Register to vote today

Posted on by Teresa Boardman
Voting on West 7th in St. Paul
vote

Just a friendly reminder. People wishing to register to vote in Minnesota before the election must do so by October 15, 2024. You can register at the polls on election day but if you do it ahead of time voting will be faster for all of us on election day.

I like to vote early just in case. 🙂 If you don’t want to vote early have a plan for election day and register today. At the very least make sure you know where to go to vote. Polling places can change and sometimes they do.

Go to the Minnesota Secretary of State website to check and see if you are registered or register online. They make it so easy, but I just don’t see the point of waiting until election day.

Election day is November 5, 2024, and that is also my birthday which falls on a national election day every 28 years.

Please vote. You can vote today. I voted yesterday in person.

The pandemic and Downtown St. Paul

Posted on by Teresa Boardman

The Covid-19 pandemic had a strong impact on downtown St. Paul and it looks like the neighborhood is still struggling.  Downtown is the only St. Paul neighborhood that isn’t experiencing a strong seller’s market. In fact, we are seeing a weak buyer’s market.

There are definitely opportunities for those who would like to move downtown. The graph shows the increase in condos for sale after the pandemic hit.

Housing supply graph for downtown St. paul
Housing supply in downtown St.Paul

September 2024 home sales

Posted on by Teresa Boardman

In St. Paul home sales were down 17% year over year for September. Median sale prices were about the same in 2024 but slightly lower. Average days on the market went up a little from August but homes are still selling in less than a month and median days on the market is less than 15 days.

Over all homes in St. Paul sold for more than the asking price. There is a slight increase in the number of homes on the market and the number of new listings.

We typically see home sales activity pick up a little in September. Things slow down around Thanksgiving time and then pick up again right after the 1st of the year.

Table - September home sales by neighborhood
September 2024 home sales in St. Paul by neighborhood

The data used to make the table was extracted from the NorthstarMLS which is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

Celebrate vodka and cinnamon rolls

Posted on by Teresa Boardman
cinnamon roll
cinnamon roll

It is Friday and Fridays are for fun. Each day is National Something Day. Today happens to be national vodka day and it is also national cinnamon roll day. It is national truck drivers day and national bring your bible to school day. It is also improve your office day. I like to pick and choose what I celebrate. I’ll need some vodka today.

If you feel like celebrating something just ask Google what is being celebrated today.

 

The “lock-in” effect is alive and well

Posted on by Teresa Boardman

Sure mortgage interest rates have gone down but they are still significantly higher than about 75% of current homeowners pay.  It is hard to move up to a more costly mortgage which is why so many homeowners are staying put.

However, rates are going in the right direction which is down. When they get down to 5.5% and lower homeowners will be more interested in moving.

Freddie Mac interest rate graph
Freddie Mac – mortgage interest rates

The looney sculpture at University and Snelling

Posted on by Teresa Boardman

A 33-foot tall, 25-ton steel statue of a loon sits near the corner of Snelling and University, in St. Paul. Designed by famous Scottish sculptor Andy Scott, the sculpture was assembled last week.  The bird is 30 feet tall with a 90-foot wing span. It was still fenced off when I saw it yesterday. The area around it is mostly parking lots and roads that lead to Allianz Field. The area can best be described as bleak or gritty. Just across the street, there is a vacant CVS drugstore.

The sculpture is spectacular. I’ll get back for more photos when the fence comes down.

loom sculpture
Loon – corner of snelling and University
Loon Sculpture
Loom Sculpture
Loom sculpture
loon sculpture

The last picture is for context. I stood at the corner of University and Snelling, across the street from the site facing south with Allianz stadium in the background.