As the busy time of the year for Progressive Home Services has arrived we have continued to deliver great service and receive nice compliments from many of our clients. Below is just a few of the recent testimonials received over the course of the past week.   We are very pleased with everything you have done for us during our inspection process, we didn't feel like we were just another customer. I was very suprised how willing you were to stop and explain everything we had questions on, and you did everything possible to make it as pain free as you could. Your attention to detail is very well appreciated, once again thank you very much. Derek and Karrisa H. Thank you for the home inspection report. I found it very easy to read and understand. Found it to be complete, and reassuring on ... 05/28/2009

Composite decking recalled by Louisiana Pacific; decks can detoriate and break, posing fall hazard a potential safety concern. Washington D.C. - The US Consumer and Product Safety Commission , in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a volunatry recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using the recalled product unless otherwise instructed according to the USPC. Name of Product: Composite Decks Units: About 48 million linear feet (decks vary in size) Manufacturer: Louisiana-Pacific (LP) Corp., of Nashville, Tenn. Hazard: The recalled decking can prematurely deteriorate and unexpectedly break. Consumers can fall through broken decking and suffer serious injuries. Incidents/Injuries: LP has received 37 reports of composite decks breaking, resulting ... 05/19/2009

The month of May is deck safety month, and in effort to help create awareness I have provided a great article below created by the North American Deck and Railing Association (NADRA) www.nadra.org Is Your Deck Safe? May is Deck Safety Month May 2009 (ARA) - Your deck is the perfect place to enjoy the warm weather with friends and loved ones. But an unsafe deck could possibly collapse, causing serious injuries to you and your guests. The number of deck failures and resulting injuries has been increasing at an alarming rate. Between 2000 and 2008, there were at least 30 deaths reported as a direct result of deck collapses, and more than 75 percent of people on a deck when it collapses are injured or killed. With 40 million decks in the United States that are more than 20 years old, it's i... 05/10/2009

One would be suprised how frequently I come across a broken or cracked window or window pane during a home inspection. As a home inspector you have the chance to see many things wrong with a home, and cracked windows are just one item on a list of many that home inspectors keep their eyes out for. I recently performed a home inspection for a very nice client looking at purchasing a twinhome in the Mankato area that was built just a few years ago. The home was in relatively good condition and the potential buyer thought everything would be just fine. My hopes were the same, but as I am very familiar with even new-construction homes or homes that are relatively new can also contain problems both major and minor. While a cracked window pane can sometimes be a minor repair a shattered windo... 05/05/2009

The last I heard, the official percentage of buyers looking online for homes was 84%.  That's a lot of internet seekers!  It's also why I focus so much of my efforts on attracting those buyers to my site, and why I've worked so hard to get www.MankatoHomesOnline.com onto the first page of Google search results for the most important search terms Buyers use. So when someone searches Google for terms like these: Mankato real estate (the most popular, by the way) Mankato homes for sale Mankato houses for sale Real estate in Mankato Real estate in Mankato MN Homes for sale in Mankato Homes for sale in Mankato MN Houses for sale in Mankato Houses for sale in Mankato MN Realtors in Mankato they will find my site on the first results page.  (Many other ther search engines like Yahoo,com, Ask.c... 04/27/2009

Spring is of course the time when more people begin looking for homes than any other, at least in Minnesota.  Especially if you're a young man thinking of low interest rates, many affordable homes available, and $8,000 in pocket money when tax time comes next year!  Oh, to be young again, and free! You do have to be a first-time home buyer to qualify for that eight grand, but still.  Happily the government defined s first-time home buyer as a person who has not previously owned a home or a person who has not owned a home in the previous three years!  Very nice. And what's the latest in loan (mortgage) rates?  If you're in the Mankato area with good credit, rates less than 5% are available.  Here's a link to find out more:  http://www.bankrate.com/  (Check the national overnight averages... 04/15/2009

As I was recently inspecting a foreclosed home in the area that contained a number of repairs I was thinking to myself that more home buyers, flippers and investors should understand some of valuable pointers about purchasing foreclosed homes, when later that week I came across a great article explaining just that. While having a home inspection is an extremely important aspect of purchasing a foreclosed home, there are a number of other items to keep in mind when considering a forclosed purchase. Below is the article I found and one that I hope will shine some light and information about foreclosed homes. Enjoy! A tide of foreclosed properties has been sweeping into the beleaguered housing market, bringing down property values, dislocating families, and sending municipal governments sc... 04/13/2009

To complete my last entry for decks, I thought it would be important to point out that before starting any excavation job it is extremely important to have the utilities in your property located. Whether you think you may live near a gas line, electrical line, etc. it is important to make sure that you are not digging in an area the could be potentially dangerous to you, your property, or the utilites. If you would like more information for having your utilites located contact Gopher State One Call at 800-252-1166 or you can visit their website at www.gopherstateonecall.org Call before you dig! Remember safety should always be first, and if you would like to make sure you are safely constructing your deck, or would like to have a deck or home inspected your presently own give us a call ... 04/13/2009

