Otsego JAM FEST August 5-7th, 2011 - 07/30/11 07:11 PM
There will be a lot going on in Otsego next weekend.  Make the most of it.  Summer is quickly coming to an end. 

 
Where do you need to be....?  Otsego.  At the Waterfront. 
Saturday August 6th Saturday FREE Music & Light Show Extravaganz11 hours of FREE Music 1pm - 2:30pm Battle of the Bands 
FREE Main Stage Bands start at 3pm Seven of EachTransit Authority (Chicago Tribute Band)High & Mighty
7am - 12 mile Canoe Battle 2011 (8am 6 mile Canoe Battle)
9 am – Ava Inspired 5k walk/run (10:30am Walk)
9am - 3pm Frankensteiners Car, Truck & Bike … (7 comments)

Stop Junk Mail, and AVOID Trigger Leads - 07/28/11 10:04 PM
Thanks to Robert Rauf for this great post.  When your credit is run by a lender, all kinds of great offers come pouring in.
Here is how to stop the junk and give your recylcer less to handle. 
Thank Robert for his great post. 
Via Robert Rauf (REMN - Real Estate Mortgage Network (NJ)):

What the heck is a "Trigger Lead"??? 
When a lender runs your credit, the 3 major databases (XPN, TU and EFX) sell your information. This makes your phone ring off the hook with many people that purchased your name. Some of these calls will be more than a nuisance, they … (7 comments)

The Quickest Simplest Easiest Way to Put Colored Borders/Frames Around Your Photos in Your Active Rain Blog - 07/26/11 09:40 PM
Well, now this is news I can use.  Judi has made life so simple that even I can now add a photo to my blog posts.
Thanks, Judi.
And, you should check our her other blog posts for great places to find free photos.
Via Judi Barrett~Integrity Real Estate Services~Idabel, Oklahoma:
The Quickest Simplest Easiest Way to Put Colored Borders/Frames Around Your Photos in Your Active Rain Blog
I know that there are lot of photo editing sites out there and there are innumerable softwares that everyone has... most of us mutiple ones.. 
BUT if you really just want a border around your … (2 comments)

Errors and Disputes on Credit Reports. How and When to Move Forward ... - 07/19/11 10:37 PM
This is important information for buyers.  And, I have seen people trying to clean up one mess just to create another one....losing the ability to buy that home they had their hearts set on. 
Read this now.
And, then go thank Gene for the information. 
Via Gene Mundt (Chicago Bancorp):
     I ran across the following issue with a recent client.  After running their credit, we discovered what appeared to be an error on it.  Positive that it was indeed an error, they wanted to address the problem immediately.  
         My suggestion to these clients was to do nothing ... right now.              I know.  … (2 comments)

Feature worthy and rebloggable, #5 - 07/19/11 10:23 PM
Now, here is the best time-saver I have come across in a good while.  Thanks, Russel. 
You just made my life so much easier.  And, I really enjoy your inspection posts, too.
Please thank Russel for all this work....and have a great week.
Via Russel Ray, Southern California home inspector based in San Diego (Real estate, photography, marketing, music & more!):


Feature worthy and rebloggable, #6
For previous posts in my Feature worthy and rebloggable series, click on Rebloggable.
Since the ActiveRain system lets us reblog up to ten posts per week for points, you can check in here each … (0 comments)

The Road, Traveled - 07/17/11 08:21 PM
There are some philosophers here among us, and you might want to read this particular post every Monday when you are starting your new work week. 
J. Phillip has a number of other great posts so you can go over and thank him and read his work all day long.
Via J. Philip Faranda (J. Philip R.E. LLC) Westchester County NY:
The first words of M. Scott Peck's seminal book The Road Less Traveled are "Life is hard." It was actually required reading in a senior elective at Villanova back in 1988. I thought of it yesterday as I was driving and I snapped … (2 comments)

My Bookmarks are Getting Too Big.... - 07/17/11 07:38 PM
I keep a lot of "stuff" I think I will get around to reading.  But, let's face it, we are all too busy. 
There are barely enough hours in the day to read what you want to read the first time. 
Now, go thank Suzanne for her first featured post.  And get rid of those bookmarks. 
Via Suzanne McLaughlin, Wright & Sherburne Counties Realtor (Sabinske & Associates, Inc. (Albertville, St. Michael)):
I have been on the Rain for a looooooong time.  And, I find many interesting posts.  The two together are beginning to be a problem.  Since my birthday, I have been organizing … (2 comments)

