Relocate to Wisconsin

    One of the great things about Wisconsin is that we have four seasons...and while this past year, many people, even those of us who are lifelong residents...thought the snow would never stop and it would never be more than 30 degrees....sure enough summer is here !  We celebrate outside at ethnic festivals on the lakefront. there are lots of fireworks displays...We have church festivals all over the city with the smell of corn and bratwurst wafting thru the air and a variety of music played on stages everywhere !

   Another very cool thing is the Farmers' Markets you will find throughout suburban Milwaukee, Waukesha, Washington and Ozaukee Counties. You will find fresh picked that very morning vegetables, flowers, homade goodies include jams and jellies, plants....week to week the harvests vary and so does my recipe for "everything but lettuce" summer salad....and mmmmm this pasta salad we had last week when we were invited to a graduation party...you can choose which vegetables you use and find at your own market...or come and visit one of our markets on Saturday morning.

    You may use whatever veggies are in season or whichever ones you like and substitute them in this recipe....Try this...

                                              Super Summer Pasta Salad

1 lb. of any pasta, cooked and drained ( I like spiral or vermicelli)

  4 medium  tomatos, chopped             2 cucumbers, diced             1 bunch of green onions      

  1/2 lb. of fresh parmesan cheese             1/2 cup of vegetable oil             1/4 cup of vinegar        

  2 T. water             1 pkg. of dry Good Seasons Italian Dressing            

 1/2 bottle of McCormick Vegetable Seasoning with  buttery flavor           

  Mix oil, vinegar,  water, Italian Dressing, and the 1/2 of bottle of McCormick Vegetable Seasoning.  After the pasta cools down add the vegetables and then the dressing mixture.  To finish, sprinkle the Parmesan Cheese over the salad.  Serve cold.     

    If you came to southeastern Wisconsin to enjoy our summer festivals, four seasons, farmers markets and oh soooo many other wonderful things from cultural events to major sports, outstanding educational opportunities from great school systems to noteworthy colleges and universities...we really have it all. We would be happy to give you a tour and find you a home you'll enjoy.

 It didn't occur to me until the other day, when someone mentioned that they had never heard of an expression I used....that we have a number of expressions and words that may been made up by family members and we have used them for soooo long, we got to thinking, they were things every one understood.   Here are some of our words... Could your family add to this Dictionary of Words and Expressions...?

  Baloney Lady - a psychic, astrologer, tarot card reader...anyone who "sees into the future."

  Paper Devil - hard working, industrious sort of character..she/he works "like a paper devil."

Pooka - A creature well known for having "eaten the last cookie", not put the toliet seat down, forgetting to turn off lights, lock the door, an irresponsible sort of character..."The Pooka did it"

Shinta - A creature who is a "neatnik" and in charge of putting down your collar, straightening your  tie, tucking in your shirt..."If you don't...straighten, tuck,....The Shinta will get you !" (always imagined as a child for this to be a snake-like animal.)

 Shmutzy - messy....dirty....a baby learning to eat with his/her hands will have a shmutzy face...painting without a drop cloth will leave "shmutzes" everywhere !

         Totsoyeah - pronounced Tot so Yeah...has some slavic derivation; means "That's just the way it is."

   If you want realtors who speak the same language in southeastern Wisconsin...whether it is buying, selling, investing or short sales, call the Hansons for the experience you need and the service you deserve.

  Soooo....if you are an agent, you have someone call from your website....they will be coming to the area in a month, need to be settled in before the new school year..OR you are a A Transferred Buyer....and need to know the area...Here are some questions that may be of interest and that agents should include and buyers not be afraid to ask.

• Where ARE the best schools...?Maybe you have children with special needs, talents or interests...from disabilities to abilities...how are they best served ?
• What are the taxes in the area ? How do they vary from county to county ?
• How far will I travel to work ?..what kinds of public transportation may be available ?
• What kind of recreational opportunities does the area present ?
• What can I expect to find for cultural activities ?

 Are these the questions as a relocation agent that you answer for your buyers ?  Buyers....are these answers part of what you get without asking from an agent you may have found on the internet ?  They should be....If you are relocating to Southeastern Wisconsin, let the Hansons help you find not just a house...but a home, a community...the  best pizza....a whole new life as a Badger state resident. We are proud to be lifelong residents and promise to show you all the reasons we choose to call this our home and help you enjoy it as much as we do.

