If the thought of spring cleaning your Minneapolis condo doesn’t bring a smile to your face, you’re not alone. To help you (and me) get going now, I’ve come up with this short list of the 6 essential, in my opinion, spring cleaning chores:
1.Store winter clothes: It’s time to pack away your winter clothes. Coats, sweaters, and your heavy winter clothing need to be inspected, cleaned if needed and packed away. Don’t skip the step of cleaning, or, when you get your clothes out of storage next fall, you might find that they’ve been damaged beyond repair by insects or set in stains. Where should you store your clothes? Somewhere clean, cool, dark and dry.
2.Wash window treatments: Spring is the perfect time to inspect and clean the window treatments in your Minneapolis condo or loft. Clean window treatments brighten any room. Wash blinds, launder curtains that are machine washable and send drapes to the dry cleaners. While you’re at it, dust the window casing, wash window sills, and clean any window hardware. You’ll be surprised at the huge amount of dirt and grime that a thorough window cleaning removes.
3.Clean carpets and upholstery: Deep clean fabrics that have absorbed a winter’s worth of dust and germs. Shampoo your carpets; clean cloth furniture. Open windows to speed the drying process, which can take a day or more.
4.Wash woodwork, walls, baseboards and cabinets: Even if your Minneapolis home’s walls don’t look like they need cleaning, they do. Just enough dust clings to vertical surfaces to warrant a seasonal bath. Using a sponge and hand dishwashing detergent, wash the surface in sections to make sure you don’t miss a spot.
5.Clean light and ceiling fixtures: To clean your light fixtures, remove the light bulb and fixture if possible. Wash glass fixtures in soap and water. If the fixture cannot be removed from the ceiling, use a damp cloth to wipe it off. Dry the fixtures. Wipe the light bulbs with a rag. The easiest way to clean your ceiling fans is to use a vacuum with a soft nozzle attachment.
6.Check your coils: Caked on dust can cause your refrigerator to overheat, so take the time to clean the condenser coil. It’s usually found behind the toe grille. Clean it with a long-handled bottle brush and a vacuum cleaner with an attachment hose. If the condenser coil is on the back of your refrigerator, carefully pull the fridge out several feet and vacuum thoroughly.
Put on your favorite music and start your spring cleaning. It’ll be done before you know it. Then you can relax and enjoy your sparkling clean Minneapolis condo.
Spring is also a great time to shop for a new Minneapolis real estate. Contact me at 612.877.1676 or email me at ben@cityoflofts.com for further real estate discussion.
With the current economy, it may seem like a better idea to rent a Minneapolis condo instead of buying one. Let’s explore some of reasons why it’s still better to buy rather than rent.
Throwing Money Away
When you rent that’s basically what you’re doing. You give your money away in exchange for a ‘perishable’ item—one month of living space. Once that month is over, the money is gone and you didn’t get anything of long term value in return.
When you buy a Minneapolis condo you still spend money for a month of living space, but in addition, you’re building long term equity. It may take longer and property may not increase in value as quickly as it did in the past, at least for now, but the money you spend becomes a back end asset instead of just disappearing.
Tax Breaks
When you buy a home, you can deduct the interest and property taxes that you pay every year on your income taxes. That can be a sizeable amount of money. If you buy your first home in 2009, you get an even bigger tax break of $8,000 as a result of President Obama’s stimulus plan.
Saving Money
Yes, you actually end up saving money in the long run if you buy a home rather than rent. According to The New York Times, over a 16-year period you can save as much as $5,000.00 by owning your own home. And, that number doesn’t include the $8,000 tax credit first-time home buyers get when they purchase a principle residence in 2009.
The bottom line is that the housing market troubles have nothing to do with the ‘evils’ of homeownership. They have to do with bad lending practices, and people wanting more than they can afford.
Choose your Minneapolis condo or loft wisely, only buy what you can afford to pay for each month, and pay attention to the loan you are being offered. If you need any advice on the best types of loans or condos available, I’d like to help. Call me today at 612-877-1676 or email me at ben@cityoflofts.com.
Lots of people think about ways to save the environment in a physical manner such as changing light bulbs from incandescent to florescent and recycling, but many drop the ball when it comes to cleaning their Minneapolis condo. Keeping your condo clean in a way that is healthy to you, your family, and the environment just takes a little extra thought and soon becomes second nature.
