When it gets too cold out, most people don't want to move. When the holidays are near by people are too busy to look at houses.  Year after year I find that it slows down this time of year because less people are looking for homes. 

However, if you are in a position to buy a home now, use this time to find the right home!  This is the BEST time to buy a home in Minnesota and here is why:

1.  Less people are looking because its too cold for them to move. ( More homes for you!)

2.  The holiday's are coming and the stress of moving and fitting in time for the holiday's is too much (less competition on offers for you!)

3.  Interest rates are still very very low!

4.  The tax credit extension means there is an extra incentive to buy.  And since less people are looking now, you are less likely to run into multiple offers like you would in the Spring.

5. Going off the above point the prices are going to be lower now then they will be in the Spring.

I would strongly suggest buying a home in the next 2-3 months instead of waiting until March or April if you have everything in line now.

Chuck Carstensen

RE/MAX Associates Plus Inc.

612-290-3809

Its been a long time coming for me to actually make good football picks, but in back to back weeks I won the Pick The Pros prize dished out by Wells Fargo in my area.

Basically you just pick the winner of each NFL game (excluding Mondays) and whoever has the best record wins a prize.  I came into the office today and found that I had 2 prizes, one each for the last two weeks.

Of course now this week I actually decided to think when I was making my picks. This might be the kiss of death. 

My upset special is the TEXANS beating the COLTS.  (I am guessing no one will pick that one).

I also suggest taking the RAVENS over the BENGALS in my toss up pick.  (Evenly matched teams).

Good Luck!

Comfortable...sounds like such a nice fuzzy, cozy and warm word.  Almost any sentence that we could use it in makes it sound like "getting comfortable" is a great thing! ...And I would agree.

Unfortunately "staying comfortable" is holding most people down.  So many people are down and out because of finances or relationships or because of things that they regret not doing.  However, its always OUR CHOICE what we do, and most people choose to STAY COMFORTABLE and then complain or get depressed about where they are.

If you could take a few simple steps to improve your life would you FOLLOW THROUGH on them? 

Most people will go to the course, listen to cd; only to say later they tried to DO BETTER but it did not work for them.

To take yourself to a HIGHER place you have to get out of your comfort zone.  It may take a little extra time.  It may cause you to have to let go of some habits that are not serving you. It may mean you have to spend your money in a different way. 

For the FEW that choose to go HIGHER it is well worth it. And for the others they sit back stay comfortable.  Is that working for you??

Chuck Carstensen

RE/MAX Associates Plus Inc

612-290-3809

www.DiscoverYourSuccess.net (For those looking to get out of the comfort zone)

Its easy to think about all the "could haves" and "should haves" of yesterday and last week and wonder "why me". Often we fall into that trap. 

However, its our choice to look at each day is a new adventure and a new beginning.  Its a chance to do your best right now!  (Even if you did not bring your best yesterday.)  Its a day you can enjoy if you CHOOSE to. It doesn't matter what the weather is like or how the transactions are looking at this point.  Today can be a great day!

Look for ways to make this day a great day!  What can you give? Who can you bless? What can you do or not do that would help you feel good?

I am going to share with you a powerful SUCCESS AFFIRMATION.  I take it from Six Minutes To Success with Bob Proctor.

The Diamond Principle:

I live out the DIAMOND PRINCIPLE! It says, "Residing within me are the attributes of precious diamonds. Like the diamond I am uniquely created. There is no other diamond quite like me. Precious...I have a sense of worth. I am valuable! I am lovable and capable! Like a diamond I reflect light bringing warmth and color to all who see me!"

This is truely great way to see yourself and a great way to bring more goodness into your life and the life of those around you. Its easy to get down in tough times, but with help of mindset changing attitudes like these you can learn to quickly get feeling good again.

More great tools at www.DiscoverYourSuccess.net

Chuck Carstensen

RE/MAX Associates Plus Inc

612-290-3809

I admit. I am not on twitter alot!  I am sure the best is yet to come. My blog posts do go over to twitter.  I can say this though: I USE TWITTER BETTER THEN KANSAS CITY CHIEF'S RUNNING BACK LARRY JOHNSON.

