2016 Annual Wrap-Up

SPAAR Members Recognized at 2017 Winter Social

Leadership SPAAR: Apply Now

2017 Fair Housing Month Poster Contest: Won’t You Be My Neighbor?

Elevator Broken at Coon Rapids Location

Upcoming Education & Events

Bring in the SPAAR Squad for your Next Office Meeting

Twin Cities Housing Market Statistics

Welcome, New Members!

2016 Annual Wrap-Up: Home Prices Reach Record High andHome Sales Reach 11-year High

Minneapolis–Saint Paul, Minnesota (January 17, 2017) – The big story of 2016 was twofold: the median sales price reached an all-time high; while closed sales reached an 11-year high. Closed sales nearly broke their all-time record, but fell 0.3 percent short of their all-time 2004 high. Seller activity declined 1.1 percent. Near-record sales activity combined with flat-to-weaker seller activity created a supply shortage. Active housing supply levels fell to a 14-year low. This shortage has created a competitive environment where multiple offers have become more common. Sellers are receiving strong offers in record time, but this fast-paced market can frustrate some consumers. Days on market fell to a 10-year low. Absorption rates fell to 1.6 months of supply at year-end, a record low. Foreclosure activity fell for a fifth straight year and is back below 2007 levels. Although single-family homes made up about 75.0 percent of all sales, both townhomes and condos showed a stronger increase in sales. Similarly, previously-owned homes made up about 93.0 percent of sales but new construction showed a much stronger increase.

CONTINUE READING

SPAAR Members Recognized at 2017 Winter Social

SPAAR members and affiliates welcomed their 2017 president, Tina Angell, at their annual Winter Social event held at A'BULAE in St. Paul on January 12. Those gathered thanked outgoing president Bob Clark for his leadership in 2016. Other SPAAR members recognized for their contributions include the following: Man Huynh, REALTOR® of the Year, Jerry Teeson and Jim Cormier, William Tschohl/James Stanton Distinguished Service Award recipients; Henry Edelstein, Rising Star Award recipient; Gary LeClaire, Better Communities Award recipient; and Garrett Hofeld, Affiliate of the Year.

MORE PHOTOS

SPAAR Announces New Leadership Program

SPAAR is pleased to introduce Leadership SPAAR, a 9-month program designed to identify 8-10 emerging leaders from within SPAAR membership and empower them to maximize their leadership potential and advance their efforts to build successful real estate careers.

One of Leadership SPAAR’s key objectives is to expand our candidate pool for future SPAAR leadership positions and we will do this by introducing participants to the committee/leadership structure, strategic objectives and operational practices SPAAR employs to achieve our goal of fostering Better Agents, Better Communities.

The deadline for application is Sunday, January 22. Completed applications should be emailed to Mandy Boldt at [email protected]. A Professionalism subcommittee will meet Monday, January 23, to review applications and schedule interviews with finalists.

APPLY FOR LEADERSHIP SPAAR

2017 Fair Housing Month Poster Contest: Won’t You Be My Neighbor?

It’s not too early to be thinking about this year’s Fair Housing Month Poster Contest! Details are now available for this year’s contest. Please share this information with teachers, schools and daycare programs in SPAAR’s area. It is a great way to start a discussion about Fair Housing and Equal Housing Opportunities, and a fun way for individual students and classes to be eligible to win prizes. The Fair Housing Month Poster Contest is sponsored by SPAAR’s Diversity Committee.

2017 Calendars featuring posters from last year’s contest are available at any SPAAR location, for a requested donation of only $5.00 (while supplies last). Your donation supports efforts to promote diversity in homeownership and in the real estate industry.

Elevator Broken at Coon Rapids Location

The elevator at SPAAR's Coon Rapids office, located in the Wells Fargo building, is broken, and may be in disrepair for up to a month. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Upcoming Education & Events

• Proper Pricing and Secrets of the CMA. Wednesday, Jan. 25, 9am-12pm. REGISTRATION
• Feels Like the First Time Every Time (Buyer Counseling). Wednesday, Jan. 25, 1pm-4pm. REGISTRATION
• ISD 197 District Showcase for REALTORS®. Thursday, Jan. 26, 9:45am-11:30am. REGISTRATION
• Housing Day at the Capitol. Thursday, Feb. 23, 11am-4pm. REGISTRATION
  

Bring in the SPAAR Squad for your Next Office Meeting

Looking for useful content for upcoming office meetings? SPAAR Squad is here to help! Our staff members are available to attend your meeting and speak about a variety of relevant topics. We also provide onsite training (some with free CE) for groups of 25 or more.

SPAAR SQUAD TOPIC LIST | SPAAR SQUAD REQUEST FORM

Housing Market Statistics

Get up-to-date housing market information here! SPAAR provides four different types of reports so you can offer your clients the most accurate housing data available. Click below to see how the market's doing.

Local Market Updates | Weekly Market Activity Report | Housing Supply Overview | Monthly Market Indicators

Welcome, New Members!

SPAAR would like to welcome all our new members! Thank you joining, and we look forward to helping you be successful in your business.