Barker and Hedges Real Estate BlogRecently posted or modified blog posts by tag - Home Buyershttps://www.barkerhedges.com/blog/Copyright BarkerHedges.com2014-05-27T15:11:00-07:00tag:barkerhedges.com,2012-09-20:24555412 France Avenue #204, Edina MN<img class="img_box_center" src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/441/image/5412_france_ave_s_204_MLS_HID890279_ROOMkitchen.jpg" height="337" width="508" />
Looking for a fabulous condo with all the updates and a location to die for? Proudly introducing you to <a title="5412 France Avenue #204, Edina, MN" href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/property-for-sale/mn/edina/55410/5412-france-avenue-s/10358989_spid/?src=2">MLS #4483720</a>. This beautifully remodeled condo features an open floor plan, hardwood floors, granite kitchen counters, stainless steel appliances, in-unit washer and dryer, and your own garage!
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Only 4 blocks to the heart of <a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/edina-real-estate/">Edina's</a> 50th & France. An easy walk to the shops, restaurants and other buisinesses in this coveted location or continue just a few blocks further to the prestigious Fulton and Linden Hills neighborhoods, Lakes Calhoun and Harriet and Minnehaha Creek.
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2014-05-27T11:16:00-07:002014-05-27T15:11:00-07:00Brandon Hedgestag:barkerhedges.com,2012-09-20:2454Linden Hills & Fulton Neighborhoods of MinneapolisThe <a title="Linden Hills Minneapolis" href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/minneapolis-linden-hills/">Linden Hills</a> and <a title="Fulton Minneapolis" href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/minneapolis-fulton/">Fulton</a> neighborhoods are two of the best locations to live in all the Twin Cities. Aside from only being minutes away from both downtown Minneapolis and St. Paul, the area sits in close proximity to the international airport and the Mall of America – and because the neighborhood is on the west side of the metro, it’s only a short drive to the scenic Lake Minnetonka. And on that note, the area itself has plenty of outdoor space that feels anything but urban.
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Image Credit: <a rel="nofollow" href="https://flic.kr/p/8jpV2K">Joe Bielawa</a>
Near the Linden Hills and Fulton neighborhoods sit plenty of bodies of water worth spending time around – Minnehaha Creek, Lake Calhoun, Cedar Lake, Lake of the Isles and Lake Harriet are all in close proximity. These options are a godsend for anyone who appreciates the outdoors, loves a good beach or water activities.
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Image Credit: <a rel="nofollow" href="https://flic.kr/p/czUZNC">Jason Riedy</a>
Minnehaha Creek is one can’t miss spot in the area, flowing 22 miles east through many Minneapolis suburbs. The creek flows into the gorgeous Minnehaha Falls, a huge attraction in the Minneapolis area. The 53-foot high waterfall is a beautiful escape for the urban life that surrounds the area.
There are also many fantastic parks in the area. Residents can chose from Utley Park, York Park, Arden Park, Wooddale Park, Pamela Park, and more. Minneapolis is an ever-growing city, but the parks and bodies of water remain very much untouched by urban development.
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Image Credit: <a rel="nofollow" href="https://flic.kr/p/86AXPc">Dan H's Photostream</a>
The Lake Harriet bandshell is a huge draw in the area during the warmer weather – locals flock here to listen to free concerts at this poetic outdoor venue.
The Linden Hills and Fulton neighborhoods have countless unique shopping options and eateries of all varieties. The options are not a menu of corporate chain establishments, but mom and pop shops and restaurants all with their own unique characteristics. The businesses reflect the community they are in, one of a kind in so many ways.
The Fulton neighborhood specifically has a <a target="_blank" title="Gallery 360 Fulton Minneapolis" href="http://fultonminneapolis.com/news/a-local-artist-showcase-gallery-360/">great spot</a> for local art in Gallery 360. This small, but beloved gallery showcases affordable local art for all the enthusiasts in the area.
Two of the area’s most beloved restaurants are the Chatterbox Pub and <a target="_blank" title="Tilia restaurant Linden Hills Minneapolis" href="http://lindenhillsminneapolis.com/food/peace-love-truth-music-relaxation-flavor-tilia/">Tilia</a>. Though the two share little in common other than the fact they serve food, they both offer patrons unforgettable experiences. One caters more towards a fun atmosphere with video games stations and good food (Chatterbox) the other offers a chic setting and refined dishes (Tilia).
