150,000 Point Mark With This Post - 02/28/09 09:18 AM
I joined Active Rain on March 4, 2008. I started at a really rapid pace. I was a machine cranking out 10 posts a week and making 10 comments a day.
I have slowed down from that pace but still in a little under a year I have been able to reach 150,000 point mark. Points do matter. I had a closing in December and the buyer found me on Active Range and basically said they picked me because they were impressed with the points I had...plus I worked in the area they were looking.
My business continues to grow even … (8 comments)
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Wake Up Moments Update...Book is rising on the bestseller list!!! - 02/26/09 04:01 PM
This has been very exciting for me to watch today. The WAKE UP MOMENTS book that I have post links and updates on over the past days, weeks and months is finally out and today is the day we are taking up the best seller list at Barns&Noble.
At 12noon central time we were at 76. At 1pm we went to 64. At 2pm we are at 52 and the 3pm update had us at 39. It would be awesome if we could get this all the way to #1.
The Wake Up Moments book features over 40 authors and each … (6 comments)
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Be You! - 02/26/09 12:18 PM
The love of my life, Melissa, shared this poem with me today and I wanted to share it with everyone! Enjoy!
People are unreasonable, illogical and self-centered. Love them anyway.If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Do good anyway. If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies. Succeed anyway.The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway. Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable. Be honest and frank anyway.The biggest person with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest person with the smallest mind. Think big … (3 comments)
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Today is the day - Wake Up Moments - 02/26/09 09:00 AM
Today's the day we are taking Wake Up Moments to the Top 100 List at barnesandnoble.com. I am a co-author in this book that features over 50 co-authors who are top professionals from all around the world.
This book is the perfect gift. It is inspirational and full of advice anyone can use to find their life's passion and learn of other people's surprising moments. So, please order your copy of the book today, that's Thursday, February 26. Visit http://tinyurl.com/wakeupmoments to purchase your copy. Thank you in advance for your help. It is much appreciated.
With much gratitude, … (8 comments)
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Isanti County Home Market - 02/24/09 10:33 PM
Isanti County, MN has been one of the hardest hit markets in Minnesota. There are still many more homes on the market then buyers and there will be a large amount of homes hitting the market this summer and fall.
So what do you do if your a buyer?
1) Buy Smart - There are LOW interest rates and low prices. There are homes at market bottom prices, or near market bottom prices. There are homes less then rent. Now is still a good time to buy.
2) Get approved for a loan now - Even if your just feeling things … (0 comments)
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Wake Up Moments book out Feb. 26 (2) - 02/23/09 08:22 PM
I'm posting again on this to urge you to order Wake Up?Moments. I am a co-author in this book that features stories from more than 50 co-authors from all around the world that are living a passionate life.
We are working hard to get this book on the Top 100 List at barnesandnoble.com and we need your help. So, please go to http://tinyurl.com/wakeupmoments on Thursday,. February 26 and purchase your book. You'll be glad you did!
With much gratitude,
Chuck Carstensen
… (0 comments)
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Homes With A Septic System - 02/22/09 07:40 PM
I will be submitting an offer on a home with a septic system in the morning and that got me thinking. Sure I have helped buyers purchase a home with private well and septic in the past. Many of those homes were newer and the septic was compliant.
However, every so often you find an home 15 years old or more and typically in this situation you are going to have a septic system that needs to be updated. The challenge is the BANK owns the home and they are not going to pay for it, and the buyer is putting … (3 comments)
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Outside Blog-- It's Alive - 02/20/09 09:32 PM
Tonight I took the time to create a REAL ESTATE related OUTSIDE blog. I know we have had that option for a while, but I was just cruising along not knowing how to use it.
I have to warn you its real hard for me to narrow down my area because I work with mostly buyers and I work all over the North Metro area of Minnesota. Most of my sales occur in Sherburne, Anoka, Isanti and Wright County. So that became my blog title. Now for the buyers working with me on homes in Chisago, Mille Lacs and Hennepin County … (4 comments)
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State Of Mind - 02/20/09 02:11 PM
You are PROSPEROUS, HEALTHY, ABUNDANT, WEALTHY, WHOLE, PERFECT AND COMPLETE. At least that is how I see it. That's how I see you and that's how I see me! It is a choice to think this way and sometimes it is not easy to do so.
TRUTH!
Go to www.DiscoverYourSuccess.net for daily coaching.
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Chuck Carstensen is a Realtor with The Discovery Team at RE/MAX; helping buyers, sellers, and investors of residential real estate. He is a Dynamic Life Coach; The Discovery Coach- "Helping you discover your talents, desires and purpose." Carstensen is a speaker and co-author in the best selling … (4 comments)
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Are you an Optimist or Pessimist? - 02/19/09 11:05 AM
"The pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; the optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty." - Unknown
If you are seeing this market as a difficult market then perhaps you are being pessimistic. There are opportunities out there for you!
-I work with a lot of buyers and right now there are MANY buyers in the early stage of the home search and these buyers do not have a Realtor!
-There are more bank owned listings available then most agents can handle.
-There are many potential short sale listings.
-Many people are looking at Loan Modification as a possible source … (4 comments)
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Foreclosure Tracker Website - 02/19/09 07:29 AM
I thought I would check to see if anyone on here is using the website www.foreclosuretrackers.com ...
I got a sales call from them yesterday and they want $80 for an add on their website. There are so many of these type of sites out there. $80 seems to be a okay price, but I thought I would check to see if anyone is using it and getting results.