  Yesterday was a "polish the pennies" day...we got up earlier than usual and reviewed our "to do lists"
this weekend, will be the premiere of a new listing that is a rehab of a listing we had in the neighborhood where I grew up. The rehab crew and former owner owner combined have a done a wonderful job...new roof, updated electrical, fresh landscaping, new siding, new picture window, mmmm...neutral paint replaces the old wallpaper, updated kitchen with new cabinets...all new carpeting and updated baths...We came over and "dressed" every window...removed some paint splatters, polished woodwork, added some staging to the baths, kitchen, living room and made notes of a few other things to bring over before the "premiere open house" on Sunday....another bathroom rug for downstairs, couple candles and a lamp with a timer for the living room for later showings...On to the next listing. Now, Grandpa has moved out...we didn't want to remove carpeting before that for fear he would slip and it would have disrupted him a bit. Carpet is gone and we meet the son and daughter in law who are industriously cleaning. I go to the hardware store and get mineral spirits and steel wool and some rags....voila...the parts of the black padding still stuck to the floors disappears and the hardwood gleams back at us.  We leave the paint swatches marked for each room with the seller..and on to check on MR. B.... , the beagle we rescued from our Short sale. His temporary keeper has taken him for 3 walks and 4 car rides and peaked his appetite with chicken broth soaked dog biscuits and he is regally presiding over the townhouse we sold them on the front porch...he wags hello and gifts us with sloppy kisses.  We sop at 3 pet stores, an animal hospital and a veterinary clinic with posters of Mr. B and tear off phone numbers to find him a permanent home. 
   On to our short sale condo gal who is starting to see showings with the best price in the complex and we see if she has boxes to make her next move. We stop at a future seller who is sending his son to our open house on Sunday and look a little worse for wear...not quite in our business best....and we tell him we were staging and cleaning....Why are you doing all of the cleaning and Staging ? Our soon-to-be client wants to know....Because we have to be the shiniest penny we tell him and explain that the best looking, most prepared listings are the ones that sell the fastest for the most money. Now he gets it....

   If you want to get Realtors in Southeastern Wisconsin who know how to do more than polish pennies and can represent you as certified Buyers agents OR make you a part of their long list of satisfied sellers that have gotten over 99% of their asking price for the past 8 years....Service/Proven Results.Call the Hansons...for Prompt Service and Proven Results !

  COME ON AR ....YOU CAN DO IT !

We are close to closing on a short sale...and the thoughtless tenant left Mr. Beegs behind when he moved..my husband who likes most animals better than lots of people...just drove 80 miles one way to pick up Mr. B...he is sporting a new leash...has his pawprinted dish and is anchored to our deck post...our two cats won 't welcome him....he needs a home...he is very well behaved.....If you would love a new pet...we think he is less than 2 years old....Please call us: Locally: 414-525-0563  or TOLL FREE: 877-525-0563.

Full Service????...You BET WE ARE !

   Not once but it looks like it will be twice that Wisconsinites get to applaud their local heroes....Paul and Morgan Hamm the now internationally known Olympic gymnasts. We are sooo proud !Natives of Waukesha, the county west of Milwaukee that we call home.  Paul, despite a broken right hand, has been guaranteed a  position on the team that will represent the US at the Bejing Olympics. His rehab is progressing ahead of schedule and he hopes to continue his medal winning ways later this summer in Olympic competition. He isn't going to let anythig like a broken hand stand in the way of his third Olympic success. Morgan has yet to learn if his scores will propel him to a place on the team. Whatever happens, their dedication and discipline in their chosen field has earned the admiration and respect of people around the world and special home grown pride for Wisconsin residents.

    We are proud to have the Hamm brothers represent our country and we would be proud to represent you as a seller or a buyer for Wisconsin real estate. Our experience and lifelong Wisonsin residency make us not only proud ambassadors but competent realtors. For all your Wisconsin real estate needs, call the Hansons.  Let us show you what we mean by prompt service and proven results.

  14460 West College Avenue, New Berlin, WI  53151  414-427-3838

 A drive down College Avenue in New Berlin,WI is just a little bit country, just a little bit past (west) of Sunny Slope....we call the corner of Sunny Slope and College "Cow Corner" cuz there are some black angus there....always wondered if they too ended up at Matty's....in a little different form than the tail swatting variety you can see as you head west toward Matty's.

