PLEASE ASK ME ABOUT MY GIVE BACK PROGRAM, WHERE I MAKE A CONTRIBUTION TO AN ANIMAL SHELTER IN YOUR NAME UPON CLOSING!!!  ALSO, CONTACT ME FOR INFORMATION ON MY REFERRAL PROGRAM TOO!   Listen to my blog at http://podcasts.odiogo.com/kristins-blog/podcasts-xml.php       kjohnston@remax.net, kjjj1234@gmail.com, 414-254-6647 www.activerain.com/kristinjohnston www.LinkedIn.com   www.kristinjohnston.com www.ecademy.com   www.realtor.com, www.naymz.com www.zoominfo.com www.facebook.com www.plaxo.com www.trulia.com www.myspace.com  www.postlets.com, www.perfectnetworker.com  www.loopnet.com www.konnects.com www.twitter.com www.wordpress.com www.congoo.com www.xing.com corporate website, and more.  And, as always, if you need real estate assistance in Waukesha County, Milwaukee County, or... 03/06/2009

Many know I blog about the love and compassion I have for my dog Lars. He had done so good for people being a search dog; people lose their kids, and some challenged people walk away as well in February when it is really cold. That dog had such a nose he would not quit. I also was the recovery diver for the search team. Now Lars makes the retirement, VA, and hospital rounds. This guy I love with all my heart and soul, and am very proud of him. All he wants is to be loved and enjoy life. My anchor and energy is my son. My wonderful and beautiful son Spencer had to endure some very hard losses this past year that some 13 years should never have to, but life brought it in front of him and he is working through them. People who have met him will tell you how kind, considerate, and giving he... 03/05/2009

  "Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be"  Abraham Lincoln   PLEASE ASK ME ABOUT MY GIVE BACK PROGRAM, WHERE I MAKE A CONTRIBUTION TO AN ANIMAL SHELTER IN YOUR NAME UPON CLOSING!!!  ALSO, CONTACT ME FOR INFORMATION ON MY REFERRAL PROGRAM TOO!   Listen to my blog at http://podcasts.odiogo.com/kristins-blog/podcasts-xml.php       kjohnston@remax.net, kjjj1234@gmail.com, 414-254-6647 www.activerain.com/kristinjohnston www.LinkedIn.com   www.kristinjohnston.com www.ecademy.com   www.realtor.com, www.naymz.com www.zoominfo.com www.facebook.com www.plaxo.com www.trulia.com www.myspace.com  www.postlets.com, www.perfectnetworker.com  www.loopnet.com www.konnects.com www.twitter.com www.wordpress.com www.congoo.com www.xing.com corporate website, and more.  And, as al... 03/02/2009

The sold activity for Waukesha is down 42.9% compared to 2008 results.  There were 32 closings in Febuary with an  average sold price of $239,096 and a list to sales ratio of 96.26 %.  The average time on the market for the properties that sold is 126 days.  There are 32 pending transactions that may close in March that were on the market 115 days.   There are currently  634 properties listed on the market witha average list price of $247,991 and have been on the market 137 days. 02/28/2009

I can remember it like yesterday on march 10th, 2004 when I had total kidney failure became 100%, ans wound up in a septic coma for a month. The pain was amazing, and the rehabilitation took for ever. I did what most people would do after suffering brain work, learning to walk and talk all over again, and ever ritual that comes with living. I took up farming.We had a herd of Jersey Steers, a flock of Hampshire Lambs, redrock and Plymouth rock laying hens, and we raised about 100-150 White rock cockerels each 13 weeks for meat production,. They came in about 7-12 pounds each dressed, and were absolutely delicious.I found it a strange way to heal up, but the education I acquired, and the friends I made were priceless, and for four years I became a full fledged farmer, as well as a Bee far... 02/25/2009

 Some the temperature will be warming up in Wisconsin and old habits and rituals start coming into play again; even if they are something you have not done for awhile. Come late March and early April the Bee farmers will go out to their colonies and unwrap the protection so the bees can get ready for Spring. The Queen will be checked to see how she is doing, the drones and workers as well. The hives with be checked for any pests or animals that may have tried to get at them.One can never understand the feeling that comes with bee keeping. Nature really took some time out and perfected the ritual. The sad thing is bees are vanishing at an alarming rate and when they are gone, there is a good chance the earth as we know it will be totally This is something I miss. Going out in the middle ... 02/23/2009

