Lake Minnetonka & Twin Cities Luxury Real Estate Blog by Eric Kodner

Willard Munger State Trail offers over sixty miles of scenic trails from Hinckley to Duluth, Minnesota

2008-06-29T00:09:39Z

The Willard Munger State Trail is a network of multiple-use trails that connects Hinckley, Minnesota with Duluth, Minnesota. Depending upon the season, the interconnected trails offer hiking, bicycling, inline skating and snowmobiling.

The 63 mile Hinckley to Duluth trail is the longest paved trail of its kind in the world. It passes through the towns of Finlayson, Rutledge, Willow River, Sturgeon Lake, Moose Lake, Barnum, Mahtowa and Carlton.

The network of trails also connects the town of Carlton with Minnesota Highway 23, just south of Jay Cooke State Park, via the Alex Laveau Memorial Trail. And the eighty mile Boundary segment begins at Saint Croix State Park and runs northward to the town of Holyoke, just north of the Nemadji State Forest.

The impressive fifty miles of scenic bicycling trails include a fifteen-mile segment (downhill the entire way) into Duluth. And you can bicycle along twenty miles of remote Saint Louis River trails as well.

My favorite portion of the trail is where the Laveau Trail touches the southwest corner of Jay Cooke State Park, near Wrenshall, Minnesota. Jay Cooke Park is one of the most unspoiled and dramatically beautiful wilderness areas in the State of Minnesota!

Bicycle rentals can be arranged through the Willard Munger Inn, in Duluth, Minnesota, by calling 218-624-4814 or 1-800-982-BIKE.

What's wrong with this picture?

2008-06-28T23:52:02Z

Over the past three decades, worker productivity in the United States has increased by a whopping seventy-six per cent. But during the same period, real hourly wages, adjusted for inflation, have increased by less than two per cent.

Meanwhile, we have a housing crisis, aggravated by a sluggish economy and the fact that a growing number of Americans can't qualify for a mortgage.

The diminishing number of real estate agents have turned to looking for those remaining folks who can afford to buy. The problem is, there just aren't enough of them to go around. In a market where you see seven or nine or eleven months (or more) worth of inventory on the market and sluggish sales, there almost seems to be no light at the end of the tunnel.

Add to the mix the complicated problem of rising gasoline prices, rising electricity, heating and cooling costs, and rising transportation costs for everything we consume, including the food we eat and the clothes we wear.

What will happen if $7 a gallon or $8 a gallon gas causes workers to say "I can't afford to commute to work anymore"? Do we pay them to drive to and from work? What happens to the economy when some in the labor force just can't make it on what they earn?

We gave big tax breaks to large corporations and individual earners in the last decade, under the assumption that those grateful beneficiaries would turn around and reinvest the money in our economy. Instead, much of the money went overseas to build plants and factories and to hire foreign labor.

What's the answer? Do we shove some more money at the top five per cent of earners, again hoping somehow that it will come back to us?

If you keep throwing a boomerang and it won't come back to you, do you keep throwing it?

Or do you buy a new boomerang?

Minnesota Youth Symphony completes its 35th Anniversary season

2008-06-28T22:26:23Z

Founded in 1972, the Minnesota Youth Symphony was founded (under the direction of the organization's first Music Director, Ralph Winkler) for the purpose of providing intensive education and performing experience to talented young musicians.

MYS has just completed its thirty-fifth anniversary year, under the direction of Minnesota Orchestra principal trumpet player Manny Laureano and his wife, Claudette.

Over the years, MYS has grown from a single orchestra of fifty-eight students to a major educational organization with four orchestras, a summer festival and community outreach program that serves over 600 music students.

I'm proud to say that my late mother, Mildred Kodner, served on the Board of Directors of MYS back in the 1970s. Mom was a professional violinist in the Chicago area during the late 1940s and she also free-lanced as a performer in the Twin Cities area until her death in 1997. She was very devoted to supporting MYS and promoting its educational activities.

Two great ways to support the effort to protect Lake Superior

2008-06-28T21:03:24Z

Lake Superior is the largest and cleanest of the Great Lakes. But Lake Superior faces constant threats from pollution and other challenges.

The Save Lake Superior Association, organized in 1969, is dedicated to preserving and protecting Lake Superior. The group was originally formed to protest the dumping of taconite tailings into Lake Superior by Reserve Mining company.