     At first glance,...and until you know better...you could mistake Matty's for just another pretty shot and a beer bar that was just a little bit country....and you would be wrong...very wrong. You walk up a few stairs and are likely to be greeted by one of the friendly bartenders or waitstaff. Yes, waitstaff...Matty's isn't a shot and a beer place at all...and the large black board colorfully displays the soup du jour and special of the day...you can count on it being VERY special....the soups are homade...and wonderful...from traditional french onion to less traditional....cream of chicken with wild rice, southwestern beef....you never know what flavors the chef has combined to tempt your tastebuds as an add on to one of their not-so- traditional sandwiches. You'll find the burgers of course....the famous "born in Muskego" pizza burger...Italian Sausage fare...burgers with every topping known to every burger lover. A variety of cheeses, sauces, mushrooms...onions of course...and all with their famous sides...homade chips are my favorite...or pasta salad, cole slaw or potato salad...and always a wonderfully large and usually crunchy BIG homade cookie to satisfy anyone's sweet tooth.

     What's that....you just want an appetizer...be traditional and choose the mountain of nachos  with ground beef or chicken, or try one of Matty's specialties...mozzarella logs wrapped in batter or the very tasty warm artichoke and  hot spinach dip served with mini toasts and corn chips.....mmmmm.

    At Matty's it isn't just the cookies that are big...Matthew Anderson, the owner of Matty's also has a big heart....and you will want to help celebrate that very genuine trait by attending Matty Gras...an annual event, this year held on August 15, 16 and 17....you'll want to get there early and stay late...bands, raffles, auctions, food and fun...stay tuned to Matty's webpage for more details on this CAN'T MISS EVENT.

      Did I say Matty's is not a shot and a beer bar....come on out on the Matty-O or is it Mattio....it's covered outdoor eating...refreshing....and you won't miss your favorite sports event...there are televisions there too as there are throughout this sports, bar, grill, event-filled, gourmet, burgers and beer, prime rib and wine, gotta go there kinda place.....come on to Matty's you gotta love it !

        We think you might just fall in love with New Berlin too...the largest suburb in Waukesha county in land area...36 square miles with a population of just over 38,000. It's a little bit country...we know, we call New Berlin home and have called Wisconsin home for a lifetime.

Lakeside Inn Restaurant & Lounge on Scenic Phantom Lake
W299 S10545 Phantom Woods Rd.
Mukwonago, WI 53149
Phone: (262) 363-9335

We like to go to restaurants where the menu is varied, service friendly....not a chain...a place that offers homade everything and the owner and the cook take pride in what they serve and how they serve it. Quite by accident while visiting some new home owners at a house we sold them on the channel of Lake Beulah in Mukwonago...we saw a sign on Highway ES that said: Lakeside Inn so we turned down, just a mile or so and sure enough...on the channel of upper and lower Phantom Lake...there it was...we opted for a table overlooking the water on the screened in porch while we perused the menu over cocktails.

You could make a meal from the assortment of appetizers....stacks of shredded onions, chicken and steak quesadillas, mushrooms, shrimp and my favorite...deep fried eggplant with parmesan and lemon wedges....mmmmm. Forge on....you won't be disappointed....

Whether you have a lighter appetite, want an excellent side dish or need to warm your bones during one of our winter wonderland days or nights...I highly recommend the baked french onion soup...not a watery broth where you need a microscope to find the onions...and covered with croutons and cheese...that can be a meal in itself !  But wait..'still hungry ?  There's more !

If you have come for lunch or just want a sandwich to compliment the french onion or soup du jour you have a selection of sausage, chicken, steak, burgers, meatballs....add cheese, add mushrooms. take off this and add that...Lakeside is  the kind of place where they definetly want you to have it YOUR way!

Dinner...if it's Friday...get there early and enjoy a fish fry...it's a ritual in southeastern Wisconsin...and this will not disappoint you !  Choose the popular "All you can Eat" Beer battered or breaded cod or choose from a variety of other friday night favorites including baked and fried versions of other fish...haddock, perch and of course shrimp.

