Sioux Falls, SD – October 10, 2011: People talk about the national housing market like it’s some static thing, like a toaster. The thing is, there is no national housing market; just like there is no national weather forecast. That doesn't mean national averages don't have their place, but you don’t grab a raincoat and an umbrella in Miami based on the weather in Seattle. Like the weather, all real estate is local. As we embark on the fourth and final quarter of 2011, let’s take a look at our local forecast.   New Listings in the Sioux Empire decreased 13.5 percent to 415. Pending Sales were up 16.9 percent to 249. Inventory levels shrank 9.4 percent to 2,134 units, a positive supply-side trend that should bring additional stability.   Prices were still soft. The Median Sales Price dec... 10/10/2011

I often hear from people about their dreams of living in the country on an acreage. I used to share this dream too until it happened. I found that it wasn’t the dream come true that I had envisioned.  While I did like that you have a little more freedom with your property there was also some negatives! 1.    Do you like to be close to town to grab a loaf of bread or to go to the kids sporting events? You might not be! 2.   Do you need to be off to work early in the morning in the winter? If it snows a foot you won’t be! 3.    Do you like the short city driveway you have to shovel? Because your next driveway could be a half mile long! 4.   Two words…..SEPTIC TANK! 5.    Do you live close to a farm?? If you do the air could be less then fresh! 6.         Do you enjoy your weekends? If yo... 10/09/2011

In the heart of Sioux Falls, in my heart of my neighborhood is Woodlawn Cemetery. Woodlawn is one of the oldest cemeteries in the city and is the earthly home of many of the forefathers of our great city. The crown jewel of the cemetery is the R.F. Pettigrew mausoleum.  This mausoleum holds four members of the Pettigrew family, Sen. R.F. Pettigrew, Bessie Pettigrew (his wife), Alma Pettigrew(his sister), Harlan Page Pettigrew (his brother).  The mausoleum was constructed prior to the death of Bessie Pettigrew in 1916.  After 90+ years of wear and tear the roof of the structure was starting to bow and it was feared that it would collapse.  Built from granite and marble from the personal quarries of Tiffany and with a beautiful Tiffany stained glass window it was decided that the structu... 10/05/2011

You may already be aware, but VA loans have made important changes that take place in October.           For a veteran with a down payment of:                    0 to 4.99%    the fee drops from 2.15% of the loan amount to 1.4%                     5 to 9.99%    the fee drops from 1.5% of the loan amount to .75%                     10% or more  the fee drops from 1.25% of the loan amount to .5% The funding fee for second time use has dropped as well.   What does this mean? It means it is cheaper then ever to get a VA loan! If you are interested in buying in the Sioux Falls area get in touch with me and I could direct you to some wonderful lenders.  IF YOU LOVE YOUR FREEDOM THANK A VETERAN! 10/03/2011

I am so psyched because one of my favorite comedians is coming here to my fair city!!! See me here on Saturday night!!!   Saturday, October 1, 2011 
8:30pm - 10:00pm Orpheum Theater 315 N Phillips Avenue Sioux Falls, SD 57104 605-367-4616 Join Bob Zany of The Bob and Tom Show for a night that is sure to be full of laughs!   Tickets are $15.00 + applicable fees in advance and $20.00 + applicable fees day of show and are available by calling 1-800-745-3000, or visiting www.ticketmaster.com, the Sioux Falls Arena Box Office, or any Ticketmaster location. 09/27/2011

O’Gorman’s 50th Anniversary Gala, “A Knight to Remember!” Saturday, October 1st, 7 pm  O’Gorman Performing Arts Center        Join us this Saturday, October 1st for O’Gorman’s 50th anniversary gala, “A Knight to Remember!” This fantastic show will be the premier performance in our new Performing Arts Center and will feature many of your favorite alumni performing, including Mike Connor, Kaija Bonde, Elizabeth Doyle Bjorneberg, Bob Barnett, Jeff Barnett, and many musical theatre numbers with appearances by Kerri Brick (Adelaide in the very first musical at O’Gorman), Shelly Cronin Starr, Mary Fitzgibbons Ridder, Greg Billion, Jim Billion, John Lorang, Steph Parezo, Martin Dill, Maryclaire Costello, Ben Solomon, John Michels, and Amanda LaFollette, and we’ll also feature Jacqueline Pierc... 09/26/2011

