The Brainerd Lakes Real Estate Blog

full log home & acreage This is a very nice full log home with over 5 acres and a pole building. Very private setting and close to the Lake Alexander public access. Call for a showing- 218-831-8001. Helping make real estate dreams come true 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 some time, stay in the home until it sells and save up some money - then contact: Kathleen Lordbock REALTOR/Staging and Short Sale Specialist Keller Williams Realty Brainerd Lakes Don't just walk away - there is hope, there is help!

Helping make real estate dreams come true  Here is a little something sweet and delicious for the upcoming holidays.  Oreo Truffles 1 8oz. package of softened cream cheese, 1 stick of melted butter, 1 package of regular oreos, crushed 2 blocks of white chocolate almond bark.   Blend together first three ingredients for about 3 minutes, for a smooth mixture.  Chill for one hour.  Roll into bite size balls and then dunk in melted almond bark chocolate.  Let cool on wax paper.  Then cool again (I usually put them in the refrigerator over night and they are ready to go the next day.)  Hint:  Don't over heat the chocolate--it won't work then.  Just put in for 1.5 min and then stir and then put in for 30 sec. intervals until smooth. 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 ...

Helping make real estate dreams come true     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 some time, stay in the home until it sells and save up some money - then contact:  Kathleen Lordbock REALTOR/Staging & Short Sale Specialist  Keller Williams Realty Brainerd Lakes Don't just walk away - there is hope, there is help!

CRAVAACK CALLS ON OBERSTAR TO RESIGN AS HEAD OF HOUSE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE ST. PAUL -- Congressional candidate Chip Cravaack today called on Rep. James Oberstar to resign as chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee because he has failed to take  any useful  action in the two months since an oil well began to poison the Gulf of Mexico. “ During the worst environmental disaster in American history, Jim Oberstar has been asleep at the helm of the House Transportation committee ,” Cravaack, a graduate of the United States Naval Academy, said. “ No skipper has been so slow to act since Joe Hazelwood was sleeping it off in his bunk during the Exxon Valdez crash in 1989 .  It is time for Jim Oberstar to step down as chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.” Oberstar is chair of the committee which oversees the Coast Guard and is responsible for federal management of emergencies and oil po...

Helping make real estate dreams come true Getting Ready By Paige Tepping The appraiser will need approximately 30 minutes to one hour to complete the inspection phase of the appraisal process, which includes: exterior photos of the front and rear of the home and a photo of the street in front of the property; measurements of the exterior of the home, garage and any outbuildings; a walk-through inspection of all rooms and levels of the interior of the home including the basement. Get organized. Put together a checklist that will help you get ready for your appraisal and get the results you're looking for. Be flexible when scheduling the appointment. Have a copy of your home’s blueprint to help verify measurements and lot size. Provide a list of improvements made to the property since the purchase. Improvements that should be noted include adding a pool, patio, updating your kitchen or bathroom and any room additions, etc. Allow your appraiser access to the entir...

Helping make real estate dreams come true   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 some time, stay in the home until it sells and save up some money - then contact:  Kathleen Lordbock REALTOR/Staging & Short Sale Specialist  Keller Williams Realty Brainerd Lakes Don't just walk away - there is hope, there is help!

Helping make real estate dreams come true     Consider before you ignore or outright refuse a very low purchase offer for your home. A counteroffer and negotiation could turn that low purchase offer into a sale. When you receive a low offer on your house, the best response is to counter with a price you're willing to accept. Image: Keith Brofsky/Photodisc/Getty Images You just received a purchase offer from someone who wants to buy your home. You’re excited and relieved, until you realize the purchase offer is much lower than your asking price. How should you respond? Set aside your emotions, focus on the facts, and prepare a counteroffer that keeps the buyers involved in the deal. Check your emotions A purchase offer, even a very low one, means someone wants to purchase your home. Unless the offer is laughably low, it deserves a cordial response, whether that’s a counteroffer or an outright rejection. Remain cal...

