Twin Cities Hardcore Punk Realtor

2012-01-10T12:00:00.000-08:00

Deed Scam

Better Business Bureau of Minnesota and North Dakota (BBB) is warning consumers not to be duped by a company that’s offering homeowners copies of their property deeds for an exorbitant price - in some cases more than 40 times the price consumers would pay if they were to purchase the same copies themselves at their county offices.

The company, Deed Retrieval Department (which also does business as Deed Retrieval Services and Record Retrieval Department), has been sending Minnesota and Wisconsin homeowners letters that appear to be a bill for $87 from the U.S. government for a property deed. However, despite the fact that it looks official, it's not a bill nor is it from the U.S. government. The letter says, "Why do we believe you need a copy of your current Grant Deed and Property Profile? State Record Regulation Department recommends that all U.S. homeowners obtain a copy of their current Grant Deed." At the bottom, the letter states that the "product or service is not endorsed by any government agency." However, the BBB believes that consumers may overlook this fine print.

"In most cases, homeowners don't even need a copy of the deed to their home," said BBB President and CEO Dana Badgerow. "And if you want a copy, we advise against paying $87 to this firm or any other when you can get one for a fraction of that price from your local County Clerk's or Register of Deed’s office."

Letters from Deed Retrieval Department list an address in Champlin, Minnesota – which is a UPS Store. The company, operating under different names, also claims two additional addresses in Wisconsin; a Milwaukee address and a Madison address, both of which are UPS stores. It's likely that mail sent to any of these boxes is forwarded out of state. An alert has been added to the company's BBB Business Review, informing consumers about the BBB’s concerns regarding this company and their marketing tactics.

Consumers who receive questionable offers or have concerns about mailings that appear to be official or have governmental ties, are encouraged to contact the BBB at 1-800-646-6222.

2011-08-10T10:57:00.000-07:00

HCPUNKREALTOR.COM is a proud sponsor of OUT OF STEP RADIO!!!
Out of Step is a podcast based in Minneapolis, MN that plays the best in punk, hardcore, garage, and all the other subgenres of punk rock. The show is an effort by volunteers who love the music and want to spread the word about awesome bands.

Out of Step started in 2000 on the Minneapolis college radio station, Radio K. In that time we've had hundreds of guest DJs and bands on the show including Off with Their Heads, Bodies Lay Broken, Dillinger 4, Banner Pilot, Getting Even, Soviettes, Goddamn Doo Wop Band, Pandamonium, Youth Brigade, Against Me, Hope You Choke, the Dwarves, Nobunny, Paul Collin's Beat, Regulations and tons more.

After 10 years on Radio K, the show moved to a podcast on July 3rd, 2011 to better be able to serve the punk rock audience near and far from Minneapolis and continue to promote punk rock music.

Go to http://outofstepradio.blogspot.com or the iTunes store to subscribe!

2011-04-15T09:23:00.000-07:00

GRINDCORE SUNDAY!!! Tune into Radio K am770 this Sunday. I'll be guest DJing a one hour g-core set from 2-3.

2011-02-17T10:55:00.000-08:00

10 Questions with Jason Aronen

Jason just turned 40! More 40 year olds should be active in the hardcore scene. He's been in many great bands over the years, was a long time extreme noise volunteer, show booker, etc. Recently he got popped in the eye while singing at a basement show. Sweet. (thanks for the photo Adam DeGross, and the Cro-Mags one too)

1) What town / neighborhood do you live in, why did you choose to live there?
Northeast Minneapolis. NE is a great area that is close to everything and still has a nice quiet neighborhood feeling to it.

2) What type/style of home do you live in?
It's a mid-century ranch style with a tuck-under garage. And has an amazing finished basement with tongue-in-groove knotty pine paneling, which makes it feel like you are in a cabin up north. The basement is what sold me on it.

3) What made you choose to buy when you did?
We bought just before getting married and my wife who did not own a house was able to take advantage of the tax rebate.

4) What do you like most and least about home ownership?
Most is the sense of pride that comes with owning a home. It's a great feeling knowing it's yours.
Least is that when something breaks you are the one to get it fixed.

5) What sort of projects have you taken on with your home?
We were quite lucky with this house that all we have done are cosmetic changes like painting. It's in great shape. Our next big project is tearing up all the carpet because there are perfect hardwood floors underneath.

6) What bands have you been in / are currently in and what instrument?
I have been the singer in Anchor (I think we played 5 or 6 shows), Article 184 (only played a couple of shows), Killsadie, The Real Enemy, Bodies Lay Broken, Hope You Choke and currently Getting Even.

7) What was the last great show you went to?
Cro Mags last summer. Did a lot of stage dives at an age when I shouldn't.

8) Do you have a favorite record in your collection / one you'd never sell?
I have sold a lot over the years and am down to more or less what I will always keep. All the Converge, American Nightmare and all the Rev youth crew stuff I will always hold onto.

9) What was the last great record you bought?
I mainly listen to a lot of comedy podcasts these days (comedy deathray, Pod F. Tompkast, Adam Carrola, Doug Loves Movies, etc) that takes up more space on my ipod. But I really like the new Kanye West, Nicki Minaj, Blacklisted, Fucked Up, Integrity, Ceremony. I wish Cold World would put out another record.

10) Any suggestions to someone thinking about buying their first house?
Look at a LOT of houses. It sounds weird, but you will know the house that is for you when you see it. But really look at a lot of them. Get a feel for what is out there. You may think you know what you want and then see some that will completely change your mind on what you like. And maybe Steve will have a 5 Star playlist for you to listen to while driving around.

2011-02-08T12:16:00.000-08:00

Stupid Stuff I See in Houses that are for Sale.

I see so many ridiculous things in houses that I decided I need to start taking pictures and documenting them. From poor design decisions to embarrassing (or even illegal) things left out for all to see. I always tell clients, "looking at houses is fun, we'll see some crazy stuff."

Gross bathroom. As bad as this looks, believe me, the picture cannot fully convey the ickiness of this home. Kitchen was disgusting and the living room had a spot on the wall that looked like someone blew their head off with a shotgun. The home sold in multiple offers in one day.

This was actually an appealing feature - expose brick in a loft, but upon closer look... there was some graffiti

This property was listed as having a full basement - it just happened to be a gravel floor with a ceiling height of 3.5 feet.

Gravity furnaces are always a bit shocking - especially when covered with mold spores

Hard to tell what's going on here... This is a boiler (hot water heating system) that has had the copper pipes cut.

Nothing wrong with a Colt 45 neon sign - except that it's not plugged in!!!

2011-01-30T14:26:00.000-08:00

2011-01-21T12:01:00.000-08:00

10 Questions...

I'm going to post these mini-interviews with past clients from time to time. Let's start this week with two.

First up is Felix Havoc: Twin Cities Hardcore Legend. Besides his great bands, Felix been critically involved with the Twin Cities scene in nearly every capacity. He runs the essential Havoc Records and has booked many shows over the years - including the epic Thrashfests I - V.

1) What town / neighborhood do you live in, why did you choose to live there?
Minneapolis, Standish Ericson. I chose to live near the light rail.

2) What type/style of home do you live in?
A classic craftsman style bungalow.

3) What made you choose to buy when you did?
The end of bachelorhood.

4) What do you like most and least about home ownership?
Most-getting to fix up and decorate the house to exactly my tastes. The worst Minneapolis Property taxes.

5) What sort of projects have you taken on with your home?
Whole house remodel! Nothing was untouched.

6) What bands have you been in / are currently in and what instrument?
Destroy, Code 13, Damage Deposit. vocals.

7) What was the last great show you went to?
Kakka Hata 77 at the Rathole

8) Do you have a favorite record in your collection / one you'd never sell?
Bad Brains "ROIR" sessions. Discharge singles.

