Ruth Lecy's Blog Posts

The Minnesota Realtors put out their annual housing report again this year in early February. Following are a few key metrics from the 2025 housing report that may be of interest to both buyers and

 If you think your home needs updating before going on the market this article will give you an idea of where to start without taking on a major remodeling project. Planning to sell this

Inventory Is Making a Comeback in 2026 After reading this, if you want to know what’s happening in our local market, let’s talk.  After a long stretch where buyers were

Here we are in the dead of MN winter. The cold weather may be just what you need to keep you inside and ready to freshen up your home.Changing wall covers is a great way to fight “cabin fever

 This mortgage rate news may be old news already since it was announced on Thursday, Jan 15, but it is certainly good news. The 30-year, fixed-rate stood at 6.06%, according to Freddie Mac.;

Happy New Year! The holidays are over and if you have been thinking that 2026 is the year you are going to jump into the home buying market NOW is the time! Yes! That is the answer to the

As I sat quietly yesterday on the Sunday afternoon after Christmas watching the snow fall outside and thinking the weather forecasters might have gotten it right this time. It looked like it was

If you are a potential seller you may have recently asked yourself this question: is buyer demand picking up? I am happy to answer that question with a YES!  Please take a few minutes and

If you are going to  be entertaining during the Holiday Season,  I assume that you are getting into the deep cleaning mode. With that said, I was clicking around my favorite lifestyle

Recently in the Spruce article  I just read I found some very useful reminders for homeowners that could literally save you thousands of dollars in costly repairs according to their experts.

According to my friends at the Spruce, their experts can agree on one top home feature that always sells a home faster and that is a modern and upgraded kitchen. This feature will always attract

Monthly Payments Are Coming DownOne of the clearest signs of this shift is in monthly payments. The latest data from Redfin shows mortgage payments on a median-priced home are now $283 lower than

With all this hot weather we have had I find it hard to believe it’s fall.But if you have already picked out your mums for some gorgeous fall color for your front porch or patio, you may want

On Friday, September 5th, the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate fell to the lowest level since October 2024. It was the biggest one-day decline in over a year.What Sparked the Drop?According to

Over the past few weeks, mortgage rates hit their lowest point of the year – and it was big news. So, what you need to know if you’re buying a home is, whenever these shifts happen

It has been awhile since I have passed along good and useful information that I find on the Spruce website. Since we are still in the midst of the summer heat and humidity I thought you may find

 Whether your home is on the market right now or you are considering listing it soon I encourage you to spend just 3 minutes reading this… The 3 Things You Risk by Pricing Too High

Home price growth is slowing this year. This is a national look at what is going on. Please call me if you want to learn more about what we are seeing here in the Twin City market for the rest of

It’s getting a bit easier to qualify for a mortgage right now. The Mortgage Credit Availability Index is rising, meaning more people are able to secure financing for a home loan –

This 3 minute read is worth the time. Contact me if you want to know more about the Twin City market and inventory levels that we are seeing here locally. Remember I am here to help you with your

Real Estate Is Voted the Best Long-Term Investment 12 Years in a RowSome HighlightsIn a recent poll from Gallup, real estate has once again been voted the best long-term investment. And it’s

 When it feels like the cost of just about everything is rising, it’s only natural to wonder what that means for the housing market. Some people are even questioning whether more

Unfortunately in today’s market we are again seeing many sellers pricing their home too high. Time on the market increases and they end up having to take a price reduction. At Real Estate

Tax Day, April 15th, has come and gone again for another year. According to the IRS, the average individual tax refund this year is $3,170. Yours may be lower or higher than that. Either way your

Yes it is finally spring and the housing market is ready to blossom! I have a few things to share about our market this spring so here goes… There Are More Homes for Sale - recent

As an interior designer I like to share tips to freshen up your decor. A place to start is with knowing something about the current colors. When I saw the 2025 Pantone Color of the Year my eyes lit

I want to pick up where I left off in December and continue to explain why owning a home is worth it. According to the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) home prices have continued to increase

Your credit score plays a big role in the homebuying process. It’s one of the key factors lenders look at to determine your loan options and terms you may qualify for as a buyer. I want

We read so much news about how out of reach it is for many Americans to buy a home today. I want to make sure that all of you know about 2 important resources to consider that may make buying a home

Is 2025 the year for you to buy? If this would be your first home or you are looking for the next home with more space and amenities you will want to follow these steps to be ready to start!!!

