This is a post that I asked JL to write...he is a much more accomplished writer than I am and I was very incensed when I learned these HUD rules and their cavalier attitude about how they work.  I cannot say that I would not show a HUD home to a potential buyer, but I would advise them that HUD will be difficult to work with.   Please direct any comments to JL Bonney.  Thanks. 

When you are looking for a great selling agent, what do you need?  Your mother-in-law's son-in-law?  A stager who will make your house look like something you never lived in?  A sleight-of-hand artist who can make that upside-down loan disappear?  

Or do you want the honest truth, a man or woman who works full-time and very hard to get their listings sold in a very short time which translates into less lost money for the seller?  We hate price reductions as much as you, the seller would. 

The more money you make on the sale of your property, the more we make (usually).  Sometimes that is not the case, but we won't go there now. 

We work very hard for the money.  There are many places you won't see what we are doing, and, oftentimes, you won't even hear about it from us, because we'll forget to tell you because we are working on it.  Make sense?  We want your satisfaction.  We get repeat business and referrals because we are efficient, get the job done, do the other agent's job more often than not, and keep our focus on you! 

This might be something you all need, especially this time of year when you can focus on the real meaning of life.  I hope you enjoy it. 

I love reblogging. 

Today, I learned that a good friend and colleague had passed away. This friend was a Soul, waiting to be explored more fully.  The friend, though he knew he was extremely ill, left behind, a fairly new puppy.  He had hope that tomorrow would bring a brighter day.  And, he still had love to give, and though he had lost most of his friends, his wife, and a fair amount of others to this insidious disease, refused to let his life be diminished by love.  The puppy will remain in the family until after all the possessions have been dispersed, and then I believe she will come to me...I don't care one way or the other, I just want her to have the love and care that I know he would have given her.  And, I know that, in the grand scheme of things, she will find her way to my door. 

Don't tell me miracles don't happen.  We really needed this money.  Everyone could use an extra thousand.  Especially these days!  Money is at a premium for everyone. 

I am so grateful.  We have some coming in but to get a boost like this is unbelievable.  I had a gut feeling that I would win.  But, being the optimist and realtor that I am, I couldn't quite believe it when they told me I won.  Life is good.  I wish you all the best!!! Keep trying, you never know! 

I have been reading a number of blog posts and some other real estate material.  The "market gurus" are saying that once the home buyer credit goes away on November 30th, that's it.  End of story.  Spring market might garner some attention.  But, most people think spring market starts in April. Au contrere.  Spring market generally starts during the weekend that is a bye prior to Super Bowl...January. 

That said, how many sellers will pull their properties off the market during the holidays?  Quite a few.  Does that mean that buyers won't buy?  Some must.  Some will want to.  With fewer properties on the market, that would imply that your home might get more showings.  More showings equals the greater propensity for a purchase agreement.  The rarer the hen's teeth, the more valuable!

You might want to consider that.  Marketing is everything.  Make sure your agent doesn't fall asleep at the wheel and take the last two months of the year off.  Our brokerage has had very good success in marketing and closing properties while other agents take vacations.  We work twelve months a year!  We give you our best no matter the time of year!  Check our website at www.donsabinske.com to see our client reviews.  I think you will see that we take our clients very seriously and work to obtain their confidence and referrals. 

Halfway between St. Cloud and the Twin Cities lies this quiet little town with a huge presence in the retail world.  We have one of the best outlet malls in the state.  I might argue the BEST!  Check out the retailers who have come to this "little town",  Active Sports Board Shop, Adidas, Aeropostale, Alfred Dunner, Anne Taylor Factory Shop, Calvin Klein, Banana Republic (one of my faves), Converse, Gap Outlet, Columbia Sportswear, Eddie Bauer, Guess, Bass, Chico's, Polo Ralph Lauren, Old Navy, Nike, Tommy Hilfiger, Jones New York,  Van Heusen, Nautica, Liz Clairborne, and dozens of others!  What more could a shopper want?  And, if you could live within minutes of these terrific stores, wouldn't that be the best?  You can!  Call me, I can give you directions

I can tell you about the great schools we have.  I can show you the great parks and recreation.  I can show you the best and most thriving community around.  We have festivals, days of this and that, community pride and small-town values and caring.  We have a business district with many wonderful stores, an antique mall, scores of great restaurants, and an old-time business district.  When you want to leave the rat-race, find a beautiful, affordable home, please let me show you the wonders of our "little big town".  The motto is Small Town Living, Big City Life.  Check us out.  We'd be happy to show you

Sing this out loud....yes, you, too, Susan, loudly!  (So you can hear it! LOL!)

"A few of my favorite things...is the tune"

Manhattans with olive and lunch with the ladies; Phone calls and golf balls and fresh newborn babies, Tender beef sirloins, prepared very rare, Give a hint of a party and Rene will be there.

Red wine and bleu cheese and Friday night parties, Crab legs and pork ribs and Matt's Juicy Lucy's.  Birdies and bogies that come in the spring, These are a few of Rene's favorite things. 

Refrain:  In the morning, before coffee, when we're feeling sad, we'll simply remember Rene's favorite things and then we won't feel so bad. 

Football and show tunes and the PGA tour.  Go Gophers, go Tigers and go Washburn Millers, Boating on Bylesby, the July Fourth parade, Five kids, but no mortgage, hell we've got it made. 

Bridge club and best friends and four-hour lunches, Viceroy's and Bailey's and political hunches, Democrats..Kennedys, Michelle and Barack...Liza and Judy and comic Chris Rock.

Refrain

St. Patrick and shamrocks bring Rene a big smile..those things that come from the Emerald Isle. "Holy crap, not so much, oh for God's sake.  Door County apple crisp all she would bake.

Not bad for an obituary, eh?  She sounds like a hell of a woman and one I would have loved to have been around. 

Back in August, I wrote a little post about purging my belongings.  It was well-received, and a few fellow agents asked me how it was going. 

My little experiement got out of control.  What a surprise.  I decided that I needed to get rid of 365 things...one for each day of this year.  Oh, really?  At first, I truly didn't believe that I could.  My belongings have never been completely out of control, and I felt that I really needed and wanted what I had so carefully acquired. 

However, I gave a good deal of thought to how much time it takes to care for all these items.  Then, I began to work in earnest...it took me a week and a half.  365 things in 11 days.  Compulsive?  Absolutely.  But, I can't begin to tell you how satisfying it was.  And the local charities were very happy, too! 

You might want to try a modified version...one item a week.  Most of us have stuff we keep for someday...that someday may be here! 

Let me know if this inspires you!!