Barker and Hedges Real Estate Blog

The Minnesota Home Ownership Center is holding workshops/open houses for people who are concerned about mortgage payments, are facing foreclosure or wish to learn about the foreclosure process. Foreclosure counselors and mortgage lenders will give free advice. No registration required.

Free workshops

• 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. July 29, North Regional Library, 1315 Lowry Av. N., Minneapolis.

• 6:30 to 8 p.m. July 30, Woodbury Central Park Library, 8595 Central Park Pl.

• 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Aug. 5, Park Avenue United Methodist Church, 3400 Park Av. S., Minneapolis.

• 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Aug. 19, St. Cloud Civic Center, 10 S. 4th Av., St. Cloud, Minn.

For information, call 651-659-9336 or visit www.hocmn.org.

On August 5th, residents all across Minnesota will gather together in their respective communities to participate in this year’s National Night Out.  At this national-but-local event, people all across the nation will be doing the same thing within their own communities.  National Night Out provides (NNO) an excellent opportunity for citizens to meet and greet with their neighbors, with the hopes of developing more close-knit communities.  It’s also a night when residents can cultivate relationships with the local law enforcement officials which keep their neighborhoods safe.  The Twin Cities will be no different, as National Night Out festivities will be occurring throughout the metro area.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the first National Night Out.  The events are not only meant to introduce the law enforcement and safety officers to the individuals within community, but they’re also indented to elevate crime and drug prevention awareness within the public.  The hope is that these events will create and strengthen neighborhood unity, enhance collaboration between police and citizens, and generate involvement in local anticrime programs.  Furthermore, and probably most importantly, taking part in these events sends a serious message to criminals that our communities are organized and ready to fight for neighborhood safety. 

There is a huge following of National Night Out in Minnesota.  I wasn’t quite aware of just how involved the state was until I started doing a little digging around.  From front porch vigils to blocks parties, the state of Minnesota has one of the highest involvement rates in the nation.  Last year, Minnesota tied with Texas for having the most participants state-wide.  Also in 2007, Minneapolis was ranked at the top for resident participation among cities with a population of 300,000.  There were 1,117 officially recognized National Night Out parties in streets, parks, yards and homes in Minneapolis with more than 62,000 people taking part. In a few other categories, several Minnesota cities and counties have won various awards for their involvement in NNO events. 

If you want to learn more about NNO and National Association of Town Watch, the organization which first introduced it, you can check out the website here.  The history of NNO and NATW are not the main point of why I’m writing though. 

If you’re planning on closing off a street in celebration of National Night Out, you must have your application turned in by Thursday.  Originally the deadline was today, but it was pushed back two days.  Party organizers that register their event with the city will be eligible to win door prizes donated by Minneapolis businesses. Those who register their party with Minneapolis can also request vouchers for discounted Minnesota Twins tickets and free passes to Mystery Park at Nickelodeon Universe at the Mall of America, child safety cards, name tags and door hangers.

If you hadn’t thought of having a street party before and it sounds like something you’d like to do with your neighborhood, contact the City of Minneapolis.  If you want to attend an event, find out if there is one near you!  But that doesn’t mean you can’t hold small gatherings to promote neighborhood bonding and strengthen community spirit yourself.  A NNO party can be as simple as neighbors gathering for a picnic.  As long as neighbors are encouraged to meet, converse, and watch out for one another, the evening’s intention has been fulfilled.

No, this isn’t the latest California weight loss program… However, eliminating furniture pieces from your room may be beneficial to the sale of your home!

Rooms hosting extra large furniture items or too many furniture pieces will create two negative side-effects: 1) the room will appear cluttered and chaotic, and 2) the room will appear smaller than it should.

BEFORE STAGING

This large living room appears crowded due to the over-sized furniture and the numerous pieces. Buyers will appreciate the spaciousness of this room since the furniture is over-powering the space.

This layout also cuts off the natural traffic pattern from the living room to the family room. Although functional, buyers are left to navigate around the far side furniture making for an akward transition between rooms.

AFTER STAGING

Removing the love seat and adding a small-scale chair, space is visible around the furniture pieces which creates a more spacious feeling in the room.

Rugs are great to section off areas; however, in this case, removing the rug instantly increases the visual floor space resulting (again) in a spacious feeling.

With the new arrangement, easy pathways are created in and out of the room.

