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How Does RE/MAX Compare? Let’s look at 2011
The numbers are now out! RE/MAX is a top producing company. In many markets, RE/MAX is the leader-often head and shoulders above the competition. I have been with RE/MAX for 16 years. Prior to that, I was with another large company for 10 years. Before you select an agent, interview a RE/MAX agent. I think you will agree that there is a difference. If you’re in the Twin... [Read more]
Twin Cities Market Report 2010
Have you ever wished you had all the metrics of the marketplace in once nice concise report? Well now you do. Our board of Realtors compiles an annual report showing comparative data. While each home is different, pricing trends are trends. The data since the end of 2010 going into 2011 has gotten worse. If you’d like me help you interpret the information as it might pertain... [Read more]
Underwater Homeowner Refinance Programs Extended For 1 More Year
FHFA Extends Refinance Program By One Year Washington, DC — Federal Housing Finance Agency Acting Director Edward J. DeMarco has announced an extension of the Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP), a refinancing program administered by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, to June 30, 2012. The program was set to expire on June 30 of this year. In addition, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac... [Read more]
WHY Pick RE/MAX?
There are lots of reasons why you might choose to select one agent or company vs another. Unless you have a best friend or relative who you “have” to use, I would like to show you how I am different. I believe I have an excellent value proposition as to why you would select me as your agent and RE/MAX as your company. I would welcome the opportunity to meet with you... [Read more]
Down Payment Assistance Synopsis
Where there is a will, there is a way. There are many many programs today that are city specific. So, the attached synopsis is a multi county foreclosure down payment assistance pool. Basically, there is money available for purchasers of distressed homes. If you want to buy a home and are flexible in which area you make your purchase, we can try to find you some programs. ... [Read more]
Gifts and Grants can be considered towards borrowers funds on certain 3% down conventional loans
Yes, you read that right. I just got an email today from a leading mortgage insurance company that is willing to underwrite this loan. You will need at 740 or better score. But, what an opportunity. In many ways, this is like FHA, but with a little higher credit threshold. The KEY difference, besides credit score, is the lack of an upfront MI (mortgage insurance) premium and as... [Read more]
Purchase 80/10/10 and 80/5/15 STILL exists
As of this post, the 80/10/10 and 80/5/15 can still be done. While underwriting has allowed it, it has been very difficult to find a second mortgage product that would write a 5 or 10% second mortgage. Well, after many phone calls, we have sourced two lenders who at this time are willing to offer the second mortgage. One is a bank and the other is a credit union. As with EVERY... [Read more]
What Is Your Home Worth Today?
I found a cool resource at http://www.FHFA.gov. If you go there, in the middle of the page you will find something called the Home Price Calculator. You input your home purchase information in terms of State, quarter in which you purchased and the quarter in which you’d like to get the valuation. Next, you hit calculate, and it will show you a chart. While it isn’t... [Read more]
Did you know-Current & Future Housing Data
Watch this video-then call me to help you buy or sell a new home or investment property. Powered By WP Footer Read More →
Look at this Monster Muskie
Pretty cool, eh. We snapped the photo at the Sportsman’s show in a cut out they had made. This year we are going to get the real thing! Powered By WP Footer Read More →
4 Tips to Determine How Much Mortgage You Can Afford
By knowing how much mortgage you can handle, you can ensure that home ownership will fit in your budget. Here are six surefire ways you can get your finances in order before you buy a home. Homeownership should make you feel safe and secure, and that includes financially. Be sure you can afford your home by calculating how much of a mortgage you can safely fit into your budget. Instead... [Read more]
Two Special Twin Cities Home Buying Programs
One program is called FPP-Foreclosure Partnership Program, and the other is NSP2 Homebuyer Assistance Program. Both programs offer incentive money for a purchase. I can use these financing programs with one of our mortgage investors. Consider checking them out to see if they’d work for you. HennipenCounty-Non-forclosedHomes-overview HennipenCounty-Nsp2-overview ... [Read more]
Take a kid Fishing-Support Veterans
The next fishing event is going to be at Medicine lake in just a couple of weeks. It will be broadcast to the Veterans in Afghanistan. It is called Holes for Heroes- Taking place February 5th from 12-3 To learn more, go to: http://www.fishingforlife.org/ Powered By WP Footer Read More →
Rebuilding Credit To Get A Mortgage
Often, especially in this market due to the recession, we find potential home buyers who have had a life event or “bump in the road” that affects their ability to obtain a new loan. If you want to buy a home, you will have to have a certain number of reporting trade lines and for certain length of time. MOST mortgage programs require 3-5 trade lines and a minimum of... [Read more]
