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MAR-13-1998 12:38 LEAGUE OF MN CITIES P.16i22
<br /> INFORMATION SERVICES
<br /> League of Minnesota CitieS Classification ,# 75 G
<br /> 183 University Avenue East
<br /> St. Paul, Ali 55101•-2526 Date
<br /> Subject .
<br /> Municipality
<br /> Young couples `~
<br /> propefty useful, he said. But he was will
<br /> was ing to do the required work."It's
<br /> first
<br /> buymg - �-�` ' `��•�:��- not what we want,"he said. "It
<br /> °' But under'the,�irection of the doesn't have a garage or a lot of
<br /> `' ' �"Council Jon, land. But it's an investment.
<br /> douse would 1Kound's building of- Sweat equity. A way to get the
<br /> fiaa1, P ' 24-w�nalx•e home we want."
<br /> be beneficiaU 'f � �� The closing was simple. A
<br /> ,1 M Catmml, four-year contract for deed with
<br /> ; ; .. :` •;' the owner required very little
<br /> f
<br /> ordin
<br /> - F ?„ ' ;: money down. "It was easier to 43
<br /> Parker Hodg' U ;� ` ';�-', d:ham' ' buy than to rent;"said Langrud.
<br /> smelt 4 sits on a Because he is self-employed,
<br /> Dave is seen 'foot lot. Like and at the time his wife wasn't
<br /> time out 10 dhouges,it was bu3]t considered full-time on her job,
<br /> walls, installing insulation, and love `ft•. ,,,;. cabin,and a mortgage was difficult to find.
<br /> envisioning what his Mound :.m>Waaij were "This [contract-for�leedi was
<br /> house will look like once the '= - -;-•� simple. Sd simple,"he said. "It
<br /> renovations are p ; • '
<br /> con Iete. '-y�.• ��••- was a small Iot,a small house,
<br /> � !a'~ - 'lt but compared to San Diego the
<br /> But there was a time Last � was a renbeii:' p g
<br /> month when
<br /> Langrud, 27, and is .'imadj".''.��-�•. ' cost was cheap." The owner
<br /> his wife, Anne Marie,.2s, con- homesteaded ' °f mentioned nothing about the
<br /> sidered dropping the whole pro- tsmd neighbprg by I undersized lot or the building
<br /> ject of remodeling rtm-do �.-
<br /> g wn, tt?ankvhg hirrr permit and variances needed to
<br /> former rental house on Avocet pf A)*up�q do the work.
<br /> Lane in the Three Points section really became rundown�whu 1tt "I knew we needed a budding
<br /> of Mound. was rented,"he said. , permit, but since we were mak-
<br /> As a first-time home buyer, Two months after marrying mn ing no additions or expansions I
<br /> I.angr ud said he didn't check Pheonix,the Langruds moved to wasn't worried about it," said
<br /> with the city before beginning Langrud.
<br /> renovations-If he had2te would Minnesota from San Diego in They closed on the house Jan.
<br /> have leatneii-that tlbe hours. 'did January to get away from 15, and soon after Iahgriid
<br /> wt'dorm to $1,200-a-month apartment rent
<br /> ��.�� � and to return to Minnesota. began removing the Carpets,
<br />%e�'plus.�'•�er.W'" and to was born and raised a. taking out the sheet rock, and
<br /> mation about the of the Albert Lea. otherwise p the house
<br /> `' 'x'''� ^•` '`' =' + i"�_ They spent two of the first five for remodeling
<br /> ; 'the e s ' months of their marriage look- On Feb. 1 they moved in and
<br /> .*W&V t ing to buy their first house."You lived in the one room upstairs
<br /> can't buy anything that is while work was done on the
<br /> �b work, liveable for less than 0 000" downstairs. While the
<br /> end told tl>esn iittle..aboi�t the
<br /> House's history. said Langrud. "We looked as far downstairs ceilings were being
<br /> As a result the Langruds were west as Buffalo, but that is too removed to put in vaulted cefl-
<br /> forced to stop work for two . far to.driye and not worth it." � ings, Sutherland saw the dump.
<br /> weeks as-they sought au after`- Not �Ciriding the home they suer out front and stopped by the
<br /> Me-fact Nulla - k -9nd wanted through a real estate house to inspect the work.
<br /> variances for their ecitish.bon- agency, they answered a "That's when the trouble
<br /> Mound city offic3aYs point to classified ad' in a - daily started,"said Langrud.
<br /> the Langrud's ease as a prime newspaper advertising a three-
<br /> mample of why th6bity a bedroom house in Mound,- City has rules
<br /> "'Truth in Housing" ordinance. "I came and looked at it at it must follow
<br /> Such an ordinance would re- night,"said Langrud,a painting
<br /> FAre a seller to tell a buyer of contractor. "It had good i
<br /> an building deficiencies and heating, re area lot h homes In
<br /> mning perms associated with right terms d plumbing'and the ' Mound that need the type of
<br /> -tie propettq. He said he could tell it needed work the Langruds are doing on r
<br /> The city has looked at such an a lot of work.The bathroom was '
<br /> 1rftance in the past, but met the size of a closet, and the their house," said Sutherland, f
<br /> mith such stiff resistance flom bedrooms warp trbn cw+91r r.. f— "But the nits hag mnino and
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