If Fridays leave you too exhausted...save all your energy for "All You Can Eat Prime Rib". They never make any money on my husband David...it's his favorite...and his favorite place. You can have it served traditionally, char grilled or blackened. I prefer the char grilled...and David will eat it any way and enjoys the variety complimented by your own loaf of bread, a crispy "more than just lettuce" salad and potato.
If prime rib is not your favorite...there are oh soooo many other choices...chicken, veal, shrimp, pasta dishes. steak.

Lakeside features specials every night....and if  I told you all of them...you wouldn't be surprised when you got there !  Save space for dessert you can eat OR drink...You won't be disappointed..The atmosphere is cozy...you want to make reservations....and fast before you go so you can enjoy it all !

It's a place you can take friends, family and clients for an enjoyable meal at reasonable prices and you will want to return again and again...tell them the Hansons sent you !

If eating "on the water" and smaller communities besides all the advantages of metropolitan Milwaukee sounds like someplace you want to live..the Hansons will help you relocate with a FREE RELOCATION package, buy a home on the lake, a snowbird condo, upsize, downsize, whatever you need in Southeastern Wisconsin....we welcome the opportunity to be of service.

 The ethnic festival season begins on Milwaukee's lake front this weekend with Polish Fest. It unfortunately, always seems as though rain is as traditional as the celebration of the festival for that weekend.  This is the first of many ethnic festivals that fill the lakefront in Milwaukee throughout the summer and a prelude to Summerfest...the celebration that attracts almost a million visitors every year.

    This lakefront festival will be celebrated Friday, June 22nd Noon -Midnight

                                                             Saturday Noon- Midnight and Sunday Noon- 10 p.m.

   In the true spirit of Milwaukee, if you bring three or more items to donate to the Hunger task force on Saturday from 8 p.m. to Midnight...admission is FREE !  You will have the opportunity to repeat this "Festival Freebie" for admission on June 26th at Summerfest from noon to 3 p.m. with your donation of three or more items...check out their website and the good works they have been doing for 30 years in the greater Milwaukee area and learn how you can participate in "giving back" to the community.

   Where else can you find Polka Music Non-Stop ?  Besides rock 'n roll...an assortment of other entertainment including magic shows, theatre...and bring your appetite....for mushroom soup, pierogi and a host/hostess of other traditional polish favorites including sausage grilled to perfection.

     While you are in Milwaukee....you just may want to stay...great hospitality in this "big small, town"...give the Hansons a call for a guided tour, FREE RELOCATION KIT, financing information, neighborhood and school information and everything to make you feel at home...we love it here and that is why we continue to be ambassadors and realtors who really care about making you our new neighbors.

  We always say that my husband could strike up a conversation with the Boogey Man. He can go to the store, the gas station,the restaurant, the bar,  the mall, the dentist's office, for a walk... and come home with a story about the people he met. I am not sure what the Boogey Man looks like...I could have described him better as a child..he used to live under my bed. Now....I am not as sure...he is just a stranger...any stranger.

    The phone rang yesterday....it was a voice I did not recognize and he cheerfully described himself as a "neighbor" who owned a gas station  located between our home and our office. He wanted to talk to David, (my husband), and take the temperature of the real estate market and maybe list a 4-plex he owned in a nearby suburb if it was profitable.

      Do you tell everyone you know that you are a Realtor ?  Try telling the people you DON'T KNOW....you may be surprised...the Boogey man just might want to buy or sell some real estate !

          If you are looking to buy or sell real estate in southeastern Wisconsin, call the Hansons, we are experienced, we know the area, we build custom marketing plans for sellers and offer our national buyers designation with buyer agency to home buyers.  For first class service, you won't find scary at all....call the Hansons and enjoy your buying or selling experience with prompt service and proven results.

  We send a monthly greeting to our Sphere of Influence....and want to share it with Everyone and invite EVERYONE to share it with Everyone...... Please pass this along to your sphere, your friends and business associates to let them know YOU care...and to give them an outlet for what they feel and may not know how to share. Make this holiday more than just another day off...make it a day someone else will remember you for...because YOU took the time to remember them.

  How often we think....if I just have had more time I would.....