  Winter Wildlife on Snowshoes (Families & Scouts) Saturday, February 28, 2009. 1 to 3pm. Get moving! Get out and explore your environment, and snowshoes are a great way to do it. Join a Retzer naturalist as you trek the trails in the silent world of winter on snowshoes. These half-day Saturday sessions cover the various styles of snowshoes and how to use them. The program will emphasize wildlife tracks and signs, and recreational snowshoeing as you connect to your winter surroundings. Register by 5 days before program. $7.00 per person. Retzer Nature Center, S14 W28167 Madison St, Waukesha, WI.  Call 262-548-7801.  PLEASE ASK ME ABOUT MY GIVE BACK PROGRAM, WHERE I MAKE A CONTRIBUTION TO AN ANIMAL SHELTER IN YOUR NAME UPON CLOSING!!!  ALSO, CONTACT ME FOR INFORMATION ON MY REFERRAL PROG... 02/22/2009

When I was younger we could always take our fishing poles down to the the Fox River and have a day of pulling in  pan fish including bull heads, We could have done this for hours. Towering willow trees were everywhere and lent shady to the river as they shot out in to the shy. The park had so many botanical gardens ans everything was just beautiful. Smaller bridges through out the park for people to think,fish,romance,or pitch pennies into the wishing wells. Whole roll of massive concrete trellecesses forming dorms. Every type of magnificent plant are here, and the walk ways were just gorgeous, There is  even a large pond full of cooy fish and it serves as a retention meditation pond People wishing to make a wish could focus and hope their dream came true. This is a beautiful park for a... 02/21/2009

There are 3 GREAT LANDLORD TRAINING SEMINARS SCHEDULED IN MILWAUKEE AREA FOR 2009:   March 27,2009  8:30 am-5pm.  Landlord Boot Camp sponsored by Appartment Association of Southeastern Wisconsin(AASEW) to be held at Best Western Hotel located at 300 N. Moorland in Brookfield.  Cost is $149 for members of AASEW and $249 for non-members.  Contact Paul Vildberg at paulette@apartmentassoc.org or 414-793- 6040 to register.  Topics that will be covered included: Screening and qualifying prospective tenants, rental docuemnts,residential rental pacticies (ATCP 134), Notice TErminating Tenancy, Causes for Eviction, the judicial eviction procss, abandoned propertuy and collection of your judgements.   April 1, 2009 6:30pm- 8:30 pm. West Allis Landlord Training program.  There is no charge for att... 02/20/2009

  History The area that Waukesha now encompasses was first inhabited in 1834. Its acknowledged first non-American-Indian settler was Morris D. Cutler. By 1846, the area was incorporated as the "Village of Prairieville." On February 8, 1847, it changed its name to "Waukesha," and in 1896, Waukesha incorporated as a city. Waukesha's name Over the years, many believed, incorrectly, that the origin of the name of the city was an Algonquin word meaning "fox" or "little foxes," though it is actually an Anglicization of the Ojibwe proper name Waagoshag or the Potawatomi name Wau-tsha. Wau-tsha (sometimes written as Wauk-tsha or Wauke-tsha) was the leader of the local tribe at the time of the first European settlement of the area. This is confirmed by accounts of Increase Lapham, an early settl... 02/20/2009

"If you have come this far, you would be willing to come a little farther?"  I thought it was great when Tim Robbins  (Andy) said that to Morgan Freeman (Red) in the movie The Shawshank Redemption  If an individual has made it this far it certainly is worth the effort to come a little farther If you are a Realtor then activity is picking up, phones are ringing again, and what we weathered out has been worth the wait. It was a great lesson to learn, but the pain was all too great for many of our fellow Realtor Perseverance is a virtue that makes a Realtor shine, and greet the morning each day with enthusiasm. If you are a  Home Seller  and are selling chances are there have been some adjustments and measures that were a little hard to take, but with the help of a great Realtor, and no ma... 02/15/2009

I'm back to this post time and time again, but the meaning is something that hits home, and inspires. I will always remember a Star Power Coach named Ray saying what I believe will stay with me forever.I have a tendency to remind myself that others that have set a direction for me did it because of their value beliefs, and not so much the money. I come back to write about this thought again. Simple in gesture the impact was incredible. I was never one for affirmations, but I think that has been changed. After working on my daily business approach, and putting some health issues in the past category, I asked my Mentor , is there anything that you make a habit of on a daily basis?" He commented in response by saying to me " As I walk into my office I say the same two positive affirmations... 02/12/2009

Speaking for myself there have been crossroads in my life where I had to make a serious, conscious, or moral decision that for one way or another it could have hurt me, or helped me. I would think the question over and I would rhen weigh out the odds, and the probable outcome. For many, the decision was easy, and for some the decision was hard. Either way, I did make the decisions and I lived with the results. Some results were painful, and yet others were a sure sign of joy and peace. The friends I have made along the way were by taking the many different paths I decided to travel at that time of my life. I have friends that will be great friends, I have an forever friend that will always be there, I have friends that we have differences at the moment but I feel in time they will come ... 02/12/2009

