Real Estate Update

I've got real estate on my mind, as you might well imagine, since we've been spending the last month working with various agents in addition to attempting to find rentals on our own. A few learnings...

If you're moving to the Bradenton/Sarasota area of Florida you couldn't do better than contactings Wendy Lynn at Keller Williams realty in Lakewood Ranch. She spent two days showing us rental properties in the area in spite of the fact that she makes almost no money on rentals and that's not even what their agency normally handles. Of course they are Dave Ramsey Endorsed Local Providers so above-and-beyond service is what they always provide. She is one of the best Realtors we've ever worked with. (Along with Lisa Stevens in the Twin Cities area who helped us sell our Northfield house and buy our current home. She rocks, too!) Wendy really cared about us as people, not just clients (...unlike our current Realor in Pine City who can barely be bothered to call us back and has done almost nothing - okay, absolutely nothing - to help us search for a rental in the area, in spite of the fact that she is making a good deal of money on our current house sale. She will definitely not be getting referrals from us.)

Second learning: there is almost nothing in the Pine City area or surrounding communities for rent if you are looking for a house with at least three bedrooms. We saw one place the other day - the only one in the area on the rental marked - and it was pit. It would take hundreds and hundreds of dollars (or more) to bring it up to livable condition and they still wanted $1000 a month! Are you kidding me? I know that supply is almost nil, but still...

Some property manager or real estate investor could really do well by buying and fixing up single family homes with 3 bedrooms or more in the Pine City metropolitan area and putting them up for rent. It is a completely untapped market as far as supply, and I have to believe there is demand out there beyond just our family.

Fortunately for us we have tapped into the "underground" market/network (ie. friends and their friends and so on). Not that there is a lot there either, but we do have a lead we are pursuing. Right now we are trusting that since God seems to be calling us to stay in the area for now that He will provide both the housing and finances to rent it.