We Tell it Like It Is

So, this is the #1 resolution I'm guessing for many people. About 3 yrs ago, I lost over 40 lbs. and have been able to keep it off. Over the holidays this past year, I gained about 5 lbs so I have to get that off asap. Here's what I have done to lose the weight and keep it off:

1) A SERIOUS lifestyle change. Either you commit 100% to it or don't do it at all. I had the moment when I told myself this is it; I will not tolerate being fat & unhealthy anymore. For me, I stopped eating things I could live without: meat, fast food, & pop (which I will still have maybe a few times a year in a cocktail). And I stuck with that.

2) The bad things I love, which are sweets & beer/wine, I still allow myself once a week (with the exception of the holidays). I eat other things in place of sweets during the week (dried fruit). I forced myself to eventually be convinced fruit could replace chocolate.  

3) I had temptations, cravings, withdrawal, etc. but I suffered through it without giving in and it all eventually went away.

4) I got addicted to exercise. It takes about 30 days to form a habit. I forced myself to run 3-5 miles a day, 4 days a week until I felt guilty NOT doing it and it became a regular part of my life without question.

The key is to stick with the self-punishment and know that you are doing something good to your body. Your old eating habits/lack of exercise is the true self-punishment to your body. WILL POWER. WILL POWER. Your new healthy habits will eventually turn into the norm for you and it will get easier.

My whole house (as well as homes that I've helped stage) have been furnished with awesome vases, wall art, lamps, pillows, and all sorts of other decorative items from these stores. Its very possible to decorate a whole room for under $50, but it looks like you spent a ton more.

Turnstyle Consignment Store: Roseville (across from Rosedale Mall), Coon Rapids (Riverdale Shopping Ctr), Burnsville (Cobblestone Court), Crystal Shopping Center, Highland Park, Eden Prairie (Prairie View Shopping Center), Plymouth (15545 34th Ave N), Linden Hills and Sun Ray Shopping Ctr in St. Paul.

HomeGoods (check clearance areas first): Har Mar Mall (Roseville), Knollwood Mall (St. Louis Park), Rockford Road Plaza (Plymouth), Fountain Place (Eden Prairie), Riverdale Commons (Coon Rapids)

Big Lots: Coon Rapids (CR Blvd/Crooked Lake Blvd), St. Louis Park (Hwy 7 by Target), Brooklyn Center (Earl Brown Dr.)

Goodwill: Roseville (Cty Rd B & Snelling), Coon Rapids (Crooked Lk Blvd/CR Blvd), St. Paul (University Ave.), St. Louis Pk (4300 W 36 1/2 St.), Maple Grove (Dunkirk Ln)

Marshall's (check end of the aisle clearance areas first): Roseville (Har Mar Mall), Mall of America, Crystal Shopping Center, Downtown Mpls City Center, Maple Grove (Arbor Lks), Maplewood (Beam Ave.), Richfield (W 66th St.), Blaine (across from Northtown), Southdale, Woodbury Village, Bloomington (Valley West), Lakeville (Timber Creek Shopping Ctr)

Other Thrift Stores Like: Unique Thrift Store (NE Mpls--37th Ave. & Stinson or Winnetka Ave. in New Hope), Savers (Central Ave. in Columbia Heights), Arc's Value Village (New Hope, Brooklyn Center, Richfield)...and a new one in St.Anthony Village that I don't remember the name of that is off of Hwy 88 & St. Anthony Pkwy

Clearance Areas at: Pier One Imports, Target, K-Mart

Other: Garage sales, going-out-of-business sales (I've scored BIG at some of those)

Anyone out there have other good places I didn't mention? If so, please comment on this blog. I'll be referring clients to this blog in the future.

Recently from Chris Galler, CEO of the MN Assoc. of Realtors:

Minnesota is experiencing tough economic times and a declining labor force. Our neighbors in most of the Dakota’s are seeing a stable and growing housing market. Fargo, Sioux Falls and Grand Forks are seeing good economic growth and consequently, a good housing market. The fundamentals of a good real estate market are really pretty simple and the order is important:

1. Economic Growth – people who are positive about their financial position/situation are more likely to take on additional debt.
2. Population Growth – in areas where the economy is strong, people with the appropriate job skills will move. Migration to an area means supply/demand can take effect.
3. Housing Affordability – units in the community must be priced according to the wage scale of the median worker. Interest rates and loose lending standards manipulate the market for short terms.
4. Access to Credit – Lenders must be willing to lend and in some situations take a chance. Not LIAR loans. Chances include building/development loans so units can be constructed for the new residents.
5. Sustainability – which in my opinion means consistent and predictable. Booms are not good for real estate in the long term. Real estate is a long term investment and best purchased by consumers who have sustainable employment and income prospects.

In my opinion, these are the five building blocks for a successful real estate community. If one piece is missing, or the order is off, real estate will have difficulty. As an example, in Minnesota during the 1990’s we had a strong economic climate. Skilled people migrated here in phenomenal numbers (+258,000) to take jobs and raise their families. Housing prices compared to median wages were balanced and interest rates were running around 7% - reasonable compared to 5 or 10 years prior. Lenders were competing for business which helped grow Minnesota business. Everyone thought the growth was sustainable. Even after the Dot.com bust, which really did not impact Minnesota, the future appeared bright and prosperous.

As more people arrived, the real estate market started to show the stresses of supply/demand. Builders/developers began option/purchasing huge tracks of land driving up the price. As the price increased above the median income, interest rates fell followed by a plague of subprime no doc loans, which in turn drove prices up further and spurred more development. After 5-6 years of double digit home price increases and moderate median income growth, the economic model was no longer sustainable.