9) What was the last great record you bought?
Heratys s/t LP

10) Any suggestions to someone thinking about buying their first house?
look really carefully, don't be suckered by a house that's been "remodeled" as often these are cosmetic changes covering bigger problems. Be leery of any house that changed hands during the housing boom as it might have been flipped with only cosmetic work and still needs major repairs beneath the surface. Try to find a classic well built home that hasn't been remodeled too much. If you must by a newer home, research the builder and talk to other people who bought homes from the same builder. A builders reputation good or bad can last for decades in a neighborhood.
You are better off paying more up front for a house in better condition, better location than trying to save money by buying something that needs a lot of work or is in a sketchy neighborhood. But if you DO want a project and buy a fixer upper, give me a call, as remodeling houses is what I do. I just see a lot of eager homeowners buy projects that are way bigger than they can handle. I've seen a lot of people start small and wind up spending more money on their "cheap" starter home in a marginal location than they could have spent on a turnkey deal uptown.

Great advice. Check out Felix's amazing work at http://www.metropolismn.com/ He does unbelievable work.

Next up, short answers from Tim Sieler. Tim plays guitar Ambassador Gun, killer death grind from Minneapolis. Check out the "when in hell" CD (available at Relapse.com). He also works at Humm's so say hi when you're in there.

1) What town / neighborhood do you live in, why did you choose to live there?
Phillips/ Midtown. Close to downtown, uptown & campus.

2) What type/style of home do you live in?
Two bedroom house.

3) What made you choose to buy when you did?
Just sick of paying rent. (& tax rebate)

4) What do you like most and least about home ownership?
No landlord is great, city taxes are not.

5) What sort of projects have you taken on with your home?
Potentially finish the fence this summer.

6) What bands have you been in / are currently in and what instrument?
AMBASSADOR GUN, guitar & vox

7) What was the last great show you went to?
Weedeater & the T Rock

8) Do you have a favorite record in your collection / one you'd never sell?
The Beatles Abbey Road

9) What was the last great record you bought?
Rotten Sound "Cycles"

10) Any suggestions to someone thinking about buying their first house?

Be patient!

2011-01-06T11:25:00.000-08:00

Bands I've Worked With...

The Action Slacks

Ambassador Gun

Amp 176

A Summary Execution

Attention

Autumn Leaves

Bellwether

Betty Gone Bad

Billingsgate

Bloodline

Bloodsport
Bodies Lay Broken

Bombsite

The Box Thieves

Cliffhanger

Code 13

Complete Waste

Condominium

Damage Deposit

The Deaf

Defect

Del Toro

Destroy

Dillinger Four

Dink

Dog Day

The Effigies
Elks

Flounder

Formaldehyde Junkies

Getting Even
The Great Depression

Killsadie

Half Fiction

The Hang Ups

Hello Lonely

High Steppin' Nickle Kids

A Hitchcock Blonde

Holding On

The Holy Ghostriders

The Hoolies

Hope You Choke

The Hot

Icepick

Kontrol Panel
The Legendary Jim Ruiz Group

Listen Up!

Martyr A.D.

Matt Marka

Menstrual Tramps

Model Children

Motion City Soundtrack

Naked Bob

Oswald Armageddon

Pandamonium

Pilot

The Real Enemy

Regret

Saddest Girls Story

SAUNA

Season of Fire

The Stereo

Stockpile

Strike Under

Strut and Shock

Three Minute Access

Teenage Remains

Trial By Fire
Unavowed

Western Curses
Working Classless

The Yoleus

2010-12-22T13:19:00.000-08:00

It's Clobberin' Time!!! Jan 19th at The Triple Rock!

Pretty stoked for this show. I've seen Sick of it All 4 or 5 times over the years (starting in 1991) and honestly I probably wouldn't have gone if it was at a big club or a dumb metal club in St. Paul. The fact that this is at the Triple Rock is really awesome. Plus I really like the openers. I think Hope You Choke played with Outbreak years ago in a basement - sweet fast hc and Alpha Omega (though named after the worst Cro-Mags record) are really fucking great! Old dudes, show up early and watch some local old dudes. Young dudes, sorry, you can't cross over - you’re stuck with us. Awesome artwork done by past client, Bill Hauser

2010-10-26T07:12:00.000-07:00

STAND UP AND SHOUT - What a house!

Ronnie James Dio's (RIP) house is up for sale. Of course, it's just as you'd imagine it - castle like, swords on the wall, English pub, AWESOME!

Just check out the agent's write up

Full of Grace and Old World charm this 5 BD/5BA 5,000 plus sqft English mansion was built w/custom original pieces taken from Europe. Features include 200 year old wood flrs from France, pub bar from the Kings Arms in Chiqwell Essex, England c. 1820 & custom stained antique windows from the 18th & 19th centuries. Spacious cooks kitchen w/all Viking & Meile products. Master BD w/ antique cathedral windows imported from England c. 1790, hand-painted Griffin wall paper as seen in Greystone Manor, 2 walk-in closets, hardwood flrs & master BA. Downstairs level includes a custom built music studio.

For a mere $3,333,000 it could be yours. Seems under-priced, clearly worth $3,666,000. Courtesy of Gibson International Real Estate, the agent Marko Babineau is my new realtor hero (i wonder if he has heavymetalrealtor.com registered?)

I still remember when I got the Holy Diver LP in the mail from Columbia House records. I had to hide the record afraid my parents would find it. And when a friend showed me how you could spell devil out of the Dio logo when it was upside down, I knew this was my kind of record.

2010-07-27T09:38:00.000-07:00

Now or Later?

Interesting analysis... Borrower is concerned that home prices are not done falling. Assuming that the home drops $10,000 next year, but the rate increases - how does this impact the monthly payment?

Today:
Sale Price $250,000
Rate 4.375%
Payment $1,248

Next Year:
Sale Price $240,000
Rate 5.875%
Payment $1,420

With a $10,000 drop in price, the monthly payment will increase $172 per month or $2,064 per year!

Interest rates are ridiculous right now - it certainly doesn't seem like they could go down any further. Home pricing is mostly improving to flat, not even negative - this all adds up to a great time to buy.

2010-05-21T14:02:00.000-07:00

Eight Year Anniversary

Hard to believe I've been at this for Eight Years now - time flies when you're having fun. Here are some more numbers.

200 - successful closings

25 - avg transactions per year

30 - most transactions in one year

3 - times I had thirty transactions in one year

5 - most transactions with one client

51,077,991 - total cost of the two hundred houses in dollars

4,598,296,168.68 - total cost in Japan Yen

255,389.96 - avg home cost per transaction

41 - cities I've had transaction in

70 - most transactions in one city (Minneapolis)

2 - states I'm licensed in (MN & WI)

1,061 - number of songs in my itunes library less than thirty seconds long

321 - different bands with less than thirty second songs

43 - most sub thirty second songs by the same band (Nasum)

0 - ideas for more goofy number listings

2009-11-06T12:34:00.000-08:00

The $8,000 First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit is Extended!
· Now, qualified first-time home buyers would receive their $8000 tax credit if they sign a purchase contract by April 30, 2010 and close by June 30, 2010.
· The home purchased must be their primary residence
· Buyer cannot have owned a home during the past three years
· Tax credit is up to 10% of the home value (not to exceed $8,000)
· Annual income caps to qualify for the tax credit have increased ($125K for single filers / $225K for joint filers). Partial tax credit can be granted for incomes up to $145K for single filers / $245K for joint filers.

PLUS New $6,500 Tax Credit for Current Home Owners Purchasing a Primary Residence
· Eligible home buyers must have lived in their current home for 5 consecutive years of the past 8 years.
· The new home does not have to cost more than the old home.
· Eligible for homes with purchase agreements signed between November 6, 2009 and April 30, 2010, and close by June 30, 2010
· Annual income caps to qualify for the full tax credit are $125K for single filers / $225K for joint filers. Partial tax credit can be granted for incomes up to $145K for single filers / $245 for joint filers.

2009-10-19T13:40:00.000-07:00

Buy a piece of Twin Cities Hardcore History Part 2!

