Strange House of the Day

I love this one! Its a museum turned upside-down. It looks as if some giant monster picked this building up and dropped it on its head. What a great idea.

This place is called wonderworks and its located in orlando florida. You can see a complete animation of the house being “placed” at the wonderworks website.

This is a really great example of some amazing architecture. What an incredible attraction! I hope to visit someday.

Virginia Lord

Raising the Bar in Real Estate

612.799.1700

Nick Nolte Should Have Stuck With Me!

A few years ago when I was 24, (so lets say six years ago?) I met Nick Nolte at a party.

He was so dreamy. I could look into those handsome eyes all night long. We talked a little about home life and friends. I think my meeting him left such a wonderful impression on him. I know it sure did me. I left that party on cloud nine. I have always been able to picture those handsome eyes perfectly in my head.

I must have really touched him because from that point on he has never quite been the same…

I think if he would have stuck with me at least he would have had a better chance for this…

Oh well Nick. You had your chance…

Virginia Lord

Raising the Bar in Real Estate

612.799.1700

Strange house #1

I have a new affection for looking at strange houses. I started googling strange houses and, to my surprise, there are a LOT of them.

This first strange house I found must have been owned by a sea lover or a boat lover. Or perhaps when the flood water subsided, they were too tired to move it back to the water.

If I had a donkey for every time I saw a house like this, I would have one donkey.

I wonder if a guy named “Noah” owns this house.

At least if the flood comes, they will be safe.

And finally…

At least you wont get sea-sick on this boat!

Virginia Lord

Raising the Bar in Real Estate

612.799.1700

What is your favorite type of house?

My favorite type of house is a little house on Lake Minnetonka.

OK not that little, but something small and cozy. I adore little cabins with just a slice of lakefront.

That is one of the reasons I like visiting Big Island so much. I would love a little cabin on the Big Island, Lake Minnetonka. There, you feel like you are way up north, away from it all when you are actually right in the city. It’s the most convenient getaway I have found.

Besides that its so beautiful on the shores of Lake Minnetonka. The scenery is gorgeous.

I really do prefer a small cozy house to a big palatial mansion just because of the maintenance required. I would hate to have to clean and repair a 45 room house. Plus I love that cozy cabin feel. I love a fireplace and candlelight. It is hard to feel this cozy with 45 ft. ceilings.

What’s your favorite kind of house?

Virginia Lord

Raising the Bar in Real Estate

612.799.1700

Casual Friday

This is the shirt I like to wear on casual Fridays. I love the color green, I love monopoly, and I am a Realtor! I wonder if Trump ever wears this shirt?

Ok I have never really worn this t-shirt, but I found a picture of it on the web and I do love it. I think it is adorable.

What do you think of it?

Where can I find good T-shirts on the web?

Is that an oxymoron? Good? T-shirt?

Virginia Lord

Raising the Bar in Real Estate

612.799.1700

Big Island - AGAIN

Did you know there is an island on Lake Minnetonka where people have homes and there are no bridges connecting the mainland and the island?

Well there is and it is called Big Island.

Wikipedia even mentions Big Island by saying  Big Island, a popular lounging island near Excelsior, holds many large fish.

Large fish huh? I have been to Big Island dozens of times and I have never seen a fish larger than my forearm. According to Wikipedia I think I should be seeing some shark fins or maybe a whale jump.

Some of you may be wondering how much I can write about Big Island on Lake Minnetonka? The answer to that question is, I’m not sure. I don’t set out to write about Big Island but something pops into my head and perhaps it reminds me of Big Island. I wonder if it makes a difference that there is a huge picture of Big Island right above my computer screen so every-time I pause, I am reminded of Big Island.

When I googled Big Island I found a lot of information about the now defunct, amusement park on Big Island. I also found some of my own writings on Big Island. So maybe I’ll write about the amusement park, or maybe I’ll write about how much I write about Big Island.
Virginia Lord

Raising the Bar in Real Estate

612.799.1700

Spiral Ham and Home Selling

I spent more of the weekend eating spiral ham and less of the weekend selling homes.

