Features More than 12 Million Investment-Rated Properties, Including Foreclosures, in California and Florida

PLEASANTON, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–SmartZip, Inc. today announced the public beta launch of its website, www.SmartZip.com, and the introduction of SmartZip Scoreâ„¢, the first analytics-based investment ratings for real estate. Historically, more than 20 percent of all homes purchased in the United States are for investment purposes, and SmartZip.com is the first web site to offer independent ratings and investment tools expressly for residential real estate investors. SmartZip.com launches with ratings on all homes, more than 12 million, in California and Florida, two of today’s top markets for real estate investment. Over time, SmartZip will roll out its ratings across all 50 states.

Home prices and mortgage rates are at historic lows and, in February, Fannie Mae announced a new policy to allow qualified investors and second home buyers to obtain up to 10 loans, replacing the previous four loan limit. “There is immense pent-up demand from investors looking to capitalize on this opportunity,� said Tom Glassanos, president and CEO of SmartZip. “With today’s announcement, SmartZip brings transparency to the best investment values in two of the top markets, California and Florida, opening them up to all investors nationwide.�

SmartZip Score is the first quantitative property rating to offer a risk-adjusted assessment of the investment potential of residential real estate. SmartZip Score applies proven stock and bond rating analytics to the most comprehensive base of real estate investment attributes ever assembled. On a 1-100 scale, SmartZip Score gives investors and homebuyers an easy and intuitive way to assess if a property is really worth buying. Properties are rated two ways: a “growth� score for risk-tolerant investors seeking above-average capital appreciation and an “income� score for risk-averse investors looking for consistent monthly cash flow.

SmartZip.com provides a full range of tools and features, making it the first one-stop online destination for real estate investment. Using visual, color-coded “heat maps,” and ratings-based market screening and home search tools, users can research and compare markets, then find and confirm top-rated for-sale and foreclosure properties, all based on investor criteria such as SmartZip Score, cash flow, appreciation, school ratings, and more.

SmartZip offers a variety of benefits to a range of audiences:

• SmartZip for Investors
  • Identifies the best markets and best properties;
  • Computes rental income and expenses to expect;
  • Projects long-term cash flow and appreciation; and
  • Assesses how to maximize after-tax returns.
• SmartZip for Sellers and Listing Agents
  • Calculates best price for rapid sale;
  • Markets properties to a national buyer pool;
  • Differentiates the value of properties; and
  • Instills confidence in the value of a transaction.
• SmartZip for Lenders
  • Determines present and future collateral value of a property;
  • Assesses the size of potential loss in foreclosure; and
  • Simplifies the decision to foreclose or modify a loan.

“Online real estate sites are focused on what a home costs and not on what it’s really worth,� said Avi Gupta, vice president of research and marketing at SmartZip. “SmartZip Score is an independent, disciplined methodology that gets to the fundamentals of property value. In a time of uncertainty, fundamentals, not price, count most.�

About SmartZip, Inc.

SmartZip is the leading provider of independent, analytics-based ratings and research for real estate investment. SmartZip is used by investors and homebuyers looking to easily rate, compare and confirm the best properties to buy. The SmartZip Scoreâ„¢ is the first and only quantitative rating offering a risk-adjusted assessment of the investment potential of residential properties. SmartZip Score applies proven stock and bond rating analytics to the most comprehensive base of real estate investment attributes ever assembled. SmartZip is a privately held, venture backed corporation headquartered in Pleasanton, CA.

SmartZip and SmartZip Score are trademarks of SmartZip, Inc.

It’s finally getting warm out and we all know those “honey-do” lists are piling up on your dresser again.  It’s time go through those piles and piles of clothes and stuff you were supposed to donate to Goodwill or The Salvation Army last year.  Now you have an alternative resource to donate all your unwanted stuff.  Because “One Person’s Trash Is Another Person’s Treasure.”

A friend of mine opened a store called “The Garage Sale.”   They are affiliated with The Children’s Hospital of Minnesota as well as local school programs.

They accept all the following as donations:

• Clothing of all types and sizes
• Accessories and Handbags
• Shoes & Boots
• Luggage & Totes
• Children’s Toys, Clothes & Baby Items
• Kitchenware, Housewares, Glassware, etc.
• Books, Puzzles, Craft Items, Picture Frames & Artwork
• Bedding, Linens, Towels & Curtains
• Small Appliances, TV’s and Electronics in Working Order
• Usable Furniture and Rugs
• Bikes, Outdoor Toys, Yard and Garden Tools
• Exercise Equipment and Sporting Goods
• Costumes and Holiday Decorations
• And Much More!

