What You Need to Know About The Hoopla Event

We’re in Hudson, Wisconsin with Chris Kost, director of the YMCA, to talk about this year’s Hoopla event!

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The time has come for the Hudson YMCA Holiday Hoopla event! We’re here in Hudson, Wisconsin so Chris Kost, director of the YMCA, can tell you all about it.

The Hudson YMCA has been here for 21 years and has 9,000 members. Although we do a lot of good things for our branch, it’s important to reach out to the community as well.

One of the ways we do this is by hosting the Hoopla event. It’s free for the community and is a fantastic way to meet and partner with other organizations. Along with the annual gingerbread making event hosted by the McNamee Real Estate Team, people can look forward to all sorts of fun activities.

Santa will be here with real reindeer!

And the best part? Santa will be here with real reindeer! He and his flight companions will be set up in the gym, so make sure to stop in and say hi.

Here’s all the information you’ll need to make it down to this year’s Hoopla event!

What: Holiday Hoopla
Where: Hudson YMCA, 2211 Vine St. Hudson, WI 54016
When: Sunday, December 18th, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

More questions? No problem. Give Chris at the Hudson YMCA a call at 612-230-9622 or visit the website www.ymcamn.org. You are also more than welcome to stop in to find out how the YMCA can work with you on a membership. Walk-ins are always welcome.

Happy holidays and hope to see you there!

3 Things to Know Before Buying Homeowners Insurance

Before you take out a homeowners insurance policy, there are three things you should know about that will determine your rate. Jeremy Werner is here to tell us what to look for.

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Taking out a homeowners insurance policy an important step for homeowners, but there are a few things that you should know about homeowners insurance rates before doing so. Today I’m joined by Jeremy Werner from Apex Insurance Group to discuss the top three factors that will help determine your rate:

1. How much coverage is necessary on the home. This includes how much it would cost to replace the entire dwelling as well as any additional endorsements that you would like to add on.
2. Where the property is located. Your property’s proximity to emergency services can affect your rates. For example, the further your property is from a fire department or even a fire hydrant, the higher your rate will be.
3. Your insurance score. Your insurance score is affected by your credit characteristics, so it’s important to keep your credit in line. In the same way that opening up new lines of credit can affect your ability to obtain a home loan, homeowners should also be aware that the better their credit scores are, the lower their homeowners insurance premiums will be.

Your rate may be affected by your credit score.

Jeremy suggests keeping these three components in mind before taking out a homeowners insurance policy so that you know what to expect from your rate. If you have any other questions about homeowners, auto, home, life, business, or farm insurance for Jeremy, give him a call at 715-377-4774. In the meantime, if you have questions about anything else related to real estate in the St. Croix area, give us a call or send me an email and we’d be happy to help you!

6 Reasons to List Your Home This Holiday Season

A lot of people think selling a home during the holidays is a bad idea. However, there are six reasons why that is not true.

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A lot of home sellers who have had their home on the market the last few months will get it in their heads that they should take it off the market during the holiday season for one reason or another. A lot of people think homes don’t sell during this time of year, but that is not the case.

There are six different reasons why you should keep your home on the market during the holidays:

1. Inventory is much lower. Since a lot of people do think it’s a bad time to sell, they take their homes off the market. This lowers the inventory, which means less competition for your home if you do decide to list.

2. Serious buyers. If a buyer is out there trudging in 30-below weather just to see a home, you know they are serious about purchasing a home.

3. The supply will increase in the new year. Every year, our inventory shoots up at the beginning of the new year. That is when you will have the most competition for your home. That level of competition is much lower right now.

Homes show better when decorated for the holidays.

4. Homes show better when decorated for the holidays.

5. Buyers tend to be more emotional during the holidays. This draws their attention to the home more than it would during the summer.

6. Buyers have more time to look at homes during the holidays. Why not be on the market if those buyers have the time?

If you have any questions for us, don’t hesitate to reach out and we’ll make it our next video. If you have any questions for us, don’t hesitate to give us a call or send us an email. We look forward to hearing from you.

Enter to Win a Yeti Cooler

We want to thank all of our past clients and referral partners for their business, so we are holding a raffle for a new Yeti cooler!

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We have a great opportunity for you to win a new Yeti cooler!

First of all, we want to say thank you to all of our past clients and our referral partners who so graciously spread our name to all of your friends. We really appreciate it—those referrals help our business grow and improve every year.

As a way of saying thank you to all of our wonderful clients and friends, we are having a raffle for a free Yeti cooler.

We will announce the winner on Halloween!

All you have to do is go to our Zillow, Realtor.com, Facebook, Trulia, LinkedIn or Twitter page and leave a review.

