About Ward County, ND

AIR FORCE & OIL FIELD WORKERS BEWARE!

Homes for sale under $100,000.00 as of 12/08/2008 = 4
Homes for sale between $100,000.00 and $124,999.00 as of 12/08/2008 = 17
Homes for sale between $125,000.00 and $149,999.00 as of 12/08/2008 = 12
Homes for sale between $150,000.00 and $174,999.00 as of 12/08/2008 = 10
Homes for sale between $175,000.00 and $199,999.00 as of 12/08/2008 = 14
Homes for sale between $200,000.00 and $249,999.00 as of 12/08/2008 = 16
Homes for sale over $250,000.00 as of 12/08/2008 = 30

OBVIOUSLY WE ARE EXPERIENCING A HUGE HOUSING SHORTAGE!

If you are thinking, "Well I will just rent" guess again. Never in Minot's history have we had 100% occupency, UNTIL NOW. Of course a couple of rentals are bound to come up here and there but

remember this:

1) 1,000+ troops and their families ARE coming in the next 4 weeks, not maybe, they ARE

coming.

2) The oil field is expected to bring in several thousand workers in the next 6 months and

they have been coming in at an alarming rate already.

3) Base housing is full.

One more thing to think about:

With 100% occupancy landloards are screening applicants to the max. If you have a credit glitch, smoke, or have pets, you are in for a rude awakening if you think you will find an appartment ahead of those that do not have a credit glitch, smoke, or have pets. If you are planning on purchasing a home you need to start today, not the day you get here. Did you know that EVERY Minot area listing is on Realtor.com? Did you know that you can work with me no matter who has the house listed? Are you aware of near by communities that other Base personel live in? Call me, I can help with all these things and you need to start now. Does your spouse need to find an employer? will you be looking for an insurance agent or lending instatution? Call me, I'm here to help.

I've been on a rant for 9 months now that if you are taking part in the economic downturn there is no reason to. For 9 months I've been preaching that we need employees for absolutely everything, except maybe Realtors ;) in Western North Dakota. If you are a family man about to loose your home wouldn't it be worth leaving the family for 9 months to or so to save the family home and your pride? On average oil workers out here are earning $70,000.00 a year. These are starting level ruff-neck jobs. If that is to tough to handle then keep in mind we have openings in every field imaginable.

For more information on the oil field check out www.midwestoiljobs.com . We are also very short of carpenters. Keep in mind, we are in a BOOM! We have a huge shortage of homes and the contractors have no one to build them, they all headed out to the oil field!

Come to Minot ND, it's like the Gold Rush, stake your claim, save the family home or start a new one here.

Bob Timm

I have been in contact with my favorite plumber just a little to often lately but this last time I have no doubt will save me money and be good for my "Go Green" image as well.

Larry had recently replaced a furnace and water heater in a rental of mine. As I was pointing out the work that needed to be done it made me think of a long ignored problem in my own home.

It was bugging me that every morining when I would take a shower it seemed like just as much water came out of the spout as did the shower head. I told Larry that if I tried to stop the water at the spout but then it shot out of the packing around the faucett. He checked it, confirmed I was correct, fixed the packing around the faucett, and replaced the spout. I am amazed at the differance! Now I use half the water, have the same or better water pressure, and save energy. What a deal!

Last of all I want to mention that if you have a service person like Larry that you use yourself and are very pleased with let your customers know. I have two business card display racks in my office and only cards of people I know and trust go in them to hand out to my customers. I can tell you from experience that your customers will appreciate it.

Bob Timm, Minot ND

Their Here! Millions and millions of snowflakes that is. It's our first snow storm of this winter season and it certainly is a mess. I'm making this post in an effort to help all the NEW folks in Minot due to our Air Force Base as well as all the Texans up here working on our oil boom. Watching traffic here would be comical if it was not for the fact people are getting hurt and their automobiles are sustaining a lot of damage. Here are some pointers for you:

1) If you are not scared to drive on snow you should be. If you have never driven on snow and you are not afraid then you are an idiot. Even the most experienced drivers in this area respect the snow and we all know that when that first big one comes it's a new learning experience all over again.

