Spring Clean – Help Others

It’s that time of year – the snow is gone, finally – and we’re happy to get ready for summer. For many of us that means cleaning house. We found a great service that will take your usable but unwanted household items.

CHAP Value Store is an excellent option! CHAP (Caring Helping And Providing) is an important part of our giving community and is operated by Destiny Christian Center in Burnsville.

CHAP Value Store depends on donations generously given by people like you so we can continue to serve. Some of their important missions include a food shelf, adopt a family for Christmas and Women and Women with children.

CHAP Accepts:

* Furniture of all kinds
* Clothing of all types
* Electronics (small appliances)
* Jewelry, Antiques, Collectibles
* Books, DVDs, CDs, VHS
* House-wares, Crystal, Vases
* Kitchen items
* Computers, Printers, Software
* Knick-knacks, Art, Novelty Items
* Financial Gifts

CHAP Value Store
2020 E. Hwy 13
Burnsville, MN 55337
(952) 890-8222

Please feel free to bring your donations to our store. If you have items that you would like us to pick up please call us. All donations are tax deductible.

Submitted by Susan Hofflander

Foreclosure Prevention Workshops

Know someone who is in trouble or just want more information on mortgages?
St. Paul and the Minnesota Home Ownership Center are sponsoring a series of foreclosure prevention workshops for people who are concerned about making mortgage payments.
Mortgage lenders and community-based organizations will be available to offer free advice and answer questions, and attendees will be able to hear short presentations on legal rights and the foreclosure process.
Future scheduled workshops:• May 20: 4:30–8:30 p.m., Discovery Elementary School, 301 Second Av NE, Buffalo• June 5: 4:30–8:30 p.m., Eagan Community Center, 1501 Central Pkwy, Eagan
Call the Home Ownership Center at 651.659.9336 or go to http://www.hocmn.org/ for more information. St. Paul mortgage foreclosure prevention counselors are available at 651.266.6626 or www.stpaul.gov/foreclosure. Renters with foreclosure questions can call HOME Line at 612.728.5767.

5 Steps to Avoid a Forclosure

1. Loan number and recent payment history

2. A brief explanation of their circumstances. Are their financial problems temporary (for example, a cut in job hours or the illness of a family member) or permanent?

3. Recent income documentation, including pay stubs or tax returns

4. A list of household expenses — utility bills, food, insurance

5. A list of other debt obligations — credit cards, car loans

Get more info

New Agent at BREG - Chuck Berg

We are pleased to welcome Chuck Berg to the team at Buyers Real Estate Group. Chuck has lived in Shakopee for 30 years and is happy to help home buyers find a home in or around the Twin Cities. He has an interesting background – including a brief time owning a bowling alley.

Learn more about Chuck

Rent Out During the Republican Convention

Homeowners have an unusual opportunity to try out a buy to rent option this year. The Republican National Convention has contacted the Minneapolis Area Association of REALTORS because people are still looking for a place to stay during the convention for the week of the RNC, which runs from August 30 to September 5, 2008.

If you own a place in St. Paul or downtown Minneapolis that you'd like to rent out during the week to a private company (meaning, these people come with deposits, contracts, etc.), contact Leslie Wilcox of GOP Convention Strategies at 651.714.2008 or Leslie@GOPConventionStrategies.com.

How to Hang a Picture

You’ve moved into your new house. You bought your furniture and you’ve move in – yet is still looks like someone else’s house. Think about adding some art. Here are some tips to hanging pictures in your house:

First, find a friend to help. Two head are better than one here. You’ll need one to hold and one to judge. The job is easier if you spend the time you need at the onset rather than re-start once the picture is hung.

Second, find a place on the wall. Horizontally, you’ll want to start by aiming the picture center at your own eye level. It’s not an exact science, but if you start there you can modify to suit your own tastes.

Third, create a blueprint. Mark a spot on the wall at the top, center of the picture. On the picture, measure the distance between the top of the picture and the wire hanging the picture. Mark that distance on the wall, starting from the mark you made earlier.

Grab a hammer, a small hammer and put a nail into the spot you’ve marked. If your wall is created from dry wall, you may want to choose your spot carefully. Once it’s hung, sit back and enjoy the art.

Finding the Right Condominium

Last month, Kiplinger. ran an article on buying a condominium. The article quotes two Buyers Real Estate Group agents: Susan Hofflander and Renei Schmitz. Kiplinger also talked to Kevin and Michelle, two happy homeowners who were helped by Susan in their home buying process.

Kevin and Michelle were kind enough to share pictures of their new home and a few words on their home buying experience – especially with their experience an exclusive home buyer agent.

1) We were most interested in an agent who was knowledgeable about the entire market. Being first time home buyers, it was nice to have someone to show us the pros and cons of different neighborhoods and housing types (condo, house, townhome, etc.).

2) I expected the agent to show us a variety of homes, and walk us through the whole process. At the closing and purchase agreement signings, I expected the agent to be familiar with all of the types of contracts and agreements and language typically used, such that we could be assured we weren't signing anything that we shouldn't have been.

3) I would make sure your agent is knowledgeable about the market, neighborhoods, and the legalities of purchasing a home.

You can see pictures of their new place on the Buyers Real Estate Group web site.