OLD MUSKIE THE ROGUE
Here’s an old muskie story I found at ProjectGutenberg.org It is from a book called Junior Classics, volume 8. It seems people have been intrigued by muskie fishing for a long long time. BY LEVI T. PENNINGTON “You must go; that’s all. There will be some way, you’ll see.” Carl Mills and Lee Henly were separating for the night. They were close friends;... [Read more]
Buying Rental Property In The Twin Cities
Have you ever wanted to own rental property, but were unsure where to start? I teach a class on the topic. I’ve decided to make the outline into a PPT. I cover the information in my class in much more depth and breadth, but this will give you a lot of useful information. If you are interested in discussing purchasing a rental property as an investment, just give me a call... [Read more]
Mortgage Insurance May Still Be Deductible For Some Buyers
Yipee-It looks like mortgage insurance will remain deductible for some home buyers. When we look buying a home, you need to consider all aspects. One main one is mortgage financing. There are ways around mortgage insurance by doing split loans-like and 80/10/10 for example or LPMI-which stands for lender paid mortgage insurance-which means the interest rate is higher. Rather than... [Read more]
Is There An Opportunity Right In Front Of YOU
I just watched an amazing video which I’ve posted below called the Money Tree. There are so many different interpretations. One that struck me was that people are oblivious to opportunity that is right in front of them. How many of us are looking for something that we already have or is within our reach? How many people are NOT buying real estate today when they could be... [Read more]
Is There An Opportunity Right In Front Of YOU
I just watched an amazing video which I’ve posted below called the Money Tree. There are so many different interpretations. One that struck me was that people are oblivious to opportunity that is right in front of them. How many of us are looking for something that we already have or is within our reach? How many people are NOT buying real estate today when they could be... [Read more]
December Is The Time To Reflect
Are each of us doing all we can to make the world a better place? Many of us have our favorite charity and organizations we support. RE/MAX is a very large sponsor of Children’s Miracle Network. Many people don’t realize how much has been given. Each time I sell a home, I automatically donate a portion of my commission to this organization. Other RE/MAX agents like... [Read more]
Getting Ready to Sell Your House
While most experts see little good news in 2011’s housing market, economic downturn is no reason to neglect maintenance on a home or lose sight of future plans to relocate. The critical issue is planning intelligently for what spending you do now to make sure it’s worth your money later. And even if your plan to sell your property is more than a year away, it’s not a bad idea... [Read more]
HUD Has A YouTube Channel-Here Is There Vid On Buying A Home
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Google lets you create cool templated websites
Just an idea for anyone who wants to set up something quick and easy: https://www.google.com/accounts/ServiceLogin?continue=http%3A%2F%2Fsites.google.com%2F&followup=http%3A%2F%2Fsites.google.com%2F&service=jotspot&passive=true&ul=1 Powered By WP Footer Read More →
Can Home Ownership Contribute To Your Wealth?
Based on the implosion of equity in the past few years, one begins to wonder. At the same time, if you look back from a historical perspective, home ownership and home equity have contributed to the net worth of many. Recently, there was a study/survey done by the Federal Reserve. NAR presents and interprets the resultshttp://www.realtor.org/research/economists_outlook/didyouknow/dyk111610dh ... [Read more]
Minnesota Foreclosure And Distressed Home Fact Sheets PLUS Twin Cities First Time Buyer Special Programs
I have mentioned it before, but I really am impressed with the Minnesota Home Ownership Center. I frequently get calls from people who need to find information about how best to deal with a distressed real estate situation. You must visit their website and bookmark it for future reference. Here are just some of the links you need to look at: Foreclosure & distressed property fact... [Read more]
Minnesota First Time Home Buyer Tips
A buyer in Minnesota, and specifically the Twin Cities area-Minneapolis/St Paul, should consider visiting the board of Realtors site at http://www.MplsRealtor.com On the tab regarding market activity, they will be able to click through and find out aggregated information that is compiled into city specific reports. For example, Minneapolis real estate will be broken down into the... [Read more]
Top Seven Tips For Home Buyers
Recently I was asked to create a list of top tips. Here is my list. I have been selling homes for over 25 years. I hope these help you make better choices and improve your real estate making decisions. 1) Before you begin to search for a home, always get prequalified FIRST. Seek out an experienced mortgage broker to arrange your financing. Even if you think you want to use a large... [Read more]
George Wahl Muskie Tournament-A lot of fun!
