So before the summer ends take the kids to Teddy Bear park and let them burn off some steam. Not only will they thank you, they’ll also sleep much better at night.

Teddy Bear Park
corner of Nelson Street and 2nd Street

The overall key, according to Designed to Sell designer Lisa LaPorta, is making buyers feel at home.

“When buyers come through and imagine themselves there,” LaPorta says, “you can bet an offer isn’t far behind.”

10. Destroy: Rage through your house like a one-woman/one-man clutter exterminator. “Clear out clutter or other personal items that will distract buyers,” LaPorta advises. “Paint the walls a neutral tone, and furnish the space to show off how functional it is.”

9. Detonate: Got a super-messy teen or a handy hubby with messy hobbies? Time to set off the domestic version of a bomb in those zones to clear out their debris. Go deep and go often. Buyers are particularly put off by a room so messy they cannot tell what it’s intended use might be.

8. Deliver: If your listing says the pool is pristine or the landscaping immaculate, live up to your own marketing. This, both stagers say, begins with curb appeal and ends with things as elusive as how your house smells. Everything should be pristine.

7. De-personalize: Those family photos just reinforce that this is your home, when you want them to be dreaming that it’s theirs. “Buyers can’t see past personal artifacts, and you don’t want them to be distracted. You want buyers to imagine their own photos on the walls, and they can’t do that if yours are there!”

6. De-fur: Nothing puts off a non-pet owner more than evidence of Fido on the sofa cushions or in the corners. LaPorta adds smells to that equation, too: “We all love our pets, but unpleasant pet odors can make a negative first impression,” she says. “Be sure to get rid of old carpet that can trap offensive smells.”

5. Develop: That avant garde painting you love may not be to everyone’s taste; develop an eye for simplicity. While you’re at it, develop a thick skin. Pretend this is someone else’s house and triage “designer” elements accordingly. Once again, neutral is king.

4. Denude: Anything that can be moved to storage, should be moved to storage. Especially items that don’t fit #5. “An overpacked living room is a red flag to buyers that your home lacks storage space. Pack up unnecessary items and furniture, and move items to your garage or a nearby storage facility. Clear the way for a sale by letting buyers see your square footage, not your personal belongings.”

3. Drop in: Walk in the front door as if you are a prospective home buyer; make sure the first impression wows. Use this checklist:

• Go outside and open your front door. Stand there. Do you want to go inside? Does the house welcome you?
• Linger in the doorway of every single room and imagine how your house will look to a buyer.
• Examine carefully how furniture is arranged and move pieces around until it makes sense.
• Make sure window coverings hang level.
• Tune in to the room’s statement and its emotional pull. Does it have impact and pizazz?

2. Dodge: You and yours should be long gone before the prospective home-buyer arrives. See item #7 above.

1. Drink: But not too heavily. After all, you have to start all over again tomorrow!

Michael Podlesny, of Mike the Gardener Enterprises, says hay is a great mulch for your vegetable garden. “A $5 bale of hay works wonders for the way the vegetable garden looks,” he says. “Put this down and it not only makes the garden look nicer but also serves a great purpose to keep weeds to a minimum and holds in moisture.”

Louise Reilly Sacco, co-producer of The Frugal Yankees, takes this approach with perennials, annuals and seeds:

• Perennials: “Look around your neighborhood and see who has overcrowded peonies, huge clumps of irises, or some other perennial begging to be divided,” she says. “Offer to dig it up and separate if you can have a couple of pieces.”
• Annuals: “When frost threatens, snip off impatiens and simper florens begonias (the small ones you buy in flats),” she says. “Stick them in a vase or cup with water. A few weeks later, when they’ve developed roots, pot them up in good soil. Put them in a sunny winter (spot), trim if they get leggy, and in the spring, you’ll have a good supply ready to plant.”
• Seeds: “It’s easy to collect seeds from marigolds, bachelor buttons, dianthus, and many other flowers,” she says. “Put them in a enveloped labeled with the flower and color. Store in a cool cellar or even in the refrigerator. Start them early next spring, 6-8 weeks before the last frost in your area. (BONUS tip: Start seeds in flats or pots in a tray on top of the refrigerator. The gentle heat is good for germination. Be sure to cover the tray so the soil doesn’t dry out.) “

Even if you don’t have a green thumb, you can re-use old pots, move shrubs in pots this year into the garden for next year and fill in with inexpensive filler plants from your local gardening center.