If you have been thinking about buying a home in the new year but are worried about the high cost of home prices and mortgage rates you are not alone. But and it's a big but…there’s the

We are heading fast into the holiday season. Cooking, baking and shopping is so consuming of our time that it seems like there are few days left to take in any of the new and traditional holiday

Phishing is a topic most of us are aware of. I have taken for granted that everyone has read or been told how to keep your online information safe.Then I read some information from Minnesota

The calendar tells us that fall is soon going to be coming to a close. This means for most of us that we will be spending more time indoors. All those indoor projects that we put off are now on the

 My last post I talked about fall yard clean up. This always seems like a never ending task especially if you have a heavily wooded yard. However, I think it is fun to plant some bulbs in the

Even with the warm, sunny days that we have been enjoying, we know that the days are getting shorter and we will be turning back the clock very soon. The countdown has begun. Daylight savings time

In a nutshell the early forecast for the 2025 housing marketMortgage rates are projected to come downMore homes are expected to sellHome prices are forecasted to rise What do these forecasts

As we all may be aware, the 2024 Presidential election is just weeks away now. So what is the answer to this question? Do elections impact the housing market?  According to economists,

Your home’s equity  is a very important topic that I think every homeowner should understand at every stage in their real estate journey. I encourage you to read on and refer to the links

At this point in the summer, I am sure we are all asking each other the same question. Where has the summer gone?!?!?! I asked myself this question because I just received from Home Free TC,

 I came across this on my favorite lifestyle site, thespruce.com, and copied the entire list for you as is. If you spent any time outside over the 4th of July holiday weekend you may appreciate

According to the recently released May housing market report from the MN Realtors Association, supply levels are on the rise as home prices continue their ascent. Here are the May year over

I’m not sure if choosing the best laundry detergent is the most pressing issue for most of us but it is one that comes up for me when “detergent” is added to the weekly shopping

 It’s almost the end of May! School will be out soon and the actual moving season is quickly approaching for many people. Whether it’s a move across town or across the country there

I was poking around one of my favorite lifestyle websites, The Spruce, and came across a good article to share as we all start to think about our spring planting. The Spruce has compiled a list

I think I may have mentioned that I receive on a daily basis multiple updates from professional sources that help me keep you informed. Following is a graphic that I thought easily explained how a

I thought that you may like to review the February week over week statistics to get a feel for what is happening in our local real estate market before we head into the Spring Market. If you are

Here we are almost halfway through February but I think it is still good to look back with our state and metro area real estate leadership and hear what they have to say about this very interesting

As a Realtor I have many resources available to keep me up to date with what is going on in the market I serve. Recently I received a very good update for January 1-26 of this year. I would like to

Here we are at the beginning of the 2024 Income Tax Season which always comes on the heels of the holidays!!!  I came across an interesting article posted to Refined Lending’s blog

Happy New Year wishes to all my readers.  The hustle and bustle of the holiday season is over now so I was thinking about what I could share with you at the beginning of 2024 that will

I just received a poinsettia as a gift this holiday season. I haven’t had a poinsettia for several years and never one as big and beautiful as this one. I was curious about the significance of

The Minnesota Realtors came out this past week with their October Housing Report. It is surprising to note that prices continue to rise despite low inventory levels and the decline in buyer and

Low and behold I came across this how-to article from The Spruce website just when I was starting to think about pulling out holiday decorations. The only thing stopping me from getting the holiday

My friends at Pillar To Post Home Inspectors have reminded me that there is still time to tackle their recommended tasks now to ensure your home is in good shape for fall and winter, and help

This is the headline from the Minneapolis Area Realtors latest market update. A few highlights that I would like to point out to my readers are: Many homeowners are feeling incentivized to stay

OMG! I just read this article and encourage you to do the same: The Long Road to Selling your Home - 30 Tips for Increasing Your Home' s Value. This article offers tips that can cost anywhere from

As a realtor, I like to have a home’s curb appeal discussion with both my buyers and sellers. A home’s curb appeal is the lasting first impression. Just like people, a home should make a