Even though buyers are not purchasing your furnishings, these items will set the atmosphere in your home that buyers will remember. Removing unneeded furniture will help to create an open layout that is stylish and inviting.

So, forget about counting calories and carbohydrates. Put on your spandex and headband, and get your exercise by following the Furniture Diet!

KFM Staging & Design is a Minnesota home staging company that has been creating “First Impressions That Sell” for homeowners and Realtors across the Twin Cities and western Wisconsin. KFM specializes in home staging consultations and vacant stagings. For more information on home staging visit our website: www.kfmstaging.com.

The “Ten Best Days of Summer” are in full swing! Celebrated in locations and venues across the city, the Minneapolis Aquatennial is the largest parade and free outdoor concert in Minnesota and has one of the largest fireworks displays in the U.S.! This celebration is attended by nearly 800,000 people over 10 days!

As I discussed before in this previous article about the Aquatennial, the celebration is always held the third full week of July. This year, the event started on Thursday, July 18, and it will run through July 27. This year’s Aquatennial will celebrate the year Minnesota achieves 150 years of statehood.

Some attractions and events at the Aquatennial include boat races, a sandcastle building competition, a beachside art fair, neighborhood park BBQs, athletics competitions, live music, entertainment, and more! Don’t forget the first Torchlight Parade and the annual “Milk Carton Boat Races”!

You can check out the full schedule of activities at the official Minneapolis Aquatennial website!

New listings for homes fell in Saint Paul, Minnesota, during the month of June, according to the Minneapolis Area Association of Realtors’ Market Update for 100 Twin Cities Communities. During June of 2008, there were 632 new listings in the City of Saint Paul. In June of 2007, there were 694 new listings, which is a drop of about 8.9%, much better than May 2008’s drop of 23.8%. St. Paul’s Downtown again has experienced the greatest decline in new listings at -51.2%. The Phalen neighborhood experienced the greatest increase in new listings over last year at 111, 18.1% more than June 2007. Here is a list of June 2008 new listings in Saint Paul by neighborhood and the percentage of change that has occurred compared to June 2007. (To see a Barker & Hedges blog entry about May 2008 St. Paul Market Activity, please click here.)

Como 35 (-32.7%)
Crocus Hill 41 (-24.1%)
Downtown Saint Paul 21 (-51.2%)
East Side 130 (-1.5%)
Highland Park 31 (-36.7%)
Mac-Groveland 46 (+7.0%)
Merriam Park 20 (-16.7%)
North End/Frogtown 81 (+14.1%)
Phalen 111 (+18.1%)
Southeast 19 (-5.0%)
St. Anthony/Midway 31 (-40.4%)
West 7th 24 (+4.3%)
West Side/Cherokee 38 (+11.8%)

When you look at Saint Paul’s posted new listing for the 2008 year-to-date, from January through June, there were 3,770 new listings in the city, compared to 4,149 during the same time period of 2007. That means there were 9.1% fewer new listings so far this year. The most dramatic changes have happened in the Merriam Park neighborhood, where new listings have decreased by 28.0% while the Phalen neighborhood’s new listings continue to increase with 11.9% more houses for sale than last year. Here is a list of new listings in Saint Paul for the 2008 year to date compared to 2007:

Como 230 (-17.0%)
Crocus Hill 294 (-16.5%)
Downtown Saint Paul 241 (-20.2%)
East Side 808 (+0.6%)
Highland Park 247 (-10.5%)
Mac-Groveland 225 (-13.8%)
Merriam Park 108 (-28.0%)
North End/Frogtown 450 (-5.9%)
Phalen 525 (+13.1%)
Southeast 129 (-20.9%)
St. Anthony/Midway 195 (-32.8%)
West 7th 110 (-22.5%)
West Side/Cherokee 195 (+8.9%)

In this case, reduced listings has certainly not meant fewer closed sales on homes in St. Paul, Minnesota. At 297, there were over 6.5% more closed sales than June of 2007’s 279. This has helped the 2008 year overall closed sales, which has crept up from 6.4% below last years figure to just 3.6% under. 1,237 home sales were closed in St. Paul from January through June of 2008 compared to 1,283 during the same time period last year. A little more and we’ll be even with last year!