So let me know.
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Chuck Carstensen is a Realtor with The Discovery Team at RE/MAX; helping buyers, sellers, and investors of residential real estate. He is a Dynamic Life Coach; The Discovery … (6 comments)
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Good Deals Available - 02/17/09 01:39 PM
I work with a lot of First Time Buyers and Investors looking for homes in the lower price range. Each time I run a search it amazes me how cheap the homes are. There are good clean town homes in cities like Cambridge and Isanti for around $70,000.
There are many single family homes in those cities and other cities such as Big Lake, Zimmerman, Coon Rapids, Anoka and surrounding areas now approaching $100,000. This is a great time to buy! These homes are at BOTTOM prices or at least VERY CLOSE TO the bottom prices.
If you do the math … (1 comments)
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A Rare Weekend - 02/15/09 09:36 PM
It was a rare weekend because I did not show a house this weekend! That's the first time in a long time. It was really nice for a change to take that part off. I did end up doing about 2 hours of follow up tonight, but that way I feel on top of things for the week.
I have the potential for putting in offers with about 5 different people this week, so I am excited to see how it all plays out.
Plus I will continue to get ready for the BEST SELLER PROMOTION for my book. (See the … (2 comments)
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Good Christian B*tches Book Release - 02/13/09 06:33 AM
If you read my post yesterday you know I am a co-author in the Wake Up Live the Life You Series. Below is a link to the best seller promotion for another offer. I thought the book sounded interesting so I wanted to pass the link and more info along.
We need your help. A member of our Wake Up Family, Kim Gaitlin, is author of the book Good Christian Bitches and we are taking this book to the Bestseller List at barnesandnoble.com on February 12-13.Please help support the Wake Up Live family of authors by buying Kim Gatlin's book at … (3 comments)
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Wake Up Moments book out Feb. 26 - 02/12/09 08:17 PM
A big moment that I have been talking about every so often is finally arriving! I am writing this blog to encourage you to grab a copy of the new book, Wake Up Moments. I am a co-author in this book that features over 40 co-authors who are top professionals from all around the world. And, we are taking this book to the Best Seller list on Thursday, February 26. This book is the perfect gift. It is inspirational, motivational and full of advice anyone can use for inspiration in finding their own wake up moment. So, please mark your calendar and … (2 comments)
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Doing the Little Things to Increase Your Income In 2009 - 02/10/09 09:26 PM
My last post I talked about Why You Want to Increase Your Income , and now I am going to talk about doing the little things to increase your income.
Here are some "little things" you can do:
1. Return phone calls promptly.
2. Do what you promise to do.
3. Follow up with people involved in the transaction.
4. Smile! Be kind to others!
5. Create awareness of things you should be doing.
#5 is what I would like to expand on. Over time the more I learn about life and business the more I find out that I did … (12 comments)
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Why You Want to Increase Your Income - 02/08/09 11:11 AM
If you are like most people you want your income to increase in 2009 and in the future. There are several good reasons to increase your income, so lets first look at those:
1. The more money you make that more money you have to give.
2. The more money you make the more money you have to circulate back into the economy.
3. It helps pay of debt.
4. It helps build for your future and your loved ones future.
5. You can have more fun (do the things you dream of doing).
These are just examples that I wanted … (4 comments)
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Are Lenders Going to Loosen Up? - 02/06/09 11:32 AM
I think one of the most important things that needs to happen to start to level off the housing prices is LENDERS need to loosen up and the need to do this fast.
I hear talks of lower interest rates, and this will be good, but there is simply a need for more eligible buyers. Perhaps Self-Employed buyers need more options. It is really tough for a self employed borrower to get a loan.
Maybe people who had bankruptcies and foreclosures who have started to raise their credit and show consistant income even if they are less then 3 years out … (6 comments)
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Home Under $100,000 in Sherburne County, Minnesota - 02/03/09 08:41 PM
Its amazing how many great homes you can now find in Sherburne County under $100,000.
Sherburne County includes the cities of Big Lake, Zimmerman, Elk River, Nowthen, Princeton, Becker and surrounding areas.
Right now in Zimmerman and Big Lake you will find a number of homes built around 2000 that are below or approaching the $100,000 mark.
Many townhomes in these cities are clean and move in ready in this price range as well. Payments on these homes are LESS THAN RENT in most case.
Its clearly a time to stop renting and get into a house!
Go to www.DiscoverYourSuccess.net … (0 comments)
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Rent to Owns - 02/02/09 01:56 PM
I get a few calls a week from people looking for rentals or rent to owns. Right now is a time were sellers who want to get someone in their home may need to consider doing a RENT TO OWN.
For buyers who are in the market, but don't have their credit in line yet a RENT TO OWN may be a good fit.
The biggest challenge I see is the current sellers equity position. If the market is $50K less on the house and the seller is hoping a rent to own will get them by until the market comes … (6 comments)
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People Are Buying Houses!!! - 02/01/09 11:39 PM
Every once and a while we need to remind buyers that PEOPLE ARE BUYING HOUSES. Weekly I send in an offer and there ends up being multiple offers on that home. Often you call on a house that a buyer is ready to see and its SOLD. Other times you will have a buyer that wants to offer $30,000 low on a house that is priced right and will soon sell at or close to full price!
The point I want to make is that HOUSES ARE SELLING. Sure prices are down. THIS IS SIMPLY A GREAT TIME TO BUY A … (2 comments)
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