About Brainerd's Pequot Lakes

The last Fall Women's Health Speaker Class was on breast cancer, a topic that has probably affected most families. Dr Troy Duininck, who gave an overview of cancer, stated that one in eight women get breast cancer and in 2007 there were 178,480 new breast cancer cases that were diagnosed. He said that in Minnesota there were about 3000 new cases and that Brainerd St Joseph's hospital had 72. Duininck also said that 85-90% of breast cancer cases are not heriditary.

In my family my Grandmother, aunt and sister all had breast cancer. Doctors recommend that women have a mammogram every year starting at age 40 and I do. The Brainerd hospital is getting a breast specific gamma imaging machine that will give doctors a better look at the cancerous cells to better assist their patients.

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Make Breast Cancer a National Priority

We need your help! Take action now. Visit the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Advocacy Alliance. Tell our nation's leaders, "I Vote for the Cure."

The Komen Advocacy Alliance engages policymakers and opinion leaders at all levels of government to advocate for an increased investment in breast cancer research and greater access to breast health services for all women. For more information, visit www.IVotefortheCure.org.

How do you keep visitors & Realtors at open houses and showings from using your nicely folded, perfectly hung, and oh so clean and dry towels? I have read that some suggest tying them in ribbons or raffia and therefore signal that they are off limits. Does everyone know how to read raffia? A sign "Do Not Use Towels" along with "Do Not Use Toilet or If in the case of an Emergency : please close lid & flush (or maybe flush and then close lid)", "Do Not Sit on Bed" , "Don't kiss the Mirror", "No eating or drinking in any room", & "No smoking right outside the door and then throwing butt on doorstep" (still referring to the cigarette here) - might help!

What I do is provide a wicker or metal holder with lovely paper guest towels or on a low budget - nicely folded printed Bounty. The reality exists that - "when you've go to go, you've got to go". Realtors at open houses are sometimes there for hours. Children are always unpredictable in their potty habits, some are still in training! I designate a powder room or the guest bathroom for use and indicate that in the other bathrooms. This has helped with the towel problem - the others are still out of control!

What do you do?

Kathleen Lordbock

Re$ale Design & Home Staging

Brainerd Lakes area of Minnesota

~Changing the way houses are sold in Minnesota~

The new Interstate 35W bridge which goes across the Mississippi is now open to public traffic. Thirteen months ago there were thirteen people killed as a result of the collapse of the bridge. Another 145 were injured and the lives of many were touched and changed forever. The design of the bridge is to be a lasting memorial for all those affected by the collapse.

The concrete span includes high-tech sensors and other back up features that were not around to be used forty years ago, when the steel truss original bridge was built. The $234 Million bridge's construction was moved along at a fast pace to accommodate the 140,000 trips a day that will be once again be driving over this section of the mighty Mississippi.

In my previous blogs in this series, Curb Appeal is Not A Myth and After The Call, I addressed the value of your on-line listing and the "first glance" impression of the property. Let us rewind this blog back to where the potential buyer arrives on the scene due to your excellent directions and prominently & permanently displayed address markers. Your For Sale sign in the yard helps them find it as well. However these do tend to disappear, are usually unattractive and do not add to the intrinsic value of the property. At first glance, the prospective buyers like what they see. This looks like the house in your photos and fits the description. The prospective buyers are eager to look inside. As you enter in the lock box code, they are glancing around - up and down and across. Cobwebs, dirt, dead plants, a nice comfy bench to sit on - what do they see?

The door opens, strategic lights are already on, and in they go. You had them on the Internet, you kept them at the curb. What do they see now? I am hoping that this house has been professionally staged. What they see is clean, has good traffic flow, and everything has been deliberately and skillfully placed as to highlight the best features of the home. Color choices - soothing , up- to- date, and inviting. Furniture is appropriate to a home of this price and appealing to the market you are fishing in.

You got them and you are keeping them - congratulations!

In Virtual Curb Appeal is Not a Myth, I discussed the MLS listing photos. Now a potential buyer has made the call to see a listing. If they are like me, they will meet you there. On the way, they will observe the neighborhood, traffic, parks, schools, etc. All of these things are out of your control - it

is what it is. Now, they have found the right house due to your excellent instructions and the address being prominently and permanently displayed on the maibox, fire number marker or the front door. All under your control! Realtors' For Sale signs have a habit of disappearing.

Does what they see, look like the photos or perhaps even better in real life? What do they see from the street? Have you ever arrived at a listing and realized that you are alone and the situation is not going to change? It is possible that they took a first glance and headed for a better looking possiblity. Rude of them, but when the words in the listing and the stark reality of the view do not match, they feel deceived and do not mind being rude.

They probably will not be shopping with you again - there are many agents and many houses out there to choose from.

For help making your listings market ready - in Central Minnesota call - 218-829-4664

Re$ale Design & Home Staging

Other areas - check out the excellent stagers on Active Rain in your town