preparing your home for sale.Unfortunately, some people make mistakes while preparing their homes for sale. Here are the three main things to avoid when getting your house ready for the market:1. Updating multiple levels. If you’ve done a dramatic upgrade somewhere in your home, such as in the kitchen, yo…

Let’s compare the market conditions from August 2020 to those of August 2019.Both last August and this August, we witnessed relentless buyer demand. Let’s take a look at how those numbers compare:So far, buyers have signed 19.7% more purchase agreements in August 2020 than they did the previous year. That’s evidence of strong buyer activity in our …

Here are a few reasons to pay attention to this fall’s Parade of Homes.We’re in the middle of the fall Parade of Homes, which runs through Sunday, October 4, and many people are asking themselves why they would even go to such a thing. Well, there are actually a number of reasons.If you’re thinking about buying a home, you might want to do some cro…

What’s the latest news from our real estate market as the summer winds down?July was a boom month for our market. Normally, the activity we saw would’ve been spread out across the spring market, but the shutdown pushed everything back a couple of months. As a result, we’re seeing some interesting trends emerge.The first involves closing dates. Ordi…

What’s going on in the market as we reach the midway point of 2020?In terms of showing activity, things are pretty consistent across the board. When a home first comes on the market, we’re seeing an initial surge of showing activity due to our low inventory. What’s interesting, though, is that as showing activity returns to normal, it can feel a bi…

Mortgage consultant Shane Hofmann explains changes in the lending world.I recently sat down for a Zoom call with loan officer Shane Hofmann of Edina Realty Mortgage (whom you may recognize from some of our previous videos) to discuss interest rates, mortgage forbearance, and more. In the wake of COVID-19, the mortgage world has been subject to dail…

How is our market doing amid the COVID-19 pandemic?Now that we’re in the first part of summer 2020, we can all look back and say it’s already been quite a year. Obviously, there has been the issue of COVID-19 shutting down the country (and the world) for a while, but our real estate market has been humming along. Most people are still buying and se…

We’ve been getting a lot of questions lately about the real estate market. Today, we are answering some of the most common questions. One thing a lot of people want to know is, “Are people still buying and selling houses?” Although we saw a slowdown after the Stay-at-Home Order, we have started to see our activity pick up in recent weeks. Most of i…

This pandemic has certainly affected our real estate market in terms of volume, but it’s interesting to note the different mindsets of the buyers and sellers who are out in the market right now. Here’s what we’ve been seeing lately.As we’ve continued to navigate the real estate market during the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve been keeping a close eye on …

In a previous video, we talked about what was happening in the real estate business and how we were adapting to the coronavirus pandemic. Since then, we’ve seen inventory levels and showing traffic drop. Make no mistake though, there are still serious buyers out there right now, but an increasing number of them are utilizing virtual showings. Inter…

We are in the very early stages of the stay-at-home order issued by Governor Walz, and naturally, we’re getting so many calls, texts, and emails from folks asking us if the real estate market has shut down. The answer is no, we’re up and running; real estate is considered an essential service. We’re helping buyers and sellers with every step of the…

Von Chad and Sara Huebener

Von Chad and Sara Huebener

If you’re thinking about listing your home in the spring of 2020, here’s what you need to do.If you plan on selling your home in the spring of 2020, now is the time to start thinking about what you must do to prepare it for the market. Winter in Minnesota is a great time to get any indoor projects done because we spend much of our time indoors anyw…

Contrary to popular belief, the wintertime is a great time to sell your home. Want to Buy a Home? Search All Homes Want to Sell a Home? Get a Home Value Report Many sellers think that spring and summer are the best times to sell their homes, but this a false narrative. In many cases, we see a lot of activity during the winter months, and the qualit…

What are the benefits of listing your home on the market during the winter months? Want to Buy a Home? Search All Homes Want to Sell a Home? Get a Home Value Report Many times, sellers think it’s in their best interest to wait to list their homes until the spring market. In my opinion, this is a flawed approach. We find that during the winter month…

As we head into the holiday season, we just wanted to express our gratitude for all the support you’ve shown our team. Here’s our full holiday message.We wanted to take a minute to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas, happy holidays, and a happy new year. We hope you have had a great 2019 and are looking forward to 2020 as well.Last but not least,…

This is our way of saying "Thank You" for your business and referrals! Want to Buy a Home? Search All Homes Want to Sell a Home? Get a Home Value Report You can feel it in the weather: Temperatures are dropping, the leaves are changing, and Thanksgiving is right around the corner. As a special thank you to all of our current and past clients, we're…

If you rent your home out through Airbnb or VRBO, you need to know what is being proposed in Crow Wing County. Want to Buy a Home? Search All Homes Want to Sell a Home? Get a Home Value Report Do you or someone you know currently rent your home out as an Airbnb or VRBO in Crow Wing County? If your answer is yes, you want to pay particular attention…

You are cordially invited to our 4th Annual Oktoberfest! Want to Buy a Home? Search All Homes Want to Sell a Home? Get a Home Value Report Friends and Clients — You are cordially invited to our 4th Annual Oktoberfest. This is our way of saying "Thank You" to our past clients, current clients, friends and family for all of your support, referrals, a…