The lazy days of summer are almost half gone. There’s already talk of this year’s state fair, back to school and summer schedules coming to a close. So drop those thoughts for a bit,

The other day I received an email from one of my Realtor associates that included information that I had not given much thought to recently.  As I read the email, it prompted me to think that I

Yes! A white kitchen is still very in. However, if you are considering a kitchen redo in white you might consider painting the island cabinets a contrasting color. According to the folks at Houzz

Friends, I hope you will take a minute to read the following four paragraphs and review the data from the MN Realtors. I think it offers a very clear understanding of the current market. Please call

It is really spring. The sun is bright and the days are longer. Soon the cold weather will be gone and it will be time for all the spring maintenance projects.  PillartoPost Home

Paint! I think many people would say that it is a boring subject. Myself among them. However, after reading the Spruce.com article on the topic I have changed my mind.  If you are planning

This has been the never ending winter here in Minnesota. March 20th is officially the start of spring and we still have a long way to go before we can throw open the windows.  I have a

Here it is already the first full week of March. This is the month that welcomes the start of Daylight Savings Time on March 12 and the First Day of Spring on March 20. Also a lot of our children

Here we are halfway through February and celebrating Valentine’s Day! It’s time now to start digging through all those piles of stuff that have been growing in every room in the house

Viva Magenta - Pantone’s Color of the Year 2023. I saw this and I thought WOW! What a color!As you may know, Pantone Color Institute is recognized globally as a leading source of color

An email landed in my inbox earlier this month from the National Realtors Association with an article titled “2023 Real Estate Forecast: Market to Regain Normalcy”. After thinking about

It has been awhile since I have posted to my blog. I hope all my readers had a very memorable holiday season.  Now that the hustle and bustle of the holidays is over my thoughts have

The Holiday season has descended upon us once again. This has caused me to reminisce about the holiday tradition our family enjoyed for many years. The kids were just toddlers when I started taking

Happy Thanksgiving to you! With Thanksgiving comes the kick off of this year’s holiday season. Do you remember when you combed the newspaper ads on Thanksgiving Day to strategize your Black

We all spend hours outside getting the yard and garden fall clean up done. However as homeowners there is an equally important list of small maintenance items that should be completed as we ready

I was thinking that it was nice to see the leaves falling in my yard so I don’t have to look at the pathetic dried up landscape that was once my beautiful green grass.  I caught a

A loan officer I know recently shared an article with some really good information that I think if you are a Buyer you would like to know too.  The headline from the article read - 

In my many years of real estate sales I have had the pleasure of working with homeowners who are honest with themselves. They know that in order to sell their home and to maximize their investment

Despite everything you hear and see regarding the real estate market - it is still a GREAT time to buy or sell a house or any property. Our market, in the 13 county area, has a history of swings,

No one I’ve ever talked to likes to shop for new appliances. I think this is because a.) it is always an emergency purchase because the old appliance broke down and b.) it seems like you just

You are probably right if you feel like all of your friends, family members, co-workers and acquaintances have completed or are in the throes of a home remodeling project. According to houzz

It seems that housing market conditions continue to be in the news week in and week out. I want my clients and friends to have the straight scoop so I am posting the latest housing report from the

The summer heat of 2022 seems to come and go. However the few hot days we have had recently made me think I should revisit my favorite local breweries with you.  I have listed again my old

You may have seen the local TV news story about a week ago that reported May results for the MN housing market. The economy continues to be in the spotlight with a rise in interest rates and

The MN Association of Realtors recently sent out their report for April 2022. With closed sales down by almost 11% over last April, the sales season was off to a comparatively slower start.

The following article was written by Jerry Hertaus. Jerry is a longtime friend, fellow Realtor, State Representative from the Minnetrista/ Mound area, and the Lead member of the Minnesota House tax

The other day an email landed in my mailbox from Sherwin Williams STIR (an e-newsletter for design professionals) with a subject line that caught my eye.The subject line read “Why Retro design

With Spring beginning to poke its head up with warmer temperatures and longer daylight, it’s time to think about what projects around the house need some attention. I like to make a list of

The latest housing report from the MN Realtors Association shows closed sales and new listings down for February year over year. February year-over-year summary of key market indicators:Closed