If you really want that cooler, you can write multiple reviews to increase your chances of winning! We will announce the winner on Halloween.

Good luck to all of you—we can’t wait to see the reviews!

Why Setting a Realistic Budget Is Important

If you’re shopping for a home, it’s important to leave yourself a buffer of cash in your max budget. The market is competitive!

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When you’re in the market to buy a home, setting a realistic budget is very important.

Let’s say you set a budget of $225,000 and are looking for a home. If you look at homes that are priced for $225,000, you may find a home that has multiple offers. When there are multiple offers on a home that’s already priced at your max budget, you’ve got no chance. You don’t have the buying power to go any higher.

In this market, you need a bit of wiggle room.

We recommend giving yourself some buffer room. If your max budget is $225,000, cut off the home prices you are looking at to homes priced $220,000 and below. If you’re in a multiple offer situation, extra cash is always beneficial. When homes are selling in our market, they are selling for $5,000 to $10,000 over asking price.

If you find the home you love, you should go after it and not wait for someone else to get their hands on it. Give yourself that little buffer so you can feel confident when competing against multiple offers.

If you have any questions for us, don’t hesitate to reach out. We look forward to hearing from you.

Why Is Selling Without an Agent a Bad Idea?

Many sellers think they will have no problem selling a house on their own. Most of those sellers end up being wrong.

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When you are getting ready to put your St. Croix home on the market for sale, hiring an agent is essential. Studies have shown that sellers who sell For Sale By Owner (or FSBO) net 16% less than sellers who hire an agent.

It has also been proven that 80% of FSBO sellers end up listing with a Realtor within three weeks of listing their property on the market. These sellers realize once they start trying to market their home that they are in over their head, and there is a lot more work involved than they thought.

Buyers are looking for FSBOs trying to get a bargain. They know you’re not paying a commission and will take that off of their offer. The buyers lurking around FSBO homes are not always qualified buyers, either.

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FSBOs are vulnerable to bargain hunters.

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Think about it like this - If you buy a brand new watch at a jewelry store with a beautiful box and and two days later you see the exact same watch in the same box at a garage sale with a sales receipt, would you be willing to pay the same amount at the garage sale that you just paid at the jewelry store? No way. Your home is first-class too, so why would you sell it in a second-class manner?

If you have any questions for us or are thinking about listing your St. Croix home, give us a call or send us an email. We look forward to hearing from you.

Improving Your Strategy After Your Home Expires

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When a person’s home expires, they usually do one of three things:

1. Relist right away with the same agent.
2. Relist in one to three months.
3. Don’t relist at all.

Most choose to relist with the same agent. If you do this, however, that agent is just going to repeat what they did the first time, and your chances of the results being any different are slim. We recommend that you interview two or three new agents and hire one based on their marketing and pricing strategy.

We specialize in selling homes that didn’t sell the first time for one reason or another. More specifically, 30% of our business last year came from those people whose homes were on the market for hundreds of days. We were able to get those people moved into their new homes in a month or two, at most.

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Hire a new agent based on their marketing and pricing strategy.

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If your home does come off the market and you plan to relist it, do your due diligence by interviewing multiple new agents and make sure that have the right one, so that the same thing doesn’t happen again.

If you have any questions or you’re thinking about selling your home, feel free to give us a call. Have a great day!

Passion in Branding with Jeremy Tyler of Xceptional

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I'm excited to be joined by Jeremy Tyler with Xcpetional - our neighbor across the parking lot. We rely a lot on Jeremy, who is extremely good at fixing IT issues we have.

Jeremy got an interesting start in what he's doing now - three years ago in his basement! They moved into the building about a year ago, which allows them to share in the energy of the area and help us with our IT problems.

Jeremy is a big thinker, making it fun to have a high-level conversation with him. He's not just into IT, nor is Xceptional. IT usually refers just to information technology in your mind, Jeremy said, but at Xceptional they focus on the brand development and marketing areas of technology, from websites to social media to logos. They aim to bring businesses into the digital age and help them achieve their goals by using digital platforms for sales and marketing, or getting new leads, for example.

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Jeremy's passion comes through in everything Xceptional does.

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Small and medium business owners are the kinds of companies that Xceptional really excels with. In today's business world, these types of business owners have that grand vision for tomorrow of their business being the next big brand. Jeremy and his team want to focus on creating the next big brands of this generation.

One of my favorite quotes is "People don't buy what you do, they buy why you do it," and looking at Jeremy's passion for what he does is such an important piece, and it comes through in everything he says and does.

If you're interested in hearing more about what Jeremy and Xceptional do, you can give him a call at (715) 629-1020 ext. 101. He'd love to talk with you and set up a consultation about how he can help you on your journey.

