New Listing at 1112 Cimarron Trail in Isanti (RE/MAX Results) - 09/30/11 11:44 AM
This is a new short sale listing in Isanti, MN. Price is currently $142,900 and listing # is 4089652. This is a 3 BR home with an unfinished walkout basement! With the unfinished basement there is plenty of room for expansion. The seller is motivated and looking for an offer soon.
See the video tour:

More details on my website. See the link below!
… (1 comments)

Which Way Should I Go? - 09/29/11 05:09 PM
I was heading back to the office today and hit a red light. While stopped I noticed that my path straight ahead was blocked.  A white mini van had pulled into the wrong lane.  I really don't think the driver knew what she did.  I was able to pull through the intersection on green and go around here.  With all the cars in the other lane I am not sure when she got through.  
There were bigger trucks behind me and they struggled to get past her.  I have went the wrong way before so I can't be too hard … (3 comments)

Guard Cat Determined To Scare Away Buyers (Funny Video) - 09/28/11 12:39 PM

I have a new listing and the cat is a bit protective of the house. I went to take photos the other day when the seller was gone, but the cat was home. When I met the seller at the house to get the listing started the cat followed me around and hissed at me and even lounged at me and pounced on my leg. It also gave me the "stare of death" or "evil eyes" which means it did not like me.
The seller said he does that to everyone. (Great for showings I thought). This is a short … (3 comments)

Price Reduced- 275 326th Lane NW- Cambridge MN 55008 (RE/MAX Results) to $179,900 - 09/27/11 03:40 PM
New Price on this fine property!  Price is now $179,900!  

275 326th Lane NW - Cambridge, MN 55008 features a 26 x 48 heated and insulated garage with a 4 BR, 2 BA well cared for home on almost 2 Acres.
Seller is also willing to look at a short term rental or a rent with option to buy on this home!  Their have been recent updates to the mechanicals.  Quick possession is possible.  Call for a showing or more info.  View more photos at 275 326th Lane NW, Cambridge Property page.


… (2 comments)

A Short Sale Is Not For Everyone - 09/27/11 09:01 AM
Short sales tend to be the best deals for buyers in most Real Estate markets.  One of the main reasons is that the banks take so darn long to process them that only a small percentage of buyers are willing to deal with the painfully long wait.
Some buyers try this lengthy and frustrating transactions only to find that they nearly go crazy and have a nervous breakdown.  According to this article from RISMedia more and more First Time Buyers are losing interest in short sales.
Short sales are not for everyone but they normally work out if the listing agent … (7 comments)

Minnesota Real Estate Weekly Market Report - 09/27/11 02:08 AM
I am continuing to share the weekly market reports that I get emailed from the Minneapolis Realtors Assn. on the weekly market update.  The numbers continue to look better as far as more activity and fewer listings.  
If you are going to list your home for sale make sure you price it at or below market. Above market just does not work.  Most of the homes that are for sale yet are simply above the current market price needed to sell.
If your buying a home know that there are a lot of multiple offer situations with prices getting bid … (2 comments)

Area 63 Toastmasters Fall Speech Contest Winners - 09/24/11 11:12 AM
On Thursday evening at the Elk River YMCA Area 63 held its Tall Tales and Humorous speech contests making for a fun hour for the speakers and audience.
In the Humorous Contest Joe Thul of Rogers Toastmaster is the winner! (Joe and I pictured below)

In the Tall Tales Contest Thomas Palm of the Elk River Smooth Talkers Toastmasters won first place!(Thomas and I pictured below)

 
Dave Christian of Rogers Toastmasters took 2nd place in the Tall Tales contest!
 
 

The winners of the contest advance to the Prairie Division contest on Saturday Oct. 1st in … (3 comments)

Area 63 Toastmasters Fall Speech Contest Thursday in Elk River - 09/21/11 01:54 PM
This years Area 63 Toastmasters speech contest is just over a day away!  The location has changed to:
Elk River YMCA
13337 Business Center Dr. NW
Elk River, MN 55330
Directions: Hwy 10 W to Joplin (go left/south) and then take a quick left on Business Center Drive.  YMCA is on the left.  
Starting time is 6:30 for registration with speeches starting a little after 7pm Tomorrow Night!
 
