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Barrett & Jump Earn 7 Star Awards in Real Estate

Congratulations to Realtors Jill Barrett and Joe Jump for being honored as 7 Star Real Estate Agents.
They have both “exceeded the criteria in the areas of experience, reputation, and achievement…. having demonstrated every quality characteristic of a superior real estate professional and are recognized and honored for exemplary service to their community and are a credit to the real estate profession.”
We are truly honored to have them on our team at Johnson Hometown Realty and know that they both go way above and beyond in providing excellent service and care to their clients and their client’s need.

Posted in: Buyers, Community Interest, Real Estate Market, Sellers Tagged: Jill Barrett Realtor MN Real Estate, Johnson Hometown Realty, real estate, Realtor

REAL ESTATE IS ESSENTIAL!

We are ALWAYS OPEN!
We are thankful we can continue to work and to meet the needs of our clients. We have quite a few houses pending and closing in the next couple months. And, we know many more of you need to buy or sell real estate, even during this “Stay at Home” order.
Let us know how we can help! We are available and have many options utilizing current technology that allows us to do 90+% of what you need online or virtually. We can still show many listings in person and can do a Market Analysis for you on a property you are thinking about selling.
Feel free to reach out to us whatever way works best for you – phone call, text, Facebook message, email, etc. We are happy to discuss options, provide information, answer questions and show you property. We have photos, videos, virtual tours and Facetime/WhatsApp to help show houses virtually if needed!
Call the office any time at 218-263-4411
Find us on Facebook: Johnson Hometown Realty
Check out our website: www.JohnsonHometownRealty.com (contact button on the bottom of the home page.)
Or reach out to one of our agent’s directly.
We are looking forward to hearing from you and helping you with your real estate needs!
#takingcareofbusiness #essentialindustry #mnrealtors
#ironrangestrong #johnsonhometownrealty

Posted in: Buyers, Community Interest, Real Estate Market, Sellers, Uncategorized Tagged: HIbbing Real Estate, Market Analysis, real estate, Virtual Tours

JILL BARRETT EARNS GRI DESIGNATION

Minnesota REALTOR® Jill Barrett was recently awarded the highly acclaimed national Graduate REALTOR® Institute (GRI) designation. In completing the required curriculum, Jill Barrett, of Johnson Hometown Realty in Hibbing, MN joins other top REALTORS® in the residential real estate industry from across the nation who hold this designation.

“I am a proponent of lifelong learning, and I am always searching for more information and methods to do things better, so spending the time to get the GRI designation was a great decision,” said Jill Barrett.  “Real Estate is not “sales” to me, it is all about relationships and making the process of buying or selling real estate as smooth as possible for my clients; helping them to achieve their goals.  The GRI will help me to achieve mine!” 

Jill earned the GRI designation by attending a specific, intensive series of classroom instruction, covering a variety of subjects including professional standards, legal issues, sales and marketing, finance and risk reduction, technology and social media.

With this achievement, Jill has made the commitment to provide a high level of professional service by securing a strong educational foundation of knowledge and skills to better navigate the real estate market and serve prospective clients and customers.

The Institute is designed to educate practitioners about local, state and national real estate practices that affect them, their clients and customers.  Only members of the REALTOR® Association may earn the GRI designation.  The REALTOR® Institute is more than twenty-five years old and has graduated thousands of REALTORS® nationally.

The GRI designation indicates to the public that the designation holders are members of the National Association of REALTORS® who have obtained a professional educational foundation on which to base their services.

Obtaining the GRI designation is a beneficial way for a REALTOR® to advance their professional image. The extra measure of knowledge and prestige achieved by completing this course work is a tool that will advance a career in real estate in attracting and building new business.

“Jill has been an amazing addition to our team at Johnson Hometown Realty,” said Jill’s broker, Marcy Johnson.  “She goes above and beyond to provide excellent service and care to her clients.  You really are not going to find a better agent to take care of your real estate needs.  This designation, which is rare, is an example of the hard work and dedication Jill is committed to in making transactions go smoothly for her clients.”

Additional information about the Institute and other educational opportunities for professional real estate agents may be obtained by contacting the Minnesota Association of REALTORS® at 800/862-6097 or www.mnrealtor.com/mn-education-information under “Designations.”

