RECENT BLOG POSTS
Most of you know the normal sales routine in a listing presentation.  CMA, my marketing is better than the other guys' marketing, etc.  One of the almost universal statements made by real estate sales people goes something like, "I'll put a for sale sign in your front yard.  It will be a grand er...
08/08/2015
CNBC cites a survey by Bankrate.com which asked 1,000 investors what was the best investment for money to be left for a decade or more.  Top answer was real estate, chosen by 27% of the respondents.  This is the first year in three that real estate was the winner.  What's really weird is that the...
07/22/2015
CNBC has chosen Minnesota as its top state for business in their 2015 study. If you don't call this state your home, or if you're not familiar with what sets it apart from most others, check the CNBC report in the link above.  Minnesota has consistently been in the top ten of this fairly unbiase...
06/25/2015
In 2011, I wrote about the observance of an increasingly popular Landlord Day:There's only one Mothers Day, Fathers Day, Valentines Day, Grandparents Day, Administrative Professional's Day, etc. each year.  In the case of grandparents, they often share their day with up to three others.  Great gr...
05/05/2015
Home ownership is at its lowest rate in this millennium.  In the meantime, rent levels are climbing faster than a scared squirrel.  It would seem that this is a perfect scenario for large masses of first time home buyers stampeding toward every home with a for sale sign in the front yard.  But, t...
04/16/2015
About this time last year, there was a lot of noise about tax reform and how the government would be able to increase revenue by eliminating what some call loopholes.  In the same breath, many of our large-mouthed legislators spewed the idea that, somehow we could all pay lower taxes, and the gov...
03/26/2015
Tonight and tomorrow are the two nights of the year when many dog enthusiasts will be watching the Westminster Kennel Club dog show.  Likewise, many of their dogs will also enjoy the experience.  Airing schedule includes the three hour live coverage tonight and tomorrow, as well as a few schedule...
02/16/2015
With the new year, Americans are blessed with a new class of legislators in Washington.  Given the new Republican majority in the Senate, and an increased majority in the House of Representatives, I think it's safe to assume that all claims of obstructing congressional progress will be leveled at...
01/19/2015
About a year and a half ago, I posed the question,  "Should you invest in residential real estate?"  In that post, I suggested that a reasonable rate of return would be around 8%, assuming that the investor has adequate skills in management, hands-on maintenance of real property, chooses the righ...
12/09/2014
The a little bit off-year election is just a day away from becoming nothing more than old news.  Contemplating the meaning of this event offers an opportunity to count our blessings.  After tomorrow, we will be able to watch television without scary boogeyman voices telling us that virtually ever...
11/03/2014
Rainmaker
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Mike Carlier

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