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FIND YOUR DREAM HOME

With a wealth of experience, a deep connection to the area, and a genuine passion for helping others, Holly is an expert and trusted advisor in the Twin Cities real estate landscape.

Her comprehensive approach, coupled with her keen insight into the unique nuances of many neighborhoods in the Twin Cities, enables her to offer invaluable guidance, ensuring that her clients make well-informed decisions that align with their goals.

As an expert negotiator, Holly will assist you in securing your dream property with her abilities that have been honed over two decades. She’ll also introduce you to her team of professionals to ensure the inspection, financing and closing process runs smoothly.

It’s time to say “Hello” to your dream home.

Let’s Connect

PROPERTY LISTINGS

For Sale
MLS® 6625799

$16,900,000

535 Bushaway Road, Wayzata, MN 55391
5 Beds 7 Baths 7,500 Sq.Ft.
For Sale
MLS® 6622387

$14,900,000

555 Bushaway Road, Wayzata, MN 55391
6 Beds 8 Baths 7,300 Sq.Ft.
For Sale
MLS® 6600730

$13,450,000

565 Ferndale Road W, Wayzata, MN 55391
6 Beds 8 Baths 7,635 Sq.Ft.
For Sale
MLS® 6434173

$12,495,000

17950 Breezy Point Road, Woodland, MN 55391
6 Beds 12 Baths 19,893 Sq.Ft.
Sold
MLS® 6405689

$10,000,000

405 Bushaway Road, Wayzata, MN 55391
5 Beds 7 Baths 6,775 Sq.Ft.
For Sale
MLS® 6567425

$9,995,000

1655 Bohns Point Road, Orono, MN 55391
4 Beds 6 Baths 9,683 Sq.Ft.
Sold
MLS® 6309739

$7,925,000

2825 Little Orchard Way, Orono, MN 55391
4 Beds 10 Baths 16,078 Sq.Ft.
Sold
MLS® 5724996

$8,800,000

3350 Fox Street, Orono, MN 55356
5 Beds 8 Baths 15,858 Sq.Ft.
Sold
MLS® 6158327

$8,750,000

553 Harrington Road, Wayzata, MN 55391
8 Beds 8 Baths 9,425 Sq.Ft.
For Sale
MLS® 6528723

$8,995,000

535 Bushaway Road, Wayzata, MN 55391
For Sale
MLS® 6520888

$8,495,000

20630 Linwood Road, Deephaven, MN 55331
5 Beds 7 Baths 10,692 Sq.Ft.
Sold
MLS® 6315299

$8,584,250

3017 North Shore Drive, Orono, MN 55391
5 Beds 7 Baths 10,077 Sq.Ft.

A STEP-BY-STEP FIRST TIME BUYER'S GUIDE

Buying a home is one of the most exciting milestones of your life. To prepare yourself for this moment, you need to know what to expect during the process. This step-by-step first time buyer’s guide created by your agent will help reduce the stress of buying a home and help you enjoy the journey as much as possible.

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STEP 1: RESEARCH

Do you already know where you want to buy? If you want a condo, townhome, or single-family home? Which features do you like and dislike? What’s available on the market now? If you answered no to any of these questions, now is the time to start researching. In addition to looking for homes that interest you, also take note of any changes in asking prices. This could give you valuable insight into housing trends in specific neighborhoods and help you when the time comes to make an offer.

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STEP 2: DETERMINE YOUR BUDGET

In many cases, a mortgage company will pre-approve you for more than you’re comfortable spending, which is why you need to determine the monthly payment you feel comfortable with before talking to a lender. This likely includes doing a full household budget and taking into consideration what changes other than a mortgage payment will occur once you move into your new home. If you’ve lived in an apartment or with roommates, you may overlook new expenses like garbage, water, or HOA fees that could easily blow your budget.

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STEP 3: GET PREQUALIFIED

Just because you think you can afford a certain payment every month doesn’t mean the mortgage company will agree. Just as they may approve you for too large of an amount, they may also approve you for a lesser amount or deny you a mortgage altogether. Lack of time at a job, insufficient credit, past bankruptcies, or other financial issues can cause major problems when trying to secure a mortgage. Before you get your heart set on a home, talk to a mortgage professional to find out what amount you can qualify for. This will also be an advantage when you make an offer on a home, as some sellers won’t entertain offers from those who aren’t already prequalified for a loan.