**Bonus Points**

• FREE Pick-Up At Your House or Drop It Off At The Store…No Long Lines!
• Tax Donation Receipts Provided
• Shop In-Store For Fantastic Deals

You Must Check Them Out…

THE GARAGE SALE

126 Blake Rd N
Hopkins, MN 55343

612-599-0859 or sh@612recycle.com

I am now the proud father of my 2nd child a 7.4 pound baby girl and since I haven’t slept a full night in 13 days, I thought this article is timely.

From Dailymail.co.uk

Man Attempts 11 Days Without Sleep For World Record.

Bleary-eyed Tony Wright is tomorrow set to beat the world record for sleep deprivation - after staying awake for more than 11 days.The 43-year-old has gone without kip since 6am on May 14, and will break the existing record of 264 hours at 6.01am tomorrow.

Tony, a father-of-three, has held his entire record-waking attempt in the Studio Bar in Penzance, Cornwall.

Carefully monitored by six CCTV cameras and a live web cam, he has spent his time playing pool, listening to music, drinking tea and talking to his supporters.

Tony Wright insists that a person can stay awake for massive amounts of time with no adverse reaction.

If he is still awake at 6.01am he will have been awake for 264 hours 1 mins - breaking the existing world record set in 1964 by 17-year-old Randy Gardner.

But Tony, of Penzance, will try and stay up until 8am - setting a new record of 266 hours. He said: “I do feel very strange - everything around me has become more intense and after a while and colours seem brighter.

“My eyes have become very sensitive. I had to start wearing sunglasses after 70 hours because looking at a laptop was sending me into a trance.

“There were a couple of tricky moments where I could feel my body wanting to shut down and I had to act quickly to stimulate it.

“I’ve played so much pool that I actually hurt my back and my arm. My playing has definitely improved.�

He added: “I’ve had to be careful of ’sleep ambushes’ which happen when you’re not on guard and get yourself into a comfortable position.

“Suddenly I would realise I was relaxing and the urge to sleep was dragging me down - I had to jump up, eat or drink something and occupy myself.

“It was tricky striking a balance between being active but not wearing myself out. My voice is very hoarse and I’m sure I look a right state.�

Tony, a writer and researcher, launched his bizarre record attempt in order to study the effects of a lack of sleep has on the human brain.

Tony will pass the world record milestone tomorrow morning at 6am

He believes that each side of the brain requires a different amount of sleep and with preparation it is possible to stay awake and remain functional for long periods.

To prepare for his bid he ate a strict diet of raw vegetables, fruit, nuts and seeds and took regular exercise.

Although the Guinness Book of Records officially recognised Randy Gardner’s record in 1964, the organisation has since withdrawn its backing of a sleep deprivation class because of the associated health risks.

But Tony plans to keep a full video record of the entire 11 days as proof he is a world beater. He said: “I might not make it into Guinness but I have set a world record and it is there to be beaten by anyone who wants to try.

“This is my life project and I’m very happy to prove you can stay awake for long periods of time without suffering adverse reactions.

“I am now looking forward to getting under a duvet.�

Scientists say depriving the body of sleep for long periods can result in depression, dizziness, hallucinations, irritability, nausea and loss of memory.

Dr Robin Rodd, a lecturer in anthropology at the James Cook University in Australia, said Tony’s record-breaking project was an “exciting new breakthrough� for sleep studies.

He said: “His sleep deprivation research project, which combines a long-term raw foods diet replicating that of early modern humans with the collection of data on cognition and physiological functioning, promises to yield exciting new breakthroughs in our understanding of the limits of human consciousness.�

Randy Gardner stayed awake for 264 hours in San Diego, USA, as part of or a high school science project into sleep patterns.

As expected in 2009, the state of Commercial Real Estate has already taken it’s share of uppercuts in this ever-evolving prize fight.  Although we’re starting to see a some daylight in the Residental Real Estate sectors, the majority of the Commercial Real Estate sectors are poised to see significant free fall in the month’s ahead.  Fasten your seat belt!

Here is a detailed survey from The National Association of Realtor’s Commercial Alliance which was compiled in Febuary:

 CLICK HERE FOR THE NAR SURVEY RESULTS

By Keith Collins

Although healthy fundamentals existed market-wide for most of 2008,
a noticeable slowdown occurred in the fourth quarter.  Apartment
rents declined 1.7% in the 4th quarter resulting in a 0.7% net gain
for the year. Infill locations continue to be the best performer as
evidenced by the city of Minneapolis 4.4% rent growth in 2008.
The current apartment vacancy rate remains at a healthy 4.9%
as of the 4th quarter.

The Twin Cities lost 43,000 jobs in the 13 county metro area
(all in the second half of the year) during 2008. While the Twin
Cities rental housing sector has been the benefactor of the “for sale�
housing fall-out, where the median home sale price decreased 13%
to $195,000 during the past 12 months, our market cannot sustain
continued job losses without negatively impacting rents. Rents are
likely to remain flat for Class A product this year while Class B and
C product may see rent increases in the 1% - 1.5% range.