As for home sales prices in Saint Paul, the downward trend is has unfortunately continued. The average sales price of a home in the City of St. Paul was $185,868 in June 2008 compared to $265,234 in 2007. That is a decrease of a whopping 29.9%! The only exception for this was the West Side/Cherokee neighborhood, which saw its sales price for a home increase 4.0% to $178,317 over last year. The average sales price year-to-date in the City of St. Paul is no better at $184,538. During the same time period in 2007, the average sales price of a home was $231,782, a decrease of 20.4%. The percentage of St. Paul homes which sold at their original list price has increased to 90.1%, an increase of over one full percentage point from last month. But in 2007, 95.5% of the homes sold in June were purchased for their original listing price.

Average prices of homes sold in Saint Paul by neighborhood during June 2008:

Crocus Hill $369,236 (-24.2%)
Downtown Saint Paul $180,866 (-2.2%)
East Side $109,586 (-30.9%)
Highland Park $281,743 (-13.5%)
Mac-Groveland $296,207 (-23.8%)
Merriam Park $269,042 (-15.8%)
North End/Frogtown $89,326 (-41.4%)
Phalen $124,614 (-24.4%)
Southeast $146,775 (-28.2%)
St. Anthony/Midway $176,182 (-16.3%)
West 7th $141,436 (-16.3%)
West Side/Cherokee $178,317 (+4.0%)

Homes for sale in Saint Paul are staying on the market longer than they did in 2007. In June of 2008, a home in St. Paul was on the market for an average of 134 days before it was sold. In June of 2007, homes for sale in Saint Paul were on the market for an average of 112 days before selling. The amount of time a home spends on the market varies from neighborhood to neighborhood as well. Homes in the Como Saint Paul area on the market in June were selling after just 60 days on the market, compared to 2007’s 89. It’s taking about 5 months in most neighborhoods. In Southeast St. Paul, it’s taking 244 days for a home to sell! That’s over 8 months! Year to date, homes are taking an average of 144 days to sell, compared to 2007’s 125 days. Here is the average number of days a home is on the market at the time of sale by St. Paul neighborhood for June of 2008.

Como 60 (-33.1%)
Crocus Hill 141 (-11.3%)
Downtown Saint Paul 133 (+9.8%)
East Side 139 (-0.3%)
Highland Park 106 (+14.9%)
Mac-Groveland 110 (+74.7%)
Merriam Park 125 (+13.2%)
North End/Frogtown 147 (+20.7%)
Phalen 169 (+61.6%)
Southeast 244 (+111.1%)
St. Anthony/Midway 177 (+79.1%)
West 7th 117 (-17.1%)
West Side/Cherokee 106 (-43.8%)

This is a brief analysis of the St. Paul real estate market based on calculations by the Minneapolis Area Association of Realtors. These statistics do not reflect all situations. Though much of this information may seem like a downer, much of it a necessary market correction which has been happening for a while. It will take time for the real estate market to stabilize.

Browse homes for sale by Saint Paul Neighborhood:

Battle Creek & Highwood
Como/Como Park
Downtown
Greater East Side
Hamline-Midway
Highland Park
Dayton’s Bluff
Payne-Phalen
Macalester-Groveland
Merriam Park
North End
St. Anthony/Midway
Summit Hill
Summit University
Thomas-Dale
West Side
West 7th

During the month of June 2008 in Minneapolis, there was once again a decrease in new listings, according to the Minneapolis Area Association of Realtors’ Market Update for 100 Twin Cities Communities. During June of this year, there were 1,049 new listings. In June 2007, there were 1,184 new listings. That is a drop of 11.1%. It’s much better than May’s nearly 20% decrease in new real estate listings. The University community experienced the greatest decrease in new listings during June. There were just 12 new listings in University, down a whopping 58.6% from June of 2007’s 29. Conversely the Phillips community, which experienced a great decrease in new listings during May, has seen its new real estate listings jump 173.7% during June 2008 compared to last year. There were 52 new listings here compared to last year’s 19 during the month. Here is an inventory of June 2008 new listings in Minneapolis by community and the percentage of change that has occurred compared to June 2007. These changes are very different compared to the real estate activity of May. (To see a Barker & Hedges article about May 2008 Minneapolis Market Activity, please click here.)

