DIY Basement Renovation | Part 3: Drywall I'm a Realtor and a DIYer, and I'm finishing my basement one step at a time. In Part 3, I'm working on hanging sheetrock and getting a little closer to turning this unfinished basement into usable living space. Follow along as I figure things out and work through the process from start to finish! #BasementRenovation #BasementFinishing #DIY #MinnesotaRealEstate #HomeRenovation IG - @PaulToTheTwinCities 📱(952) 994-5661 📧 Paul@ToTheTwinCities.com 💻 ToTheTwinCities.com - - - - - Brokered by REAL Brokerage LLC #firsttimehomebuyer #minnesota #twincities #minnesotahomes #diy #diybuild

Fall is peak weather in Minnesota. Unfortunately, winter is right around the corner. From a real estate standpoint, the change in seasons also brings a change in the Minnesota housing market. During the winter, there are typically fewer homes on the market, but there are also fewer buyers. Once spring rolls around, inventory tends to pick up, but so does competition. If you're thinking about buying a house in Minnesota or the Twin Cities in 2027, this is a good time to start getting familiar with the process. Get an idea of your budget, browse Zillow, and start figuring out what you like, what you don't, and which neighborhoods you're interested in. You don't need to be ready to buy tomorrow. Having a better understanding of the homebuying process and the local housing market can help you make more informed decisions when the time comes. #MinnesotaRealEstate #TwinCitiesRealEstate #FirstTimeHomeBuyer

A lot of home buyers think they're going to walk into a house and just know: “Yep, this is the one.” And sometimes that happens. But honestly, I don't think that's what you should necessarily be expecting. Your priorities are probably going to change once you actually start looking at houses. Things you thought were non-negotiable might not matter as much, while things you never even considered might suddenly become really important. The right house probably won't check every single box. It's more about figuring out which boxes actually matter to you, what you're willing to give up, and whether you can genuinely see yourself living there and being happy. You don't have to know immediately. Sometimes you need to see a few houses that aren't right before you understand what makes the right one feel right. IG - @PaulToTheTwinCities 📱(952) 994-5661 📧 Paul@ToTheTwinCities.com 💻 ToTheTwinCities.com - - - - - Brokered by REAL Brokerage LLC #firsttimehomebuyer #minnesota #twincities #minnesotahomes

If the house looks like it was designed by someone who absolutely refused to believe “less is more”... It’s probably Victorian. Turrets. Bay windows. Giant porches. Weird rooflines. Way too many details. And somehow, it all works. Old. Dramatic. Ornate. Aaaaaaand super cool. 📱(952) 994-5661 📧 Paul@ToTheTwinCities.com 💻 PaulWinkelman.com • • • • • • • #minneapolis #stpaulmn #realestateagent #victorianhouse #victorianhomes #diy Brokered by REAL Broker LLC

Coming back at you with part 2 of finishing this basement Time to actually get to work. #BasementRenovation #BasementFinishing #DIY #MinnesotaRealEstate #HomeRenovation IG - @PaulToTheTwinCities 📱(952) 994-5661 📧 Paul@ToTheTwinCities.com 💻 ToTheTwinCities.com - - - - - Brokered by REAL Brokerage LLC #firsttimehomebuyer #minnesota #twincities #minnesotahomes #diy #diybuild

If you've spent any amount of time looking at homes in the Twin Cities, you've probably noticed that the housing stock can look VERY different depending on where you are. You can find a 100-year-old Craftsman bungalow in South Minneapolis, a 1950s rambler in Richfield, a 1970s split level in Bloomington, and a proper two-story McMansion in Woodbury — all relatively close to each other. There's actually a pretty good reason for that. In this video, I'm going through 10 of the most common types of homes you'll see around the Twin Cities, where you'll find them, what makes them different, and some of the pros and cons to think about if you're considering buying one. Victorian homes American Foursquare homes Craftsman / bungalows Tudor homes Colonial Revival & Cape Cods Ramblers / ranches Split levels Split entries Suburban two-stories Newer suburban homes The bigger takeaway is that the type of home you're looking for can actually help you figure out where you should be looking. Want character? You may find yourself looking at older Minneapolis and St. Paul neighborhoods. Want easy one-level living? The 50s–70s rambler might be your sweet spot. Want more space? You may be looking farther out into the suburbs. IG - @PaulToTheTwinCities 📱(952) 994-5661 📧 Paul@ToTheTwinCities.com 💻 ToTheTwinCities.com - - - - - Brokered by REAL Brokerage LLC #firsttimehomebuyer #minnesota #twincities #minnesotahomes

I'm assuming the role of a contractor and finishing out this basement. I’ve done plenty of DIY and renovation projects over the years, but I’ve never taken on a basement start to finish. This is part 1 of many and step 1 of any project is always getting a gosh dang plan! IG - @PaulToTheTwinCities 📱(952) 994-5661 📧 Paul@ToTheTwinCities.com 💻 ToTheTwinCities.com - - - - - Brokered by REAL Brokerage LLC #firsttimehomebuyer #minnesota #twincities #minnesotahomes #diy #diybuild

How Much House Can You Afford in Minnesota? | First-Time Homebuyer Guide One of the first questions I hear from buyers is, "How much can I afford?" And while getting pre-approved is an important part of the homebuying process, the amount a lender says you qualify for isn't necessarily the same thing as what you should actually spend. For first time homebuyers, I think it's important to go into your home search having thought about the difference between what you qualify for and what you can actually afford! I also talk about: -Why I don't think your preapproval amount should automatically become your budget -Why starting with a comfortable monthly payment can be a better approach -What actually goes into your monthly mortgage payment -Property taxes, homeowners insurance, mortgage insurance, and interest -Why two houses at the exact same price can have very different monthly payments -Why the "30% of your income" rule doesn't necessarily work for everyone -The home maintenance costs that first-time buyers sometimes overlook -Why you need to leave yourself some financial breathing room -How to work backwards from a monthly payment to figure out your purchase price If a lender tells you that you're approved for $400,000, that doesn't necessarily mean you should go out and buy a $400,000 house. Your lender can tell you how much you qualify for. Ultimately, you're the one who has to decide how much you're comfortable spending. I'm Paul Winkelman, a Realtor here in the Twin Cities! This channel is all about helping first-time homebuyers understand the homebuying process and feel more comfortable going into it. If you have questions about buying a house, feel free to leave a comment, reach out, or find me on Instagram! IG - @PaulToTheTwinCities 📱(952) 994-5661 📧 Paul@ToTheTwinCities.com 💻 PaulWinkelman.com - - - - - Brokered by REAL Brokerage LLC #FirstTimeHomeBuyer #MinnesotaRealEstate #HomeBuyingTips #TwinCitiesRealEstate #MinnesotaHomes #HomeBuyingProcess