Approximately 1,000 units were delivered in 2008 (down 30% from
planned) and several proposed projects were tabled due to the
challenging debt and equity markets.

Sales volume for properties valued over $5 million in 2008 totaled
$312 million, down from $431 million in 2007.  The remaining
apartment REITs (AIMCO and EQR) continued to sell-off their
assets. Principal Global Investors, a life insurance company,
and Cornerstone Real Estate Advisors, a pension fund advisor,
selectively sold as well.

Strong local ownership has stepped in for the institutional buyer.
Many investors, both local and national, look at the Minneapolis-
St. Paul market as a safe haven during these difficult economic times.
And although return parameters have lifted during the past 3-4 months
(cap rates for Class A currently 6.5% -7%), the stability and diversity
of the local economy and current property fundamentals have so far
prevented capitalization rates from rising on par with other large
metropolitan communities throughout the U.S. Investors are currently
targeting cash-on-cash returns in the 8% - 10% range.

It is clear that 2009 will be a challenging year, but after a 15% drop in
pricing in late 2008, a lack of new product coming to market, the
widespread acceptance of rental housing, and the benefit of a diverse
economic base, the Minneapolis-St. Paul market is well positioned to
weather the current recession.

Finger length may predict financial success
By RANDOLPH E. SCHMID
AP Science Write
WASHINGTON (AP) —

The length of a man’s ring finger may predict his success as a financial trader. Researchers at the University of Cambridge in England report that men with longer ring fingers, compared to their index fingers, tended to be more successful in the frantic high-frequency trading in the London financial district.

Indeed, the impact of biology on success was about equal to years of experience at the job, the team led by physiologist John M. Coates reports in Monday’s edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The same ring-to-index finger ratio has previously been associated with success in competitive sports such as soccer and basketball, the researchers noted.

The length ratio between those two fingers is determined during the development of the fetus and the relatively longer ring finger indicates greater exposure to the male hormone androgen, the researchers noted.

Previous studies have found that such exposure can lead to increased confidence, risk preferences, search persistence, heightened vigilance and quickened reaction times.

In a separate study last year, Coates and colleagues reported that the hormone that drives male aggression and sexual interest also seemed able to boost short term success at finance.

They studied male financial traders in London, taking saliva samples in the morning and evening. They found that those with higher levels of testosterone in the morning were more likely to make an unusually big profit that day. Testosterone, best known as the male sex hormone, affects aggression, confidence and risk-taking.

In the new study, the researchers measured the right hands of 44 male stock traders who were engaged in a type of trade that involved rapid decision-making and quick physical reactions.

Over 20 months those with longer ring fingers compared to their index fingers made 11 times more money than those with the shortest ring fingers. Over the same time the most experienced traders made about 9 times more than the least experienced ones.

Looking only at experienced traders, the long-ring-finger folks earned 5 times more than those with short ring fingers.

While the finger ratio, showing fetal exposure to male hormones, appears to signal likely success in high-actively trading that calls for risk-taking and quick reactions, it may not indicate people who would do well at other sorts of financial activities, the researchers said.

Some traders require additional skills on dealing with clients and sales workers.

And the advantage may even reverse for some, Coates team said, such as traders taking a more analytical and long-term approach to the markets.

One study, which looked at average finger ratios in university departments found that faculty from math, science and engineering exhibited longer index finger ratio, rather than ring finger, they noted.

I love hearing stories about apartment tenants and their issues. Let’s just say it’s my version of great reality TV. Here’s one from Robert Kramer- Owner of Kramer/Saxl Group, LLC , a client of mine who sent me this as an email yesterday.

Subject Line:  Resident says– “My sink is clogged and I don’t know why”

Repair guy says– “The drain is filled with wax!”

Landlord says — “What!?!?

Tenant says– “Well I did spill a little wax, but I thought I got it all.”

Landlord thinks to self–”Oy Vey”!

Pictures Shown Below:

 PS wax plug available for inspection on my desk!

Please, if you have other landlord stories you’d like to share, let me know as I will be featuring them in the annual Schmoozer recap.

I’m a big proponent in NOT mixing business and politics.  Sometimes casual political conversation can steer clients closer to you if they agree with your opinions or leave a sour resin in their mouth, if you are on the opposite axis of the political spectrum. Therefore, I choose to casually stay clear of such banter.  It’s just not worth losing business over.

However, there are some who use political headpieces as marketing material  in search of gaining attention of their product or service.  You don’t see it much in real estate but I did get an email today that did catch my attention.  They used ” Help Put Al Franken On The Street…” in the subject line and posted the following flyer in the email.

help-put-al-franken-out-on-the-street.pdf

It certainly is attention getting, but is it worth politically pigeonholing yourself in the process? You be the judge.

