A foreclosed or short sale home is a lot like a gag gift. It may look beautiful on the outside and you may think of all of the possibilites you would enjoy once it’s opened. However, much like a gag gift, these homes aren’t likely to be hidden treasures.

All bank or financial institution owned homes are sold as-is, there is no warranty protection. They are not required to disclose if there are any problems and in all liklihood don’t even know.  Any inspection you would have done would be at your own expense and if the bank doesn’t take your offer you are out that money. Once you have made an offer you will find yourself waiting months to hear an answer on your bid. Finally, fixtures and appliances that should be included may be damaged or missing. As attractive as the packaging of the home was it ends up being trash and not treasure.

Buying new has many positives. New homes contain the best materials, energy saving appliances and fixtures, new home warranty and the peace of mind knowing your new home is throughly inspected. Call Scott Breuer Homes today to find out more information about building a new home.

Proudly Announcing that Ann Marie Breuer & The Breuer Realty Team have joined Keller Williams Classic Realty.

Ann is combining her years of experience, service and dedication to Keller Williams Classic Realty’s increased exposure, visibility and leading-edge technology that is offered not only to our clients selling their homes, but also offers a firm that has been awarded the Highest Customer Satisfaction for Home Buyers among national full-service Real Estate Firms for two years in a row.

Considering buying or selling your home? Call Ann Marie Breuer today for a personal consultation about the benefits she can offer you in personal attention to detail, communication and expertise on selling or buying your home, with all the tools, resources, training, support and networking available with the leading real estate company today.

If you want your home sold faster and at the best price call Ann Marie Breuer today at 612-685-8811.

Are you considering selling your home? Are you unsure what to do to get ready to sell?

Here’s some helpful tips to consider when preparing your home for sale and to receive the best return on investment in your home:

1. Curb Appeal – First impressions can make or break the deal. Ensure your property looks appealing from the street…siding, roof, stone/brick, front porch and yard maintained…including snow/ice kept up with so the home is inviting and accessible.

2. Maintenance and Updates – Fresh carpet, whether freshly shampooed if in good condition or replacing if worn are imperative. It doesn’t have to be “the top of the line” carpet…however, buyers will expect a reasonable grade of carpet in their “new” home.

3. Decluttering – Clearing out the clutter is another important step…plus, you will feel so much better. I’ve been told it’s like a cleansing of the soul to get through things you’ve been meaning to for years. And, it will help wonders on your home showing well and selling quicker.

However, be careful…many home improvement shows have made it appear that all buyers are expecting granite and a lot of expensive updates in their home to sell. Today’s market is requiring homes to be priced to sell. So, you will want to do any improvements wisely and ensure the market will allow the items you are planning.

Call or email Ann Marie Breuer today in regards to any questions you have on selling or getting your home ready to sell. With over 20 years staging model homes and receiving direct feedback from buyers from all over, I can help you in achieving the best way to help you get your home ready to sell and sell at the highest price in the quickest amount of time.

Ann Marie Breuer 612-685-8811 or ann@scottbreuerhomes.com

It’s a major decision when you decide to move forward with building a custom home.  Whether it’s your first home or you’re in position to build your dream home, selecting the right custom home builder is everything.

No matter if you’re looking for a rambler or two-story home, you should make sure you cover these 3 areas when making your builder selection:

1.    Communication – You need a builder who you can communicate with and trust, one that will listen to your needs. The builder and the client must work together and have total communication at all points to bring the project from plan to completion, building a perfect home. As our friends at Flagstone Custom Homes in Dallas say, “Open lines of communication between all parties should be top priority.”

2.    Experience – Select a builder who has management skills, systems and processes so the job is done on time, on budget and you have a good building experience. Discuss the builder’s process and make sure you understand what is expected from both sides.

3.    Referrals – Take the time to talk with past and present customers and find out the experience they had with the builder and what they would suggest. Taking the time to research your builder will lead to the right choice, protecting your big investment in your new home.

At Scott Breuer Homes, you can count on these 3 aspects in working with us.  We know that strong communication is a must, we have award winning experience and we love to have interested clients talk to the families that live in our custom built homes.

The Minneapolis area is #1 in the country for rebounding real estate pricing according to an msn.com article. Minneapolis home prices improved 3.2%, more than any other metro area in the index.

Manufacturers, such as 3M, and high-tech industries are hoping to benefit from the coming recovery.

During this holiday season please donate food or money to your local food shelf to help families less fortunate.

Our local food shelf in Elk River is CAER – they are a non-profit community-based organization, whose mission is to provide emergency food, clothing, and furniture/household items to individuals and families in need. For more information please visit their website at www.caerfoodshelf.org

Happy Holidays!!

The Breuer Realty Team is proud to announce the launching of our new website offering cutting-edge technology, including:

• Buyers can search any MLS listing from our website, plus set up automatic searches to be sent email alerts.
• Search foreclosed listings.
• Sellers can now search for home values in your neighborhood.

Each listing receives a personal website that can be emailed to friends, family, coworkers – a great networking tool to get your home sold faster. We’re committed to working hard, so you don’t have to..our website also includes helpful tips to prepare your home for sale, moving tips, mortgage calculators, school and community reports…it’s all here. Let us help you get your home sold faster and for more money.

View our website at: www.breuerrealtyteam.com

You may be familiar with the first-time homebuyer tax credit of up to $8,000. Now current homebuyers who have lived in their home for five consecutive years of the past eight can take advantage of their own tax credit of up to $6,500. This credit does not have to be repaid as long as you live in the house you purchase for at least three years. Time is of the essence as a purchase agreement must be signed by April 30, 2010 and close by June 30, 2010 to be eligible. Call Ann Marie Breuer at 612-685-8811 or Scott Breuer at 612-328-8348 today for more information.

The Northstar Commuter Rail Line has been up and running since November 16th. The commuter rail offers service from Big Lake to downtown Minneapolis for residents in one of the fastest growing transportation corridors in Minnesota. Transfer onto the light rail line in Minneapolis to go to the Mall of America or the airport.

Take the Northstar Line – the state’s first commuter rail line – for a fast, reliable, safe and affordable alternative to traffic congestion. Enjoy country living with an easy way to get into the city.

Great News! The federal government has just expanded (and extended) the homebuyer tax credit:

• Qualified first-time homebuyers may be eligible for up to $8,000 federal tax credit
• Qualified current homeowners looking to purchase a home, may be eligible for up to $6,500 federal tax credit

Time is of the essence. To learn more about additional restrictions and eligibility requirements call Ann Marie Breuer at 612-685-8811 or Scott Breuer at 612-328-8348.