 
The Fall Speech Contestants will be competing in either the Humorous Speech Contest or the Tall Tales Speech Contest so its sure to be an event filled with laughter and good times!

 
… (5 comments)

Minnesota Market Update - 09/20/11 10:17 AM
The Minnesota home market continues to show good signs.  Below is another weekly snap shot of listings being down and buyer activity being way up.  This is helping to level off prices in the lower price range in most areas.  
Sellers should not expect their values to go up yet, but this sort of activity helps to hold values where they are at and eventually bring them up once the foreclosures start to filter through the system.

Weekly Market Activity Report (via MplsRealtor.com)
With the Labor Day slowdown in the mix for the current round of numbers, new listings … (1 comments)

Cambridge MN City Wide Garage Sale Day - 09/17/11 12:45 PM
If you LOVE to go garage saling then you better hurry to Cambridge, MN today!  Its the big city wide garage sale event.  With 82 advertised garages and every street corner clouded with garage sale signs!  

The weather is slightly cool and the sun is not out and it seems to be keeping traffic down slightly today.  Don't get me wrong there is plenty of traffic out and about, but not as crazy as I have seen it in the past.  Most sales run to 4pm today and some later so if your in the Cambridge area check it … (3 comments)

Power Thought Reminder #1 - 09/16/11 07:38 AM
I am currently reading a book titled 'POWER THOUGHTS' by Joyce Meyer.  I am slowly reading more as a devotional to help set my mind on the right path in the morning.
There are so many distractions that come up daily that can throw us off or cause are thinking to be negative, and  I at times have felt I have a strong mindset.  Lately I have sense that I needed to reinvest time in my mindset. Thus, I am reading this book.
POWER THOUGHT #1 : I can do whatever I need to do in life through Christ.
"I can … (4 comments)

Toastmasters Speech Contest For Area 63 - Sept. 22nd at 6:30 in Elk River - 09/14/11 06:20 PM
This years Toastmasters fall contest kicks off for Area 63 on Thursday Sept. 22 in Elk River at the Minnesota School of Business. (6:30pm-8:30pm)
The Fall Speech Contestants will be competing in either the Humorous Speech Contest or the Tall Tales Speech Contest so its sure to be an event filled with laughter and good times!

 
The winners of the contest advance to the Prairie Division contest on Saturday Oct. 1st in Marshall, MN.
 
Area 63 is comprised of the following clubs:
Elk River Area Toastmasters - Meets 12noon Thursday at the Elk River Seniors Center
Smooth Talkers … (1 comments)

What Happens at Closing? - 09/14/11 08:38 AM
More good information for buyers and sellers who wonder what happens at closing!  Again I am reblogging this as it lays out the details of closing day!
 
 
Via Michael L. Brownstead Frisco, Plano Real Estate (Ebby Halliday Realtors®):
What Happens at Closing
Closing day is the day the homebuyer and the seller complete the legal transfer of the house. Once the closing process has been completed, the keys to the house are given to the buyer.
Each party (person) to the contract will normally present two forms of ID, one of which being a driver’s license.
Present Proof Homeowner's Insurance … (2 comments)

FAQs About Buyer Representation - 09/14/11 07:55 AM
This answers a lot of questions about what a Realtor Representing the Buyer does. Most of my work is with buyers and often people come to me with some of these questions!
 
 
Via Peggy Chirico, REALTOR® 860-748-8900 Hartford & Tolland County Real Estate (Prudential CT Realty):
When I am speaking for the first time with potential buyers, one of the most misunderstood aspects of buying a home concerns buyer representation. Although we have had buyer representation in Connecticut since 1996, many people still do not understand that, as buyers, they have the right to have an agent who solely represents their … (0 comments)

More Sales, Less Sellers - 09/13/11 08:58 AM
It is interesting watching the Market Report that I get sent to me by the Realtors Association weekly.  We are seeing a decline year over year in the amount of listings which is a great sign.  Even better we are seeing a sizable increase in sales and it seems like its going to be a good fall sales season!  This will help make things bottom out real real soon in the lowest price ranges in the Twin Cites Area!
 
