Holmes Group Magazine - Issue 20

ISSUE 20

Navigating the

Spring Market Beat the Spring Rush

Options for today’s market

Current Listings

Page 10

Page 14

Page 18

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Family, Friends, Clients & All

We wanted to say a big THANK YOU to all of you for the support over the years and hope you’ve been enjoying our magazine. We’re proud to say that this is the 20th issue which makes 5 years of publishing our brand of real estate directly to you. We hope you enjoy the information, fun content and hope you see some of the changes in this issue.

Thanks for sending in your pics, questions and feedback. Enjoy the latest edition and make it a wonderful 2022!

Joe Holmes 2

Meet Team the

JOE HOLMES

HEATHER PEDERSON

JAY MANGINE

BOB ADAMSON

REALTOR

REALTOR

REALTOR

REALTOR

Team Lead | Listing Specialist 651-379-1581 joeholmes@kw.com holmesgroup holmesgroupmn

Team | Marketing Manager Buyer Specialist

Buyer Specialist

612-964-2524

jaymangine@kw.com

651-387-6262

hlpederson@kw.com

jay.mangine

btadamsonwbl@aol.com

612-865-0400

Buyer New Construction Specialist

heatherpedersonrealtor heatherpederson

holmesgroupmn.com • holmesgroupmn.com/mnoffers

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IN THIS

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ISSUE 02

Editor’s Note

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St. Paul Saints

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Holmes on Homes

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Featured Home

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Beat the Spring Rush

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Gnocchi

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Options for selling and

buying in today’s market

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Home & Style

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Current Listings

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Q&A

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HOLMES ON HOMES

The Spring Market What’s to come & how to work with it!

S

o here we are…February 2022. It’s been an interesting couple of years in real estate and it just keeps on changing. We’ve seen crazy low interests, the advent of iBuyers & implosion of Zillow, ridiculously low inventory and buyer demand through the roof. So what does that mean and how does it come together for the spring market? Kick back and enjoy our insights and predictions for the upcoming year and more importantly – how to work within it!

So let’s take a look at the current market. You’ve heard us talk about stats within the 7-county metro area and we’ll stick with that. Specific cities or neighborhoods can vary slightly but for the most part you can rely on this as the status quo. As of last week – we currently had 2,886 listings in the 7-county metro area. Think about that for a moment. That includes Minneapolis & St. Paul…all of Hennepin County…all of Ramsey County. It includes all types of listings – single family, townhome, condos…in all price points from $0 to $10million.

I’ll repeat it as it’s worth really thinking about. We have 2,886 listings for a population of 3.1 million people.

So if you want to buy a house, we suggest getting dialed in and not messing around. If you want to sell a house, we need to prepare you for your options, how to maximize them while simplifying the process.

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To shed light on predictions for the year, let’s gauge that listing count over history. This is the bottom of the bottom of inventory we’ve ever seen. Remember my rant last year on inventory. We had 3,335 listings this week last year. That’s a 15% drop in inventory and that was crazy then. To give it perspective…the lowest inventory years we saw were in January of ’18 to ’20 with around 5,600 listings. Covid hits…interest rates plummet…demand goes nuts and last year at this time we had 3,335 listings.

Here’s a chart of the last 3 years of inventory.

In spring of last year, we saw a 10% jump in pricing from the fall before. We saw creative terms coming from buyers in the way of appraisal guarantees, inspection waivers and escalation clauses. We saw more cash buyers…multiple offers…simply put a lot of chaos control.

What do you think is going to happen to the price?

And there you have it. We’re going to see that pattern continue unless something drastic changes to the inventory or demand. The trajectory for price is the same. As long as we have as many closed sales through the year – you can expect pricing to continue the same trajectory.

That’s the key stat to look at and really is the “ah-ha” of it all. We had more homes sold in 2021 than ever before in MN history. So it’s not necessarily a matter of low inventory (which there is). It’s the fact that the demand is so strong – listings get sucked out of existence.

You can expect the same this year. With 15% lower inventory and rates that are still crazy low, it’s going to be an intense spring. I know there’s concern over rising interest rates and what that does to buyer purchase power but that needs to be put into perspective as well.

