Are YOU a Veteran? 7 Steps to Buying a Home with a VA Loan

If you can answer yes, the VA loan program is designed exclusively to help you buy a home. It is a GREAT option for financing your piece of the American Dream! And, it is one of the only ZERO down programs still available.

As a REALTOR® who works throughout Anoka, Chisago and Washington Counties, I have sold many homes using the DVA program. I have worked with sellers in Forest Lake and Coon Rapids who accepted offers from Veterans using the DVA financing program to purchase the home. I assisted Veteran home buyers to locate and purchase homes in Wyoming, Lino Lakes, Blaine and North Branch using their DVA eligibility option. All of the sales went of without a hitch. It is a wonderful program.

Additionally, I know and work closely with several lender resources that have experience working directly with the VA. We work together as a team to get veterans into the homes of their dreams!

Yesterday I attended a seminar in White Bear Lake given by the Department of Veterans Affairs on the home assistance program that is available for those who have served or are actively serving in the military. What a great benefit to our brave men and women who have sacrificed for our country. Low and no money down home loan programs are almost unheard of for today’s homebuyers. But the DVA has offered this option to eligible veterans since 1944 and continues the program today.

So, are you a veteran homebuyer?

There are many ways to take advantage of the DVA program. Whether you are buying a single family home, condo, townhome or even a duplex or four-plex, as long as you plan to live in the home, this is a benefit you have earned and should consider when buying or refinancing a home.

Seven Simple Steps to Buying a Home with a VA Loan:

1. Apply for your Certificate of Eligibility (COE). Or ask your loan officer to request online using the webLGY application.
   
2. Work with a REALTOR® to find your perfect home with a home seller that will accept DVA financing.


3. Present the COE to your loan officer at the time of loan application.


4. Loan officer will work with VA to order appraisal of home. A Notice of Value is issued.


5. The lender bank will review all documentation and approve your loan if the established property value and your credit and income are acceptable.


6. Attend the closing on your new home where the closer will go over all the loan terms and requirements as you sign the documents for your mortgage.


7. The lender applies to the VA for evidence of guaranty.

On the surface, many of these steps are similar to applying for a regular loan but the benefits of coming in with a very low or maybe even no down payment are not. Veterans should note that you are not alone in the process; you will have professional assistance in every step of the way. Why wouldn’t you want to check out this unique opportunity that is only available to those who have served our great country?

Need more information on how to buy a home using your DVA benefits and need help from a professional REALTOR®? Give me a call or visit my website for a FREE Relocation Packet , Homebuyers Success Packet or sign up for Listingbook Twin Cities Home Search. I specialize in acreage and lakeshore properties in the north and east Twin Cities metro area including Ham Lake, Lino Lakes and all communities in the Forest Lake School District! Serving Anoka, Chisago, Ramsey and Washington Counties in Minnesota.

Copyright 2009 Teri Eckholm http://www.terieckholm.com/

Wetland and Lakeshore disclosure? Foreclosure disclosure? Does a Minnesota Homebuyer Have to Waive Goodbye to Their Rights?

Last week I received a text inquiry from someone who had read my blog asking if I had any homes currently listed on any of Minnesota's numerous wetlands. I was excited as though I didn’t have any current listings on one of Minnesota’s greatest resource; I know there are many well-priced homes currently listed throughout Anoka, Chisago and Washington Counties on beautiful property with views of our Minnesota lakes and wetlands.

I made the connection and my “buyer” was calling not to buy, he had already bought a home located on a wetland. It was another question on Minnesota disclosures. What should have been disclosed to him before he purchased. As this was turning into a legal question, I directed him to call an attorney for legal advice.

But his question is valid, “What does need to be disclosed when selling a home in Minnesota?”

The advice I give to my listing clients, is to disclose anything and everything you would want to know as a prospective buyer. If your property is near lakeshore or wetland, there is a good chance the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has restrictions on what can be done to the landscaping. This is something that I would recommend that my sellers disclose as most buyers would want to be aware of any building restrictions.

These days so many properties are now bank-owned and lender mediated sales. This situation leads to the question, Do foreclosures, REO properties and short sales have different disclosure requirements in Minnesota?

In a word; no. But sellers who have limited knowledge of the condition of the property do have options available. Often a bank will require that a buyer waive their rights to a disclosure and buy the property AS-IS I came across a great YouTube video from the Minnesota Association of REALTORS® where Chris Galler, COO of MAR, explains the Minnesota disclosure law as it relates to foreclosures in great detail.






