Highland

Saint Paul Real Estate Market Analysis: August 2008

As we have seen in months previous, new listings for homes fell in Saint Paul, Minnesota, once again during August, according to the Minneapolis Area Association of Realtors’ Market Update for 100 Twin Cities Communities.  During the month of August this year, there were 553 new listings in St. Paul.  Throughout August of last year, there were 641 new listings, a decrease of about -13.7%.  This is similar to July's drop in new listings of -13.6%. The Como / Como Park neighborhood of Saint Paul encountered the greatest reduction in new listings during August at -32.5%.  The only neighborhood to have an increase in new listings in August compared to last year was Merriam Park, where listings rose 6.7%.  (To see a Barker & Hedges blog entry about July 2008 St. Paul Market Activity, please click here.)

Como 27 (-32.5%)
Crocus Hill 41 (-0.0%)
Downtown Saint Paul 29 (-21.6%)
East Side 113 (-15.0%)
Highland...

Saint Paul Real Estate Market Analysis: July 2008

For the yet another month, new Saint Paul, Minnesota, listings for homes decreased during the month of July, according to the Minneapolis Area Association of Realtors’ Market Update for 100 Twin Cities Communities. Throughout July of 2008, there were 599 new listings within the City of Saint Paul. In July of 2007, there were 692 new listings, which is a drop of about -13.4%. This is worse than June 2008’s drop of -8.9%. The Mac-Groveland neighborhood of St. Paul experienced the greatest decline in new listings this month at -56.9%. The West Side/Cherokee neighborhoods experienced the greatest increase in new listings over last year at 41, a very significant 86.4% more listings when compared to July 2007. Here is a list of July 2008 new listings in Saint Paul by neighborhood and the percentage of change that has occurred compared to July 2007. (To see a Barker & Hedges blog entry about June 2008 St. Paul Market Activity, please click here.)

Como 33...

Saint Paul Real Estate Market Analysis: June 2008

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

Como 35 (-32.7%)
Crocus Hill 41 (-24.1%)
Downtown Saint Paul 21 (-51.2%)
East Side 130 (-1.5%)
Highland...

Saint Paul Market Analysis: May 2008

Similar to the experience of Minneapolis but more dramatic, new listings for homes fell in Saint Paul, Minnesota, during the month of May, according to the Minneapolis Area Association of Realtors’ Market Update for 100 Twin Cities Communities. During May of 2008, there were 623 new listings in the City of Saint Paul. In May of 2007, there were 818 new listings, which is a drop of about 23.8%. St. Paul’s Downtown experienced the greatest decline in new listings at -56.3%. The West Side/Cherokee neighborhood was the only location in St. Paul to experience an increase in new listings over last year. Here is a list of May 2008 new listings in Saint Paul by neighborhood and the percentage of change that has occurred compared to May 2007. (To see a Barker & Hedges article about April 2008 St. Paul Market Activity, please click here.)

Como 41 (-26.8%)
Crocus Hill 50 (-33.3%)
Downtown Saint Paul 21 (-56.3%)
East Side 143 (-14.4%)
Highland...

Minnesota Schools Among the Best in the Nation

The excellence of Minnesota schools has been in the news lately.

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.

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).

That’s...

Saint Paul Market Analysis: April 2008

Similar to the experience of Minneapolis but more dramatic, new listings for homes fell in Saint Paul, Minnesota, during the month of April, according to the Minneapolis Area Association of Realtors’ Market Update for 100 Twin Cities Communities. During April of 2008, there were 681 new listings in the City of Saint Paul. In April of 2007, there were 806 new listings, which is a drop of about 15.5%. That is very different from March 2008’s drop of just 4.1%. St. Paul’s Downtown experienced the greatest decline in new listings at -42.4%.

In March the East Side, Mac-Groveland, North End/Frogtown, Phalen, and West Side/Cherokee neighborhoods had more new listings than last year. However, in April there weren’t any Saint Paul neighborhoods which experienced an increase in new listings. The West Side/Cherokee and Mac-Groveland neighborhoods managed to hold steady, with no increase or decline for the month of April. Here is a list of April 2008 new listings in...

Saint Paul Market Analysis: March 2008

Similar to the experience of Minneapolis (though not nearly as dramatic), new listings for homes fell in Saint Paul, Minnesota, during the month of March, according to the Minneapolis Area Association of Realtors’ Market Update for 100 Twin Cities Communities. During March of 2008, there were 670 new listings in the City of Saint Paul. In March of 2007, there were 699 new listings, which is a drop of about 4.1%. The Saint Anthony/Mid-way neighborhood experienced the greatest decline in new listings at 40.4%.

There were quite a few neighborhoods which experienced an increase in new listings, however. The East Side, Mac-Groveland, North End/Frogtown, Phalen, and West Side/Cherokee neighborhoods had more homes listed for sale in March of 2008 than in March of 2007. The escalating listings in these neighborhoods account for one aspect of why Saint Paul did not experience the drastic over-all drop encountered by Minneapolis. Here is a list of March 2008 new listings in Saint Paul...

Pricing is key to successfully selling a home in today's Twin Cities Real Estate market

Here is a great article to which I contributed information about selling a home in the Twin Cities real estate 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.

     Pricing a home correctly in 2007 is not as easy...