The Importance of Getting Pre-Approved for Financing

It’s endlessly important to speak with a lender and secure financing before making an offer on a home, and today, I have a story that illustrates this point perfectly.

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Unfortunately, I have a pretty rough story for you today.

I have a client who has been very excited about buying a home here in Minneapolis, and we’ve looked at several properties. We advised this client to get themselves in a position to be ready to make a purchase.

Recently, we looked at a great property that we thought would sell very quickly, so we wanted the client to make an offer quickly. Unfortunately, they weren’t in the position to make an offer because they hadn’t established their financing and they hadn’t talked with their bank about funds.

Sadly, a number of buyers made an offer on the property before we even had an opportunity. Now we’re back to the drawing board.

It’s never too early to have a conversation with your lender about financing.

That’s why I advise everyone to have a conversation with their lender, mortgage broker, or banker before shopping for a home if they’re going to make a cash or financed offer. Not only is this conversation free, but getting to the point where you’re ready to go with an offer is worth its weight in gold. 

If you need a lender, I have a number of great lenders I can refer to you at any point when you’re ready. It’s never too early to have this conversation, and it can give you peace of mind knowing when you’re finally ready to pull the trigger on an offer.

If you’d like a referral for a great lender or you have any other questions about buying or selling a home, give me a call or send me an email soon. I’d be glad to help.

A Secret to Getting Ahead in Our Market

If you’re trying to get ahead in our market, pocket listings may be the key. We’ve even got a program that allows you to see these secret homes so you can take advantage of them.

Selling in the Minneapolis area? Get a market analysis report

Purchasing in the Minneapolis area? Get full MLS access

Today I want to share a secret on how to get ahead in our market. 

I'm sure you've noticed while looking online for homes that some properties sold very quickly—sometimes even immediately. What’s interesting about the market today is that you will see a percentage of homes that will sell before they even hit the market. These homes are called pocket listings and they are never available to the general public, which is why finding one is like striking gold.

If you’re trying to get ahead and learn the marketplace to find homes that are the best fit for you before they hit the market, pocket listings can be key to being what’s called RWA—ready, willing, and able.

Take advantage of these secret properties so you can become RWA.

We’ve got a program that allows you to see these secret homes and position yourself as a frontrunner to take advantage of them. For example, I have a couple of multi-million dollar clients that are thinking of listing their homes in the next month or two, and I know about them already. There also may be a couple of buyers who are really interested in seeing those homes in advance. 

If you’d like to take advantage of these secret properties, reach out to us anytime so we can get you ready, willing, and able to take advantage of these special deals. We look forward to hearing from you soon.

Pros and Cons of Using an Auction to Sell a Home

One of the ways you can sell your home is by putting it up for auction. Here are some pros and cons to using an auction to sell your home.

Selling in the Minneapolis area? Get a market analysis report

Purchasing in the Minneapolis area? Get full MLS access

Today I want to talk about the concept of auctioning homes. There are definitely some pros and cons to using an auction to sell your home. 

First, the pros. 

Why would you want to consider using an auction to sell your home? The key to selling is getting people to all want the same thing at the same time, which generally drives up the price. That is exactly what an auction does, as it brings a number of people to come see that property. 

Instead of potentially dragging out your market time, you have one big pop.

You need the best positioning, best marketing, and best experience.

Now, onto the cons. 

There is a good possibility that you will be very nervous. You’ll ask yourself what happens if it’s not done correctly, how will this affect our market time, what happens after the auction if I don’t get a sale, and will there be a stigma attached if we can’t sell the opening weekend? 

There is no right or wrong answer. It depends on the best positioning, the best marketing, and the best experience that you can put forth to be able to push that property in the right direction. 

If you have any other questions about auctions or have any general real estate questions, please feel free to reach out to me. I look forward to hearing from you soon.