I entered the tournament this year with the wife and my son. We fished hard-chasing down fish at Lake Harriet, Lake Calhoun, and Lake Minnetonka. We actually saw two Muskies-one was in about 2 feet of water up against the concrete wall at Calhoun. Looked to be about 10 pounds. We were above the fish on the pathway around the lake-we couldn’t get the fish to hit our lures,... [Read more]
Data.gov – A Cool Site With Lots Of Great Info
http://www.Data.gov I just found this site and wanted to share it. It has a ton of info and reports. If you have a project or just an “inquiring mind”, this is sure to be a hit. Check it out and get the data you need. Powered By WP Footer Read More →
Fishing With Live Bait For Muskies in Wisconsin
By Ben Kueng I’ve used this technique for musky as well as pike, bass and walleye in the spring. Everyone knows that sucker fishing for musky can be explosive in the fall, but how many of you are fishing with live bait in the spring? Let’s face it, no matter which way you slice it, the musky remains a difficult species to capture, as anyone who’s spent any amount... [Read more]
Catching Muskies – All About Muskellunges
By Alyssa Bentley Quick Facts: Muskies can live to be 30 years old Maximum length of a Muskie: 6 feet Maximum Weight of a Muskie: around 70 lbs Trophy Length: over 4 feet Trophy Weight: over 40 lbs Mature females tend to be bigger than males, but mature and grow at a slower rate. Muskies are a non-schooling predatory fish, who are generally tend to stay out of eyesight of each other. They... [Read more]
Check Out Energy Rebates
EnergyStar.gov – Check Out Energy Rebates This is a government site that offers lots of energy saving tips as well as explains what energy saving grants or credits might be available. Powered By WP Footer Read More →
Twin Cities Foreclosure Trends-From our MLS & Realty Trac
Besides the board of realtor sites: http://theThing.mplsrealtor.com and market data posted elsewhere at http://www.MplsRealtor.com I have a subscription to Realty Trac. My subscription gives me additional data about foreclosures and trends within certain zip codes. This is in addition to my daily subscription to Finance & Commerce (a business newspaper that prints all the... [Read more]
Real Estate Information
These are a couple of my newsletters that have a ton of valuable information. Go check them out. Foreclosure Market Trends Newsletter http://www.realtytrac.com/MarketTrends/NewsLetter.aspx?guid=131bd355-1b69-4bd1-99cd-2f0c9a936810 Real Estate Cyber Space Tips http://www.REcyber.com/cybertips/r11627 Powered By WP Footer Read More →
Tiger Muskie At Lake Nokomis
Caught on a medium sucker and bobber at 8pm Powered By WP Footer Read More →
Outstanding Video-An Inspiration To All-Be The Best You Can Be!
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Minnesota Muskie Tournament
Today I fished the tournament at Lake Waconia I fished the Metro Muskie Tournament today. While it was rainy, it was still a ton of fun. My ONLY regret, was that the white caps on the lake forced me off after about 4 hours. The cool thing was seeing monster fish all around us surfacing as they fed close to the surface. They splash and taunt you-which only serves to harden... [Read more]
Twin Cities Home buyer book
Thinking about buying a home but don’t know where to start? Why not start by reading the home buyer hand book that we have provided below. It is a great place to start to get the information you need. When you’re ready, we would love to help you find and finance a new home. MN Home buyers handbook View more documents from John Mazzara. Powered By WP Footer Read More →
Minnesota Muskie Expo-It was WONDERFUL
My family attended the Minnesota Muskie Expo this year and had a blast. It was held on April 9-11th at Concordia University. It was great. I bought some new cool lures and attended a learning session by a Luke Ronnestrand. We later went to his booth, and ran into a very happy couple who had booked a previously guided trip with him. They were there buying lures and booking... [Read more]
Muskie tournaments-Two in the next few months
The metro muskie tournament is on 6/12/2010 and will be from 6am to 3:30. 1st prize is $2000. You can choose to fish in 16 different Twin City lakes. I’m going to be fishing in Waconia. Look for pictures of my success to be posted here in the future. $35 entry fee per angler. The another tournament is October 2nd. It is the George Wahl Memorial muskie tournament. ... [Read more]
Fishing Fair-Coming to Anoka County Fair Grounds
Mark your calendars– May 7th & 8th from 10am to 9pm. Admission is ONLY $5. They have a trout pond, minnow races, kids games, fish art, reptiles, silent auctions, boy scout merit badges, and MORE. In fact, the even have an all you can eat fish fry from 4-8pm Powered By WP Footer Read More →
Here’s a fish for you….