The future goals of the Association include:

Opposing the stocking of non-indigenous game fish in the lake
Making efforts to eliminate chlorine discharge by the paper milling industry
Fighting the discharge of other toxic contaminants into the lake, including mercury and pesticides

Another organization fighting to protect Lake Superior is the Environmental Association for Great Lakes Education (EAGLE). Located in Duluth, Minnesota, EAGLE publishes "Making Waves", a monthly newsletter that discusses ecological alerts and other issues pertinent to Lake Superior.

A one-year membership in the Save Lake Superior Association is just $5.00 per person. A lifetime membership is $100.

EAGLE accepts donations of any size, including donated office and computer equipment and items for the organization's annual silent auction event.

SourceWatch takes on the big lie in politics

2008-06-22T14:30:36Z

SourceWatch is a project of the Center for Media and Democracy. The organization has the mission of documenting the public relations and propaganda activities of various PR companies and lobbying groups. SourceWatch also tracks the activities of think tanks, corporate-backed organizations and other paid shills which masquerade as "advocacy groups". At present, SourceWatch has over 36,000 articles on such groups.

Alongside other organizations such as Common Cause, The Center for Responsive Politics and Freepress.org, SourceWatch has recently turned its efforts to examining the role of so-called "527 committees", which some argue are serving as a "loophole" for politicians to avoid Federal Campaign Finance Reform laws.

SourceWatch has exposed many notorious "front groups" such as:

"Hands off the Internet" - Pretending to be a "nationwide coalition of Internet users", this group is nothing more than a front for major telecommunication firms fighting government regulation.

"Center for Union Facts" - A false front for lobbyists and mega-corporations opposed to the activities of labor unions. The organization disseminates outrageously anti-union propaganda on behalf of corporations seeking to reduce or eliminate the minimum wage and dismantle the Wagner Act.

"NetCompetition.org" - Another misleading site claiming to represent the Internet user but actually an industry-sponsored (and industry-funded) group which opposes Net Neutrality.

Next time someone quotes statistics from a think tank or lobbying group, do your homework and look that organization up on SourceWatch. Chances are, you'll find that source listed. And you'll learn the true agenda and intent of the quoted source for yourself.

Knowledge is power.

Where does NAR political lobbying money go?

2008-06-18T14:06:25Z

Want to know which candidates are receiving lobbying money from the National Association of REALTORS®?

You'll find this information on the Center for Responsive Politics' OpenSecrets.org website. The Center reports Federal Election Commission data for the current election cycle (actually a two-year period).

For the 2008 national election cycle (as of April 28, 2008), nearly sixty per cent of NAR lobbying contributions have gone to Democratic candidates, while just over forty per cent have been sent to assist Republican politicians.

[Screenshot from the Center for Responsive Politics data on NAR political lobbying expenditures since 1990]

This year's lobbying figures are in sharp contrast to the 1996 election cycle, when roughly two-thirds of NAR's lobbying money went to Republican candidates.

Our Esteemed Real Estate Colleagues in the United Kingdom

2008-06-17T22:59:15Z

Many American real estate professionals are unfamiliar with our colleagues around the world, including our counterparts in Europe.

When perusing the 2008 Edition of "Who's Who in Luxury Real Estate" (published by John Brian Losh of LuxuryRealEstate.com), I came across their roster of featured real estate firms in the United Kingdom. Among the many fine firms in the directory, the UK boasts the following:

Chase International Europe - Shari Chase, CIPS, CRS has established a twenty-year reputation for conducting business at the highest possible standard. Chase International is located at 111 Mount Street, Mayfair, London, England W11K 2TT. Chase International is a Regents Member of LuxuryRealEstate.com. In the United States, Shari maintains an office in the Lake Tahoe area of Nevada.

Knight Frank LLP - Knight Frank has more than 140 offices in over thirty countries. The London office is located at 20 Hanover Square.

Unique Living International Real Estate - The Unique Living Residential Department is based in London and the company maintains a network of offices across southern Europe, including the Cote d'Azur in France, Costa del Sol in Spain, Portugal, Mallorca and Cyprus. The company is located at 41 Church Road, Stanmore, Middlesex HA7 4AA in the United Kingdom.

