Gas prices.

House prices.

Stocks and 401k's.

All that inflation gone where?
Seems like everything that once was stable is not.
Is it bad?
I don't think so.
Maybe a wake up call....
... a great way to remember that nothing is guaranteed.

Life will always bring change whether we want it, like it, protest it, fight it or accept it.
Just like we change presidents every four to eight years.
Just like we gain teeth, lose teeth, gain teeth and lose them forever (hopefully not but nearly guaranteed).
Just like we start little and grow big.

Change is inevitable.
It's what we do with it.
How do we wrap ourselves around it?
How do we grow in it?
How do we keep from being frozen in fear?

One day at a time baby.
One day at a time.
Every new decision.
Every new direction.
Each footstep along the way.
We just have to remember that change will happen and we will make it!

If you are looking for professional real estate services I am only a ring away! I am looking forward to working with you.

Lindsey Hasford
Coldwell Banker Vision
231 Main Street - Elk River - MN 55330
763-241-5488 (office)  763-218-1347 (cell)
lindseyhasford@coldwellbankervision.com
http://www.hasfordhomes.com

On Saturday we were driving into Elk River and were very surprised at all the smoke that we saw.
Trying to pinpoint the exact location of the billowing black cloud that hung in the sky I asked if I needed to call my parents and see if they were okay...
Then the highway veered and we were certain that the looming smoke was across the river - where we were headed.
The closer that we got to town - the more we realized that the smoke was coming from town.
Where? Well, that wasn't so easy to see with the buildings in the way.

We could tell that the fire was coming from the "school" district area.
Hoping that it wasn't anything serious we kept our eyes peeled...
And, in the flash of an opening between the trees...
We saw flames shooting high into the sky.
To our amazement the WHOLE roof of an apartment complex was on fire.
What on earth!!!!!!
It looked serious and being so early in the morning we could only hope the best.

It's rare in our small community to have such large distaster, but it happened.
An entire 60-unit complex being boarded up and sealed.
The families that once lived there... losing everything.
It's the kind of thing that you never ever want to happen...
The light in all this?
There were no deaths.
Our community is now drawing together to help these folks out.
Taking one breath at a time and getting things back to normal for those who have been displaced.

Just another reminder that we all have one chance to live a legacy.
Each choice we make goes into our bank of life.
We may not always have something tangible to hang onto,
but we have the memories!
So live - and live to the fullest!!!

If you are interested in helping with this tragedy - then please... contact the folks at the Alliance Community Church. They are hosting much for donations for these families in need.

If you are looking for professional real estate services I am only a ring away! I am looking forward to working with you.

Lindsey Hasford
Coldwell Banker Vision
231 Main Street - Elk River - MN 55330
763-241-5488 (office)  763-218-1347 (cell)
lindseyhasford@coldwellbankervision.com
http://www.hasfordhomes.com

  
The last few weeks I've had lots of reason to visit the history of myself and my family.
There are so many memories...
So many places and people that I never want to erase from the recesses of who I am.

One of those places is this little church on top a hill just the other side of the Wisconsin border.
It's the church where my grandma saw most of her years.

 This is where my mom grew up..
Sang in the choir...
got married to my dad..

This is where we visited at EVERY holiday.
Religiously for years and years
we revisited this place of my families past.

From the great big steeple
to the beautiful bell tower
to the small wooden benches that only fit five people across.

I have so many memories here.

 I remember reading the hymnals during the long (10 minute) sermons.
I remember chewing gum and tictacs to keep me busy during the readings.
I remember standing and sitting, then sitting and standing and trying to figure out this strange church phenomenon.
I remember wondering how adults could sit so long on such uncomfy seats.
(This was all very funny because we grew up going to church and it seemed different at grandma's???)
Anyways.... I also remember watching grandma and grandpa sleeping during many services.

I loved the way they sang the hymns.
I loved the way the choir sang.
I loved the banners that they hung each week and studied them diligently while we visited.
I truly appreciated the bell being rung - that must have been my favorite part.

I'll never forget pastor shaking our hands at the end of each service and how the members of the congregation took time
to remind us how much we were growing.

I'll never forget when my uncle died and the church filled with people that loved him.

I'll never forget a short time later when my grandpa died and how my family stood together in the church to say our goodbyes.
I'll never forget the soloist that cried during that service.

They foyer of the church was so small that I'll always love the way that everyone stood on the front steps at the beginning and end of each service while chatting and laughing and carrying on.

I'll never forget those ever windy Easter Sundays when I worried that my dress (or myself) would blow away.

I will always remember the green carpet that lead up those steps to the church until that day that they built a ramp and replaced the old and put in the new.

Oh, and the windows!
Who can't love the precious colors and designs in the windows!?!
Each one carrying it's own story and design and detail.
Each one different in its very own way.

I'll never forget the hot summer days when they OPENED those windows and the heat was so sweltering that we sweated anyways.

