Barker and Hedges Real Estate BlogRecently posted or modified blog posts by tag - Edinahttps://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!
<img class="img_box_center" src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/441/image/5412_france_ave_s_204_MLS_HID890279_ROOMMainExterior.jpg" height="337" width="508" />
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,2012-09-20:2142Architectural Style - French NormanThe French Normandy or French Norman style is named for architecture found in the Normandy province of France, starting in the Middle Ages. At the time, people in Normandy and the Loire Valley of France attached their farm silos to the main living quarters instead of to a separate barn.
During the 1920s and 1930s, an Americans revivalist movement romanticized the traditional French farmhouse, constructing buildings that take their cues from ancient French rural residences. Many plans include a small round tower topped by a cone-shaped roof, resembling the grain silos of the ancient Normandy style. The architecture is characterized by steep, conical roofs or hipped roofs and round stair-towers. They generally have stone walls and an asymmetrical plan. Like <a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/blog/architectural-style-tudor-revival/">Tudor style houses</a>, 20th-century French Normandy homes may have decorative half-timbering. Unlike Tudor style homes, houses influenced by French styles do not have a dominant gable in the front. There are a range of building styles these homes can resemble. Some appear to be cozy and romantic cottages<a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/edina-real-estate/"></a>. Some French Norman style homes look like small castles. Ther are homes of this styles in <a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/minneapolis-real-estate/">Minneapolis </a>and other <a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/twin-cities-real-estate/">Twin Cities communities</a>. <img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/441/image/french_norman_620.jpg" title="french_norman_620" alt="french_norman_620" height="375" width="500" /> 2012-04-28T22:34:00-07:002013-07-10T07:31:32-07:00Matt Barkertag:barkerhedges.com,2012-09-20:2123Architectural Style – RanchThe uncomplicated Ranch house evolved from several 20th century styles, including ramblers and bungalows. They were popular from 1945 through the 1980s. Sometimes referred to as a California Rambler, Ranch Style houses are usually one-story tall and rectangular, L-shaped, or U-shaped in design. The horizontal layouts tend to be long and narrow. They have a low-pitched gable roofs, deeply-set eaves, attached garages, and large windows. There are some fine examples of Ranch style architecture in <a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/edina-real-estate/">Edina MN</a>. <img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/441/image/ranch_style_house_722.jpg" title="ranch_style_house_722" alt="ranch_style_house_722" height="254" width="500" /> 2012-04-28T22:08:00-07:002013-07-09T21:09:53-07:00Matt Barkertag:barkerhedges.com,2012-09-20:2363Greening Minnesota ~ September 2011Fall is in the air! The leaves are turning gold and red, but there are still some great green initiatives and events happening in Minnesota. There are plenty of people ad local communities working towards a cleaner environment for all Minnesota residents. Read on to find out more.The annual report on organic farm performance from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture and University of Minnesota said 2010 was a good year for organic farms. "Profits improved but were not outstanding." Balance sheets, however, were on average very sound as they headed into 2011. The report said that after a difficult 2009, the median organic producer earned a net farm income of $62,463 in 2010. That was a sixfold increase over 2009 and was consistent with returns earned in 2007 and 2008, which were considered very profitable for the organic sector.As a Hopkins High School junior, Dustin Kloempken had the bright idea of getting solar panels installed to make his school more eco-friendly. It took six years, but the now-24-year-old's persistence has finally paid off. Six solar panels were installed at the school in September. Hopkins High School now is among just a few Minnesota schools with solar panels. One of those schools, Chisago Lakes Middle School in the north-metro, installed 44 solar panels two years ago thanks to several grants and donations covering the $73,000 cost. The 10 kilowatts of power save the school $1,600 a year in energy costs.Grandview Tire and Auto's two-year-old building on W. 70th Street in Edina is a model of energy efficiency, with its insulated garage doors, white roof to cut heating and cooling costs and boilers burning waste oil to help heat the building. Manager Rick Murphy says the building would be even more efficient if it had solar panels. He'd like to add them and gradually pay them off over a few years as part of the property taxes for the business. Twenty-seven states, including Minnesota, now allow "property assessed clean energy," better known as PACE. PACE programs allow owners of homes and businesses to pay for energy improvements such as new insulation, windows, heating systems or solar systems over a number of years by adding the cost to property tax payments.Everything from motor oil to household chemicals to outdated computer monitors poured into Washington County's newest recycling center in the past two years. The latest numbers show collections still on the increase at the Woodbury center, at 4039 Cottage Grove Drive, but the growth rate has slowed since 2009 when the county expanded its role in recycling. The county projects that it will collect nearly 3.5 million pounds of household hazardous waste and electronics in 2012m about 1 million pounds more than just two years ago. The Woodbury recycling center, on the city's southside, also has a free "reuse" room for products such as paint and motor oil. It's open Tuesdays from noon to 7 p.m. and Thursdays and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dropoffs are free but proof of county residency, such as a driver's license, is required.For years, only bad things happened at a vacant lot in Minneapolis. Then, in spring 2010, a woman on a bike showed up and started to plant a garden on the troubled lot. Neighbors noticed, and started pitching in. It's now a thriving community garden, but unlike most, there are no designated plots and no individual ownership of produce, as people "People show up, make a garden and share everything" - it is its own unique model for a community garden. In little more than a year, the garden has transformed the blighted lot in south Minneapolis into a community gathering spot, where neighbors of many cultures and ages congregate to tend the garden and watch its progress.Vast Enterprises, a small Minneapolis company that makes pavers and other building materials from recycled tires and plastics, can now launch nationally thanks to investment by Pennsylvania-based AZEK Building Products, a maker of specialty building material. Vast has struggled to raise financing in a tough market, but its pavers are far more durable, use waste as the principal feedstock and consumes less energy to manufacture. The Minneapolis company and its low-energy alternatives to traditional concrete and clay bricks have won awards for durability, lightweight and environmental engineering. Thanks to the cash infusion, Vast will triple its revenues in 2012 and it workforce will roughly double to 25 over the next year.More than a dozen White Bear Lake-area restaurants are participating in a two-year Energy Efficiency Community Development Block Grant organized through the city of White Bear Lake, the White Bear Chamber of Commerce and the Green Institute. The $50,000 federal grant examines restaurant energy consumption practices, building infrastructure and recommends a list of improvements. Officials said the program is designed to save restaurants 10-15 percent on energy bills. For most area restaurants, that’s a savings of $1,500, to $2,000 a year. In addition to reducing energy usage in general, if a restaurant can save money on utility bills, the owners may not have to raise prices on their food.The Bassett Creek Watershed Management Commission is planning to spend $856,000 to stabilize the stretch of creek that runs from Golden Valley Road south to Irving Avenue N., most of it flowing through Wirth Park. Also in the plans is a $180,000 water control device that would prevent the creek from backing up into Wirth Lake, protecting the swimming and fishing lake's water quality. The neglected stream is considered an important natural asset in cities like Golden Valley, Crystal and Plymouth. For decades, people have been trying to save the creek, which in the 1920s was used as a dump. Work on the project would start in the winter of 2011-12 and be done by the spring of 2013.Drivers soon will be able to plug in their electric vehicles to recharge when they park at the city-owned Haaf parking ramp near City Hall. The City Council is moving toward adding three grant-funded charging stations to the ramp, located at 424 S. 4th St., by the end of the year. Normal parking charges will apply but the city will absorb the added electrical bill. That’s estimated at under $1,800 annually, assuming that the chargers are under eight hours every weekday. The ramp at the county-run central library ramp also offers the service.From beef hot dogs made in Cannon Falls to Bemidji-grown brown rice, Hopkins and more Minnesota schools are going closer to home this fall for locally made foods. They join a growing national movement to eat healthier and fight childhood obesity before new federal child nutrition guidelines are released early next year. Though schools have had to increase the price of their meals an average of 5 to 10 cents, it is a small price to pay for better nutrition for kids as well as healthier local economies.The winner of the 2011 Idea Open, a crowd sourced contest on the best idea for cleaning up Minnesota waters, tackles the biggest pollution problem in the state with a simple solution: Use farmers to teach farmers about the best conservation practices to protect against agricultural runoff. The winner, Minnesota FarmWise, is a partnership between the Mississippi National River Recreation Area (MNRRA), a division of the National Park Service, and the Freshwater Society. The $15,000 grant would be enough to set up a pilot program of educators and retired farmers who would work in local communities to reach farmers. The goal is to teach farmers farming practices that are effective in keeping soil and fertilizer on the land and not lose it to surface runoff.Though the Minnesota Cup and Cleantech Open may be referred to as “startup” competitions, five Minnesota companies in the contests’ renewable energy, green building and clean-tech divisions are a little more advanced. The three 2011 Minnesota Cup semifinalists already have commercial sales, and two other Minnesota semifinalists in the Cleantech Open’s North Central Region show good odds as well. Read this look at the winners and semifinalists in the Minnesota Cup, clean technology and renewable energy division.If you know about green initiatives and other environmentally-conscious programs and events occurring in the Twin Cities or Minnesota, please leave a comment and let us know for October's Greening Minnesota issue!2011-10-02T22:59:00-07:002013-07-10T01:07:50-07:00Matt Barkertag:barkerhedges.com,2012-09-20:2320Walkable Communities: Not Just a Green ThingIf you lived in a place where you had to walk on the shoulder of a road or in the grass, would you walk places? What if you lived in a neighborhood with sidewalks that lead to places like the grocery store or a restaurant?The development choices of cities and towns can have a drastic effect on the health of its residents. Mark Fenton, a former world-class race walker and an engineer, travels the country energetically proclaiming the many benefits that health-conscious urban design can have on a community. He recently met with fficials from Bloomington, Edina and Richfield to explain why they should build more streets and developments that lure people into being active.Fenton explains that the design of our communities influences how active we are as part of our routine daily life. The best way to encourage regular exercise is not to build trails for walkers and bicyclists just in parks, but to have paths that are part of a network and that lead to destinations where want to go. People are more willing to walk or bike to the store if they feel they are able to safely do it.In communities that are fully developed like <a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/bloomington-real-estate/" target="_blank">Bloomington</a>, <a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/edina-real-estate/" target="_blank">Edina</a> and <a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/richfield-real-estate/" target="_blank">Richfield</a>, with roads in neighborhoods that were laid out years ago, that healthy design doesn't need to be a huge project. Sometimes redesigning and restriping roads to include narrow lanes for bicyles and pedestrians can be enough.Read the rest of this Star Tribune article to learn more about what Bloomington, Edina, and Richfield are doing to make their communities more pedestrian and bicycle friendly.2010-11-15T22:37:00-07:002013-07-07T07:58:09-07:00Matt Barkertag:barkerhedges.com,2012-09-20:2301Greening Minnesota ~ July 2010Summer is in full swing in Minnesota. That means the news is filled with stories about our lakes, our parks, and our farmers markets. of course, all of those are topics we love to cover in Greening Minnesota.Earlier this month, Alexandra Cousteau, granddaughter of the famous late ocean explorer Jacques Cousteau, visited Powderhorn Park on July 4 to promote an effort called Expedition: Blue Planet and to film a segment for it. Minneapolis was the first stop for the project’s film crew and biodiesel bus on its 14,500-mile tour across North America to investigate water issues and educate the public about water conservation. Some local organizations were there to help, too, like Blue Thumb, a clean-water program started by Rice Creek Watershed District that now has many chapters in Minnesota, and Metro Blooms, whose mission is to promote eco-friendly gardening that beautifies neighborhoods and protects the environment.To help people recycle more when they're not at home, Ramsey County officials are setting aside $1.3 million to buy nearly 2,000 recycling bins to give to cities for use in public areas. It will be a three-phase program over three years. First, cities would put the bins in parks, along trails and in other recreational places. Second, cities