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STEP 4: CHOOSE A REAL ESTATE AGENT

Can you shop for, look at, and ultimately make an offer on a home without a real estate agent? Technically yes, but why would you when it costs you nothing for an agent like me to take much of the stress off your shoulders? Not only will I help identify properties you might be interested in, arrange showings, and ultimately handle the offer process, but I also have a knowledge of the market that you don’t possess. Finding the perfect home can be a daunting task, this is where my expertise and wealth of knowledge come into play. Let me show you around some homes that meet your dream home criteria so you can find the one that's right for you.

My goal is to provide you with the most personalized service that is designed to help you buy your dream home.

Schedule A Consultation
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STEP 5: FIND THE RIGHT HOME

This should be the most enjoyable step of the entire process (other than moving in!). I will arrange showings of homes you’re interested in that are within your price range. Take notes about what you like and don’t like, and make sure to pay attention to details. Turn light switches on and off, open and close doors, and run the faucets in various rooms. Don’t limit your inspection to the home itself. Make sure to take time to explore the neighborhood and keep an eye on traffic at certain times of the day, the parking situation, and how close it is to necessities like schools and grocery stores.

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STEP 6: MAKE AN OFFER

Once you have selected the perfect home, work with your agent to craft a fair offer based on the value of comparable homes on the market. Depending on what the home is listed at and whether the current environment is a buyer’s or seller’s market, your offer may be below, at, or even above the asking price. I will be able to help you negotiate if you receive a counteroffer and reach an agreement. At this point, the house will go into escrow.

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STEP 7: HAVE THE HOME INSPECTED

In most cases, your offer will be contingent on having the home inspected to ensure there is no major structural damage or large repairs needed. I can help you arrange this, and you can schedule it within days of making an offer. If there are no major issues, the process goes to step eight. If there is, you can renegotiate your offer based on what needs to be fixed, or you can withdraw it.

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STEP 8: SELECT YOUR LOAN

Now is the time to go back to the mortgage lender who pre-approved or pre-qualified you and choose your mortgage. You will be presented with various options based on your unique financial situation, including fixed-rate, variable-rate, 15-year, 30-year, or special programs such as VA loans or FHA loans. Work with your mortgage lender to select the option you feel the most comfortable with.

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STEP 9: GET A HOME APPRAISAL

Your lender will have your new home appraised so they have their independent value of it. The appraisal is to ensure that all parties involved are paying a fair price for the house.

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STEP 10: FINISH PAPERWORK

No one looks forward to all the paperwork involved in buying a home, but it’s a necessary part of the process. Fortunately, everything will be arranged by your lender and title company and, when you’re finished, you’ll know you are the legal owner of your new home.

CONGRATULATIONS!

After signing the final paperwork to complete the purchase, you are now the owner of a new house. It may take a few days for your loan to be funded once the paperwork has been returned to the lender, but once that check is delivered to the seller, you’ll be all set to move into the home of your dreams. 

  • Bruce M.

    “Smart, disciplined, honest, knowledgeable, even funny!”

  • Sharon

    “She is very thorough and keeps me informed about everything going on in the process. She always was pleasant and didn't overreact over things. I would recommend her to anyo...”

  • Krista T.

    “Holly is nothing short of amazing! When she says she's going to get it done, she's going to get it done! She is committed to her work and her clients! Holly is very persona...”

  • Martha H.

    “Holly and her team were incredible to work with. They listened to what we were looking for and helped us find our dream home. In such a competitive market Holly was able to...”

  • Steve D.

    “Holly Conner is one of the most caring and supportive professionals you will ever meet. She truly goes the extra mile for her friends, family, colleagues, and clients. I ca...”

  • Andrew G.

    “It's hard to express in words how much we enjoyed working with Holly. She helped us purchase our first home and we could not be happier with the decision we made. She was v...”

  • Kari

    “Holly is fantastic! She was very patient with us when we went out for our 1st time looking at houses, we saw around 18 homes that day. She is very knowledgeable and very de...”

  • Bennett

    “From day one we knew that choosing Holly was an awesome choice. We encountered many issues including flood insurance, radon, price negotiations, etc purchasing our new home...”

View All Testimonials

Address

401 Lake Street E, #200

Wayzata, MN 55391

 

Holly Connaker

(612) 709-0555

[email protected]

Get in Touch