Danger, Danger
Get rid of any products under your sink, in your bathroom, or your cleaning closet that have danger cautions. If they are bad for you, they are probably bad for the environment too, and why have such hazardous materials in your Minneapolis condo?
Labels that have cautions such as poison, hazard, and danger on them are not only bad to have around small children, the toxins leak into the air when you use them causing health problems for your family. They also leech into the environment when you use them and are hazardous for the environment.
Re-usable and Natural
Buy mop heads and sponges made from natural materials that are bio-degradable and replenishable. Check for recycled materials labels on paper towels, toilet paper, and other disposable objects so that you know those products are making the best use of production materials.
Conserve
Use as little water as possible when doing dishes by turning off the faucet while you are washing and only using running water when you are ready to rinse. Don’t just think about conservation when cleaning your condo. Turn off the faucet while you are brushing your teeth as well for extra savings. Remove your shoes or put a rug by the entry doors of your condo to help cut down the need to wash floors.
Bring in the Green
Bring nature into your Minneapolis condo in the form of hanging and potted plants. Plants clean the air around you and take in harmful carbon dioxide in the air.
Want top buy a clean, green condo? Let me help. Contact me today at 612.877.1676 or email me at ben@cityoflofts.com.
Have you heard of the first-time homebuyer’s tax credit extension? Last month, President Obama signed the extension to help first-time homebuyers (who didn’t get their sales in by November 30th) buy a loft or condo that meets their needs. What about those who already own Minneapolis condos, are doing well and want a larger Minneapolis condo?
To those who already own a Minneapolis loft or condo, Merry Christmas! The Workers, Homeownership and Business Assistance Act of 2009 didn’t just come with an extension; it came with improvements. Those in governmental positions of authority reasoned that if someone wanted to get a bigger Minneapolis urban home, they should get some kind of help too, thus further helping the overall real estate market.
If you own a Minneapolis urban home, you can now receive up to $6,500 in tax credits for buying one of the Minneapolis homes for sale. The actual wording is “$6,500 or 10%.” Here are a few of the important points you need to know:
•Income Qualifications – Your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) as a single taxpayer must be less than $125,000 ($225,000 if you file jointly). Partial credit may be received by those with a MAGI of less than $145,000 (single) and $245,000 (jointly).
•Home Ownership Qualifications – You must have lived in the home you own for five consecutive years out of the past eight to qualify. You do not, however, have to currently own the home you’re using to qualify. The key terms are “five consecutive years” and “in the past eight years.” If you lived in your home for five years straight, but sold it two years ago, you are still eligible for the tax credit. If you’re filing jointly with a spouse, both you and the spouse have to qualify.
•Cost Qualifications – The cost of the home doesn’t have to be more than the home you already own, but it does have to cost less than $800,000. As a side note, the government has put a definitive cap on the housing costs. If the home you’re looking at is a solid, non-negotiable $801,000, it isn’t eligible for the credit.
•Purchase Date – The final date for the purchases to be secured is April 30, 2010. The actual closing date must be finalized before June 30, 2010.
Most couples move into a home thinking they will “eventually” get a bigger urban home once they have a family. Then the family comes along, the house is full and they can’t buy a larger home due to financial issues. The tax credit is a perfect opportunity for families to find Minneapolis urban homes that fit their expansion needs. Take a chance and look around; your dream urban home may be only a city block and $6,500 away!
If you’re looking to expand and take advantage of the tax credit, I can help. Call me at 612.877.1676 or email me at ben@cityoflofts.com for more information.
Yes, it’s time for the Holidays again, which means it’s time to decorate your Minneapolis loft. If you’re big on recycling, use eco-friendly products and try to keep your carbon footprint on a low scale, you may be trying to figure out how you can make your Holidays a blast without stepping away from your ideals.
Here are a few tips to help you get your Minneapolis loft decorated in eco-friendly style!
Tips for an Eco-Friendly Holiday:
1.Instead of buying wrapping paper, buy decorative wooden boxes, tin boxes, cloth bags or other eco-friendly packaging to hold your presents. You can get any of these with Holiday themes, most won’t get thrown away for years and, when they finally do fall apart, they’re biodegradable.
2.If you do use wrapping paper, save the paper and reuse it next year: recycling at its best!
3.Buy a real tree instead of a fake one and find an organization to plant one in its place. Once Christmas is over, you can have the Christmas tree recycledinto wood chips, mulch and other wood products.