You missed out on Jaysin's house in NE Mpls - someone with no idea of the hardcore significance swooped in and scooped it up. So now's your chance to keep Columbia Heights Hardcore. Jason Parker (and his wife Tracy) are selling their home and moving to Milwaukee. You probably now Jason from his many years of volunteering at Extreme Noise on Thursday nights, from hosting Out of Step on Radio K, from his days of putting out THD records or maybe, just maybe from his enormous dreadlocks that he had 20 years ago.

(this is Jason, but not at the house)

3827 Reservoir Blvd NE, Columbia Heights $204,900

Features

Fantastic 3 bedroom 2 bath Columbia Heights home - truly move-in condition!
Well maintained, stylishly painted & decorated throughout + many updates including: ceramic tile floors, copper piping, water heater, garage roof, carpet, chimney swept & duct work cleaned
Mother-in-law apartment in the walkout lower level with its own kitchen and family room
Large living room with cork floors, cove ceiling and access to dining room
Good sized kitchen with new appliances, breakfast bar and plenty of cupboard and counter space
100 amp circuit breaker electric service, gas furnace and central air - both new 2002
Large lot with tile patio, nicely landscaped w/ plants, shrubs & mature trees
All appliances stay: 2 x refrigerator, 2 x stove, dishwasher, washer and dryer
Attached garage accessible from kitchen plus additional off street parking
Two bedrooms on the main floor, bedroom and nursery up, plus bathrooms on both main and lower levels

Additional HC Cred... Andy Hart of Holding On, The Real Enemy, Martyr AD and the Box Thieves lived in the mother-in-law apartment

2009-08-27T11:14:00.000-07:00

Buy a piece of Twin Cities Hardcore / Punk History... sort of.

Jaysin - the original singer of Kill Sadie and Bodies Lay Broken and the only singer of The Real Enemy, Hope You Choke and Getting Even (so far) is selling his house!

It's a nice little house up in Northeast Mpls, on the hill near Audubon Park and it qualifies for the MPLS ADVANTAGE Program. Really, you'd be stupid not to buy it.

Features 2 bedrooms, 1 bath, nice large yard for growing vegan treats, dining room, nice living room and a good sized kitchen. All appliances stay including the ideal refrigerator to support you breaking edge. New furnace 2009!

All this and so much more $140,000

2009-04-09T07:57:00.000-07:00

2009-02-18T12:46:00.000-08:00

I Want Free Money! I Want Free Money! I Want Free Money! I Want Free Money!

Attention first time home buyers - the government wants you to buy a home. What are they doing about it? How about an $8,000 credit on your taxes? If you owe $500 at the end of the year - you get $7,500 refund. If they owe you $500 at the end of the year - you get $8,500!

Buy between January 1st 2009 and December 1st 2009
Any type of home (condo, townhouse, single family home) - must be your primary residence
Must make less than $75k a year as single person or $150k as a married couple - above that money still available, just less - up to $95k and $170k
First time buyer is a first time purchaser OR someone who hasn't owned in 3 years
No repayment if you own for 3 years (recaptured on sale if sold before 3 years)

Of course there is fine print and you should consult a tax professional - but this is a significant improvement over the plan previously approved.

2008-12-01T07:52:00.000-08:00

INTERVIEW YOUR REALTOR!!!

Let's face it, there are a lot of Realtors out there - some much, much, much better than others. Most people know a Realtor or know someone who knows a Realtor and they just go with them - whether or not that agent is a good fit. Make sure it's a good fit - INTERVIEW YOUR REALTOR!!!

Generally when a seller hires a Realtor, the Realtor performs a market analysis. Besides providing information about the pricing of the home, the Realtor should review how they will market the home. Typically more than one Realtor does a market analysis - so you've made a decent effort at an interview process. Here are some things you can ask (though the agent should cover these things while presenting the market analysis):

1. How long have you been a licensed realtor or real-estate agent?
2. How far does your area extend?
3. Do you live in the area?
4. How many homes have you sold in the past year?
5. What services can you provide, specifically, in terms of marketing my home? (flyers, ads, open houses, etc.)
6. What other services or individuals can you recommend to assist in preparing my home for sale? (repair people, gardeners, painters)
7. How quickly will my home appear in the MLS? How quickly will the photos be added after it goes online?
8. What is the average number of visitors you expect to get through my home?
9. How long do you expect my home to be on the market? Why?
10. How will you go about setting the price of my home?

One extra step I wish more sellers would take is to look at listings online that a Realtor has. What you can see online might shock you - misspelled words in the description and a lack of photos or worse yet - BAD PHOTOS!! There are so many bad photos out there that people have made websites dedicated to actual real estate photos.

Because of the market analysis process, most sellers interview their future Realtor. Very few buyers (especially first time buyers) interview their future Realtor though. You want to hire someone with experience and ability, but you want someone who you can get along with. Beyond that, first time buyers might need someone who can take more time explaining the process and setting some expectations. Here are some questions that perspective buyers recently asked me:

1. Are you a full-time agent?
2. Whom do you represent (buyer or seller)?
3. What is your office size, support staff, etc. ?
4. How long have you been an agent?
5. Do you have a salesperson’s license or a broker’s license?
6. Do you hold any professional designations? Any courses/classes taken recently? How do you stay current?
7. What is your understanding of my home buying needs?
8. What do you think of the other agents I am interviewing?
9. How many buyers or sellers are representing at this time?
10. Do you work in partnership or use assistants?
11. Can you provide references?
12. Could you provide us an activity report for the last 12 months – concentrating on the areas we are interested in?

Property address?

Property type?

Sales price?

Date of sale?

Was the buyer or the seller represented?

13. What was the total dollar value of the property sold during the preceding 12 months?

Another question for both buyers and sellers in regards to an agent with a "Team" is - Who will I work with? You might be hiring the super star Realtor in your area, but never look at a house or negotiate an offer with that Realtor, instead you get assigned to their less experienced underling.
In the end you want someone who you're comfortable with. Comfortable that they'll do a good job for you and comfortable with their personality. You're going to be spending a significant amount of time with your Realtor, you should be confident that they're the right person for the job.

I'm confident in my skills and I'm happy to compete for your business.

2008-11-27T04:08:00.000-08:00

Interest Rate Update

Wow, the bond market is soaring with the news Tuesday from the Federal Reserve. The Fed announced that it will initiate a program to purchase toxic mortgages from Government Sponsored Enterprises (Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the Federal Home Loan Banks). Purchases of up to $100 Billion in GSE direct obligations under the program will begin next week. Purchases of up to $500 Billion in Mortgage Backed Securities will be conducted with the goal of beginning these purchases before year-end. The ten year treasury just went under 3% today. Last time it was there might have been in the 1950’s. So rates are now in the 5.25 – 5.375% range. The question is ~ for how long? Usually these events have a short life span. So here is something to keep in mind:

a 1% rate drop equates to around a 10% payment drop for a buyer.

If you are on the fence, this could be the push you've been waiting for.

2008-10-21T08:21:00.000-07:00

Perception vs. Reality

Between the media and campaign commercials we keep hearing that banks are in rough shape. There's no doubt that there are some serious economic problems going on - but many people have the Perception that it's impossible to gt a loan right now. The Reality is that there is plenty of money available for loans. People who could get a loan 6 months ago can still get a loan - and interest rates are better! Rather than assuming you can't get a loan, talk to a quality lender and take advantage of this STRONG buyers market! Don't know a quality lender? Get in touch and I can point you in the right direction.

2008-10-13T10:19:00.000-07:00

Over 6 months without an update - WEAK!!! What can I say. I am actually busy - people really are buying and selling places. First time buyers, take note - this is a GREAT time to buy.

I'll ease back into this buy updating my, "bands I've worked with" list.