I was clicking through one of my favorite websites and the Spruce article peaked my interest. If you are one of the many folks who moved recently or someone who has decided that it’s best to

As we all may know, February 2nd was Groundhog Day! I read online that Punxsutawney Phil and 3 of his cohorts saw their shadows. This means another 6 more weeks of winter.  However, that

“The 12 Huge Design Trends You’ll See Everywhere in 2022” - this Realtor.Com article headline really caught my eye!!!  January in Minnesota can be bleak. With so much in

Happy New Year to you and yours! We are already 2 weeks into the cold winter of the new year. Because it is always easy to put off tackling a big project around the house I thought you might enjoy

Happy Holidays to you and yours. I hope that you are enjoying the season and making plans to spend time with your family and friends.  I think I can speak for most Minnesotans and say we

If you are anything like me, you have been cooking your family’s Thanksgiving turkey the same way for too many years to count! This year I considered living a bit dangerously and did a little

As we head into the seasonal slow down, the statistics show that this fall has been one of the strongest seller’s markets of the past decade. Despite the decline in pending sales, home sales

 Our family’s long standing tradition is to carve out pumpkins the Sunday night before Halloween even if October 31 is still a week away. Some years the ghoulish smile is pretty pretty

This was one of the most popular postings from last year so I thought I would share it again. OMG! This is the best fall yard cleanup checklist from Safewise. I hope that you will take a moment

According to the astronomical definition, fall begins with the autumnal equinox. In the Northern Hemisphere, it’s the September equinox. This year the September equinox falls on the 22nd. (I

I recently received an email from a home inspection company with an idea that made a whole lot of sense to me. Their suggestion is for homeowners thinking of selling should get a pre-listing

According to new data from the Minneapolis Area REALTORS® and the Saint Paul Area Association of REALTORS®, buyer activity in the month of July more closely resembled a typical, pre-pandemic

The summer all of a sudden seems to be fast forwarding to the end. It’s State Fair time, the Renaissance Festival will be starting and Labor Day is only 2 weeks away! I was looking for an

Here it is August already! Many of us Minnesotans are looking forward to “State Fair Time”. However, that is still a few weeks away. I wanted to see what else there is to do this last

The Minneapolis Area Realtors just posted their latest market update for buyer, selling and showing activity through July 26.  A couple of statistics from June:• Median Sales Price

I read an article in the Star Tribune a couple Sunday’s ago that I thought was too good not to share.  The headline “How to handle a house bidding war” caught my eye. We

We haven’t been able to make plans with family and friends for so long. The good summer weather is here and everyone is raring to go!!! I decided to check the Explore MN website and it is

During May, builders were issued 743 permits to build 1,284 units in the Twin Cities market. Single family homes accounted for 701 of the permits. Looking at more typical home-building seasons, this

I was perusing the Spruce website again and this caught my eye - How to tell if your home has good feng shui (https://www.thespruce.com/signs-of-a-good-feng-shui-house-1274498) Good question. If you

In 1914, President Woodrow Wilson, at the urging of Anna Jarvis and her Mother’s Day International Association, officially established the 2nd Sunday in May as Mother’s Day. It wasn

Cutting down a tree by yourself with safety in mind is not as simple as turning on the chainsaw and yelling timber. There are a few crucial tips to be learned for how to cut down a tree safely.;&

I received an email the other day from Pillar to Post Home Inspectors. They always have some good home ownership tips to share and I thought I would pass this list along. Spring Maintenance

April Fools Day or National Burrito Day may not be holidays that you traditionally celebrate on April 1st. However, I think that during a pandemic you can never have enough holidays to celebrate and

Below is an article that I recently read on HousingWire.com that I thought would be interesting to anyone considering an investment property or second home anytime soon. Fannie Mae is

I copied this from a Minneapolis Area Association of Realtors news release. If you want to take a closer look at the statistics go to mplsrealtor.com. Scroll to the bottom of the page to click on

I mentioned last year about this time a vacation destination that you may find to be the perfect escape in SW Florida. The Isles of Capri located between Naples and Marco Island. It is an island

Happy Groundhog Day! If the groundhog sees his shadow today, we will have 6 more weeks of winter. In MN that is usually a given. Also, I would dare to say that we will have more snow this season.

