Real Estate Information

2 of my North Fargo listings have had large price reductions.  4402 Riverwood Drive and 60 Meadowlark Lane have had the price reduced $10,000 each. In addition, 60 Meadowlark has had carpet, paint, and vinyl updated in a large portion of the home. 60 Meadowlark Lane is an open house Sunday from 1:00 - 2:30 and 4402 Riverwood Drive is an open house from 3:00 - 4:30. Stop by and see what a great value each of these homes is. Also, 1942 East Rose Creek Parkway is an open house from 3:00 - 4:30. This is a pristine 4 bedroom, 3 bath, 2 story home that features loads of options and a bright open floor plan. If you have any thoughts of a new home now is the time to look.  The low interest rates make homebuying more affordable than ever. If you have a house to sell and would like a free, no cost evaluation of your property go to www.fmhomemarketvalues.com for estimate of yours homes worth.

1:00 - 2:30   Sunday August 22, 2010

2604 18th St S in Fargo will be open.  This is a one owner home with one level living.  2 bedrooms and 2 full baths.  Master bedroom has private bath and walk in closet.  Open floor plan with snack bar.  Very affordable living with lots of benefits. Great location with easy access to major roads, shopping and restaurants.  Two stall attached garage!  $80 association fee covers lawncare, snow removal, building insurance and exterior maintenance.  No mowing, shoveling, weeding, raking or painting and No Specials!  Brand new wall AC with remote.  Offered at only $99,900 this home is cheaper than rent!

3:00 – 4:30pm Sunday, August 22, 2010

4402 Riverwood Dr N, Fargo, ND.  Offered at $299,900.   Luxury can become a habit in this elegant two story.   There’s room for everything here with 5 bedrooms, 4 baths, two family rooms and a three stall garage. The fourth bedroom is conveniently separated with its own bath for guest privacy.  Master bedroom has walk-in-closet and private bath with jet tub.  Entertaining family and friends is easy with the open floor plan and two family rooms with cozy, gas fireplaces.  Riverwood is a family favored neighborhood with quiet streets and a park nearby; the feel of the country right in town.  Once you see it, you’ll want to own it!  Come see the family features this home offers.

Congress passed the HR 5981 and the President signed it into law on Wednesday, August 11.   The White House Press Release reads as follows:  H.R. 5981, which allows the Department of Housing and Urban Development increased flexibility in charging and establishing mortgage insurance premiums for certain loans insured by the Federal Housing Administration.  This change will take effect on new case numbers effective October 4, 2010.

This gives FHA the authority to raise the monthly mortgage insurance premium for FHA mortgages.  The good news is they plan to decrease the upfront mortgage insurance from 2.25% to 1%.  However, they are raising the monthly mortgage insurance from to .85% - .90% which in turn will make monthly mortgage payments more expensive for borrowers.   In the future, FHA has the ability to raise it to 1.15%

Possible scenarios based on information we have been given:

Before October 4, 2010:                                                                               

A $200,000 mortgage at 5% interest for 30 yrs:                   

Loan + upfront MI           $204,500                                             

Principle + Interest          $1,098/month                                  

Monthly Mtg Insurance     $ 94                                                      

Total                                   $1192                                                   

After October 4, 2010:

A $200,000 mortgage at 5% interest for 30 yrs:

Loan + upfront MI           $202,000

Principle + Interest          $1,083/month

Monthly Mtg Insurance     $ 152

Total                                   $1235

Possible future 1.15%:

A $200,000 mortgage at 5% interest for 30 years:

Loan + upfront MI           $202,000

Principle + Interest          $1,083/month

Monthly Mtg Insurance     $ 261

Total                                   $1344

To set up a home search go to www.FindFMAreaHomes.com.  To request a CMA (comparative market analysis) on your home go to www.FMHomeMarketValues.com.

Talk to your Realtor, or call me, Dan Whitman at 701-238-2582 for more information.

1:00 - 2:30   Sunday August 15, 2010

2604 18th St S in Fargo will be open.  This is a one owner home with one level living.  2 bedrooms and 2 full baths.  Master bedroom has private bath and walk in closet.  Open floor plan with snack bar.  Very affordable living with lots of benefits. Great location with easy access to major roads, shopping and restaurants.  Two stall attached garage!  $80 association fee covers lawncare, snow removal, building insurance and exterior maintenance.  No mowing, shoveling, weeding, raking or painting and No Specials!  Brand new wall AC with remote.  Offered at only $99,900 this home is cheaper than rent!