Why Should You Work With a Buyer Specialist?

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Today I’m here with Julie Baribeau, our lead buyer specialist. On our team, we have a whole separate division for our buyers. How does working with a buyer’s agent help you be successful in your home search?

When you walk into an open house, that real estate agent is already working with the seller. They will not have your best interests at heart. A buyer specialist works with your specific interests in mind to help you through the buying process.

Within our team, we each fight for the individual. If you work with an agent who represents you and the seller, they have to stay neutral, leaving you to navigate the buying process and make decisions on your own. As a buyer specialist, Julie fights for you.

I’m a listing specialist, and when Julie writes an offer on one of the McNamee Team’s listings, she still represents your best interests as the buyer. Just like she does with any other property, Julie will research the listing and get information to help you get the property.

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As a buyer specialist, Julie fights for your best interests.

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Buyer specialists like Julie focus solely on the buyer. She is really familiar with the entire process, from the contract to showings. A good buyer’s agent will have a pulse on what’s happening in the market and be able to get you into the right home quickly.

Julie will meet with you ahead of time for a buyer consultation. During this consultation, she will ask questions to figure out exactly what kind of home you are looking for. Even if you cannot meet in person, a phone consultation is a good way to figure out how to begin your home search.

If you have any questions for Julie, give her a call at 612-481-9700 or send her an email at  julie@mcnameeteam.com. As always, if you have any other real estate questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We would be happy to help you!

How We Professionally Helped John Buy and Sell a House

“They were everything that we expected them to be. They were a pleasure to work with and we got exactly that we wanted out of the experience. Zach was readily available anytime I had a question. If I gave him a call or texted him he would give me a call in a timely manner and it was very professional throughout the entire process.”

How we helped Ronnie by keeping an open line of communication

“We used a different Realtor before we sold our home, and The McNamee Team was much more aggressive and modern with coordinating real estate. Overall, they did a very, very good job. Every time I called Zach, he got back to me. I had constant access to them.”

How we helped Diane by making the process easy

“They did a very good job. Towards the end, Michelle helped us figure out the paperwork and what we had to do. Jill was also great and did a very good job.”

How Can You Win a Multiple Offer Situation?

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In our busy market, we’re seeing a lot of multiple offer situations. Today, we’re going to talk about how your offer can stand out among the competition.

When exceptional properties enter the marketplace, it’s typical for them to receive several different bids within a few days. It’s incredibly important to stand out as a buyer. Ultimately, the seller is looking for a clean offer without many contingencies.

One thing you should make sure of is pursuing pre-approval. It should be from a respectable lender. Additionally, your form of financing is important. Conventional is a safest route, but there are many options available. The more money you can put down, the more attractive your offer will look.

A creative way to stand out is to write a letter to the seller. Express how passionately you admire their home, and how you see your family living there. Sometimes, sellers can feel sentimental about moving out of a home, especially if they’ve raised a family in it. The letter adds emotional value to the offer.

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The seller is looking for a clean offer without many contingencies.

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The most important factor of your offer, however, is the amount. Don’t submit a low-ball offer. On average, sellers earn 97% to 98% of their listing price. To make sure you score the best bargain, hire a tailored real estate agent to represent you!

If you’re thinking about buying or selling a home in the surrounding St. Croix County area, give us a call or send us an email. We’d be happy to help you!

How we helped Miguel find the perfect house by meeting all the criteria

"They were very positive. Julie was very attentive and responsive. Throughout the search there were a couple of houses that we were trying to buy. She was very good at negotiating and keeping us up to date with what was going on. She communicated very well and was proactive with providing us with listings that met our criteria."

The Local Dish Presents: My Happy Place

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Today we are in Somerset, Wisconsin at a Boutique called My Happy Place. Our friend Cherie Link is the owner and operator, and she’s going to talk about what makes the place so special.

There are gifts for anyone on your list, amazing repurposed and handcrafted furniture, and practically anything else that you can think of. Their inventory is always rotating, and you’re not likely to see the same item twice. There is always something new to see at the store.

Their furniture is repurposed from in-store artisans, but they also consign items from local artisans that bring their items in. A furniture store sure to make your soul happy.

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A furniture store sure to make your soul happy.

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My Happy Place also hosts private events and classes. They offer unique "Learn To Paint" classes, that will instruct you on how to paint your own items. Individuals or groups of people can reserve times to come in and learn.

If you see something that you like in the store, fill out a Hint Hint Card and leave it in a place where someone will notice it. This makes shopping easier for your loved ones, and My Happy Place also offers free gift wrapping on any item.

The best way to contact Cherie and My Happy Place is on Facebook. They regularly update their inventory, and if you see something you love, just call 715-247-4000 with your credit card purchase. Ask about their delivery service. Experience shopping bliss in somerset, WI.