Precious Villas Ltd. - Based in London, Precious Villas deals in fine properties throughout Europe, including the French Riviera, Italy and Spain. The company's address is Medius House LG-2 Sheraton Street, Soho, London.

Should you encounter the need to consult with a real estate professional in the United Kingdom, I most highly recommend the above firms. All are members of the LuxuryRealEstate.com broker network.

Bill O'Reilly and Rupert Murdoch think media reform is a "crazy" idea

2008-06-17T17:12:47Z

Bill O'Reilly is at it again.

Fresh from a recent gaffe where film was released of O'Reilly throwing a tantrum during a broadcast, the bad-tempered Fox commentator recently attacked media icons Dan Rather and Bill Moyers as "radicals" for supporting legislation to control media for hire and mega-consolidation of television, radio and newspaper ownership.

The details on the controversy can be found here:

http://www.freepress.net/

FreePress.net has recently unveiled its 2008 "Media Hall of Shame", a list of corporations and politicians-for-hire who oppose net neutrality and efforts to expose corrupt practices. The list was revealed at this year's National Conference on Media Reform, held during the first week of June in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Have you experienced working with "celebrity" clients?

2008-06-17T01:35:13Z

If you stay in this business long enough, and specialize in the luxury real estate market, sooner or later you'll encounter the celebrity client.

I use the term "celebrity" in a generalized manner, to describe a client who is highly-visible, perhaps very wealthy or a public figure. People in this category might include professional athletes or coaches, "Fortune 500" executives, entrepreneurs, television, radio or film entertainers, politicians, media figures, or people with ties to well-known families.

Some agents may find it a bit shocking to encounter their first highly-visible buyer or seller prospect. But working with the well-known client can be rewarding if you handle things properly.

Here are a few pointers:

Google your celebrity prospects - Your goal here is to learn as much as possible about that individual. The prospect's notoriety can work to your advantage, because you're likely to find plenty of information about them on the Web.

Don't "kiss and tell" - A smart agent doesn't run around town broadcasting that "so-and-so" contacted his/her office to inquire about property. The celebrity client often desires privacy. In many cases, they have their own publicist. If they want to go public about where they're buying, let them do the talking!

Treat them as you would any valued client - It would be a mistake to go overboard, fawning all over a celebrity client. That could be perceived as annoying. Most celebrity clients want to be treated in a professional manner.

Listen - The celebrity client may have specific needs and wants that may be out of the ordinary, compared to those of most of your real estate clients. That is to be expected. Your most important role is to listen carefully and pick up on the client's personal preferences.

One more piece of advice would be to remember your role in the process. Keep your focus on listening to the celebrity client and then work to meet their needs. Your role is to act as an agent, not necessarily to book travel arrangements or lodging reservations or plan their recreation while in your area. By all means, refer them to great resources if they ask, but assuming the role of concierge could diminish your credibility.

Not all real estate answers can be found on Google.

Let us help you gather the information you need to achieve your real estate goals. Contact Wayzata Lakes Realty today at 612.670.2539.

Eric Kodner is a luxury property specialist and real estate educator in the Minneapolis & Saint Paul area with a unique perspective on the Twin Cities real estate market. Wayzata Lakes Realty LLC is a member of the LuxuryRealEstate.com broker network.

You've just gotta love the news media!

2008-06-11T17:45:23Z

I don't make a habit of poking fun at the television news media, but this one really made me chuckle.

The network news reported this evening that longevity in America has now increased to the point where "Americans are living longer than ever before".

The reporter attributed the improvement in longevity to "falling mortality rates".

HOW STUPID IS THAT STATEMENT?

That's like reporting the reason more Americans are living longer is because fewer are dying until later in life. DUH.

Death kills. And if you live longer, you'll be older when you die.

Who's scripting these news stories for the networks?

I guess you just can't find good help these days.

Should agents recruit other agents?

2008-06-11T17:09:58Z

Should a real estate agent be involved in recruiting other agents?

Some company models encourage or even expect agents to recruit. Why? First, it saves the company money and marketing expense if existing agents are enlisted to help grow a company. Even if a company offers a profit-sharing scheme to agents who recruit, the net result is a winning one for large companies.

RECRUITING OTHER AGENTS IS A LARGELY UNREGULATED ACTIVITY UNDER MOST STATES' LICENSE LAW.

A lack of regulation regarding recruitment may have helped to contribute to licensee overcrowding in recent years.

