Housing markets continue to improve according to the S&P Case Shiller Home Price Indices released April 30 for February's data. The Indices consist of a 10-City Composite Index and a 20-City Composite Index with housing markets for each city reported based on a three-month rolling average of home prices. Case Shiller Posts Highest Growth Rates Since 2006: The data released yesterday comprised the Indices' highest growth rates since May 2006. For the 12 months between February 2012 and February 2013, the 10-City Composite Index reports that average home prices posted a gain of 8.6 percent and average home prices for the 20-City Composite Index grew by 9.3 percent on a non-seasonally adjusted basis.  All 20 cities posted a year-over-year gain for at least two consecutive months. The 10-Ci... 05/02/2013

Whether you have new neighbors next door or old friends moving across town, a housewarming gift is a great way to show you care. New owners always appreciate anything that relieves the pressures of moving and settling in to an unfamiliar neighborhood. Here are seven fun and easy housewarming-gift ideas for your friends moving into their home. A Door Wreath: You can choose a wreath that fits the season or that is simply attractive on the front door. Include a wreath door-hanger and storage box so they can easily hang it or put it away. A Pair of Candlestick Holders: Candlesticks are a simple, yet practical gift for a new Maple Grove home. They're perfect for a mantel, dresser or table. Choose attractive candlestick holders that match the house's decor and include a set of candles to burn... 04/30/2013

A clean, uncluttered home is very likely the single most important thing to get your home sold quickly and for top dollar. In fact, a recent survey by HomeGain showed a whopping 568% return on investment for money put toward cleaning and organizing a home for sale! And other experts say that a well-put-together home can shorten the time on market drastically as well. Before your real estate agent lists your Maple Grove home, it's essential for it to look its best. 7 Tips To Get Your Home In Tip Top Selling Condition: Examine your living space and see it as a buyer would — then double check this list of staging tips to make sure you haven't overlooked these important details. Clear out the clutter. Tidy up counter tops, bookcases, garages and closets. Pack up your sentimental items. Pers... 04/30/2013

It's getting close to that time of year again — time to have a garage sale at your home! Here are a few tips to help you have your most successful garage sale ever.   Advertise Your Sale In Local Newspapers And Online: Many of the habitual Saturday morning garage sale patrons around Plymouth use the paper to plan their treasure hunts. They do this to make sure they hit all of the sales in certain neighborhoods. In the ad, mention your home address, date and time of your garage sale and any big or popular items you'll be selling.   Open Your Sale Early: It's best to open early, such as around seven in the morning a sales tend to taper off in the afternoon. Don't disappoint early shoppers who are typically your best buyers. They have a busy schedule and a lot of stops to hit. Open on time... 04/30/2013

The National Association of REALTORS® released its Existing Home Sales report for March on Monday. Sales dipped from February's seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.95 million to 4.92 million existing homes sold in March, a decrease of 0.6 percent month-to-month.  This reading was lower than Wall Street's consensus of 5.03 million existing homes sold, but there is also good news. Sales of existing homes are up by 10.3 percent as compared to March 2012. Economists note that existing home sales have performed within a narrow range of 4.90 to 4.96 million since November 2012. This illustrates the impact of lower numbers of existing homes available for purchase in Minnesota and around the country. The National Association of Homebuilders Housing Market Index reports builder concerns includi... 04/30/2013

If you've been considering taking your home in a green direction, April is the perfect month to make an environmentally friendly update. Installing a solar energy system may be a very smart way to help the environment. Plus, solar panels turn sunlight into energy that can save you money! The federal government and many states are now providing tax incentives and rebates for installing solar panels in 2013 which make this an excellent opportunity to go green this spring. However, there are many installers that might not have the necessary experience, so be sure to ask the questions below when searching for your solar energy system. How many solar panel systems have they installed? You want to make sure to find a reputable company that has significant solar experience and has successfully... 04/30/2013

An open house gives you a great opportunity to look more closely at Minneapolis real estate you might be interested in buying. It also affords you the chance to chat with the owner or real estate agent so you can bring up any issues or hesitations you have with the home. Knowing what to ask can be difficult, so below are examples of questions to ask at the next open house you attend. Why has the seller decided to sell now? If you ask why the seller is moving, you could learn valuable information to help determine your offer -- or possibly whether or not you want to buy the home. Knowing whether the owners are about to go into foreclosure, have experienced trouble in the neighborhood, or if they've retired and completely paid off the home can help you understand how urgently they need to... 04/22/2013

