Bird Songs for St. Michael Albertville Minnesota - 05/31/12 05:46 AM
St. Michael Albertville Minnesota birds are rising at around 4:30 am, and beginning their mating songs.  We have seen several nests in and around our arborvitae.  The robins are working hard to get the first brood raised.  Very often they will nest again near the first “house”.  And, of course, our birdhouses were rented very early this year, too.  All ten of them!
 
Someone asked about robin songs in a comment on the last post, and so I included that in this list, too. 
 
Here are some of the other birds you can hear either in the woods … (15 comments)

Buffalo Minnesota Will Host Its Ninth Annual Triathalon June 3, 2012 - 05/30/12 09:55 AM
Buffalo Minnesota is hosting its Ninth Annual Triathalon on Sunday, June 3, 2012, at Sturges Park.
 
About 1500 racers are expected to participate which will be the capacity of the race.  And, that is exciting.  Some spots still remain, but you should check www.tribufff.com to check availability.  The full details and registration can be found there.
 
Also, volunteers are stil needed and you can check the site for those opportunities as well.
 
These athletes will be competing for $18,000 in prizes, but activities will be held for everyone to participate in.  The Killer Hayseeds will be … (5 comments)

Two of My Favorite Business Books... - 05/30/12 05:37 AM
I wanted to tell you about two of my favorite business books that I have been rereading lately. 
 
The first is “Getting to Yes – Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In”  by Roger Fisher and William Ury.  The best thing about this book is that is gives you the parameters of “winning” while not creating animosity from the person on the other side of your “problem” or “issue”.  And, it illustrates how to work TOGETHER with all sides to get an issue settled for the greater good.  I would recommend this to any real estate agent, and, especially, to brokers.  … (14 comments)

Rental Scams in St. Michael, Albertville and Hanover Minnesota - 05/29/12 04:15 PM
Apparently, some St. Michael - Albertville and Hanover residents are getting scammed when trying to rent in the local area. 
See the Patch blog post here.  
I just wanted you all to know that the Minnesota Department of Commerce has MANDATORY training this year for every real estate agent and broker in the state who wants to keep his or her license.  And, that training is on leasing or renting.
Now, we all have to take at least 15 hours of additional training every year to keep our licenses.  Did you know that? 
And, this year the State has decreed that we spend some of … (12 comments)

It is Safe to Plant the Tomatoes in St. Michael Minnesota - 05/29/12 12:54 PM
While the temperatures are still a little nippy for humans to go swimming in St. Michael or Albertville, Minnesota, it is still warm enough overnight for the tender tomatoes, peppers and other warm weather crops now.
 
We were able to get quite a few plants in the ground yesterday and staked in hopes of tremendous growth of our little seedlings. 
 
I had planted onions and radishes in the garden, but they would have to be pretty good swimmers to survive the lake bed over them now. 
 
Another hundred year rain, just like last year’s.
 
… (15 comments)

The Most &Least Expensive Homes Sold in Wright County MN April, 2012 - 05/28/12 12:08 PM
I have to tip my hat to Karen Crowson for this idea.  She used a similar blog that I found when commenting on one of her many other posts. 
 
I thought it might be interesting for some of the residents of Wright County to see the range of what has sold in April of 2012. 
 
Even the least expensive house could be a good-looker with some TLC.
 
150 Nelson Boulevard in Montrose sold for $50,000.  It was originally listed at $90,900.  Built in 1910, it has five bedrooms, four baths and a detached 3 car garage.  … (12 comments)

We Just Returned from the Memorial Day Services - 05/28/12 07:19 AM
What a somber beginning to the holiday.  But, we wouldn't be enjoying this lovely day with our loved ones if it weren't for the brave men and women who defend our freedeom day in and day out.
Today, especially as the 257th Military Police Company ships out to Fort Bliss, Texas, and within weeks will depart for Afghanistan. There, the soldiers will train members of the Afghan National Army to operate a prison in the northeastern part of the country.     
Please remember our military and emergency personnel with your thoughts today.  Both the fallen who have given all, and the brave who … (13 comments)

Graduation Ceremonies for Local High Schools - 05/26/12 02:19 PM
Graduation ceremonies for local high schools are set to go.
 