4.Try buying your gifts from an eco-friendly store. Online or offline, these businesses offer gifts made from recycled, reused or all natural materials.
5.Create fantastic holiday decorations with reusable materials from around the condo. There are tons of decoration ideas around the Net, so you’ll be able to find some ideas that use things you already have lying around.
6.Send an e-card instead of a regular Holiday card, or buy Holiday cards made from recycled materials.
7.If you want lights, use LEDs (low-energy lights). Not only do they use less power, but also if one light goes out, the rest stay lit.
With a little bit of thought and ingenuity, your Minneapolis loft can be as bright and cheerful as you’ve always wanted without worrying about the impact on the environment. Have a Happy (and eco-friendly) Holiday!
If you’re looking for a condo or loft in the urban Minneapolis area to hang your eco-friendly wreaths in, I can help. Call me at 612.877.1676 or email me at ben@cityoflofts.com for more information.
If you have some Minneapolis real estate to sell or you just want to raise the property value, keeping hip to the market trends is paramount. Kitchens are one of the biggest selling points of any residential property. Energy efficient and cost effective are the catchwords of the day, and recycled is the way to go. Here are a few of the newest eco-friendly kitchen products that can find you buyers and up your property value.
1.EverHot – Made by Water, Inc, the EverHot is an excellent addition to trendy kitchens. No more boiling water, which makes it energy efficient and timesaving, EverHot is an under counter instant hot water heater. It uses less electricity than a 40-watt bulb, but produces up to 60 cups of steaming water an hour.
2.Whirlpool GS5VHAXWA – A refrigerator of amazing proportions, the Whirlpool is considered the most energy efficient of its type. All sleek metal and beautiful lines, this Whirlpool model does everything other fridges do (including providing purified water and making ice) on less than 550 kilowatts a year. Besides being energy efficient, it has the benefit of Whirlpools long history of excellent customer care.
3.Bosch Dishwashers – Energy Star rated and highly rated by Consumer Reports on a regular basis, Bosch dishwashers are the cleaning appliances to have in your Minneapolis condo. Critics rave about how quiet they are, and the company is the only manufacturer that uses EcoSense technology. Push a button and the dishwasher is preprogrammed for optimum time, energy and water efficiency. You can’t get better than that.
When you’re planning to sell or renovate your Minneapolis loft or condo, catch up with the trends, first. Remember – green is the way to go!
If you’re trying to get your real estate ready to sell, I can help. Call me at 612.877.1676 or email me at ben@cityoflofts.com for more information.
If you’re looking at Minneapolis lofts or condos to rent but think you can’t afford them, you might want to take another look. This is especially true if you have a good credit history. When it comes to finding tenants, landlords have never been more willing to play “Let’s Make a Deal.”
Sitting Pretty
Why would any landlord be willing to make a deal? The reason topping the list is, of course, the economy. With so many people having lost their jobs, finding tenants who can afford the rent on time isn’t easy. Second, many renters are trying to save money by having roommates. Thirdly, because of the marketing slump there are plenty of homeowners renting out their Minneapolis lofts or condos rather than selling them. Lastly, because of the first-time buyer tax credit, many potential renters are becoming homeowners instead.
All of these points add up to a high amount of vacancies, which put landlords in a pickle and have renters sitting pretty.
Taking Steps
Many landlords are trying everything they can to keep their rentals occupied to help pay for the maintenance on their loft. The steps they’ve taken include such things as:
•Start with a good credit rating. If you have a history of paying on time, you have a chance at negotiation.
•Pay attention to the average rent in the area. If the rents on the Minneapolis lofts or condos you’re looking at are higher than average, you have a point to negotiate.
•Look at one-bedroom lofts or condos first, if they will work. Many two- and three- bedroom lofts or are taken by individuals sharing rent and families. There may be a surplus of one-bedroom houses, so you might have a better chance of snagging one of them.
If you’re looking for an affordable place to rent or buy, I can help. Call me at 612.877.1676 or email me at ben@cityoflofts.com for more information
When buyers are looking at a Minneapolis condo, they aren’t just looking at the place itself. Although how a loft or Minneapolis condo looks on the inside is important, many are also looking at the surrounding neighborhood. When you get ready to sell your loft, start thinking about what other things you can sell. Here’s a short list of other benefits to promote:
•Condo Association – Every Minneapolis condo has some sort of governing body like the Loft Owner’s Association or Community Association. How good is yours, such as a good reserve fund for repairs and capital improvements? Does your condo association listen to the needs of the owners? Do they keep the building in good repair? If your association is one of the best, brag about it!