Have you ever walked into a home for sale and looked down to see stained carpet or scratched and worn flooring? If so, you would probably agree that it doesn't leave a positive first impression. Imagine if you were a buyer looking at the same floor. The right type of flooring and whether it is well taken care of can make a big difference to buyers. If your floor is questionably clean, here are a few fixes to help remedy the issue to help your home sell quickly. Does your home have hardwood floors? You're in luck. Buyers love hardwood floors and some will pay extra to get them. If your hardwood floors are covered by carpet, painted over or showing anything but the natural wood grain, it's time for an overhaul. With the ability to rent large sanders and other tools, you can either refinis... 04/22/2013

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) report for April shows that builder confidence slipped by two points to a rating of 42 from the March reading of 44. The Housing Market Index (HMI) measures home builder confidence in market conditions for newly built single family homes. A reading of more than 50 indicates better than average confidence, while readings below 50 indicate that home builders have concerns about current market conditions. NAHB Housing Market Index Results For April: Home builders expressed concern over a gap between a growing demand for homes and builders' ability to meet the demand for new homes as housing market conditions improve. Top concerns cited by home builders surveyed include: Availability of construction cred... 04/22/2013

If the thought of cleaning your Minneapolis home this spring doesn't bring a smile to your face, you're not alone. To help you get going now, here is a short list of the 6 essential spring-cleaning chores. 1. Store winter clothes. It's time to pack away your winter clothes. Coats, sweaters, and bulkier clothing need to be inspected, cleaned and packed away. Store your clothes somewhere clean, cool, dark and dry. 2. Wash window treatments. You'll be surprised at the huge amount of dirt and grime that a thorough window cleaning removes. Wash blinds, launder curtains that are machine washable and send drapes to the dry cleaners. While you're at it, dust the window casing, wash your windowsills and clean any window hardware. 3. Clean carpets and upholstery. You need to deep clean your fabri... 04/22/2013

MAPLE GROVE HOMES WITH POOLS Summer is coming, do you want to spend it at the pool?  Here is a list of Maple Grove MN homes and communities that have a swimming pool!  Enjoy the summer in Maple Grove MN!  CLICK HERE FOR LIST The Jensen Team - Home Marketing Experts Keller Williams Classic Realty NW Licensed in MN www.LuxHomesMN.com Blog Originally Published at  http://blog.luxhomesmn.com/communities/maple-grove-mn/maple-grove-mn-homes-with-pools/   All Maple Grove Homes for Sale Search All Homes For Sale Free List of Foreclosed Homes For Sale Avoid Foreclosure Homes Close to Where You Work What is Your Home Worth? Myra Jensen Keller Williams Classic Realty NW 763-227-0618 myrajensen@kw.com     04/04/2013

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) recently announced a new, streamlined home loan modification program to help Minneapolis home owners who are behind in their payments or own a home with a mortgage that is under water. The purpose of the recently announced program continues to focus on helping troubled borrowers avoid foreclosure and stay in their homes. Simplified Modification Criteria Creates More Opportunity For Home Owners Beginning this summer, on July 1st to be exact, the new Streamlined Modification Initiative will be available to home owners that meet certain criteria. Interestingly, this new program will require home loan servicers to provide eligible home owners whose loans are owned or guaranteed by Freddie Mac or Fannie Mae with a 90 day trial modification without re... 04/04/2013

It's a great time to buy a new home because there are quite a few Maple Grove homes for sale and interest rates have continued to stay comparatively low. Whether it's your first time purchasing real estate or you're a seasoned professional, here are a few tips to make shopping for a new house more pleasurable. 1. Get Help: Searching through all of the available properties on the market can be mind-boggling. Find a professional real estate agent to help guide you through the homes for sale and select one that meets your family and financial needs. 2. Start Looking Now: Finding the perfect house can take longer than you might think, especially if you're looking in a competitive market. If you're looking at getting a good deal on a foreclosure or short sale, then these transactions can tak... 04/03/2013

Last week, the S&P/Case-Shiller Index showed home prices gaining 8.1 percent during the 12-month period ending January 2013, marking the largest year-over-year increases since the summer of 2006. The Case-Shiller Index measures changes in home prices by tracking same-home sales throughout 20 housing markets nationwide; and the change in sales price from sale-to-sale. Detached, single-family residences are used in the Case-Shiller Index methodology and data is for closed purchase transactions only. All 20 Case Shiller Index Markets Show Growth: Between December 2012 and January 2013, home values rose in all 20 Case-Shiller Index markets, with previously-hard hit areas such as Phoenix, Arizona leading the national price recovery. Another notable gainer was New York, which posted the first... 04/02/2013

