September 3, 2010 by Janee Luikens -
As an experienced General Contractor in Minnesota, APPRO Development takes the necessary measures to protect their clients. One way a general contractor, such as APPRO Development, can protect the property owner of a construction project, is to collect lien waivers from the subcontractors and/or suppliers they hire on the project.
What is a Lien Waiver?
A lien waiver (also known as a Mechanic’s Lien Waiver) is a document that a general contractor, subcontractor or supplier signs upon receiving payment which waives their right to file a lien against the property.
When does a Lien get filed?
A general contractor, subcontractor or supplier can file a lien within a certain amount of time after their work has been completed and payment hasn’t been received. The timeframe varies depending on the laws of each state. In Minnesota, the general contractor, subcontractor or supplier must record a lien within 120 days after the last day of work was done or materials were supplied on the project. For more information on Mechanic’s Liens in Minnesota see “A Guide to Mechanic’s Liens in Minnesota” by Mulligan & Bjornnes PLLP.
Why are Lien Waivers Important?
Lien waivers are an important way of protecting the property owner from having a claim filed against the property. If a lien is filed the property owner does not own a clear title. This can become a problem if the property owner is working on permanent financing for the project. Also, some cities will not issue a Certificate of Occupancy on the project until you can prove that you have satisfied any liens that may have been filed. If liens on a property become an issue a contractor can take legal action and force the sale of the property to make sure they get paid.
As a result, APPRO Development collects lien waivers from each of their subcontractors and suppliers on each project to protect their client. APPRO Development has over 23 years of commercial building experience. Therefore, if you are looking for an experienced General Contractor in MN to help design & build your commercial project, please feel free to contact APPRO Development.
Categories: Construction Projects, Financial Topics, General Contractor & Construction
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August 27, 2010 by Andrea Kaderlik -
Night time at the MN State Fair
As the Minnesota State Fair opens their doors this week, we are reminded that the summer season is quickly coming to an end. Many folks are squeezing in one more trip, or having some fun before the brisk winds of fall start to blow – ushering in the cooler season.
If you are new to Minnesota or are a long time resident looking for something new to do around town, here is a list of our Top Ten Cool Places to Visit in Minnesota:
1. Take a trip to Duluth, MN – On your way up, be sure to stop at Tobies in Hinckley which is about half way between the Twin Cities and Duluth, for a famous Caramel Roll and a cup of Joe. Once in Duluth, be sure to try skipping some rocks along the shores of Lake Superior. Stop by the Glensheen Mansion, take a trolley ride to the shops around town or rent a 2-4 person bicycle to tour around Canal Park. Grab an ice-cream cone from Bridgeman’s on the Lakewalk located next to the Fitger’s Courtyard, overlooking Lake Superior.
2. You could head further north and explore the North Shore – Head north along Hwy 61. Stop at Gooseberry Falls to go hiking or visit Split Rock Lighthouse (which just celebrated its 100th year anniversary). Stop in Tofte and spend a night at the Bluefin Bay. Then, head on up to Lutsen and take a ride on the Alpine Slide.
3. Visit Lanesboro, MN – rent a bike, stay at one of the many B&B’s around town, and maybe even plant a smooch on your honey (it is said to be one of the most romantic towns in the our great state!)
4. Get back to nature at its best by camping in the Boundary Waters – Start at Ely, MN and be sure to visit the International Wolf Center and then grab a camping pack, a large bag of yummy GORP (a high energy mix of granola, raisins, peanuts – & M&M’s) and grab a canoe – then, get hiking, get portaging, hug a tree, hug a bear, but for heaven’s sake, leave the iPods and Blackberrys at home!
5. Pack your bags and head to the Brainerd Nisswa Lakes Area. Go fishing or if you prefer, maybe just tell a fish story. When in Nisswa, you can partake in some good old fashioned turtle racing or try for that hole in one on any one of the abundant area golf courses.
6. Visit the Iron Range, MN – Climb aboard a mining truck, trace your roots at the Genealogy Center, tour an underground mine at the incredible Soudan Mine, or try an exciting ATV adventure and view the northern landscape in a whole new way!
7. Calling all Shop-a-holics – We really should be called the Land of 10,000 Shops!! Visit the Mall of America, Grand Avenue Shops in St. Paul, MN, check out 50th and France, find bargains at the Outlet Shops at Albertville or Medford, or stop to check out the shops in our own backyard by visiting the Pink Door Boutique, or check out Turnstyle Consignment store for something a little different.
8. Stick around the Twin Cities, MN, and be a tourist – visit Museums, history center, restaurants, lakes, Renaissance Festival, golf, Minnesota Zoo, Valley Fair, water park, and many, many more places to have some summer fun!
9. And, speaking of “sticking” around – see how many things you can find “on a stick” at the great Minnesota get-together…the Minnesota State Fair which is running from Thursday, August 26 – Monday, September 3, 2010.
10. And, last but certainly not least, our all time favorite place – is our home – Lakeville, Minnesota. Enjoy picking up some flowers and veggies at our local Farmer’s Market, play some Frisbee in one of our many parks, take a cruise on one of our lakes. You could explore a night on the town by taking in a show at the Lakeville Arts Center or visit the upcoming Lakeville Arts Festival. If you want to learn more about the history of our town, you could read the Lakeville Resident Guidebook for lots of interesting information.
There you have it – our suggestions for fun places to visit around the Land of 10,000 Lakes! We are certain there are many, many more exciting and fascinating locations – but, really – home is always the best place to come back to and for us that is Lakeville, Minnesota!
We have found over the years that Lakeville is a great place to own a business, build a building or lease or buy a great new space – which, by the way, is exactly what we have been doing and helping others to do for more than 23 years! At APPRO Development and CERRON Commercial Properties, we love where we work and what we do! Give us a call – we would love to share more about what makes the Southern Twin Cities, Minnesota a great place to work and play!