The former all pro back can no longer find space to gain many yards playing on a terrible team.  So guess what he does...calls out his coach on Twitter...that gets noticed and then he calls the media and fans "fags"...come on Larry.

Its a great lesson on what not to do.  So often I come on facebook, active rain, or twitter and notice people "blowing off steam" about some negativity or misfortune or even ripping on someone else.

Sure we might all be tempted to do this each day but is it really worth it? I feel a little bad for picking on Johnson to make a point in this block. 

Its simply much better to mention uplifting and helpful things using social media.  This is what is going to attract more business too you!

Each day I look through the new listings and run several saved search updates for buyers I am working with, and it surprises me to see almost NOTHING is getting listed. Some of the REO listing agents that I pay attention to have nearly sold out of all of there listings. Most of the sales I am putting together now for my buyers are short sale listings because that is about all that are out there that are priced correctly.

For months we have been hearing about the 2ND WAVE OF FORECLOSURES that are coming. I look in the paper and see a lot of notices, but where are all the listings?  Are people getting loan modifications?  Did a lot of those foreclosures sell as short sales thus reducing the bank owned listings?

There are still a lot of good buyers looking for homes, but they need something worthwhile to purchase otherwise they will stay put.  So if BANKS are withholding any listings its time to get what they can on the market...NOW! Seriously!

Chuck Carstensen - RE/MAX Associates Plus Inc. - 612-290-3809

I had a message forwarded to me today that I really enjoyed so I wanted to share it.

Malachi 3:3 says:

"He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver.."

This verse puzzled some women in a Bible study and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God.

One of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible Study.

That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work.  She didn't mention anything about the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining silver.

As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up.  He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities...

The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot; then she thought again about the verse that says:

"He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver."

She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined.

The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire.  If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed.

The woman was silent for a moment.  Then she asked the silversmith, "How do you know when the silver is fully refined?"

He smiled at her and answered,
"Oh, that's easy -
- when I see my image in it."

If today you are feeling the heat of the fire, remember that God has His eye on you and will keep watching you until He sees His image in you.

Pass this on right now..  This very moment, someone needs to know that God is watching over them.  And whatever they're going through, they'll be a better person in the end.

"Life is a coin.  
You can spend it anyway you wish,
but you can only spend it once."
 
For we walk by faith, not by sight.  (II Corinthians 5:7)

I keep reading about the possibility of the $8000 tax credit being extended and different pushes to open it up to more people.  Of course I hear the naysayers who think it will be throwing money away and only temporarily keep market prices up.

They say that most of the people will buy a home anyway so why give them the tax credit. I know that I have probably gotten 7-10 more sales in the recent 3-4 months because buyer wanted the tax credit. That was there motivation.  These are people who would have stayed on the fence and perhaps waited until next spring if it weren't for the tax credit. I know it has helped!

However, I like to come up with ideas that work for all people involved.  How about this:

EXTEND THE $8000 TAX CREDIT TO BUYERS WHO BUY A 'MARKET WORN' HOUSE!

What I mean by 'market worn' is a house that has been on the market a defined amount of days without selling.  That could be 50 or more, 100 or more, maybe 150 or more days.  We know many house are coming on the market and selling right away and tax credit or not they will sell, so why throw $8000 at those.

The houses that are 'market worn' are a big part of the problem. They sit on the market and people do a search and say, "wow there are so many houses out there."  The truth is there are many that sell fast and then a large number that linger on the market. 

Guess what?  A lot of buyers would search this market and go after the 'market worn" houses and at least consider them and even throw some offer at them.  Perhaps eventually the seller would come to reality on the price and the buyer would be happy because they would get a tax credit for buying the house.

We all probably have 1 or 2 listings that are right on the fringe of selling if only there was a there was motivation that pointed the buyer to the house over some others that are out there.  I am not suggesting people over pay for bad houses.  I do believe that most sellers will look at reasonable offers.  As days on the market increases sellers can become more flexible. And a TAX CREDIT for the buyers taking one of these homes of the market is something worth extending!

Chuck Carstensen - RE/MAX Associates Plus Inc. - Elk River, MN - 612-290-3809 - chuck@thediscoveryteam.com