•Cost of utilities – How much do your utilities cost? This could be a strong selling point in your favor. If the overall cost of your utilities is low, make sure you tell your real estate agent. They’ll know the best time to mention this information.
•Surrounding neighborhood – Nobody wants to move into a bad neighborhood. What can you say about yours that is positive? Are there sidewalks? (Sidewalks are becoming more and more important to buyers.) Are there nearby parks? Do you live in a low crime area? These are all good selling points, and should not be left out!
•Schools – Although most families aren’t looking for condos, there’s always the chance that a family will look at yours. They’ll also be looking at the quality of the neighboring schools. How do your schools rank? Are they strong on education? Again, make sure you tell your real estate agent!
Selling a Minneapolis condo or Minneapolis loft isn’t necessarily as hard as it may sound, even with the current real estate market. However, with the amount of competition out there, every little bit helps. Pay attention to all the good things you enjoy about your loft and make sure potential buyers know about them!
If you’re thinking of selling your condo, I can help. Call me at 612-877-1676 or email me at ben@cityoflofts.com for more information.
If you’re looking at buying a Minneapolis condo, you need to be aware that there are condominium associations that oversee condo developments just like there are homeowner’s associations that oversee subdivisions. However, they may not work the same and can vary widely from condo to condo. Here are a few things you need to ask the association before signing that contract:
1. What’s the ratio of owner-occupied to tenant-occupied units? More owner-occupied units means better marketability if you want to resell.
2. Do the assessments rise with inflation? This doesn’t sound like a good thing, but matching assessments with the rate of inflation means the ability to build reserves for any future repairs.
3. What does the assessment cover (trash collection, condo maintenance, etc.) in the Minneapolis condo? Some association assessments may not cover recreational facilities, for instance, while other condos’ assessments may cover a broad range of areas.
4. What is the turnover in the building? If it’s high, that’s an indication of issues you may not be familiar with.
5. How much of the assessments do they keep in reserve and for what? How do they invest the money? If you’re paying fees and assessments, you want to make sure they aren’t spent frivolously.
6. Are they involved in a lawsuit? If the condo is in litigation, those reserves can disappear quickly.
7. How reputable is the builder? If you can, visit other projects and ask the residents how they feel about their place. Get an engineer’s report to find out if the building is in good shape. Any problems that are there when you buy are yours once you sign the contract.
8. What are the condominium’s bylaws, restrictions, covenants and grandfather clauses? You want to make sure you can live with them. In addition, you’ll want an attorney to look over the documents with you.
9. Is more than one association involved? The larger the development, the more likely that there are umbrella associations. Several associations can mean several assessments.
A Minneapolis condo can be a dream come true if you choose well. Make sure you do your homework!
If you’re looking for a condo that perfectly fits your lifestyle and needs, I can help. Call me at [612-877-1676 or email me at ben@cityoflofts.com for more information.
Want to go green but afraid it won’t work for condos in minneapolis? Get rid of your worries, because it’s definitely possible. It just takes a little thought!
1. Go Energy Star – Anytime you get a chance, use Energy Star appliances, lighting, heating and cooling equipment. When it’s time to replace something, look for the Energy Star option.
2. Use a power strip – Many people have a slew of chargers and electronics. Instead of plugging them directly into an outlet, use a power strip and then turn the power strip off when the electronics aren’t in use.
3. Get an energy audit – If you get an energy audit you can find out how your insulation and heating and cooling equipment is working compared to the condos in minneapolis. If it’s not up to par, you can find out where you need to start.
4. Check your seals – If you have windows and doors with poor seals, air can leak out, wasting the energy to heat or cool your condo.
5. Recycle – It’s cheaper than trash collection and helps the environment.
6. Rain catchers – Many condos in minneapolis and st. paul have balconies with flowerpots and small beds. As well, many owners use potted plants inside as accents. If you’re one of them, use rain catchers on your balcony to reduce water usage instead of watering each plant with fresh water.
7. Low flow toilets and leaks - If your association allows it, install a low flow toilet in your unit to help conserve water. As well, check the toilet for leaks by putting food coloring in the tank and see if it moves to the bowel without flushing. If it does, you have a leak.
If you’re looking for a condo that’s already green, I can help. Call me at 612-877-1676 or email me at ben@cityoflofts.com for more information.