Fishing in North Dakota (we don’t fool around when we fish in North Dakota) Missouri River, North Dakota Another Minnow… This is a darn interesting picture and story even if you aren’t into fishing, But please show it to anyone you know that likes to fish. This Sturgeon was caught in the Missouri River, North of Bismarck, North Dakota two weeks ago. It weighed... [Read more]
Open Source Documents-Unbelievable Resources-Find YOUR topic of Interest
If you’ve never visited http://www.Archive.org, you are missing a wonderful site. From this site, you will find many resources that are out of copyright and you can download and use them as you wish. You will find all the classics and some fun things as well. Just for fun, I have the download of a book called “Little Gardens” which is a book about setting up... [Read more]
Sell Your Home Faster-Learn The Home Selling Secrets Of Successful Sellers
Here is a special report that outlines over 450 ideas on how to sell your home faster. This report is just one of the many home buyer, home seller, and investor reports that I can make available to you. Read this report and call me to arrange a time to see how I can help. Download Now Powered By WP Footer Read More →
Fried Fish Eaten Alive
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ESOX & Muskellunge
The Wikipedia version of Muskie’s. Have anything to add? This is a user generated content. If you have something to share, feel free to edit ESOX-Definition http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esox Muskellunge http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muskellunge Powered By WP Footer Read More →
Musky Bucktails -Stop Paying Money For Junk
By Scott R There is so much junk in the buck tail musky industry, one wonders who buys it all. So what are the problems with musky bucktails. Oh, there are many. Here’s what you need to watch out for. If it feels as light as a feather, let it sit on the hook in the store and rot- do not buy it. You will not be able to cast a light bucktail anywhere, and you will be cursing all... [Read more]
Walleye Fishing – How to Catch Big Ones
By Steve Lake If you are going after Walleye the best places are from the Midwest Northward and into Canada. Walleye prefer sand and gravel bottoms and lakes with perch which they readily eat. I fish a lot of lakes that have a healthy Walleye population but no perch. Walleye are finding themselves in lakes further south. Lakes with Walleye will also have a population of other gamefish... [Read more]
Lure Fishing Tips For Pike
By Harald Hoel Lure fishing for musky and pike can be an intricate matter. I have seen many fishermen do this without thinking at all of what they are doing. The most common mistake is they do it with not enough variation. They keep slamming the pike lures to the same spots over and over again and with the same retrieving speed. This is a very ineffective way to catch fish and will... [Read more]
Jerkbaiting For Pike and Musky
By Harald Hoel A new fishing technique has taken the world by storm and taken pike fishing to new adventures with adapted tackle. We are talking about jerkbait fishing! The bite comes as an explosion and spreads all the way to the spine. The rod is raised and the fish is hooked. The hand around the reel and the “dead” fishing line gives a very good feeling with the fish... [Read more]
Sunfish Fishing – Where And How To Catch The Biggest Ones
By Scott R When fishing for sunfish, often times one will only catch small sunfish, and it gets a bit frustrating, especially if you want to keep some to cook. You many think to yourself, “Are there any larger sunfish in this place”. Well, maybe there aren’t. A lot of times, people fish for sunfish in smaller bodies of water that don’t have a good predator base,... [Read more]
Musky Lures and Pike Lures – Crankbaits Review
By Harald Hoel Pike lures and musky lures are often associated with crankbait lures. Here is a brief review of the most popular crankbaits. The Zalt Wobbler The Zalt wobbler came on the market in the early 1990`s with an innovative design. This wobbler is from Sweden and has had great success in the market. The Zalt is a very lively wobbler which is very attractive when fishing for... [Read more]
Musky Top Water Lures – The Forgotten Classic
Musky Top Water Lures – The Forgotten ClassicBy Scott R Weagles, bobbel head lures, 65 dollar carved ducks, plastic dog replicas. Sounds like a flea market right? Well yeah, it does, but it is actually some musky fisherman’s tackle boxes. Why must you choose these lures when there is one lure, that is amazingly priced that will out fish any of these dying sucker replicas... [Read more]