Posted in: Buyers, Community Interest, Real Estate Market, Sellers Tagged: HIbbing MN, HIbbing Real Estate, Jill Barrett Realtor MN Real Estate, Johnson Hometown Realty, Realtor, Realtor GRI, Top Agent

Lake Shore Homes are Moving Already!!!

 

Everybody knows lake shore homes never sell in the winter…Or do they???  Our office has put together 4 deals on nice lake homes in the past 3 weeks, and we have some other buyers currently looking.  If you are interested in checking out any lake homes listed through the Range or Itasca MLS, call our office at 218-263-4411 anytime, and we will get you the information you need and set the showing appointments you want!

FYI The Range MLS currently has 14 Residential Lake homes/cabins listed under $100,000, 16 more between $100,000 and $150,000, 32 more between $150,000 and $200,000, as well as 139 more listed over $200,000.  Don’t miss out!!  Call today!!

Johnson Hometown Realty  www.JohnsonHometownRealty.com  218-263-4411.

P.S.  Lake shore owners who are thinking about selling may want to consider getting in on this early activity as well….

Posted in: Buyers, Community Interest, Real Estate Market, Sellers

203K RENOVATION LOANS

Home financing translated into English that a normal person can understand…Part Five.  

Thus far in our series about home financing options we have blogged about FHA, DVA, Conventional, and USDA loan options.  (Go to johnsonhometownrealty.com to review any of these blogs…)  Today we are taking a look at the 203K Home Improvement Loan program.  These are definitely “niche” loans, but the borrower looking to buy and immediately remodel a property may find this to be an ideal option.  As always, this blog is an effort to give you just enough information to make you aware that this program exists and to get you in to see a good, experienced lender who can answer all of your questions and to help you ascertain if the 203K program is the best answer for you.

The main “pros” that 203K loans offer include:  No current equity is necessary, only a 3.5% down payment is required, the buyer ends up with one mortgage, one payment, and one deduction, and finally, the borrower can finance all desired home improvements as well as the replacement of any missing appliances such as a furnace, refrigerator etc.

The “cons” of these loans include:  Do-it-yourself work is not allowed, borrowers must work with contractors for written bids, contractors must be vetted and approved by lenders, many lenders either do not understand or even offer these programs, loans are only available for primary residences (not open to investors), and  more paperwork is generally involved and closing often takes longer than with other mortgages.

As has been discussed in this series of blogs, there are many different home mortgage programs available.  Do not become confused and do not become intimidated.  Work closely with a good lender, and find the financing option that works best for your situation!!  Thanks very much to Julie Rigstad of Union Home Mortgage for her expertise and input for this blog.

Coming next, AEOA and KOOTASCA Homebuyer Assistance Programs…

Posted in: Buyers, Community Interest, Real Estate Market, Sellers, Uncategorized

USDA Rural Development – The “Top Secret” Home Loan Program!!

Home financing translated into English that even a normal person can understand…Part Four.

Over the past 3 weeks we have blogged about FHA, DVA, and Conventional financing options.  We have tried to explain the basics of each of these loan programs, and what advantages and disadvantages each one offers.  We have also emphasized the fact that a good, experienced lender is your best asset as you try to figure out which of these will work best for you. There is, however, another option, the USDA Rural Development Loan,  that will work well for some buyers…

While “Top Secret” may be overstating it a little bit, this program is certainly the least known of the available mortgage choices.  These are zero-down-payment mortgages guaranteed by the USDA for eligible rural and suburban home buyers.  They are most often used by borrowers who are having trouble getting traditional funding.

The primary advantages of a USDA Rural Development loan are:  No down payment, up to 6% seller concessions towards buyer closing costs, modular and manufactured homes may be eligible, and no lot size restrictions.

The main disadvantages include:  Geographic restrictions  (for example, property with a Hibbing zip code is NOT eligible), Mortgage insurance is required, there are certain income limits, and only single family, owner occupied homes are allowed.

As was stated earlier, there are many home loan options and much information to consider about each one.  Don’t be intimidated!!  Work closely with a good lender and find a program that suits your needs and fits your situation!!  A big Thank You to Alyssa Amic Shega of Fairway Mortgage for her input on this subject…

Next up, Renovation Loans...

