A Bit About Me.....

I started in real estate in 1995 working for a very successful land company that specialized in the development of lakeshore property.  I remember the first lot I sold was $16,950 on a lake in Otter Tail County; that seems like a lifetime ago.  Fast forward to 2007 and lakeshore lots (on the low end) are starting at $100,000.  As a result, buying a property requires a fair amount of due diligence before you sign on the dotted line.  Shoreland development regulations, county planning and zoning ordinances and local regulations all complicate the decision making process and can significantly affect the value of a property.  What I try to do is organize all the necessary information you will need and answer all the questions you have in order to make an informed decision.  I refuse to ask closing questions or try to create urgency in an effort to get a client to make a decision.  I look at this as a process that you and I work through almost systematically to ensure you are completely comfortable with your decision.  When you find the right piece of property, you will know it.  I absolutely believe each property is unique, each person is unique and each transaction is unique; my job is to match the right person with the right property and make sure the entire process runs smoothly.

My Focus

My focus is on undeveloped or unimproved lakeshore lots.  It offers me the chance to help people across a wider geographical area and ultimately at a much higher level.  People quickly realize when they begin their search the premium one pays for the improvements, sometimes beyond justification.  When a buyer starts from scratch, they know exactly what has gone into the improvements.  Also, by working with just land and across larger area, I feel I can better serve my clients.  We can take all things into consideration during the process: the land, lake, drive, etc, when deciding which is the best property for them.

The Internet

The Internet has revolutionized how people search for property.  Not only can you search any time, you can actually view aerial pictures of the property with programs like Google Earth, you can map properties from your door, download plat maps from county websites, research zoning ordinances and research just about any lake you want.  Combine that information with my National Geographic Topo maps program and property pictures, you can virtually see the property from your home.  At a minimum, there should be no more 2 or 3 hour drives to a property that looks nothing like the explanation in the newspaper, property magazine or MLS.  I encourage you to take full advantage of its potential.