Are you ready to buy?

Here today, gone tomorrow. With a strong economy Minot's housing market is fast moving. There is a saying I seen in a car dealership once about the same car you looked at yesterday maybe the same one someone else looked at the day before and bought today. I in no way think buying a house is a quick decision to make, however if you have invested in a home already you know that when you find "the one" there is something different about it. It is alot like dating, you know if it is going to work out or not.

When you find "the one" in a good housing market like our's it may not be there tomorrow. To insure this does not happen it is important you get pre-approved before starting your home search. This not only will make sure you don't miss out on "the one" but will let you know what the bank has approved you to spend and to determine if you are comfortable spending this amount. Your lifestyle should not change for a mortgage so it is important you find the payment you are comfortable with.

Items needed for Preapproval:
1. 30 days of paycheck stubs
2. 2 years of W-2 forms and full tax returns
3. 3 months of bank account statements

Cold Winters

The state with the 50 below winters, snow from October- April, and no pro sports teams, is the one the rest of the country is envious of!! In North Dakota we tend to stay close to home with majority never moving out of the county they were born in and being conservative with our money. Which in return has allowed us to be known as a low crime, low unemployment rate, stable housing market state!

With farming being our bread and butter, or more so pasta and flaxseed, we are the country's number one producer of durum wheat. Then there is the oil, production is up 43% which is triple the rate from 5 years ago. So forget being the state of cold winters... we are the state of Wheat and Oil!

Why ND is where it is at:

1. Unemployement LOWEST in 50 states

2. 2010 Best Job Growth in 50 states

3. Low crime rate, 60 % lower than national average

4. Lowest credit card default - WE spend within our means!

5. Stable Housing Market!!

Known for our snow maybe blocks our path to being underwater. Nation wide 1 in 4 home owners are underwater. In North Dakota our equity is keeping us snowboarding along. So next time you visit another state and someone comments on how do you live in ND, you can proudly say why!

30 Minutes or Less

What can you do in 30 minutes or less these days with traffic, I can sell a house as told in the Minot Daily News today and on the local news! I am very excited to say the house they discussed in selling in 30 minutes was my very own listing!! This Old House magazine has featured our very own charming eastwood park among the top 64 neighborhoods in the country! Between the beautiful homes from yesterdays time, to the neighborhood pulling together to hold events this is a great place to live!! No wonder it only takes 30 minutes!

http://www.minotdailynews.com/page/content.detail/id/552662/This-old-neighborhood.html?nav=5010

First home journey's

A few years ago I assited TJ & Michelle with finding their first home. At the time the home had been a rental and let go... they transformed this home back into a charming Eastwood Park home. As the military brings them to their next destination I put their house on the market. Within hours of it going on Bobby & Heather knew it was the house for them, in fact they knew the moment they drove by it days before this would be their first home! Thank you to everyone for letting me help you!!

Final Numbes:3 bedrooms, 1.75 baths, 2200 sq ft, Built in 1917.
Home Features: 2 car garage, 328 sq ft master bedroom with 2 large closets, Finished Basement
List Price: $160,000
Days to Offer: 1
DaysClosing Time: 25 Days

After helping Jarid get ready to buy his first home over the last few years, he found the right one! It may have took a while to get here... but it was all worth it!!

Final Numbes:3 bedrooms, 1.75 baths, 1600 sq ft, Built in 1949.

Home Features: Updated kitchen, newer flooring and orginal hardwood, large yard

List Price: $129,500

Home Ownership Matters

In this day and age we dream of alot of things as Americans... fame, money, and home ownership. Obviously as a Realtor I think everyone should partake in home ownership. But as a member of the community and having my own family I truely believe everyone should partake in this. Yes all of us have our sisters cousins friend, or someone to that affect, who we think would not be an ideal home owner... after all they are not financially ready and they do not take care of their rental. However are we ever financially ready for everything life throws at us, and the pride one feels with ownership will change the care they take.

Owning a home is not just a place to live your life, but an investment towards your furture. The networth of a home owning family is more than $200,000 while another family that rents is about $5,000! Even in the strong housing market in Minot you are still able to increase your equity in owning a home... after all renting is just buying someone else a house!!

There Benefits of Home Ownership:
1. Higher Academic Achievement
2. More Cohesive Communities
3. Stronger Families
4. Improved Health & Safety
5. Stronger Economy

Kudos

"People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did,

but people will never forget how you made them feel. " -Angelou

The best part of my career is the people I get to meet. The expression on their face when they know its the house for them or the squeal you can hear down the street when I tell them their offer was accepted is such a rewarding expierence for all parties involved, especially me.

To have a client take the time to send a letter to my Broker, Scott Louser, after they have moved into their house just blows me away. I can not thank Donna enough for allowing me to assist her in finding her first home and sending this awesome letter... not sure I deserve all this but it sure made my year!

Thank you!!

I may have said this a time or two before, but I seriously have the best career ever! I get to make something out of nothing. I take a dream and make it reality. I get to help people make the biggest purchase of their lives. All the while this is called a career, but the real reward comes when I hand over the keys. The keys that allow them to make their house a home, or a building a business, and change their lives. I want to thank everyone who has allowed me to assist them!!

This past year was an awesome year! I met ALOT of great people!! Many of which of moved into their homes, and some who will soon be. I had a baby, my 3rd in fact, I am going to need a bigger sign in the picture at this rate! Then there was my 30th birthday, I suspect I did get a wrinkle, but I also realized 30s is where it is at! Not sure this decade is ready for me, but I am ready for it!

As a goal junkie, successful people plan their success, or at least they write a list of goals? My goal in 2010 was to volunteer, in 2011 it is to help promote awareness of how others can help!

I just REALLY want to thank everyone for all their support over the last 5 years I have been in Real Estate. I appreciate every referral and all the people have let me be part of their lives!!