How much of any state's licensing course is devoted to recruitment?

How much license law is aimed at preventing recruiters from making false or misleading statements in order to recruit new agents?

How many agents were lured by recruiter promises of easy commission earnings and the potential of a lavish lifestyle during the past decade?

NAR has been relatively quiet on the subject of recruiting. Since NAR is a trade association that benefits when membership increases, they're unlikely to have much incentive to get involved.

Company recruiters have been given the freedom to do pretty much whatever they wish in order to recruit new agents. This includes misleading advertising ("we're a 100% commission company") and other inducements designed to fill desks, build new offices and collect desk fees.

Maybe recruiters should recruit and agents should stick to listing & selling. Recruiting creates conflicts of interest. And it also tends to divert the agent's attention from the practice of real estate. We're not licensed to be recruiters.

Not all real estate answers can be found on Google.

Let us help you gather the information you need to achieve your real estate goals. Contact Wayzata Lakes Realty today at 612.670.2539.

Crazy about island properties? Visit "The Official Private Islands Blog"

2008-06-07T16:02:03Z

Blogger Mark John Amherst (who refers to himself as "islomaniac") has created a blog designed for people who dream of owning a private island retreat.

Amherst's "Official Private Islands Blog" features articles about celebrities such as Lindsay Lohan and Johnny Depp (Depp and his wife own an island in the Bahamas and recently lent it to Lindsay). There's also an interview with private island expert Farhad Vladi, of Vladi Private Islands in Hamburg, Germany (Vladi has sold over 1500 private islands worldwide during his career as a real estate broker).

The site includes dozens of links on island travel, island vacations, global/political considerations involved in island ownership and much more.

As a broker who sells island properties myself, I'm intrigued by sites like this one.

If your niche is the luxury market, I'd point out that island properties are considered among the most unique and upscale luxury purchase items available. This is a good place to pick up on what the upscale consumer is seeking.

Not all real estate answers can be found on Google.

Let us help you gather the information you need to achieve your real estate goals. Contact Wayzata Lakes Realty today at 612.670.2539.

A reminder - CRS has approved Institute For Luxury Home Marketing course for elective credit towards CRS designation

2008-06-07T14:55:32Z

Early this year, the Council of Residential Specialists® (CRS) approved the Institute for Luxury Home Marketing course for two elective credits towards earning the CRS designation.

Now, agents and brokers interested in earning their CLHMS® designation (Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist) may also obtain CRS elective credits for doing so.

The two designations are a perfect match for real estate professionals. CRS has long been the "gold standard" in real estate education and agent networking. And the Institute for Luxury Home Marketing has established itself, both though the quality of its coursework and its networking savvy in the luxury homes market, as a leader in luxury properties marketing.

It's a welcome sight to see two such quality organizations joining forces to offer agents more and better educational opportunities!

Not all real estate answers can be found on Google.

Let us help you gather the information you need to achieve your real estate goals. Contact Wayzata Lakes Realty today at 612.670.2539.

Another great source of luxury marketing ideas on the Web

2008-06-07T13:58:30Z

Assouline Publications in New York has built a nest of luxury publications into a successful empire of luxury marketing ideas and products.

Assouline has a track record of creating and publishing luxury books and web publications that explore the concept of luxury from many dimensions. I found the Assouline website via a link from the popular LuxuryCulture.com website.

The company has also built a network of stores catering to the luxury lifestyle. Featured items include sets of elegantly-bound luxury book editions, You'll find ideas for unique closing gifts that would be perfectly-suited to the tastes of your luxury home clients.

I highly recommend adding this Website to your luxury marketing idea file!

Not all real estate answers can be found on Google.

Let us help you gather the information you need to achieve your real estate goals. Contact Wayzata Lakes Realty today at 612.670.2539.

LuxuryCulture.com Website introduces "Properties" advertising section

2008-06-06T02:55:29Z

Yaffa Assouline's gorgeous LuxuryCulture.com electronic newspaper has scored another success with its introduction of a "Properties" advertising category in the Windowshopping section of this opulent-looking online publication.

Among the featured advertisers in the Properties section is renowned island broker Farhad Vladi (of Vladi Private Islands, in Hamburg, Germany). The Vladi page highlights a twenty-five acre private island for sale in the Seychelles. Vladi Private Islands is a member of the LuxuryRealEstate.com broker network.