Market Report via Minneapolis Realtors ENotes.
With some September data in the mix, seller activity showed a continuation of its intermediate-term … (4 comments)

What Took Me So Long?!?!? - 09/12/11 05:35 PM
What took me so long to dump my Blackberry Curve?  This weekend I got the HTC EVO 4G- google phone and I am now feeling like I know how to use it and LOVE IT.
I think I stuck with the Blackberry so long because it did the job and was a good phone. Then it started restarting all the time and people could not hear me so it had to go!
Others had told me if I was with Sprint to get an HTC EVO so eyed them in the store. Left and went out to eat and then went … (4 comments)

Finally, Got A New Phone - 09/11/11 05:40 AM
I have been talking about it for a while. I finally had to kick my Blackberry Curve to the Curb.  It had numorous problems and I was about ready to stomp on it.  I have Sprint and like their service and pricing so I visited a local sprint store and went with a phone I have been eyeing for a while. The HTC EVO 4G is my new phone.
 

Now trying to figure out how to use it will take a few days. I know how to use it, but really USE IT.  Such as what Apps to download … (7 comments)

Pre Approval Mistakes You Can't Afford to Make - 09/08/11 10:46 PM
Now more then ever you have to be ready up front when buying a home and then carry on doing the right things all the way through the closing.  Good reminders if your looking to buy or if your under contract.
Via Rebekah Radice Colorado Springs FHA Loan 203k, VA Mortgage, Loan Pre-Approval (Benchmark Mortgage, Colorado Springs FHA, VA, Pre-Approval):
You have spent the last several weeks scouring the city for your dream home. You wrote an offer and ‘hooray’, it was accepted. You were pre-approved for a loan by your lender a month ago, but understand that your next step is … (2 comments)

Minnesota Market Report (RE/MAX Results) - 09/07/11 10:01 AM
Below is a summary of what has been happening in the local market from the Realtor Newsletter that comes to my inbox weekly.  
Lately I have been sensing the listings are down.  Right now its been real difficult for my investors and townhome buyers to find a place.  Everything sells so fast. This is a good sign that we are in a more normal Real Estate Market and the bottom priced homes have found the end to their price drops.  We probably have a ways to go to sort out the "upper bracket" homes.  More info below...

Weekly Market … (2 comments)

Short Sales and Foreclosures Are Your Competition - 09/06/11 08:52 AM
Something that has become clear to me about the current state of the Minnesota Real Estate market is that if you are a regular seller who is not in a distress sale situation like a short sale or a bank owned foreclosure that does not mean you are not in competition with those types of properties to sell.
The reason Short Sales and Foreclosures are a traditional seller competition in most cases is that the buyers looking for house now are looking for deals, and good values.  There are foreclosures and short sales that are in fairly good shape and really … (4 comments)

Use Our Moving Truck For FREE When Buying or Selling With Me! - 09/02/11 12:44 PM
The Discovery Team at RE/MAX Results has had a moving truck for customers to use for 6 years now!  However, from time to time I even forget to let people I am working with that we have the moving truck available. So remember when working with Chuck Carstensen or Mel Beaudry of RE/MAX Results in Elk River and Cambridge MN that you get to use this moving truck for FREE!
 

We also allow Non Profits to use the truck!  Of course reservations are needed because its in high demand.  If you are thinking of making a move and see … (1 comments)

 
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Chuck Carstensen

Elk River, MN

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RE/MAX Results

Address: 650 Dodge Avenue, Elk River, MN, 55330

Office Phone: (763) 635-7228

Cell Phone: (612) 290-3809

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I help buyers, sellers and investors with their real estate needs. In this blog I post my listings and give real estate, social media and personal development tips. I enjoy giving people tips, suggestions and hints that can improve their business and life.




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