2) Minot ND is located in a river valley. The areas of town are called North Hill, South Hill, and The Valley. In a storm your chances of going up either hill diminishes greatly. The chances of stopping at the bottom from the top and ending up where you want to be is also a crap shoot.

3) That sports car you brought to the Air Force Base or out to the oil boom is not a good choice during a snow storm. The snow can get up to two feet not counting much higher drifts. A sports car can handle an inch or two, not a foot or two. (There is a reason that most of us have 4 wheel drive and it's not that we are a bunch of gun to-ten hicks).

4) Don't lock up your brakes if you are heading for disastor. If you have time then pump your brakes, if not you will actusll have more controll by accelerating then slamming on the breaks.

5) Many North Dakotians keep a tow rope in their vehicle and most of us do not expect payment for helping out a stranded citizen. Still, even today, most North Dakotians will stop to help.

6) If you are stuck but it doesn't look like you should be (very little snow) you can most likely get out of it by making sure your wheels are straight and then rock the car from forward to reverse back and forth until you break free. Do not gun the engine or spin the wheels when doing this. Soft and gentile will get you out.

7) Keep a scoop type of shovel in the car. If you get stuck in a drift or snow bank you need to shovel as much snow as you can that is behind the wheels (front and back). Once your car is no longer "hung up" you should be able to do the rocking thing and get out. Remember to keep those wheels straight, this is vital to getting free.

8) Don't put yourself in a position that you have to hurry. That more then anything is going to get you stuck in a snow bank or in a collision. As painful as it may be double the time it used to take you to get to and from the Air Force Base or what ever. I'm sure I don't need to through this in but I'm going to: Don't drink and drive, it's a bad idea when the roads are good but it is a really bad idea in stormy weather.

I hope this is helpful and I hope others will throw in some additional pointers. Thanks,

Bob

Oak Park Realty, Minot North Dakota's First and Only Green Realtor.

Why: You know how you get set in your ways but then all of a sudden the light bulb comes on and you have a totally different view of something. Well this is what happened to me. In the past I felt the entire go green idea was a load of, well you know, fertilizer. There are still aspects of going green or terms that are used that make me cringe like "Save the Earth/Planet". Only Jesus can/will save the Planet but WE can be good stewards of what God gave us.

What: What really turned me on is that I can do things in my own home that are not only Green but safer and healthier for my young children and myself. Why have harsh chemical cleaners in the home that could hurt or even kill a child when safe alternatives are available? Why use generic untested supplements when I can use tested, guaranteed products? While those two things were the spark that ignited the desire to be Green there are other things I firmly believe in such as: recycling, purchasing used when possible, and conserving energy (saving money). I'm not going to pull any punches here, Shaklee is what/who got me excited with their product testing (no animal testing), and the total dedication to quality and safety.

How: Oak Park Realty is Green because: We recycle non-sensitive papers, purchase and recycle recycled ink/toner cartridges, turn off the lights when we are not in the office, use the energy saving settings on our computers, we have asked and will receive soon a newspaper recycling receptacle to place in our parking lot, we are giving monthly seminars to the public on going Green in the home (if you would like to be invited please let us know by notifying us. We have applied for and hope to be part of the elite EPA Performance Track team (an honor only 600 companies have in the USA), we are producing a monthly Get Green Newsletter that is published on recycled paper and with soy ink as well. We have partnered with several Local and State Companies to promote being green (ie if you look at our newsletter you will see contributions by Morgan Printing, Farmers Union, and Gate City Bank who also gave us a large supply of reusable & recyclable shopping bags to distribute). We are open to more suggestions as to how we may be a Greener Company if you would like to make them then click on the "Contact Us" menu button.

To visit my Shaklee website and see the safe ecological products that got me thinking Green please click here.