Buying real estate for the first time is a very exciting step in life. It is likely to be one of the biggest financial commitments that you make, so it's very important to navigate the purchasing process wisely. Many first-time home buyers make rookie mistakes that bring on negative consequences and a lot of frustration. Outlined below are common errors home buyers make, so you can learn from their missteps and avoid them yourself. 1. Buying More Than What You Can Truly Afford: Just because the bank says that you qualify a certain amount for a mortgage doesn't mean that you have to choose a house at the very top of this price range. Many people get carried away and buy the most expensive house that they qualify for. If something unexpected happens, they may find it difficult to keep up ... 04/01/2013

Have you ever heard the saying, "You never get a second chance for a first impression?" If you have a Plymouth home for sale, it is important to appreciate the significance a first impression has on your potential buyer.  When buyers drive up to your property and take their first look at your home, they will instantly be forming ideas about your house and how it might fit for their family.  When you are trying to entice a buyer to make an offer on your house, you must consider the curb appeal - how your house looks from the outside, or while standing on the curb - of your home for sale.  In fact, some surveys show that curb appeal can affect a buyer's decision even more than price or square footage.  Below are seven simple and inexpensive things you can do to improve your home's curb a... 03/28/2013

The National Association of REALTORS® released its monthly Existing Home Sales report on March 21 and gave investors and home sellers something to cheer about.  While February sales of existing homes didn't meet investor forecasts of 5.00 million homes sold on a seasonally adjusted annual basis, the actual number of existing (previously owned) homes came close at 4.98 million homes sold. This number surpassed January's revised reading of 4.94 million homes sold by 0.8 percent. Sales of existing homes comprise approximately 85 to 90 percent of homes sold in the U.S. Investors watch existing home sales for evaluating housing markets and short-term economic trends related to home purchases such as goods and services associated with home ownership. Existing Home Sales Up For 20 Consecutive... 03/27/2013

You've finally made the decision and are moving to a new city. And while a move can be an exciting new adventure - new work, new friends, new life experiences - moving to a new home is a big deal, especially for a young child. They might not understand what is happening, and even feel apprehensive, overwhelmed or stressed during a move. However, there are ways that you can help your children adjust and make the transition of moving to a new house easier. Here are a few tips to help you, and your little ones, beat the moving blues. Talk to your children before the move and explain what is happening — why you are moving and where you will be going. Be straightforward and answer all their questions. From sadness to excitement, your children will have emotions associated with the move. Thes... 03/26/2013

Maple Grove MN Restaurants Here's a list of all of the best Maple Grove MN restaurants. Click on the links to open up their websites. Angeno's Pizza and Pasta 13588 80th Circle N 763-420-8200 Applebee's 14400 Weaver Lake Rd N 763-494-3289 Baja Sol 11611 Fountains Dr N 763-315- 2942 Benihana 11840 Fountains Way N 763-315-0090 Biaggi's Ristorante 12051 Elm Creek Blvd N 763-416-2225 Bollywood Bistro 8085 Wedgewood Lane N 763-494-6925 Broadway Bar & Pizza 7951 Elm Creek Blvd N 763-416-4446 BUCA di BEPPO 12650 Elm Creek Blvd N 763-494-0740 California Pizza Kitchen 12489 Elm Creek Blvd N 763-424-4890 Champp's Americana 13521 80th Cir N 763-494-4515 Chanticlear Pizza 9511 Black Oaks Lane N 763-494-9949 CherryBerry Frozen Yogurt 11630 Fountains Drive 763-273-4538 Chez Arnaud 1332 Bass Lake Rd 7... 03/25/2013

The first sign of mold you notice may be a musty smell in your home. After looking around, you spot what looks like mold -- don't panic! You can remove unhealthy mold from your house without it costing a small fortune. Check To Be Sure It's Really Mold: Mold can look many different ways, which depends on the type. Some are grayish-white or black and can look like a dirty smudge. If you're in doubt that a spot is mold, you can do a test with chlorine bleach. Simply put a drop on the spot. If the color immediately fades away, you have mold. Mold Infestation Ususally Means Leaks Too: Mold needs moisture to grow. If you find mold, you know that you probably also have a water problem in your Minneapolis home. So first, you'll need to find the source of the leak and repair it. After that, yo... 03/22/2013