St. Cloud, MN - Real Estate Blog

I probably should have done this post when I first opened this blog, but I didn't remember to thank Dave Jacobs until I started getting my taxes ready for him this year.  Dave is not only the financial planner extraordinare and retirement guru in St Cloud MN, he is also the king of making sure that I do my taxes correct.  I can't thank him enough for that.

I had the pleasure of listening to Dave present to an audience of REALTORS this past year regarding the importance of retirement planning.  This is a big deal when you calculate the benefits package that comes with being a real estate salesperson (there is no such benefits package).  Above planning for our own future, it is imperative that we as real estate professionals provide more than just advice on homes.  Knowing people like Dave, who can truly make people have safer and more financially stable futures makes good business sense.

I know that Mark Timpane (Edina Realty Mortgage) has used Dave Jacobs' services in the past to help his clients achieve their future financial goals.  It's all part of being more that just a loan officer to his clients; he is an overall financial help.

The last feather in the cap that I want to add in about Dave Jacobs and the the Jacobs Agency is their willingness to give to the community.  Every year they sponsor a golf tournament that is dedicated to raising money for several non-profit organizations in the St Cloud area.

Want to know more about Dave Jacobs and the Jacobs Agency (family run with Dave, Father - James Jacobs, and Brother Andrew Jacobs) visit their website, http://www.jacobs-financial.com/, or give Dave a call at (320) 217-6009.

Jason Tangen, GRI - Real Estate Broker Associate with Edina Realty of St Cloud.

Posted by Jason Tangen at 01:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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As many of you know, I came over to Edina Realty from the Coldwell Banker system late last year.  I am still trying out some of the great tools that Edina Realty offers to its clients and recently got to see Mark Timpane in action.  Mark is the St Cloud area manager for Edina Realty Mortgage.

I recently had a buyer looking into purchasing a foreclosed property.  For most of you who haven't gone through the process of buying a foreclosure, there can be a ton of problems getting information and signatures back from the bank handling the foreclosure.  In this situation, we were waiting on a signature for a gift letter to the buyers.  The gift letter was sent (via fax) a couple of weeks prior to the closing.  Mark was instrumental in getting the signature we needed on time.  I know, it seems like a couple of weeks is plenty of time to get a signature on a piece of paper.  Unfortunately, I've seen where it doesn't happen.

Long story short, after many calls and e-mails Mark received the signature we needed and the loan was closed on time.  Because of his efforts, my buyers will be able to move in to their new home within the schedule that they had already prepared around the closing date.

It is for this reason that I say, "Thank you to Mark Timpane at Edina Realty Mortgage in St Cloud."

If you would like more information about Mark Timpane or Edina Realty Mortgage in St Cloud MN, visit his website at www.MarkTimpane.EdinaRealty.com.

Mark Timpane has received several awards from Edina Realty Mortgage recently.  I think his pride and joy should hang on the fact that he had the highest rated customer satisfaction of any Edina Realty Mortgage professional.

Jason Tangen, GRI - Real Estate Broker Associate with Edina Realty in St Cloud MN

www.StCloudEdina.com - Search Real Estate in St Cloud MN

Posted by Jason Tangen at 08:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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If you hem and haw too much, you'll lose the property.  I'm sure all of you have heard that over the past few years when the market was in full swing for sellers.  What is surprising to me is the amount of times this has happened recently in regards to the foreclosures available to purchase around St Cloud, MN.

There are 3 such properties that I have had people request showings on that have sold within a few hours of being listed.  The most recent property was in St Joseph.  It was a fully finished bi-level home selling for under $100,000.  I bet you that I have had 8-9 people ask to see this home within the last few days, but it sold almost the moment that it was available.

My advice to those of you who are looking for the "unbelievable" buys - don't hesitate to pull the trigger and get your real estate professional to show you a home the moment it becomes available.  It might not be available to see tomorrow.

Lastly, if you know your search criteria, get your REALTOR to have an automated search run for you that will notify you immediately when a property comes available.  The faster you know about a home that is perfect for you, the better your chance of buying it.

Jason Tangen, GRI - Real Estate Broker Associate with Edina Realty St Cloud

REAL ANSWERS for REAL ESTATE in St Cloud MN

Posted by Jason Tangen at 03:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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At a closing, everyone who is buying a home as their principal residence in Minnesota is informed about how to homestead their new property.  People are generally more than willing to homestead a property as they feel that it will keep their property taxes lower.  While this is true, it is not the only reason to homestead a property.

The Homestead Law is meant to protect a family from a forced sale (foreclosure) on their home by unpaid creditors.  In a nutshell, it's a safe haven for your money.

There are several stipulations that are mandated in order for a property to be homesteaded.  The easiest description is that your homestead needs to be your principal residence.  There are other rules involved, but this rule of thumb covers about 99% of all situations.