This popped up in my email last week from an AZ acquaintance and I thought it too good not to share with all of you. I edited the list to make it applicable to MN and added some links to help you

I found a short article recently in the Sunday Homes and Garden section of the StarTribune that I thought you might enjoy. As we move into the long, cold days of winter with the pandemic still

The Minneapolis Area Realtors posted on December 17th, some very good news on home sales to end 2020! This is a short article and worth the read -   Mpls Area Realtors News. 2020 will

OMG - there are only 10 more days until Christmas Eve. That is hard for me to believe with the unusually warm weather and lack of snow on the ground. Let alone the fact that I have foregone the

 I recently received this from the MN Association of Realtors.   I shared the following link with you in a post from earlier this year. You may like to visit it again to check

For so many of us living in the Twin Cities we never lack for Holiday entertainment to seek out for the first time or enjoy favorites for another year.  I got to thinking that the pandemic

Like many of you I am thinking ahead to the holidays and becoming a little overwhelmed with planning the cooking that I am going to do this year. In addition I have realized that the kitchen

The weather turned cold so fast that a lot of outdoor projects are just going to have to be left undone for now. So where does that leave us as we continue to be stuck in the midst of the pandemic?

We are over half way through October now! Here in MN most of us are thinking  about winter - OH NO!!!While you are pondering that thought I found the following tips and ideas that may help and

OMG! This is the best fall yard cleanup checklist from Safewise. I hope that you will take a moment to click on this link. It’s an easy read plus NO Ads are popping up to distract you.15 Must

As a homeowner I’m sure that you realized early on that everything about your home has to be taken care and at some point replaced. Of course, that includes your roof which is a very costly

Curb appeal should be important to all homeowners, not just the ones looking to sell their homes. It’s that important first impression that we want to impart to our visitors whether it’s

When a basement is damp it can create major problems. Not only does a damp basement create a musty smell throughout a home, but it can also create problems with mold. Here are 7 DYI tips to try

When preparing your home to list for sale it is a good idea to offer a home warranty along with the sale. It can be a great marketing tool, and both potential buyers and you as the seller will

Hey Everyone! This Sunday, July 19 is National Ice Cream Day. This is a day you don’t want to miss celebrating - Right!?!?If you are wondering where to find a good ice cream shop or want to

Hot summer days and cold beers! Now I call that living. Here are a few of the breweries that I have enjoyed with family and friends. Indeed Brewing CompanyBoom Island BrewingLtd BrewingBauhaus

I was thinking about how much our daily lives have changed amid the pandemic. We are still spending so much more time at home even as society has started to open up. I think that all of us are

We are being bombarded constantly with messages of the “Rock Bottom”  interest rates and now is the time to refinance! This is very enticing but it is important to do your homework

I came across a nifty reporting link on the Minneapolis Area Association of Realtors website if you are interested in following our local Real Estate trends.Once you click on this link it takes you

It’s already mid May! The grass has been mowed and the pots have been planted. If you are like me you may have had a hard time finding the yard tools and the gas can for the lawn mower. Maybe

Here we are trying to digest the news that Gov Walz announced this past Thursday. While MN’s economy is trying to open slowly we still will be sheltering at home for another 2 weeks.I came

Friends - we have completed week 5 of sheltering. That’s over a month at home! If you are still in the thinking phase about what home improvement projects you want to tackle, I think you might

Here we are almost to the end of Week 4 of our new normal - Wow!!!If one doesn’t stay tuned to the news one could miss what is now recommended to keep ourselves protected. I am sure you have

I marked last Friday as  the end of the 3rd week of living with “Social Distancing”.We are all trying to adjust to our new normal and I know it is still weeks away before I will be

Earlier this month we reminded you that this is National Spring Cleaning Week not knowing what was up ahead for all of us.As we continue to shelter in place, we thought that you may be starting to

OMG - Here it is March already and spring is in the air. MN State High School Tournaments are in full swing and so is March Madness. I hope that this fine weather isn’t fooling us. We all know

Are you looking for some fun in the sun for your next Snowbird Getaway? Check out the Isles of Capri located between Naples and Marco Island, just west of Highway 951.Isles of Capri is the gateway

2020 is going to be a banner year!  It's still January, but the housing market in our area is heating up FAST!  Take a look at what some experts are saying about the months ahead.https:/