Other real estate advertisers in the online publication include SoHo Mews in Manhattan and Astral House in Los Angeles.

Browse LuxuryCulture.com and you'll notice some of the most elegant and poilshed-looking luxury marketing on the Web today. Alongside the luxury properties section, you'll see jewelry by Boucheron, Cartier and Piaget; motorcars, motorcycles and helicopters by Bentley, Maserati, Alfa Romeo and Hermes; leather by Ferragamo and Louis Vuitton; and fine art from Christie's, Phillips and Sotheby's.

If you're looking for new and innovative ways to market a luxury property (or any luxury item), this is a site you should visit frequently!

Not all real estate answers can be found on Google.

Let us help you gather the information you need to achieve your real estate goals. Contact Wayzata Lakes Realty today at 612.670.2539.

What are the best-known luxury home areas in your state or province?

2008-06-05T13:58:58Z

Browsing through the 2008 edition of "Who's Who in Luxury Real Estate", I found my way to the portion of the book that lists individual cities and towns represented in the book. The directory provides an insight into some of the best-known luxury home areas in each state. The directory also lists luxury locales in foreign countries, including the Canadian provinces.

"Who's Who in Luxury Real Estate" is published by John Brian Losh, creator of the enormously-popular LuxuryRealEstate.com website. This nearly 800-page member directory is a must-read for anyone in real estate who wishes to familiarize themselves with real estate firms that specialize in the luxury home market.

Of course, some luxury property locales are obvious to all of us, regardless of where we live. Places like East Hampton, NY or Nantucket, MA or Beverly Hills, CA are among the most highly visible luxury hotspots in the United States.

But what about other towns or areas across the country that may be less familiar, but are equally well-known to local residents as luxury home destinations? Some of the information in "Who's Who In Luxury Real Estate" may surprise you.

[Note that the individual towns listed in the directory represent the primary service location of member companies belonging to Who's Who and LuxuryRealEstate.com]

For example, in the State of Georgia, the directory lists Alpharetta, Marietta, Albany and Savannah.

Idaho luxury locales in the directory include Coeur d'Alene, Sun Valley and Tamarack.

Under Illinois, you'll find Barrington, Lake Forest, Oak Brook, Oak Park and Winnetka.

The Michigan luxury areas listed in the directory include Grosse Pointe Farms, Ann Arbor, Caseville, Traverse City and Birmingham.

Minnesota entries include Minnetonka (the greater Lake Minnetonka/Wayzata/Orono/Deephaven area) and Duluth.

Montana luxury locales on the list include Bozeman, Kalispell, Whitefish, Hamilton and Bitterroot Valley.

New Hampshire luxury enclaves in the book include Concord, Franconia, Hampton, New London, Portsmouth, Rye, Peterborough and Rye.

In the directory, Santa Fe, New Mexico is listed as a luxury-specific area.

In Virginia, the directory lists Fairfax County, Chesapeake, Charlottesville, Alexandria, Burke, Middleburg and Urbanna.

And the Wisconsin luxury property locales listed in the directory are Ephraim (Door County, Lake Michigan), La Pointe (Madeline Island/Apostle Islands of Lake Superior) and Madison.

This is by no means a complete list of luxury property hotspots across the country. If you have a referral client who is considering relocating to another part of the U.S., or who may be planning to buy a retirement home elsewhere in the country, knowing these luxury locales could turn out to be immensely valuable to you!

FEEL FREE TO CONTRIBUTE YOUR OWN LIST OF LUXURY PROPERTY HOTSPOTS IN YOUR STATE OR PROVINCE.

Not all real estate answers can be found on Google.

Let us help you gather the information you need to achieve your real estate goals. Contact Wayzata Lakes Realty today at 612.670.2539.

CLIQUES AND NETWORKING DON’T MIX

2008-06-01T21:42:19Z

Remember high school? Everybody belonged to a clique.

You had the popular kids, the jocks, the cheerleaders and prom queens, the nerds..you sat with your own clique at lunch and hung out with them before & after school.

And those groups seldom mixed with people outside the clique, because you just didn't do that.

Adolescents like being part of a clique. It gives them a necessary sense of belonging. It's an answer to the question "where do I fit in?" and it's a key step towards building an adult identity.

