May 21, 2018

Geek of the Week – Ashley Rundell

Meet our Geek of the Week – new mama, Ashley Rundell. She’s been geeking out over her new baby boy, Lincoln James, who just turned six weeks old! Ashley and her husband, Devan, have been embracing being parents to two kids under two, and are just trying to hold on for the wild ride!

Never one to rest or relax for too long, Ashley has taken on a humongous summer project. She’s refinishing an entire antique Jenny Lind nursery set including a crib, changing table, child-size rocking chair and a high chair for Lincoln’s nursery. She’s asked the other geeks to check periodically for updates and to hold her accountable for getting it finished before Lincoln is too big to use it.

In addition to furniture refinishing, Ashley’s summer plans also include planting a huge garden, swimming lessons for her daughter, Charli, and plenty of backyard barbecues. But the biggest goal is for the Rundell family to adapt to becoming a family of four. When they include their two dogs in the count, that makes them a family of six!

The Geeks have no doubt that Ashley’s up for the challenge! We just hope she finds time to bring that baby to the office this summer so we can all have a chance to snuggle him.

By The Property Geeks

May 7, 2018

Geek of the Week: Caarin Pannkuk

We caught up with our Head Geek, Caarin Pannkuk, for a few minutes between appointments to find out what she’s been geeking out about lately. Turns out she’s been floating on clouds for the past week or so due to the purchase of some land she and her husband have been waiting on to finally close. After three-hundred-seventy-five days of patience, pushing and reworking some legal and title issues, they’re now the proud owners of “the magic bridge” up at Big Blake Lake.

This particular piece of land holds special memories for Caarin. Her family has a cabin just up the road and she grew up exploring this natural patch of undisturbed property: watching the creek flow, walking around the shore, and absorbing the beauty of the views. The bridge that connected this land and the land across the creek was magic in her little kid eyes.

Now that she and Joe have kids of their own, when they’ve visited their own cabin on the lake they’ve always walked down to the end of the road and let their girls take in the beauty of it all. The excitement has come full circle since the girls now get to experience the same awe and joy Caarin once did as a child.

She and Joe feel fortunate to have been able to build a place of their own on Big Blake Lake, surrounded by family and friends, and have been further blessed by getting to enjoy that with their children. Being able to buy the “magic bridge” property is a dream come true and they plan to build a family cabin on it — hopefully sooner rather than later!

By The Property Geeks

April 30, 2018

Geek of the Week: Desiree Sherry

Desiree Sherry has been a busy Geek lately! Balancing her time between her property management and real estate businesses has kept her on her toes. She’ll do whatever it takes for her clients though… even if it means pulling personal property to help stage a home for photos!

In the little bit of down time she’s had lately, she did manage a date night with her significant other. They were able to catch up with friends and enjoy the first bonfire of the season.

If she’s not at work she can pretty much guarantee she’s spending time outside. She’s been getting the garden ready to plant and pruning all of her shrubs. Since the snow has finally melted, her family pulled their camper out of storage and was able to get it set up at their seasonal site. Her family likes to split their time between two different locations in Wisconsin. Jellystone in Warrens is one of their favorite places to camp.

It’s set up as a resort style campground with plenty of fun activities: lazy river, wave pool, a man-made swimming lake with a beach, three pools, water slides, mini golf, an outdoor movie theater and lots more.

Their other top destination is a county park in upper Wisconsin. It’s the complete opposite from Jellystone since it has no pool or water slides. The big draw there is the creek that runs through the campground. Her kids spend their time catching frogs and crayfish and jumping off the boat launch. The adults enjoy kicking back to relax. It’s her family’s secret hideaway but if you really want to know the name of it, she can probably be convinced to share.

They’ll have an extra family member at the campsite this summer. Meet their newest addition — Dash the cat.

He’s been getting used to the car rides and will hopefully enjoy spending time at the camper just as much as the rest of the family!

By The Property Geeks

April 23, 2018

Geek of the Week: Lindsay Reddy

Welcome Lindsay Reddy as our Geek of the Week! She said she didn’t have anything exciting enough to post, but this mom of two has plenty going on.

She’s like the Energizer bunny, always on the go with tons of enthusiasm and energy to spare. When she’s not chasing her kiddos, affectionately referred to as Frick and Frack, she’s either holding down the front at the office or running spreadsheets on a potential deal. She’s a numbers gal and geeks out about evaluating investment properties and negotiating for her clients.