For years I have struggled with maintaining a constant desire to keep focused. It was not so much the fact that I had the desire to be my best, but it was rather the fact that I needed to have someone help me connect the dots: Enter Louise Goddard, NLP Coach. Anyone familiar with Tony Robbins will tell you that Tony is a man that was down as can be, and then one day, yes, one day, he decide he was going to make a change in his thinking, his approach, his desire to give, be his best, and have the guts to really confront the service problem; him. This man had the amazing ability to become the most focused, dynamic caring individual one could imagine. A Janitor to a Superstar icon. Louise is a Master NLP practitioner and has the ability to take the worst case of self doubt and turn them in... 02/09/2009

  Most Sundays, after my appts, my husband and I try to go for walks or do something active.  Last week I shared photos of our walk around the Fox River in Waukesha, WI.  This week, we went to the Retzer Nature Preserve, which is a few minutes from our home, and hiked around for a couple of hours.  It was so beautiful.  So many people also had cabin fever and were enjoying the wonderful sights and sounds of nature---the crackle of snow under your feet, the sounds of melting ice/snow (yippee!), GREENERY---thank goodness!!  My hubby is acting silly on one of the huge hills in the second photo.  Enjoy! PLEASE ASK ME ABOUT MY GIVE BACK PROGRAM, WHERE I MAKE A CONTRIBUTION TO AN ANIMAL SHELTER IN YOUR NAME UPON CLOSING!!!  ALSO, CONTACT ME FOR INFORMATION ON MY REFERRAL PROGRAM TOO!   Liste... 02/09/2009

Hoe many times do we feel defeated because of lack of ADRENALINE. A good Realtor will play their cards wisely, they will be collective, and they will exercise that poker face and at the last minute, when you least expect it walk out of the trenches victorious. The greatness in activerain  is it gives us a great hand every time we are dealt. The tools of The ActiveRain Listing Router, Outside ActiveBlogs, and Widget World and ActiveRainTeam Blog gives more give us a winning hand. The public may not know exactly what activerain can do to help us but activerain sure makes us look good. When you add the two together you have a harmonious partnership that delivers great results, and the cards on the table speak for themselves. activerain is a powerful tool that makes us look great,and at the... 02/08/2009

Driving through the many rural area of Wisconsin on any given day, or weekend and you will see beautiful horse farms, equestrian centers, majestic horse stables, and a pride of Wisconsin the serene and peaceful Wisconsin farm; rolling fields, cows and animals out in the fields. As time went by the farmers would sell off their land, and some a little more. As a result you could have the family home, a barn, corral ,some limited pastures, and fences. This was great for the farmer because he had some of the money from the farm, and he was living on the family farm, just in a more condensed way. These were great, and for years I would try to fine one on five, ten, twenty acres and they would be cobbled up before you knew it. n owner could raise some chickens, some lamb, some beef, Emus, or ... 02/07/2009

I may be going off on a limb here but is it safe to say that many of us in activerain have become a creature of environment? I know people that have never moved more than one hundred miles from their town of origin. I have see young babies grow up grow to elementary, middle, high school, and have their own practices these days. Some have children, and grandchildren as well. Personally I have had a chance to travel, visit, stay for a while (some not at my direction) and it puts a bug in you that lets you know that there are many beautiful areas that one can live in. I have been in South America,Europe, Middle East, every scuba destination from Belize to Honduras to The Canary Islands. I have had great times in Costa Rica, Mexico,Jamaica, and the lists goes on. I went back to Nicaragua no... 02/07/2009

We live in trying times, and the last thing one needs is to give money away! In Real Estate you want to have an approximate amount of will give you an idea of your NET at closing! If it is Residential we can come close as to what your net proceeds will be, and if it is Commercial we would be glad to do a Cash Flow After Taxes (CFAT) and an Annual Property Operating Data (APOD) sheet for you with an appointment. Be sure to ask about building your portfolio, trading up, and Starkering into other property regarding a 1031 Exchange. You Should Be Informed, and Get an Edge! Now you Can Know What Your Milwaukee and Waukesha County Home Is Worth On-line, as well as what your Commercial Property (a commercial building, multi family,and business property requires an appointment) Visit: http://ww... 02/05/2009

On think on behalf of my charming friend Sally Hanson Sally & David Hanson's Real Estate Blog  , we would concure that Winter can be over, and the warm weather will be welcome. I was really hoping that Phil would be a shining star and grant us our wish of an early Spring. Snow and cold weather certainly is part of the ever changing climate of Wisconsin. Some say it is because the seasons are so diverse is what makes Wisconsin so unique. I, right about now would be rather out on Lake Michigan pulling in salmon with my son Spencer, or looking at lighthouses. Low and behold, this morning came around and it was as bright as could be. I knew right then that all those wonderful blossoms on fruit trees I always look forward to in Spring would just be a little bit longer in waiting. I have neve... 02/02/2009