would put the bins along streets. Third, the county would offer the containers to school athletic facilities. The goal is to have the same kind of container in every public park in the county. Ramsey County has already put about 400 containers in its parks and ice arenas.A patch of grass along Nicollet Avenue past Burnsville's Civic Center campus is brown and dead for good reason: The City is turning the one-acre site into a field of native prairie grasses and wildflowers. It is the first step in the city's plan to cut maintenance costs and reduce negative impacts on the environment. Between $8,000 and $10,000 will be devoted to the project, Jacobson said, adding that it will pay for itself in seven to 10 years due to savings in the cost of mowing, watering and weed control. From an environmental standpoint, the project will eliminate the emissions that would be produced by mowing the area. There also will be a reduction in the amount of chemicals used for fertilizing and for weed control.About 30 teenagers, armed with leather gloves and heavy-duty pruners, trudged through the waist-high grasses at the Lost Valley Scientific and Natural Area in Denmark Township recently to clear away invasive woody plants to give the native prairie plants and flowers a chance to reach for the sun. Lost Valley, one of more than 150 scientific and natural areas owned by the DNR, is undergoing prairie restoration, which entails burning off undesirable plants. The young work crew was made up of students from Como, Harding and Johnson high schools in St. Paul who are part of the Upward Bound program at Century College in White Bear Lake. The Upward Bound program is designed to encourage young people who face obstacles to going to college.New farmers markets are sprouting up all over Washington County, bringing fresh fruits and vegetables to some areas that might not otherwise have access to it. The Oakdale Farmers Market, a satellite of the St. Paul market, opened June 24 in the Guardian Angels Church parking lot. Another Farmers Market opened in Mahtomedi recently. Centennial Lakes Farmers Market in Edina debuted in July, as well as a new Friday market in Richfield. The Streetwerks Youth Farmers Market in north Minneapolis opened in June in the parking lot of a former gas station.Highly effective at killing weeds in cornfields, atrazine is a commonly used herbicide in Minnesota, and it's. But it gets into waterways, and exposure to it can cause a variety of health problems in both humans and animals. Now two enterprising University of Minnesota graduates have developed a new product that removes the weed killer from the water - naturally. The process involves taking a type of bacteria that loves to eat atrazine and attaching it to a filter inserted in the water supply. Every two minute, the organism can consume its own weight in atrazine and breaks it down into harmless substances. The product may results in cleaner water supplies in communities where the chemical has contaminated drinking water supplies throughout the Midwest.Finally, as vacation season continues and you pine for tropical beaches in warm parts of the United States that might be financially out of reach right now, think about the results of the Natural Resources Defense Council's 20th annual beach report first. According to the report, Minnesota, New Hampshire and California have some of the cleanest beaches around, in terms of water quality and state monitoring programs, while some parts of Florida, Maine and Mississippi have among the worst. And that was even before the Gulf oil spill, as the results were compiled for 2009.2010-07-29T20:57:00-07:002013-07-09T09:15:06-07:00Matt Barkertag:barkerhedges.com,2012-09-20:2295Minnesota Schools are TopsSouthwest High School in Minneapolis has been named by
Newsweek as the top public high school in Minnesota. Four other schools also
made the list.Newsweek and data company Factual generated the rankings by
taking the total number of Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate
(IB) or Cambridge tests given at a school each year and dividing that by the
number of seniors graduating in May or June. The rankings for 2010 are based on
the date from 2009.“I think parents have placed their students at Southwest
expecting great results,” [Southwest principal Dr. William] Smith said. “We
have kids that come to school anxious to learn and prepared to take the
challenges that make those things possible.”Southwest’s students are expected to enroll to AP and IB
classes and then take the associated tests. Mainly though, the school's
philosophy is that teachers' and administrators' jobs are to lay a foundation
for future opportunity and success.<a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/minneapolis-southwest-community/" target="_blank">Southwest Minneapolis</a> came in 115th. Other schools which made the list
were <a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/st-louis-park-real-estate/" target="_blank">St. Louis Park</a> (156), <a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/edina-real-estate/" target="_blank">Edina</a> (175), <a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/minnetonka-real-estate/" target="_blank">Minnetonka </a>(285), and Eastview in <a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/apple-valley-real-estate/" target="_blank">Apple
Valley</a> (445).Related Links<a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/blog/seven-minnesota-schools-get-blue-ribbons.html" target="_blank">Seven Minnesota Schools Get Blue Ribbons</a><a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/blog/minnesota-schools-in-the-news.html" target="_blank">Minnesota Schools in the News</a>2010-06-23T15:54:00-07:002013-07-09T04:57:57-07:00Matt Barkertag:barkerhedges.com,2012-09-20:2267Edina High School a Silver Medal School - Again!U.S. News and World Report magazine recently named Edina High School a silver medalist school based on students' performance on state assessment tests and readiness for college. This is the second consecutive year Edina has been named a silver medalist school. High schools that receive a silver medal ranking are in the top 2% nationwide.Edina High School was just out of reach of the gold medalist category, which includes schools with the top 100 scores in the nation. However, the school had a college readiness score of 58.2, the highest of any Minnesota school. Minnesota did not have any schools representing the gold category.U.S. News and World Report considered 21,786 high schools in 48 states plus the District of Columbia. To determine it's list of top-performing schools, the magazine reviewed state assessment data in reading and math. To make the cut, schools had to prove that their entire student body performed well, not just a few students. Just 1,750 schools qualified for the next level. 100 of those were gold ranked, 461 were ranked in the silver category, and 1,189 schools were ranked in the bronze category."This is a very thorough analysis of school performance and participation," said Superintendent Ric Dressen. "It's a great accomplishment and speaks to the success of our entire K-12 system."Edina High School is also consistently ranked as one of the top 100 schools in the nation by Newsweek. In 2008, it received a ranking of 91 and was the only Minnesota school to make the top 100. View the list of other Minnesota high schools with silver rankings.<a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/edina-real-estate/">Edina MN</a> isn't satisfied, though, and is working towards giving it's students an even better education. 150 students at South View Middle School in Edina have been taking part in a pilot program designed to give each student a laptop to use at school and home for schoolwork. The goal is to increase their technology knowledge and skills while using new tools to support their learning.Under the No Child Left Behind law, all eighth graders must be technologically literate by 2013. Edina's one-to-one laptop pilot program addresses that goal. Next year, the program will expand to Valley View Middle School, where 150 more students will receive personal laptops. District leaders will evaluate the program after two years and determine whether to continue it.Related Links<a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/blog/seven-minnesota-schools-get-blue-ribbons.html" target="_blank">Seven Minnesota Schools Get Blue Ribbons</a><a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/blog/minnesota-schools-among-the-best-in-the-nation.html" target="_blank">Minnesota Schools Among the Best in the Nation</a>2010-02-04T22:13:00-07:002013-07-07T09:21:59-07:00Matt Barkertag:barkerhedges.com,2012-09-20:2264Greening Minnesota ~ January 2010There are a lot of environmentally friendly projects getting underway in the Twin Cities and throughout Minnesota. And we're even saving all the rail news for a separate, future post! Amid rising concern over the effects that road salt has on Minnesota's lakes, streams and groundwater, public works officials around the state are trying out new methods to spread salt on pavement, moistening rock salt so it sticks better, and working to establish a less-is-more culture, while also keeping motorists safe. The impacts are salt run rampant statewide after decades of dropping a pound of salt onto every 10 feet of highway without much thought. In addition to the environmental impact, money has also become a key motivator. The new techniques use less salt, costing cities and counties less.<br /><br />The new Target Field ballpark for the Minnesota Twins will have a sustainable water system that will capture, conserve and reuse rain water. Minneapolis-based Pentair Inc. is building and donating the sophisticated system. The water will be used to irrigate the field and clean the bleachers. Officials say it'll be a new standard for water use in sports facilities. <br /><br />Hennepin County Medical Center's newest recycling program composts food scraps and soiled paper napkins, cartons and plates from its kitchens and cafeterias. It promises to annually transform 100 tons of organic waste collected from the hospital into a soil additive that can be used in landscaping and road construction. It will also reduce how many tons of waste HCMC throws away each year and reduce its water bill by $1 million because not as much will be sent down the garbage disposal. <br /><br />The new Saint Paul fire station that's nearing completion at W. 7th Street and Randolph Avenue was designed to include energy-efficient features throughout, including automatic faucets and toilets, lighting and temperature controls, and a green roof that will be open to West End community use. Saint Paul has yet to file the paperwork for the current project, but that it's hoped the fire station will qualify for silver status - a notch below gold.<br /><br />The Burnsville Ice Center could soon rank among the most energy-efficient rinks in North America. The Burnsville City Council has approved a nearly $5 million renovation project that includes a geothermal energy system that is expected to reduce energy use by 43%. The city could save an estimated $77,000 a year. The geothermal system will be used to cool the arena's ice sheet as well as to heat and cool the building.<br /><br />GarbageMan, a new residential garbage hauler specializing in small "green" trucks, is gaining customers in the competitive suburban market by using small, quiet trucks that weigh in at 18,000 pounds - less than 1/3 of the traditional 60,000-pound garbage truck. The company, based in Hopkins, has about 7,000 customers in Maple Grove, Brooklyn Park, Brooklyn Center, Crystal, Plymouth, New Hope, Minnetonka, Edina and Roseville. They have a goal to sign up 20,000 more customers this year.<br /><br />Genesis Poly Recycling, based in the city of Mankato, collects and recycles’ plastic agricultural waste, transforming trashed silage bags, crop covers and hay bale wraps into neat, clean, plastic pellets for resale. The process, first of its kind in the Midwest, promises to keep millions of tons of plastics from being burned or dumped. Because this start-up company also provided locals with new jobs, it's a win-win for the community and the environment.<br /><br />The bike-sharing program that first appeared in the Twin cities at the time of the Republican National Convention in 2008 will now start in June. Plans call for the Minneapolis program to start with up to 80 kiosks, dispensing up to 1,000 bikes. Kiosks will be concentrated mostly in downtown, Uptown and at the University of Minnesota. The city will join some 130 bike-sharing programs globally.<br /><br />Cottage Grove City Council has granted approval to install a residential wind turbine on a 5-acre lot on the city's western edge. The privately owned turbine, which will produce about 24,000 kilowatts a year or double what the home at that property needs for electricity, will be 100 feet tall, with three 13-foot blades. The resident who will own the turbine will sell the leftover electricity back to Xcel Energy Co.<br /><br />Woodbury has added to its growing inventory of open green spaces with the purchase of Afton Road Baptist Church. The $285,000 purchase will add 2 prime acres, with the bonus of a potential 3,500-square-foot community building. The funds were set aside by voters in 2005.Stay tuned for a future post about light rail and high speed rail projects in the works for the Twin Cities and the rest of Minnesota. 2010-01-29T16:54:00-07:002013-07-09T23:04:49-07:00Matt Barkertag:barkerhedges.com,2012-09-20:2252Greening Minnesota ~ DecemberAlmost didn't make it! But here it is, the Greening Minnesota, December Edition. Here, you can read about new developments in the local community which contribute towards a greener and bluer earth. <br /><br />First, good news! 35 Minnesota fish and wildlife conservations projects will be getting $3.7 million in grants next year from the Outdoor Heritage Fund - created when voters approved the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment in 2008. <br /><br />Next, Bloomington has a farmers market. So does Richfield, St. Louis Park, Hopkins, Minnetonka and Minneapolis. But not Edina. As soon as next summer, Edina might just have a farmer's market if a proposal that's going to the Edina Park Board in January makes its way through city review processes in time. The proposed location would be Centennial Lakes Park.<br /><br />Also in Edina, as construction starts on its new public works building, one of the earliest jobs will be to drill its geothermal heating and cooling system. 124 wells will be drilled 250 feet deep and a closed network of pipes snaking up and down underground will be sunk into the holes and connected to the building. This type of system has been around for decades but improved technology is making them more efficient in extreme climates such as Minnesota.