• Clean my closets
• Organize the garage
• Call my sphere
• Weed the garden
• Exercise
• Learn how to.....
• Organize files
• Work on new business
• Go to the Spa
• Cook ___________from scratch
• Clean my office
• And the list goes on and on and on and on and on

    My grandmother was long retired and very energetic...and lived to be 84. The neighbors would say that she cut the grass before it grew and caught the snowflakes on the shovel as they fell. She had a system for everything...some I remember thinking at the time were a little extreme. Like if you are retired and have what appeared to me as "all the time in the world"...why did it matter if you had a system for anything...or always washed on Monday ?  One of the ones that still brings a smile is that she used to toast a whole loaf of bread at one time...it saved "all that time" of toasting one slice every day...yuck ! Now...I bet you are wondering where this blog is going...It's about making time...can we ? Yes...systems DO make time...the more systems and the greater your organization, the more time you have for other things be they business or pleasure. If that means getting up a half hour early to exercise, blog, plan the dinner menu OR toasting the whole loaf....having a system DOES save time...

   If you want to save time buying or selling a home in southeastern Wisconsin, call the Hansons...we will find the home you want whether you are moving across town or across the country. Relocation is one of the things we do best !  If you are selling a home, know that our 8 year record is an over 99% list to sale average and we will get you the most for your real estate investment dollar !

   I had a friend that always used to say that your goal should be to make enough money to pay people to do things that you cannot or do not want to do.....That goal can be professional, personal and combinations.  We work at quarterly goals and examine what we are doing that is working...and what is not. What we can improve on that seems to be working and what we will abandon.

    With some health challenges...the older we get, those seem to multiply....we have some goals in that area...lose weight, exercise....healthier eating.  We have business goals...The income streams that we decided on at the start of the year...what is growing and needs nurturing and which ones sounded good but have not come to fruition. They need to be "tuned up", put on the shelf until another time or abandoned cuz they sounded good but were not.  We have financial goals...how much goes into the IRA, what plans we have for the money we earn. Landscaping goals never seem to end...and the harsh winter will mean some replacements are in order.

   Goals come into your life in all different areas....address them, revise them, achieve them and set new ones...it's how you grow...personally, professionally, spiritually...financially in whichever ways you choose and the priorities that you consider important.  You can reach that star...set a goal today...and design a plan to reach it.

   If your goal is to move to Southeastern Wisconsin, to minimize the damage to your credit by listing your home with a qualified short sale expert rather than face foreclosure, call the Hansons...we are here with the expertise and energy to assist you in reaching your housing goals.

     Flooding is not just about water...there are sooooo many ways that this affects all of us...travel....don't if you don't have to...PLEASE watch your children who may be curious about fast running rivers, flooded areas from parking lots to what may have been shallow ponds...rivers can have currents...be full of fallen branches and debris and be very, very dangerous.  The situations change all the time...we get more rain all the time and roads that were passable may not stay that way...expressways are shut down lengthening or forbidding travel.  If you have problems, questions...are afraid...here are some contacts for you...just click the county to find the latest  weather related situation and what you should do and who to contact;

 Columbia County
Dodge County
Fond du Lac County
Jefferson County
Kenosha County
Milwaukee County
Ozaukee County
Racine County
Rock County
Waukesha County

Please be smart...be careful....cloudy water should not be used for drinking, cooking or washing,,,,use bottled water for consumption...boil water used for washing...click on the counties above if you have questions.

Keep as much water away form the foundation of your home as much as possible...extend downspouts away from the house. As the weather dries...and some day it will...get additional top soil and pitch it away from your home. If you are not able to do this, call a landscaper who can do this for you.  Make sure your sump pump is working well....if you have issues with this equipment..call a reliable basement specialist. If you don't know of one...call a realtor or check Angie's list for contractors that have been proven honest and reliable.  Tragedies breeds new contractors....some may be con artists.  NEVER pay anyone before the job is completed...and never hire anyone who has not in some way been recommended to you. 

 Everyone has to start somewhere...we all have to go to licensing school....maybe train with a broker, shadow an agent, be an assistant. I still keep in touch with the lady who is now a widow who owned my first listing,....and she still doesn't know she was first !

    Short sales are a very new animal in our market....Pullllllllllllllleez....know what you don't know...it's like trying to sell commercial real estate without the training or experience...it's NOT the same thing at all. 