Still confused about real estate disclosures? Let me help! If you are buying, selling or relocating to Minnesota and need help from a professional REALTOR®, give me a call or visit my website for a FREE Relocation Packet , Homebuyers Success Packet or sign up for Listingbook Twin Cities Home Search. I specialize in acreage and lakeshore properties in the north and east Twin Cities metro area including Ham Lake, Lino Lakes and all communities in the Forest Lake School District! Serving Anoka, Chisago, Ramsey and Washington Counties in Minnesota.

Copyright 2009 Teri Eckholm http://www.terieckholm.com/

Home Buyers With Teens--Opinions WILL be Offered but not Always Appreciated!

It is a great time to buy a home in Minnesota. As a REALTOR working throughout the north Twin Cities metro, I see awesome homes at great prices coming on the market everyday in Anoka, Chisago and Washington Counties. There is an abundance of homes in the $300,000 plus category from Ham Lake to Forest Lake and everywhere in between. Whether you want a two story on acreage or a rambler with lakeshore, there seems to be something for everyone. And people are able to negotiate some very attractive deals. So many families have started to think again, this might be time to make a move.

Now the last time my famiy personally relocated, the kids were toddlers and offered very little opinions on the homes we looked at. As long as we assured them that their Little Tikes, Hot Wheels and Duplos were coming, the house was just a box to keep the playthings in. Flash forward to today and we have an entirely different situation. Our young adults who are usually in a music-induced stupor and non-talkative when it comes to family outings, take the earbuds out and fully participate in the discussion of possible new houses.

Though we are not in the market for a new home, we have driven by a few and discussed the possibilities. Here's an example of one such conversation with my teenager...

"There it is up ahead. It looks very nice. Nice lot. Interesting design."

"You mean that big ugly GREEN house?"

"That's just the siding color. It is beautiful inside. I have seen the photos!"

"But it is GREEN!"

"So you live on the inside of the home."

"Look at all the other homes in the neighborhood. They are tan. We are going to be the house that everyone uses as a landmark, you know, ‘turn right at the ugly green house'!"

"It's not ugly green. It is a very lovely sage green"

"Mom, I don't know what sage is but I if it is anything similar to the color of puke, I would agree!"

Okay...the wetland was a little too close for comfort so the lovely sage green house ended our exterior house tour. But my experience with young adults tagging along and voice opinions is not limited to my own kids. Several of my clients have had young adult children accompany them on house shopping excursions. Some of their voiced wants, needs and demands are priceless:

"You are not seriously considering moving us to this dump are you?"

"I vote for the home with the swimming pool!"

"It's in the middle of NOWHERE!"

"This one is great! We can build the wet bar here and put the pool table there."

"So why can't we have the big bedroom with the walk-in closet and private bathroom? It makes sense if you are going to make us share a room."

And if you think watching a toddler at a home showing is tough, try an inquisitive 13-year-old.

"I wasn't doing anything. I just opened the door of the clock to see how it works!"

Most families want their teenagers and young adult children to be onboard with the move. If the kids are not working with the parents, passive aggression could rise to the surface. Bedrooms will never be cleaned when there is a showing on your existing home. Dishes will be left in the kitchen sink and dirty towels on the bathroom floor of your perfectly staged home.

I understand that every family has to negotiate and find middle ground. But parents have to remind the kids who will be signing the purchase agreement and making the payments on the new home. The parents have the final decision on the house.

Of course, that doesn't mean that we parents won't hear our young adults' opinions loud and clear-but as we are changing a world that they believe revolves around them, that's to be expected. Whether we like it or not.

If you are buying, selling or relocating to Minnesota and need help from a professional REALTOR®, give me a call or visit my website for a FREE Relocation Packet , Homebuyers Success Packet or sign up for Listingbook Twin Cities Home Search. I specialize in acreage and lakeshore properties in the north and east Twin Cities metro area including Ham Lake, Lino Lakes and all communities in the Forest Lake School District! Serving Anoka, Chisago, Ramsey and Washington Counties in Minnesota.