Happy Easter everyone!

I got together with family and ate pleanty of spiral honey-glazed ham. I always wondered how they were cut. I imagined a ham on a stick and a man with a knife running around and around and around the ham, but alas, they have machines that do the slicing so as to be specific with slice size.

You sure wouldn’t want to be thinking about other things while using that machine!

But now its Monday and I am so happy to be back at work, ready to help people buy or sell their dream homes!

I really hope no one wants to buy this one. I advise against it.

Virginia Lord

Raising the Bar in Real Estate

612.799.1700

Big Island Adventure

We made a fun video about our adventure of driving on the ice to Big Island on Lake Minnetonka. We checked with official sources and found out the ice was over 13 inches, very safe to drive on, but it was warm out so we were still a little nervous.

Introducing our BIG ISLAND ADVENTURE!!!!!!!!

Virginia Lord

Raising the Bar in Real Estate

612.799.1700

How on earth do you choose a good realtor?

When I saw my Doctor the day before yesterday, just before my physical, she asked me “How do you find a good realtor?”

She asked a very good question. Such a good question that I think it would be helpful for many people to know how to find a good real estate agent. Before I started in this business, I hired a real estate agent who would never talk to me after I hired him. I would call to find out what buyers were saying about my house, but he never would call me back to tell me. I was so frustrated that one morning I went to his office and waited in the lobby for him to come to work, just to find out about the house. I immediately requested a meeting with him, and he was very terse during the brief meeting. That was such a bad experience. I often think of that experience and try to do the opposite; call people often, and always keep them in the loop. In an effort to help so you don’t have to go through what I had to, I have put together some preventative measures.

If I were to start to find a good realtor, this is what I would do.

1. Talk to friends, relatives, and co-workers. If one of them is very excited about a certain agent, if they tell you that the agent was attentive to their questions, a good listener, that they gave feedback on showings on a timely basis, and just seemed very experienced, that agent may be the one for you.. Very good agents are a cut above the rest and they stand out! Call that agent.

2. If no one you know knows of a good real estate agent, go online, check out the houses on the market in your area. If there is one real estate agent that is shown as the listing agent many more times than anyone else, chances are that agent is selling a large quantity of homes in your neighborhood. Call that agent.

3. Interview at least two agents. You need to be able to compare their experience, and get opinions on price, the condition of your house, commission, etc. Many agents will want to stop by, take a look at your house, ask you a few questions and then come back again another day after they have done a comparable market analysis in their office.

4. When the agent comes back the second time, ask the following questions, along with any other questions you may want answered;

A. How long have you been selling real estate?

B. How many houses have you sold in this area? When? Specifically where? How long did they take to sell?

C. How often will you communicate with me? How? Can you put that answer in writing?

D. What do I need to do to get my house ready to sell?

E. Why should I choose you over any other agent?

F. In this challenging market, what makes you think you can get my house sold?

G. Within the last calendar year, what was the average days on the market for the houses you sold?

H. What should we do if you can’t sell our house in six months?

These are though questions, but you need to ask them. Any top agent will answer them truthfully and emphatically! Good luck.

Virginia Lord

Raising the Bar in Real Estate

612.799.1700

Lake Lore - Video of Lake Minnetonka

Do you know that I am fascinated with the history of Lake Minnetonka? Well I am. I love the old stories so much I made a video about them.

This is my video called “Lake Lore.” You can only see it here!

And youtube. And google video, and I will send you a copy of the dvd if you really want one. Anyway, enjoy my first crack at movie-making skills right here! Drum roll please…..

This is exciting isn’t it? “And now, presenting…

LAKE LORE!!!!!!!!!”

Virginia Lord

Raising the Bar in Real Estate

612.799.1700