Toes
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Musky Spinnerbaits – The Ultimate Lure
By Scott R There have always been spinnerbaits for bass, but spinnerbaits for musky is just now catching on. Spinnerbaits are an extremely versatile bait; they can be cast in various parts of the water column, and perhaps most interestingly, they can be trolled. You can really troll spinnerbaits through some gnarly areas that a crankbait would never dare go. The head of the spinnerbait... [Read more]
Catch and Release Fishing – Ensuring Fish For Our Future
By Craig Fiske Know the proper technique for catch and release fishing. Keep those big ones healthy and strong. Your kids and grandkids will thank you! There is nothing more enjoyable in this world than a great day on the water. If conditions are perfect and the fish are active things don’t get much better. Well, maybe catching big fish can add a level of excitement that is hard... [Read more]
Spring Fishing for Pike & Musky
By David Wright It may sound silly to say that Inland Northwest anglers have discovered “Esox” fishing. After all, the “Northern Pike” and its half brothers and sisters, the “Tiger Musky”, have been around this neck of the woods for several years. Northern Pike were illegally introduced into the lateral lakes of the Coeur d’Alene river system in the 1970’s with a... [Read more]
So You Want to Start Muskie Fishing?
By Rafal Kraskiewicz Introduction Due to the size, power of the fish, the strain of the lures themselves, muskie fishing is unlike any other freshwater fishing — it requires specialized tackle from the rod to the lure and everything in between. I am hoping this guide will give you an idea of what is required before heading to a vendor interested in separating you from your hard... [Read more]
The Number 1 Method For Catching a Muskie – Night Fishing For Muskellunge
By Sergio DiGirolamo Alright, so we want a muskie and we want one now! Go to your local bait and tackle and pick up a 10-inch, 3/8-ounce Double Cowgirl. This lure might scare you just by its size and PRICE alone (weighing in at a hefty $25 +/-), but trust me – this is what you want. So again, don’t be frightened by its size, its not like you’re going to have to impart... [Read more]
Muskie Fishing
By John Makoon At Pine Falls lodge you are just steps away from a few of the greatest fishing trip in Northern Ontario. On one side of the lodge is Lake Murray where you can do Muskie fishing, Northern Pike, Pickerel and Small Mouth Bass. The Muskie is trophy size in this lake, Pike are in the series of 20lbs, and Bass are in the 1 to 5lbs range. Spring, the time for renewal, and the... [Read more]
Catching Muskies – All About Muskellunges
By Alyssa Bentley Quick Facts: Muskies can live to be 30 years old Maximum length of a Muskie: 6 feet Maximum Weight of a Muskie: around 70 lbs Trophy Length: over 4 feet Trophy Weight: over 40 lbs Mature females tend to be bigger than males, but mature and grow at a slower rate. Muskies are a non-schooling predatory fish, who are generally tend to stay out of eyesight of each other. They... [Read more]
The Great Muskie Challenge
By Dave Schmitz My family and I had arrived at our summer cabin in Mercer, Wisconsin the night before and I was determined to be one of the first fishermen out on the lake that morning. I rolled out of my sleeping bag and because it was still dark, grabbed my flashlight and proceeded to untie the boat and push it down the ramp into the water. I tied the boat up to the pier and went... [Read more]
Muskie Fishing Tips – Jigging Fall Muskies
Muskie Fishing Tips – Jigging Fall MusBy Jack Phillips Most anglers think big when hunting lunker muskie, but if you want to catch more muskie think smaller baits and tackle. I caught my biggest muskellunge while fishing walleye with a plastic worm in September. More often than can be considered coincidental people catch a lunge while fishing other species. Most anglers look to heavy... [Read more]
Catching Monster Muskie in Fall
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Best Of Muskie Fishing Vol.2 2004-2007 Pt.2
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Monster Muskie in Montreal Quebec
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Chasing the Dream Vermilion 2007
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Muskie Fishing at its Best
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World Record Muskie in Gananoque
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Awesome Boat Side Muskie Strike
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