Become a Greener Homeowner

RIS Media just published a fantastic list of 10 steps to becoming a greener homeowner. Now some may be optimistic for us Minnesota homeowners (not much drying clothes outside here in January!) but the rest are great year round tips:

1. Recycle.


2. Save Water.


3. Conserve Rain Water.


4. Reduce Electricity.


5. Replace Light Bulbs.


6. Drive Less.


7. Double up on Printing.


8. Adjust Refrigerator Temperature.


9. Support Local Farms.


10. Dry Clothes Outside.

Visit their original article for more details.

Submitted by Exclusive Home Buyer Agent Ron Jensrud

Tip for Blinds

I was over at my daughters a few weeks ago and noticed that the blinds in her kitchen area that were on her sliding glass door were not working properly. They were hanging kind of crooked and she said they don't pull up evenly and the cord was broken, she was planning on replacing them, but knew it would be expensive so was just going to "live with it for a while".

I told her I would see if I would get them repaired as I know someone who repairs blinds. I took the blind down, took them to Gopher State Venetian Blind Inc., two days later I picked them up and put them back up. Needless to say she was very pleased!!

I have used Gopher State before and have always had good service. This is a one person business so you just have to leave a message, but she is very prompt about returning calls and excellent service. She is located in Fridley, and her phone number is 763-780-2267. In this economy we are all trying to make our dollar stretch, certainly repairing is less expensive than buying new!!

Submitted by Exclusive Home Buyer Agent Renei Schmitz

Realtor Poetry

Who am I?

I am the one who listens to your wants and needs and provides you with precise and useful information
I am the one with trade specific knowledge and experience
I am the one who completes15 hours per year of continuing education
I am the one who works and takes phone calls days, nights and weekends to help you find a home
I am the one who explains and writes a lengthy contract for your signature then, delivers the contract, negotiates and makes phone calls back to you
I am the one who looks out for you and your interests
I am the one who advises and counsels
I am the point person
I am the one who attends your closing and feels your joy and excitement and enjoys every minute of you and the process
I am the one who thanks you for your business and keeps you on my mailing list.

The Agents at Buyers Real Estate Group

Submitted by Cindy Bhimani

BREG on Facebook

Yup, you read that right. We’re now on Facebook. Check us out – become a fan. It’s our new second home online!

Welcome Home to St Paul

We’re thrilled to posted kind words from recent Buyer Real Estate Group home buyers.

Holly was incredible through the whole process. She provided great referrals, and we always felt she "had our backs" for a lack of a better phrase. She made us feel like we were her first and only priority. Holly was open and honest throughout the process. She was always quick to respond to our emails and phone calls. As first-time buyers I expected to be scared and confused throughout the process, but neither ever happened. I would not hesitate to work with Holly again, and I would recommend her to anyone. If the other agents at Buyers Real Estate Group are half as great as Holly, then I would recommend them, too.

Amy and Casey
St Paul

Submitted by Holly LaRochelle

Cold Weather & Radon

Listening to Minnesota Public Radio this morning I heard a great report on radon in the cold weather. It was very informative.

Here’s the blurb for the program:

Extreme cold can have unusual effects in some unusual places. It can cause more radon gas to enter homes, and it can kill off tree pests. MPR's Cathy Wurzer spoke first with Bill Angell, professor, and housing specialist at the University of Minnesota, about radon. Then, she spoke with Lee Frelich, who studies forests and is Director of the Center for Hardwood Ecology at the University of Minnesota, about tree pests.

You can listen to the program online.

Submitted by Mary Rugani

Buyers Real Estate Group is Moving

Buyers Real Estate Group is moving today! Here’s our new address:

11900 Wayzata Blvd Suite # 214
Minnetonka, Mn 55305

The phones will go down at the old office today and up at the new. We’re going to have the same numbers – but if you run into any troubles today, please try us on our cell phones. (You can find individual cell hone numbers on the agent’s page.)

Moving has been a month long process. It’s been a great exercise in going green. We’ve used recycled paint and recycled furniture and we’ve been dedicated in to making it happen.
We’re hoping to take some pictures or maybe a video to post online soon so you can see how it looks.

Buyers Real Estate Group in the Community

Buyers Real Estate Group and Journey Consulting celebrated the holidays in 2008 by packaging up 30 Christmas bags for the women at the Women of Nations shelter. It is an emergency shelter for abused women and children in St. Paul, MN.

Buyer agent, Renei Schmitz, has been spearheading this annual event for the realtors for many years. Unfortunately, the need is great this year but we did what we could and we had a good time doing it. Check out the pictures below…

Minneapolis Homebuyer Program Lands $1.5 Million Grant

We’ve got some great new from the City of Minneapolis. It’s hot off the presses…

Mayor R.T. Rybak and partners Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines (FHLB Des Moines) and Wells Fargo today announced $1.5 million in new funding from FHLB Des Moines which will be used to help homeowners in more than twenty neighborhoods with down payment and closing cost to purchase foreclosed properties in areas most affected by foreclosures.

Through FHLB Des Moines Affordable Housing Program (AHP), an additional $1 million is now available for home purchases in North Minneapolis and $500,000 in the Northeast and South Central areas of the City. Funds will help low income households (less than 80% of area median income) purchase foreclosed homes. The
homebuyers will also receive homebuyer and homeownership education through the
Minnesota Home Ownership Center.

Learn more…

As exclusive home buyer agents we make it our job to know about every possible home buyer advantage. So if you’re thinking about buying a home – give us a call at 952-797-0090.

Submitted by Mary Rugani

Ugliest House of the Year

OK, here’s an award that few want to receive – but we thought it was kind of fun. Apparently there is a contest and the winner was announce early last month in Las Vegas at the second annual Ugliest House contest. (OK, with our cold weather lately I might enter an ugliest house competition just for a trip to the desert!)

The winner of the popular – or maybe unpopular vote – as from Chicago. It was ugly – here’s a quote from the application: “From the street, it looked like something that would be called "Old Man Bob's Haunted House" – it was falling apart, a downed tree graced the backyard and not a stalk of grass could be seen on the property (apparently, the grass was too scared to grow in this property.)”

The contest is run by the “We Buy Ugly Houses” people and the happy ending is that the ugliest home – and many others – have been cleaned up and sold or sold and cleaned up by these guys. Well, that’s happy if the buyer is OK with it. To make sure you’re not about to buy the ugliest house – get an exclusive buyer agent in your corner!

There were no ugly contenders from Minnesota.