It is always exciting and a little sad to see the seniors set sail for life.  But, enough of that….Someone hit the Elgar.
 
St. Michael – Albertville High School Seniors will be graduating on June 8th at 7:30 pm.  The ceremony will be held in the high school gymnasium.  Approximately 325 students will receive their diplomas during the program which will include music by the STMA Wind Ensemble, Band and Concert Choir and recognition of the Honor Students. 
Tickets are required, and there are no reserved seats.  Seating … (14 comments)

The Beaches Are Open - BRRRRR! - 05/26/12 11:25 AM
The Three Rivers Park District has opened the beaches for the Memorial Day Weekend. 
While it may be too cold and rainy to swim today....just hold your breath because tomorrow is supposed to be hot and humid.
The lakeside family-friendly beaches are: 
 
Baker Park Reserve - Lake Independence (main beach and south, campground) Lake Rebecca Park Reserve (near Indenpendence, Greenfield and Rockford) French Regional Park in Plymouth Bryant Lake Regional Park in Eden Prairie Carver Park Reserve (Lake Augburn campground beach) Cleary Lake Regional Park in Prior Lake Beach hours are 9 am to 8 pm through Labor Day, and many … (11 comments)

You Better Watch How You Behave in Public! - 05/25/12 02:08 PM
A woman was waiting in the checkout line at a shopping center. Her arms were laden with a mop and broom and other cleaning supplies. By her hard glances and deep sighs, it was obvious she was in hurry and not a happy camper about the slowness of the line. When the cashier called for a price check on a box of soap, the woman remarked indignantly, "Well, I'll be lucky to get out of here and home before Christmas!" "Don't worry, ma'am," replied the clerk. "With a good tail wind and that brand new broom you have there, you'll be … (15 comments)

If You Are A 'Tween' Senior, There's a New Website in Town! - 05/25/12 12:54 PM
 Twin Cities Public Television conceived and developed a new website called Next Avenue which is PBS’ first venture to begin on the Internet rather than on broadcast television. 
 
Given that the number of baby boomers has grown tremendously with the average U.S. life expectancy for men at 75 and 80 for women, they are probably going to have a win-win with this one.
 
Aging boomers can find information and billed as a site “where grownups keep growing”, Next Avenue has several channels:  health and well-being, caregiving, money and security, work and purpose, living and learning and video. 
… (7 comments)

Today Was Friday, the 13th! - 05/24/12 07:22 PM
Today was Friday, the 13th,  I don’t care what you tell me otherwise. 
My phone died…(which I don’t mind because I need a new one anyway).  I couldn’t print PDFs again…got that figured out again right before another big client appointment. 
I lost a complete blog that I was in the process of saving in draft while I was on the phone with my broker and trying to print the PDFS.
Didn’t get my 100 points for spam reporting from AR which I had coming. 
                                                 
 
 
My truck tire decided that it should go … (42 comments)

BEWARE, Agents & Brokers of Taking Freddie Mac Short Sales - 05/24/12 02:23 PM
 I just had a short sale canceled because the listing agent was unaware that the servicer would not allow Freddie Mac short sales to be processed after the sheriff’s sale as is usually allowed in Minnesota because of our six month redemption period.  Even though the lender/servicer claimed that they would continue to negotiate after the Sheriff’s Sale. 
Freddie Mac will allow the short sales, but the servicers refuse to incur the costs associated with those short sales.
I just spoke to Chris Geller, the Minnesota Association of Realtors CEO, and he said that Freddie Mac has “stood up” … (6 comments)

St. Michael - Albertville - Hanover News You Can Use for May 23rd! - 05/23/12 10:33 AM
A couple of events that you might want to attend in the Hanover, St. Michael and Albertville, Minnesota areas are:
 
The Crow River Girls Scouts are hosting a multi-troop garage sale at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Hanover on Saturday, June 2nd from 8 AM to 3 PM.  You can imagine that there will be a huge array of items for this sale…toys, books, clothing and household items.  Proceeds from this sale will benefit all the participating troops with future programs and activities not only for the Hanover Girl Scouts, but the other troops as well.
 
