Making an offer on your Maple Grove home

Once you have found the Maple Grove home you want, we will write a purchase agreement. While much of the

agreement is standard, there are a few areas that you can negotiate:

• The Price

What you offer on a property depends on a number of factors, including its condition, length of

time on the market, buyer activity, and the urgency of the seller. While some buyers want to make a

very low offer, just to see if the seller will accept, this often isn't a smart choice, because the seller

may be insulted and decide not to negotiate at all.

• The Move-in Date

If you can be flexible on the possession date, the seller will be more apt to choose your offers over others.

• Additional Property

Often the seller plans on leaving major appliances in the home, however, which items stay or go is

often a matter of negotiation.

Typically you will not be present at the offer presentation; your REALTOR will present it to the listing agent and/or seller.  

The Maple Grove seller will then do one of the following:

• Accept the offer

• Reject the offer

• Counter the offer with changes

By far the most common is the counter offer. In these cases,as a REALTOR my experience and negotiating skills become powerful in representing the buyer's best interests.

When a counter offer is presented, you and your agent will work together to review each specific area of the counter offer, making sure to keep your goals in mind and ensuring that you negotiate the best possible price and terms on your behalf.

 

Karen Pelkey

REALTOR®  Keller Williams Classic Realty Northwest

612-414-2888

www.KPelkey.com

If you are looking to buy or sell in the Minneapolis Metro, let me be your expert!

 

Fall is the right time for home maintenance in Minneapolis

 Here’s your Minneapolis home owner checklist for fall.   

•  Gutters

 Clean and repair your gutters early in the fall. Once cleaned and repaired, consider adding a layer of waterproof mesh over your gutters to keep leaves out.

Clogged gutters can allow overflowing water to damage walls, spark a rodent infestation and erode your landscaping. The water can leak through your foundation and cause a flood in your basement.

A minor flood could cost $500 to $1,500 to repair, if you catch the problem quickly. If you don’t, there could be mold, damage to the sheet rock and ruined installation to repair as well, pushing the cost up to $10,000 or more.

• Shingle  

Checking for loose or broken shingles may not seem like the ideal Saturday, but if left unattended, small problems in your roofing can lead to major leaks during the winter as rain, hail, sleet and snow pound your home.

Professional repairs on a 10-by-10-foot roof cost an average of $630. Save yourself money and make the small repairs now.

•   Winterize Your Pipes

Burst pipes are a costly problem. A non-urgent call to a plumber can cost up to $250, while an emergency pipe repair can cost up to $600. Repairing the damage from the resulting flood could costs thousands more.

In cold climates, you need to winterize your pipes to protect your home. Outdoors, shut the water off to any spigots and drain any remaining water by briefly turning on the spigot. Indoors, locate any exposed pipes that may get cold in the winter.

•  Windows

Gaps in your window or door frames let in cold air, causing your furnace to work overtime.

Start by running your hand over windows and doors. If you feel a draft, apply weather stripping around the frame to create a tighter feel. Sealing up leaks can reduce your utilities bills by up to 10%.

• Call the Chimney Sweep

Your fireplace should be inspected and cleaned once a year, even if you don’t use it much. While a professional may charge up to $350, it is worth the cost.

The most minor potential problem is that the lining of the chimney could crack, costing $2,000 to $4,500 to repair. At worst, the chimney could force carbon monoxide into your Minneapolis home or cause a fire.

•  Turn on the Furnace 

Before the cold sets in, fire up your heater

After your home starts to warm up, walk from room to room. If you notice cold spots, loud screeching sounds or strange smells, you may have a heating problem. (Remember to replace the filter regularly)

If the furnace stops working, repairs could cost $325 to $475. And if you wait until the busy season, technicians may raise their prices.

A weekend of work before the weather turns will help you get ready for winter and avoid any surprises and big repair bills.

Karen Pelkey

REALTOR®  Keller Williams Classic Realty Northwest

612-414-2888

www.KPelkey.com

If you are looking to buy or sell in the Minneapolis Metro, let me be your expert!

 

1500 Carroll Avenue, Saint Paul, MN Presented by Karen Pelkey.

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Karen Pelkey

REALTOR®  Keller Williams Classic Realty Northwest

612-414-2888

www.KPelkey.com

If you are looking to buy or sell in the Minneapolis Metro, let me be your expert!

 

Final walk through on the home you purchased in Minneapolis

You hired a REALTOR, you found the perfect home. You negotiated a good price. You got through all the inspections and appraisal. You get the financing approved. You have been notified that it’s clear to close.

You think you are ready to close…not just yet. You have the final walk through.

Recently I had a client ask “Why do you do a final walk through?”.” What are we looking for?”

The final walk through can be done a day or two day before close or typically it is done the day of closing. It’s an important final step because it allows the buyer to inspect the condition of home before taking possession from the seller.

Here are a few tips for things to do for this walk through:

     .

• Check for any damage to the walls of doors. Some nicks may happen as the seller moves out their property but holes in the walls is not acceptable.
• Turn on the water faucets in the kitchen and baths. Is there hot water?
• Turn on the furnace and air.
• Flip on and off the light switches in all the rooms.
• Make sure all the sellers’ personal property has been removed.
• Check for debris or trash left in the home.
•  Open and close the garage door.
• Turn on all of the appliances
• Do all the doors close and/or lock properly.
• Do a walk around the outside of the home and yard.

Remember the final walk through is an important step before closing on your Minneapolis home.

If anything is found to be wrong will the home’s condition the buyer and seller could negotiate repair or the seller would need to make them before closing .

 Karen Pelkey

REALTOR®  Keller Williams Classic Realty Northwest

612-414-2888

www.KPelkey.com

If you are looking to buy or sell in the Minneapolis Metro, let me be your expert!