The Action Slacks
Amp 176

A Summary Execution
Attention
Autumn Leaves
Bellwether
Betty Gone Bad
Billingsgate
Bloodline
Bodies Lay Broken
Bombsite
Cliffhanger
Code 13
Complete Waste
Condominium
Damage Deposit

The Deaf
Defect
Del Toro
Destroy
Dillinger Four
Dink
Dog Day
Elks
Flounder
Formaldehyde Junkies

The Great Depression
Killsadie
Half Fiction

The Hang Ups
Hello Lonely
High Steppin' Nickle Kids
Holding On
The Holy Ghostriders
The Hoolies
Hope You Choke

The Hot
Icepick
The Legendary Jim Ruiz Group
Listen Up!

Martyr A.D.

Matt Marka
Menstrual Tramps
Model Children
Motion City Soundtrack
Naked Bob
Oswald Armageddon
Pandamonium
Pilot
The Real Enemy

Regret
Saddest Girls Story
Season of Fire
The Stereo
Stockpile
Three Minute Access
Teenage Remains
Unavowed
Working Classless

2008-03-31T13:45:00.000-07:00

Erik and Gretchen Funk Interview

Erik is in Dillinger Four, he and his wife Gretchen own the Triple Rock Social Club - the BEST venue in the Twin Cities for seeing shows, eating 'Po Boys and drinking too much. Here is a little interview with the the two of them.

Hey Erik and Gretchen, it's been a year now since you've moved into your new place, after living in your last house for nearly 10 years - does this feel like home yet?
Gretchen: yep, it really is starting to. The neighbors are great, and we feel really comfortable, so that helps. Every bit of work we do on it just makes it feel more like ours!

Erik: For me it did pretty much right away.

The home you bought had gone into foreclosure - how was that experience from your perspective?
G: I thought it was really scary buying a house through foreclosure at first. I mean it had been left alone for what? Two years? That’s crazy. And who knows what was wrong with it. And there were no guarantees. Scary stuff. We had an inspection though, and really went through the house one more time, which always makes you feel more certain. We got really lucky too though, it turned out to be a real diamond in the rough.

E: The most frustrating thing was the wait time on responses back from the bank. The red tape at the bank really slowed things down.

What sort of projects have you taken on for this new house and what's planned in the future?
G and E: Well, we have painted just about every surface that will hold still. And put in a few new windows. We’re having the basement redone right now, like right now, like there is a guy hammering right now. Then I guess in the next year maybe we will address the garage? We’re not fans of moving the car for snow emergencies.

Was it tough for you guys to sell your first home - emotional attachment?
G: I was really surprised at how easy it was actually. We did not change neighborhoods, so everything is still familiar, that might have helped.

E: I agree, we were there for a long time and totally ready to move on.

Initially you were thinking of selling your home without a Realtor - what made you change your mind?
G: Well, knowing you… That helped. Because I’m not sure we would have worked with another realtor. I think 10 years ago, when the market was really different, it was a valid option. Now though, well, I think people are so wary of things, cautious. In a buyers market, people want to get the best. I’m not sure a hand written sign saying “for sale by owner” instills confidence. “Guaranteed by realtor” says be confident. It’s the edge you need right now.

E: When I looked at the online services available, saving a few bucks seemed attractive, but we decided it was more important to have a professional advising us and working on our behalf to make sure the house sold in a tough market.

What's going on with the D4? I'm sure you never get sick of people asking "Are you going to record something soon?"
G: nope, I never get sick of that question.
With all these reunions going on - is there a Billingsgate show on the horizon?

E: no, I lost touch with all those guys years ago. But I will gladly come over to your house and jam those records anytime. We were awesome.

How did the process of buying the Triple Rock differ from buying a home?
G: So much more debt!!! You can’t ask Erik, he was in Japan. It was possibly the most nerve wracking week of my life and I think I have blocked it out of my mind.
The home stuff was fun!

E: I was in Japan for the actual closing. Buying a house there are tons of options. Buying a bar, you may only see a few options a year that could work for you. So you have to move really fast.

What have been some of the highlights for you with the Triple Rock? And what are some of the frustrations of running the bar/venue?
G: Highlights: All the French fries you can eat. And we have a kick ass staff. Not working for someone else.

Frustrations: Insurance and liability, drunk people.

E: Highlights: Pride of keeping it going for ten years. Seeing some of my favorite bands in my own place. Lots of time to golf
Frustrations: Not enough time to golf. Finding out some of my favorite bands are jerks. The usual struggles of keeping a small business afloat.

You guys are both avid golfers (ok, Erik might be more obsessive than avid) what's punk rock about golf and who is the best punk golfer you know?
G: Steve, you have seen me golf. I’m not sure when you decided you could use the word “avid” with me. There is nothing punk rock about the way I suck at golf.

E:I agree that there is nothing punk rock about golf. I have not actually seen him play, but I have heard Fat Mike from NOFX is quite a golfer.

Pete from Holding On first dropped the bomb that they'd be playing a reunion show on this website - anything you want to shock the world with?
Nothing to report on this end.
The Holding On show is coming up though!
April, 25 2008 at Triple Rock
w/ Modern Life Is War (and Pandamonium!)
http://www.triplerocksocialclub.com/

2008-02-26T07:51:00.000-08:00

CARCASS!!!

check out the trailer from 'The Pathologist's Report' DVD

The reformed Carcass have confirmed the following festivals this year:

Jun 06 2008 Sweden Rock Festival
Jun 20 2008 Hellfest (France)
Jun 27 2008 Tuska Open Air (Finland)
Jun 28 2008 Gods Of Metal Festival (Italy)
Aug 02 2008 Wacken Open Air (Germany)
Aug 29 2008 Hole In The Sky (Norway)

- let's hope these go well and there is a US Tour to come.

2008-02-12T09:25:00.000-08:00

The State - of Real Estate 2008

We’re still hearing how the market has tanked. The media loves to present the doom and gloom. We are experiencing the natural cycle of a market - of course we couldn't have maintained double digit appreciation forever. Greedy lenders (coupled with ill-informed borrowers) and overly aggressive builders didn't help either - it was like a perfect storm for the market to slow.

No Illusions. The truth remains that this could be the best time in years to buy home – interest rates are lower than they’ve been in years and home prices are very competitive. Have things slowed down? Absolutely, it has definitely shifted to a buyers market. However there are great opportunities for a buyer looking for a first home and a seller could come out well ahead if they are looking to upgrade. The money saved on a discounted new house could make up for any reduced profit earned on the sale of a current home.

2007-12-20T18:10:00.000-08:00

Crazy Shit - it's non-stop!

In the 5 years I've been in Real Estate I've sold 130 some houses. On average I'll show a client 30 properties before they find the one. So that's roughly 4,000 houses I've been through. 3,000 of those were normal, 900 were really nice and 100 are where insane people live - I never cease to be amazed by the crazy shit you see out there.

I really need to write these things down as they happen and carry a camera with me, otherwise today's oddity just get replaced by tomorrow's nutjob house. I've stumbled across prosthetic limbs, dildos and bongs. I've been in houses completely packed with creepy antique dolls, packed with cats that come popping out of nowhere and plenty of homes packed with filth. There are all kinds of decorating oddities as well - recently I saw decorative molding around a front door that was made from a garden hose, spray painted gold and screwed to the wall. Fairly common and ALWAYS unpleasant is the sleeping person, even in the middle of the day. Keep in mind, THESE PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO SELL THEIR HOUSE!!!

A little while back I saw one that I said was, "the worst house I've ever been in". To be fair, I've seen worse - homes that are trashed and even after being fixed up they'd still suck. This one will be nice when someone fixes it up - but at the moment it's pretty shocking.

Apparently this home went into forecloser and they never winterized the plumbing. Our guess was that a pipe (or several) burst and flooded the house completely (resulting in a $100,000 price reduction). Wall paper and plaster peeled from the ceilings and walls.

The wood floors expanded, buckled and ripped themselves apart. This soaked ceiling fan warped. And of course there was plenty of mold.

The great news is that I sold this house to some very capable clients who are going to fix it up and live here. It's awesome that this place is getting a second chance and I hope to see it again after they're done with it.

