St. Paul: Old Jail Site On Riverfront To Be Marketed Nationally

St. Paul: Old Jail Site On Riverfront To Be Marketed Nationally
Some of the most prime riverfront real estate in St. Paul is about to hit the national marketplace. County officials have hired a national real estate broker, United Properties, which is based in the Twin cities--to market the property. "We'll reach 2,500 to 3,000 investors and developers around the country with one push of a button," said Jolly Mangine the county's property manager. The county will pay United $75,000 to market the 6-acre site, handle inquiries and sort offers

Bright Outlook for Housing Market Activity Revealed; Number of Unsold Homes Declining

Bright Outlook for Housing Market Activity Revealed; Number of Unsold Homes Declining

From RIS Media, April 6, 2007--Overall housing market indicators improved substantially in many areas of the country during the first quarter of 2007 despite the concern over subprime mortgage lending problems and a rise in foreclosures, according to results from the latest HouseHunt "Current Market Conditions" national survey of member agents. Inventories of unsold homes are trending downward; annual positive price appreciation is up; buyer-seller ratios are more balanced; average time on the market from listing to sale is improving; and more home sellers say they are getting 95-100 percent of asking prices.

Twin Cities: McMansions Face A Tough Sell

Toll Brothers, the nation's biggest luxury home developer, extended its empire to this area with a burst of optimism two years ago. Now, eight months after the first home sales at Steeplechase of Eagan, the Pennsylvania company finds itself caught in a tough period locally for high-end sales. The metro area has an oversupply of high-end homes, judging by the time they spend on the market. The figure for homes costing $1 million and more has risen from 13 months a year ago to 19 months today. For homes valued from $500-$1 million, supply rose from eight months to eleven.

Minneapolis: Jackson Square Condos Are Unique Project

Minneapolis: Jackson Square Condos Are Unique Project
Smaller neighborhood-scale condo projects with unique locations are still finding favor among developers, when larger projects have slowed. The 46-unit project planned for the Edison High School area, has gotten approval from the Minneapolis Planning Commission to proceed. Niles Schulz of St. Paul-based Dolphin Development will replace a pair of blighted houses on two city-owned vacant lots. The condos will range in price from $180,000, a segment of the market that's still attracting buyers will says Schulz, will reflect the ethnically diverse makeup of the neighborhood.

Anoka County: City Blocks Sale Of Land To DNR To Save It For Homes

Anoka County: City Blocks Sale Of Land To DNR To Save It For Homes
The fate of an ecologically rare piece of land in the city of Columbus has taken some surprising turns. The owners of the 160-acre parcel planned to sell their land to the DNR and have it acquired into the Carlos Avery Wildlife Management area. But the city of Columbus and then Anoka County voted not to allow the sale to avoid a loss of the potential tax revenue of building homes.