As warmer weather is hopefully on its way many people are in hardware stores, and big box retailers looking for deck plans, materials, and estimated costs, but don't forget the last installment in my blog for decks. While posts and footings may not be the most interesting thing to talk about, this does not negate their extreme importance. Deck footings are an extremely important part of your decking system because this is an area of your deck that supports load or weight, and not just dead loads, but live loads. When you, and your family and friends are on your deck it must be able to support the load of the deck and everything contained on it. Not only does your deck have to support you and everything on it, but during cold months it must also resist heaving. What is heaving? Well, hea... 04/06/2009

First, a bit of history:  after following a high school flame to Minnesota, I ended up living in the Twin Cities for many years before going east to find a wife and a guru before returning to the frigid north.  I had the chance to move to Mankato to open the first Barnes & Noble store there as Manager, and I took it.  Two important things I discovered about Mankato: there is almost no traffic, and you can see the stars. After living in big cities full of cars and light pollution for a long time, I found these discoveries to be quite refreshing.  I hope that when you move to a new location, you find something equally refreshing. 03/30/2009

Nashville, TN-Larry A. Kaduce, RE/MAX Dynamic Associates, is among the top-performing Realtors® in the country to attend Accelerate '08.  This exclusive program by personal finance expert, Dave Ramsey, inspired and motivated real estate professionals to even higher levels of outstanding customer service and achievements.  The two day event in Nashville, Tennessee was held on December 2 and 3.  As part of Accelerate '08, the realtors took part in a live broadcast of The Dave Ramsey Show, focusing on real estate topics.  The invited participants are part of Dave Ramsey's Endorsed Local Provider Program, which connects local realtors, brokers, CPA's and health insurance agents with Dave Ramsey fans across the country.  For more information on Dave Ramsey's Endorsed Local Providers go to ww... 12/19/2008

With home foreclosures at an all-time high, the government bailing out subprime mortgages and many homeowners falling further behind on mortgage payments each month, it's no doubt that there are many housing bargains in this market. The most misunderstood aspect of housing deals is the "short sale". This occurs when a home is sold for less than what is owed to the mortgage holder, thus coming up "short". The lender signs off on the note as a complete payoff.  Then everyone ends up happy, right?  Well, if it's done right then that's the outcome. Unfortunately, many short sale transactions are frustrating and never get processed. Short sales are more popular than ever, largely in part of the recent subprime market.  Homes were over-valued in anticipation of high appreciation. Home buyers ... 10/05/2008

Donate to Your Favorite Charity - For Free!After considerable thought, I've decided to share the wealth.  If you become my Buyer or Seller client after January 1st of this year, I will donate 10% of my net commission* to the charity of your choice - you pick!  All you have to do is take advantage of my friendly expertise and come up with a non-profit charity which will accept my donation.**  There are so many possibilities:  think local, think national, think global.  There are people in the Mankato area and all over the world who will appreciate your contribution, even if I get to write it off when tax season comes!  I would like to suggest you find a charity that is reasonably efficient with the money they get, however, because I'd rather see my dollars do as much good as possible.  Y... 01/16/2008

Mankato Neighborhoods and Mankato Searches The Mankato real estate market divides geographically (and for search purposes) into several areas.  The major areas are:  Central Mankato real estate, Hilltop Mankato real estate, West Mankato real estate, and Skyline real estate.  Some of these areas are larger than others, and need more description.  I'll give you a rundown on some of the major characteristics of each of these areas.    Betsy's house - 333 Center St.Central Mankato Real Estate: Central Mankato is basically the oldest part of town and is geographically defined as "not hilltop".  It runs from quite a ways north of Highway 14 off of Third Avenue south to about West High School, and from the river to the top of the hill.  Houses on the side of the hill are still Central Mankato.... 01/03/2008

  Betsy's House *  Mankato Mankato, Minnesota.  Coming into town the first time on Third Ave., I didn't see Mankato's best side and came away with a rather poor first impression.  Well, that changed for the better quickly.  I had the great pleasure of interviewing dozens of Mankatoans at a B&N job fair at the Holiday Inn, and I met many fine people for the first time.  Choosing that first staff was difficult because there were so many excellent candidates, and the problem persisted throughout my tenure as Manager:  We always had more good people who wanted to work with us than we had positions for.  The best things about this area are the people who live here, no doubt.  If you already live here, you know that.  If you're just coming to town, you'll find it out soon. Not to downplay the... 01/03/2008

  Hooray! I'll be honest:  there's not much I like about the current occupant in the White House, but his concern for his legacy is driving him to some unprecedented activity.  Among that activity, and very welcome from my point of view, is the legislation the President pushed to get rid of the tax on forgiven loan money.  It used to be that if you had to sell your house short, that is, you sold your house for less than what you owed your lender, you had two choices.  You could either cough up the difference yourself or, what occurs more often, walk away.  The lender would then send you (and the IRS) a form letting you know that the difference between what you owed and what they accepted would be considered taxable income on your part.  The idea was that the lender basically "gave" you ... 12/23/2007