<br /><br />The water used at the new Green Planet Car Wash at Dodd Road and County Road 50 in Lakeville is extensively filtered and reused in subsequent wash cycles, reducing water waste per car from the 100 gallons used by the typical car wash to less than five gallons. The water is clean enough to drink by EPA standards, but don't worry, they like to save it for the car wash.<br /><br />More dirty work to clean up the environment? Okay. From $28 million construction project in Shakopee is emerging a plant which will take what's flushed down the toilet from as far away as Lake Minnetonka and turn it into enough energy to save $1 million dollars a year. Shakopee has also recently authorized rooftop wind turbines all over town, and a new $60 million biomass plant started up close to downtown that burns the waste hulls from the creation of Cheerios and other breakfast cereals to create electricity and heat.<br /><br />Finally, a less dirty form of recycling. A family-owned wood products company has purchase the former Ainsworth lumber mill in Cook. Not only are they recycling an entire building, but the operation utilizes more of the scrap wood material that's typically left to rot on the forest floor. That can mean anything from tree tops, bark and limbs left behind by traditional logging operations, to old logs and trees that die naturally in the forest.<br /><br />That is the round-up for this month. Tune in again towards the end of January to read about more green and environmentally friendly developments occurring in the Twin Cities and the rest of Minnesota.2009-12-31T17:41:00-07:002013-07-10T05:16:27-07:00Matt Barkertag:barkerhedges.com,2012-09-20:22272 Twin Cities Art FairsThere are two art sale events taking place in the <a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/twin-cities-real-estate/">Twin Cities area</a> soon.Weekend Art Fair in Minnetonka<br /><br />Groveland Elementary School will host a holiday art fair Friday and Saturday at the school, 17310 Minnetonka Blvd., <a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/minnetonka-real-estate/">Minnetonka MN</a>. A portion of all sales will benefit the Groveland Green, Fit, Fun Playground. The playground, which was installed last summer, is designed for better access for kids of all abilities. Fundraising now will go toward a second phase scheduled for next summer. Hours are 6-9 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday. Friday night will be a preview session, with food and fresh cider served, and there will be an admission fee of $5 on that night. Admission Saturday will be free.<br /><br />Edina Art Center's Annual Gift Sale <br /><br />The Edina Art Center's annual sale has begun. It features one-of-a-kind items made by over 50 regional artists, including pottery, jewelry, art kits, ornaments, children's items and more. Decorative baskets, handcrafted recycled gift boxes, wrapping paper and gift tags are available for a donation. The Art Center is at 4701 W. 64th St. in <a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/edina-real-estate/" target="_blank">Edina MN</a>. The sale runs through December 23 and is open 9 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Friday, and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday.2009-11-18T13:40:00-07:002013-07-07T21:49:44-07:00Matt Barkertag:barkerhedges.com,2012-09-20:2213Minneapolis and Saint Paul Among Best Cities for FamiliesThe 100 Best (and Worst) Places to Raise a Family by Children's Health magazine ranks 100 American cities according to their family-friendliness. St. Paul came in at 12th and Minneapolis was 18th. Detroit was dead last. The magazine's editors developed the ranking formula assessing 29 quality-of-life variables including household income, unemployment, air quality, infant mortality, home prices and even the number of fast-food restaurants per capita.<br /><br />Residents of the Twin Cities of course know that <a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/saint-paul-real-estate/">Saint Paul</a> and <a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/minneapolis-real-estate/">Minneapolis </a>are great places to live. Residents of other local communities and regular readers of this blog would also know that more Minnesota towns have appeared in similar lists this year. <br /><br />In July, Sperling's Best Places and McDonald's Happy Meals ranked Minneapolis as the happiest, family-friendliest city in America. Also in July, Money Magazine named Chanhassen as one of the best places in the nation to live for "small towns," defined as having a population between 8,500 and 50,000. And, in July, Family Circle named Edina the Best Minnesota Community for Families, too. <br /><br />In September, seven schools in Minnesota are among 314 nationwide to be designated by the U.S. Department of Education as Blue Ribbon Schools. The whole state of Minnesota was ranked second in an annual Kids Count assessment of children’s well-being in the U.S. 2009-10-22T16:10:00-07:002013-07-09T15:03:23-07:00Matt Barkertag:barkerhedges.com,2012-09-20:2195Seven Minnesota Schools Get Blue RibbonsSeven schools in Minnesota are among 314 nationwide to be designated by the U.S. Department of Education as Blue Ribbon Schools. The schools earn the recognition for their academically superior performance or dramatic improvement in student achievement and helped close gaps in achievement among minority and disadvantaged students.The schools that made the list:<a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/bloomington-real-estate/">Bloomington MN</a> - Jefferson High School<br />Coleraine - Vandyke Elementary School<br /><a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/delano-real-estate/">Delano MN</a> - Delano High School<br /><a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/edina-real-estate/">Edina MN</a> - Our Lady of Grace Catholic School<br /><a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/lakeville-real-estate/">Lakeville MN</a> - Lakeville North High School<br />Remer - Remer Elementary School<br /><a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/woodbury-real-estate/">Woodbury MN</a> - Math and Science AcademyThe schools – 264 public and 50 private – will be honored at an awards ceremony on November 3 at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, DC. Over the last 27 years, more than 6,150 of America's schools have received this coveted award.2009-09-16T06:50:00-07:002013-07-04T07:02:07-07:00Matt Barkertag:barkerhedges.com,2012-09-20:2175Minnesota: 2nd Best in the Nation for Kids' Well-BeingThere didn't seem to be many articles specifically about our state, but Minnesota was ranked second in an annual Kids Count assessment of children’s well-being in the U.S. Minnesota has ranked first overall as recently as 2007 and consistently has been in the top four. Only New Hampshire ranks higher this year.“It’s a good place for children to live,” said Tara Arzamendia, research director for Children’s Defense Fund Minnesota. The 10 indicators of well-being that were taken into account for this list cover health, income, education and other factors. The statistics used include dropout rate, single-parent families, parental employment, teen birth rate, poverty rate, infant mortality rate and child and teen death rates. Minnesota ranked no less than 9th in any of the categories. The authors of the Kids Count study said on a national level, the new data was mixed. Six factors showed improvement, and four got worse.The study uses information from 2006 for health figures. The socioeconomic and education data dates to 2007. So the recession and unemployment of 2008 does not show up in the study.Economic slowdown aside, this reinforces information that we've heard before about our state and about individual communities like <a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/blog/money-magazine-chanhassen-is-2-place-to-live/" target="_blank">Chanhassen</a>, <a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/blog/family-circle-names-edina-the-best-minnesota-community-for-families/" target="_blank">Edina</a>, and <a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/blog/minneapolis-is-the-happiest-city-of-families/" target="_blank">Minneapolis</a>: Minnesota is a wonderful place to live and a great place to raise a family.2009-07-29T21:53:00-07:002013-07-04T16:49:28-07:00Matt Barkertag:barkerhedges.com,2012-09-20:2171Minneapolis is the Happiest City for FamiliesIt should come as no surprise that the company that introduced the Happy Meal would also commission a study to find "The Happiest Cities for Families." It should also come as no surpise that Minneapolis came out at the top of the happy family list. Comissioned by McDonald's, Sperling's Best Places set out to find the happiest, family-friendliest cities in America. The results were based on social activities, recreational resources and household expenditures on fun activities. Minneapolis receives high marks for social activities such as neighborhood get-togethers, spending time with friends, and sharing meals with family members. Researchers also noted that the Minneapolis park system is known as one of the nation's best, providing many sports fields, ample tennis courts, and ample ice rinks. The rest of the top 10:<br /><br />2. Atlanta<br />3. Virginia Beach, Va.<br />4. Washington<br />5. Portland, Ore.<br />6. Denver<br />7. Baltimore<br />8. Seattle<br />9. Kansas City, Mo.<br />10. Austin, Texas.Twin Cities communities are really gaining some national attention these days. Earlier this month, Money Magazine voted Chanhassen as the second-best place to live in the U.S. Chanhassen came in behind only Louisville, Colorado. Additionally, Edina was named by Family Circle in its annual top ten list of best cities and towns for families. Want to join the fun? Check out <a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/minneapolis-real-estate/">Minneapolis</a>, <a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/edina-real-estate/">Edina</a>, and <a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/chanhassen-real-estate/">Chanhassen</a> real estate!2009-07-21T10:21:00-07:002013-07-04T15:41:43-07:00Matt Barkertag:barkerhedges.com,2012-09-20:2163Family Circle Names Edina the Best Minnesota Community for FamiliesEdina is in the news again! And this time... it's national. Family Circle magazine has named Edina in its annual list of the top ten best cities and towns for families. <br /><br />1,700 cities and towns with populations between 15,000 and 150,000 were considered for Family Circle's list.The communities featured in the magazine’s annual roundup of best places to call home share the combined benefits of having affordable housing, good neighbors, plenty of green spaces, access to health care, financial stability, and exceptional public school systems. <br /><br />In particular, Family Circle's report highlighted Edina Public School District's high standardized test scores and its 18:1 student/teacher ratio. Of all 10 cities that made the list, Edina received the highest school ranking.<br /><br />The magazine did not rank the winners in any particular order.<br /><br />The other towns and cities listed in the top ten include: <br />Sun Prairie, WisconsinNoblesville, IndianaPerrysburg, OhioRockwall, TexasEvans, GeorgiaSherwood, OregonIndian Trail, North CarolinaKenmore, WashingtonHenderson, Tennessee.Read more about <a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/blog/edina-minnesota-highlights/">Minnesota's Edina community</a> or search for <a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/edina-real-estate/">Edina MN real estate</a>. 2009-07-09T21:44:00-07:002013-07-09T05:28:29-07:00Matt Barkertag:barkerhedges.com,2012-09-20:2162Edina Preserving Historic BungalowsThe City of Edina wants to ensure that it doesn't lose the bungalows it has left in its Morningside neighborhood. Matching a $5,000 grant from the Minnesota Historical Society, the city will survey the <a href="http://www.startribune.com/local/south/49882372.html">historic bungalows</a> to determine their common architectural features. Then, owners will be able to nominate bungalows as Edina Heritage Landmarks, which will help to guide future remodeling of the homes.It's a mini-version of what's already been done in the city's historic Country Club neighborhood, where homeowners who want to make significant changes to a house must clear their plans with the Edina Heritage Preservation Board. But instead of designating an entire neighborhood as historic, bungalow preservation would be done house-by-house on a voluntary basis.Built between 1905 and 1935, the bungalows were homes generally inhabited by working people. These <a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/edina-real-estate/">Edina MN homes</a> tend to be less than 1,000 square-feet and are one to one-and-a-half stories tall. Most have low-pitched hip or gable roofs, a porch, and four to six rooms on the main floor. Many have swinging doors between the kitchen and dining room, and built-in buffets and bookcases. The 100 to 125 bungalows make up about 20% of Morningside's 600 houses."It's a matter of preserving them," said Joyce Repya, associate Edina city planner. "This identifies the uniqueness of bungalows in Edina. ... It's a charming part of our city, and it's nice to embrace that and not lose it."Meetings will be held this fall to explain the project. The City of Edina will use the survey to create a list of common characteristics as a guide for homeowners to use if they want to preserve design elements.The voluntary Edina Heritage Landmark designation means that only homeowners who want to participate will be involved. An individual plan of action would be designed for each historic bungalow. The historic zoning would stay with the house if it were ever sold. It's important to note that enlisting the home for preservation doesn't completely tie owners hands. The City of Edina has been flexible on issues such as garages, allowing owners to do things like replace single-car garages with doubles to bring homes in line with today's standards.Robert Vogel, the city's preservation consultant, says the biggest challenge may actually be limiting participation."We're constantly getting requests from people asking us to come and look at their house," he said. "We think a lot more people may want their home to be landmarked than we can accommodate."Read more about <a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/blog/edina-minnesota-highlights/">Edina Minnesota</a>. 2009-07-08T11:52:00-07:002013-07-09T01:06:18-07:00Matt Barkertag:barkerhedges.com,2012-09-20:2085Minneapolis Southwest Community HighlightsThe Southwest Community of Minneapolis consists of several neighborhoods loosely bordered on the north by 36th Street and on the east by Interstate 35W, with city limits serving as western and southern boundaries.
