General Real Estate News

The only reason some cats are “outdoor” cats is because their owners let them roam freely. Cats are one of the reasons we can’t have nice things like birds. Please keep your cat in the house.

I have a few neighbors who have “outdoor” cats. The cats have been fixed so they don’t reproduce. Some cat owners believe that having a cat neutered or spayed is all that it takes to make them responsible cat owners.

The house cat has long been listed among the 100 most dangerous invasive species. They kill millions of birds and other small animals each year to the point of extinction. A cat is a pet when kept inside but once we let them out they become heartless killers.

Cats are likely killing more than 4 billion animals per year, including at least 500 million birds.

“Cat predation is one of the reasons why one in three American bird species are in decline,” said Dr. George Fenwick, President of American Bird Conservancy [wildlife management institute]

There was a study that shows cats only bring home about 25% of what they kill. They eat some of what they kill and leave the rest.

Being a free-range cat in St. Paul is not good for the cat either. Here are some statistics for St. Paul:

• 200 cats are killed annually in traffic
• The life expectancy of a cat allowed to roam is only three to four years
• Confined cats can live beyond 14 years
• Over 1,200 cats are picked up each year by animal control
• Roaming cats may be a nuisance by urinating and defecating in sandboxes and gardens
• Outdoor cats are susceptible to injury or death from other predatory animals
• Outdoor cats are predators to wildlife such as birds

It should be noted that it isn’t against the law in St. Paul to let your cat run free.

You are responsible for keeping your cat away from your neighbor’s property and for keeping rabies vaccinations current.

In the real estate industry everyone is talking about AI and a lot of people are using it too. Two common uses of AI among real estate agents are for writing property descriptions and social media content like this blog post.

I recently read an article that suggested that agents who are not using AI will soon be out of business.

To that I say bull. If “everyone” is using AI to write unique content and property descriptions, writing unique content the old-fashioned way is going to stand out. Home sales hit a decade low last year, while the number of real estate agents rose to new heights.

Competition for clients is fierce.

Most homeowners should be able to use AI to write property descriptions, why do they need a real estate agent to do it?

I think there is plenty of room for original writing and photography too. Using my brain, skills, and experience I can create things that AI never imagined.

Technology doesn’t sell real estate, people sell real estate and they buy them too.

There is a lot of money to be made from selling various types of technology to Realtors. Technology and proptech are more or less crammed down our throats daily. We ask for technology and improvements in technology all the time but that isn’t what we get. Technology experts decide what we need sometimes based upon their own experience buying a house or selling a few.

In over 20 years working as an agent and as a broker I have rarely had a client or customer ask me what technology I use or express any kind of interest in it beyond having their house advertised on the internet. Most of our clients appreciate electronic documents and the ability to use electronic signatures.

I could give a whole presentation on how I use technology but that isn’t what people want. They want to know how much their house will sell for how long it will take and how to get it ready to sell. Home buyers want to know how much they should offer and which house they should buy.

Technology has changed the way appointments are set for private showings of houses that are for sale. We used to use the telephone and receptionists now it is all done through an app. The app makes the whole process faster and easier.

In general real estate services have evolved along with everything else. We use more technology mostly for convenience and because it is cost-effective.

This year and last AI (artificial intelligence) has been the most talked about technology in the real estate industry and everywhere else. Apparently writing property descriptions is one of the most critical things a real estate agent can do so many are using ChatGPT for the task. Blog posts like this can be written by AI as well.

It will be interesting to see how it all evolves. At the same time, I feel as though consumers are being left out of the conversation.  House hunting could be made better with AI. Maybe AI could help make the mortgage application process faster and easier.

Could AI replace real estate agents? Could AI make buying or selling real estate easier and less expensive?

First a disclaimer. I can not give tax advice and this isn’t tax advice. Please, consult a tax professional for advice, not your Realtor, hairdresser, trainer, or the neighborhood group on your favorite social network.

Recently an older couple who are considering moving told me that they might want a mortgage on their new place because it is a tax deduction. Of course, the mortgage isn’t deductible but the interest on it is.

Just because something is tax deductible does not mean that you will get a tax deduction. Most people get a larger deduction by taking the standard deduction rather than itemizing.

Do you itemize? Can you itemize? should you itemize? If you answered yes to all three then maybe a nice big mortgage is for you.

The interest paid on a home mortgage is only a tax deduction for those who itemize.  There is also now a limit on how much mortgage interest can be deducted.

In 2023 a married couple filing jointly may take a standard deduction of $27,700. For more than 80% of taxpayers, the standard deduction is greater than itemized deductions, which is why they do not itemize.

Before choosing to pay interest on a mortgage because it is a tax deduction consult your tax preparer or an expert. For people who really like to make interest payments to banks, I guess. mortgage is always a good thing.

The wealthy benefit the most from the mortgage interest deduction. In fact, it is one of the larger government subsidies for the wealthy, that costs U.S. taxpayers 70 billion a year.

HUD  Makes $113 Million Available in Affordable Housing Vouchers in 2023.

Also, some Minnesota property taxpayers and renters get money refunded back by the State of Minnesota.  but only if they apply for it within the next two years.

There is also a property tax deferral program through the State of Minnesota for persons who are over 65.  Sometimes there is confusion over these programs because property taxes are paid to the county but refunds come from the state.

Taxes are never simple which is why I get extra cranky around tax time.

2023 Fair Housing Trends Report – Highlights
There were 33,007 fair housing complaints received in 2022 – the highest number of complaints ever reported in a single year; Overall complaints were 5.74 percent higher than the previous year;
Complaints based on source of income and domestic violence increased;
Even with this record-setting number of complaints, most incidents of housing discrimination go undetected or unreported.

The full report is available online from the National Fair Housing Alliance.

The fact that complaints are up is probably a good thing. Often persons who are discriminated against do not even know that they were discriminated against. g complaint

If you believe you were discriminated against in housing you can and should file a complaint.