We tackle that question in the Q&A section towards the back – take a look, I’ll wait for you here.

So how do you work within this market? Well first of all – with professionals. This isn’t the time to mess around and of course is a shameless plug for our team. But seriously, this is delicate stuff when you put a purchase and sale together…all while maintaining kids, work, school, life, finances and all the rest that goes into it.

In order to determine the strategies & options that go with buying and selling in this market, we start with one simple question. For that and more…we’ll see you on page 14.

Well, if the current market has 15% less inventory and the buyer demand has stayed the same.

For a market analysis on your home OR direct cash offer, visit us at www.HolmesGroupMN.com 7

FEATURED HOME

8126 Golden Valley Rd., Golden Valley, MN 55427

$400,000 Gorgeous home with private views of Basset Creek. This open layout features 9’ main floor ceilings, a gourmet kitchen, two bedrooms & loft on the upper level, underground heating parking with storage and more. Conveniently located in Golden Valley walking distance to shops, pubs, restaurants and a quick drive to downtown – this home is a must see.

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The gourmet kitchen features a breakfast bar for casual dinning and entertaining as well as custom lighting, granite tops, stainless appliances, coffee buffet, builtins, undermount lighting and tons of storage.

Main floor highlights include 9’ ceilings, tons of sunlight with private views of Basset Creek, hardwood floors, stone surround gas fireplace with a custom mantle & built-ins for storage, neutral colors & white trim, doors & accents.

Conveniently located walking distance to New Bohemia Brew Pub, Down in the Valley, Starbucks with access to walking trails, bike trails and more. With a 5 minute commute to downtown Minneapolis, access to parks & rec – this location has it all!

Schedule a tour today before it’s gone!

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FUTURE LISTINGS

Beat the Spring Rush!!

These homes will be available in the Spring but won’t last long. If you’re planning on a Spring purchase, keep these in mind!!

1640 Widgeon Circle Centerville Call for Pricing

With nearly 6,000 sq ft and five bedrooms / four bathrooms, this home is a must see. A fantastic combination of elegance and common sense amenities & layout. The cul-de-sac setting in front & rear pond views are a perfect setting. Four bedrooms upstairs with a massive loft perfect for additional family space. A family’s dream for entertaining with a lower level bar & entertainment center with walk out to your private backyard complete with patio, in-ground heated pool, three-season porch, hot tub & firepit large enough for all of the family and friends. Need garage space?

With a three-car garage on the main and three-car garage on the lower level with separate entry, you’ll have all the storage and shop space you’ll need. Don’t wait until spring - call us today!

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2614 153rd Ave Ham Lake Call for Pricing

This gorgeous two-story home has the perfect country setting with just under two acres of perfect views and scenery. With over 2,000 finished square feet and an unfinished lower level, this home provides the opportunity to add your touches and build equity.

Amenities all round including hardwood floors, gas fireplace, 9’ knock-down ceilings on the main floor, granite tops, center island and walkout lower level. Enjoy quiet nights on the front porch or family time in the yard, this home is perfect! A gem waiting for spring but won’t last long - call us today.

IT’S NOT ALL ABOUT

REAL ESTATE

Gnocchi

So easy, kids can do it!

Ingredients 2 pounds baking potatoes (about 4) 2 large egg yolks Salt 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting 4 tablespoons unsalted butter Freshly ground black pepper Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Instructions Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350’F. Bake potatoes until tender when pierced with a paring knife, about 60-90 minutes. Cut potatoes in half lengthwise, let stand and cool enough to handle, about 20 minutes. Using a paring knife, peel potatoes and discard skins.

Serving Now that your gnocchi are finished – decide how you want to serve them. Try a classic red sauce or go foodie-style with pancetta, brown butter & sage. This is how to finish it off:

Step 2: Press potatoes through a potato ricer (or thoroughly mash in a bowl) and then place onto a clean work surface; spread in an even layer. Let cool until almost room temperature, about 8 minutes. Drizzle egg yolk evenly over potatoes. Sprinkle salt and 1/2 cup of the flour evenly over potatoes and egg yolk.