2007-10-16T06:44:00.000-07:00

Neighborhoods...

Most neighborhoods have at least one house that residents feel should be better maintained, but those feelings traslate into action only rately. Mostly, people just put up with it.

63% say they have a sloppy neighbor
21% admit to being the sloppy neighbor
81% say action should be taken against the offender
64% say they haven't yet complained

source:servicemagic.com, based on poll of 900 home owners. From Realtor Magazine Oct 2007

2007-08-10T10:12:00.000-07:00

Annual Bodies Lay Broken show

August 31stMinneapolis

w/ Black Market Fetus - Iowa

Archagathus - Winnipeg

Patisserie - Japan

JUHYO - Minnesota

this is all still tentative, but I'm hopeful

at the Alamo House e-mail me for an address

2007-05-29T13:50:00.000-07:00

Homes sold by me

I mostly sell in Minneapolis and St. Paul - but I sell houses all over the place. Check it out...

Minneapolis
- Bryn Mawr
319 Washburn Ave
- Calhoun-Isles
3340 Blaisdell Ave S
3104 Pleasant Ave S
-Camden
3951 Bryant Ave N
3939 Emerson Ave N
4225 Newton Ave N
4404 Queen Ave N
4411 Queen Ave N
4023 Sheridan Ave N
3810 Upton Ave N
-Longfellow
3112 33rd St E3425 35th Ave S
3833 36th Ave S
-Nokomis
4225 2nd Ave S
4231 2nd Ave S
4901 5th Ave S
4037 11th Ave S
4525 16th Ave S
5756 27th Ave S
5114 38th Ave S
4712 Nokomis Ave S
4208 Nokomis Ave S
3845 Oakland Ave S
-Northeast
2545 4th St NE
2738 Buchanan St NE
2306 Fillmore St NE
1714 Pierce St NE
2958 Tyler St NE
2543 University Ave NE
-Powderhorn
4141 20th Ave S
-Philllips
2729 14th Ave S
- Seward
2305 25th Ave S
-Southwest
5515 Emerson Ave S x 2
3612 Pillsbury Ave S
6136 Vincent Ave S

St. Paul
-Como
1555 Almond Ave
801 California Ave W
1601 Cohansey St
761 Ivy Ave W
1880 Ivy Ave E
1465 Mackubin St
-Crocus Hill
642 Ashland Ave
656 Ashland Ave #10
294 Dayton Ave #1E x 2
892 Thomas Ave
-Dayton’s Bluff
1227 5th St E
-Highland
1407 Bayard Ave
1151 Colette Pl
663 Hamline Ave
1232 Juno Ave
1315 Niles Ave
1276 Randolph Ave
1516 Randolph Ave
1999 Sheridan Ave
-Mac/Groveland
1181 Edgcumbe Rd #112
1866 Palace Ave
1515 Randolph Ave
425 Snelling Ave
118 Wheeler
- Riverview/Cherokee
679 Bidwell St
-Town and Country
2301 Beverly
1618 Selby Ave
-West 7th
878 Bayard Ave

Afton
15785 Afton Hills Dr

Apple Valley
12683 Durham Way

Bloomington
9944 Cavell Ave S

Columbia Heights
5121 6th St NE
4215 University Ave NE

Cottage Grove
7141 Jocelyn Ct S

Crystal
6809 45 Ave N

Eagan
4362 Sandstone Dr

Eden Prairie
11272 Preswick Blvd.

Edina
4524 Brookside Ave

Golden Valley
2531 McNair Dr N

Inver Grove Heights
4681 Blaine Ave

Lakeville
18835 Inca Ave

Maple Grove
9006 Comstock Ln N x 2
9294 Holly Ln N
6256 Meadowlark Ln N
15304 W Fish Lake Rd
6231 Upland Ln N

Maplewood
2296 Dahl Court

Minnetonka
5533 Pompano Dr
3662 Shady Oak Rd

Mound
6316 Lynwood Blvd

New Prague
24389 E Cedar Lake Dr

North St. Paul
2673 5th Ave E
2815 Lake Blvd N

Oakdale
1197 Hillvale Ave N

Plymouth
11725 52nd Ave
3920 Harbor Ln N
3855 Glacier Ln x 2
4350 Trenton Ave N # 322

Robbinsdale
3613 Quail Ave N

Rogers
13898 Mallard Trl x 2

Rosemount
14802 Covington Ave

Shakopee
815 Ferdinand Dr
1196 Jackson St S x 2
8022 Stratford Circle S

Shoreview
3464 Chatsworth St N
3560 Cohansey St x 2

Shorewood
6090 Apple Rd

Stillwater
1214 Martha St N
501 Main St N #308

St. Louis Park
3220 Idaho Ave S
2625 Kipling Ave S
1600 Louisiana Ave S
3511 Sumter Ave S

White Bear Lake
2146 8th St
1610 9th St
2780 Riviera Dr S

Woodbury
2879 White Eagle Dr
7169 Windgate Rd

Hudson, Wisconsin
208 11th St S
519 Prairie Dr N
1904 Primrose Pl

2007-04-19T11:45:00.000-07:00

Check out these houses!

Two great homes that I have listed, contact me if you want to take a look at either of them

Mac/Groveland - St. Paul
Camden - Minneapolis

House of the week it's small but it's nice, has potential, is inexpensive and it's in a great location

2007-03-15T08:03:00.000-07:00

Updated: Bands I’ve Worked With...
The Action Slacks
Amp 176
Attention
Autumn Leaves
Bellwether

Betty Gone Bad
Billingsgate
Bloodline
Bodies Lay Broken
Bombsite
Dink
Code 13
Damage Deposit
Destroy
Dillinger Four

Dink
Dog Day
Elks
Flounder
The Great Depression
Killsadie
The Hang Ups
Hello Lonely
Holding On
The Holy Ghostriders
The Hoolies

Hope You Choke
The Hot
Icepick
The Legendary Jim Ruiz Group
Matt Marka
Menstrual Tramps
Model Children
Motion City Soundtrack

Naked Bob
Oswald Armageddon

Pandamonium
Pilot

The Real Enemy
Saddest Girls Story
Season of Fire

The Stereo
Unavowed

House of the Week - look familiar?

2007-02-14T07:24:00.000-08:00

Mean Pete...

guitarist for Minneapolis' beloved Holding On as well as Hope you Choke and his current band the Holy Ghostriders, recently became a homeowner. Here's a little interview we did...

Hey Pete, how's the unpacking and moving in going?
it's going great, we've been living in the house for just about a month now and pretty much everything is unpacked and organized. we have just a few minor decorative projects left that we need to do.

We had talked for awhile about starting to look at houses, but it took awhile to get started. Once you guys decided to get started, you really went after it. What changed?
we had been thinking about buying for a while, i was ready to go for it, but kim had a few debts to pay off before she wanted to start looking. she paid off a big credit card late last fall and decided she was ready to go, so we just jumped in and started looking. just a few months ago, i was sure that we wouldn't even start looking for a house until spring but our timing turned out to be great and we found an amazing house in winter. i think with the combination of the time of year and the market being pretty good, we saved a good amount of money by buying when we did.

You guys were really strong buyers according to your lender - did that surprise you?
yes it really did. we don't make a lot of money so it was definitely our good credits scores that helped us out there.

Initially what was most important, location, price, style, condition? And did that change as you were looking?
when we first started looking i think our order of importance was condition, location, price, and style. condition was always important because we needed a house in good condition since we're not very handy. location became a bit less important as we were looking, at first we really wanted to find a place in northeast mpls. but as we looked more, we found that the houses in NE in our price range were pretty much crap, and we found we'd get way more for our money just a bit to the north in columbia heights, which is where we ended up buying. we still really like the NE neighborhood better, but the house we found in heights is so much better than what we could have got in NE, we can deal with it. it's close enough to minneapolis anyway, it's almost like an extension of NE. price was always important, we set a max early in the search and pretty much stuck to it the whole way through. we were willing to push our budget a bit to find a house that didn't need too much work and that's exactly what we ended up doing. style was a factor but was never a huge issue, kim and i have pretty specific design tastes, but we were willing to deal with whatever we could find due to our limited budget. but we ended up lucking out and finding a great mid-century house that we can easily adapt to our own style.