Being able to pay off your mortgage in under 30 years is not only possible, but it’s also very easy to do. Want to Buy a Home? Search All Homes Want to Sell a Home? Get a Home Value Report New data shows that nearly 40% of all homes in the U.S. have no mortgages whatsoever. The highest percentage is 54% in West Virginia. Maryland and D.C. are on th…

If you’re looking to get into real estate investing, I have five tips that will help you. Want to Buy a Home? Search All Homes Want to Sell a Home? Get a Home Value Report Real estate investing is hotter than ever, and it’s no wonder why. Mortgage rates are low, home prices continue to grow, and demand for rentals is strong. But if you're intereste…

Today I’ll lay out seven steps to take if you want your home to sell quickly and for the most money possible in our market. Want to Buy a Home? Search All Homes Want to Sell a Home? Get a Home Value Report Today I’ll share seven surefire ways to make sure that your home is ready for the summer selling season: 1. Assess your home’s condition. Look a…

You’re invited to come learn the ins and outs of flipping at our free upcoming seminar. Want to Buy a Home? Search All Homes Want to Sell a Home? Get a Home Value Report If you’ve ever wanted to learn more about successfully flipping homes in today’s market, you’re in luck. Today we’d like to invite you to our free upcoming seminar, which will teac…

A massive class-action lawsuit has been filed against the National Association of Realtors and other top brokerages. Here’s what you need to know about the case. Want to Buy a Home? Search All Homes Want to Sell a Home? Get a Home Value Report When it comes to a real estate transaction, the seller pays the commission for both agents. In many cases,…

One of the only things that politicians can agree on is that we need housing reform. Here’s how they plan to tackle the issue. Want to Buy a Home? Search All Homes Want to Sell a Home? Get a Home Value Report There's a surprising political issue that both parties can agree on right now. This issue is reducing the cost of housing. Even more surprisi…

Make the most out of your home sale by joining our workshop. Here’s how. Want to Buy a Home? Search All Homes Want to Sell a Home? Get a Home Value Report We’re excited to announce our third and final sellers’ workshop! Join us at Country Inn & Suites on Tuesday, April 16 at 6:30 p.m. We’ll show you how to put your equity back into your pocket, tal…

Learn the best tips and tricks for maximizing your home sale at our upcoming sellers’ seminar. Want to Buy a Home? Search All Homes Want to Sell a Home? Get a Home Value Report Due to the overwhelming success of our February sellers’ workshop, we’re hosting another one—and you’re invited! At this great event, you’ll learn how to maximize the sale o…

Home sales have dropped significantly of late. Here’s what I think is behind the trend. Want to Buy a Home? Search All Homes Want to Sell a Home? Get a Home Value Report This past December, home sales plunged across the country. In fact, they are down a staggering 6.4%. However, it's not clear why. The economy is doing well. During that same Decemb…

We hope you’ll join us for our upcoming Sellers’ Workshop! Want to Buy a Home? Search All Homes Want to Sell a Home? Get a Home Value Report Our 1st Annual Sellers’ Workshop is just around the corner, and you’re invited. At this great event, we’re going to pull back the curtain and share some insider tips on how to sell your home for top dollar in …

The rate of appreciation for home prices has been slowing, and today we’d like to shed some light on why this is happening and what it means. Want to Buy a Home? Search All Homes Want to Sell a Home? Get a Home Value Report We seem to be entering a buyer's market. I'll explain what this means for you in just a second. But first, let me give you a q…

Let’s jump right into the numbers, starting by comparing the stats from Scott County from December 2018 to December 2017.For the price range at and under $250,000, the market was extremely hot in 2018; homes were flying off the market right and left, selling very quickly. Last year at this time, we had 48 active listings; this decreased in 2018 to …

Interest rates are on the rise. What does this mean for you? Want to Buy a Home? Search All Homes Want to Sell a Home? Get a Home Value Report Trouble is brewing, and mortgage rates are behind it. You see, the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate recently rose to 4.94%. Just for reference, that's the highest level we’ve seen in nearly eight years. I…

Hello! We’d like to wish you all a Merry Christmas, happy holiday season, and a happy new year! We hope 2018 was as great for you as it was for us, as we gear up for an exciting 2019. Whether you have any questions about the real estate market, real estate needs we can assist with, or video ideas for us, we would love to hear from you. To see our f…

This fall, we’ve seen a lot of contingent purchase agreements. While most purchase agreements have built-in contingencies for financing and inspections, the contingency we’re referring to here is the home sale contingency. While not unheard of, contingent offers in a hot market are not the norm, simply because a seller is more apt to roll the dice …

How can you score a free pie this holiday? Find out here. Want to Buy a Home? Search All Homes Want to Sell a Home? Get a Home Value Report The Chad Schwendeman Real Estate Group's Pie Day Giveaway will take place on November 19 and 20 from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. You can stop by our office and pick up a pumpkin pie at no cost to you. Simply registe…