I received this comic as an email from my Financial Adviser friend, Erle Savage with Regan Investments.  Although it is meant to be a satirical view on our current economic crisis, there is some absolute truth associated with it’s underlying meaning.

Unfortunately for all of us, our generation’s financial priorities are fundamentally upside-down and are in absolute opposition from our humbled grandparents’ generation which lived in the 1920’s.  How did we get here?  Did we fail to listen to our fiscally responsible elders as they told us stories of when they saw first hand the agony of their own financial crisis?

I remember for a high school project, I interviewed my grandfather on what it was like to live in those times.  He said after the crash, “People finally realized the actual Value of money and this in-turn, made us fiscally responsible adults.”

In the past, I personally have had my youthful exuberance in irrational habits with money. However, today as a responsible adult I very much respect and understand my grandfather’s school of thought.  I’m very grateful that this had been instilled in me as a child and will also use these methods in order to teach my children the same.

I can only hope others of my generation will utilize this current “cleansing period” as an awakening and finally “get it” so we may help teach future generations the ACTUAL VALUE of a dollar.

 Down market, Uptown price

by Burl Gilyard

South Minneapolis apartments sell for $30 million, perhaps a result of ‘pent-up demand’

By all accounts, the investment market for commercial real estate is slow.

But the recent sale of the Uptown City Apartments project in south Minneapolis suggests a strong investor appetite for solid multifamily properties.

Dallas-based Invesco Real Estate paid $30.1 million for Uptown City Apartments, a robust price that works out to just shy of $185,000 per apartment unit. The seller was Farmington Hills, Mich.-based Village Green Companies and its partner in the development, Hartford, Conn.-based Cornerstone Real Estate Advisers, LLC, an arm of the Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co.

The deal closed on September 2.

“We had more than 70 confidentiality agreements returned. We had a good and solid shortlist of buyers,� said Gina Dingman of Colliers Turley Martin Tucker, who brokered the sale of Uptown City Apartments with her colleagues James McCaffrey and Julie Lux.

“I think there’s been so little property come on the market in the Twin Cities that there’s a pent-up demand here. People are looking for quality investments in good locations,� Dingman said.

Uptown City Apartments is actually two separate buildings that stand a few blocks apart at 714 and 1220 West Lake Street, respectively, and offers a combined 163 apartments.

Dingman said Uptown City Apartments was 98 percent leased at the time the deal closed. The development includes 222 enclosed parking spaces and some retail space.

Dingman declined to discuss or comment on the sale price, which surfaced through public records.

Village Green Companies started the recent local trend of developing new Class A apartments with Uptown City Apartments in 2003.

Andrea Roebker, a spokeswoman for Village Green Companies, said that Village Green is typically a long-term owner of its apartments. But in this case, she noted, the firm’s joint venture partner had a right to pursue a sale under the terms of their contract. Village Green’s partner in the project was

Cornerstone Real Estate Advisers, LLC, an arm of the Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company.

Abe Appert, an apartment broker in the local office of CB Richard Ellis, said it’s been a quiet year so far for apartment sales, with only three sizable deals closing since the beginning of the year.

But he expects more deals before the end of the year. Appert said 10 local apartment buildings are currently on the market for sale.

“The second half of the year should be busier for us as well as the entire market,� Appert said. “There is a lot of new capital chasing apartments in the Twin Cities today.�

The Uptown City deal marks the second large local apartment deal to close within the last month, according to local property sales records.

The Boston-based Intercontinental Real Estate Corp. bought the 353-unit International Village in Bloomington for $30.1 million, in a deal that closed on August 12. The property was 98 percent full. Appert is part of the team at CB Richard Ellis that brokered that sale.

The pricing on that deal works out to roughly $85,000 per unit. In contrast to Uptown City Apartments, the International Village building dates to 1968.

Earlier this year, Seattle-based Olympic Investors paid $24 million for The Cosmopolitan, a 255-unit building in the Lowertown area of downtown St. Paul. That deal closed in January.

Village Green still has interests in 6 local apartments. The company’s latest project, the 213-unit Eitel Building City Apartments, opened in January near Loring Park in Minneapolis.

“Eitel has performed very well. I think we’ll be at 95 percent occupancy at the end of the month,� Roebker said.

Village Green also plans to develop the 175-unit Mill District City Apartments in downtown Minneapolis along Washington Avenue near the Guthrie Theater on which another developer once planned condos. Construction is slated to start this winter.

Dingman said that apartment investors see the Twin Cities apartment market as stable, with lower vacancy than other cities.

“Our market is very stable,� Dingman said. “There’s definitely a demand for multifamily in the market.