She and her husband Mike enjoy a rare night out without the kids and recently celebrated their sixth anniversary by playing B-I-N-G-O at their favorite local dive and taking a cab home. (Thanks Grandma & Grandpa!) On the rare occasion she has a chance to sit down, she enjoys sipping her Keto coffee while looking out over Union Lake in Northfield.

Though the Spring Market has been challenging, she’s looking forward to the snow melting so she can get out and find her buyers the best deals in this crazy seller’s market.

By The Property Geeks

April 16, 2018

Geek of the Week: Hannah Smith

Welcome Hannah Smith into the spotlight as our Geek of the Week! She’s headed to warmer weather tomorrow–one day late thanks to the unexpected winter storm that dumped over a foot of snow in the south metro this weekend. She can’t wait to get outside without a jacket and catch sight of some greenery. Spring is one of her favorite seasons and it’s taking way too long to get here.

Hannah’s been on a travel streak lately, having had the chance to travel to Amsterdam and Paris late last year with her significant other. Experiencing her first trip to Europe was amazing and she’s now dying to go back and collect even more stamps on her passport.

When she’s not chasing her travel dreams around the globe, she’s chasing her daughter right here in Minnesota who seems to be three going on thirteen. She’s getting a kick out of the phrases Anora is picking up at Spanish school and trying to stay just one step ahead of her busy toddler. Hopefully she’ll get to plan a kid-friendly trip in the near future… maybe even a Disney cruise!

With Spring market in full swing, Hannah’s been busy fielding questions about buying and selling. She says her friends laugh at how animated she gets when she’s talking about real estate, especially investment properties. “I get excited talking about investing and helping others come up with creative ideas to get their own investments into reality.” Her dreams include building an extensive investment portfolio of her own in the not-so-distant future.

Now that she’s got several years under her belt she’s grateful for the many wonderful referrals she’s been receiving from past clients, friends and family. She loves experiencing new transactions every day and working with people in all stages of life.

We hope you have a great time on vacation, Hannah! Bring some of that sunshine home with you, please!

By The Property Geeks

April 2, 2018

Geek of the Week: Nekeya Broadnax

Happy Birthday, Nekeya! Not only does she always share her birthday with April Fool’s Day, but this year she gets to celebrate Easter as well.

You could try to wish her a Happy Birthday/April Fool’s Day/Easter, but you’d have to catch up to her first. Nekeya is constantly on the go. And we don’t just mean showing houses. Next to real estate, traveling is her passion. When she’s not geeking out about real estate investments, she loves to head out on international trips with the long-term goal of becoming an international property specialist. From a recent trip to Thailand to a future trip to Tokyo, she’s all about seeing everything the world has to offer.

“The things I love most about traveling are: trying new foods and drinks, exploring new beaches and dive spots, culture and did I mention the food?”

Here she is checking out Thailand…

And a quick trip to Florida for Spring Break…

No matter where she might be geographically, the things she most enjoys don’t change: family, yoga, long walks to the beach, volleyball, and caramel macchiatos!

Thanks for being our Geek of the Week, Nekeya! We can’t wait to see where your next adventure takes you!

By The Property Geeks

March 27, 2018

Geek of the Week: Sarah Ruhland

We’re starting a new thing at The Property Geeks called “Geek of the Week” where we’ll feature one of our geeks so you can get to know them better. First up is Property Geek Sarah Ruhland.

We wanted to shine the spotlight on Sarah first because we’re all trying to live vicariously through her over Spring Break. She’s out in Arizona with her family, enjoying the warmer weather and sunshine while the rest of us are willing Mother Nature to pick up the pace and melt the Minnesota snow.

Here are some of the highlights of her trip…

Exploring Antelope Canyon with the family.

Checking out the local real estate market at an open house. (You’re on vacation, Sarah!!!)

Discovering vegetation comparable to the towering pines we have in Minnesota!

Performing quality control at a local chocolate shop.

Enjoying the local scenery and taking note of the amazing curb appeal!

Chilling poolside…we’re sure she’s listening to a real estate podcast, too!

Perfecting her drive on the golf range.

Checking out the Grand Canyon… a definite highlight!