Discount shopping: check out these six garden shopping tips:

• Go digging: There are a lot of unique inexpensive items like pots and garden accents that can be found at thrift stores, estate and yard sales. Without getting too carried away with tacky lawn decorations, a few different colored pots or accents like a wooden ladder or garden bench can make a big difference in sprucing up your garden and making it your own.
• Think long term: Incorporate plants and flowers that come up year after year like perennials or roses. They may be a bit more of an initial investment but they will save a ton of money in the long run.
• Plant local: A good tip for being eco-friendly and saving money is to plant what is native to your area. These plants and flowers are often cheaper to buy and cheaper to maintain.
• Buy on sales: When purchasing your plants and flowers, look for sales. Garden stores always have sales so make sure to take advantage of these. The garden doesn’t need to happen all at once. It can grow organically as you find the right items to add at the right price.
• Start with seeds: Using seeds to start a garden is much cheaper than starting with plants that are already growing. You can barter with friends, neighbors and family; you bake them cookies, they give you seedlings or cuttings in exchange.
• Light it up: A beautiful garden should be seen in the day and at night. It’s amazing the value that lights add to your home. Solar lights are an excellent option for keeping costs low. As they’re powered by the sun, they are a one-time investment that will keep your energy bill low and truly add glam to your garden.

Here are a few highlights from the report:

• In 2009, the Minnesota Home Ownership Center’s network of foreclosure counseling agencies served a record number of homeowners, providing services to 15,868 homeowners. This represents an increase of 34% from the previous year.
• 7,771 of the homeowners (approximately 49%) receiving counseling services were able to avoid foreclosure.
• Foreclosures cost homeowners, lenders, local governments and neighboring home values. The foreclosures prevented by the Minnesota Home Ownership Center’s counseling network translates to an estimated savings of up to $600 million for Minnesota homeowners, lenders, neighborhoods and local governments in 2009 alone.
• The pattern of service use suggests that the foreclosure problem is moving out from the urban areas and into suburban and rural counties. The counties with the highest rate of households served form a ring surrounding Hennepin and Anoka counties.

Located on the corner of Manning Avenue and County Road 12, Axdahl’s is a family owned business.

“We have lots of great employees from the area during our busy harvest season,” says Leslie Axdahl. “Stop by for a visit, and you may well see one of your neighbors working with us out in the field or at our garden farm and greenhouse.”

Axdahl’s Garden Farm & Greenhouse
7452 Manning Avenue, Stillwater
651-439-3134
www.axdahlfarms.com

Fannie Mae will also take legal action against borrowers who strategically default in order to recoup mortgage debt. These would be limited to locations that allow deficiency judgments.

According to the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, one-third of all defaults are strategic.

Fannie will instruct its servicers in an announcement next month to monitor delinquent loans on the verge of foreclosure. They will recommend cases for Fannie to pursue deficiency judgments.

Terence Edwards, executive vice president for credit portfolio management at Fannie, said these steps are meant to urge borrowers to work with the servicers.

“Walking away from a mortgage is bad for borrowers and bad for communities and our approach is meant to deter the disturbing trend toward strategic defaulting,” Edwards said. “On the flip side, borrowers facing hardship who make a good faith effort to resolve their situation with their servicer will preserve the option to be considered for a future Fannie Mae loan in a shorter period of time.”

via housingwire.com

Musically choreographed fireworks begin at dusk (approximately 10pm) and are simulcast on KLBB Radio 1220 AM and through a sound system in Lowell Park. This display always draws a huge crowd so make sure to come early to get a great seat.

photo credit

The show is free to the public and door prizes will be given away. Anyone with a Chevrolet is invited by paying a $10 registration fee. The first 100 participants to show up will receive a dash plaque and t-shirt.

Stillwater Motors
5900 Stillwater Blvd
Stillwater, MN 55082
651-439-4333
www.stillwatermotors.com

Absorption rate is the number of months it takes to sell all the current inventory, assuming no other homes are listed. Like most things in real estate, this isn’t an exact science because it is based on a trend. Generally speaking, about 4.5 months of inventory is considered a balanced market. Where more is a buyer’s market and less is a seller’s market.