Camden 144 (-2.7%)
Downtown Minneapolis 123 (-40.6%)
Longfellow 61 (+5.2%)
Nokomis 119 (-21.2%)
North 128 (+21.9%)
Northeast 91 (+5.8%)
Phillips 52 (+173.7%)
Powderhorn 80 (+14.3%)
Southwest 118 (-33.0%)
University Area 12 (-58.6%)
Uptown-Lakes 121 (-8.3%)

Though some of those changes seem quite drastic, looking at Minneapolis’ posted new listing for the 2008 year-to-date softens that outlook a bit. From January through June of 2008, there were 6,194 new listings, compared to 7,100 during the same time period of 2007. That is a decrease of 12.8%. The most dramatic adjustments happened in the Uptown-Lakes and Downtown areas, which have experienced a drop in new listings of -26.5% and -24.1% respectively over the course of the year compared to last year. On the other end of the spectrum, the Phillips and North communities had increases in new listings of 24.5% and 11.9% respectively. Here is a depiction of new listings in Minneapolis by community for the 2008 year to date and the percentage of change that has occurred compared to 2007:

Camden 838 (-6.3%)
Downtown Minneapolis 789 (-24.1%)
Longfellow 333 (-9.3%)
Nokomis 716 (-20.4%)
North 772 (+11.9%)
Northeast 463 (-18.1%)
Phillips 193 (+24.5%)
Powderhorn 478 (+10.9%)
Southwest 768 (-16.9%)
University Area 142 (-22.0%)
Uptown-Lakes 700 (-26.5%)

Time for some good news! Minneapolis closed sales have picked up! Throughout the month, there were 516 properties sold, which means there were 5.5% more closed sales than in June of 2007. For the 2008 year to date, the City of Minneapolis closed sales are much closer to last years than they were just a month ago, at just about -3.3% lower than last year. 2,173 home sales were closed in Minneapolis so far in 2008 compared to 2,248 during the same time period of 2007.

Back to some less good news. When it comes to home sales prices, the downward spiral has unfortunately continued. The average sales price of a home in Minneapolis was $222,804 in June 2008 compared to $280,358 in June 2007, a decrease of 20.5%! The average sales price year-to-date in the City of Minneapolis isn’t much better off, as from January through June of 2008 the average sales price of a home was $214,406, a decrease of 16.8% from last year’s $260,037 for the same time period. The percentage of Minneapolis homes which sold at their original list price was 92.4% during the month of June, down from 95.2% in 2007. There is a community which is bucking the trend, however. Downtown Minneapolis has experienced an increase in real estate values due to high demand for properties here. The average price of a home sold in Downtown Minneapolis during June was $364,908, up 10.6% from last June’s $329,895. The year-to-date sale price of real estate Downtown has risen 2.1% to $325,687. 96.1% of homes sold in Downtown Minneapolis are closing at their original listing price.

Average prices of homes sold in Minneapolis by community:

Camden $83,635 (-34.9%)
Downtown Minneapolis $364,908 (+10.6%)
Longfellow $194,776 (-13.3%)
Nokomis $224,151 (-4.4%)
North $69,889 (-40.8%)
Northeast $170,024 (-17.4%)
Phillips $128,607 (-30.4%)
Powderhorn $144,252 (-15.9%)
Southwest $338,720 (-19.8%)
University Area $231,848 (-6.4%)
Uptown-Lakes $315,668 (-30.8%)

Finally, homes for sale in Minneapolis are staying on the market for much longer than they were in 2007. Last year in June, a Minneapolis home was on the market for an average of 116 days before selling. During June of 2008, a home was on the market for an average of 143 days when it sold. The statistics vary based on neighborhood and the types of housing on the market. Condos and town homes are being snapped up much more quickly than usual, while single family homes are staying on the market for much longer than usual. Here is the average number of days a home is on the market at the time of sale by individual Minneapolis community during the month of June 2008.

Camden 186 (+2.6%)
Downtown Minneapolis 241 (+ 49.2%)
Longfellow 80 (+103.9%)
Nokomis 117 (+61.3%)
North 173 (+17.5%)
Northeast 139 (+11.2%)
Phillips 159 (-18.2%)
Powderhorn 105 (-13.6%)
Southwest 106 (+4.0%)
University Area 52 (-32.1%)
Uptown-Lakes 128 (-17.4%)

This is a brief analysis of the Minneapolis real estate market based on calculations by the Minneapolis Area Association of Realtors. These statistics do not reflect each individual situation of course.

