Purchasing a Home After Foreclosure or Bankruptcy
Updated Oct. 9, 2013
Purchasing a home after foreclosure or bankruptcy. We're experiencing an interesting and exciting part of America's history. The economy is starting to recover, the housing market is picking up and 2013 should be a great year to purchase a new home. However, there's a huge population of...

Great option for buyers to purchase homes with little money down and no mortgage insurance!
Updated Oct. 9, 2013
With the influx of foreclosure properties on the market, Fannie Mae (FNMA) and Freddie Mac (FHLMC) have put in place programs to help people purchase these homes. There are huge incentives for them to get these homes sold and they're offering some enticing benefits to buyers. Some of the benefits include...

Self Employed and Getting a Mortgage? This is something you'll want to know.
Updated Oct. 9, 2013
Self Employed and Getting a Mortgage? This is something you'll want to know.With the changes in the mortgage/financial industry over the past few years, every new borrower needs to have full documentation proving their income. That's not typically an issue unless you're self-employed. As...

Increasing your wealth with a 1031 Exchange
Updated Oct. 9, 2013
With the real estate market picking up, I thought it would be timely to discuss a vehicle that successful real estate investors use to increase their wealth and defer tax burdens. It's called a 1031 Exchange.. A 1031 Exchange can be summed up as a way to defer taxes on real estate by reinvesting proceeds from the...

Why are the big lenders laying off when we keep hiring?
Updated Oct. 9, 2013
In the past week, some of the largest lenders in the country announced major layoffs. What’s interesting to me is that the economy is starting to get its bearings, real estate and housing sales are increasing at a healthy clip and the housing industry is just going to get busier and busier. But evidently...

Get ready! Home values and sales are expected to get hot this summer….
Updated Oct. 9, 2013
With what I hope is the last of the snow we’ll get this season in Minnesota (yesterday dumping almost 12 inches of snow in Minneapolis), I’m starting to daydream about summer. This summer is expected to get really hot in the housing market.  We’re already seeing it here in Minnesota over the...

This is why I love my job....
Updated Oct. 9, 2013
We closed a loan yesterday for a client who was turned down by all of the big banks and lenders out there. My client was in for a surprise when he kept getting rejected by the banks with no explanation. No one bothered to let him know that there were items that came up on his credit report that were dragging down his credit...

Top 10 things to do to sell your home fast!
Updated Oct. 9, 2013
Time to sell your home? Here are some quick and inexpensive tips to help get your home sold asap.. 1. Time to get rid of that purple bathroom and paint over it with a neutral beige color. Although you're sad to see the purple go, it's for a good cause. Neutral paint colors should be throughout your home.. 2. Get rid...

She owed more money than her home was worth....
Updated Oct. 9, 2013
...but she wanted to refinance into a lower rate.. Today we closed on a refinance for a woman who owes $125,000 on a townhome that is only worth $90,000. How did we do it? Her old mortgage was opened prior to 5/2009 and backed by Fannie Mae. Because she has excellent credit and never late on her mortgage payments, we were able...

Nationwide Open House Weekend - Seller's Market!
Updated Oct. 9, 2013
This weekend is Nationwide Open House Weekend! That means there's a huge push for open houses this weekend throughout the country. Recent reports provide great news to the Minneapolis/St. Paul real estate market...especially if you're looking to sell your home. One of the reports shows that the Twin...