Posted in: Buyers, Community Interest, Real Estate Market, Sellers, Uncategorized

The Conventional Way to Buy a Home…

Home financing translated into English that even a normal person can comprehend…Part Three.

Over the past few days, we have blogged about FHA and DVA mortgages focusing on the basic advantages and disadvantages of each. A home buyer is well-served to have some idea about all of the different funding options and then to discuss those options with a lender who can guide them down the best path.

A conventional mortgage is a home loan that that is not insured or guaranteed by the federal government, as opposed to FHA, DVA and USDA mortgages which are backed by the feds.  Nationwide, conventional loans are the most common type of home finance options.

The main benefits of conventional financing include:  Loan fees can be negotiated, creative financing is an option, down payments can be as low as 3%, total closing costs are lower than with other options, mortgage insurance can be discontinued at a certain point, and the appraisal rules are more relaxed than they are with government backed loans.

The primary disadvantages of conventional financing are:  Interest rates can be higher than FHA rates, and it is more difficult for a buyer with a lower credit score to qualify for a conventional loan.  (Credit scores are the subject of a couple of future blogs.)  The rule of thumb here is, “Conventional financing is tougher on the buyer and easier on the property.”

A buyer does not need to be a home loan expert before going in to meet with a lender, but having a little background about some of the terms and the main options will give him/her a definite “edge” when speaking with a mortgage broker.

Next up, USDA…

Posted in: Buyers, Community Interest, Real Estate Market, Sellers, Uncategorized

Teaching and Learning; Learning and Teaching……Training is Teamwork!

Many great things are happening here at Johnson Hometown Realty.  All eight of us are incredibly busy; new listings and pending sales are coming in almost daily; and we are continuing to meet great clients who are just a pleasure to work with.  One of the most exciting things we have happening here however, is the intensive training program we have undertaken for the office. We are very intentional about working through case studies, discussing real-life situations that have arisen for one of us on the job and in going over forms every Monday morning, as well as pairing newer agents with more experienced partners for shadowing opportunities and one-on-one mentoring programs.  We are focused on professionalism and excellence and are working hard together to go over files thoroughly and pay attention to all the details to make every transaction go as smoothly as possible for our clients.

The way every one has has responded to this training has been fantastic!  And the things those of us doing the training have learned has also been very positive. We are proving that old dogs CAN learn new tricks, and that more inexperienced people who are willing to learn and who are eager to become knowledgeable, dependable, and professional can reach those goals quickly – It has been good for all of us; it has proven useful for all of us; and it has been fun for all of us as well!! #lovingtheofficeenvironment

 

Posted in: Buyers, Community Interest, Real Estate Market, Sellers, Uncategorized

Wayne Johnson Goes the Extra 1/4 mile for Sellers!

A Realtor has to do what a Realtor has to do……at least this guy will! (With a little help from a friend, a metal detector and a GPS.) A 1/4 mile trek through the woods and he found the lake shore! #mission accomplished  #ironrangerealestate  #lakelotsforsale

Posted in: Buyers, Community Interest, Real Estate Market, Sellers

Johnson Hometown Realty – Milestone Met…

There are many advantages to working in the real estate industry.  Without question, the best part of this job is helping people realize their dreams. Buying and selling real estate is generally a pretty big deal for our clients, and assisting them with the process is very satisfying for us.  Seeing all kinds of nice, well-kept homes up close and personal is another perk that we enjoy.  Our office just passed a milestone of sorts as we recently closed on the first million dollar plus home that we have been involved in this year. This home is in Chaska, and working all the way down there is unusual, but the buyers know and trust us so they asked if we would represent them in their purchase.

Eight bedrooms, 6 baths, 6894  square feet of spectacularly finished living space, a large hot tub, a beautiful in-ground pool, 3 fireplaces, and much more all located on the first fairway of the Chaska Town Course golf course made this property well worth the just over $1,000,000 price paid.  We did some driving and put in some time, but it was a lot of fun seeing this home and helping our friends make it their own!

If you are looking for representation in purchasing property locally or elsewhere in Minnesota,  get in touch with one of the experts here at Johnson Hometown Realty – We would love to help you make your dreams come true!!  218-263-4411.

Posted in: Buyers, Real Estate Market, Sellers

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2402 1st Ave.
Hibbing, MN 55746
218-263-4411

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