Are you sure you really want to sell your house? - 07/17/11 07:14 PM
My wife and I are very particular about the state of the house when we leave on vacation.  We want to come home, unload and relax.  The house is normally cleaner when we leave than when we are home.  But, nevertheless, it is never what is described below. 
Horror-stricken is what I would be if I had taken buyers to this property. 
Via Susan Neal, Fair Oaks CA Real Estate Broker, CA DRE#686562 (Century 21 Noel David Realty):
This is a post that started out as a comment to a post by Alan May in which he was puzzled by sellers who would … (3 comments)

What is title insurance? Do you need it when buying a house? - 07/16/11 07:07 PM
I love title insurance.  Why?  Because it protects my buyers.  If my sellers don't have it, I worry a bit. 
But, when you read this, don't insist that your buyers have it.  Just make sure that they are AWARE of the implications if they don't.  It is about the cheapest insurance you can ever buy for your home.
Now, go thank Bo for the great post.
Via Bo Kociuba (Keller Williams Realty-Yukon, OK):
What is Title Insurance?
A title insurance policy protects property owners and lenders from losses that could result from disputes over ownership of a property's title. This could include fraud, … (0 comments)

Will You Ever See Your Home Come Back to the Levels of Even Three Years Ago? - 07/15/11 07:06 PM
No one has a crystal ball.  And the way things are going now, I would say likely not.  But, our market is in a deeper slump that almost the rest of the country.  And, the recent shutdown of the Minnesota State Government didn't help matters at all.  We saw a lot of job loss. 
And with the job loss goes a lot of mortgage payments being missed.  And, we all know what that leads to.....more short sales and foreclosures. 
Because it is difficult enough sometimes to make the regular payment.  Throw a couple of missed payments on top of that, and … (8 comments)

So The Government Shutdown in Minnesota's Solution is a Sin Tax on Beer and Cigarettes? - 07/14/11 04:11 PM
I had to laugh.....they have pulled beer from the shelves already.  And, fairly soon the cigarettes won't be sold here either. 
No parks, no fishing licenses, no rest stops, no beer, no cigarettes.  What's next?  No air?
MillerCoors has been ordered to pull all of their beer products from Minnesota store shelves.
The Minnesota Department of Public Safety said that the products had to be removed because the company did not renew their brand label registration before a government shutdown began.
Some of the popular brands included Coors Light, Miller Lite and Blue Moon. MillerCoors said they would fight decision.
The … (13 comments)

My Comments for Your Comments - 07/12/11 06:18 AM
I try very hard to make sure that I return comments.  My system has broken down occasionally, but it won't anymore now that I have read Mimi's post.
It makes me feel like a good Community member to be nice enough to return a comment to someone who has taken the time to comment on one of my original posts. 
Please thank Mimi for a great post. 
Via Mimi Foster - Colorado Springs Realtor (EPIC Real Estate Group Real Estate Colorado Springs):
When I first started on ActiveRain, there were habits and styles that developed in learning to navigate the site.  As a … (6 comments)

Needless to Say, Zimmerman, Minnesota Needs New Businesses - 07/11/11 09:25 PM
We once had a main street full of hope and promise, commerce and parked cars.  Like many other rural communities that thrive on the weekend business of being now mostly a bedroom community with residents working in other communites and the Twin Cities and St. Cloud, the business community relies on the "locals" to shop on Saturday and Sunday.  More and more businesses are folding and that makes the main street look dull and more like a speedway....which it isn't.   And, make no mistake about  that unless you like to pay fines. 
Now that the State of Minnesota is SHUT DOWN, you … (9 comments)

You Can Give Advice....But Then It Happens to You. - 07/11/11 09:11 PM
Over the Fourth Weekend, we had storm damage.  Yes, it was severe.  I got home later and althought we thought it is minor, it was far, far worse than we originally thought. 
I had been away, and some neighbors suggested that because of their damage, I should check the roof.  We have great shingles....but, sometimes golf ball-sized hail can make mincemeat out of them. 
Needless to say, I was chainsawing and collecting estimates, sending in claims and working all last week.
So, being here in the Rain was sproradic at best.  Now, that everything is much calmer, I will be back.  … (7 comments)

Elk River Gets a Treat Next Thursday for the Riverfront Concert Series - 07/09/11 12:26 PM
The Whitesidewalls will perform Thursday, 7 p.m., in the weekly free concert sponsored by Bank of Elk Riverin the downtown park. 
"Certain kinds of music in history appear to have no boundaries throughout age groups," said the group's founder.
The Twin Cities band has a long play list of such standards as "Oh, Boy" (Buddy Holly) "At the Hop" (Danny and the Juniors), "Heartbreak Hotel" (Elvis Presley), "I'm Walkin' " (Fats Domino) and "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" (The Tokens).
"Our music is rockabilly, do-wop, and serious rock and blues. It's fun, and danceable, and we love to play it."
The Whitesidewalls entertained from … (5 comments)

Minnesota Spay Neuter Assistance Program....MNSNAP - 07/08/11 05:24 PM
Writing about the food link for the rescue animals brought to mind that we (my associate and I) had not written a post about spaying and neutering lately. 
There is a great organization for people in Minnesota who cannot afford to have their pets (dogs and cats) neutered by their local veterinarian.  And that is where MNSNAP comes in to assist. 