The 2012 Rush … (9 comments)

Home Sellers, Is Your Listing Agent Responding to Calls and Email? - 05/22/12 12:38 PM
 
I read an article recently about a homeseller who was furious.  Other agents were trying to contact this agent to inquire about aspects of the property, and the agent was “on vacation.” 
 
When the listing agent returned, he told the sellers that all those calls and emails were now so old that likely none of those buyers were “still around.”
 
How would you like to be the homeseller in that situation?  Would you, could you fire the agent?
 
I certainly hope that any homeowner would call the broker first to apprise him or her of the … (17 comments)

St. Michael - Albertville Student Retuns from Ireland Dance Competition - 05/21/12 09:33 AM
Well, her name is Irelandrose….what can you expect from someone with such a beautiful name? 
 
She just returned from Dublin where she competed at the CRN Irish Open Championship that was held May 4 though May 7th of this year. 
 
St. Michael Albertville student, Irelandrose Langer, qualified for the trip by winning in Chicago earlier this year, and then went to Dublin where she performed a reel and a slip jig for the three-judge panel. 
 
She placed fourth out of 42 dancers.  I would say that that was a huge success for the darlin’. 
… (8 comments)

HP - I Am Taking Your Piece of Crap Printer and Smashing it to BITS - 05/20/12 03:01 PM

I AM NOW OFFICIALLY BOYCOTTING ALL HP PRODUCTS!
I should be getting some nice commission checks soon.  And, with them, I am getting a new laptop, a new printer and a new phone.
None of them will be HP.  Why?   Because HP doesn’t play nice with Adobe.                   
 
And, when my phone started going south, I found out that Palm had been purchased by HP.  That explains why it is now a phone and I can’t read my email on it. 
Actually, if you gave me the price of any of the HP products, I wouldn't take any … (16 comments)

Another Idea for Summer Fun for Wright County Minnesota Kids - 05/20/12 09:34 AM
We all know that kids need lots of exercise and activity during the summer months. 
 
What better way to get that than by learning and getting some veggies at the same time?
 
A free Junior Master Gardener program is being offered to children in grades three through five this summer and early fall.  The program which is sponsored and supported by the University of Minnesota Extension-Wright County will provide children with the opportunity to learn about growing a vegetable garden. 
 
The group will meet at the Wright County Fairgrounds in Howard Lake on the first and … (13 comments)

Need Some Educational Websites for the Kids This Summer? - 05/19/12 03:15 PM
Need some educational websites for the kids this summer that are actually fun, too?
 
I found these in some of my backlog of reading, and I checked them out. 
 
Not only are they fun, I would bet that many people don’t know about them, and they are free.
 
What could be better than that?
 
The first one is called Chain Reaction for Kids and was developed by a scientist at Arizona State University, Conrad J. Storad. 
 
This one can be used by teachers, too, in a printed format.  Just check the home page.  … (10 comments)

Three Purchase Agreements in One Day....WOW! - 05/19/12 07:52 AM
It has been years since I have been this busy.  And, now I am off again in a couple of hours to write my second purchase agreement of the day, and one this evening.
 
That was one at 8 AM, one at 12:30 PM, and one at 5 PM.  I don’t think I have had that much activity in one day for about seven years. 
 
Uncork the champagne, and let’s celebrate.  I found some inventory, great buyers, and great lenders. 
 
And, I really do love real estate when it all comes together like this. 
 
… (11 comments)

Squirrels Created Evolution! Oh, Yes, They Did! - 05/18/12 06:48 PM
Do you buy things?  Good for you!  So many Americans don’t. 
 
You really should listen to Nick Hanauer.    He is denying that capitalists are ever going to create jobs.  Unless they absolutely HAVE to. 
 
Customers create jobs.  And, I have said that for years.  Without demand, no company will add jobs. 
 
And without jobs and a good economy, there is no money to spend on anything. 
 