Any suggestions to someone thinking about buying their first house?
just go for it, you won't regret it. it's scary and a huge change but worth it. don't be afraid to stretch your budget, it really won't be as bad as you think, we're really poor and ended up buying a great house. and try not to think about how much money steve smillie is making off you (earning - edit), but make him buy you lunch because that almost makes up for it, right?

Any big projects planned for the house?
like i said before, just some minor design/decorative projects for now, and we'll probably get into the bigger and more outdoor type stuff in the spring after it warms up.

What's going on with the Holy Ghostriders? Are you going to record something soon?
yeah, we'll hopefully be getting into the studio within a month or so. we've been putting this off for a really long time and we need to get serious about it now and get something out.

I'm assuming you're excited for Naked Raygun at the Triple Rock. What do you think about a lot of these bands reforming?
yeah i'm really excited about that, already have my tickets to both shows. definitely one of the best midwest punk bands. for the most part, i'm totally fine with reunions as long as the band is genuine about it. the gorilla biscuits show last summer was one of the best shows i've seen in my life, and it was easy to see that they were having a great time, it didn't seem like they were doing it just to do it and make shit tons of money. but i'm sure the shit tons of money didn't hurt either. i got into GB probably about a year or two after they broke up, hearing them was a life changing event and they've been one of my favorite bands ever since, it was cool to finally see them in person.

Speaking of bands reforming... when is there going to be a Holding On reunion show?
it's happening soon, i'm announcing it right here first.

whoa! You better not be fucking with me. Will there be a $10 two song 7" with crap songs on it? Are you going to play in town or some damn fest far away?
no new songs. we've actually been talking about this for a while, we have it all planned out- we're going to play most every song we ever reocrded, in chronological order with each of the 3 lineups. so we'll start with the derek era doing the demo and split 7" with the real enemy. then we'll move on to the mike sonrode years for the self titled 7" (even though i think that was the worst thing we ever reocrded - sorry 1% records). and then of course we'll finish up with what came to be known as the "classic" lineup for the two lps. should be a fun time. as soon as we know more info, i'll have you post it here first.

What are you listening to these days? You're on a bit of a blue grass kick aren't you?
yeah i've been listening to a bit a bluegrass lately, a good amount of indie rock, classic alt-rock, and lots of 70s riff rock. and of course a lot of pop-punk like always. have to admit i'm totally out of touch with the current hardcore scene, all i listen to as far as that is the classics.

Who's you're favorite Realtor that's been a drummer in a grindcore band?
well, there are so many to choose from...

Thanks Pete!
thank me? naw man, thank you!

House of the Week - Peter Ave of course.

2007-02-13T11:05:00.000-08:00

Say Anything... as long as it's nice.

a list of nice things people said about me as a Realtor...

“I hired you because of your rep as the punk rock realtor & I mean that in all seriousness, Steve. It conveys something right away. I had fun and really appreciated your feedback and honesty while house-hunting, which I thought would be a trying experience, it was far from that.” - Nichole N.

“I think I would have given up on my house hunting if it hadn’t been for Steve. His sense of humor kept me going through the long time it took to find my dream house.” - Kelly C

“I hired you because I felt you shared some similar values (i.e. punk rock!)” – Carrie C

“Regardless of how frequently my search criteria changed, you always took time to meet with me and I never felt pressured to jump into anything - and that was important! I can’t thank you enough. Your personal service and patience make you a great agent” – Nick L.

“We came to you with a tight deadline and with lots of questions and we really appreciated your patience and hard work. We are very pleased with how the sale of our old home went and especially with the new home” - Scott and Jody W.

“You met and exceeded out expectations and we had fun working with you. It was clear the entire time that you were looking out for our best interests - we appreciate that.” - Ben T. and Alison N.

“You were honest and forthright with us always. You made us feel like we were your number one priority even though you were also very busy with other clients. We had total trust and confidence in you.” - Larry and Doris R.

“Steve was very creative in finding better ways to sell my home when market conditions began to change” - Gina M.

“We wanted someone that we knew we could trust. I could not have asked for a better first home buying experience” - Chad & Meredith M.

“Thanks for all your help during our first home buying experience It was great having a realtor that we trusted and felt comfortable with.” - Crystal and Matt F.

“The friendly, low-pressure guide was great for me. I felt comfortable and confident with your knowledge and that you would draw the line or play hardball if the offer process turned ugly.” - Mike S.

“I was very impressed with the communication. I felt very informed and up to date. We could not have had the good outcome without your input and encouragement” - Ruth and Greg K.

“We’re very appreciative of the time you took with us. I’m not sure there’s anything you could have done better, you took the time to change our search and found us our dream home.” - Craig and Jill O.

“You did a very good job at being the voice of reason and remaining calm, cool and collected when I was freaking out. Thank you for that!!!”- Kirstin S.

“Steve, I was very pleased with the service you provided. You made buying my first home painless and fun. I couldn’t have received better treatment in regards to finding a nice home and a great area.” - Marc K

“Steve rocks! You were helpful in that you allowed us the experience as 1st time buyers without influencing us, but guiding.” - Jilll L. and Josh C.

2007-01-18T08:45:00.000-08:00

Search and Destroy... Sold Houses

Quick note to let you know you can now search sold houses. Curious what that house around the corner sold for? Now you can know! Just go here

House of the week!

2006-12-18T06:30:00.000-08:00

YEAR END REVIEW

Another year has flown by. For me it was a good year: I closed on 20 houses, 9 of which were first time buyers. I worked with a bunch of new people and helped several past clients sell something old and buy something new. As usual I was all over the Twin Cities, houses sold in St. Paul, Minneapolis, Brooklyn Park, Columbia Heights, Inver Grove Heights, Minnetonka, North St. Paul, Plymouth, Rosemount, Shakopee, Stillwater, White Bear Lake and Woodbury.

Next year is already off to a good start with several homes waiting to close and a number of new buyers and sellers wanting to get started after the holiday havoc.

If I can help you out with and Real Estate needs, please don't hesitate to get in touch with me.

2006-12-05T14:42:00.000-08:00

Time gets the best of us...

Sorry for the serious lack of updates: Holidays and a hard drive crash have kept me from posting. The plus side is that I have been very busy with new buyers and potential sellers. It's such a good time to buy right now - people are finding great deals.

So I've got to keep this short. Continuing on the selling your home theme, here are some helpful hits to get your house ready to sell.

HOME FIX-UPS CAN SPEED THE SALE!

The best way to sell a home is to sell it quickly. The first two weeks that a home is on the market are the most important. Here are a few tips that can help you sell your home faster. The money you spend to dress up your home for sale probably won’t hike up the price, but it will help you get a quicker sale.

OUTSIDE
Curb appeal sets the mood: shovel walkways, prune shrubbery, mow grass, re-paint or touch up peeling paint, clean the driveway, replace a rusted or dented mail box. Basically look at your house from the buyers prospective. A wreath of dried flowers or flowers in the yard add a nice touch as well. Buyers have usually formed an opinion of the home before they enter the front door.

INSIDE
Cleaning your house thoroughly is the cheapest and easiest way to make your home more appealing. Make walls and ceilings look clean and fresh by repainting. If you have wild or dated wallpaper, it’s best to remove it. Neutral colors (white or off-white) are best. If the basement walls and floor are cement, consider painting them.

Go through your house with an oil can and a screwdriver. Repair squeaky hinges, drawers, broken windows, re-caulk sinks and tubs, fix leaks, tighten door knobs, etc.