I am not a "political" person and do not pay attention to the fine details. Others will agree with me and say they are not very tuned in either. Some people condone my behavior (or lack thereof) and say I don't care about my country and don't appreciate what we have. That, of course, is not true. I admit that the older I get, the more I believe that in certain circumstances (including politics), ignorance is bliss. However, being in the industry I am in, having someone in office who has a strong concern about our economy and our people's confidence is very important to me. Yes, I voted and yes, I am extremely happy with the man that was chosen to be our new president. I listened to his inaugural speech today.

I listened to all of the things our new president said today and watched the tv cameras pan out and over the thousands and thousands of people who were there with so much excitement to witness this glorious event. Sometimes, the camera would zoom in on specific people; ordinary people like me. People that probably took off of work from their factory jobs, office desks, warehouses, hospitals, etc. to say they saw it with their own eyes. And those eyes gazed up towards Mr. President as he spoke of future peace and prosperity and they reflected hope.

Please Mr. Barack Obama, don't disappoint these people. They are counting on you. We are vulnerable. We need our confidence back.

You are a true Minnesotan if:

--You are driving in the wintertime and can't tell the color of the other cars on the road

--You have ever thought 5 degrees felt warm

--You call Macy's "Dayton's"

--You hope to someday own a 4 wheeler, a snowmobile, a cabin up north, or best case scenario, all of the above!

--You've been so cold your nostrils feel like they are sticking

--You have asked someone or someone has asked you "is it cold enough for ya?"

--You've worn a winter jacket and shorts within the same week

--Hunting season is the highlight of your year

--You are in a fantasy hockey league

--Your school is shut down because of the temperature

--You own at least one pair of long underwear and will regret it if you don't

--95% of the funerals you've attended consisted of a luncheon where rolls, bars, casseroles (aka hot dish), mayo-based salads and punch & coffee were served.

Best areas within Twin Cities to feel like you are somewhere else:

1) White Bear Lake--within a block from one of the lakes-- (New England)

2) Golden Valley, Minnetonka (wooded areas feel like you are either up north or somewhere out east)

3) Ham Lake and further north up Hwy 65 (small town Wisconsin)

4) Afton, Lakeland, areas of Stillwater (small town New England)

5) Newport (industrial/coal mining town USA)

Best areas in Twin Cities with the Pleasantville, USA feel (manicured lawns & white picket fences):

St. Anthony, St. Anthony Park, parts of NE Mpls, St. Louis Park, Falcon Heights, Roseville, Chanhassen.

Most "cosmo" houses:

Minnetonka, Golden Valley, Kenwood Neighborhood of Mpls

Most fabricated/man-made/cookie cutter cities:

Parts of Maple Grove, Hugo, Albertville, Otsego, St. Michael, parts of Woodbury, Farmington, the "new" Blaine. 

Places that don't get the credit they deserve for some awesome neighborhoods:

NE Mpls, Columbia Heights, Fridley, Robbinsdale

This is all my opinion and based on both my buying & selling experience this past year. I forsee 2009 to be pretty similar.

Worst homes to sell right now:

1) A condo in Mpls (too many listings already and not enough buyers)

2) A home for over $200k in Brooklyn Park (too many cheap foreclosures to compete with)

3) A town home in the south/SW suburbs such as Woodbury, Savage, Eden Prairie (very saturated market and not enough buyers)

4) A home in Savage, Burnsville, Eagan, Apple Valley, East Bethel, Cambridge, Isanti, Mora, Big Lake (not enough buyers looking in these areas north & south of the cities)

5) A home or town home in Shoreview, St. Louis Park, Golden Valley, New Brighton, Columbia Heights, Fridley (these are areas where I've seen home prices plummet way below what buyers were paying a couple yrs ago--more so than any other area I've been in).

Best Homes to Sell:

1) Anything under $200,000 for single family homes and under $175,000 in town homes and well-kept in the cities and 1st & 2nd tier suburbs. Must be in immaculate shape and not a trace of anything older than the year 2000.

I've been out a lot recently showing houses to buyers and doing searches constantly on the MLS. Here's what I've been seeing. If you have been looking for:

1) An older home (1960's and older) w/"character" that doesn't need a lot of work for $160,000-$240,000 in what I would consider a decent neighborhood: Robbinsdale, Crystal, New Hope, NE Mpls, St. Anthony, White Bear Lake, parts of Shoreview, Hopkins, Fridley, Columbia Heights. $240,000 to $275,000 range: St. Louis Park, Golden Valley, Nokomis, parts of SW Mpls.

2) An older home (1960's and older) that needs a fair amount of cosmetic work (and many w/ no major mechanical issues) for under $160,000: Blaine, Anoka, Robbinsdale, Crystal, New Hope, NE Mpls, Maplewood

3) Homes built in the 60s'-80's in great shape under $200,000: Coon Rapids, Blaine, Champlin. $200,000-$240,000: Savage, Eagan, Andover, Blaine, Anoka, Fridley, Spring Lake Park.

4) Newer homes built 1990 and newer for under $240,000 that are not foreclosures and in great shape: Otsego, St. Michael, Albertville, Hugo, Ramsey, Brooklyn Park

5) Newer town houses that are in great shape for under $175,000: Savage, Hugo.

6) Areas of the city where there doesn't seem to be much for people looking under $250,000 for a really good value--meaning a lot of space & updated condition for the price (from what I have experienced): Farmington, Rosemount, Apple Valley, Edina, Plymouth, New Brighton, Moundsview, Woodbury, Minnetonka, Maple Grove, Eden Prairie, Chanhassen.

7) Overall best value for a home under $250k: Ramsey, Hugo, Albertville, Otsego, St. Michael, NE Mpls.