The graph actually threw me a bit of a curve ball. I expected it to be a fairly predictable increase for each bracket. But homes priced between $400k and $500k are taking the longest to sell right now. The culprits: homes less then 20 years old make up 60% of this price bracket (I’m talking to you Liberty on the Lake, Legends and Millbrook developments).

Sellers: stop overpricing your home or ‘testing the market’ just to see if it will sell. And buyers in the $400k to $500k price range – go crazy because you have the most inventory to choose from.

© 2009 Regional Multiple Listing Service of Minnesota, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Property data presented reflects information otherwise available from public records. The REALTOR® providing this information may not have represented the buyer or seller in some or all of the transactions. This home sale information is not an appraisal, competitive or comparative market analysis, CMA or home valuation.

	1018 1st Street S #4, Stillwater Sold Price: $99,900 Listing courtesy of: The Relocation Center
	117 Birchwood Drive N, Stillwater Sold Price: $95,000 Listing courtesy of: RE/MAX Resources
	1436 Cottage Drive, Stillwater Sold Price: $95,000 Listing courtesy of: RE/MAX Associates Plus
	14937 60th Street N #102, Oak Park Heights Sold Price: $85,578 Listing courtesy of: RE/MAX Resources
	66351 Saint Croix Trail N #228, Oak Park Heights Sold Price: $71,000 Listing courtesy of: EPIC Realty, Inc

© 2009 Regional Multiple Listing Service of Minnesota, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Property data presented reflects information otherwise available from public records. The REALTOR® providing this information may not have represented the buyer or seller in some or all of the transactions. This home sale information is not an appraisal, competitive or comparative market analysis, CMA or home valuation.

Have a large wedding or company party that you need hosted? Oak Glen has you covered with their Royal Oak room which accommodates 375 guests plus a full bar and dance floor. Smaller parties will enjoy the more private Stillwater room with settings for up to 100 guests. Or just relax at the club house grille and snack bar after playing the back nine.

Contact:
Oak Glen Golf Course
1599 McKusick Road N, Stillwater
651-439-6981
www.oakglengolf.com

Previously located on the corner of Highway 36 and Manning Avenue, Bergmann’s moved the entire operation slightly to the North just off 62nd Street. Stop in so they can help you find a plant that works in your garden. And make sure to check out the many types of trees, bushes, mulch and landscape rocks they carry.

Contact:
Bergmann’s Garden Center
12239 62nd Street N, Stillwater
651-439-4294

Hot air balloons drift gracefully above the ground, typically at 500 to 2,000 feet above ground. As the balloon rises, your panoramic view of the beautiful Stillwater landscape is put into a perspective that won’t be forgotten.

Contact:
Aamodt’s Hot Air Balloon Rides
651-351-0101
www.aamodtsballoons.com

Marathon weekend events include a Health & Fitness Expo, guest speakers and live music at the Freight House after the race.

Contact Information:
St. Croix Events, Inc.
651-430-2306
www.stillwatermarathon.com

	14111 Ozark Avenue N, May Township Sold Price: $1,020,000 Listing courtesy of: Edina Realty, Inc.
	14579 109th Street Court N, Stillwater Sold Price: $865,000 Listing courtesy of: Edina Realty, Inc.
	9643 Joliet Avenue N, Grant Sold Price: $725,000 Listing courtesy of: Legacy Real Estate Services
	12530 24th Street N , West Lakeland Sold Price: $650,000 Listing courtesy of: RE/MAX Results
	14588 109th Street N, Stillwater Township Sold Price: $513,500 Listing courtesy of: Coldwell Banker Burnet

© 2009 Regional Multiple Listing Service of Minnesota, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Property data presented reflects information otherwise available from public records. The REALTOR® providing this information may not have represented the buyer or seller in some or all of the transactions. This home sale information is not an appraisal, competitive or comparative market analysis, CMA or home valuation.