Some of the most important rooms are kitchens and bathrooms. Keep these rooms exceptionally clean and fresh. Scrub appliances in the kitchen. An inexpensive way to update cabinets is to invest in new cabinet knobs. Hide everyday items such as toothpaste, dish soap, etc. Counter tops should not be cluttered. Buyers tend to judge the cleanliness of the whole home on how the kitchen and bathrooms look. They should always sparkle.

Clear away all excess belongings. Pack them up and remove them to make the house look as big as possible. The idea is to create a feeling of spaciousness and an abundance of storage, more than they could ever need. Clean and organize closets.

If your carpeting is worn or dirty and you can afford to, replace it or have it professionally cleaned. Again, a neutral color such as light beige or off-white is best.

Get rid of all odors in the house, especially those form pets. Clean pet areas thoroughly.

During showings, open drapes and blinds. Fresh flowers set on a table are a nice touch. Keep pets in the yard, if possible. Leave on as many lights as possible, even during the day.

IN GENERAL
When selling a home, it can’t always be the way we live in it. Every home is competing with other pre-owned homes and new construction. It is important to make your home more appealing than the competition.

HOMEOWNERS CHECKLIST

Drive Up
* Doors, windows and screens secure, tidy and in good repair.
* Large obvious concrete gaps/cracks patched.
* Mailbox, fences and gates should be clean, neat and operate properly.
* Lawns, shrubs, snow removal all say to prospective buyers, “We’ve enjoyed living here. You
will too!”
* Gutters and downspouts secure and complete.

All Rooms
* Ceilings stain free, minor cracks patched and painted
* Doors, windows and hardware must operate properly
* Electric outlets and heat registers need to be cleaned or replaced.
* Walls: clean, patch (paint if necessary) – no loose wallpaper.
* Floor coverings in good condition or allowance made for buyer to choose new or replace.
* Closets and shelves uncluttered and orderly.
* All lights operate perfectly.

Kitchen
* Caulking clean and smooth
* Appliances spotless
* All items operate properly
* Unclutter counters, drawers, cabinets and the refrigerator door

Bath
* Caulking clean and smooth
* Tiles and grout tight and clean
* Shower doors and tracks spotless
* Towel bars secure
* Toilet lid secure
* Fixtures operate properly
* Ceiling fan: quiet and properly vented to the outside of the house.

Garage
* Steps and railings secure
* Doors and windows secure and operate properly
* Organize and uncluttered

Laundry
* Fixtures operate properly
* Tub clean and tidy
* Organize and unclutter

Basement
* Repair any problem with moisture
* Consider painting block walls and cement floors

CLEANING UP ALSO MEANS THROWING OUT! ALL REPAIR WORK SHOULD BE CONSIDERED IN THE CONTEXT OF ADDING TO A “WELL MAINTAINED” LOOK AND NOT WITH AN EYE TO MAKING THINGS LOOK “NEW”

2006-11-21T10:23:00.000-08:00

On the Market

You're ready to put your house up for sale. We've done the market analysis (which I forgot to mention - is a free service) and we've decided on a market price. So what am I going to do to get it sold?

First off, it's good to know that I'm a full time professional Real Estate Agent, not a part timer. I'm a member of the Minnesota Board of Realtors and I'm licensed in Minnesota and Wisconsin. I work for Edina Realty (who sell the most in the Twin Cities) and that means networking with 75 offices and 3,100 agents. We have one stop capabilities with in-house title and mortgage. A relocation department (big deal you're thinking, you're staying in Minnesota. But there are also buyers relocating to the Twin Cities, who could be interest in your home). And most people know that we are major internet presence – http://www.edinarealty.com/. Even people not using an Edina Realty Agent often search using our site.

MARKETING
Obviously we will market through the Multiple Listing Service (MLS). Making sure all information is complete and correct and adding any supplemental information. Also important (and often overlooked) are the photos being added in a timely manor. If you've been searching for houses and you see a property without a photo, a lot of times you'll just skip over it. I make sure that I add the photos the instant the listing goes active - more people will see the listing within the first 24 hours of going active than any other time.

We will want to place a sign on the property - great 24 hour advertising. This will also include a hotline number potential buyers can call to hear a recorded message about the house. And a brochure box with printed information. The annoying problem with brochure boxes is that they are often empty. I'll print 100 copies at a time, you can keep it full with 20-30 at a time and as you run low, I'll bring more over.

It is key to market through real estate agents, the MLS does not expose property to other Realtors – it only makes it available to be found. I will contact and provide information to area agents that consistently work the area and provide a fair share of commission to Buyer’s agent.

I will create a brochure full of photos and information about your home that will be delivered to all local real estate offices and associates. It will be faxed, e-mailed or sent to anyone who inquires about the property, made available to buyers at private showings and provided to buyers at Open Houses.

Speaking of Open houses, I am happy to host a few open houses – especially when the home is first listed. But it’s important to know that open houses do not statistically sell homes, the reason most agents want to hold open houses is to meet potential buyers - not to sell the home. A great use of time is the Realtors’ Open House. This is where we invite all associates from area firms to view the home. Agents will provide useful feedback and any one of these agents could have potential buyers.

I will write and pay for advertising with priority placement in either the Star Tribune or Pioneer Press, The Real Estate Book and local neighborhood newspapers as appropriate. Most of this printed advertising is a dying breed; the way buyers find out about houses is either through their agent or through the internet. Internet exposure with virtual tour and color photos will be provided through edinarealty.com, stevesmillie.edinarealty.com, craigslist.com, realtor.com, startribune.com, a virtual tour website and this website.

Continually marketing the home is facilitated through; following up with all sign calls, obtaining feedback from all visiting agents within 24 hours and helping overcome agent and buyer objections. I will provide progress reports as often as requested, update market activity since last report and report agent and prospective buyer comments.

I feel it’s important to review the marketing plan after 15 days or 15 showings. Something should happen within that time frame, if it hasn’t we should consider adjusting the plan and/or price as necessary. If price is adgusted, I will inform all agents of the new price.

OVERALL OBJECTIVES
My overall objective is to market your property in order to get you the highest value, in the least amount of time and at the greatest convenience to you.

House of the week Just in time for Thanksgiving

2006-11-07T15:02:00.000-08:00

Sell your home!

This blog has mainly focused on buying a house - but some of you already own houses and maybe haven't gone through the sale process yet. The next few entries will review the process of selling a home.

Starting out, we need to determine the value of your home. Realtors will provide you with a market analysis (not an appraisal). The market analysis is the realtor’s opinion of what your home should be able to sell for given the market conditions. In order to do a market analysis I will need to set up two meetings.

The first should be fairly short, we'll walk through the house and I'll take notes and measurements. If you have info from when you bought the house, that could be helpful - but not necessary (room dimensions, blue prints, previous marketing pieces). From there I will take the information I've gathered and plug it into the computer to try and find good comparables. Good comparables would be similar sized homes that have recently sold nearby. The last sentence is important so let's break it down: square feet is what it always comes down to - we want homes that have roughly the same amount of finished square feet. We only want to look at sold home prices because a house on the market might not sell at its current price (or ever sell for that matter). A neighbor’s current list price can be a factor, but it is largely irrelevant. Since the market is always changing we want homes that have solid in the last 6 months - a shorter time frame is even better. And obviously we want homes that are near your own. There are other factors specific to each home as well, like condition, number of garage stalls, bedrooms and baths, etc.

Once I've compiled the information we will get together again to review my findings and well go through what I will do to market your home and get it sold. I'll make suggestions about what you should do to get your house ready to go on the market and notify you of things you must do (i.e. truth in housing inspection) . I will also create a net sheet for you that will estimate all your selling expenses and give you a good idea of what you will be walking away with - which will likely be a key factor in determining what you can spend on your next home.

House of the week If you want value in Minneapolis – there is no place better than Camden. Yes, it’s close to North Mpls, but there are incredibly nice area in Camden. This house, on a parkway anywhere else in the Twin Cities would cost A LOT more.

2006-10-31T11:13:00.000-08:00

A Haunted House Story...