Copyright 2009 Teri Eckholm http://www.terieckholm.com/

March 2009 Video Update--Amazing Affordability for Homebuyers in the Twin Cities Real Estate Market

Spring has sprung and with it comes a new video from the Minneapolis Association of REALTORS. The March Monthly skinny once again shows that the market appears to be making moves in the right direction. Pending sales are up 7.4% from this time last year. This is great news but it is also noted that over 60% of the pending sales are lender mediated (i.e. bank owned or short sale homes). The affordability index is nearly 90% higher on lender mediated properties than on homes sold by traditional sellers.

What is the Affordability Index?

When the affordability index is at 239 as mentioned in the video for lender mediated homes, it means that the median Twin Cities income is 239% higher than what is needed to qualify for the median priced Twin Cities home.

Check out the video for more indicators that it is a great time to buy a Twin Cities home.




If you are buying, selling or relocating to Minnesota and need help from a professional REALTOR®, give me a call or visit my website for a FREE Relocation Packet , Homebuyers Success Packet or sign up for Listingbook Twin Cities Home Search. I specialize in acreage and lakeshore properties in the north and east Twin Cities metro area including Ham Lake, Lino Lakes and all communities in the Forest Lake School District! Serving Anoka, Chisago, Ramsey and Washington Counties in Minnesota.

Copyright 2009 Teri Eckholm http://www.terieckholm.com/

Anoka County Homebuyers! It’s EASY to go GREEN this St Pat’s Day!

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day by bringing a bit of “green” thinking in your home search. Whether your home search is in Anoka, Chisago or Washington County, there is an opportunity to buy real estate that's a wee bit green. Spring is the time that many start thinking about making a move. Homes are more affordable than ever before and there is still an awesome selection of single family homes on the market for buyers to choose from.

Ton’s O' choices on the market!

• Homes on lakeshore
  
• Homes on acreage
  
• Starter homes
  
• Foreclosures
  
• New construction

Here are just a few GREEN opportunities I found currently listed for sale in the north metro:

♣ Consider a home with a green shingled roof. There’s a beauty in Scandia on 3 acres. It is bank owned and seems to be quite a value with a price under $200K

♣ How about a home in Blaine’s Centennial Green development? This one is not a short sale or foreclosure and has a wonderfully remodeled kitchen.

♣ Looking for Lakeshore on Green Lake? This Chisago City home just listed and is a 3BR/2BA gem with 100 feet of shoreline.

♣ Maybe living in a two-story home where life is evergreen is more your style—here’s a 5BR/4BA home on Evergreen Lane in Circle Pines. Save some green with a recent price reduction too.

♣ But if going green on St. Pat’s means saving energy, why not consider this great Lindstrom home with a Geothermal heating system?

If none of these dwellings are striking your fancy maybe you will need the expertise of a REALTOR® to bring a wee bit of the Irish luck to your home search. (Okay…I know Eckholm is a Swedish name but I am still a Flaherty at heart). Give me a call and I will help you find your perfect home and put my expert negotiation skills to work for you to keep more “green” in your pocket too. And that’s no blarney either!

If you are buying, selling or relocating to Minnesota and need help from a professional REALTOR®, give me a call or visit my website for a FREE Relocation Packet , Homebuyers Success Packet or sign up for Listingbook Twin Cities Home Search. I specialize in acreage and lakeshore properties in the north and east Twin Cities metro area including Ham Lake, Lino Lakes and all communities in the Forest Lake School District! Serving Anoka, Chisago, Ramsey and Washington Counties in Minnesota.

Copyright 2009 Teri Eckholm http://www.terieckholm.com/

Attention Lakehome Buyers—Minnesota Lakeshore is Affordable but Is the Water Safe?

Today more than ever, buying a home and living on Minnesota lakeshore is a realistic goal in the Land of 10,000 Lakes. With over 12,000 lakes to chose from (yes, there are thousands more lakes than our state slogan touts) and increased affordability, Minnesota is really a land of opportunity for anyone considering buying a piece of shoreline property. The natural beauty of Minnesota abounds with lakes, ponds, creeks and rivers found in the city and suburbs of Anoka, Ramsey, Chisago, Washington, Hennepin Counties. Almost every day on the news there is something happening in, on or around one of our wonderfully wet natural resources. Some of the news is not always so great: Eurasian milfoil, mercury in the fish and polluted waters are a concern. Even those who live in the city are being asked to sweep grass clippings to keep the chemicals that make our lawns so beautifully green, out of our storm drains. So how do you know if the sparkling pristine blue water of the lake home you want to buy is really clean?