Helping make real estate dreams come true   By using gas and electric stoves more effectively, you can save an average of $30 per year. Image: Electrolux Spending less money on utility bills doesn’t mean you need to rush out and purchase a whole new suite of Energy Star appliances. With occasional light maintenance and good habits, you can greatly improve the energy efficiency of your large kitchen appliances—up to about $120 annually—without sacrificing convenience. Refrigerator/freezer Energy-efficiency experts tell us to focus our efforts on the biggest energy hogs in the house, and that ...

Helping make real estate dreams come true How to Fire Up the Grill from Real Simple Instant-light briquettes are not a good idea. Neither are briquettes doused with lighter fluid. Although it will be safe to eat, the food you cook over fuel-started briquettes can pick up a chemical taste. Instant-light briquettes are made from pulverized charcoal and mixed with additives to make them easy to light and to keep burning. Hardwood charcoal, or charwood ($11.25 for a 20-pound bag, char-wood.com ), lights faster and burns hotter and cleaner than briquettes. That means whatever you cook over it tastes better, too. The easiest (and healthiest) way to ignite a fire is with a chimney starter―a large can open at both the top and the bottom. A wad of newspaper is packed into the bottom; a grill-load of charcoal goes on top. Put one match to the paper and in about ...

Staging Homes to Appeal to First Time Buyers Helping make real estate dreams come true Thanks to TurquoiseDecor for this article We all know that staging a home for sale means turning it into a product that will appeal to the largest cross-section of potential buyers out there. However, stagers are well-advised to bear in mind the likely demographic of potential buyers for a given property. For instance, recently the market was stimulated by the availability of the increased first-time home buyer’s tax credit. Homes of a size and location likely to appeal to first-time buyers need to be staged to appeal specifically to this group of people. Typically, who are first-time home buyers? Usually they are younger singles or couples – often with, or considering, a young family. In order to appeal to first-time buyers, sellers need pander to younger, more modern tastes. The best way to go is fresh, clean, and contemporary. Aside from the usual de-cluttering and thorough cle...

Helping make real estate dreams come true! Add a Touch of Video to Your Existing Marketing Plan By Stephanie Andre RISMEDIA, May 15, 2010—The world of video can be a scary beast when you first start. Where do you begin? How long should the video be? What should it cover? The key is to use what you already have. Here are four key tips, courtesy of VScreen’s Stephen Schweickart: (1) Don’t reinvent the wheel . Many firms have well-established marketing plans that may have taken considerable time and effort to implement. Show the boss how you can take what you are currently doing…and do it better with video. The addition of video can be all about enhancement of existing strategies… and reaching goals more quickly and effectively. (2) Take small steps. Perhaps your current marketing plan makes use of written testimonials. Consider expanding their impact by filming a few of them. After all, enthusiasm is contagious…and what better way to share emotion than with video? An...

Helping make real estate dreams come true    ~a Living Room with flair~ How to Add Zest to a Living Room It is easy to add zest and zing to a living room. The easiest way to update a room is by changing the wall colors with new paint or wallpaper. There are also many artistic ways to blend the colors to achieve unusual drama in a room, such as layering a shimmery color over a base color. Other ways to add zest to a living room include adding live flowers, photos, crystal vases, chandeliers or pillows and fabric accents in jewel tones.  ehow 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 some time, stay in the home until it sells and save up some money - then contact: ...

http://activerain.com/blogsview/1631936/susan-g-komen-workshop-for-miss-brainerd-lakes-contestants Helping make real estate dreams come true 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 some time, stay in the home until it sells and save up some money - then contact: Kathleen Lordbock REALTOR/Staging & Short Sale Specialist Keller Williams Realty Brainerd Lakes Don't just walk away - there is hope, there is help!

Helping make real estate dreams come true Can I Borrow $5? A woman came home from work late, tired and irritated, to find her 5-year old son waiting for her at the door. SON: 'Mummy, may I ask you a question?' MUM: 'Yeah sure, what it is?' replied the woman. SON: 'Mummy, how much do you make an hour?' MUM: 'That's none of your business. Why do you ask such a thing?' the woman said angrily. SON: 'I just want to know. Please tell me, how much do you make an hour?' MUM: 'If you must know, I make $20 an hour.' SON: 'Oh,' the little boy replied, with his head down. SON: "Mummy, may I please borrow $5?" The mother was furious, 'If the only reason you asked that is so you can borrow some money to buy a silly toy. The little boy quietly went to his room and shut the door.. The woman sat down and started to think. Maybe there was something he really needed to buy with that $5 and he really ...