It is a circle.  So, no squirrels didn’t invent evolution.  And the rich won’t create jobs. 
 
Here is Nick,  and he does a great job … (14 comments)

Oh, The Birds Are In Full Voice Here in St. Michael Minnesota - 05/18/12 12:36 PM
Oh, the cardinals, the blue jays, and the chickadees are calling me to get up early in the morning now.  They start their songs at about 4:30 here in St. Michael, Minnesota.
 
We have to remember that it takes a lot of energy for these birds to sing their melodies for mates.  And, while they get a good portion of their food from nature, a little help with some suet or black sunflower seeds would certainly be appreciated. 
 
And, don’t forget the birdbath.  We are fortunate to have two in our yard here in St. Michael, and a … (15 comments)

Albertville Minnesota Explore Your Parks Night - May 18, 2012 - 05/16/12 03:03 PM
Albertville Minnesota has six City Parks.  That is six, folks.  Tell me how unusual that is for a town with a population of about 6,000 residents.  Albertville is hosting its third annual “Explore Your Parks Night”  this Friday, May 18, 2012 from 6 to 8 p.m.  You can visit any one of the six parks: Winter, Linwood, Oakside, Four Seasons, Villas and Westwind.
And, there will be refreshments served courtesy of many local businesses.  There will be a raffle for donated items including gift cards to the businesses, weather radios and, one of the best of all, tickets to Albertville Friendly … (11 comments)

Eduardo Saverin, Tchau! - 05/16/12 12:21 PM
It seems I am saying goodbye quite a bit this week.
 
Goodbye to Eduardo Saverin.  Why?  Because the co-founder of Facebook is renouncing his U.S. citizenship in favor of a $67 million tax break. 
 
Well, good riddance to Mr. Saverin.  And, I hope that he never seeks asylum from any other government in the United States again as he did when he came here from Brazil to escape possible kidnapping for ransom. 
 
While Mr. Saverin is not technically involved in Facebook anymore, he is still reaping huge profits from the company, but doesn’t want to pay … (12 comments)

I Have Never Been Asked This Before... - 05/15/12 03:57 PM
I showed property last evening.  And, we looked at several types of homes, townhomes, coops and single family.
 
One stood out.  It was immaculate and very well-staged.  It sang of love.  The love in the home and the love that has gone into the home.
 
This morning when I submitted my feedback reports (don’t you wish everyone did that?), I mentioned that it was priced above market.
 
Well, something very unusual happened.  The listing agent sent me a thank you email.  And, she stated that she assumed that I knew what the inventory in the area is.  … (14 comments)

Sayonara, Adios, Farewell Listing Agent - 05/14/12 12:55 PM
What a great day.  My buyers finally got tired of waiting for the listing agent on a short sale to get her act together. 
 
This is the agent with an inordinate amount of cancellations and expirations on her short sales.  She can’t seem to get them done. 
 
And, this time she had plenty of help in the form of contacts from us.  But, she never answers calls or emails.  And, she even let the listing expire.  And, then put it back on the market without the contingency showing that there was a contract on it. 
 
… (15 comments)

My Best Mother's Day Memory - 05/13/12 10:31 AM
My mother was amazing.  Aren’t all mothers amazing? 
 
My mother was a single mom for a long time.  My mom had to work to support us, and yet she found time to play with me after a long day. 
 
She read to me, she taught me how to write cursive long before I learned it in school, and she had beautiful handwriting. 
 
She also did something for me that gave her my undying gratitude.  She married my step-father who was also amazing and patient and loving and wise.  All qualities my own father lacked. 
… (13 comments)

I Can't Find Inventory for My Buyers! - 05/12/12 01:31 PM
I Can’t Find Inventory for My Buyers.
 
This is a great problem to have if you are a listing agent.   But, in this instance, every property that my buyer is showing an interest in has an offer in play. 
 
In some ways, this is a great motivator for the buyer.  She knows she can’t sleep at the wheel.  When something hits the market that she knows she might like, off we go…immediately.
 
With offers on all the properties, and multiples in some instances, this is a great market to sell right now. 
 