I'll always remember the beauty that they brought and how they will always remain.

Then there's the front...
The place where pastor preached.
In his robe... praying and preaching...
and how he sat on his "special" seat in the front.

How we knelt at the alter
and how I choked on my first sip of wine!
There are so many memories
they just never end...

In and amongst the beauty of this church
there are many stories to be told.
I am happy to remember each and every one
no matter how potentially sad they may be.

These memories are from the past,
But I am grateful that I had them to help build who I am today.
From birth to death -
You can't believe how many people this small beautiful building has touched!

This weekend may be very well my last time visiting for a very long time.
Hopefully we'll get back before long and be able to continue the story with my boys,
but who knows what the future will bring.
If nothing else -
I have pictures.
I have stories.
I have memories.

If you are looking for professional real estate services I am only a ring away! I am looking forward to working with you.

Lindsey Hasford
Coldwell Banker Vision
231 Main Street - Elk River - MN 55330
763-241-5488 (office)  763-218-1347 (cell)
lindseyhasford@coldwellbankervision.com
http://www.hasfordhomes.com

With the recent death of grandma and the process of paperwork....
I have learned a couple of things.

It's not always as easy as writing a will!

Watching my family work through the paperwork I have realized that now is a great time for me to work through the details of my own measely estate.
I may not own much, but if something happened I'd hate to accidentely leave someone a mess.

Did you know that if you have accounts or property in only your name that it can cause many issues?
Did you know that co-signers and POD supercede a will?
Did you know that even with a will you might still end up in probate?

Did you know that probate is a good 6 month process?

I don't know how the rules differ from state to state,
but I know that I need to take some serious time to learn the rules here.
Not only will this help with my own life,
But also with the possibility of needing it for clients.

I've sold estates before,
but realized that there may be a time when I need to know a good direction before simly "listing" a property for sale.

If you are looking for professional real estate services I am only a ring away! I am looking forward to working with you.

Lindsey Hasford
Coldwell Banker Vision
231 Main Street - Elk River - MN 55330
763-241-5488 (office)  763-218-1347 (cell)
lindseyhasford@coldwellbankervision.com
http://www.hasfordhomes.com

Yesterday we made our way home from our third trip to Grandma's condo....

It's amazing how much time, thought, emotion and energy goes into cleaning out a home that once held a beloved member of our family.
If only we could box up the memories along with her belongings and tote them home with us to open periodically and reminisce over when we are feeling blue and sad.
The decisions of what to keep and what to throw...
What to share and where to donate...
What to store until the wind's blown over and we can make wiser decisions...

It's all part of a process.
A process of letting go.
A process of remembering the good and the bad.
A process of defining what was...
what is...
and the changing of direction for the future.

What would grandma do if she knew the decisions that we are making?
What would she say if she knew that my boys were entertaining themselves for endless hours with her hair curlers and christmas beads?
How would she feel about us cooking in her beloved kitchen?
Could she ever know the longing we have when we're pulling away from her home and are missing her terribly?

Time will heal the sadness.
Family will heal the loneliness.
Change will spur us on when the cleanup is done.
We will still miss grandma,
but we will be blessed with the chance to take one last glance into the life she lived and loved.

If you are looking for professional real estate services I am only a ring away! I am looking forward to working with you.

Lindsey Hasford
Coldwell Banker Vision
231 Main Street - Elk River - MN 55330
763-241-5488 (office)  763-218-1347 (cell)
lindseyhasford@coldwellbankervision.com
http://www.hasfordhomes.com

Growing up with grandma admittedly wasn't easy, but something changed after my grandpa died. There was such a softening inside of her. Truly it helped when they realized that she was having some "older lady" issues and they stabilized her blood sugar.

Over the years my grandma has been a picture of health and strength. She worked for so many years side by side her husband on the farm. Putting her all into everything that she accomplished.

It was a killer when we lost grandpa. My grandma felt lost for quite some time but she had her friends by her side and she was able to grow through it and become a woman that I truly admire.

Her sweetness has astounded me time and time again.

I will always miss her potato salad and homemade cookies and pie.
I will miss her smile and her lovingkindess that she bestowed on those around her.
I will miss her stories of her past and their tie to our present.

I am grateful that I spent the last year getting my boys to see her as often as I could.
I'm happy that in my heart I have happy memories of her singing ditties with them and her laughing at their antics.
I'm happy in my heart that my grandma had time on earth to meet my children and leave her footprint in their lives.

It's beautiful to me that my 2-year old talks about her when we see women of a similar age range.
I'm happy that he had the time to love her and know her.

Last night my grandma went home... suddenly...
She is reunited with the ones she loved that went before her.
The doctors don't know why, but all we know is that it was her time.

Sad as I am (I've been crying all morning) I am happy to know that she won't be lonely anymore.
I'm happy to know that she will no longer have physical pains that hold her down.

