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!! 

My broker effected a short sale with Bank of America again.  It worked because he continued to hound them, and that is what it takes these days.  He ran up the ladder, we both worked the media, he finally got to the President's office and got some attention to the issue and the particular property we were working. 

I am certain that he will be writing a post about this soon which I will reblog to you all.  And, I may get long-winded enough to show you all how frustrating it can be from other writers on Active Rain to get something accomplished with BOA/Countrywide these days.  For now, I want to celebrate this one small victory with my broker. the sellers , the selling agent and buyers.  Congratulations to all. 

I've had the luxury of reading late at night lately just for fun.  Amazing.  But, one of the first books I read was "The Book of the Dun Cow" by Walter M. Wangerin, Jr.  It was a book I read within 24 hours, mind you it is a children's book.  But, it had been on my bookshelf for over 20 years, knew it was a classic, and so I thought, it would be an easy read at 2:30 in the morning.  Not so much.  It has made me think and rethink my world. 

It could be easy for me to tell you how how I felt and what I inferred from this amazing book, but I would rather you read it and take from it what you will.  It has many layers of meaning.  And, while it is a children's book, it will not be one you read to your children without a LOT of conversation with them, which is the point of reading to children, in my humble opinion.  You might want to be firmly in control of your religious, social and spiritual beliefs or you might want to examine them simply with your child/ren. 

I now want a dog I will name Mundo Cani whose nose will be too big. 

Bank-owned properties that I have worked on have made me think two or three times about the things I own.  The detritus of people's lives have been splayed out in front of me.  It is so sad to see the left-behind items.  I sometimes wonder if they left this much behind, what could have been more valuable...that they needed/wanted to take with them? 

I have always been a believer in living lightly on the earth.  Working towards fewer earthly possessions has always made me aware that when I do purchase something, I try to make it of the highest value so that I will not need to replace it quickly or as often.  I wonder...do most people buy randomly to "bring home bounty", replace some higher need or just spend without thinking?  I have relieved myself of something every other day so far this year, donating it to charity.  Some with reluctance, but always knowing that it will keep me from having to deal with it, and someone else grateful to get it. 

It makes me sad to see faces just randomly picking up items when I shop.  Sometimes, they have to explain the purchase to a spouse who is also wondering why the item is needed/wanted.  I shop thrift stores, garage sales when I have a want.  When I NEED something, I generally shop where most of you shop.  But there is a big difference between want and need. 

That is why I became a realtor.  I wanted to help those who need housing.  Not pander to those who think they want housing.  There is a difference.  And, that is where the paycheck comes in.  Taking buyers out to "look" is much different than taking buyers out to shop.  Make sure that they are in "the market" to buy, not look.  I have counseled many a new agent who wastes time, as I did at first, hoping to make the sale...when the buyers were just looking.  I have seen the same couple at opens I have held in the last two years, still renting....still waiting.  When, in the world, would it be a better time to buy? 

I called an old friend today.  A former housemate.  One I hadn't spoken with in some twenty years.  Odd. Because I truly loved him as a friend.  We'd exchanged postcards from time to time.  When I called, his wife answered and gave me some precursory third-degree...which I understood.  I am a woman calling her husband, after all.  Then, after she ascertained that I was not a threat, just wanting to return some personal property and that I was, truly, just a friend, she gave me some really interesting news about my old friend who had just left for the Boundary Waters. 

I really don't want to reveal the very interesting news, but, after discussing it for a time, she invited me for cocktails and appetizers to surprise him on his return.  He will be returning on Saturday.  We will meet on Sunday.  He is one of the most interesting, entertaining and enchanting persons I have ever had the pleasure of spending time with.  And, I feel so honored to have been invited to surprise him. 

The moral of the story is:  call your old friends, you might be surprised at how their lives have changed.  And, you might find some new friends and guidance in the process!!!!