Ask any Realtor who's been in the business a few years and you'll hear a ghost story or two. Here's mine... About five years I was working with some clients buying their first home. We had looked at a number of houses around Como in St. Paul so most of the homes were at least 50 years old. We found a house they loved and wrote an offer. The 1 1/2 story home was an estate left to the son who had grown up in the house. Apparently the elderly home owners had died of old age, within a month or so of one another and the house had been sitting vacant for a few months. The offer was accepted, we did the home inspection and were just waiting for there closing date to come around. The morning of the closing we went to do the final walk through (where you go through the home and make sure everything that's supposed to be there is there, any work that was supposed to be done is done, etc). We did our walk through without any issues and as we walked out the door the buyers said they wanted to tell me about something that had happened.

The buyers told me one of their aunt's stopped by to take some exterior pictures a few weeks prior. No big deal, she just walked around and took some pictures and dropped them off to be developed. When she picked them up she noticed that in one of the pictures there was a couple with a small child in the half story window looking down at her. She knew the home was vacant and that the parents had died so she told the buyers the story. Curious about the child the buyers did a little searching and found that the seller had a brother who died as a toddler. Apparently these were the ghosts of the mother, father and the son who had all died while living in the house.

Freaked out by the story - I asked the buyers, "Do you still want to buy the house?" They said, "Oh yeah, we're good people. We're not worried about some ghosts." I was thinking, "These two are far braver than I am."

Two months later the wife "jumped" out that same half story to her death on the driveway below. A few weeks later the husband was found hanging from the ceiling in the half story. Ok... this last paragraph is fake, but the rest is true. They are still happily living in the house. Not too scary, but pretty creepy.

House of the Week - not haunted (as far as I know). A little spendy, but super nice home near Lake Nokomis

2006-10-24T10:55:00.000-07:00

Mixing Punk Rock and Real Estate the youtube way

the Clash, "safe european home"

Converge "homewrecker"

Bad Brains "house of suffering"

Coheed and Cambria "welcome home"

Gorilla Biscuits "sitting round at home"

DJ Shadow "you can't go home"

the Dead Kennedy's "let's lynch the landlord"

house show busted by dad

2006-10-17T12:33:00.000-07:00

What happens next?

So you’ve got your financing squared away – even a pre-approval letter in hand. First thing we do is set up a search for you. As a first time buyer – it’s probably better to keep your search fairly vague. Price range, locations, minimum number of bedrooms/sq. feet/bathrooms/garage spaces, etc. The system will generate an e-mail with results that meet your criteria and as new listings pop up, so will a new e-mail. The search is incredibly easy to change, so if you what to narrow or broaden the scope – it’s a breeze to tweak.

Now you’re ready to get out there and look at some houses. This is the fun part – believe me, you’ll see some crazy stuff. We’ll set up time to go out and tour houses, it helps to give me 24 hour notice so I can map out the homes, figure a route and make sure the home owner won’t be there. We can always do short notice showings, but typically a seller would expect a 2 hour notice. I’ll provide you with printouts of each home and a map to help you take notes (when you look at 5 or more, they start to blur together). And I’ll drive us, so you can just focus on the houses. One quick tip: wear comfortable shoes that slip off easily. It’s hard to say how many houses you need to look at before you find the one. I’ve had clients look at less than 5 and others look at over 100. It’s easy to set up showings and look at houses AND it’s the best way for you feel sure about your decision. I have no doubt that the client that looked at 100 houses knew with absolute certainty that the house they bought was the best fit for them.

I should have mentioned last week; if you’re thinking about buying, I’d be happy to mail you out a packet filled with info for first time home buyers – get in touch.

No house of the week this week – let me know what you want to see: biggest? most bathrooms?

2006-10-10T12:39:00.000-07:00

So you want to buy a house: Start Today

This is obviously a big decision, buying a house is fairly complex, but it doesn't have to be for you. I'll do everything I can to make the experience enjoyable - it should be fun and exciting.

So where do you start? The true starting point should be talking to a lender to find out what you are "pre-approved" to buy. This is simply a lenders opinion on what you should qualify to buy. Many people end up being pre-approved for more than they would want to spend, so the first question after they tell you what you are pre-approved for should be, "what would my monthly payments be?" This is a fairly simple process and won't be too intrusive. Don't know a mortgage broker? Try your bank or credit union, ask a friend who they used or ask me - I'd be happy to refer you to several.

Keep in mind - there are all kinds of mortgage programs out there with different rates and features. A good lender will work with you to figure out what works best for you, instead of jamming you into their "one size fits all" loan program. And if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Claims about ridiculously low interest rates or zero closing costs will get you in some other way. It generally makes since to get a second opinion on your loan.

From there - we set up a search and start the fun part:looking at houses.

House of the Week getting you set for Halloween, the agent's descriptionion of this house includes the following, "Seller believes this house is haunted." Boo.

2006-10-03T10:48:00.000-07:00

Enough Doom and Gloom about the Real Estate Market!

We keep hearing again and again how the market has tanked this year. The truth is - this is the third biggest year in the history of real estate. Have things slowed down? Absolutely. It has definitely shifted to a buyers market, but that can mean a great opportunity for a buyer looking for a first home. Even a seller could come out well ahead if they are looking to upgrade. The money saved on a discounted new house could make up for any reduced profit earned on the sale of a current home.

"The National Association of Realtors is forecasting 6.5 million existing-home sales this year. Even if existing home sales were in the 6.3 to 6.4 million range, 2006 would still be considered a good year by most standards. It is only by comparison to the overheated, blistering pace of 2005 that those numbers seem low."*

House of the week This was the smallest Minneapolis house I could find online

*Ron Peltier, President and CEO of Minneapolis-based HomeServices of America, Inc.

2006-09-26T11:25:00.000-07:00

Bands I’ve Worked With...

The Action Slacks
Amp 176
Anchor
Article 184
Attention
Betty Gone Bad
Bloodline

Bodies Lay Broken
Bombsite
Dink
Code 13
Damage Deposit
Destroy
Dink

Dog Day
Flounder
Killsadie
The Hang Ups
Hello Lonely
The Hoolies

Hope You Choke
Icepick
Matt Marka
Menstrual Tramps
Model Children
Motion City Soundtrack
Naked Bob
Oswald Armageddon
Pilot
The Real Enemy

Saddest Girls Story
Season of Fire
The Stereo
Unavowed

photo credits anjehla (AMP176, BGB & TRE)

House of the Week

Feel free to ask Real Estate questions via the comments page

2006-09-18T14:54:00.000-07:00

About me...

Growing up I moved a lot with my family until 1986 when we ended up in Afton, MN. I went to Stillwater High School where I played drums for a couple punk and HC bands (don’t ask).

In college I started playing in bands again and started a record label – One Percent Records. I play drums for the grindcore band Bodies Lay Broken we're on a bit of a hiatus because our Guitarist moved to Japan a few years back (though we played there in May of 2006 and did a small US tour in 2005 so we will likely play again, somewhere). Then I was in a HC band called Hope You Choke with Pete from Holidng On, Jason from The Real Enemy and Killsadie. The band has since gone on a bit of a hiatus as well so now Alison from BLB and I have starting up a new fast hardcore band...

I’ve been a realtor since 2002. I have both my Minnesota and Wisconsin Licenses. I live in St. Paul and I like working all over St. Paul, Minneapolis and the many surrounding neighborhoods. got into Real Estate because I wanted to work for myself. I enjoy working with people and helping them find a home of their own that fits their needs. Being able to work with friends who have similar interests and ethics has been the most rewarding aspect.

And really, what’s more punk than owning your own home? Through off the shackles of rent – you might be surprised how easy it can be to own. Month after month, where does that rent go? It pays someone else’s mortgage. Why not have that be your mortgage? For the same amount each month you could be earning equity where you live – and when you move that money is yours!

Check out the House of the Week (ok, this first week it's my listing).

Twin Cities Hardcore Punk Realtor

House of the week is back - great home in the heart of Longfellow