SOLD!

With all the talk of the downturn in the real estate market one would think buyers can take as much time as they want to make a decision because the property will still be available while they make up their minds.

Well, my experience just the last few days has shown that not to be the case. I had one client write an offer on a property to find that she was competing with another buyer...it happens in any market. I can't tell you how many times I have shown a property that has been on the market for a long time then ends up in multiple offers.

The lesson here is...if you find a property you really like, don't wait...it only takes one person to buy and you never when that person is going to come along. If you're thinking about making an offer on a property, ask yourself how you would feel if you decided to buy and it was gone. If you find yourself feeling extremely disappointed or have knots in your stomach...it's time to make an offer!

I'm going out with a buyer today who had selected three properties to view. Since yesterday morning, one by one all three have sold! Now we're starting over with a new list...hopefully we'll have some properties to see today.

Interest rates have been on the rise...could that be inspiring the buyers who have been waiting to see what the market is doing to make the move?

Location, Location, Location

You've probably heard it said that the three most important things in real estate are location, location, and location. It's usually spoken in regard to property value and resale value, which has validity.

What you don't hear as often is how important location also is in personal value. It's so important because it's something you can't change. You can create interior place in your home that reflects you wherever you are...but you can't change the location of your home. That's something you choose but can't change unless you move, and if it doesn't fit it can have a profound impact on your sense of well-being.

If you're considering a move, it could just mean moving to another part of the area where you already live, but it could also be that you are looking for a whole new place experience. If you are considering a move to a different city, area or country think about the different factors that make up that sense of place and what impact they will have on you. Sense of place includes things like:

• Geography, climate
• The way people live on the landscape
• The sights, sounds, music, smells
• The people, myths, stories and other intangibles that give it a specific 'feeling'

If you're ready for a change but don't know where you want to go, a couple of fun sites that can help you find a place that's a good fit for you are linked below. They both have a quiz to take to help you identify possible locations that could be a good fit for you.

• http://www.bestplaces.net/
• http://www.findyourspot.com/

As far as I'm concerned, I continue to love the sense of place in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Our walk yesterday on the Stone Arch Bridge over the Mississippi River in downtown Minneapolis demonstrates the wonderful mix that creates our Twin Cities sense of place...water, trees, parks, walking/riding paths, flourishing arts community, thriving city.