Categories: General Contractor & Construction, In The Community, Real Estate For Lease, Real Estate For Sale
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August 18, 2010 by Kathy Morse -
According to the SBA (as published by SPEDCO – August 10, 2010), “the new SBA 504 interest rate is so low that even Tiger Woods is jealous: the 20-year averaged effective rate for the month of August is 4.931%! The 10-year averaged effective rate remains at 4.169% – these rates are all-time historic lows!”
Contact APPRO Development to learn more about financial planning for your commercial, industrial, or manufacturing project. As a design build general contractor, we can help with your expansion plans!
Categories: Financial Topics
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August 9, 2010 by Roz Peterson -
Cost segregation is basically accelerated depreciation of commercial real estate properties. You can write off more depreciation today, pay less in taxes and leave more money in your pocket. Accountants look at each improvement that is made individually versus the traditional straight line method of depreciation of improvements as a whole. Personal property depreciates faster than real property and when itemized allows the true depreciation to be written off.
Cost segregation is a great way to increase your cash flow and save money in the future. It can reduce real property taxes by reclassifying assets as personal property. The key is to use a qualified accountant. Contact us for referrals.
Categories: Investment Real Estate, Real Estate For Lease, Real Estate For Sale
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August 5, 2010 by Jim Connelly -
Remodeling your commercial building or looking to replace tired or worn out heating and cooling equipment within your building? Sustainable building or Green Building practices can be interjected into your existing facility by upgrading mechanical and electrical equipment in need of replacement. Make sure energy efficiency is at the top of your list. Many rebates from local utility providers in Minnesota exist and those rebates are sometimes doubled up by rebates that the federal government currently have in place. A great source of information can be obtained from Xcel Energy at the following link: http://www.xcelenergy.com/Minnesota/Business/SaveEnergy_Money/Pages/Purchasing_Advisor.aspx the site goes into detail regarding what type of equipment to purchase and what that equipment does for you.
We’ve seen instances where it is more cost effective to buy equipment with higher energy ratings because the rebates available make this equipment less expensive than standard efficiency models that are available.
Have more extensive needs or questions? Xcel Energy also provides a free one hour seminar to enlighten you and your company on the available options click here: http://www.xcelenergy.com/SiteCollectionDocuments/docs/MN-Energy-Efficiency-Workshop.pdf
These rebates are not limited to just Xcel energy. Your local cooperative power company may also be participating in a rebate program for replacement of inefficient lighting or mechanical equipment. In Dakota County and other areas of the greater south metro area Dakota Electric Association has rebates for commercial customers at this link: http://www.dakotaelectric.com/business/programs/rebates_grants_and_loans/rebates_grants_and_loans
Not sure where to start or how this might apply to you contact APPRO Development to find out why might be a great time to upgrade that existing equipment.
Categories: LEED/Green Building
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July 28, 2010 by Jack Matasosky -
According to the SBA (as published by SPEDCO – July 13, 2010), “the SBA effective rate dropped this month to 5.213%! The 10-year averaged effective rate dropped to 4.169%! These rates are all time historic lows.”
To take advantage of these great rates and to learn more about key financial planning steps when building an office, warehouse, retail or other commercial property, contact APPRO Development today!
Categories: Financial Topics
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July 23, 2010 by Jack Matasosky -
A recent article published in the July issue of the fedgazette (a publication of the Federal Reserve Bank – Ninth District), relayed that despite uncertainty, moderate economic growth is expected for the manufacturing industry.
“While manufacturing employment was down from a year ago, output turned positive during 2010 in Minnesota and the Dakotas, as shown in survey results released by Creighton University. The improvement in manufacturing is also made evident by the increase in the number of hours worked by manufacturing employees. Since April 2009, hours worked increased in all district states except Montana.
The data suggest that manufacturers are boosting output through longer hours instead of hiring new workers. A similar trend is beginning to appear among nonfarm workers nationally.
Not only is staff working more hours per week, but they are producing more per hour worked. During the first quarter of 2010, national productivity levels for nonfarm employees increased more than 6 percent compared with a year earlier, the largest gain since 2002.” (Grundewald, Madden, 22)²
With the positive outlook for those in the manufacturing industry, now is the perfect time to ensure that manufacturing buildings are updated and efficient for both work output and employee health. Oftentimes, remodeling existing facilities to include efficient Green or LEED features has enhanced employee satisfaction and productivity.
Learn more about the benefits of LEED/GREEN building development and remodeling here.
Categories: Financial Topics, LEED/Green Building
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July 22, 2010 by Bruce Rydeen -
For anyone in the market to lease or buy commercial real estate – This is a good time to make a move.
Lease rates have softened 15-25% from the peak with most Landlords anxious to do a deal and offer concessions to satisfy the tenant’s needs. So…a good time to take advantage of these market conditions and lock in some good lease rates for your business. Mike Salmen of Transwestern referenced this opportunity in a recent article in the Real Estate Journal (www.rejournals.com, 7/12/2010) where he said – “companies are deciding to relocate or take advantage of the tenant’s market that exists.”
Likewise – sale prices for commercial buildings have also fallen in the market. So if purchasing is an option for your business…again the time is now. Many Sellers are quite motivated to make a deal by reducing their price.
The other reason that the time is now…is that interest rates for financing are at recent historical lows making payments quite affordable. SBA rates for 504 loans are in the 5’s depending on the program.
So, whether you are a tenant or a buyer – now could be a good time for you to relocate your business. Contact our team of leasing professionals to view some of the best deals in commercial real estate for sale or lease in Minnesota.
Categories: Real Estate For Lease, Real Estate For Sale
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July 21, 2010 by admin -
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