Helping make real estate dreams come true   Dear God, I thank You for this day,  I thank You for my being able to see and to hear this morning.   I'm blessed because You are  a forgiving God and an understanding God... You have done so much for me  and You keep on blessing me. Forgive me this day for everything  I have done, said or thought  that was not pleasing to You.... I ask now for Your forgiveness. Please keep me safe from all danger and harm.  Help me to start this day  with a new attitude and plenty of gratitude.  Let me make the best of each and every day  to clear my mind so that I can hear from You. Please broaden my mind  that I can accept all things.   Let me not whine and whimper over things I have no control over. And give me the best response when I'm pushed beyond my limits. I know that when I can't pray,  You listen to my heart. Keep me strong that I may help the weak... Kee...

Helping make real estate dreams come true  4613 Pine Beach Road, Brainerd, MN    Send to Friend      Send to Friend 5 bed/3 car Updated finishes, remodeled bathrooms,new exterior doors, designer touches & immaculate. Built in oak hutch in kitchen, custom tile w    5BR/2BA Single Family House         offered at $178,000 Year Built     1988 Sq Footage     2,240 Bedrooms     5 Bathrooms     2 full, 0 partial Floors     1 Parking     3 Car garage Lot Size     2 acres DESCRIPTION The property is updated and totally move in ready. Where else will you find a 5 bedroom, 2 bath, 1 car plus and 2 car plus garage on 2 acres with mature shade trees? Priced far below comparable 4 & 5 bedroom properties but looking far better than the competitions. Immaculate condition and such a great layout - you w...

Helping make real estate dreams come true  Closing Costs Checklist The cost of buying a property goes beyond simply paying the price negotiated between the buyer and seller. If you pay cash, you will probably pay less and close faster. If you are taking on a mortgage, the closing costs involved to complete the transaction can range from 2% to 7% of the purchase price. Fees required vary by state. Here are some of the common fees included in a typical settlement, which will comprise your closing costs: Fees related to a mortgage loan (if you are borrowing to buy):     * Loan origination fee     * Loan discount ("points") - a one-time fee charged by the lender to lower your monthly interest rate     * Appraisal fee* (the lender usually orders an appraisal to determine the value of the property)     * Credit Report fee* (for the lender to research your credit rating)     * Lender's inspection fee...

Helping make real estate dreams come true   At the end of 2009, foreclosures were definitely “in the news.” And for good reason: the number of foreclosures rose from 1.8 million at the end of 2008 to about 2.5 million at the end of 2009. 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 some time, stay in the home until it sells and save up some money - then contact:  Kathleen Lordbock REALTOR/Staging & Short Sale Specialist  Keller Williams Realty Brainerd Lakes Don't just walk away - there is hope, there is help!

Helping make real estate dreams come true More real estate agents are choosing Keller Williams Realty over other companies because of their commitment to real estate agent training and education.   State courses don’t give you the tools you need to run build a successful real estate career.  Let KW’s proven business model guide you to success; all you have to do is follow the model and you are guaranteed to reach your goals.  Email me at KLordbock@kw.com to learn how KW can take your career to the next level.  Kathleen Lordbock REALTOR/Staging & Short Sale Specialist  Keller Williams Realty Brainerd Lakes

Helping make real estate dreams come true Via J. Philip Faranda Here are a few things home buyers can do to ensure that they get the most from an agent. Get pre-approved . I shouldn't have to explain this. The housing industry has been bent like a pipe cleaner the past 18 months. A pre approval older than 90 days is worthless, and no pre-approval disqualifies you from being taken seriously by a seller. . It takes 10 minutes to speak with a lender and get a free updated pre-approval that shows you are ready, willing and able buyers. Practice monogamy . Often in New York, some buyers think that they can get a batter deal if they work with more than 1 agent or deal directly with listing agents. Both of these notions are not only false, they can be expensive mistakes. If your agent catches on to the fact that you are playing the field, he'll start hedging his bets also, because nobody wants to devote time to a buyer file that might not close because you are looking in anothe...