On my trip to and from the hardware store today I ran into two classics.I bought one of the two. As far as I can figure from looking at Wikipedia it's a 1969 Ghia model. Wiki tells us that there were seven generations of the Chrysler Imperial, the first generation was the 1955 and 1966 models. The second generation was from 1957 through 1966 which is where this one fits into. Look at the trunk on this thing... If the parking lot was full I may have parked my Toyota in it. I believe my dad had a similar model and I remember it was like riding on air inside it... and quit, no road noise at all.The second classic I spotted at the thrift store.I used to have this multi-album set until I lost it in the flood. I believe I purchased it back when I was about 20 years old. I hated Country Wester... 04/01/2017

04/01/2017 We had a rebound over last week's low number of sales. We had 11 closings this week compared to 6 last week, 11 the week before that, and 19 closings the week before that in our very narrow category of stick-built single family homes within the City limits of Minot. Of the homes that closed this week the average days on market was 159, nearly double the days on market of last weeks 85. The chart above is the total MLS activity for the week. This includes ALL types of properties as well as all cities in our MLS. The chart below is very restrictive as explained below.Be sure to note the line above as this is a very restrictive report. There were 11 homes sold in this limited category. The most expensive home sold for $365,513 and it was on the market for 271 days. The least exp... 04/01/2017

Today's radio broadcast of Minot Real Estate Today was my interview with Paula Bachmeier, Manager of North Dakota Guaranty & Title in Minot.Paula has managed a title team for many years and worked with titles even longer. I do not know of anyone more qualified in her field and I just don't know anyone more professional in any field than Paula Bachmeier. I know you will enjoy this interview. 03/31/2017

Before I left the house this morning there were no holes... at least there were no BIG holes like this one.I actually wish I would have been around to ask questions... and to see the tool that makes these big holes. Obviously it's for some kind of utility work. Thing is, why didn't they tell us home owners? I really didn't think about it until my neighbor who has two preschool boys shared her concern while the boys rode their trikes up and down the sidewalk.This is construction season. A potentially dangerous season for young boys full of curiosity, enough curiosity to fill, or should I say fall into a hole.Obviously we can not count on the City or the contractors to warn us about such projects so be aware of your surrounding and warn your children about the danger  of playing in or nea... 03/28/2017

I would like to invite you to Our Saviors Church for a host of Holy Week activities to enhance your Easter Experience.Palm Sunday - April 9th8:15 and 11:00 AM Worship Services9:30 AM Easter Cantana (wonderful music) Maundy Thursday - April 13thWorship at 7:00 PM with Communion Good Friday - April 14thCrosswalk at 5:00 PMWorship at 7:00PM Easter Sunday - April 16th6:30 AM Sunrise Easter Celebration Worship8:15 AM Easter Celebration with Communion9:30 AM Easter Celebration Service11:00 AM Contemporary Easter Praise  & Worship Easter Breakfast 7:30 - 11:00 AM served by OSLC youth. 03/26/2017

I recorded two great radio broadcasts this week for upcoming shows on Minot Real Estate Today this week.First I interviewed Mark Nelson of Central Home inspections. I like Mark's style when he does home inspections. He is comfortable with the home Buyer tagging along if the Buyer wishes and Mark gives a good 40 to 50 page report that is effective in conveying any problems without scaring Buyers with a 200 page report noting every little thing like a screw missing in an outlet cover.My second recording this week was with Paula Bachmeier of North Dakota Guaranty and Title. Paula has been in the business over 40 years and I seriously doubt that anyone is more knowledgeable about title matters than Paula is. These are two great shows and you can hear them on KHRT AM Radio on Fridays at 4:45... 03/25/2017

My Dad had fantastic eyes. Maybe I should say he had GREAT vision. He took pride in that vision, especially as a hunter and marksman but what I remember most was his ability to spot coins. As the snow melted in the spring he would always spot coins when we went for a walk. He would have no trouble with the penny below (and he would pick it up too). I may not be as good as my Dad at spotting a coin peaking out from a snow drift but I am darn good at spotting Real Estate values.If you are house hunting in the Minot area I assure you there is NO ONE better at making sure YOU get the trophy you are looking for while house hunting. My staff and I have the vision to spot home values that will make your family remember you for Your house hunting ability. 03/25/2017

We had a another decrease in closing over last week's number of sales. We had 6 closings this week compared to 11 last week and 19 closings the week before in our very narrow category of stick-built single family homes within the City limits of Minot. Of the homes that closed this week the average days on market was 85, much better than last week's 146. The chart above is the total MLS activity for the week. This includes ALL types of properties as well as all cities in our MLS. The chart below is very restrictive as explained below.Be sure to note the line above as this is a very restrictive report. There were 6 homes sold in this limited category. The most expensive home sold for $387,900 and it was on the market for 79 days. The least expensive home sold for $47,500. and it was on th... 03/25/2017

I have some investors who would like to finance a business venture in Minot ND and are looking for ideas that would fit the communities needs.This question is for fellow RE Bloggers as well as people living in the Minot ND area.The investors are NOT looking for "trendy" shops or services but time proven investments.Can you tell me about something the family can do? Something that has been in a town you live/lived in for 10 years and it's still popular enough that it's making money for the owners?If you have such an idea please comment below, do not call or email and heck NO I will not give you the names of the investors.By the way, we just got a "Jump" park (trampolines). Is this a flash in the pan tread? Have you had one come and go in your neighborhood or are they pretty stable once i... 03/25/2017