Browse homes for sale by Minneapolis community:

Calhoun Isle
Camden
Central
Longfellow
Phillips
Powderhorn
Near North
Nokomis
Northeast
Southwest
University

Money magazine has named Plymouth one of the best places in the nation to live. In fact, the Twin Cities northwest suburb was named the No. 1 place to live among U.S. cities with populations of 50,000 to 300,000. Money ranks the communities based on financial data, housing, safety, crime rates, weather and similar factors.

Plymouth? Our little Plymouth? Really? But it’s truly no wonder why this city of about 71,000 made the list, let alone reign over the top. I really can’t sum it up any better than what Money magazine said about Plymouth, Minnesota:

Topnotch schools, good jobs, affordable housing, low crime, an active outdoor culture - yep, they’re pretty much all here. Plymouth could have become just another Twin Cities suburb, but more than 50,000 jobs keep residents working there.

Home prices are within reason: The typical three-bedroom, two-bath house goes for $350,000. The city’s main school district is ranked among the top three in the state, and for culture, Plymouth’s open-air amphitheater, the Hilde Performance Center, hosts numerous summer concerts. Residents are a quick drive from the Mall of America, the nation’s biggest mall.

And did we mention the outdoors? Plymouth boasts more than half a dozen sizable bodies of water. Of course, this being Minnesota, winter can be brutal: January’s average low temperature is about 13°F. But when the mercury plummets, the locals get busy. In February the city hosts a Fire & Ice Festival that includes mini-golf, bowling and basketball - all right on the ice.

And it was Plymouth’s first appearance on the list to boot!

Of course as the Star Tribune put it, this means that Plymouth has some serious bragging rights on which to market. And you can be certain that they will. A community that breaks the annual magazine’s top 10 usually advertises it. Like other cities before it, Plymouth plans to tout its No. 1 status on billboards, in its newsletter, at festivals and in the local media.

Have we heard something like this before? If it sounds like déjà vu, it probably is. In 2006, Eden Prairie made the top 10 and the city prominently displayed its ranking on its website and city literature for months. City politicians mentioned its No. 10 ranking often as an illustration of the city’s success.

Since 2006, Eden Prairie has dropped to 40th. A city’s ranking might rise or fall for many reasons. Changes in the housing market or nearby highways will definitely have an effect on a city’s standing. Some of the best towns become victims of their own excellence as they become overcrowded due to their desirability.

Though no other city in the state besides Plymouth made it to the top 10, Minnesota was certainly well represented in the top 100. Nine cities made the list: Eagan came in at No. 17, Apple Valley at 24, Lakeville at 26, Eden Prairie at 40, Maple Grove at 41, Burnsville at 43, Rochester at 70 and Blaine at 93.

Last year, the magazine ranked smaller cities - with populations between 7,500 and 50,000 — to come up with its list of 100. In that tally, Chaska, population 17,400, was No. 8 nationwide. Money didn’t rank cities in that size range this year.

To see the full list of the 100 best cities in which to live and how they compare to Plymouth, please click here.

A “short sale” happens when a seller negotiates with a lender to sell their house for less than is owed on the mortgage as payment in full of the debt owed. It is an alternative to foreclosure or bankruptcy proceedings for owners who can no longer afford to keep mortgage payments current. Because by definition a short sale means the lender is accepting less than what is due on the loan, not all lenders will accept short sales or discounted payoffs. Furthermore, not all sellers nor properties qualify for short sales.

So how do they work? If you’re a seller thinking you can’t make your payments or you’re a buyer considering purchasing a home through a short sale, you should know about the process before proceeding. There are benefits and drawbacks for both sides of the equation. That isn’t to say that a short sale isn’t a possible solution to a sticky mortgage situation or that a home buyer can’t get a discount on a home that might otherwise be priced out of range. Here is a general idea of what happens through the course of short sale proceedings.

Pursuing a short sale is usually a last resort to stay out of foreclosure. A homeowner first falls behind on payments, knows that they will be unable to make their next payment, or must move but can’t sell the house for what they owe on it (this last scenario has been happening more and more lately as real estate values drop). At any rate, foreclosure proceedings haven’t started but one is looming. A short sale could be the solution. As I said before, not all properties or people qualify. When they do, a financial hardship that will cause mortgage payments to be missed must be proven before anything happens.