But ActiveRain is a social networking community for adult real estate professionals (even though a few members may occasionally act like they're in high school at times) and that means you network with industry colleagues. Networking brings credibility and establishes you with peers as someone knowledgeable and competent. It can lead to referrals, buyer/seller leads and other business and personal opportunities.

Networking successfully means you abandon the "clique" scene. It means mingling with others and engaging them.

In order to succeed, you need to go outside your comfort zone and meet people who are not necessarily just like you are.

ACTIVERAIN IS NOT MEANT TO BE A COUNTRY CLUB

Go out on a limb. Chat up someone who's not from your state or your part of the country.
Break out of your clique. Comment on a post by someone you DON'T KNOW.
Your Associates and Subscribers are a reflection on who you meet and engage. Ideally, your list should be a cross-section of people in our industry. That means people of varying age groups, geographic locations, industry segments (home stagers, mortgage brokers, agents, etc.) and so forth.

If you can do that, you'll succeed in social networking. Of course, we still have our cliques, our "popular" members (and their groupies), our nerds and other types on ActiveRain.

The real estate industry is a microcosm of society. Those cliques and groups represent a cross-section of the people you'll meet in the real world. And we need them all.

Not all real estate answers can be found on Google.

Let us help you gather the information you need to achieve your real estate goals. Contact Wayzata Lakes Realty today at 612.670.2539.

"I've got mine"

2008-05-31T16:40:51Z

I just posted on a couple of topics that share a common theme. One post was about bringing people who've suffered a foreclosure back into the housing market, if that's possible. And the other was about an NBC news report on school children who smuggle their school lunches home at the end of the day in order to help feed their families.

How will we persuade the disillusioned to believe in real estate ownership again?

NBC reports some students are bringing their school lunches home to help parents feed the family

The subject matter of the above posts reminded me of the lyrics of a popular song by Glenn Frey, entitled "I've Got Mine".

"Someone's sleeping on the sidewalk
As the winter sun goes down

Someone's drinking cold champagne
In another part of town

And the only thing he thinks about
As he sips his glass of wine

"It sure feels good sittin' here tonight
Now that I've got mine."

The U.S. economy is, at best, uneven. Some industry sectors and some regions are doing well. Others are experiencing hard times. Nobody sees that economic disparity more clearly than people in our own industry. Real estate has become a window that looks into the heart and soul of what is uncertain about our nation's economic future.

Yes, real estate market conditions are local. Yes, there are winners and losers in any market. But how our reactions are perceived by the consumer will shape their opinion of us for years to come. It may not help much to pontificate about "speculators" or to lecture people about how they handled their credit matters.

We're going to be viewed by the public in one of two ways.

Real estate professionals can choose whether they wish to be seen as part of the problem or as part of the solution.

"I can't take care of everyone
Now that I've got mine."

Eventually, the current economic crisis will end. One way or another, things will get better. But the crisis in the housing industry will leave behind it the perception of broken dreams and promises not kept. And public perception will determine the future of our industry as much as new business models or agreements between the U.S, Department of Justice and NAR.

Real estate industry professionals can choose to be empathetic, helpful and encouraging. Or they can continue to lecture the public about their shortcomings. And if the current economic crisis was all the fault of consumers, that might be appropriate.

"I've got mine, I've got mine
I don't want a thing to change
'Cause I've got mine."

Being smug or self-righteous about the housing crisis won't make things any better. It's not that simple.

[Lyrics are excerpted from the Copyrighted song, "I've Got Mine" by Glenn Frey and are the property of the songwriter]

NBC reports some students are bringing their school lunches home to help parents feed the family

2008-05-31T13:36:31Z

NBC News aired a disturbing segment this past week about hunger in America.

The report quoted school officials who confirmed that some students in low-income communities seem to be taking their school lunches home, rather than eating at school. And some households are relying on this food to provide nutrition for an entire family.

The segment also pointed to American cities where food shelves are either dangerously close to empty or are strained by the need for donated food.

We live in a time when families are feeling the strain of high gasoline prices and other economic pressures. And in our industry, we search for buyer prospects who have the means to afford a fine home or invest in a retirement property.

We've become a nation of haves and have-nots. And the gap between the two is becoming disturbingly wide.

What's wrong with this picture?

What does it mean when school children are forced to make this kind of sacrifice in order to help feed their families?