We’re glad Sarah has been having a good time with her family, but we’re ready for her to get back to the office! (And bring some of that sunshine with her!)

By The Property Geeks

March 13, 2018

Ever thought about investing in real estate?

Have you ever wondered what it takes to get started investing in real estate? Are you addicted to those rehabbing and home flipping shows? Do you dream of owning your own cabin or lake home but don’t know how you’d ever be able to afford it?

The Property Geeks are thrilled to be partnering with Profiting On Property to bring you an absolutely FREE Introduction to Real Estate Investment class. Over the course of a couple of hours, you’ll learn about the many options potential investors have when considering a real estate investment. The class will focus on three main avenues… long term rentals, flipping/rehabbing and vacation rentals.

Considering your options can be overwhelming and confusing…

Where do you find properties?
How do you figure out whether a property would work better for a rehab or a long-term rental?
Who do you turn to for financing?
What’s a Contract for Deed?
Why would you even want to invest in real estate… isn’t the marketing going to tank again soon?

We’ll look at answers to all of these questions and more.

Profiting On Property was created to educate first-time and novice investors. There are so many benefits to investing in real estate assets, but wading through the information on how to get started can be tough. The intro class offers a high level overview of the pros and cons and will even go through a case study of an actual investment property, including the numbers.

After potential investors attend the Intro class they can come back for more in-depth information. Profiting On Property will offer more intensive classes on Long-Term Rentals, Flipping/Rehabbing a Property, and Vacation Rentals.

For the class schedule, bios of the speakers and to sign up for notifications on future offerings, visit ProfitingOnProperty.com.

By The Property Geeks

February 27, 2018

Keya Cooks – Cheesy Garlic Bread Meatball Sliders!

Property Geek Nekeya Broadnax took her turn in the kitchen and searched high and low for a recipe to share! When she came across this post from The Comfort of Cooking, she was inspired to try out these delicious Cheesy Garlic Bread Meatball Sliders!

The original recipe and post can be found here: http://www.thecomfortofcooking.com/2016/05/cheesy-garlic-bread-meatball-sliders.html

Cheesy Garlic Bread Meatball Sliders

Ingredients:

Sliders:

1 lb. ground beef
1 large egg
1 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp chopped basil
1 Tbsp oil
1 cup marinara sauce
1 package dinner rolls
12 slices mozzarella cheese

Garlic Butter:

4 Tbsp melted butter
2 Tbsp minced garlic
2 Tbsp chopped basil
2 Tbsp grated parmesan

Directions:

For the sliders:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut the dinner rolls in half and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine ground beef, egg, salt, pepper, garlic powder, parmesan, and chopped basil. Mix until all ingredients are well blended. Shape mixture into 12 golf ball-sized meatballs; set aside.
Set a large pan to medium-high heat. Once hot, add meatballs and cook 1-2 minutes per side, then flip. (They do not need to be fully cooked at this point.) Remove meatballs to a paper-towel lined plate; drain excess fat in pan.
Pour marinara sauce into the pan and place meatballs in the sauce. Cook for 8-10 minutes, flipping meatballs occasionally, until sauce has reduced to a thick consistency. Remove from heat.
Place one meatball inside each halved dinner roll. Top with sliced mozzarella, then cover with dinner roll top. Place on a large baking sheet.

For the garlic butter:

In a small bowl, combine butter, garlic, basil, and parmesan, stirring until evenly mixed.
Pour garlic butter mixture over top of the sliders.
Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the rolls are golden brown and cheese is melted.
Cut into individual sandwiches, and serve.

Keya served the sliders at a recent family gathering. The result… Next time she’ll have to make a double batch! Let us know if you try these, we’d love to hear what you think!

By The Property Geeks

February 20, 2018

Grand Opening Recap

What a week it’s been for the geeks! Last Thursday we celebrated our official grand opening with a ribbon cutting and open house. It was a fantastic evening and the love and support we received overwhelmed us! We wanted to share some photos from the event and sincerely thank everyone who attended or sent their well wishes. It’s because of you… our clients, colleagues, vendors, mentors, and supporters that we’re able to do what we do. A huge thank you to the city officials, other local business owners, Lakeville Chamber members, fellow real estate professionals, and teammates from the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Lovejoy Real Estate offices who came out in support. We appreciate each and every one of you!