1571 Sundance Square S, Fargo, ND  Offered at $249,900  Stunning Executive Townhome. The interior is beautifully appointed with contemporary colors. Open floor plan, 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths plus office.  Extras include 2 gas Fireplaces, central vac, striking wood floors & cabinets. Master bath with walk-in-closet, main floor laundry, wet bar in lower level, lots of storage.  No shoveling or mowing!  Take University Dr South to 58^th Ave, turn right, follow the signs.

3:00 – 4:30pm Sunday, August 15

4402 Riverwood Dr N, Fargo, ND.  Offered at $299,900.   Luxury can become a habit in this elegant two story.   There’s room for everything here with 5 bedrooms, 4 baths, two family rooms and a three stall garage. The fourth bedroom is conveniently separated with its own bath for guest privacy.  Master bedroom has walk-in-closet and private bath with jet tub.  Entertaining family and friends is easy with the open floor plan and two family rooms with cozy, gas fireplaces.  Riverwood is a family favored neighborhood with quiet streets and a park nearby; the feel of the country right in town.  Once you see it, you’ll want to own it!  Come see the family features this home offers.

60 Meadowlark Lane in Fargo's desirable Woodcrest area. This home is a 4 level split with 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, newer appliances,fenced yard, underground sprinklers, and more.  The home is in excellent condition and is ready to move into. Stop by Sunday, August 8 between 1:00 and 2:30 pm. If you are looking for real estate in North Fargo, let us help.  Contact me if you would like to be kept infomed of new listings in the area, the price a home sold for, or if you are thinking of selling, go to www.FMHomeMarketvalues.com for a no obligation estimate of your homes current value.

Welcome to 4402 Riverwood Dr N, located in Fargo's premier Riverwood neighborhood.  Situated on a quiet, dead-end street this home has room for a large family and then some!  5 bedrooms and 4 full baths, a formal living room and 2 family rooms guarantee everyone a place to lay their head and relax.  The soaring vaulted ceiling in the foyer adds to the open staircase, and carries back to the beautiful kitchen and family friendly eating area.  2 gas fireplaces make the family rooms cozy in the winter while the patio door opens to the lovely backyard and paver patio to enjoy the other three seasons.  This home has plenty of storage and many extras included, such as laundry chute, mud room, central vac and even an apple tree in the backyard!  Offered at $299,900, give us a call for your private showing.

With the extremely low interest rates this home is more affordable than ever.  If you would like a CMA (Comparative Market Analysis) on your current home we can provide one at no cost or obligation, or set up a home search for yourself and view what's new on the market in the privacy of your own home.

Don't miss this great open house at 60 Meadowlark Lane in Fargos desireable Woodcrest area. This home is a 4 level split with 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, newer appliances,fenced yard, underground sprinklers, and more.  The home is in excellent condition and is ready to move into. Stop by Sunday, August 8 between 1:00 and 2:30 pm. If you are looking for real estate in North Fargo, let us help.  Contact me if you would like to be kept infomed of new listings in the area, the price a home sold for, or if you are thinking of selling, go to         www.FMHomeMarketvalues.com for a no obligation estimate of your homes current value.

1:00 – 2:30pm Sunday, August 1

4402 Riverwood Dr N, Fargo, ND.  Offered at $309,900.   Luxury can become a habit in this elegant two story.   There’s room for everything here with 5 bedrooms, 4 baths, two family rooms and a three stall garage. The fourth bedroom is conveniently separated with its own bath for guest privacy.  Master bedroom has walk-in-closet and private bath with jet tub.  Entertaining family and friends is easy with the open floor plan and two family rooms with cozy, gas fireplaces.  Riverwood is a family favored neighborhood with quiet streets and a park nearby; the feel of the country right in town.  Once you see it, you’ll want to own it!  Come see the family features this home offers.

1571 Sundance Square S, Fargo, ND  Offered at $249,900  Stunning Executive Townhome. The interior is beautifully appointed with contemporary colors. Open floor plan, 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths plus office.  Extras include 2 gas Fireplaces, central vac, striking wood floors & cabinets. Master bath with walk-in-closet, main floor laundry, wet bar in lower level, lots of storage.  No shoveling or mowing!  Take University Dr South to 58^th Ave, turn right, follow the signs.

3:00 – 4:30pm Sunday, August 1

1942 E Rose Creek Parkway S, Fargo, ND.  Offered at $289,900  This home is an immaculately clean, perfect condition 2 story with 4 bedrooms and 3 baths. Master bedroom has private bath with double sinks and walk-in-closet.  Open floor plan, sunny kitchen, deck off dining area, tiled gas Fireplace, racetrack ceilings, laundry on main, 3 stall garage. Landscaped yard is partially fenced.  Basement is unfinished for your personal touch.