What does homesteading a property protect you from?

The Homestead Law protects home owners against foreclosure of their home by unpaid creditors.  It does not protect a home owner from foreclosure due to lack of property tax or special assessment payments, mechanics liens (work performed by contractors on the property), lack of payment to mortgage company, or failure to pay association dues.  All of these items are attached to your property and will supersede the Homestead Law.  Rule of thumb: The banking institutions and the government will always get their money.

This also brings up a very good point about having good title work done on a property prior to closing the sale.  You do not want any outstanding liens for assessments or lack of payment to a contractor to make you lose your newly purchased house to foreclosure.  I won't go into this here; It's a different topic for a different day.

There are also a couple of limitations to the amount of money that is covered by Homestead Law.  In Minnesota, homestead protection is limited to 160 acres and $300,000 for a residential homestead ($750,000 for an agricultural homestead).

Please note that these figures are for Minnesota Homestead Laws and do not entail what other States utilize as their guidelines.  I've heard that the old CEO of Enron moved into a property in Florida when his business came under attack.  The reason, there is no limit to the value that homesteading can protect in that State.  He can shelter millions of dollars against judgments in court about his business practices.

If you are in question about homestead law, seek competent legal advice.  I don't pretend to be a lawyer that knows everything related to real estate law, but I know enough to get me in trouble.  If you'd like, post your questions and comments here.  If I don't know the answers, I know someone who will.

Jason Tangen, GRI - Real Estate Broker Associate with Edina Realty St Cloud

JasonTangen.EdinaRealty.com - Search Homes for Sale in Minnesota

Posted by Jason Tangen at 07:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

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I had the pleasure of meeting with Wayne Sieling the other day as he performed a home inspection for one of my clients.  I had not used his services in the past, but he was recommended to my client through her work at Thermo-Tech.  I guess Wayne has performed many window installations for Thermo-Tech in the Central Minnesota area.

Wayne was a wonderful home inspector who checked everything from potential hazard areas to the temperature of the tap water for safety.  It was kind of nice to hear that Wayne was an accomplished electrician, general contractor, and very knowledgeable about the inner workings of a home.  I was definitely impressed with Wayne's professionalism, attention to detail, and custom service.  I will use Ability Home Inspections in the future with some of my clients.

If you need more information about Wayne Sieling at Ability Home Inspections, give him a call at (320) 290-8880.

Jason Tangen, GRI - Real Estate Broker Associate with Edina Realty in St Cloud, MN

Phone:  (320) 492-2667

E-Mail:  jason@stcloudedina.com

Posted by Jason Tangen at 04:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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I am reminded, once again, of the value of having a home de-winterized prior to performing a home inspection when purchasing a property.  With all of the vacant properties that are on the market, it only makes sense that sellers winterize their homes to ensure no pipes burst during a Minnesota Winter.  The problem is, sometimes pipes crack even when the de-winterization performed.

My buyers (purchasing a foreclosure) were at a sticking point in negotiations dealing with whether or not the bank was going to de-winterize the home for the home inspection.  Myself and Lori Reinert (another great real estate agent with Showcase Properties) decided to just split the cost of de-winterizing the home because we knew the value that this knowledge is to potential buyers.  As it turns out, there was a bad pipe between the city's main shutoff valve and the home's water meter.  If this wasn't detected, the new home owners would not have known about this prior to moving in to the home.

For everyone who is out there looking at purchasing a home during the winter months in Minnesota, be sure to get the home de-winterized and have a professional home inspector walk through the home.  I know that it costs a little bit of money, but the piece of mind and knowledge of potential problems make it more than worth the money.  If you need a couple of names of good home inspectors in the St Cloud area, give me a call or visit some of my prior blog posts in the business testimonials area.

Jason Tangen, GRI - Real Estate Broker Associate with Edina Realty St Cloud MN

www.StCloudEdina.com - Search Homes for Sale on the St Cloud MLS

www.StCloudEdina.com/blog - REAL ANSWERS for REAL ESTATE in St Cloud MN

Posted by Jason Tangen at 11:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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Hey everyone, super Tuesday has finally come.  I encourage everyone to get out and do what they feel is correct when it comes to their own political beliefs.  With issues like the budget deficit, health care, Iraq, and the economy on everyone's minds, be sure to get your individual voice heard.  If you are unsure where you need to go during this portion of the election process, visit the Caucus Finder at  http://caucusfinder.sos.state.mn.us/.  Here's to hoping that we all get out and get the candidates that we want on the ballot.

Jason Tangen, GRI - Real Estate Broker Associate with Edina Realty in St Cloud MN

Posted by Jason Tangen at 09:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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