Using a bench scraper or a rubber spatula, very gently fold the mixture over onto itself several times, gradually folding in the remaining 1/2 cup flour just until all flour is incorporated and dough comes together in a mass. Do not knead or overwork.

Classic Red Sauce: In a large skillet over medium high heat, melt 2 Tbsp butter. Sautee gnocchi until slightly browned. Add red sauce to coat & warm, top with grated parmesan cheese.

Step 3: Divide dough into 4 even pieces. Roll 1 dough piece into a long rope – about 9-10”. Cut rope crosswise into 3/4” long gnocchi pieces. Roll each piece against a fork or other tool to make ridges. Repeat with the remaining 3 dough pieces. From here, freeze any gnocchi you’re saving and keep going for dinner tonight!

Recipe: https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/potatognocchi-butter-and-cheese

Step 4: Bring salted water to a boil in large stockpot over high heat. Add gnocchi to boiling water and cook until gnocchi rise to the surface – about 2 minutes. Complete in batches if necessary.

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Pancetta, Brown Butter & Sage: Sautee diced pancetta in large skillet, remove and set aside. Wipe down skillet, return to heat.

Add 2 Tbsp butter & sage, heat until butter is browned. Add gnocchi to skillet and brown slightly. Add in the pancetta & toss to warm. Top with grated parmesan cheese.

Scan the QR code to watch the boys make this recipe!

Comfort Food * Comfort Setting * Comfort Time Italian Influenced American Fare

NOW OPEN AT 11:00AM DAILY

DINE IN OR TAKE OUT

7114 Otter Lake Rd, Lino Lakes, MN 55038 | (651) 358-7146

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Options of how to sell & buy in today’s market.

B

uying and selling a home in today’s market can be a delicate combination. If you need to do this on the same day – there are a lot of moving pieces and we have to be dialed in on all of them. We’ll explore the options you have and it starts with a basic question.

Do you have to sell in order to buy? Meaning can you be qualified to own both at the same time or is selling a function of being a buyer.

selling your home and compete at the highest level to buy. Once we know where you’re going, we can work on selling your current home.

No? - The options are wide open and we suggest taking our time to find the right home and putting our time & energy there. We can make offers non-contingent on

“How’s that?” Well let’s use April as an example of your purchase date. When buying a home any day in the month of April, your mortgage payment doesn’t come

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“I’m not sure I want to own two homes at once…even if we can be approved for that.” Agreed! The crossover is pretty minimal and if well timed, won’t double up on mortgage payments.

due until June 1st. That lag gives us plenty of time to prep, market and sell your current home. That lag would be the your closing month…doesn’t matter if it’s the 1st or 30th + the following month. After that, your payment begins.

ceeds and pay down the balance as you’d like and they can recast the loan balance for you. There aren’t many lenders that do this but it’s an option. Other choices are bridge loans or a line of credit to access current cash.

“We can get it done but can’t put as much money down as we’d like” Yes, that’s certainly a consideration. I think the best option around that is to work with a lender that has a buydown option. Sell your home, take those pro-

Ok, what if the answer is Yes – I do have to sell my home in order to buy our next one. What options do we have?

Here are some of the basic options and strategies to make it happen:

Option 1

Option 2

Contingent Offer - Make an offer that’s contingent on the sale of your home.

Flip around that Contingency – List and sell your home with a contingency with the buyer that is based on you finding the home of your choice within 30 or 60 days.

Pros: Easy on finances, can set up back-to-back sale/purchase. Generally suitable for slower market conditions.

Cons: Not a competitive offer. With current market conditions this puts you at the bottom of any pile of offers and usually makes the offer over-looked.

Pro-Tip: If buying new construction that is not complete – most builders are very open to a contingent buyer as there’s time to sell & the market is favorable.

Pros: Easy on Finances, can set up a back-toback sale/purchase Cons: May push out some buyers as they may need to move in. Less buyers could lead to less sales dollars. If you can’t find the home of your choice and lose the buyer – start over on finding a new buyer and keep looking for the new home. The process can continue until it all comes together.