Thanks for tuning in!

Handyman Matters Would Love to Help You Around the House!

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Today, Mark McNamee of Handyman Matters joins us today to describe what his business does to serve the St. Croix area.

They do a bit of everything. No job is too small -- they’ll come to hang a picture on the wall or they’ll redo your entire kitchen! The goal is to meet the homeowner and help with whatever home improvement or fix they might need.

What makes Handyman Matters different is that they have a team of craftsmen and a customer service manager who works with customers all day long. This system allows them to get out and make bids faster, and it means there is always someone to talk to once you hire them to take care of something in your home.

Handyman Matters services the entire valley in both Wisconsin and Minnesota. It’s a pretty tight 30-mile range, but Mark and his team are willing to help people outside of that region if specifically requested.

Now that spring is here and the weather is getting nicer, it’s the perfect time to take a look at your deck to see if you need any upkeep. The folks at Handyman Matters have been getting lots of calls already, so get out and see if there is anything you need a hand with as soon as you can!

If you would like to learn more about them, you can reach them at HandymanMatters.com, (715) 861-4990, or on Facebook! Stay tuned for our next installment of The Local Dish, where we’ll learn more about My Happy Place Design Studio in Somerset. We look forward to talking to you soon!

How to Hire the Right St. Croix Real Estate Agent

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Today, we’ll be discussing what questions to ask before hiring an agent. If you want to get results when buying or selling in the St. Croix area, you need to do your due diligence to find an agent who will go to great lengths to help you accomplish your real estate goals!

All agents are not created equal. Set up a meeting with a few different Keller Williams agents and you will quickly realize that they’re not all the same. All agents have access to different tools that help them go about their business in their own way. The best agents will use their resources to address your specific real estate needs and get the job done in as little time, and with as little stress, as possible.
 

If you’re curious about what we do to get the job done right for our clients, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We view every meeting as a job interview, and we would love to show you what we’re capable of. We look forward to talking soon! 

A New Resource for Discovering Local Businesses in the St. Croix Area

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We’re excited to introduce our newest video series: The Local Dish. We’ve created this video series in order to shine a spotlight on some of our favorite local businesses. You’ll learn about businesses ranging from retail stores to local restaurants.

Tune in next week to see us talk to Mark McNamee from Handyman Matters! His business covers just about any issue you might need taken care of around the house, so you don’t want to miss it!

If you own a business that you would like to have featured on The Local Dish, or if you know of a local business you would like to know more about, reach out and let us know! We would love to hear from you! 

Is a Home Inspection Essential in St. Croix?

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Today we are going to discuss the importance of having a home inspection on your St. Croix home.

A home inspection is an opportunity to protect yourself as a buyer. When you add a contingency into your offer as a buyer for a home inspection, if something comes up during the inspection that would cause you to not want to buy the home, it’s your protection in being able to walk away from the deal.

After the inspection is complete, you’ll review the items on the report with your agent and if there are any defects, you can negotiate fixes. There are going to be some items on the report that you won’t want to ask the sellers to make repairs on. We’re talking about minor cosmetic issues here. If there is a problem with a major system in the home, the seller has the responsibility to cover at least some of the repair costs. Sometimes they may ask you to split them.

The cost of a home inspection depends on the size of the home but usually is in the range of $300-$400.

If you have any questions for us about home inspections, give us a call or send us an email. We would love to hear from you!

Great New Program for Heroes in St. Croix County

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We want you all to know about an amazing program called Homes for Heroes. This program allows people of various professions to buy homes at a discount. Some of these professions include police officers, firefighters, teachers, doctors, nurses, veterans, and more.

On average, a hero will save $2,000 during a transaction, and if they’re buying and selling, they can save up to $4,000. This money saved can then be spent on updates or repairs to a new home, or you could invest money into your old home before selling. 

Please let people know about this program. We want as many people as possible to be able to use this rebate. If you have any questions about this, please don’t hesitate to contact us!

How We Helped Susan Sell Her Home Using Creative Strategies

"We sold our house, so that was a good result. They went above and beyond in many situations. They were always in communication when the house wasn’t selling at first. Jill brainstormed with me about different ideas we could do. She even brought in a new marketing firm for an online auction. That seemed to do that trick and that was definitely going above and beyond anybody else has ever suggested to us. I like her creativity and her open-minded approach to strategizing with her clients."

How We Helped Jeremy Buy a Home on His Own Time

"I bought my first house through the McNamee team. I was really busy at the time and the team worked together to hand-deliver all the documents that needed to be signed right to my place of work. It was a white-glove service and they really brought it around to make it happen when closing on the house."