                                    Do you want a day in the country with the kids? Come to Country Apple Orchard for the Harvest Festival on October 1-2, 2011.  There will be horse drawn hayrides, pony rides and train rides. There will also be an inflatable playground for the kids to play in! Come and visit the animals in the petting zoo and meet Sneakers the live scarecrow. There are also pumpkins and apples for the picking. Or if you prefer you can always buy pre-picked.  With thirteen different varieties of apples and almost 6,000 trees there are plenty of apples for everyone.  There is also 7 acres of pumpkins to pick from as well. Also on site is a gift shop, which also sells baked goods.  Fall hours are Monday-Friday 10-6, Saturday 10-5 and Sunday 12-5.   If you need further info... 09/25/2011

A great family fun day in Sioux Falls is a trip to the Great Plains Zoo! The zoo is open year round but my favorite time to go is in the fall. The weather is nice and the animals are still all out on display. Admission for adults is around $8.00 and kids are under $5.00. So this is a very affordable day of family fun. Pack a lunch and go have a family picnic after you go through at Lower Sherman Park which is adjoining the zoo parking lot. With a restroom area, picnic benches and playground equipment you have everything you need to keep the kids busy for the day! There is also a beautiful formal garden for the grown ups to check out. All of this is conveniently off of the 12th street exit on I-29 North and then south on Kiwanis Ave.  09/22/2011

  1.Stampede Hockey 2.Dinner, drinks and live music at Touch of Europe 3.Carousel Skate 4.Wild Water West Amusement Park 5.Yogi Bear Campground 6.Falls Park 7.Pettigrew Museum 8.JazzFest 9.Pheasants Baseball 10.Terrace Park 11. Great Plains Zoo 12.Sioux Falls Bike trail…..see me here! 13.Minerva’s Restaurant (is awesome) 14.Fat Daddy’s Comedy Club 15.Old Courthouse Museum 16.South Dakota Symphony at the Washington Pavilion 17.Country Apple Orchard 18.Sioux Empire Mall 19.Hot Harley Nights 20.Paramount Studio 21.St Joseph Cathedral 22.Foley’s Fish Chop and Steak House 23.Sanaa’s Gourmet Mediterranean 24.Sioux Empire Fair 25.Shrine Circus 26.USS South Dakota Battleship Memorial 27.Thunder Road Family Fun Park 28.SculptureWalk Sioux Falls 29.State Theatre 30.Sertoma Butterfly House 31.Wash... 09/21/2011

Substance abuse is a disease that affects millions around the world. People I am close to, and people I am not close to yet. It breaks apart families and disadvantages innocent children.  Let us support those courageous individuals who are brave enough to step away from the darkness of addiction and step into the light of recovery. Join me at the first annual March Into The Light recovery walk, which will provide hope to those struggling with substance use disorder. Starting and ending at Falls Park, the march will start in pre-dawn darkness, with the rising sun as a symbol of the movement to bring the disease of addiction out of the darkness and into the light. Registration begins at 6am and the march will start at 6:30am.  The march route will be 1.2 miles in length. Luminaries are a... 09/19/2011

Here are some miscellaneous scenes from Sioux Falls for you to enjoy! Hope you all had a productive weekend too! 21ST AKA The Boulevard near McKennan Park   Central Fire Station Statue of Liberty at McKennan Park The Potato Man at McKennan Park Orpheum Theatre Downtown   09/18/2011

Just like Uncle Sam the State of South Dakota wants YOU! A two month marketing campaign aimed at luring businesses from higher taxed states such as Illinois, Minnesota and California was kicked off back in August. With direct mailings, radio spots and print ads the State of South Dakota wants to let you know about our low tax rates or lack of taxes. Here in my great state we enjoy: 1.   no corporate income tax 2.         no personal income tax 3.         no personal property tax 4.         no business inventory tax 5.         no inheritance tax So do you want to move here yet? Not only are we a business friendly state but we have cheap housing, good schools, and friendly faces! Sioux Falls our largest city has been my home for over a decade and I would love to make it your home too!    09/17/2011