<a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/minneapolis-linden-hills/">Linden Hills</a> – In the northwest corner of Southwest Minneapolis is the upscale, well-developed Linden Hills neighborhood. Linden Hills is bound on the north by 36th Street West and Lake Calhoun, on the east by William Berry Drive and Lake Harriet, on the south by 47th Street West, and on the west by France Avenue. Linden Hills is one of the larger neighborhoods in Minneapolis. The neighborhood was named after the linden trees and rolling hills that can be found in the area.
Linden Hills first was developed during the 1880s to lure homebuyers into leave downtown for homes on Lake Calhoun and Lake Harriet. Since that time, most of the original cottages have been replaced by a number of home types, like ramblers, colonials, Tudors, and bungalows. The Lake Harriet-Como Streetcar line passes through the neighborhood between Lake Harriet and Lake Calhoun.
Often referred to as “a small town in the City,” Linden Hills has excellent housing opportunities, interesting boutique shops, unique restaurants, and a variety of parks with many amenities. The Linden Hills shopping district can be found at 43rd & Upton, offering an eclectic mix of shopping and eating venues which can’t be found any where else. The Linden Hills Co-op offers grocery alternatives and Great Harvest Bread Company has been a landmark in the community for years. Lake Harriet and Lake Calhoun are an easy walk from nearly anywhere within the neighborhood. The lakes provide a variety of activities, like swimming, sailing, and walking or biking ride along paths that connect to the Grand Rounds National Scenic Byway.
<a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/minneapolis-east-harriet/">East Harriet</a> – To the east of Linden Hills, one will find East Harriet. The East Harriet neighborhood is bordered by 36th Street on the north, Lyndale Avenue to the east, 46th Street to the south, and Lake Harriet and Lakewood Cemetery make up the western border. This neighborhood was named after Lake Harriet, which in turn was named in 1819 after the wife of Fort Snelling builder Col. Henry Leavenworth. It is because of him that much of the East Harriet neighborhood of Minneapolis is open green space. King was instrumental in setting aside the swaths of acreage that now makes up the park lands encircling Lake Harriet. His summer home used to be on land which is now Lyndale Farmstead Park. The Lyndale Park Rose Garden and the Thomas Sadler Roberts Bird Sanctuary are also located in East Harriet. The Lyndale Park Rose Garden is the second oldest public rose garden in the U.S. Thomas Sadler Roberts Bird Sanctuary is a great place to see migratory birds. The parks, lakes and outdoor trails of the East Harriet neighborhood offer green spaces for young and old alike to enjoy.
East Harriet’s parks and close proximity to Uptown has made real estate in this neighborhood in high demand. Many houses here were constructed between 1900 and the 1930s, are two-stories tall, and set back from the streets. The homes in East Harriet are split pretty evenly when it comes to apartments and single-family homes. The housing is nearly equally divided between owner occupied homes and rental housing. Because of the diverse housing mixture, East Harriet has a diverse population as well, like college-age students, professionals, and first-time homeowners.
<a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/minneapolis-king-field/">King Field</a> – Further east from East Harriet on can find the active and busy King Field neighborhood of Southwest Minneapolis. King Field, also sometimes spelled Kingfield, is bounded by 36th Street to the north, Interstate 35W to the east, 46th Street to the south, and Lyndale Avenue to the west. The neighborhood is named after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
The diverse neighborhood of King Field offers social and cultural activities that foster fun, education and understanding for all. The neighborhood is active and busy, with activities that include a weekly Farmers’ Market on Sunday and community gardens. Emergency and neighborhood redevelopment grants encourage property maintenance and upkeep. Martin Luther King Park offers a wading pool, tot lot, two softball and baseball fields, basketball, tennis and volleyball courts and a walking path that provides hiking, walking and jogging for the community.
King Field is mainly a residential area, with about 75% of its single-family houses having been built before 1920. KingField is served by three to four dozen small businesses that include a grocery store, cafes, restaurants and coffee shops. With a population of nearly 8,000, King Field is one of the larger neighborhoods in Minneapolis. The King Field neighborhood prides itself on its tight knit community and diverse population.
<a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/minneapolis-tangletown/">Tangletown</a> – South of Kingfield and on the far eastern side of Southwest Minneapolis is the neighborhood of Tangletown. The neighborhood is bound on the north by 46th Street, on the east by Interstate 35W, on the south by 54th Street and Diamond Lake Road, and on the west by Lyndale Avenue South. Minnehaha Creek crosses the southern part of the neighborhood.
The name Tangletown refers to the neighborhoods street layout, which does not follow a traditional grid. The name was changed in 1996 from the original name of Fuller, which was named after its elementary school. The school was torn down and the land converted into Fuller Park in 1977. It is now a center of community life, offering many activities and featuring a flower garden.
The average single-family home in Tangletown is 65 to 80 years old. Many have updated utilities, a porch or deck, and basement.
<a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/minneapolis-lynnhurst/">Lynnhurst</a> – West of Tangletown, south of East Harriet, and on the southeastern shore of Lake Harriet is the neighborhood of Lynnhurst. The Lynnhurst neighborhood is bounded by 46th Street to the north, Lyndale Avenue to the west, 54th Street to the south, and Penn Avenue to the west. Minnehaha Creek runs from north to southeast, bisecting the neighborhood. It gets its name from Lynnhurst Park, located at the intersection of West 50th Street and West Minnehaha Parkway.
The Lynnhurst area was fields and pastures until the 1890s when people began settling on the land. Because the streetcars didn’t quite come that far, growth was slow, but the area began to develop more quickly in the first decade of the twentieth century. Land north and east of Minnehaha Creek was mostly developed by 1925, with the areas south and west of the creek developing during the 1930s and 40s.
Lynnhurst is comprised of mainly single family homes, many of which are in the arts and crafts and prairie styles. Many colonial, Tudor and romantic revival houses can be found here as well. Most are still in excellent condition. Some duplexes and small apartment houses can be found along Lyndale, Bryant and Penn Avenues South. Most of its housing stock built before 1940.
Beautiful old homes, independent shops, local restaurants and coffee houses create an atmosphere that is hard to find in the more urban areas of the Twin Cities. The Lynnhurst neighborhood has almost 100 unique businesses and restaurants. A new neighborhood school, beautiful parks and convenient location make Lynnhurst one of the most coveted addresses in the metro area.
<a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/minneapolis-fulton/">Fulton</a> – West of Lynnhurst and south of Linden hills is the largely residential neighborhood of Fulton. The Fulton neighborhood is bound on the north by 47th Street West, on the east by Penn Avenue South, on the south by 54th Street West, and on the west by France Avenue South. The southwest shores of Lake Harriet peak into Fulton’s northeast corner. Minnehaha Creek runs through the southwest corner of Fulton as well. The neighborhood takes its name from Robert Fulton, the engineer and artist who invented the steamboat in the 19th century.
Fulton borders neighboring suburb Edina, one of the Twin Cities’ largest and most popular suburbs. Along the border between Minneapolis and Edina in the Fulton neighborhood is a wonderful commercial district. The intersection of 50th St & France Ave is home to many small upscale boutiques and restaurants. It has even been referred to as “Minnesota’s Rodeo Drive.”
Real estate in Fulton is in high demand. The neighborhood is largely residential, with most houses built here in the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s. Many of the homes within this neighborhood have been built in the styles popular during those eras. However, the style, size, quality, and price of Fulton’s housing stock are constantly evolving. In recent years, this neighborhood has experienced a lot of replacement housing, tear downs and whole house renovations, causing some changes in the dynamics of the real estate market in Fulton.
<a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/minneapolis-armatage/">Armatage</a> – In the southwest corner of Minneapolis is the neighborhood of Armatage. The Armatage neighborhood is bounded on the north by 54th Street West, on the east by Logan Avenue South, and on the south and west by the city limits at Highway 62 and Xerxes Avenue South. The Armatage Neighborhood was originally part of Richfield, but was annexed to Minneapolis in the mid-1920s.