There are many signs of Spring and they are showing up about a month early this year in Minot ND.The occasional day of 40+ degrees, the melting snow, the summery looking clouds are always welcome signs of Spring coming near.Another one of my favorites, picture coming soon, is the gophers playing in the grass (not my grass mind you... that would be war).I was so glad to hear the song of the Robin. I was not aware that Robin's flock, and maybe they don't, but I have never seen one anywhere near this early in North Dakota and there were no less than six of them in my tree. It took about 30 clicks of the camera and a lot of telephoto lens to capture these two but thank goodness they stuck around long enough to let me capture them for you. 03/24/2017

If you live in Minot ND welcome to today, the 1st day of the next two years of your life. To the right is the North Broadway bridge in Minot as it was during the 2011 flood. Both lanes were closed and people had to find alternative routes to travel between North and South Minot.This bridge is going to be re-built, starting today, and is projected to take two years to complete. The good news is that unlike during the flood there will be one lane open in each direction.Broadway is Minot North Dakota's main route between North and South Minot so if you are going to use this route PLEASE have patience and show the construction workers some common courtesy. 03/20/2017

We had a slight decrease in closing over last week's banner number. We had 11 closings this week compared to 19 closings last week in our very narrow category of stick-built single family homes within the City limits of Minot. Of the homes that closed this week the average days on market was 146, up a little from last week's 127 and the week before that of 115. The chart above is the total MLS activity for the week. This includes ALL types of properties as well as all cities in our MLS. The chart below is very restrictive as explained below.Be sure to note the line above as this is a very restrictive report. There were 11 homes sold in this limited category. The most expensive home sold for $410,000. and it was on the market for 270 days. The least expensive home sold for $35,000. and i... 03/18/2017

Earlier this week I interviewed Michele Brossart with USDA Rural Development in Minot ND. This program is available in all 50 States so every potential home owner should check out the program.Of course my interview is local but all the guidlines are going to be the same across the country.Once our program (Minot Real Estate Today) is aired LIVE on KHRT AM Radio I will post the podcast. In the mean time potential Buyers in my area can call me and I will fill them in, this is a GREAT opportunity for families being bought out in the flood plain.The USDA program can be a no money down program funding up to $240,000  and with as low of a credit score as 640. 03/17/2017

I'm sure I blogged earlier that my daughter, Tina, was hired as an intern at the Minot Daily News last week.Her very first story was printed today on the front page of the Minot Daily News.Not bad for a 16 year old!Tina loves the languge arts and has been a "news junkie" for adout 4 years. She loves the opinion pages, especially John Stossel. She and I fight for section A while my son scrambles for the comics.Her number one love however is graphic arts and may be a good candidate for being a political cartoonist.Either way the Minot Daily News is a great fit for her to learn and make her way to the career she hopes to enjoy in the future. I am delighted! Having many friends who's children struggle with what they want to do in life, changing major after major in college, this hands on ex... 03/13/2017

I have a metal yard shed I no longer need since I have built a large shed to hold all my stuff.If you would like it you may have it FREEif you call me first.You must have your own way to haul it off the property and you have your own helpers to move it.As you can see it has dents and a little rust here and there.   03/12/2017

It's the start of the rummage sale season here in Minot ND and I had to make a choice between two sales this morning.It was either the popular Methodist church sale, standing in line a half hour early for the mad dash that always includes several "professional" rummage salers or the one I told you about earlier this week at the Roosevelt Park Zoo.The RPZ sale is only three years old and less likely to be hit by the "pros" so I oppted for it. I think I made the right choice. I scored a Canon Powershot SX 10 IS for $15.00 (perfect working condition), a Nikon Coolpix S3300 like new in the box, and a few other things for a grand total of $27.00. The two cameras alone retail for over $600.00. 03/11/2017

We had an explosion of closings this week with 19 closings this week in our very narrow category of stick-built single family homes within the City limits of Minot which is a nice increase over the 8 which is what we have seen each of the last two weeks. Of the homes that closed this week the average days on market was 127, up a little from last week's 115. The chart above is the total MLS activity for the week. This includes ALL types of properties as well as all cities in our MLS. The chart below is very restrictive as explained below.Be sure to note the line above as this is a very restrictive report. There were 19 homes sold in this limited category. The most expensive home sold for $347,200. and it was on the market for 85 days. The least expensive home sold for $91,000. and it was... 03/11/2017

A couple of weeks ago I interviewed Dean Rylander who (pictured above center) has a Real Estate Salesperson's license hanging in my office but is a full time appraiser. Today I interviewed Bob Thompson who (pictured above to the right) also has a Real Estate Salesperson's license hanging in my office but is a full time property manager. Actually this was more of a trial run before we tape for the show as Bob was a little nervous so we thought we would do a practice run.  03/09/2017

I've probably blogged more about the Minot Public Library more than any other topic. There is good reason for it, the Minot Public Library has a lot to offer and the people who run it are GREAT people.Our family is very reliant on the library for our entertainment. I'm the only non-reader in the family but I still get books on Real Estate and building plans to study, not to mention the videos I watch with my daughter.Anyone who says "There is nothing to do in Minot" is obviously not familiar with the Minot Public Library.Here is what is coming up next week at the library:Of course you can always go to their website and check it out in detail. 03/09/2017

The last couple of days have been very windy. Substained winds of 40 Mhp and gusts up to 60 Mph.Living in the Great Plains you get used to the wind blowing but winds and gusts like this are unusual even for us.Anyhow, it was so windy that the Colonel lost his face (completely on one side of this sign and half of it on the other side). This sign is on North hill just two doors from my office.This TV antenna however is/was on my roof. The mast bent 90 degrees from the wind and once I climbed up on the roof I discovered the antenna was also damaged. Bummer for me I had just replaced the antenna last fall. Last night when I could only receive one or two channels I assumed the stations antenna went down. Nope, it was just mine. 03/08/2017