In Sioux Falls we have a beautiful Veterans Memorial Park. It is one of the newest additions to the Sioux Falls Park System, being dedicated on September 9,2006, but it was worth the wait. With the flags flying in the breeze and all sorts of beautiful sculptures, the bridge and the pond it is a sight to see. My daughter and I go here once in a while for a picnic because there are always ducks to watch.  I hope you enjoy my photos!  09/16/2011

                                                                                                The Washington Pavilion of Arts and Science is located in the heart of Downtown Sioux Falls. Originally the home of Washington High School the building was repurposed in 1999. The huge three floor building houses the Kirby Science Discovery Center, which is a hands on interactive science area. The Pavilion also houses two performing arts centers that host Broadway productions, operas, and concert productions. The Pavilion also is home to The South Dakota Symphony Orchestra. The Wells Fargo Cinedome as well of the Visual Arts Center  are also on the grounds. The Visual Arts Center houses six galleries, which have changing exhibits through out the year, and is free to the public. The Wells Farg... 09/14/2011

Sioux Falls, SD – September 12, 2011:Despite some choppy waters in August, there have been noteworthy shifts on both sides of the closing table. Buyer activity is moving back in line with historical trends while sellers are making fewer concessions in order to sell their homes. Falling supply and improving absorption rates in many regions also suggest that market balance is realigning towards neutral. Locally, a few indicators posted positive movement over August 2011, but do the rest of the numbers provide reason for optimism?   New Listings in the Sioux Falls region decreased 5.1 percent to 498. Pending Sales were up 24.3 percent to 292. Inventory levels shrank 7.1 percent to 2,195 units, dampening any potential oversupply issues down the road.   Prices dipped lower. The Median Sales... 09/13/2011

Open year round the Sertoma Butterfly House is home to butterflies from Central and South America, Africa, Asia and Australia. Here are some pictures from my last trip!  Sertoma Butterfly House..Sioux Falls,SD was written by Rosalie Evans 09/13/2011

Built in 1889 for Thomas and Jenny Mc Martin, this home was later bought for 12,000, by Senator Richard Franklin Pettigrew. Pettigrew came to Sioux Falls in 1869 and was an instrumental part of our area’s history. Pettigrew was responsible for bringing five railroads to Sioux Falls and also developed many businesses for the area. When South Dakota became a state in 1889 he became our first Senator. He later went on to serve two terms in Congress to protect the interest of South Dakota residents. When Pettigrew died in 1926 he left his home to the city of Sioux Falls to be maintained as a museum. Today you can tour the remodeled home, which is in much the same condition as when Pettigrew lived there. Admission is free so come and bring the family to see this majestic home! 09/12/2011

This Didn't happen in South Dakota but It sure looks like it to me!Hope your Monday is going great!   09/12/2011

The Victorian Bed and Breakfast is located right in the heart of down town Sioux Falls. Built in 1888 this beautiful home is on the Historic Register. The Victorian can be rented either by the room or you can rent the whole home for your special event. The Victorian is also conveniently located within five miles of the airport. Enjoy the wrap around porch or the fireplace in season. Each beautifully appointed suite features a private bath and a queen or king bed.  So if you are planning a trip to Sioux Falls and you don’t want to stay at just another hotel  come and give the Victorian a visit.  For more information or to inquire about rates please check out their website @ http://www.thevictorianbedandbreakfast.com/index.php   09/11/2011

This would be my daughter Anna Christine! dachshund races! dachshund races! dachshund races! dachshund races! This little gal just had back surgery but it didn't seem to bother her much! Boy she could fly with those wheels!! Mayor of Sioux Falls, Mike Heuther speaks his peice! If you haven't stopped down there is still time for beer, brats and polka dancing! The longer the night goes the more interesting the people watching! lol. Have a great weekend everyone!     09/10/2011