Some homeowners, who were not able to sell during the recession, chose to rent their homes instead. In some cases, they didn’t need to sell their home at the depressed prices and opted to rent it until the market recovered. It’s a valid strategy but there are time restrictions that could have serious tax implications […]

It’s estimated that 10% of the homes sold in 2013 will be to buyers who lost a home in the past five years. Approximately 500,000 buyers who may have thought they wouldn’t own a home anytime in the near future will be homeowners again. It’s estimated that several million of these previous homeowners will purchase […]

One of the drawbacks to low mortgage rates is that the total interest and property taxes paid for the year may be lower than the standard deduction. A little planning might be able to help you at least every other year. Most homeowners know they can deduct their qualified mortgage interest and property taxes on […]

Some people refer to the heating and air conditioning systems as the “comfort systems.” If you’ve ever had to be without one in the dead of winter or the heat of summer, lack of comfort may be an understatement. Simple maintenance with a HVAC checklist is something that every homeowner can perform. Periodically Change your […]

Taxpayers are allowed to decide each year whether to take the standard deduction or to itemize their deduction when filing their personal income tax returns. Roughly, 75% of households with more than $75,000 income and most homeowners itemize their deductions. The 2012 standard deduction, available to all taxpayers, regardless of whether they own a home, […]

Twin Cities Property Finder · David Olson, Broker · License #BK3603584Independent neighborhood guide, not affiliated with any homeowners association, property manager, city or official board.Updated October 23, 2026 Practical notes for Twin Cities buyers, sellers and owners “Low inventory” gets talked about a lot. But low compared with what? Last year, a certain price range, […]

Twin Cities Property Finder · David Olson, Broker · License #BK3603584Independent neighborhood guide, not affiliated with any homeowners association, property manager, city or official board.Updated October 23, 2026 Practical notes for Twin Cities buyers, sellers and owners Refinance offers arrive constantly, and after a while they all blur together. Old rules of thumb, like waiting […]

Twin Cities Property Finder · David Olson, Broker · License #BK3603584Independent neighborhood guide, not affiliated with any homeowners association, property manager, city or official board.Updated October 23, 2026 Practical notes for Twin Cities buyers, sellers and owners FHA loans let many buyers get into a home with as little as 3.5% down. That’s a big […]

Twin Cities Property Finder · David Olson, Broker · License #BK3603584Independent neighborhood guide, not affiliated with any homeowners association, property manager, city or official board.Updated October 23, 2026 Practical notes for Twin Cities buyers, sellers and owners The last thing you want on a trip is to worry about your house. A few simple steps […]

Twin Cities Property Finder · David Olson, Broker · License #BK3603584Independent neighborhood guide, not affiliated with any homeowners association, property manager, city or official board.Updated October 23, 2026 Practical notes for Twin Cities buyers, sellers and owners Ever picked a paint color from a tiny swatch, rolled it on the wall and realized it was […]

Buyers who have delayed purchasing a home due to concerns about what might happen to the tax laws affecting home ownership should feel comfortable about getting back in the market. The recent legislation passed by Congress and signed by the President continues to value homes as a favored investment. For a summary of specific real […]

As the market shifts from a buyer’s market, it’s good to know how to improve your chances to have the seller accept your offer. Once you decide on a home, don’t waste time; write an offer and submit it as soon as possible. Competing with another buyer happens more frequently than you’d expect. Multiple offers […]

After spending the holidays with family and friends, this is a time of the year to start thinking about changes to make in our lives, both personal and in business. We wanted to share one of ours with you. Our goal is to become your REALTOR® for life. We want you to think of us […]

It’s common for sellers to consider offering and buyers might find it an incentive, but a growing number of homeowners are purchasing the home warranties themselves to limit the unexpected expenses of repairs and replacements. A home protection plan is a renewable service contract that covers the repair or replacement of many of the components […]

FHA has announced a major change to its loan program which allows borrowers to cancel the mortgage insurance premium (MIP) when their unpaid balance reaches 78% of the original purchase price. While no specific date has been set for the change, sometime in 2013, new FHA loans will require the mortgage insurance for the life […]

Conserving water to be green while lowering your monthly bill to save green is a beneficial combination. Little things can contribute significantly to a large water bill. Leaky faucets can waste over 1,000 gallons a year Leaky toilets can waste 7,000 gallons a month A five-minute shower saves more water than a tub bath Water […]

Pre-paid interest, sometimes called “points”, is generally tax deductible when a person pays them in connection with buying, building or improving their principal residence. When points are paid on a refinance, they are not a current deduction but have to be taken pro-rata over the life of the mortgage. For instance, if $3,000 in points […]

There are times when you need to change the locks on your home to protect your family and possessions. It should always be considered when you move into a new home; when keys are lost, stolen or unreturned; or a cleaning or other service provider hasn’t returned the key. Replacing the lockset would give you […]

Hey Friends, I apologize about the mass email, but I wanted to let you know about an important change: *1. My email Address has changed:* Old email address to delete: davidolson (doesn’t work anymore) *New Email address to save: TheDavidOlsonRealEstateTeam * (The one I’m sending this from) Please update your address book with my new […]

A number of things can cause water damage to a home and it’s important to know whether they’re covered by your insurance policy. Some water damage may be covered and other may not be. Generally, you need an incident to invoke coverage rather than something gradual due to lack of maintenance. However, some incidents are […]

A 30 year fixed-rate mortgage hasn’t always been the standard. As part of FDR’s New Deal in 1934, the Federal Housing Administration was created to help Americans purchase homes with affordable terms. Prior to then, many loans had an amount due at the end of the term called a balloon. Most mortgages had adjustable interest […]

While the Internet is a great resource to locate information about food, travel and a number of other things, it isn’t necessarily the best place to find a local service provider. Sure, you can run the search, get quick results and may even see some fairly impressive websites. The problem is that sometimes, those sites […]