Home Twin Cities Real Estate Blog

New to Minneapolis? Here’s What You Need to Know

Minneapolis Skyline

Minneapolis, though nestled in the quiet Midwest, is an interesting, culturally diverse and thriving city. Among its many honors, Minneapolis is ranked as the third most literate city in the country, its Uptown neighborhood is immortalized in Prince’s “Everybody’s Goin’ Uptown,” and it’s home to more than 5,000 acres of park land. If you’re moving to or within the area, you’ve probably already found your reasons to love Minneapolis, but here are six other things you should know as a newcomer to the city.

The housing market is hot

How much you’ll pay for your Minneapolis home depends heavily on which neighborhoods you’re considering, but overall the median home price is $241,534 — beyond the national figure. The most expensive areas are downtown, the North Loop, and areas to the far west, near Lake Calhoun, while areas to the east and south of downtown are generally more affordable. This is also the case for rents: A one-bedroom in Minneapolis runs about $1,620 on average, while just across the river to the east, apartments near the University of Minnesota–Twin Cities are just $1,283. Although the housing market is hot, a recent report found that it’s shifting to a buyer’s market.

Its taxes are a bit high

Compared with the national average of $3,028 in annual taxes (based on an assessed home value of $250,000), taxes in Hennepin County are a bit high, at an average of $3,363. In Minneapolis, it’s a bit higher yet. According to the property tax estimator on the city assessor’s website, a $250,000 would accumulate an estimated $3,849 in annual taxes. This...

Keep Your Home Protected with These Exterior Maintenance Tips

James Hardie Siding

If there’s one thing you don’t want to procrastinate on as a homeowner, it’s exterior maintenance. Imagine the state of your car if you didn’t give it an oil change every 3,000 miles. The same attention to detail should apply to the outside of your home. Keeping tabs on certain home elements can make a big impact on curb appeal and prevent you from having to spend time and money on major updates later on. These exterior home maintenance tips may help save you money in the long run and keep your home looking and performing its best year round:

Check your driveway for cracks

Don’t let your driveway be an afterthought when it comes to home maintenance. After all, cracks in a driveway can take away from the look of your exterior, and make your home appear dated. Check your driveway for cracks during spring and fall and have them resealed before winter hits. This is especially important to complete before winter because Minnesota’s snow and ice can cause those cracks to expand, furthering the damage to your driveway. Resealing cracks now can ensure that your driveway remains in good condition throughout the year. How you seal the cracks will depend on the material of your driveway. Concrete, for instance, would call for a cement repair product, while asphalt may require a rubberized asphalt emulsion filler.

James Hardie Siding

Update siding

Living in the Twin Cities, you have to worry about how the weather is going to impact your siding. Moisture from snow and ice can cause wood and wood-based siding to rot, curl, warp or split, requiring you to repair or possibly re-side your exterior. Fiber cement siding, however, can resist Minnesota’s...