If you have … (13 comments)

23523 Rockney Street, East Bethel 4 Bedroom Ramber - 05/12/12 06:43 AM
This home has something for everyone. 
 
 
 
Two master suites, one up and one down.  Two outside dining areas – a stamped concrete patio and a spacious deck. 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
Three car attached garage with another detached one-car garage for the mower and toys or a workshop.
 
 
The yard is immaculate with in-ground sprinklers. 
 
The curb appeal is amazing with a gorgeous corner lot in a great area. 
 
 
It also has a great open floor plan … (9 comments)

Three Bedroom Townhome in Albertville, Minnesota - 05/11/12 06:24 PM
6263 Maclynn Avenue NE, Albertville, MN

 Great townhome with three bedrooms on one level with laundry and full bath. 

 
 
First floor offers great open kitchen, dining, living room with half-bath and fireplace.  Two car garage with easy access to Interstate 94 just minutes from the Albertville Mall.  Great schools and wonderful hometown feel in the whole community. 
 
Come to Albertville, half way between the Twin Cities and St. Cloud Minnesota. 
 
If you would like to see more townhomes in Albertville, St. Michael, Otsego, Elk River, Zimmerman or anywhere in between, you know … (11 comments)

Our Congresswoman, Michele Bachman, Is Giving Up Her Swiss Citizenship - 05/11/12 01:43 PM
Our Congresswoman, Michele Bachmann, Is Giving Up Her Swiss Citizenship
 
Congresswoman from Minnesota, Michele Bachmann, is giving up her Swiss citizenship in favor of being “100 percent” American. 
 
Well, that is good.  I was terribly worried that she might leave our district and move to Switzerland to run for President. 
 
Ms. Bachmann has had her citizenship since 1978 when she married her husband Marcus. 
 
And, during the whole time she was running for President of the United States. 
 
She said she was withdrawing the citizenship to underscore her allegiance to the United … (5 comments)

Plagiarism ~ Ignorance is bliss until you get a call from an attorney - 05/10/12 01:12 PM
Amy Jones is so smart.   Take heed, Rainers.   And, don't let this happen to you.  I guarantee you will be in a world of hurt. 
One instance came to my attention a few months ago, and the offender is now a repeat offender with little regard for anything but SEO and ActiveRain points.  It is so sad. 
Via Amy Jones ~Voted Chandler's BEST REALTOR Also serving Sun Lakes & the East Valley (RE/Max Infinity in Chandler, Arizona):
They say imitation is the greatest form of flattery so why doesn't it feel that way when you stumble upon someone passing off your work … (8 comments)

Short Sale Agent with Expired Listing....Oh, No, It's MY Buyers! - 05/09/12 06:27 PM
The one great thing about being sick for a while is that you have a lot of new material to work with when you finally recuperate.
But, this is one story that I didn't think I would ever tell.
The listing that my buyers have been waiting and waiting and waiting for expired yesterday as we were going to file an extension of the short sale contingency. 
I went to prepare the amendment, and I couldn't find the listing.  I finally had to pull up an old listing and found that ours was expired.  On the same day that we were … (14 comments)

How ActiveRain Made Me a Superstar on Google - 05/09/12 12:24 PM
I attended Chris Alston’s class on Marketing Free and Fee today courtesy of ActiveRain.
 
And, then I checked Google results for “Realtors in St. Michael Minnesota” and “Realtors in Albertville Minnesota”. 
 
Realtor.com is number one.  Guess who is second or third in each category….little old me. 
 
And, I am not even trying. 
 
Someone in the class mentioned that he had written one hundred blog posts and not gotten one lead. 
 
I have “written” over 750 but less than 775, and I put “written” in their because quite a few were reblogs.       
… (15 comments)

Too Bad, So Sad! Hardship? No! - 05/07/12 04:30 PM
So I read this from an unknown source:  (redacted for privacy issues)
"Sellers had job transfers from State A  to State B in Jan 2012.   Conventional 1st with Bank and equity with Bank
Having to pay over $7K a month for home in State A and rent in  State B. Home is underwater over $130K.
Seller is retiring in 3 years. Sellers have a surplus of $2000 at the end of month, which they want to put into retirement.   (Emphasis mine)
 
They do not want to rent out house since home is across the US. Under regular circumstances, they would have sold the house, but … (10 comments)

What I Can't Live Without....Our New Tools on Our New and Improved Northstar MLS! - 05/06/12 02:33 PM
What can’t I live without?  Our New and Improved Northstar MLS!  Talk about an app!?!  And, it is all available from your phone!
 
