The Brainerd Lakes Real Estate Blog

Helping make real estate dreams come true  Scam Alert The National Association of REALTORS® has learned that its good name is being used as part of a property rental scam. In this scam, rental property is offered to consumers, who are led to believe that NAR is functioning as an intermediary to receive rental deposits from prospective tenants and, upon receipt of the deposit, to deliver the keys to the property to the tenant. The tenant is instructed to send money via Western Union to NAR's purported agent. NAR is not involved in this business and believes it is a scam. NAR has contacted law enforcement officials to request that the matter be investigated. If you have encountered this scam, be advised you may file a complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center, sponsored by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the National White Collar Crime Center. Have you received a Notice of Default on your property?  What are your plans?  Do you plan to walk aw...

Helping make real estate dreams come true  I am sniffling and sneezing and so are other members in my household but there are differences.  Although a bit tired (probably from lack of sleep) I feel just fine - the others are miserable with higher temps, lethargy, aches and a great desire to sleep (ok I have that too!) The possible culprits are allergies, sinusitis, cold or the flu. Here is some great information from About.com on sorting out an allergy from sinusitis. With allergy season upon us, it's important to take a look at whether you may be suffering from allergies, or a sinus infection. Ah choo! It's allergy season and it seems like everyone is suffering from a runny or stuffed nose. In fact, a recent survey found that almost 40 percent of American consumers feel just like Snow White's friend, Sneezy, this time of year. But is it really allergies that are making them feel so "sneezy" or something else, like a full blown sinus infection? Each year, ...

Helping make real estate dreams come true   Scott's Thoughts: Forgiving for a Bigger Future Look back and you'll see how to look forward... "Forgiveness does not change the past, but it does enlarge the future." --Paul Boese (Dutch botanist) Somewhere along the line, someone crossed you. A deal fell through. A misunderstanding took place. Take a moment and think back, maybe even years back, to an instance where hard words were exchanged and you told yourself you'd never do business with someone again. Imagine yourself picking up the phone and giving them a call. Imagine yourself sitting down and spending ten minutes writing an email to clear the air. Picture a morning where you meet for coffee and bury the hatchet. Now I want you to imagine how you feel once it's out in the open and you've given your forgiveness openly. Sure, you may have been right. Yes, they may deserve all the scorn you're capable of. But what Paul Boese says is true: You...

Helping make real estate dreams come true GLAR Market Update for November 2009 The passing of the home-buyer tax credit's intitial expiration date hasn't yet slowed the urgency of home buyers in the Greater Lakes region, as November saw a continuation of the strong sales we've seen in previous months. There were 245 closed sales during the month, up 59.6 percent from a year ago. New Listings were also up 18.7 percent. The Median Sales Price for the month was $134,850, dipping 3.0 percent from the same month last year. Year to date, the median sales price has fallen 9.9 percent from a year ago. Falling prices have combined with still-low mortgage rates to create a favorable affordability picture. Have you received a Notice of Default on your property?  What are your plans?  Do you plan to walk away or do you want to try a Short Sale which has much less damage to your credit and helps you save face? You need a plan of action and if you want to buy ...

The underwater soap opera | Real Estate and Technology News for Agents, Brokers and Investors | Inman News Posted using ShareThis

New GFE to reshape mortgage ethics? | Real Estate and Technology News for Agents, Brokers and Investors | Inman News Posted using ShareThis

Helping make real estate dreams come true When a Home is Listed for Sale , the Buyers will most likely hire their own Home Inspector before closing to check on all of the  key components of the home.  However, if you are a Seller it might be prudent to hire a Home Inspector to avoid possible problems in the transaction.  Not all Home Inspectors will have the  exact same opinion of course, but being proactive will prevent problems down the line after the purchase agreement.  The property can be advertised as pre-inspected and the inspection booklet proudly displayed  at the property. Taking the extra measure of being aware, may just be the ticket to a smooth transaction.   Even if you are not thinking of buying or selling, keep your family safe. In the Brainerd Lakes area of Minnesota inspections are running from $325 to $350. We have several great inspectors who know their craft and provide detailed reports. Thinking of sell...

     A very talented artist for several years has painted ornaments to be hung on the various White House Christmas trees . The WH sends out an invitation to send an ornament and informs the artists of the theme for the year.  She got her letter from the WH recently. It said that they would not be called Christmas trees this year. They will be called Holiday trees . And, to please not send any ornaments painted with a religious theme.     She was very upset at this development and sent back a reply telling them that she painted the ornaments for Christmas trees and would not be sending any for display that left Christ out of Christmas.   Just thought you should know what the new residents in the WH plan for the future of America . If you missed his statement that "we do not consider ourselves a Christian Nation" this should confirm that he plans to take us away from our religious foundation as quickly as possible. ...

photo Flickr Time for Balance - Again! Home inspections are a must, and I see that buyers and some agents have shifted their views of them since the economy took a turn down. I tell my buyer clients that the inspection is not intended to provide a laundry list of items that the seller is required to fix. It is done to educate the buyer and point out any issues that the buyer may not know otherwise. Some issues are minor, while some are major. One cracked tile in the bathroom does not mean the whole floor has to be replaced ... unless ... it is found that water has consistently seeped through and ruined the subflooring. Then we would request a replacement or credit. If an inspection issue is health, safety, or structural related, I would ask the seller to repair before closing. After all, if the seller refuses to repair it, it must now be disclosed in the property disclosure. That will certainly deter future buyers. Other agents are encouraging their clients to put in an o...