This is a mostly mobile veterninary clinic serving a great deal of Minnesota, Roseville, Zimmerman, Crystal, Minneapolis, Brainerd, Bemidji, Spring Lake Park, Minnetonka, St. Paul, Elk River, Shakopee, Hastings, North Branch, Inver Grove Heights, Faribault, Cottage Grove, Mahtomedi, Owatonna, … (5 comments)

Do One Good Deed Today and Everyday...It is So Easy! - 07/07/11 06:28 PM
Endre Barath Jr.  has suggested that we all contribute to the Animal Rescue site in his post.  Here is the link. http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/clickToGive/home.faces?siteId=3 
But, when you are on that site, and click to feed the animals, you can also VOTE for your local shelter, click on other ads (which do take a minute or two to load but help the cause) or donate.
There are so many animals being "displaced" because the owners can no longer keep them in apartments. 
And, I know realtors don't have a lot of money now...given the state of the Realtors Association, dues, and diminished sales for … (8 comments)

Local Man Wins Driver of the Year Award! - 07/07/11 06:07 PM
Congratulations to Tony Louzon who competed with drivers in industrial, residiential, commerical and private sector categories from all ovrer the COUNTRY to win 2011 Driver of the Year award!
The ACE Solid Waste driver was one of more than 500 drivers competing for the Environmental Industry Associations (EIA) Driver of the Year award.  Seven first-place awards were given in industrial, residential, commercial and private sector categories.
Louzon collected his trophy in the small residential category, $1,000 cash and EIA monogrammed leather jacket at the the EIA's Waste Expo in Dallas, Texas.

Tony Louzon
"This is huge. It's as big as … (6 comments)

545 vs. 300,000,000 People - 07/05/11 10:15 PM
 
All I can say is we need to read this and share it with all of your fellow Rainers and friends and neighbors.  It pretty much sums up the state of the Union, I believe. 
Now, go thank Charlie and Richard Glesser. 
Via Richard Glesser (North Country Appraisal Services):

    A very interesting column..  COMPLETELY NEUTRAL Politically. Be sure to Read the Poem at the end.Charley Reese's final column for the Orlando Sentinel... He has been a journalist for 49 years.  He is retiring and this is HIS LAST COLUMNBe sure to read the Tax List at the … (3 comments)

If You Need Help Feeding Your Kids in Elk River, It Is Here - 07/05/11 09:49 PM
Once school is out for the summer, kids are free.  But, food to feed them is not.  When they are in school, some children receive meal benefits for their lunches.  And with school being out, that means the risk for children missing meals increases dramatically because school meals aren't readily available.
Various organizations around Elk River have decided to step up to the plate and find ways to help families to keep their children from going hungry during the summer.  
The Elk River Area School District has seen an increase of 250 students receiving free and reduced lunches over the past year. Parents … (2 comments)

Otsego Minnesota is offering $100,000 for a Project Outside Its Boundaries - 07/05/11 09:22 PM
Most of Minnesota and the nation at large can't afford to pay for its own infrastructure.  Notice the Minnesota State Shutdown and the looming debt ceiling crisis.  (Governor Perry fixed his by selling off infrastructure to Mexico and China, pretty neat.)
But, the Otsego City Council voted 5-0 to issue a letter of support for a project outside city boundaries, with a promise to pay up to $100,000 toward that project!
The Council members approved the measure June 27, 2011,  that provides support for a proposed $22 million interchange.
The interchange at Highway 101 and County Road 144/141st Avenue N. borders … (5 comments)

SEEING STARS - Celebrate the Fourth of July in Lee County - 07/03/11 09:38 PM
Mara wrote a great post here.  She makes the point that our freedom isn't free.  And, that many people have taken incredible risks to make our country what it is today.
And, we should remember to honor our military for our rights to free speech and our other freedom. 
Thanks, Mara.  And I hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday!
Via Mara Hawks, REALTOR®, Homes for Sale Auburn Real Estate, AL (First Realty Auburn ):

If my memory serves me incorrectly, the 4th of July is the holiday when we take the kids out to cut down a flagpole and … (1 comments)