On the Record. On Deadline.

Fargo-Moorhead real estate commentary from a 14-year independent brokerage. Same-day turnaround for journalists, podcasters, and radio. Talk to the brokers directly — no PR layer, no corporate approval delay.

Modern Market REALTORS® provides expert commentary on Fargo-Moorhead real estate for print, broadcast, and digital outlets. No PR firm, no corporate approval layer — you get the broker on the phone, not a media specialist reading a script.

Deadline Commitments

Same-day response Monday–Friday — usually within 4 business hours.
Weekend press inquiries: response by Monday 8 AM (or sooner if the deadline is urgent — text the line).
No PR firm, no corporate approval layer. You get the broker on the phone, not a media specialist reading a script.

Press Contact

Shannon Barnum — Co-Founder · Associate Broker · REALTOR®

Phone: (701) 205-5517 · Email: shannon@modernmarketrealtors.com

Jim Christl — Co-Founder · Broker · REALTOR® (data and market analysis)

Phone: (701) 205-5517 · Email: jim@modernmarketrealtors.com

Commentary Topics

Fargo-Moorhead Market Trends

Active inventory, median price, days on market — tracked daily across Fargo, Moorhead, West Fargo, Horace, Dilworth, and Glyndon. Voice: Jim

Just-Listed Velocity (M Premiere)

How fast new listings hit the FM MLS — and what the pace difference between Zillow and the source feed means for buyers and sellers. Voice: Shannon

Price-Drop Patterns (M Markdowns)

When and where sellers are reducing — broken down by city, price tier, and time of year. Real reductions, not 'price improvement' resets. Voice: Jim

MN Cabin & Waterfront Market

Detroit Lakes, Otter Tail, the chain lakes — seasonality, waterfront pricing, and how out-of-state demand shifts each spring. Voice: Shannon

First-Time Buyer Landscape

FHA / VA / USDA dynamics in the FM metro. Down-payment realities. New-construction incentives that affect entry-level demand. Voice: Jim & Shannon

New Construction in Horace & West Fargo

Who's building where. Spec inventory vs custom timelines. Lot availability. Builder-paid buyer representation explained. Voice: Jim

Quotable Insights

“The 'best time to list' question gets a different answer in Fargo-Moorhead than in Minneapolis or Chicago — our spring window is compressed, and lake-country seasonality runs on a separate clock from the metro.”
— Jim Christl, Broker · Modern Market REALTORS®

“We track new listings every five minutes. By the time a home shows on Zillow, it has often been on our M Premiere feed for hours. That pace difference is real and it changes how buyers should plan their search week.”
— Shannon Barnum, Associate Broker · Modern Market REALTORS®

“Most buyers do not realize the listing agent and the buyer's agent are usually different humans with different obligations. We tell people that upfront — it changes how they should pick representation, especially on new construction where the builder pays the buyer-side commission.”
— Jim Christl, Broker · Modern Market REALTORS®

Press Kit

Bios — Short and long-form bios for Jim Christl (Broker) and Shannon Barnum (Associate Broker)
High-res headshots — Print-grade photos of both brokers — current 2026 set
Brand assets — M logo (red), full Modern Market REALTORS® mark, brand color palette
Stats sheet — 5.0★ rating, 80+ verified reviews, transaction volume, tenure, service area
Company boilerplate — Pre-approved copy for the 'About the Company' paragraph at the end of your article

Request the press kit by calling (701) 205-5517 or using the form below.

Company Boilerplate

Pre-approved “About the Company” paragraph for the end of your article:

Modern Market REALTORS® is an independent, owner-led real estate brokerage serving the Fargo-Moorhead area, owned and operated by husband-and-wife brokers Jim Christl and Shannon Barnum. Independent since 2012, the firm works directly with buyers and sellers across North Dakota and Minnesota. Jim, a Broker and REALTOR®, and Shannon, an Associate Broker and REALTOR®, each bring more than two decades of individual real-estate experience.

Listings courtesy of NorthstarMLS as distributed by MLS GRID

Based on information submitted to the MLS GRID as of 11/04/2026, 7:14 AM CST. All data is obtained from various sources and may not have been verified by broker or MLS GRID. Supplied Open House Information is subject to change without notice. All information should be independently reviewed and verified for accuracy. Properties may or may not be listed by the office/agent presenting the information.

IDX information is provided exclusively for consumers' personal, non-commercial use and may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties consumers may be interested in purchasing.

Modern Market REALTORS® — Jim Christl (Broker) & Shannon Barnum (Associate Broker). Serving Fargo, Moorhead, West Fargo, Horace, Detroit Lakes, and Minnesota lake country. Call (701) 205-5517.