The neighborhood grew around the Armatage Community School, which was built in 1952. It was named after Maude Armatage, who worked tirelessly to improve the civic, cultural, leisure time, and educational life of the Armatage neighborhood. She served as a member of the Minneapolis Board of Park Commissioners for 30 years and helped to develop one of the best park systems in the country. She was a pioneer of women’s rights and loved children. The Armatage neighborhood has grown and developed in this direction, with a focus on education, culture, leisure, and children.
Armatage neighborhood contains mostly single-family housing with some multifamily buildings. A majority of housing here was built between 1949 and 1969. A small percentage of the homes in Armatage were built before World War II. There isn’t much of a commercial district in Armatage, and most of the retail space consists of individual stores. Most of Artmatage’s stores are located along Penn Avenue South.
<a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/minneapolis-kenny/">Kenny</a> – East of Armatage and south of Lynnhurst is the Kenny neighborhood. The boundaries of the Kenny neighborhood are West 54th Street to the north, Lyndale Avenue South and Highway 121 to the east, West 62nd Street (Highway 62) to the south, and the alley between Knox and Logan Avenues South to the west. The neighborhood, its park and its elementary school were named for Sister Elizabeth Kenny, an Australian nurse who developed the Kenny method of treating polio.
The center of Kenny Neighborhood, originally a gravel pit, is now Kenny Park. It’s a great green space which offers neighborhood residents many opportunities for outdoor activities. Also on the old gravel site are Anthony Middle School and Kenny Elementary school. The hidden-jewel of the Kenny neighborhood is Grass Lake, a 27-acre wetland located on the Southern end of the neighborhood.
The Kenny Neighborhood is largely residential. Many of the available homes are single-family houses built in the 1940s or later. The homes are generally larger than the houses in adjacent neighborhoods like Armatage and Windom. Many of the older homes have been renovated and updated. The Kenny Neighborhood Association is actively involved in revitalizing the area, and their efforts have paid off considerably in raising home prices in the neighborhood.
<a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/minneapolis-windom/">Windom</a> – Finally, located in the southeastern corner of the Southwest Community, south of Tangletown and east of Kenny is Windom. The Windom neighborhood of Minneapolis is bordered by Lyndale Avenue South and Highway 121 to the west, Diamond Lake Road and West 54th Street to the north, Interstate 35W to the east, and Highway 62 to the south. This highway is also at the southern city limit. The neighborhood was named after William Windom, who was a U.S. Senator from Minnesota from 1859 to 1869. He was also appointed to U.S. Secretary of the Treasury by President James Garfield and served in the same position under and President Benjamin Harrison.
Approximately 15 per cent of the land of Windom is a sizeable industrial area, however the rest of the community is residential with a few businesses. The rest of Windom is a quiet residential community, tucked away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Many Windom residents love this neighborhood for its location on the outskirts of Minneapolis and its somewhat rural feel.
Windom’s housing stock is made up mainly of ramblers and bungalows built between 1940 and 1960. A variety of apartments, retail, commercial, and industrial properties can be found in Windom as well. Half of the housing units in Windom are owner-occupied and the other half are renter-occupied. In 2000, 1,092 units were occupied by their owners and 1,066 were being rented.2009-01-04T12:02:00-07:002013-07-01T01:29:46-07:00Matt Barkertag:barkerhedges.com,2012-09-20:2072A Christmas Post (The Riverview Theater)Perusing the Twitter boards today in <a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/saint-paul-real-estate/">Saint Paul</a> and <a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/minneapolis-real-estate/">Minneapolis</a>, I see that a lot of people are going to the Riverview Theater tonight to see a presentation of the classic holiday movie, “A Christmas Story.” It’s playing right now (5:00 PM) and at 7:00 PM tonight, if you haven’t made any plans for this evening yet and you’re looking for something to do. After all this cold weather we’ve had, it just might be worth it to get out of the house for a while! So, in light of the looming holiday and this great activity that is going on tonight, I thought that I might write a little bit about the Riverview Theater, located at 3800 42nd Avenue South in Minneapolis.
The Riverview Theater was built in the late 1940s by Sidney and William Volk, who wanted to replace the aging Falls Theater that had been located on Minnehaha Avenue. They arranged to have Jacob J. Liebenberg & Seeman Kaplan, the premier theater architects of that period, build what was to be one of the finest theaters of the time period.
Libenberg and Kaplan designed over 200 theaters throughout the Midwest during their careers. The pair created the Granada (Suburban World, 1927-28), the Wayzata (1932), the Edina (1934), the Hollywood (1935), the Uptown (1937), the Varsity (1938). And those are just the ones that are still standing!
When the Riverview Theater opened on December 30, 1948, it was such a notable event that the story was featured in national publications. The first movie shown to an audience there was June Bride, starring Bette Davis and Robert Montgomery.
Many theaters have come and gone, and 60 years later (almost to the date!), the Riverview has survived. It looks much the same as it did in the 1950s, as it still has the same furnishings! It looks absolutely stunning and there are some great pictures on the theater’s site if you would like to take a look. You can take sort of a virtual tour of the Riverview Theater here.
Now, if you’re afraid of going because you don’t want to shell out a bunch of money to see a movie on a 60-year-old projector, sitting in uncomfortable, old seats, fear not. There have been some changes at Riverview. A state-of-the-art projection and sound system installed. Additionally, new rocker seats with lift-up cup-holder arm-rests were installed in 2007. You can watch little Ralphie almost shoot his eye out in comfort!
By the way, if you were thinking you could catch the movie tomorrow, Wednesday’s movie is a decidedly much-less festive, “Religulous”, so get out there tonight if you want to see a good family holiday movie in an authentic 1950s style theater.2008-12-23T14:43:00-07:002013-07-09T04:34:43-07:00Matt Barkertag:barkerhedges.com,2012-09-20:2057Edina Minnesota HighlightsEdina is a Minnesota city located in Hennepin County. It is a first-ring suburb soutwest of Minneapolis within the Twin Cities metropolitan area. Edina began as a small farming and milling community in the 1860s. Today, it is a community that is 95% developed. The population was 47,425 at the 2000 census.
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Edina began as part of Richfield Township. In the 1850s, 17 families came to Minnesota and claimed land in the southwest section of what was then Richfield Township. Most of them immigrated as a result of the potato famine in Ireland. They were followed by English and Scottish farmers, who claimed more land near Minnehaha Creek. The Baird and Grimes and Country Club Districts are located in the northeast part of Edina and were among the first areas to be established. Both of these locations are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
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In 1888, the residents of the township held a meeting to consider founding a new village. It was approved, and the process of separating themselves from Richfield Township began. That was the first debate, the second was what to name the new village. Several town meetings were held, during which the names "Hennepin Park", "Westfield" and "Edina" were suggested. Andrew Craik, upon moving to the township in 1869 from Edinburgh, bought and renamed the local mill to the Edina Mill. It was he who proposed the name, which after much debate, was decided in 1889.
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Several major highways run through or next to Edina, making it readily accessible to the greater Twin Cities area. Minnesota State Highways 62, running east and west, and 100,, running north and south, divide Edina into four sections. U.S. Route 169 in the western portion of the city extends north and south. Interstate 494 towards the southern end of the city runs east and west. Minnesota State Highway 7 is within three miles of the city and Interstate 394 is within five. Edina is about twenty minutes from the Twin Cities International Airport. Edina has numerous retail shopping centers, including Southdale Center, which was the first climate-controlled, fully enclosed shopping mall in the United States. Other shopping centers include the Galleria, Yorktown and Centennial Lakes Plaza. Edina shares another thriving commercial area at West 50th Street and France Avenue South with Minneapolis, known as "50th & France."
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Edina has more than 1,500 acres of parkland and open space. The Edina Park and Recreation Department oversees 44 parks, which include features like as baseball, football and soccer fields, softball diamonds, basketball and tennis courts, outdoor skating rinks, playground equipment; and picnic shelters. The Department also maintains eight miles of paths for biking, walking, jogging, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. Most of Edina is in Independent School District 273, which serves children primarily from Edina. There are approximately 7,500 K-12 students served by 1,139 teachers and support staff in six elementary schools, two middle schools, and one senior high school. Edina High School is often listed in the top 100 schools in the United States in academics. Additionally, EHS has been listed in the top 10 in sports, the top 15 in debate, the top 40 in music, and has won national awards in writing and other areas. The elementary and junior high schools have won many national and state excellence awards. French, Spanish, Latin, Russian, and German, four styles of Japanese, three types of Chinese, and American Sign Language are all offered through Edina Public Schools.
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There are three private schools in Edina. Our Lady of Grace, which is a Catholic school that serves students from kindergarten through eighth grade, St. Peters Lutheran School, and Calvin Christian School.If it’s a secondary education you want, Edina is home to some colleges as well. Cardinal Stritch University, Devry University, Minnesota State University, Mankato education site and the Keller Graduate School of Management are located in Edina.
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Edina's proximity to downtown Minneapolis makes it a favored home for upwardly mobile professionals, middle managers and top executives. Edina has a reputation for being one of the most affluent suburbs of Minneapolis. In 2000, the median income of Edina citizens was $93,496. Edina is even home to a few billionaires, most notably Richard M. Schulze and Carl Pohlad.
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Edina MN real estate offers a wide range of housing, including townhouses, condos, single-family homes and new construction. Single-family homes in Edina range from about $250,000 to over $4 million, while condominiums and townhouses can still be found in the mid $100,000s.
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Browse <a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/edina-real-estate/">homes for sale in Edina MN</a>. Browse homes for sale in Minneapolis, Saint Paul, or the Greater Twin Cities.2008-11-23T21:06:00-07:002013-07-09T20:40:40-07:00Matt Barkertag:barkerhedges.com,2012-09-20:2055Nearby Foreclosures Affect Your Home SaleYesterday I wrote about how truer home appraisals are being requested by mortgage lenders before they will dispense a loan. Today I will write about how two major things right now are directly affecting your appraisal value: foreclosures and short sales.
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For a few months, pending home sales in the <a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/twin-cities-real-estate/">Twin Cities</a> have gone up and the excessive inventory of unsold homes has been slowly going down. However, the local real estate market, and markets in the nation at large, still faces some opposition. Growing unemployment, wilting wage growth, higher down-payment prerequisites, and stringent mortgage qualifications are all contributing to tumbling real estate prices. Furthermore, the increasing number of foreclosures sales and short-sales taking place are hitting home sellers hard in particular.
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An abrupt increase in <a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/property-for-sale/results/?foreclosure=true">foreclosures </a>across the nation is being blamed for dives in home prices that have stunned the economy. The foreclosure crisis has moved lenders and the government to launch broad efforts to keep people in their homes, even if it means renegotiating the terms for thousands of loans and in some circumstances, banks taking a loss. Most troublesome, the high foreclosure rate has translated into home sellers cutting their asking prices just to compete with short sales and foreclosure sales.
