Welcome to Our Blog - The Group

Our 'Family' Tree is Growing!

Join us in warm congratulations and well wishes as Becky and her family welcome the newest little twig on their family tree, Baby Max!

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Am I Really Ready to Move?

Are you a home owner or a home seller? Making the decision to pack up and move on to the next chapter in one's life is monumental. Whether prompted by death in the family, divorce, job relocation or simply down-sizing as empty-nesters -- having a positive outlook and looking forward not backwards is key to letting go.

Having resided in a home for possibly decades, the task for many of diving in and and purging opens up deep seated emotions and can be an overwhelming event. We've come to recognize that the home selling process, while wrenching for some, can actually be cathartic and healing. Letting go requires adjusting viewpoints. The house and property that has been a home filled with memories must now be treated and perceived as a product for…

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Even If You Ignore It...It Won't Go Away

"Ignore it and hope that it goes away."

Don't be an ostrich with its head buried in the sand! Deferred maintenance is the single most damaging factor for homeowners when wanting to sell their home. Most cities have Truth-in-Housing types of required inspections to ensure that when a buyer takes over the responsibility of a property, that it meets basic requirements of safety.

As a seller, you'll expect and want to reap the highest price for your property. Waiting until you are ready to go live on the market could cost you. How? It won't compare favorably with others in better condition, your selling price may have to be lower as a result of its poor condition, and/or you will lose valuable market time trying hastily to make repairs while buyers…

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Why Real Estate Deals Fall Apart

Knowledge is Power. The best line of defense is well planned, with all parties involved well prepared.

It's been noted that one of the single most stressful events besides weddings and funerals, is the home selling/buying process. There is a great deal of energy and emotion that accompanies the dollars and time spent in preparing a home for the market, and when buying a new home. However, the preparations must not stop there.

Once your property is on the market, being informed in advance of the processes that take place upon the presentation of an offer and its acceptance, is key to being able to successfully navigate bumps and or set backs. The same can be said of the buyers process. Sometimes hidden issues are just as much a surprise to the…

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Do You Know the Five 'P's?

Want to sell your home? Then applying the Five 'P's' is your first step towards success.

Prior Preparation Prevents Poor Presentation

By putting the cart before the horse, many homeowners unnecessarily create a situation where the best first impression is lost, causing the detrimental effect of fewer subsequent showings. Buyer's agents often will bypass updated listings having previously already determined that it didn't meet their clients needs, or use the time on market to negotiate a lower offer on behalf of their client.

Set your target date and begin to work towards it. Working with the Barry Berg Group, we aim to prepare your property to put its best foot forward, to create a stronghold that maintains its footing from the start.…

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Five Factors That Determine Your Home Value

Sitting in the salon yesterday, I'd overheard a woman discussing selling her home. When asked which Realtor she'd hired, her response was, "I'm going to represent myself--there's not that much to it." Really.

Her reasoning piqued my curiousity. Sadly, not one of her comments reflected even the most basic knowledge of the market, proper presentation, nor did she have a plan. She'd simply based her decision to 'handle things on [her] own because agents want 7% and [I'm] just not going to spend that when I can do it myself.'  She had determined her sale price  based upon what she and her late husband had spent building the home forty years ago, and what she deemed it was now worth. As a widow, she'd already relocated out of state. She painted the…

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Get the Best Seat in Town!

Local Anchorman Rick Kupchella has pulled together links for you to best enjoy the firework celebrations of July 4th that are nearest you:

Flooding has changed some plans for Fourth of July celebrations throughout the state, but the show will go on.

St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman announced Monday that St. Paul’s annual fireworks display will continue, despite Harriet Island being flooded causing A Taste of Minnesota to move to the Carver County Fairgrounds in Waconia.

“Fireworks have long been a part of our Independence Day celebration, and despite the flooding, I am excited that this important tradition will continue,” said Mayor Coleman said in a news release. “We want to thank Visit Saint Paul, the Minnesota Wild, and Wells Fargo for…

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Need to Feel Useful While Waiting for Your Home to Sell?

'Hurry up and wait!'

Sometimes, that's the feeling homeowners have once their property has been made 'live' on the market, leaving them to wonder, 'What can and should we do now?

Once the decision is made to sell your home, the preparation phase becomes an overwhelming flurry of activity. Now that the property has been launched, there's a lull that often follows as the pace of showing activity wanes and balances. This stage of the listing is often a state of flux that leaves homeowners feeling abruptly empty. What to do? Here are a few simple ideas to keep the process moving along while avoiding becoming unnecessarily anxious, and to resist the temptation to over-manage your real estate professional (see previous blog article, 'What's Helpful…

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What's Helpful and What's Not?

More often than not, the more helpful that we try to be in fields that are not our specialty, the more we actually can hamper the process--in some cases sadly even thwarting our own desired outcome.

We've all found humor in the clever commercial that has as its theme, 'You Wouldn't Want Your Doctor Doing YOUR Job, Would You?' and who can forget the funny series of hotel commercials with the tagline, 'I'm not a (CEO/doctor/lawyer/or other professionally trained specialist) but I did stay at Holiday Express last night!'

In real estate, there is a balance to be had in the partnership between homeowners and their real estate professional. While it is impossible to sell a property effectively without homeowner participation, at what point does that…

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April Showers Bring May Flowers--How Does Your Garden Grow?

April Showers Bring May Flowers...don't we know it!

The long-g-g winter has finally passed the baton to Spring, leaving yards and gardens desperately in need of refreshing. When your property is For Sale it is imperative that curb appeal be maintained and kept sesasonally appropriate. Note this interesting article with budget-friendly tips for how to do just that!

HOW STUFF WORKS - 10 Landscaping Ideas on a Budget

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