I loved my grandma.
And now it's time to say goodbye to her.
The hardest part is explaining to my son that he won't see her anymore....
All I know is that she was one special lady!

If you are looking for professional real estate services I am only a ring away! I am looking forward to working with you.

Lindsey Hasford
Coldwell Banker Vision
231 Main Street - Elk River - MN 55330
763-241-5488 (office)  763-218-1347 (cell)
lindseyhasford@coldwellbankervision.com
http://www.hasfordhomes.com

Real estate in this century requires many things. A certain must is that we must speak the language of our clients. Without the ability to speak their language we cannot complete our work.

In most of the country that starts with the ability to speak English... in some areas Spanish, Chinese, African dialects and much more. With the use of interpreters we can go a long ways, but this really is only the beginning of defining the languages that we must know.

On any given day a realtor must know how to speak...

               MapQuest

Buyer

    Seller

         Caring and Understanding Friend

               Professional Decorator/Stager

                              Rough and Tumble Negotiator

Very Old 

      Very Young

and somewhere in the middle

             Professional and Honest Agent

                        Dreamer

Secretary

        Loan Officer

                      Counselor

                                     Administrator

Mom/Dad

          Child

Worker

From morning until sundown each day can bring us new clients, current clients, past clients, friends, family and much more.

The longer you work in this business the more languages you may be required to speak. Some agents specialize in certain areas: first time buyers, sellers, bank properties, rentals, fixer uppers, etc.

However, the majority of us end up with a splattering in every area requiring us to speak many many different languages.

My first several sales in real estate were buyers. First time buyers. I learned how to speak to them. I learned that they needed me to hold their hands and guide them through the process. I learned how to talk title, lender, friend and chaeuffer in a quick hurry.

It didn't end there. One of my clients recommended me to a family friend who was older and moving from one home to another. I had to learn to talk perfection. I learned how to talk seller. The loss of something precious in order to gain something better. I learned how to talk second home buyer.

During my first years of real estate working with buyers I had to learn how to talk negotiator as I represented several deals in multiple offers. I had to learn to talk tough and strong to my competing agents as well as empathetic to my buyers as they struggled to get a home they loved.

I've learned that it's important to be able to communicate clearly with the elderly as they sell their beloved possessions and homes to downsize to something more practical. And I've learned it necessary to be able to communicate with their children and yet another younger generation. I've learned the importance in taking their individual situations as I communicate and guide them through their real estate process.

I've learned to talk lender so that my clients needs are met practically and mindfully.

I've learned to talk title so that my clients are taken care of and that all dots and "t's" are set before we ever reach the closing table.

I've learned to talk secretary as I am one for myself but also because I need to be able to clearly communicate with my office that is supporting me.

I've learned the importance of being friends and yet maintaining professionalism in each transaction from the buyer to seller to the other agents involved. I've learned the language of respect.

I've learned that if I can't be clear and understanding in each and every situation that I may as well bale from it all and find a different business.

I've truly learned that part of the reason that I love this business is that I can be myself. I can tend to my clients with careful and thoughtful respect of who they are and what their situation is. I can laugh with them, cry with them, celebrate with them and help them attain that which is most important. In each situation I can grow with my clients and the professionals that we work with along the way.

It's truly a remarkable business that we have and that is why I love where I am.

If you are looking for professional real estate services I am only a ring away! I am looking forward to working with you.

Lindsey Hasford
Coldwell Banker Vision
231 Main Street - Elk River - MN 55330
763-241-5488 (office)  763-218-1347 (cell)
lindseyhasford@coldwellbankervision.com
http://www.hasfordhomes.com

We were at the state fair this week and saw the most gorgeous display of outside play towers. My son played and played on it... until we dragged him away with promises of more fun.

I brought home one of the company's catalog to drool over for awhile and my son stole it from me and wouldn't let it go. He constantly talked about his "sphwings" and how he wanted to slide at the "store" again.

Yesterday morning my hubby looked at the catalog and asked how much "those things" cost and he almost fell over when he saw the price.

With both of us being self-employed many of the "toys" get put on the back burner while we try to make all the ends meet. We've decided that debt reduction is the key and then we'll play later.

Anyways, I had a closing yesterday and was gone for several hours.
This is what I came home to....
Well, this with the kids playing on it!

My hubby and I are still in shock.
A neighbor just came and dropped it off.
He asked where they got it and they said it's a "gift from heaven!"

I can't tell you how excited my boys are.
They went to sleep last night talking about their "sphwings" and the slide.

I may be an adult now, but this play fort is as much fun for me as my kids!

If you are looking for professional real estate services I am only a ring away! I am looking forward to working with you.

Lindsey Hasford
Coldwell Banker Vision
231 Main Street - Elk River - MN 55330
763-241-5488 (office)  763-218-1347 (cell)
lindseyhasford@coldwellbankervision.com
http://www.hasfordhomes.com