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While it is true that about one-third of all home sales in the metro area during the July-September quarter were "lender-mediated" transactions, not all communities have been hit in the same way, according to data compiled by the Minneapolis Area Association of Realtors. In Brooklyn Center, for example, 64% of home sales so far this year have been lender-mediated, while in Edina only 8.3% were. Regardless of what city or neighborhood you live in, if there are foreclosures or short sales happening on your block and you’re trying to sell a house, they will ultimately affect your sale price.
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There is a specific reason why foreclosures have struck some vicinities harder than others. Foreclosures tend to be clustered in areas with a large population of first-time and low-income mortgagees, as they are more likely to have subprime loans. These mortgages are by nature more likely to go into default. Some statistics indicate subprime borrowers at over six times as likely as prime borrowers to end up in foreclosure.
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Communities experiencing increases in foreclosure sales also tend to see sharp declines in the median sale price. In the Regional Multiple Listing Service district that includes north <a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/minneapolis-real-estate/">Minneapolis</a>, 67.2% of the sales were lender-mediated. As of October, the median sale price of houses in that district fell 70% in two years. In <a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/edina-real-estate/">Edina</a>, where foreclosures include a small number of upscale homes but make up a low proportion of the total sales, the median sale price has fallen just 1.2%.
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Despite these trends, not all areas are experiencing the same sort of downturn. Even within cities where foreclosures have made an apparent impact on prices, like in Brooklyn Center and Brooklyn Park, parts of residential areas are maintaining their property values.
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There are ample buyers, even real estate investors with cash in hand interested in picking up lender-owned properties at a bargain. But many are unwilling to wait through the lengthy and complex process of buying a short sale home or foreclosure home. Because of the enormous number of foreclosures occurring, it can take 90 to 120 days just to get a reply to an offer from a lender. By that time, many buyers have found a more immediately available home. The lender is then compelled to reduce the price extra to generate more interest in the property, and pushing the prices of nearby seller-owned homes down even to stay competitive.
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Those consecutive price reductions can cause trouble in other communities, other houses that are in a similar price range or condition. That’s because foreclosures often become comparisons for appraisals. Because bank-owned houses are going to be priced below market value to move them rapidly, the appraisal values of seller-owned listings will drop.
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There is for even more concern. As more homeowners descend into foreclosure because of increases in their adjustable-rate mortgages instead of job loss or other economic misfortune, a growing number of short-sale and foreclosure homes are well maintained, making it more likely to be used as comparables for traditional home sales.
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If you’re a home owner thinking about moving up to a larger or more up-scale house, don’t be afraid of putting your house on the market. Even if as a seller you lose some money on the home you’re leaving, as a buyer you'll pay less for the house you're moving up to.2008-11-18T17:07:00-07:002013-07-03T01:49:01-07:00Matt Barkertag:barkerhedges.com,2012-09-20:2034Upcoming Twin Cities Home Related EventsHere is a listing of upcoming <a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/twin-cities-real-estate/">Twin Cities home</a>-related events. Finding and Buying Your First Home. Topics include choosing a mortgage, first-time <a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/buyers/">home buyer</a> programs, government loans and negotiating the best price in a buyer's market. 6:30 p.m. Monday. $15. Minneapolis Community Education, Anwatin Middle School, 256 Upton Av. S. 612-668-2470.
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Home Ownership. Overview of steps to take to buy a new home. Attendees will receive a copy of their credit report. 7 p.m. Tuesday. $15. Minneapolis Community Education, Southwest High School, 3414 W. 47th St. 612-668-3100.
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Buying Foreclosed and Short-Sale Properties. Topics include how to find deals in the foreclosure market and negotiate with banks. For first-time buyers or experienced investors. 7 p.m. Wednesday. $15. Minneapolis Community Education, Anwatin Middle School, 256 Upton Av. S. 612-668-2470.
Home Inspections. Topics include what to look for when buying and selling and the Truth in Housing Law in Minneapolis. 6:30 p.m. Wednesday. $15. Minneapolis Community Education, Anwatin Middle School, 256 Upton Av. S. 612-668-2470.
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Mortgage Basics. An overview of the mortgage process. 7 p.m. Wednesday. $15. Minneapolis Community Education, South High School, 3131 19th Av. S. 612-668-4326.
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Duplex and Multi-Unit Housing as an Investment. Topics include the tax benefits of owning real estate, how to find and evaluate property and how to do an investment property worksheet. 6:30 p.m. Wednesday. $15. Minneapolis Community Education, Lake Harriet Community School, 4912 Vincent Av. S. 612-668-3330.
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Minneapolis Rental Property Workshop. Topics include property management basics, working with housing inspections, tenant issues, risk of lead poisoning and Hennepin County Housing Court and mediation. 5 to 9 p.m. Thursday. $30. St. Mary's Greek Orthodox Church, 3450 Irving Av. S., Minneapolis. For a registration form, go to www.minnesotainvestmentrealestate.com. 612-673-2812.
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North Minneapolis Home Buyer Tour. The GLBT Northsiders are holding a tour of single-family homes Oct. 26. The gay, lesbian, bisexual transgender group's event will introduce prospective buyers to homes for sale, point out neighborhood amenities and provide information on home-buying assistance programs. For details, go to glbtnorthsiders.blogspot.com or send e-mail inquiries to MyNewNeighbor@gmail.com.
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Reverse Mortgage: Your Real Estate Retirement Account. Learn the facts about this potential source of retirement income. 1:30 p.m. Oct. 28. $10. St. Paul Community Education, Conway Recreation Center, 2090 Conway St. 651-293-8733.
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Cabin Design Class. "For the Love of Cabins," a cabin design class taught by architect Dale Mulfinger. 7 p.m. Oct. 29. $14; $19 per couple. Edina Community Center, 5701 Normandale Road. 952-848-3952.
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Book Signings. Authors Dale Mulfinger, Bill Holm and John Henricksson, who have written about cabin ownership. 7:30 p.m. Nov. 11. Common Good Books, 165 N. Western Av., St. Paul. 651-225-8989.2008-10-20T16:01:00-07:002013-07-04T16:50:51-07:00Matt Barkertag:barkerhedges.com,2012-09-20:2015Strange But True: Eat, Drink & Buy a HouseI’ve been meaning to write this blog post for a while, as evidenced by my <a href="http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/homegarden/27274829.html">resource-article</a>’s age of nearly one whole month! That’s okay, as I recall there was another “Strange But True” around that time as well. I didn’t want them to appear too closely to each other. So, without much more delay, I’ll get to this Strange But True real estate related story.
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As evidenced recently by our <a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/blog/minneapolis-market-analysis-august-2008/">Minneapolis</a> and <a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/blog/saint-paul-market-analysis-august-2008/">St. Paul</a> market analyses, the number of homes on the <a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/twin-cities-real-estate/">Twin Cities real estate</a> has been pretty high in comparison to how many closed sales have been occurring. Particularly, there have been an unusually high number of upper-bracket homes for sale out there. Homes are also spending a lot longer on the market on average before they finally sell. In this kind of atmosphere, doing all that is possible to make a home stand out amongst the rest may mean the difference between the house selling quickly and it languishing on the market for a while.
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This brings me to the point of this post: real estate soirees. Brunches, cocktail parties and progressive dinners that showcase a luxury property have become increasingly popular as a marketing strategy. These events can vary from simple wine-and-cheese affairs to elaborate garden parties. This non-traditional style of open house are not only taking place in the Twin Cities, but all across the United States. Agents who host the gatherings hope that by inviting influential business associates, neighbors and other agents, they'll be able to attract more attention to the house and in turn sell it more quickly. Maybe even for a higher price than originally anticipated!
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Last month (when the article was written), an event like this was held at a 7,000-square-foot Nantucket-style house in Edina. About 130 guests were served appetizers and wine as they toured the home, seeing first-hand what the home had to offer. With that type of exposure, it’s easy to imagine that the home sparked the interest of at least one visitor. Additionally, if the right person happens to show up who knows someone else who would love the home, word-of-mouth “buzz” can be generated as well, which has always been a good sales tactic.
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For motivated sellers, traditional methods aren't enough these days. Though this party cost more than $1,000, attracting the right buyer for a property can be well worth the price. That is just a mid-range party however. “Real estate soirees” in the Twin Cities can be held that cost $200 to $400. Some have even been held for a cost of $2,000 or more. Of course, as stated earlier in the article, this may not be an advisable home sale tactic for less stately homes. Most of this type of “Open House” have been happening in homes worth over $1 million. High-bracket homes attract high-bracket buyers: Helping them to see how their life could be within the house can be a key selling method. But as Laurie Moore-Moore, founder of the Institute for Luxury Home Marketing in Dallas, put it "It gives you the ability to target prospective buyers and highlight the lifestyle the home represents."
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Some have even gone so far as to have their own miniature sized home tours. The article here says that last fall, several real estate agents got together and hosted a group open house at five mansions priced at $1.5 million and up on Minneapolis' Mount Curve Avenue. A “neighborhood dinner party” of sorts was held, with guests traveling from house to house, enjoying a different course of a meal at each property.
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Does the strategy work? Sales agents who have held events say it can be difficult to determine which marketing tactic led to a home's sale, but they agreed it's worth the time and expense. At the time the article was written, the house in Edina had not yet sold (Mind you, the article was written a month ago). However, after the event, the home had five individual showings immediately following the event.2008-09-21T12:40:00-07:002013-07-07T07:31:49-07:00Matt Barkertag:barkerhedges.com,2012-09-20:1980Minneapolis and Saint Paul Populations GrowingFor the first time since 2000, the U.S. Census Bureau has reported that the populations of <a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/saint-paul-real-estate/">Saint Paul</a>, <a href="http://www.saint-paul-real-estate.com/minneapolisneighborhoods.php">Minneapolis</a>, 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. 2008-07-14T13:21:00-07:002013-07-09T11:35:13-07:00Matt Barkertag:barkerhedges.com,2012-09-20:1973It’s Almost Time for the Minneapolis Aquatennial!The “Ten Best Days of Summer” are nearly upon us! Celebrated in locations and venues across the city, the Minneapolis Aquatennial is the largest parade and free outdoor concert in Minnesota. The event also boasts one of the largest fireworks displays in the U.S.! This celebration always attracts huge crowds. In fact, the festival is attended by nearly 800,000 people over the 10 days of the Aquatennial!
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The Aquatennial is always held the third full week of July. The festival's founding fathers consulted weather forecasters who said that was traditionally the driest, warmest week of the year. This year, the event will be held July 18–27, 2008.
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Just as <a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/minneapolis-real-estate/">Minneapolis </a>celebrated its centennial in conjunction with the Aquatennial in 1956, this year the event will celebrate the year Minnesota achieves 150 years of statehood.