Option 3

Option 4

Sell and have a short-term solution while you buy. This can be anything from an AirBnB, Extended Stay, Short-Term rental, family/friends, cabin, etc.

The Perfect, Patient buyer that you can cancel anytime. We’re seeing an increase in this strategy and it comes in working with a local company – MarketPass. We’ve hit on this before – cash buyer on any home in the Twin Cities.

Pros: Maximizes the sale process & provides flexibility and minimal stress on the home search.

Cons: The cost for a short-term solution can be a consideration. Still need to rely on inventory to find your next home and trust you’ll find it. A double move means more effort in moving, storage & logistics.

Pro-Tip: Some AirBnB & VRBO hosts are very open to longer term rentals for 30, 60 and 90 days!

Pros: You choose the closing date & change it as needed. Holdover possession after closing to help with the move. No need to clean your home and you can even work in leaving things behind if you don’t want to move them. Flexible, convenient and can cancel if you need to.

Cons: May not be getting the maximum potential of proceeds from the sales process. Convenience does have a small cost.

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HOME & STYLE

Restaurant owners (and husband and wife) Christina Nguyen and Birk Grudem get chopping in their newly renovated Linden Hills kitchen, a project they tackled themselves during the pandemic.

THE UPSIDE OF DOWNTIME

When told to stay home during lockdown, two restaurant owners got to work.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY JOSH GRUBBS • STYLING BY LISA EVIDON

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LIGHT SHOW: Natural light pours in from the windows, unobscured by upper cabinets. “No uppers is great for me since I’m only five feet tall, so I can reach everything now,” Christina says. The dining room was part of an addition the previous owners added during the ’90s. “It makes the house what we call a mullet,” Christina says.

“The addition makes it super nontraditional and unique.”

R

estaurant owners (and husband and wife) Christina Nguyen and Birk Grudem get chopping in their newly renovated Linden Hills kitchen, a project they tackled themselves during the pandemic.

It’s probably not an ideal situation to move into a new house and then be told you basically can’t leave it.

But that’s what happened to Minneapolis restaurant owners Christina Nguyen and Birk Grudem when the lockdown was first mandated.

The married couple owns Hola Arepa in the Kingfield neighborhood and Hai Hai in Northeast Minneapolis, which were ordered to close at the start of the pandemic. Having just moved into their 1947 bungalow in Linden Hills, the two were planning to renovate the dated kitchen over time. But without businesses to run and with nowhere to go, they were suddenly staring time in the face.

The couple had already designed and built two restaurants from the

“I wanted a kitchen that was bright, welcoming, and functional.”

— Christina Nguyen ground up. Hola Arepa started as a bright blue food truck before it blossomed in what was an old fast food space. And Hai Hai, the lush Vietnamese restaurant with plates from Christina’s past, was created out of a strip club. “We’d done this kind of work before, and we knew all the right people who could help us were also bored,” Christina says.

It became obvious to Christina and Birk that their nontraditional house with its 1990s lofted back addition also needed a nontraditional kitchen renovation, one that made it the center of attention. The couple blended the old and the new with a look that also blurs the lines between their restaurants and home.

From the jungle of plants and splashy colors to the chef-driven functionality, this light-filled kitchen is open for business.

COLOR SPLASH: Christina splurged on the bright turquoise glazed terra-cotta Clé Tile, so she strategically placed it partway up the walls to wrap around to define the open kitchen’s footprint. The couple fit the fronts of the IKEA cabinets with Supermatte Light Grey Shaker by Semihandmade.

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CURRENT LISTINGS 263 Palomino Lane Lino Lakes MN 55014 $599,000

Keller Williams Premier Realty

This stylishly updated home is move-in ready with numerous amenities: new roof, all new stainless steel kitchen appliances, fresh neutral paint, new kitchen & entryway flooring, new carpeting throughout entire main floor and upper level, built-in cabinets in living room, two cozy gas fireplaces, and an oversized deck for entertaining. Nestled onto a quiet, non-through street in an established neighborhood within the award-winning Centennial School District.