The next step is for them to call for help. The seller must discuss the situation with the mortgage company as soon as he or she knows they can’t make a payment or soon won’t be able to. Talking and being open with a mortgage company during times of financial difficulty is very important because “it never hurts to try.” Although all lenders have varying requirements, the seller will basically have to explain to his or her lender why they should approve the short sale and will have to disclose an accounting of assets, income and liabilities. The borrower will submit a wide array of documentation before they will consider it. However, lenders do have an interest in considering a short sale if it is possible for them to avoid the expensive and lengthy process of foreclosing on a property. It can cost upwards of $50,000!

So the lender now has considered all of the financial facts and if a buyer is found, for the right price the short sale will proceed. If they haven’t already been heavily advertising their home is for sale, now is the time when a flurry of marketing occurs. The seller must offer full disclosure, though. Sellers must notify buyers as quickly as possible that a home is a short sale listing. Some MLSs have places in the listing report where agents can indicate a home is a short sale.

Now be prepared to wait. Even if you have a buyer right away, it’s not uncommon for this process to take 40 to 80 days. This is part of the reason why full disclosure is necessary: buyers decide whether they’re willing to wait for bank approval.

This is where the buyer steps in. First and foremost, if you’re a buyer looking at a short sale, seriously consider hiring a buyer’s agent to represent you. Buying a home in general is a complicated process already and short sale can be even more-so. The seller has representation in the listing agent, so why shouldn’t you? They can also help you to make a reasonable offer.

Buyers must be prepared to buy a property that is being sold as-is and with no credits for repairs or fix-up. The bank or lender won’t approve the sale if it is too far below the market value of the house. They’re sure to do their own broker price appraisal before accepting or countering an offer.

Since short sale properties are usually sold as-is, buyers should make their offers contingent on the outcome of an independent home inspection. Sellers are required by law to disclose material defects of which they are aware. Obviously, if a seller hasn’t had the money to make mortgage payments, odds are that maintenance has been pushed off. Owners have no incentive make improvements to the house anyway because they’ll make nothing on the sale.

Buyers on a short sale should also make their offer contingent upon the lender’s acceptance. Give the lender a time frame in which to respond, after which, you will be free to cancel. This doesn’t guarantee action, however, if the lender is under no pressure to make a decision.

There are benefits and pitfalls for both the sellers and the buyers when it comes to a short sale vs. foreclosure.

For the seller, both of these solutions affect credit the same. Sellers will take a hit of 200 to 300 points, depending on overall condition of credit, whether it’s a foreclosure or a short sale. However, the waiting period to buy another home following these events is very different. Someone who has gone through a foreclosure will have to wait 24 to 72 months before a lender will offer them a decent interest rate. For those who have a short sale on their financial record, the time frame is more in the ballpark of 24 to 36 months if they have been diligent about rebuilding their credit.

When it comes to short sales, you want to be the buyer, obviously. They have the most to gain from this transaction, as the buyer will likely purchase the property at or a bit below market value. This has a two-fold effect of lowering its future taxation by the tax assessor and the buyer’s mortgage payment is reduced because the loan is less. A drawback, however, is the buyer can often feel in limbo, waiting for an answer that could very well be no. Often this can be because the bank took to long to answer or countered with to high of a price. Then there are always other buyers in pursuit of a deal placing a higher bid. For buyers, short sale homes are often a better idea than purchasing a foreclosure property, as when a home stands empty without inhabitants or maintenance, a whole host of natural and man-made issues can arise that will require costly repairs.

For the first time since 2000, the U.S. Census Bureau has reported that the populations of Saint Paul, Minneapolis, and several of their first-ring suburbs, are growing.  At the same time, populations in newer suburbs farther out are tapering off.  Based on building permit trends, local officials have believed these changes were happening, but this is the first time the bureau has agreed.

Throughout this decade, the Census Bureau has recorded declines in population within Minneapolis, St. Paul, and some older suburbs such as Edina, Bloomington, St. Louis Park and Hopkins. But now they and a few others have reversed course and inhabitants are on the rise.

Demographer William Frey of the Brookings Institution in Washington says it may not just be a blip.  “Four-dollar gas may go a long ways toward slowing movement to the suburbs.”

This apparent change in fortune for Minneapolis and St. Paul may be related to a shift in methodology that seeks strives towards tracking the movement of college students leaving home and moving into or out of dorms and other housing.  For the inner-ring suburbs, though, the reason probably has to do with trends in real estate that are bringing more high-density development to suburbs.  The light-rail also seems to be accelerating this trend in some areas.  Thanks to the convenience it offers, residents are starting to see the advantages living nearby. 

