On the House
Charlie Lawson – GCS Title
Trendy – Not Spendy
Minneapolis got a big shout out from Realtor.com by being included in their recent list of “The Top 10 Trendiest Cities That You Can Still Afford to Buy In.” They made the list based on different things that appeal to and impact hipsters (their word – not mine) – which I’ll interpret as the group the rest of us refer to as Millennials. Minneapolis came in at #5 in this list that boasts a high number of yoga studios and bike shops per capita. Don’t laugh – there’s more to this and good news for the normal folk too.
Outside of Minnesota, the entire Minneapolis-Saint Paul Metropolitan area is referred to as “Minneapolis” and while it’s not fair to Saint Paul or the other cool spots in the ‘burbs, it’s unavoidable. Just like the pro sports teams use the concept of “community benefit” to get us to pay for stadiums, publicity like this is great for our whole metro market that extends far beyond the Minneapolis city limits. (And we are getting a new stadium soon too.) The key word in this list is “afford” though. The idea that jobs, salaries and home prices fall into a range where a significant number of people can become homeowners is great news not just for real estate professionals, but for our communities at large. Think about pride of ownership in neighborhoods, the likelihood that people will live, work and volunteer close to home and the long term boost to people’s financial health that owning a home can bring.
Every week my research team and I bring you news, facts, stats and ideas that boost not only our business, but the reason most of us got into it in the first place: To help people achieve the American Dream. So, let’s make sure we claim some bragging rights and spread the word. ~Charlie
The whole list: 1. Salt Lake City 2. Richmond, Va. 3. Asheville, NC 4. Pittsburgh 5. Minneapolis 6. Ann Arbor, 7. Cincinnati 8. St. Louis 9. New Orleans 10. Charleston, SC