The sky’s the limit with this property: a rare opportunity to own a home in the Lino AirPark!

Use it as a hangar, or simply enjoy the bonus of a 2,800 square foot heated, cement-floored outbuilding! Classic cars? Woodworking? A fullsize home gym or off-season toy storage? Bring them all! Just 25 miles to the Twin Cities with excellent fishing & recreational lakes, restaurants, shopping, breweries, coffee shops, golf courses, parks, trails, and wildlife management areas.

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3497 Maureen Lane, Stillwater MN 55082 $309,900

Pat Kinney Keller Williams Premier Realty

Wonderful 3 Bed, 3 Bath end unit overlooking green space and pond in desirable Millbrooke location. Bright and airy, this unit is clean and well maintained so move right in and enjoy! It features newer vinyl plank flooring throughout entire main level, newer tile floors in bathrooms, a huge master suite, a patio overlooking green space next to paved walking paths, and extra guest parking

7109 Fleetwood Drive, Edina MN 55439 $749,900

Scott Smith Keller Williams Premier Realty

Welcome to this beautiful four bedroom, 3 bathroom rambler with the BEST views of Edina and surrounding areas. The fully fenced private backyard not only offers a gorgeous, newly lined inground pool, but also enjoy hosting family and friends on the large patio and deck space.

Warm up by the fire pit, under your custom built pergola! On top of the abundant outdoor space, inside offers a warm California feel with walls of windows in the main living area on both floors.

The home features a large open floor plan, as well as fantastic entertainment space. In the basement you will find a wood burning fireplace, a huge built-in bar with a mini fridge, as well as an area for playing darts or shooting a round of pool with friends. This home does need some updating but has incredible potential and upside.

CURRENT LISTINGS 7529 Emerson Avenue S, Richfield MN 55423 $335,000 Lindsay Shaffer Keller Williams Premier Realty

20106 Fern Glen Blvd. N, Forest Lake MN 55025 $525,000 Kevin Marois Keller Williams Premier Realty

YOUR LISTING Fantastic home in a great neighborhood with welcoming curb appeal, sun filled rooms, updates, and charm throughout. Hardwood floors and fireplace in the cozy front living room, Spacious, private upstairs master suite with multiple closets and beautiful marble bathroom, finished lower level with 4th bedroom, stainless steel appliances, granite countertops and tasteful backsplash. Large yard with endless possibilities, great location with quick access to highways, and close distance for a walk to shops.

This beautiful home offers an open concept floor plan along with lots of storage space. Center island kitchen with granite countertops, stainless appliances, a double oven, 2 refrigerators, full wine bar. Tons of cabinet and countertop space and walk-in pantry. Kitchen is open to the dining room that leads to the deck overlooking the backyard, raised bed gardens, pond and fields. Main floor family room with gas fireplace.

Formal living room overlooks the front porch. The upstairs features a primary suite with a huge walk-in closet and full master bath with soaker tub, ceramic tile shower and double vanity. 3 more bedrooms, one with a walk-in closet. The 2nd level laundry room with storage and a full bath complete the upstairs level. Finished walkout basement with recreation room, 5th bedroom, 3/4 bath and storage room. Finished garage with epoxy floors. Close to schools, YMCA, parks, walking trails and quick access to I35.

COULD BE NEXT! INTERESTED IN SELLING, BUYING, INVESTING or simply need a market analysis?

CALL US TODAY! 651-379-1581

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Q A

Where do you think rates will go this year?

Rates are going up…simply put. Rates are currently at or around 3.5% or 3.625% for a 30-year fixed. The bottom that we saw last year was into the 2’s. Not that 3.5% is a bad rate. Historically speaking, rates under 7% are crazy low. You have to put that into perspective on the whole thing. Speaking of perspective, the real question that stems from this is purchase power and what it actually costs when rates go up.

Will rates affect buyer activity?

&

Joe answers questions he received from clients. Feel free to submit your own question.