The ultimate in carefree living! This stunning Executive Townhome is located at 1571 Sundance Sq S and is being offered at $249,900.  The modest exterior disguises the interior of beautifully appointed contemporary colors.  It’s the perfect package with all the extras included: 2 gas fireplaces, central vac, striking wood flooring and gorgeous cabinets, master bath with walk in closet, lots of storage, main floor office space, main floor laundry, plus 2 additional bedrooms and wet bar in lower level.  Once you see it, you’ll want to own it!  Call for your showing today!

With the extremely low interest rates this home is more affordable than ever.  If you would like a CMA (Comparative Market Analysis) on your current home we can provide one at no cost or obligation, or set up a home search for yourself and view what's new on the market in the privacy of your own home.

For a private showing of this stunning home, call me at 701-238-2582.

We are holding two open houses this weekend! 

Sunday, July 25 from 1:00 - 2:30   2604 18th St S in Fargo will be open.  This is a one owner home with one level living.  2 bedrooms and 2 full baths.  Master bedroom has private bath and walk in closet.  Open floor plan with snack bar.  Very affordable living with lots of benefits. Great location with easy access to major roads, shopping and restaurants.  Two stall attached garage!  $80 association fee covers lawncare, snow removal, building insurance and exterior maintenance.  No mowing, shoveling, weeding, raking or painting and No Specials!  Brand new wall AC with remote.

From 3:00 - 4:30 4402 Riverwood Dr N in Fargo will be open.  Luxury can become a habit in this elegant two story.   There’s room for everything here with 5 bedrooms, 4 baths, two family rooms and a three stall garage. The fourth bedroom is conveniently separated with it’s own bath for guest privacy.  Entertaining family and friends is easy with the open floor plan and two family rooms with cozy, gas fireplaces.  Riverwood is a family favored neighborhood with quiet streets and a park nearby; the feel of the country right in town.  Once you see it, you’ll want to own it!  Come see the family features this home offers.

You may think you are being careful with your personal information, but it can be deceptively easy to accidently reveal more than you intend.  For instance, innocently posting private information on a friends Facebook wall may seem like it’s just between the two of you, but what you don’t know is how their privacy settings are configured.  Is it friends only, friends of friends or completely open?

By posting something personal such as a phone number or address, you are opening yourself up to data mining.  Check out Wikipedia and it will tell you “Data mining is the process of extracting patterns from data.  It is commonly used in a wide range of profiling practices, such as marketing, surveillance, fraud detection and scientific discovery.”  Many companies do this, including Google, and many of the fun games on Facebook are designed to do just that.  It is just a scheme to mine data.  That explains why Facebook always asks your permission whenever you want to play a game, accept a hug or a drink or a heart or whatever your friend is passing out this week, to access your basic information including your name, profile pictures, gender, User ID, lists of friends and any other information you’ve chosen to share.  When you play a game on Facebook it asks you to share your results with your friends.  As soon as you do this you have given your database to a third party.  Sounds a little creepy now, doesn’t it?

We’ve all heard the horror stories of banks, hospitals and department stores data bases that have been hacked into and personal, private data compromised.  No one should have to go through that, so here are a few tips to keep your information safe:

1.  Run a spyware program on your computer as well as anti-virus software.  Many of them are free.  It’s important to delete the tracking cookies many websites place on your computer.  They slow your computer down and open you up to the risk of having your information hacked.
2. Set up separate email accounts.  Use a free service such as Hotmail or Gmail to set up an email account, and then use this account to sign up for things or online shopping when you visit websites that you feel may spam you in the future.
3. Be wary of websites that ask you to provide information or access to your friends or Twitter followers.  It is probably a security threat.
4. If you bank on-line or do stock trading, use a separate computer for these financial transactions.  Avoid emailing or web surfing on this computer.
5. Keep your passwords safe.  One way to keep track of your passwords (which should all be different and changed frequently) is to use a password service.  A few examples are www.keepass.info , www.passpack.com , both free, or www.stickypassword.com which has a free 30 day trial.  These are pretty handy as they store your passwords in encrypted form and some will even help you with fillable forms.
6. Finally, set your Facebook privacy settings as tight as you can tolerate.  It will limit your exposure to hackers if you control who sees your information.

For a safe way to search for home listings and not be spammed or have your information sold, go to www.FindFMAreaHomes.com .