One of the state’s historic sites, the Minnesota Streetcar Museum, calls Linden Hills home. Initially the line was constructed to connect Lake Harriet and Lake Calhoun to the downtown area. The line now simply functions as a working piece of Minnesota history, offering visitors historic exhibits, a gift shop and best of all, streetcar rides.
The streets of Linden Hills themselves are full of character with green life in the trees and gardens that line the causeways in the summer. This area is simply one that has to be visited to properly take in all the Linden Hills/Fulton area has to offer.2014-05-27T09:28:00-07:002014-05-27T15:07:34-07:00Brandon Hedgestag:barkerhedges.com,2012-09-20:2387What You Should Know About "Pocket" Real Estate Listings<a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/idx/property/4332520/details/" target="_blank"><img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/441/image/private_real_estate_listing_pocket_listing_sleeve_listing_640.jpg" title="private_real_estate_listing_pocket_listing_sleeve_listing_640" alt="private_real_estate_listing_pocket_listing_sleeve_listing_640" align="left" height="230" hspace="10" vspace="10" width="350" /></a>MPR recently did a story about the proliferation of private
sales in the Twin Cities real estate market. I thought that I would take some
time to talk about what a private real estate sale is and what its pros and
cons are.
A private real estate sale, otherwise known as a “sleeve”
listing or a “pocket” listing, is a property for which a broker holds a signed
listing agreement from the seller, but it is never actually advertised on a
multiple listing system (MLS). Instead of putting the house on the local MLS,
which exposes it to <a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/buying/" target="_blank">home buyers</a> and buyer agents, the real estate agent
restricts access to information about the house, hoping for a quick sale.
<a href="http://seattletimes.com/html/homesrealestate/2020935261_hreharney12xml.html" target="_blank">Pocket listings are surging</a> in the local <a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/twin-cities-real-estate/" target="_blank">Twin Cities real
estate</a> market, and in many other places in the U.S., because of incredibly low
inventories of homes for sale, along with strong buyer demand and low mortgage
interest rates. In competitive markets where <a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/our-teams-listings/" target="_blank">real estate listings</a> are scarce, private sales
or pocket listings are a way to have utter control over the sale.
The practice of marketing properties prior to listing them
on the MLS is legal as long as agents <a href="https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/?id=82.67" target="_blank">explain
the trade-offs sellers are making</a>.
There are benefits for the seller. As the <a href="http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2013/05/15/business/sleeving-market-homes" target="_blank">MPR story pointed
out</a>, pocket listings can be ideal for busy families that don’t want to have to
clean the house over and over again for dozens of tours and open houses. They
can also be good for homes that need a little work. It’s a prime option for
<a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/selling/" target="_blank">home sellers</a> who are more concerned with convenience of a quick sale than getting top dollar on a home.
That leads me to the drawbacks. First and foremost, because the home for sale isn’t exposed to the greatest number of home buyers through a public listing, the chance for getting top dollar is not as great because the opportunities for bidding wars are vastly decreased. It could annoy other real estate agents because they have fewer homes to show their buyers, which can impact the Realtors bottom line. It’s not that great for home buyers, because they may not know the perfect home for them was ever available.
Agents and sellers have a combined benefit, too. If the agents can sell their pocket listing to another client of theirs who is trying to buy, they can collect both sides of the commission. If they can sell it through colleagues in their own firm, the full commission remains inside the brokerage. The seller can also stand to benefit, as because if transaction only has one
real estate agent, the overall commission costs on the sale could be lower than
if two were involved.Jeremy Whiteman agreed to accept less than asked for his
house. He works in finance and ran the numbers, and decided it was worthwhile
to sell their Chaska house quickly, without bidding wars, so they could snap up
a new home in Chanhassen. They got a great price on the new house. It's in the
school district they wanted, and the kids love the new, big backyard. "If I lost $5,000-$10,000 on the other house, I'm
buying this one for a lot less than it would've been," he said. "That
helps me sleep at night. It is likely that when the Twin Cities real estate market loosens up a bit, sleeving or pocket listing will eventually fade. Home sellers who were holding back before will start entering the market. Once again, sellers and agents will want to expose a house to as many buyers as possible and the buyers’ market we’ve had for so long will start to fade.2013-05-15T21:54:00-07:002013-07-10T07:46:43-07:00Matt Barker