Email us: joeholmes@kw.com

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You couldn’t see this question coming next, right?! Yes, the easy follow up is how increased rates affect buyer activity.

Let’s get some basic math involved and assume a 30-year fixed: $400,000 @ 3% = $1,686/mo $400,000 @ 4% = $1,909/mo $400,000 @ 4.5% = $2,026/mo As you can see, the jump from 3% - 4% increases this monthly payment by $223 per month. I think that’s fairly doable given the loan amount – I’m assuming this is a $450,000 - $500,00 home. I assume the buyer can make that happen. However, when you start to rate at 4.5%, the payment goes up $340 per month and I think that’s significant enough to slow people down. So short term the rate increase won’t do anything to affect the spring market. However, when you get into the 4% ++ range…I think we’ll see buyer activity affected.

We have a well and septic system, should we test both before we hit the market?

Yes and Yes. In selling a home with these systems, it’s nearly a guarantee that these systems get tested. It doesn’t mean that if there’s an issue that it needs to be repaired or fixed by the seller. That is negotiable and lots of detail goes into that with city & county requirements, buyer expectations, etc.

However, the main point in testing asap to know what we’re selling and getting ahead of the process. If the septic system needs repairs or is out of compliance, it’s best to navigate that issue BEFORE a buyer writes an offer. As for the well – it’s rare that a well test gets in the middle of a sale but it does happen. Testing ahead of time is always a good idea!

Is it cheaper for me to build a new home in today’s market or buy a pre-existing home?

Generally speaking, it’s always cheaper to buy existing rather than building new. There can be some exceptions to this due to locations like lakefront, rural, etc. I’m going to translate it into price per square foot as the benchmark to measure AND to include your lot price. You’d be pretty hard pressed to find new construction under $200/sq ft…generally speaking on the low-side we see $225-$250/sq ft on new construction and it goes WAY up to $500/sq ft and higher. It all depends on what you want and there’s no end in sight to the options.

Existing homes are well below that. Generally speaking you can find existing homes at and below $225/sq ft.

With sellers pre-signing and not actually in a closing with the buyer, how do you transfer keys, info, etc?

Closing logistics in a covid-world…good question. So we don’t all get together for closings. Past closings were a mix of buyers, sellers, realtors, title companies, sometimes you get a lender to stop in, a mom, dad, kids… You never know.

Today we don’t gather (changing soon I’m sure). Today, the seller pre-signs all of their documents prior to the closing date. On the actual closing date, the seller is to have the keys, openers, etc on the kitchen countertop. The buyer and their realtor will have access to the key in the lockbox and take it from there. A bit anti-climactic as a group. The buyer will still meet with their title company & sign the closing package as usual but it’s less of a party.

So your Green Bean Packers lost the other week. How long did it take for you to come out of the corner from crying?

Yeah, really funny…and this is a real question from a friend that we’ve nicknamed “Coach”. You know who you are… always riding the green and gold cause there’s nothing else to do in MN. I tell you what Coach…#@!#$%&@ BLEEP BLEEP! It took about a week to get over…but I’m over it… kind of. Onward.

Is there an ideal amount or percentage to put down when buying?

Great question.. this dips into financial theory and you have to buy into your own personal theory. There’s this mystical number of 20% that people assume is the number to work with. At 20% down, you have an easy way of avoiding mortgage insurance.. easy that is if you have the funds.

Conventional loans typically start with 5% down. There are 3% down options but they do have a bit higher rate. Let’s stick with the 5% down… there is minimal difference in rate from 5% to 10% and then 20%. Really it’s about avoiding the mortgage insurance and it’s pretty reasonable to buy out that upfront. So my own financial theory – if money is cheap to borrow, I’m going to borrow it rather than put it in my home. I’m a fan of having reserves for the new home, the moving process, updates or fun things around the house and of course the rainy day fund for when life comes at you.

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OnlineCrosswords.net This is the Daily Crossword Puzzle #1 for Feb 13, 2022

Find the solution at https://onlinecrosswords.net/6266

CROSSWORD SUDOKU

Across 1. Brake parts 5. Orchestra instrument 9. "M" or "Mod" follower 14. __-Ball 15. Archer of myth 16. British satire magazine 17. Grip on a weapon 18. Roman writer 19. Display frame 20. Mace?