Demographers have been warning the housing industry for years that a profound market shift was coming.  Over two years ago in April of 2006 in a newsletter called the “Hot Sheet” published by the Builders Association of the Twin Cities, there were predictions that the number of “move-up buyers,” ages 35 to 49, would fall in the last half of this decade as the numbers of apartment dwellers (ages 20 to 29), first-time buyers (ages 25 to 34), and “downsizers” (60 and older) would rise.

The Census Bureau’s recent estimates cover the period up to mid-2007.  The City of St. Paul is up by nearly 1,000, to 277,251. The population of Minneapolis is up by more than 2,300, to 377,392. 

One of the hallmarks of Minneapolis’ quality of life is its urban forest, which covers more than 26 percent of the landscape. The natural canopy showcases many shades of green in the summer.  In the autumn, the vivid reds, oranges and yellows of the changing leaves contrast beautifully with the muted colors of concrete and metal in the city.

The urban forest of Minneapolis is an important resource for the health and well-being of the city’s environment and residents.  Trees lower heating and air conditioning costs, prevent erosion, provide wildlife habitats, and increase property values.

Doing its part to maintain and preserve our priceless urban forest, the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board’s Forestry Division is responsible for all City-owned trees. It monitors the planting, pruning and removal of trees on public property.  For Minneapolis, that adds up to 200,000 boulevard trees on 1,078 miles of streets, including 6,400 acres of park land, which need care.  Since 1974, the city has planted a total of 211,594 trees. 

Some things you might not have known about Minneapolis and its trees:

• Minneapolis has been nationally recognized as a Tree City USA by the National Arbor Day Foundation since 1979.
• Minneapolis has won the Tree City USA Growth Award every year since 1994. 
• The city has also received National Arbor Day Foundation Arbor Day Awards of Excellence in advertising and celebration categories for 1981 and 2000 respectively.
• The Minnesota Society of Arboriculture bestowed the Award of Merit unto Minneapolis in the years 2006 and 2007.
• Minneapolis has won the Minnesota Shade Tree Advisory Committee Award nine times in the last 15 years: 1992, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2007.
• Finally, Minneapolis won the Award of Excellence from the National Roadside Vegetation Management Association in 2005.

And now the MPRB is asking for your help as a Minneapolis resident.  Right now, it’s the time of year when hot July temperatures and lack of rainfall are stressing young trees.  Accordingly, the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board Forestry Division is urging residents to water their young trees (five years and under), especially those planted on boulevards this year.  As part of the Forestry Division’s maintenance of the 3,500 new trees, crews completed two waterings and placed wood chips at the base of each tree. They also provided property owners with information about continued tree care.

“We really need residents to step forward to help us maintain these new trees by watering them once or twice a week as we deal with dry conditions,” says Paul Domholt, Community Forestry Coordinator.

The Forestry Division has provided these watering tips to ensure new and young trees will stay green and healthy.

• Using a garden hose, turn on the water at a slow rate for two hours. If a garden hose is not available, 20 gallons of water will properly soak a new tree.
• The best time to water is from 10 p.m.-8 a.m. Trees relieve water deficits (refill) overnight. Watering at night allows effective use of applied water and less loss from evaporation, assuring more water moves into the soil and tree.
• Pour left-over ice or water from your picnic lunch or supper beneath a nearby tree.
• Continue watering your tree this fall until the ground freezes, which often occurs in mid-to-late November.

MPRB Forestry crews mulch newly-planted trees each year for five years as needed. Mulch helps preserve root health by holding moisture, reducing weeds and preventing damage from weed whips and lawn mowers.

For trees on private property, place a 4-inch layer of mulch, such as wood chips, around the tree. Young or newly planted trees should have a two-foot radius of mulch placed a few inches away from the trunk of the tree. MPRB provides woodchips at sites throughout Minneapolis.

Also, citizens should watch over their new trees by checking them once a week for any diseases or other problems. Report insect, fungal or other noticeable damage to the Forestry Division and the tree will be inspected.

For more information on caring for trees or locating a wood chip distribution site, visit Minneapolis’ Urban Forest page or call the Forestry Division at 612-370-4900.