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The very first Minneaplis Aquatennial celebration occurred in 1940. At the time, the entire Minneapolis police department worked twelve hours each day of the new festival. 92-year-old Chief One Bull, last of the great Sioux warriors and famous for his defeat of General Custer, was at the festivities. Celebrity Gene Autry was also an honored guest, broadcasting his "Melody Ranch" programs from WCCO Radio. In 1941, just one year after its inception, the Aquatennial was proclaimed to be the Northwest's greatest summer festival, one that should not be missed!
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Back when the Aquatennial began, there were nearly 200 events. Today that number has been scaled back to just over 70 events. The goal is to make each event as spectacular as it can be.
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Some of the other attractions and events include boat races, a sandcastle building competition, a beachside art fair, numerous neighborhood park BBQs, athletics competitions, live music, and entertainment. The first Torchlight Parade was held during the very first Aquatennial in 1940, but back then, it was called the "Illuminated Evening Parade". One of the more novel and memorable events is the annual "Milk Carton Boat Races," in which participants in various divisions race boats they have constructed from milk cartons.
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So where does the most unique event at the Aquatennial, the Milk Carton Boat Race, have its roots? It began in 1971 with a local advertising agency trying to increase sales for its client, a milk distributor. Ad executives tried to think up the most outrageous idea and came up with milk carton boat races. The Aquatennial, a festival with a nautical theme, was the logical venue for the race. In 1993, Tetra Pak, a Minneapolis packager, used 25,000 milk cartons to make a one-hundred-foot boat in the shape of an aircraft carrier. This was to honor those who had served in Operation Desert Storm. Nearly 150 people rode on the boat.
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The festival's relationship with Minnesota communities is apparent in the Aquatennial's Queen of the Lakes Program. Each year, 50 young women from around Minnesota are chosen by their communities to compete for the Queen of the Lakes and two Princess titles. These three young women will travel around the state, country, and globe to participate in festivals in San Antonio, Texas, Macon, Georgia, and Osaka, Japan.
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One of the Aquatennial's most popular events, the Aqua Follies, ended in 1964. This event began in 1940 at Cedar Lake and eventually moved to Theodore Wirth Lake Park. The main attractions of the Follies were the "Aqua Darlings," a variety group, and the "Aqua Dears," a team of 25 synchronized swimmers. Also featured at the Aqua Follies were Olympic divers, comedians, acrobats, singers, dancers and a sound and light show unrivaled in its time. Aquatennial officials ended the Follies because the cost to replace the deteriorating staging area, bleachers and diving area would have been astronomical.
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Throughout the years, the Minneapolis Aquatennial has been attended by many famous guests:
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1951 - The Lone Ranger attended Children's Day events at the new Parade Stadium
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1957 - Bob Barker hosted the TV game show "Truth or Consequences" with a live broadcast at the Southdale Shopping Mall in Edina, Minnesota
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1958 - Vice President Richard Nixon served as the Aquatennial's Grand Marshal
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1967 - The Aquatennial had its own Woodstock with "Happening '67" a three-day psychedelic band concert featuring rock stars like Jefferson Airplane and Buffalo Springfield.
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1978 - Millionaire and philanthropist, Percy Ross, rode in the Torchlight Parade and threw $16,500 worth of silver dollars into the crowd (by the way, throwing things from a float is now illegal in Minneapolis).
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1989 - Phyllis George, the former sportscaster, morning television show anchor, and Miss America was Torchlight Parade Grand Marshal
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You can check out the full schedule of activities at the official Minneapolis Aquatennial website!2008-07-07T10:32:00-07:002013-07-09T21:19:44-07:00Matt Barkertag:barkerhedges.com,2012-09-20:19592008 U.S. Women’s Open in EdinaThe Twin Cities suburb of Edina will soon have the opportunity to present its greatness to the nation. This year, the 2008 U.S. Women’s Open is happening right here in our own Edina, at the Interlachen Country Club. This event, which just happens to be the biggest competition in the world of women’s golf, happens from June 23 to June 29. It is expected to attract 135,000 people to Edina during that period of time. Edina native Hilary Lunke will be competing in the championship this year, giving the city yet another reason to be proud. To top it off, the entire competition will be broadcast nationally on channels ESPN, ESPN2 and NBC.The flood of people will also mean a deluge of business for hotels and restaurants. Because many attendants will be parking at Southdale Center and Galleria, it is probable that they will go shopping before or after they take a shuttle to Interlachen. It is estimated that the U.S. Women’s Open will bring $20 million into Edina’s economy as people sleep at hotels, eat at restaurants, and shop at the many stores.
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Edina community businesses have already been cashing in on the benefits of hosting this huge event. The Edina Chamber of Commerce has connected event organizers, the United States Golf Association, with Edina businesses that will provide services and materials for the golf championship. The Chamber will also have a hospitality tent at Interlachen provided by several metro-area businesses and organization. The USGA is lining up vendors, sponsorships, ticket sales, even scheduling trash pick up. All of it is going to result in dollar $ign$ for Edina.
Though advertising in the metro area for the U.S. Women’s Open has just been recently making itself known, the plans for this one week of Edina history have been in the works for years. In fact, organizers have been preparing for the event at Interlachen for five years. USGA staff itself has been working on-site since the summer 2005.
The last major golf event Interlachen hosted was the 2002 Solheim Cup. However, this event will be much bigger in terms of attendance, on site media outlets, and national exposure.
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Additionally, the Edina Community Channel 16 crew will be at the U.S. Women’s Open all week. An episode of “In Edina” will be broadcast from the golf course. Afterwards, a retrospective video about the event will be created and made available to the public.
The increase in revenue will make Edina a stronger community economically, which is the path towards a better city as a whole. The national attention will be an extra bonus. At any rate, it will help the rest of the nation know what a great place Edina truly is.2008-06-15T06:33:00-07:002011-11-22T10:37:25-07:00Matt Barkertag:barkerhedges.com,2012-09-20:1952Minnesota Schools Among the Best in the NationThe excellence of Minnesota schools has been in the news lately.
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First, a new study shows that Minnesota's graduation rate is among the highest in the county. The study, released Wednesday by Education Week, ranked the state's graduation rate as the ninth highest in the nation for the Class of 2005. That year is the most recent for which data is available. The state's graduation rate was 78 percent, compared with the national average of 71 percent.
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States listed in the report as having the highest graduation rates, other than Minnesota, include New Jersey (83 percent), Iowa (83 percent), Wisconsin (81 percent), North Dakota (79 percent) and Pennsylvania (80 percent). Among neighboring states, only South Dakota had a lower graduation rate, at 76 percent, than Minnesota. States listed with the lowest graduation rates include Nevada (45 percent), New Mexico (54 percent), Louisiana (55 percent), South Carolina (56 percent) and Georgia (58 percent).
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That’s not all! Minnesota educators and legislators will again push to have the state’s drop-out age raised from 16 to 18 years old. This move would possibly help to prevent students from dropping out, keeping even more youths within the schools until they graduate.
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Second, when Newsweek Magazine recently released its annual list of "America's Best High Schools," twenty-one Minnesota schools appeared among the U.S.’s top 1,300.
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The top Minnesota schools and their rankings are as follows:
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<a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/edina-real-estate/">Edina MN</a>, 93<br />
<a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/st-louis-park-real-estate/">St. Louis Park MN</a>, 209<br />
Minneapolis Southwest, 215<br />
Eastview in Apple Valley, 436<br />
St. Anthony, 497<br />
<a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/minnetonka-real-estate/">Minnetonka MN</a>, 531<br />
<a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/mahtomedi-real-estate/">Mahtomedi MN</a>, 719<br />
Lakeville North, 863<br />
Minneapolis Patrick Henry, 890<br />
<a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/wayzata-real-estate/">Wayzata MN</a>, 940<br />
Irondale, 1021<br />
<a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/mounds-view-real-estate/">Mounds View MN</a>, 1041<br />
Simley in Inver Grove Heights, 1,051<br />
<a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/hopkins-real-estate/">Hopkins MN</a>, 1,084<br />
Highland Park, 1,187<br />
South Minneapolis, 1,223<br />
Brainerd, 1,252<br />
Eden Prairie, 1,253<br />
South St. Paul, 1,311<br />
<a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/apple-valley-real-estate/">Apple Valley MN</a>, 1,400<br />
Century in Rochester, 1,401<br /><br />
Fifteen of the 21 named this year also were cited last year, including Edina, Southwest, St. Louis Park, Minnetonka, Patrick Henry, Eastview, Highland Park, Mounds View, Lakeville North, Brainerd, Wayzata, St. Anthony, Mahtomedi, Hopkins and Irondale.
As you can see, many of these school districts are also within easy moving distance in <a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/twin-cities-real-estate/">Twin Cities communities</a>.<br /><br />
Finally, at the end of April, the Choice & Education Across the States report released by The Heartland Institute ranked Minnesota 5th in the nation in school choice options that increase accountability and improve student achievement. Minnesota received an overall “B” in the report that sought to combine all aspects for school choice into one ranking.
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Among the rankings in the report:<br />
Minnesota ranked second in the nation for the number of charter school programs in the state. There are now 143 charter schools in Minnesota. According to the report, there are 4,147 charter schools in 40 states and Washington, D.C. serving more than 1.2 million students nationwide.
Minnesota was mentioned as the first state to enact a charter school law in 1991.
Minnesota ranked first in individual tax credit programs for education. Minnesota has two programs—the K–12 education subtraction and the K–12 education credit—to help families pay expenses related to their child’s kindergarten through 12th grade (K–12) education.
Minnesota ranked high in available options by providing open enrollment and magnet school choices. Minnesota fell short of a perfect score in this area by lacking a state law ensuring statewide access to online distance learning.
Education has been made a priority in Minnesota and it shows. Not only has Minnesota had a long-standing commitment to creating and maintaining an excellent public school system, but has provided students and parents a variety of school choice options and greater flexibility. This state is truly a great place to raise a family.2008-06-05T09:02:00-07:002013-07-07T22:06:55-07:00Matt Barkertag:barkerhedges.com,2012-09-20:1945Community Events This WeekendThis weekend, there are two great Twin Cities events occurring. The Edina Arts Fair begins on Friday and ends on Sunday. Grand Old Day, which takes place in St. Paul, will occur on Sunday.
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Edina Art Fair
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In <a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/edina-real-estate/">Edina MN</a>, the summer can’t officially start until the Edina Art Fair is held! Now in its 42nd year, this event occurs this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday! Located at 50th and France, 70,000 visitors are expected to attend the second-largest art fair in the state. This year’s Edina Art Fair will feature 400 artists from around the country. There won’t just be a vast selection of fine paintings, watercolors, photographs, engravings, wood carvings, jewelry, and glasswork. There will also be music, entertainment, games, and plenty of food!
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The Edina Art Fair will run Friday May 30 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday May 31 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday June 1 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
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The full Art Fair Program is available as a PDF document here.