I know.  I have been less than enthusiastic in the past, but now things are changing so fast. 
 
I was able to send my clients a comparables to the properties I was showing with just a few clicks. 
 
It has the price paid for the property, the sale history, the comparables and their sales pricing, price per square foot, and an estimated value for the property,.  Of course, I disagreed with it, … (13 comments)

I Did Something Really Sneaky Today... - 05/05/12 06:23 PM
I did something really sneaky today.  I went shopping for groceries.
 
How is that sneaky?  I didn’t buy them for our family.  I bought them for a family that I know is really struggling right now.
 
I bought some basics.  Bread, milk, two dozen eggs, flour, sugar, salt, coffee, juice, some wonderful bacon, a couple of family packs of chicken, tuna, cheese, juice, cheese, oatmeal and potatoes.  Then I threw in some homemade chocolate chip cookies. 
                                                    
 
 

Then, I dropped them off with a friend with instructions to call the family later to make … (73 comments)

How Do I Get My FICO Score Raised to Purchase a New Home? - 05/04/12 01:32 PM
FICO scores can range from 300 to 850 with 850 being the maximum possible score. According to the FICO scoring system there are five factors that determine a borrower’s score:
35% — A borrower’s payment history is crucial – Late payments on bills including a mortgage, credit card or automobile loan, can cause a consumer’s FICO score to worsen. Paying your bills on time will help improve a consumer’s FICO score. 30% — The borrowers credit utilization – The ratio of current outstanding debts such as credit card balances to the total available revolving credit  or your credit lime will weigh … (14 comments)

Is Radon an Issue in St. Michael Albertville Minnesota? - 05/03/12 01:39 PM
 
Is radon gas an issue for home buyers and sellers in St. Michael or Albertville, Minnesota?  It might be.
 
 
If you are concerned about buying or selling a home and wonder if these issues will affect you, talk to an experienced local realtor. 
We work for you!  And, this may or not be an issue with a home in the St. Michael or Albertville area. 
Radon can be in one home in one block and nary a sign will show up one block over.  That is why it is vital to have a good home inspection with a … (8 comments)

Starting Out Smart! - 05/03/12 12:30 PM
When you take buyers out for the first time, do you ever end up at the end of the trip with them asking which house was the one they like?   Sometimes, they never say which one was their “favorite” at the time.
 
Being a buyer's agent, I knew I quickly had to solve this problem.  Sometimes, they forget which house had the great ensuite bathroom. 
 
Now, as we tour homes, I give them a cheat sheet at the outset and ask them to fill in some comments while we are driving from one listing to the next.   Or, … (12 comments)

St. Michael - Albertville - Hanover News You Can Use for May 2nd, 2012 - 05/02/12 06:15 PM
Rose Thelen and Pat Sawatzke could be facing each other in November,  They are both sitting commissioners and would have to run against each other in the new redistricting plan and they couldn't overcome the majority in the new redistricting plan for the county.
 
This will certainly be interesting to watch.  I would rather see St. Michael with Hanover, but time will tell.
There will be no further information on this race.  Let me know what you think. 
… (6 comments)

 
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Suzanne McLaughlin, Wright & Sherburne Counties Realtor

Saint Michael, MN

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Sabinske & Associates, Inc. (Albertville, St. Michael)

Address: 1449 Janett Av NE, St. Michael, MN, 55376

Office Phone: (612) 202-0215

Cell Phone: (612) 202-0215

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Sabinske & Associates are here for you. We love referrals, we love local business and local people. We highlight the best in our communities and work to help those in need. When you are in need of expert local real estate advice, you can be certain that we understand, care and can do the job.


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