*Is the lake polluted?
*Is the fish safe to eat?
*Is there milfoil present?
*Should we swim in the water?

Visit http://www.checkmylake.org/ a wonderful website devoted to MN lakeshore and recreation published by Conservation Minnesota. The site gives information great information on most of Minnesota’s lakes. You can find out whether the lake water is safe to swim in and whether the fish are safe to eat on a case by case basis. The lake search is very simple to use. Just put in the name and or county of the lake you are interested in and hit GO. I found that when I was looking for a big lake that is located in more than one county, like White Bear Lake, entering the lake name is best because it will only be listed in one county. (In the case of White Bear Lake, it listed as Washington County not Ramsey.)

Pollution status is not the only feature of checkmylake.org. The website is updated continually with water facts, lake news and beach reports. You can submit a story about your favorite lake or check out the lakeshore photos at the Conservation Minnesota Flickr page. Connect and keep up to date by subscribing with YouTube, Facebook or MySpace too.

Now if you are looking for a great place to fish in the north metro, check out these links!

Fishing Links for Lakes in Anoka County:

• Coon Lake - Coon Lake County Park


• Mississippi River - Coon Rapids Dam Regional Park, Manomin County Park, Islands of Peace / Riverfront Regional Park


• Cenaiko Lake - Coon Rapids Dam Regional Park


• East Twin Lake - East Twin Lakes County Park


• Ham Lake - Ham Lake County Park


• Lake George - Lake George Regional Park


• Rice Creek - Locke County Park, Manomin County Park, Rice Creek Chain of Lakes Regional Park Reserve


• Martin Lake, Island Lake, Linwood Lake - Martin-Island-Linwood Lakes Regional Park


• Peltier Lake, George Watch Lake, Marshan Lake, Rice Lake, Baldwin Lake, Centerville Lake - Rice Creek Chain of Lakes Regional Park Reserve


• Rum River - Rum River Central Regional Park, Rum River North County Park, Rum River South County Park

Fishing Piers in Ramsey County:

• Bald Eagle Lake


• Beaver Lake


• Lake Gervais


• Island Lake


• Lake Josephine


• Keller Regional Park (Round Lake)


• Long Lake


• Lake McCarrons


• Click here for information on lake access points in Ramsey County.

If you are buying, selling or relocating to Minnesota and need help from a professional REALTOR®, give me a call or visit my website for a FREE Relocation Packet , Homebuyers Success Packet or sign up for Listingbook Twin Cities Home Search. I specialize in acreage and lakeshore properties in the north and east Twin Cities metro area including Ham Lake, Lino Lakes and all communities in the Forest Lake School District! Serving Anoka, Chisago, Ramsey and Washington Counties in Minnesota.

Copyright 2009 Teri Eckholm http://www.terieckholm.com/

Wild Turkeys and Snow Can't Stop SPRINGING FORWARD Tonight!

Springing forward is a bit of a let down when snow is still in the forecast. Springtime is one of my favorite times of year in Minnesota. It is the time of year when the snow melts and the ground thaws so quickly that the winter white world seems to change overnight into an array of green shades from lime to emerald. Flowers start budding. Birds sing late into the evening. Everything starts anew again.

Like last year, we are springing forward earlier than we had in the past many years of daylight savings time. As March is one of Minnesota’s snowiest months, we will have a bit to wait before spring really arrives.

But having the sunset is an hour later starting tomorrow is a blessing in the spring real estate market. It means that showing those vacant foreclosures in the evening hours will no longer be an adventure! Viewing properties without an exterior light to shine on the ice on the unsalted stairway is treacherous. Starting tomorrow a bit of the challenge has been removed but the bargains are still available. The warm spring weather and green grass won’t be far behind!

If you are buying, selling or relocating to Minnesota and need help from a professional REALTOR®, give me a call or visit my website for a FREE Relocation Packet , Homebuyers Success Packet or sign up for Listingbook Twin Cities Home Search. I specialize in acreage and lakeshore properties in the north and east Twin Cities metro area including Ham Lake, Lino Lakes and all communities in the Forest Lake School District! Serving Anoka, Chisago, Ramsey and Washington Counties in Minnesota.

Copyright 2009 Teri Eckholm http://www.terieckholm.com/