	3511 Abercrombie Lane, Stillwater Sold Price: $129,000 Listing courtesy of: RE/MAX Specialists
	507 Mulberry Street W, Stillwater Sold Price: $107,500 Listing courtesy of: RE/MAX Resources
	415 Saint Croix Avenue W, Stillwater Sold Price: $105,000 Listing courtesy of: Prodigy Real Estate and Mortgage
	14937 60th Street N #208, Oak Park Heights Sold Price: $95,000 Listing courtesy of: Midwest Realty Network
	614 Wilkins Street W, Stillwater Sold Price: $80,000 Listing courtesy of: RE/MAX Resources

© 2009 Regional Multiple Listing Service of Minnesota, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Property data presented reflects information otherwise available from public records. The REALTOR® providing this information may not have represented the buyer or seller in some or all of the transactions. This home sale information is not an appraisal, competitive or comparative market analysis, CMA or home valuation.

Leo’s is best known for their classic flat top burgers. Risk takers might want to try the double jumbo challenge – a full pound of fresh ground beef, 3 slices of grilled sourdough with cheese, and a mess of bacon and onions! Clean your plate (yes, the side and pickles too) within 20 minutes and they’ll throw in a lousy t-shirt. And even if you typically like fries with your burger, make sure to give the fresh made kettle chips a shot.

What would a burger joint be without ice cream? It’s like peanut butter without jelly, corned beef without cabbage, Mary-Kate without Ashley….you get the idea. Hand mixed shakes and malts are served in a classic soda glass with leftovers in the metal mixing tin so you can pour your own refill. It’s enough for two adults or one overly ambitious kid.

Lastly – the patio will be a great place to hang out and enjoy great summertime people watching, especially during Lumberjack Days. Free on-street parking is available or find a spot in the lot located between the Water Street Inn and the river.

Location:
131 Main Street S
Stillwater, MN 55082
www.leosgrill.com

Last week Standard & Poors releases their February home price tracker. Guess which direction they say the market has been moving? The chart below clearly shows that home values fell in 19 out of 20 markets, with only San Diego showing a small increase.

Looks pretty bad to me. But that’s not the story you’ll read in newspapers, including a recent Pioneer Press article saying existing home sales are rosy. Maybe they meant rosy like the color red, or rather ‘in the red.’ When do you think the market will change for the better?

In 1937, Runk wrote to the Stillwater public library and offered to donate his entire collection. It is described as being “…made up in books of 25 panels, each mounted on cloth, and hinged so that it may be taken out of the book and placed on display.” He also invented a fire and insect proof file cabinet so the photos would last hundreds of years.

The Runk collection of photographs from 1860-1960 can be viewed at the Stillwater public library.

They are best known for showing property values, or what they call a ‘Zestimate.’ Get it? Z (for Zillow) and estimate. The Zestimate is determined by a top secret formula, but it looks to be largely based on County tax records and MLS data. Here’s a chart of how accurate Zillow’s home values are in Minnesota:

In Washington County, the median error accuracy is 13.4% which means the home’s actual value is probably within that range. To put that into real numbers, if the property’s Zestimate is $200,000 then the actual value is likely between $173,200 and $226,800.

Most people think this level of accuracy is pretty good for an automated system. But if you’re trying sell your home and a Realtor gave you that range of numbers, how would you feel?

Everyone loves a list!

Not a to-do list but rather a list of fun things to do in and around the city of Stillwater.

Having lived here for nearly a decade, I’ve experienced many things that typically only the ‘locals’ know about. Although I do have an inside track – Stacia was born and raised here. And since I like to stay on her good side let’s just say she’s lived here for at least 18 years.

The 50 things to do in Stillwater list is completely our opinion and we’re not claiming to be art or food experts (well maybe when it comes to baked goods – we know a thing or two). We’re just some folks who want to explore this great city and share our experiences and recommendations.

About the photos

We’re really excited to team up with an incredible Stillwater photographer. Bobby Boullianne has graciously agreed to pair our Hemmingway-like writing with some amazing images, check out his Flickr portfolio.

We hope you enjoy the journey as we discover something about the city that might be new to you. We’re always open to suggestions and if you like what you see please be a Facebook fan. Or if you prefer, subscribe to email updates at the bottom of this page so you’ll get the new articles directly in your inbox.

This single story home in Bayport has seen much better days, and is now a tear down. But it does come with approximately 100 feet of frontage on the St. Croix river.
View the listing here.

This one of a kind home was originally built in 1899 as a trolley car substation. Also rare is the nearly 1 acre lot in town, which borders Lake McKusick and walking paths.
View the listing here

This 3 bedroom 2 bath home is priced low at $121,000 but comes with plenty of work for the new owner.