Sawyer County shows incredible increase of 133%.

Barron -8.1%
Bayfield -15.4%
Burnett +20.8%
Douglas -21.1%
Rusk -36.4%
Sawyer +133.3%
Washburn -5.9%

First, what is a REALTOR, and how are they different from other real estate agents? A REALTOR is a real estate professional who has agreed to abide by a strict code of shared ethics. This is important considering that your real estate agent guides you through a significant financial transaction, handling your private information and representing your best interests. Not all real estate agents are REALTORS, but all Edina Realty agents are REALTORS.

Your real estate agent guides you through a significant financial transaction, handling your private information and representing your best interests.

From the business perspective of home buying, a REALTOR has training in sales negotiation, giving you an edge when negotiating the terms of a sale with a seller. They know what forms need to be signed, how much earnest money you’ll need to submit with your offer, and they will ensure that you meet all legal obligations as you go through a real estate transaction.

From the lifestyle perspective of home buying, REALTORS often specialize in specific cities or neighborhoods, so they can provide insight about the location in which you’re thinking of buying a home. A REALTOR is also trained to help you find a home that meets your specific requirements – whether it’s a single-family home located in a top-ranked school district or an urban condo. Experienced REALTORs have been looking at homes for many years, and can point out potential pros and cons about a property as it relates to your needs that you might not notice.

Working with an Edina Realty agent has additional benefits. As part of the largest real estate company in Minnesota and western Wisconsin with more than 2,100 REALTORS, Edina Realty agents have an exclusive network from which to find homes that meet your requirements. From company-only access to pre-listed homes for sale to agent-only home tours of new Edina Realty listings, Edina Realty agents quickly match home buyers and sellers.

February is usually the snowiest month of the year in Wisconsin. The key word being “usually”!

The full moon in February is called the “snow moon”. The sun shines a little brighter and longer with each passing day, even though we are still in the midst of winter.

Backyard bird feeders become more important in February as the wild seeds and fruits have been either eaten or burried in the snow. The call of the black-capped chickadees, signal that spring is just around the corner. “fee-bee”

The chickadee has always been associated with beauty, and is possibly the most liked bird of all of our feathered friends. These birds are one of our smallest. A fully grown chickadee is a mere 1/3 of an ounce, which is about the weight of three pennies. This tiny creature has a heartbeat of 650 per minute and a normal body temperature of 109 degrees. They generally do not migrate south so their downy feathers make it possible for them to survive our subzero temperatures.

For a great book to read year round about the Northwoods and Wisconsin, check out “Wild Wisconsin Notebook” by James Buchholz. http://ow.ly/8YEem http://ow.ly/i/s53X

http://ow.ly/8Uqai

http://ow.ly/8qbNi

The two words “dormant forces” is referring to forces that appear to be either nonexistent or dead, and he was referring to the powerful energy a person feels when inspired. (Dr. Wayne W. Dyer)

Wake up – find inspiration. Propel your life in a new direction or stay the course with new zest. Inspired = in-spirited. Spirit working through you.

Today, be inspired!

If the trend of the last two months continues, 2011 could end on a high note.  Incredibly low interest rates and a good supply of homes indicates, NOW is the time to BUY.  

Total home sales November

• 2007 – 43
• 2008 – 33
• 2009 – 47
• 2010 – 42
• 2011 – 57

If you want more information on specific types of homes or areas within Barron County, comment below with your  request or send me an email at marthadelong@edinarealty.com.

Brisk activity in the month of November gives us hope that the housing market will continue rebound and 2011 will be a turning point for the housing market.  Incredibly low interest rates and a good supply of homes indicates, NOW is the time to BUY.  

Total home sales November

• 2007 – 32
• 2008 – 16
• 2009 – 31
• 2010 – 13
• 2011 – 21

If you want more information on specific types of homes or areas within Sawyer County, comment below with your  request or send me an email at marthadelong@edinarealty.com.

“We are definitely closing out the year on a strong note,” said Rob Keefe, Chairman of the WRA Board of Directors, noting that the seasonal pattern of home sales typically slows as winter approaches. “The strong market of the last few months has pulled sales in 2011 nearly even with the 2010 level,” he said. Keefe noted that year-to-date home sales through the end of November are now less than 1 percent below last year, and that is without any bump from the federal government to stimulate existing home sales.
Home sales were up in four of the six regions of the state, with three of the six regions seeing their November home sales grow more than 20 percent. The strongest region in the state was the North where sales rose 27.7 percent over November 2010. This was followed by the South Central region, which was up 25.2 percent, and the Southeast region, up 21.4 percent. The Northeast region was up a solid 7.9 percent, whereas November existing home sales fell 5 percent in the Central region and were down 6.6 percent in the West compared to November sales last year.
The statewide median price of existing homes fell 2.2 percent in November compared to November 2010, and year-to-date, median prices fell 6.1 percent. “This is clearly a buyer’s market, and while inventories are down from October, they still remain high at more than 14 months,” said WRA President and CEO Michael Theo. “This means buyers will be in the driver’s seat for the foreseeable future.” Regionally, there was some volatility with half the regions showing median prices down: the Southeast down 9.7 percent, South Central down 2.6 percent and the Northeast down 4.8 percent. The Western region was essentially flat, and median prices in the North and Central regions were up 7.3 percent and 15.8 percent, respectively.
“The economy did get a little good news in November with an improvement in the national unemployment rate and even an uptick in consumer confidence and consumer expectations,” said Theo. The national unemployment rate improved to 8.6 percent in November, and the Wisconsin unemployment rate has also been trending downward recently. In addition, the Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index improved, as did their Leading Economic Indicator Index due in part to better consumer expectations. “These are both positive signals on the economy, but they are very preliminary and it will take sustained improvements, including significant job growth, before many homebuyers are comfortable diving back into this market,” said Theo. “However, if these trends continue, new buyers will be greeted with very affordable housing in the state, with Wisconsin housing among the nation’s best values.”
The WRA’s report showed that the November WRA Housing Affordability Index was at 242, meaning that the family with median income can afford to buy 242 percent of the median-priced home in the state, given current 30-year fixed-rate mortgage rates and a 20 percent down payment. Comparing Wisconsin’s index with a recent National Association of REALTORS^® Affordability analysis, Wisconsin housing was found to be more affordable than the U.S., where the index was just under 200, as well as all of the four broad census regions, especially the Northeast where the index was 163 and the West where the index was 165. “We’ve always known that you get a lot of home for your money in Wisconsin, and that is especially true in this market,” said Theo.