How will we persuade the disillusioned to believe in real estate ownership again?

2008-05-31T13:17:13Z

Three weeks ago, I read Andrew Lenza's post What the Mind Has Spawned, the Hands Have Wrought: The Weighty American Dream of Home Ownership.

Andrew's post dealt with broken dreams, with disillusioned former homeowners, in Andrew's words, "Too weak to lift another Dream, too broke to afford a new one".

There were an estimated 1.2 million foreclosures nationwide in 2006, with a significant increase in 2007.

And it's not over yet.

How will real estate professionals bring the millions who have become disillusioned with the concept of home ownership back into the fold?

Over three-quarters of a century ago, when the Great Depression threatened home ownership in America, the government responded by making a commitment to the "American Dream" of owning a home. And since that commitment was made, the result has been a tremendous boost to the American economy, an engine that has sustained and fed our economic growth over multiple generations.

Today, the disillusioned feel the rug has been pulled out from under them.

Do we just write these people off?

Once the blame game has run its course, once real estate agents and mortgage brokers have finished lecturing consumers who may have speculated in real estate or just plain folks who overextended themselves in housing and short-term credit, the problem will remain.

All the lectures and moralizing in the world won't make this go away.

The ranks of the disillusioned are growing. They do not represent a tiny or insignificant segment of the American publc.

How do you suggest we restore their belief in the American Dream of homeownership?

Will these folks trust our industry again? Will they trust themselves enough to try again?

Passed the 100,000-point mark in TWO states, thanks to my friends on ActiveRain

2008-05-31T03:30:23Z

It took me nearly a year to reach this point, but the time was well spent.

This evening, both my real estate companies (Wayzata Lakes Realty in Minneapolis, Minnesota and Madeline Island Realty in La Pointe, Wisconsin) passed the 100,000 point mark on ActiveRain!

Friends deserve much of the credit.

Karen Anne Stone mentored me and gave me great advice.

Charles McDonald offered his friendship and his guidance. Charles was the first AR member to write me and introduce himself.

Ruthmarie Hicks has been a source of inspiration and optimism.

Joey Aszterbaum was kind enough to provide encouragement on more than one occasion.

Kathy McGraw served as an example of what it means to be a "Rainer".

Mike Jones became a friend the moment we exchanged greetings.

And as time went along, the list of friends and comrades grew to include Joan Mirantz, Anthony Clark, Karen Moorhead, Eric and Karen Webster, Steve Harless, Poppy Dinsey, Inna Hardison, Patricia Kennedy, Jeff Dowler, Marc Grossman, Jason Crouch, Paula Hathaway, Cindy Jones, Rich Dansereau, Danny Thornton, Brian Schulman, Stewart Penn, Lane Bailey, Robert Lockard, Brad Andersohn, Andrew Lenza, Jennifer Monastero, Randy Prothero, Diane Aurit, Tom Braatz, Rich Quigley, Bob Stewart, Teri Eckholm, Patti Ann Kasper, Ricardo Bueno, Susan Walters, Tom Elder, Nancy Rivera, Mitchell Hall, Margaret Rome, George Tallabas, Guy Lofts, John Occhi, Scott Daniels, Steven Stearns, Neal Bloom, Dawn Workman, David Abernathy, Joanne Hanson and Richard Lombari. If I've neglected to mention anyone, I humbly apologize.

Some of the folks listed above don't receive the notoriety they deserve. They are all top-notch industry professionals. I'm proud to call them my friends.

You don't succeed in this world without building relationships with extraordinary people. Belonging to Active Rain has been of immeasurable value to me because it opened a door to the many friends I have met here.

WeedersDigest.com Website aims to assist waterfront landowners with ways to address aquatic plant issues & shoreline weed removal

2008-05-30T17:40:27Z

If you're a lakeshore or waterfront property owner anywhere in the United States or Canada, help is on the way with aquatic weeds and noxious species like Zebra Mussels and snails.

The WeedersDigest.com website was created to offer resources and help lakeshore owners deal with problems caused by species such as Eurasian milfoil, hydrilla and curly leaf pondweed. The site also offers advice and research into sediment removal and problems caused by animal species that hitch a ride on boat hulls as they migrate between lakes and rivers.

Whether you're a vacation homeowner with a shoreline problem or a primary homeowner with lakeshore issues, this is a site you'll want to bookmark!