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Grand Old Day
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<a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/saint-paul-real-estate/">St. Paul</a>'s first rite of summer is also happening this weekend! That’s right! The Grand Avenue Business Association has once again invited the public to attend the 35th annual Grand Old Day celebration this Sunday, June 1. This is parade and event takes place along Saint Paul’s historic Grand Avenue. Grand Old Day is the Midwest's largest one-day festival! It includes a parade, sporting events, seven stages which feature live music, an art fair, a family fun zone, a teenage battle of the bands, and international performances. Because this year is the 35th anniversary of the first Grand Old Day, the theme of the festival will celebrate its 1970s roots with a "Flashback to the '70s." Organizers hope that festival-goers will don their bell-bottoms and platforms. All of the street’s stores and restaurants will be open for food, drink, and shopping.
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Free parking is located in the University of St. Thomas parking lot at Summit and Cretin. Attendees of Grand Old Day are encouraged to carpool, walk, bike, or take public transportation. Free shuttle rides are available to Grand Old Day guests along Summit Avenue between Cretin and Dale.
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A full Grand Old Day event guide can be found here! Don’t miss it this year! Grand Old Days promises a fun-filled day.
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This weekend is certainly going to be full of festivities! Let’s hope the weather warms up a little bit so they may be truly enjoyed!2008-05-29T15:12:00-07:002013-07-10T05:37:36-07:00Matt Barkertag:barkerhedges.com,2012-09-20:1936Upcoming Twin Cities Home EventsThere is still time to make the Parade of Homes Easystreet tour! This tour of 112 association-maintained new homes includes townhouses, condos, lofts, villa homes and rowhouses throughout the <a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/twin-cities-real-estate/">Twin Cities area</a>. This event takes place through May 18. The times are from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays and 3 to 7 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays. Tour maps are available at local Holiday Station stores and at www.paradeofhomes.org.
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Minneapolis Community Education is hosting a class entitled Finding and Buying Your First Home. Topics include negotiating a price, choosing a mortgage, first-time buyer programs and hiring a real estate agent. This event occurs at 6:30 p.m. on May 19 and it costs $15. The class will be held at Henry High School, 4320 Newton Av. N., Minneapolis. To contact Minneapolis Community Education, call 612-668-1922.
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Check out what the next generation has been up to by taking a Student-Built Home Tour. Two new homes built by Constructions Occupations students from Intermediate School District Northeast Metro 916, one in Cottage Grove and the other in Hugo, will be open to the public. The Cottage Grove home, 6699 Hadley Av. S., is open from 4 to 7 p.m. May 20. The Hugo home, 5728 127th St. N., is open from 4 to 7 p.m. May 22. Tours of the homes are free. 651-697-1954.
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It’s another home buying class! Minneapolis Community Education is hosting Buying Foreclosed and Short-Sale Properties. Here, you can learn about the foreclosure process, how to find great deals, and how to negotiate with the banks. This even costs $15 and will occur at 7 p.m. on May 28. This event is being held at Anwatin Middle School, 256 Upton Av. S.
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Take the Twin Cities Luxury Home Tour. During this tour, seventeen homes each valued at more than $1 million will be open for self-guided tours. The homes are located in Afton, Champlin, Chanhassen, Eden Prairie, Golden Valley, Edina, Minnetonka and other suburbs. The tours run from June 6-8, 13-15 and 20-22 from Noon to 6 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays and 1 to 7 p.m. Fridays. Advance tickets can be purchased for $20 at Twin Cities Caribou Coffee stores and at www.luxuryhometour.net beginning May 26. Tickets are $25 at the homes.2008-05-15T02:41:00-07:002013-06-29T09:43:48-07:00Matt Barkertag:barkerhedges.com,2012-09-20:1935Curb Appeal: Rain Garden LandscapingPreviously, I posted an article about planting <a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/blog/april-showers-bring-may-flowers/">spring flowers to increase curb appeal</a>. While perusing the Star Tribune today, I found this relevant article about rain gardens. There may be a few reasons, including environmental and monetary, for you to consider giving up some of your green lawn for different types of flora. Residents in sections of Bloomington, Eden Prairie, Minnetonka, Edina, Richfield and Hopkins that lie within the Nine Mile Creek Watershed District could be eligible for reimbursement of up to $3,000 if they install rain gardens to catch storm water or plant native plants along a shoreline. Eden Prairie is offering reimbursement of up to $500 for trying more nature-friendly style of landscaping.
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Throughout the Twin Cities metro area, watershed officials agree that meeting clean-water goals will require changes in new development as well as changes in individual yards. It has been found that monetary rewards and practical support spurs citizens into taking action. The Nine Mile Watershed District has levied $100,000 this year to begin its incentive program. Individuals can qualify for up to $3,000 and local governments and businesses can qualify for up to $25,000.
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So what exactly is a rain garden? A rain garden is a planted depression that is designed to absorb rainwater runoff from things like roofs, driveways, walkways, and compacted lawn areas. The depression catches the water, allowing it to soak into the ground instead of flowing into gutters, stormwater drains, or bodies of water. Deep rooted native foliage planted within the depression will “drink” the water. Besides catching rain naturally where it falls or flows, rain gardens can also soak up water from basement sump-pumps, gutter drain spouts, and other ways your yard becomes soggy. Rain gardens, which require very little maintenance, can cut down on the amount of pollution reaching creeks and streams by up to 30%. It also cuts down on soil erosion and flooding.
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Plants selected for use in a rain garden should tolerate both saturated and dry soil. Using native plants is generally encouraged. For Minnesota, native wildflowers, ferns, grasses, sedges, trees and shrubs all make great rain garden additions. Using native plants not only cuts down on maintenance, but also may provide urban habitats for native butterflies and birds.
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That isn’t to say that rain gardens are the only environmentally-friendly home improvement projects which are eligible for compensation. Planting native foliage to restore stream banks on your property also qualifies. Installing pervious asphalt and pavers, green roofs, and cisterns may also be eligible for reimbursement.
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A rain garden can help alleviate problem spots in your lawn. When trying to sell your home, the exterior is the first thing a potential buyer will see. Having a brown patch on your lawn, either because the soil is too dry or too wet, isn’t particularly inviting. Instead of trying to grow grass there, again, perhaps a rain garden is in order. Not only will it bring an end to the struggle of keeping that spot green, but you won’t even have to mow it!
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Don’t know where to start? Here is an article on how to build and design a rain garden. This is just a starting-off point, you will probably want to look around for more information. If you live in one of the communities mentioned in this article in the Nine Mile Creek Watershed District, contact them to find out how to qualify. There are some specific requirements which must be met for reimbursement to occur.2008-05-14T13:25:00-07:002013-07-08T17:46:23-07:00Matt Barkertag:barkerhedges.com,2012-09-20:1876Pricing is key to successfully selling a home in today's Twin Cities Real Estate marketHere is a great article to which I contributed information about <a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/selling/">selling a home</a> in the <a href="https://www.barkerhedges.com/twin-cities-real-estate/">Twin Cities real estate</a> market that was recently written in St Paul's Highland Villager:
PRICING IT RIGHT IS THE FIRST STEP TO SUCCESSFULY SELLING HOME
by Kevin Driscoll - Published in the Highland Villager Wed Aug 22nd 2007
Whether it is because of rising interest rates, the growing number of mortgage foreclosures, the aging of the population or a surplus of new homes, the sellers' market of just a few years ago is history. However, even in today's buyers' market just about any home, and especially one in the neighborhoods served by the Villager, can be sold in three days to three weeks as long as it is priced correctly, area Realtors say.
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Pricing a home correctly in 2007 is not as easy as it was in 2005 and earlier when the market was more consistent. As Matt Barker of the Highland Office of Re/Max Results said, "Don't look at the prices of homes sold in your neighborhood a couple of years ago. Not even from a year ago. The market has changed that much. You should be looking at sales prices over the last two months and certainly no more than the last six months. And those sales should be as close to your home as possible.”
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Realtors call it "looking at the comparables" said Leonard Schwartz ofColdwell Banker Burnet's Highland Park office. "It helps to look at active listings in your neighborhood, too,” he said. They may be overpriced , but they'll be your competition.
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The (comparables) should include homes within a quarter-mile or a half-mile, but no further," said Elizabeth Weintraub, who writes for the website homebuying.about.com. Pay attention to neighbor- hood dividing lines and physical barriers such as major streets, free- ways or railroads, and do not compare inventory from the other side of the tracks.
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''There are two kinds of home sellers," Barker said. ''Those who set their price too high and never sell and those who do the things necessary to avoid the objections from buyers that force price reductions."
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Many sellers in the former category may think they are merely testing the market. But invariably, Barker said, “they spend months waiting for an offer that never comes. Buyers are very price-conscious these days. They're holding out for their perceived right price.
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"Barker recently listed a house on Cretin Avenue in Highland Park-"The home was impeccable inside with a lot of updated features," he said. ''We recommended that the seller ask $274,900, but he wanted to test the market by asking $285,000. The home was on the market for a full month and there were plenty of people looking, but no one was making an offer. He came back and asked us to lower the price to our original recommendation, and the home sold in two days.
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''Even homes with impeccable features can be overpriced,'' Barker said.
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According to Barker. there are three ingredients in successfully selling a house. Pricing accounts for about 60 percent of the recipe, the condition of the home 30 percent and marketing 10 percent, he said.
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Going with the highest suggested list price "is the worst mistake a seller can make," Weintraub writes. But it's easy to get caught up in the excitement over choosing a sale Price. More money means more financial opportunities. Perhaps it means the seller can afford to buy a more expensive home, help pay for her child's college education or take that long overdue vacation.
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"Home sellers should not be afraid to set their price at or slightly below market value, local Realtors say "We always encourage that kind of pricing because it brings in more potential buyers who will bid the price up to and often beyond the market value of the home,” Barker said. "It's much easier to turn bids down than not get any at all.
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"There's no real downside to having a lower price because, even if your house sells for less than you were hoping for, you'll make it up that much sooner on the home you're buying," said Tony Haider of the Highland Park office of Edina Realty.
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"We've been finding out that you have to set exactly the right price," Schwartz said. "It can't be even a little high, although a little low is OK.''That is especially true in neighborhoods like Highland Park and Macalester-Groveland, according to Schwartz. "We've seen many of our listings bid right back up to market value, and even above, in some cases," he said.
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Most area real estate agencies have free mechanisms on their web- sites to help sellers determine the current market value of their home along with information about recent comparable sales in the neighborhood. Other websites offer the same information. However, some of those have come under fire recently for their lack of accuracy, according to Patrick Ruble of the St. Paul Area Association of Realtors, " Home sellers should rely on a reputable Realtor for truly accurate and up-to-date information he said.
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According to Haider single-family homes are not falling value even in this buyers' market. But they're not rising as fast either and in some cases are flat," he said. "Condos and townhomes are a different story. In some cases, those values are falling somewhat because so many have been built over the past several years or are being built now."
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In any case, it is extremely rare these days that someone can buy a house and turn it over in a couple of years for a profit, Haider said, "at least not without making improvements. It's taking longer to build equity in a home."
<br />2008-03-04T11:43:00-07:002013-07-09T22:41:37-07:00Matt Barker