Thomas Dale

Greening Minnesota ~ June 2010

There have been some major green and earth-friendly developments in Minnesota and the Twin Cities recently, including new statewide regulations on phosphates in soaps and the start of a major green job growth initiative in the Twin Cities.

Starting Thursday, Minnesota and 15 other states will ban the sale of dishwasher detergents that contain high levels of phosphates, a source of pollution in lakes and streams. Stores will not be allowed to sell detergent with more than 0.5 percent phosphorous. The bans do not apply to commercial dishwashing products, and detergents for hand-washing dishes generally contain no phosphorus.

Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak and Saint Paul Mayor Chris Coleman are teaming up to support and attract environmentally-sound manufacturing to the Twin Cities with the Thinc.Green MSP initiative. With Thinc.GreenMSP, the mayors are looking to boost demand for locally-produced green products and services, as well as for the skilled workers involved...

Saint Paul Real Estate Market Analysis: December 2008

The last St. Paul real estate market analysis for the year of 2008.  Let’s get it done!  New posted listings for homes in St. Paul, Minnesota, increased in December according to the Minneapolis Area Association of Realtors’ Market Update for 100 Twin Cities Communities.  During December, there were 399 new listings in St. Paul, compared to the 351 homes put up on the market during the same month of 2007.  That is an increase of about +13.7%.  Unlike November, lots of neighborhoods saw increases in new listings.  The increase in new listings is a little unusual, given that December is so full of holidays. Here is a breakdown of new listings by Saint Paul neighborhood:  (Barker & Hedges blog entry about November 2008 St. Paul Real Estate Market Activity.)

Como 13 (+18.2%)
Crocus Hill 23 (+4.5%)
Downtown Saint Paul 17 (+21.4%)
East Side 104 (+25.3%)
Highland Park 16 (-5.9%)
Mac-Groveland...

Saint Paul Real Estate Market Analysis: November 2008

New posted listings for homes in St. Paul, Minnesota, decreased in November according to the Minneapolis Area Association of Realtors’ Market Update for 100 Twin Cities Communities.  During that month, there were 398 new listings in St. Paul.  In November the previous year, there were 481 new listings.  That is a reduction of about -17.3%.  The only neighborhoods which saw increases in new listings were the Phalen and Merriam Park neighborhoods of Saint Paul.  A decrease in new listings is to be expected now as the winter season really starts kicking up snow.  (Barker & Hedges blog entry about October 2008 St. Paul Real Estate Market Activity.)

Como 18 (-25.0%)
Crocus Hill 22 (-12.0%)
Downtown Saint Paul 14 (-33.3%)
East Side 98 (-28.5%)
Highland Park 23 (-43.9%)
Mac-Groveland 21 (-12.5%)
Merriam Park 17 (+54.5%)
North End/Frogtown 56 (-0.0%)
Phalen 60 (+1.7%)
Southeast...

Saint Paul Real Estate Market Analysis: October 2008

New posted listings for homes in St. Paul, Minnesota, fell in the month of October according to the Minneapolis Area Association of Realtors’ Market Update for 100 Twin Cities Communities.  During October, there were 515 new listings in St. Paul.  In October of 2007, there were 603 new listings.  That is a reduction of about -14.6%.  There were too many neighborhoods to list here that experienced declines of 20% to over 45%.  The only neighborhoods which saw significant increases in new listings were the Phalen and Merriam Park neighborhoods of Saint Paul.  (Barker & Hedges blog entry about September 2008 St. Paul Real Estate Market Activity.)

Como 31 (-6.1%)
Crocus Hill 40 (-35.5%)
Downtown Saint Paul 21 (-46.2%)
East Side 132 (+0.8%)
Highland Park 25 (-26.5%)
Mac-Groveland 22 (-47.6%)
Merriam Park 12 (+20.0%)
North End/Frogtown 56 (-29.1%)
Phalen 83 (+23.9%)
Southeast 12...

Saint Paul Real Estate Market Analysis: September 2008

In a change to what we have seen in previous months, new listings for homes in Saint Paul, Minnesota, rose during September according to the Minneapolis Area Association of Realtors’ Market Update for 100 Twin Cities Communities.  Throughout the month, there were 621 new listings in St. Paul.  During September of 2007, there were 602 new listings.  That adds up to an increase of about +3.2%!  It may be small, but it is something.  The Phalen and Highland Park neighborhoods of Saint Paul saw the greatest boost in new listings during September at +44.3% and +32.4% respectively.  Conversely, the West 7th and Merriam Park neighborhoods saw decreases in new listings during September of -45.0% and -50.0% respectively.  (Barker & Hedges blog entry about August 2008 St. Paul Real Estate Market Activity.)

Como 31 (-24.4%)
Crocus Hill 42 (-26.3%)
Downtown Saint Paul 25 (-19.4%)
East Side 139 (+23.0%)
Highland Park...

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 Park 42 (-4.5%)...

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 (-21.4%)
Crocus...

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 Park 31 (-36.7%)...

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 Park 55 (-3.5%)...

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 by...