23. Yuletide drink 24. Carries on 28. Bank statement abbr.

29. It may be beaten 31. Paleozoic, for one 32. Botch 35. Cash, so to speak 36. Writer Kingsley 37. Audience forbearance?

40. Those born in early August 41. Map nos.

42. House or Senate feature 43. HBO alternative 44. Herbie Hancock genre 45. Besides 46. Requires from 48. Common carbohydrate 52. Necklaces?

55. Wine grape 58. Clockmaker Thomas 59. Gown feature, perhaps 60. Sheeplike 61. Spiny-leafed plant 62. French head 63. Irritated 64. "Mary Poppins" actor 65. Celtic language

Puzzle A

5

3

3 9

8 7

1

9 5 2 7 4 1 3 2

5

8 2 4

5

2 8 4 3

Puzzle B

6

9

9

6 5 9

2 9

5

1 7

1 3 9 2 3 7 8 6 2 7 5

1 3

Issue 19 Sudoku Solutions Puzzle A

5 6 8 7 9 2 1 3 4 22

1 4 9 6 5 3 2 7 8

7 2 3 4 1 8 5 9 6

Puzzle B

3 7 6 2 4 5 8 1 9

4 8 2 1 6 9 3 5 7

9 1 5 8 3 7 4 6 2

8 5 1 9 7 4 6 2 3

6 9 4 3 2 1 7 8 5

2 3 7 5 8 6 9 4 1

1 5 9 4 2 8 6 3 7

2 8 7 3 6 9 1 4 5

6 4 3 5 7 1 8 2 9

3 6 8 9 4 7 5 1 2

4 9 5 2 1 3 7 8 6

7 2 1 8 5 6 3 9 4

9 7 6 1 3 2 4 5 8

5 1 2 6 8 4 9 7 3

8 3 4 7 9 5 2 6 1

Down 1.

"I don't believe that!"

Across Across 2.

Japanese dog 1. Shoulder Brake parts 3. muscles, 5. Orchestra instrument briefly 9. Reserves "M" or "Mod" follower 4.

14.

-Ball 5. Make the grade 15. Archer of myth 6. character 16. Menotti British satire magazine 7.

Godfather" 17. "The Grip on a weapon theme composer 18. Roman writer 8.

19. Yearly Displayshindig frame 20.Honoree's Mace?

9. words 23. Yuletide drink 10.

Milk quantity 24. Carries 11.

Frenchon ones 28. Bank statement abbr.

12. Top gun 29. It may be beaten 13.

FedEx rival 31. Paleozoic, for one 32.

35.

36.

37.

40.

41.

42.

43.

44.

45.

46.

48.

52.

55.

58.

59.

60.

61.

62.

63.

64.

65.

39. Suburban home style 21. Ecclesiastical Down rule 1. "I don't believe44. that!"

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36. Feature12. of lemon 13.

FedEx rival juice 56. "__ had it!"

21. Ecclesiastical rule 38. It's not final 57. Disallow 22. Photo finish 25. Rest-stop sights Botch 26. An archangel Cash, so to speak 27. Out Writer Kingsley 29. Javier de Cuéllar Audience forbearance?

30. Charity Those born in early August 32. Valletta's land Map nos.

33. Particulars House or Senate feature 34. Things in inventory HBO alternative 35. Saxman Stan Herbie Hancock genre 36. Feature of lemon juice Besides 38. It's not final Requires from 39. Suburban home style Common carbohydrate 44. Wrote hastily Necklaces?

45. German city Wine grape 47. French river Clockmaker Thomas 48. Pretend Gown feature, perhaps 49. Persian Gulf craft Sheeplike 50. Huffs Spiny-leafed plant 51. First name in cosmetics French head 53. Part of Caesar's boast Irritated 54. Bank (on) "Mary Poppins" actor 55. Personal slant: Abbr.

Celtic language 56. " had it!"

57. Disallow

GE

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