Dave Oswald Homes's Blog

Here we are in the best time of the annual real estate market: January 15th through May 15th. Historically, 60% of the annual MLS inventory in the 13 county metro area will sell during this time. Showings are up, sales are up, interest rates are relatively low and sellers are willing to negotiate. Who could ask for more? Actually, "more" is the problem. More inventory than ever before! Experts..(read more)

Here's another good news - bad news tidbit: home sales activity is on the rise but so are listings. The number of vacant active listings is up a whopping 35% over a year ago and climbing. This is due to a combination of causes. One, you already know: foreclosures are at an all-time high. Another is that people are buying houses before their current home sells. They move into their new home in..(read more)

Here's some not-so-cheerful news: Housing related jobs are decreasing and the equity from homes has been tapped propping up the retail sector the past few years. A downturn in property values, tapped equity in housing, an aging population, a volatile international economy, higher interest rates and high risk lending practices the past few years may just have created the perfect storm that could lead..(read more)

Sunday's (1/28/07) St. Paul Pioneer Press had an easy-to-read chart showing the changes in median home prices for 2006 by neighborhood in the 13 County Metro Area. Overall, the Metro's median home price went up a meager one-half of one percent. Closer to home, we saw Southern Dakota County drop 10% while Lakeville stayed even. Apple Valley and Farmington both rose 1.3%. Burnsville dropped nine-tenths..(read more)

Interesting data shows us how the market can turn over the course of a couple years. Take Lakeville for example. In 2004 there were 1280 new listings and 1182 closed transactions. Fairly even supply and demand, right? In 2005, 1374 new listings but only 1080 closed sales - quite a drop. The sand begins to shift! In 2006, listings jumped way up to 1783 and closed sales dropped to..(read more)

Real estate activity seems to be increasing, happily. Historically, 60% of a year's real estate sales take place between January 15 and May 15. While no one expects to see a return to the hot, Hot, HOT market we had a few years ago, 2007 is expected to return to a more normal pace by the end of the year. Don't expect appreciation this year. In fact, many homes in Dakota County experienced depreciation..(read more)

I kept hearing about "blogging" but simply dismissed it as something related to saggy sweatpants, expensive running shoes and one of those silly terry-cloth headbands with a swoosh on it. Then, as I was discussing creating a newsletter with my 26 yr old daughter, I was informed a web log (blog) could accomplish the same thing and would be less stressful on my joints. Makes sense..(read more)