Chad Hettermann-Foundation Real Estate

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Sioux Falls, SD
Chad Hettermann-Foundation Real Estate

I’m a real estate agent with Foundation Real Estate in Sioux Falls, SD and the nearby area.

I love having conversations about the real estate market so please reach out with ANY questions.

08/07/2026

PMI stands for private mortgage insurance. If you put down less than 20% on your home, most lenders require it — it's not protecting you, it's protecting them in case you default on the loan. It's an extra cost added to your monthly payment.

Here's the part people miss: it's not forever. Once your equity hits 20% — either because you've paid the loan down or your home's value has gone up — you can request that it be removed. The lender isn't going to call and offer to drop it for you. You have to ask.

A lot of people just keep paying it for years without realizing they've already crossed that line. If it's been a couple years since you bought and you're not sure where your equity stands, it's worth checking in with your lender.

— Chad

08/05/2026

Down payment and closing costs get lumped together, but they're two different things.

The down payment goes toward the home itself — it's equity, and it's what lowers how much you finance. Closing costs are separate: appraisal, title work, lender fees, that kind of thing. They typically run 2–5% of the purchase price, on top of whatever you're putting down — and the real number depends on the house, the loan, and the deal, so it's never quite the same twice.

If you want real numbers for your situation, send me a message and I'll connect you with a lender who can walk you through it.

— Chad

08/03/2026

Ever wonder how we actually land on a listing price? It's not a guess — it's the comps.

We look at what's sold nearby in the last few months, matched on bedrooms, square footage, and house type. A story-and-a-half doesn't price like a ranch or a split-level, even if they're two doors down from each other.

Skip this step and you're either leaving money on the table or sitting on the market for months. If you're curious what your comps actually say, shoot me a message — happy to pull them and walk through it with you.

— Chad

07/30/2026

1212 W 10th St just came on the market.

Built in 1912, and it's got the kind of character you can't build back into a house today. The woodwork, the archways, the staircase — they cared about this house when they built it, and it shows.

Kitchen's been updated, A/C is newer. Corner lot, a few blocks off downtown. 4 bed, 2 bath, 2,100+ square feet.

$274,900, and there's a $10K allowance on the table.

If you've been thinking about a house with this kind of character and craftsmanship, this one's worth seeing in person. Message me and I'll get you through it.

— Chad

07/22/2026

Two checks that come up once you're under contract, and buyers mix them up all the time. They answer different questions.
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The inspection is for you. A licensed inspector goes through the house — roof, foundation, furnace, water heater, electrical, plumbing — and hands you a report on what's working, what's aging, and what needs attention. Here's the part people miss: the inspection is actually written into your offer. When you present a purchase agreement, the inspection contingency is one of the terms in it — how many days you get, and your right to renegotiate or walk if something big turns up. It's a real piece of what you're offering a seller.
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Which is why it comes up on every single offer — it's not optional to decide, it's a line on the purchase agreement you answer yes or no. Are you asking for an inspection period, and if so, how long? Every buyer answers it, every time. There's no right default; the answer depends on the house in front of you and what you're comfortable with. That's the part I make sure people actually understand before they check the box.
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The appraisal is different — that one's for the lender. An appraiser compares your home to recent sales of similar ones nearby and puts a value on it, so the bank knows the loan is covered. If you're financing, the lender orders it, and you don't get to skip that one.
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Different questions, different roles — and knowing how the inspection fits into your offer is exactly the kind of thing that makes a stronger buyer.
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— Chad

07/20/2026

Ask a buyer what they want and you'll hear kitchens, bathrooms, a big garage. Then watch them at a showing — they open every closet door in the house. Storage never makes the wish list, but it quietly decides which homes people remember. A real pantry, a mudroom that handles South Dakota winters, a linen closet that actually fits linens.
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And if you're getting ready to sell, that's good news — storage is one of the few selling points that doesn't cost anything to show off. It's already built into your house. You just want buyers to see the space itself when they open the door.
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If you're thinking about listing and want to know what your house already has going for it — before you spend a dime on projects — reach out. That walkthrough is one of the most useful conversations I have with sellers.
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— Chad

07/18/2026

Two labels that confuse almost everyone: contingent and pending. Contingent means the seller accepted an offer, but conditions still have to clear before it's a done deal — financing, inspection, sometimes the sale of the buyer's current home. Pending means those conditions have cleared and the sale is in its final stretch, just waiting on closing.
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Short version: contingent is "accepted, with strings attached." Pending is "nearly done."
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If you're seeing terms like this and starting to wonder what the buying process actually looks like start to finish, shoot me a message. No paperwork, no pressure — just a conversation so the whole thing makes sense before you're in it.
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— Chad

07/16/2026

A lot of house hunting happens inside a search filter. Set your minimum at 1,800 square feet and you'll never even see the 1,650 that would've been the one. The number can't tell you how a house actually lives — where the light comes in, whether the kitchen connects to the living space, how it feels when you walk through the door.
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I'd hate for anyone to miss the right house over a filter setting. Loosen the number a little and walk the flow — some of the best homes I've shown were the ones a stricter search would've hidden.
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— Chad

07/07/2026

816 W 22nd St — right across the street from the University of Sioux Falls, and very close to Sanford.
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$199,000. A central Sioux Falls home that's been used as a rental with good return — a solid start for a first-time investor. Several updates over the last 7–10 years: new shingles, new windows, an updated electrical panel, and water heater. Original hardwood on the main. Sold as-is.
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Come see it before it's gone — message me if you want the rental details.
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https://www.homes.com/property/816-w-22nd-st-sioux-falls-sd/kr4fh0n3d83fe/
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— Chad

Address

Sioux Falls, SD

Telephone

+16057995035

Website

http://foundationrealestatesd.com/

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