WeedersDigest.com is affiliated with the following organizations: North American Lake Management Society, Minnesota Lake Association, Minnesota Waters Council, Rivers Council of Minnesota and Minnesotans For Healthy Lakes.

Comedian Harvey Korman dies

2008-05-29T22:12:15Z

The news stations are reporting that comedian and actor Harvey Korman died today at the age of eighty-one. Korman was a regular on the "Carol Burnett Show" and also appeared in the Mel Brooks movie, "Blazing Saddles".

My father, Howard Kodner, attended Senn High School in Chicago, along with Korman and Lois Nettleton, who later became a well-known film and television actress. I remember her from several "Twilight Zone" episodes. She was a very pretty and talented lady.

Dad knew Harvey Korman quite well in high school and they sat next to one another in several classes. In those days, alphabetical seating was common in public schools and "Kodner & Korman" wound up seated next to each other fairly often.

Dad died in 1989, but I still have his Senn High School yearbook. There's a senior photo of Harvey Korman, looking a bit like the class clown, with an impish grin on his face. And there are a few scribbled comments from him in the margin next to his photo.

That yearbook is even more of a treasure now that Harvey Korman is gone.

Super MeMe barrage - Enough already, here's my reply!

2008-05-29T19:41:30Z

First I got tagged by Rebecca Levinson. Then Stewart Penn tagged me. And Anthony Clark tagged me on my Wisconsin blog.

Okay, I give up. It's MeMe time.

1. Who is your favorite musical artist?

I don't listen to music for relaxation. I worked in symphony orchestras for twenty-five years before getting into real estate.

Ever meet a blacksmith who loved his anvil?

My favorite opera singer is Kiri Te Kanawa.

I listen to Garth Brooks, Kenny G and Prince now & then. My favorite Prince tune is the first song on his "Gold Album"

2. Who is your favorite artist?

I prefer art I can OWN.

I like Hans Holbein, Canaletto, Titian, Jan Vermeer, Hieronymus Bosch, John Trumbull, Paul Gauguin, Modigliani, Cezanne, Miro, Klee, Kandinsky, Kokoschka, Saul Steinberg, William Stieg and Albert Charetsky. My tastes in art are all over the map.

3. Who is your favorite blogger?

Tough question..

Who doesn't love Karen Anne Stone?

There are so many great bloggers here. I could list forty or fifty favorites.

4. If you could meet anyone (alive or dead), who would it be and what is the most interesting thing about them?

I try to avoid socializing with dead people.

I'd have to split my vote between Golda Meir and Jennifer Lopez. I'd be interested in meeting both, for equally obvious (if somewhat different) reasons.

5. What did you want to be when you grew up?

I started out wanting to be a nuclear physicist. By the time I was in high school, I was more interested in becoming a famous French horn player, like Dennis Brain.

In adulthood, I've toyed with fantasies about becoming an international jewel thief..

6. What is the most interesting piece of trivia you know?

Did you know that Alfred O. Nier isolated the first sample of fissionable Uranium 235 in 1940 at the University of Minnesota, using a mass spectrograph that he partially constructed in his garage?

Trivial enough for you?

7. If you could live in any point in history what would it be and why?

I like the current era we live in. I'm glad we have antibiotics, transplant surgery and microwaveable pasta meals.

8. What is the most interesting job you have ever held? Paying or non-paying?

My years as a conductor and Music Director at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis would have to qualify as the most interesting job I've had. The pay was very good. And I had my own dressing room.

It's time for the hand-off. My invites go to:

Friday Before Memorial Day Was Unusually Quiet on the Freeway Heading North

2008-05-25T00:11:32Z

The effects of the recent sharp rise in gasoline prices were readily apparent yesterday.

On Interstate 35 headed north out of the Twin Cities, traffic was unusually light for the kickoff of Memorial Day weekend. Other than a fair amount of late afternoon congestion close to I-694 in the Lino Lakes area, it was obvious that at least some are staying home this weekend.

On past Memorial Day weekends, traffic has been much more congested heading towards Duluth and the Boundary Waters area. This year, things were eerily different.

Perhaps it has something to do with the late start of spring across the state. Cool weather, spring storms and a late ice-out on Minnesota lakes could be contributing factors.

We'll be watching carefully as summer unfolds to see if this situation improves.