    What favor are you doing the seller, the buyer the industry or yourself by sailing in uncharted waters without any hope of a successful journey ?  If you don't know, you can't fake it....Plese refer it to an agent with SHORT SALES experience.

     Consumers if you have been served a foreclosure notice....Ask a realtor if they have SHORT SALES EXPERIENCE before listing your home...if they don't...ask them to recommend someone who has it...or keep on looking.

   For Short Sales in southeastern Wisconsin or referrals to experienced agents elsewhere, go to:

          www.WeSellUpsideDownHomes.com or E-Mail: Experts@WeSellUpSideDownHomes.com

                      You'll be glad you did and So will your Credit Rating and Credability !

    Southeastern Wisonsin has been pounded with rain over the past week....wonder who angered the Rain Gods...oh yicks....there are fish swimming down main streets, basements rec rooms that are WRECKED... landscaping washed away....a man made lake that due to a dam breaking is now a mudhole...and no you can't insure for disappearing water from your waterfront property that we know of...so much for location. Thousands of people without power and people working around the clock to clean up and do what they can to salvage what they can....and sometimes for as expensive as you may perceive it to be now...you just have to "let it go"...because the problems you may have later will be far more extensive and expensive.As i write this, the news has just reported that some areas are getting 4 inches of rain per hour....on top of the many inches we have had already....the atmosphere in some places has been "energized" by high winds and tornadoes.  We have lived in Wisconsin our entire lives and do not remember storms like this ever before....!

• Keep your travel to a minimum...if you must go any distance, you may wish to check with the sheriff or police departments to be sure that roads and expressways are open and you are free to travel. Because the rain continues, this situation changes constantly.
• It is unlikely that you will be able to salvage rec room carpeting...you risk the opportunity for mold to grow with water soaked padding trapping the water further. Be careful as you remove this....water is HEAVY...cut the carpet and padding in smaller pieces so that you do not injure yourself trying to haul it away.
• If you do have to drive somewhere...know that it takes less than a foot of water to have your car float away !  You may think that something appears to be "just a puddle" on the road...do not trust your judgement...turn around and do not attempt to drive through it...water is often deeper than it appears to be.
• Stay away from windows during the storm...stay off the phone...keep a supply of candles, food that does not require cooking...not a good time to stock the freezer since power outages are prevalent.
• If you need a professional tradesperson....plumber, electrician, heating and air conditioning, etc. CALL Your REALTOR and ask for recommendations.  Toooo many people take advantage of these kinds of situations and there are less than qualified people approaching people. IF
  someone CALLS YOU offering their services and it is not someone you know...get their contact information and report them to the police as suspicious. Give no one any cash or check in advance of doing any work...best to have a contractor who comes with recommendations.
• The Governor has declared a STATE OF EMERGENCY...here are some numbers for you to contact in New Berlin and Waukesha County:

http://www.newberlin.org/display/router.asp?DocID=1

http://www.newberlin.org/display/router.asp?docid=2810

http://www.waukeshacounty.gov/page.aspx?SetupMetaId=7630&id=19166%20.

  Anyone located within the City of New Berlin suffering flood damage due to the June 6-8 storms is urged to contact the City of New Berlin office of Emergency Management @ 262-785-9580 or the City of New Berlin Engineering Department Storm Water Division @ 262-797-2450.

 The following information is requested:

 Name, address, phone number and a description of the type and extent of damage suffered.

   It is hard...be patient...stay calm...our thoughts and prayers are with you ALL !

   It can happen..you have missed one...two....or more...and you are hoping to get that new job or an extra job...and another week goes by and then before you know it, the month has disappeared and it's the first of the next month and yet another payment is due. Hoping things will change, positive thinking are all good things to do...but sometimes, they just aren't enough. While you wait for the winds of the job market to change, you are sinking further and further into debt. You have to put gas in the car, you have to eat, you need the phone...the internet helps you search for the elusive new employment...soooo many bills and soooo little money.

       Time to face the facts...the fact is that you probably won't catch up before your lender sends you a notice...your lender doesn't really want to own your home...and you really don't want the house or condo to go into foreclosure....that not only ruins your credit for years...you can also incure other liability with the IRS....AVOID ALL OF THIS NOW...Call us and let us stop the lenders at the door and negotiate a short sale for you.

          ALL REALTORS DO NOT HAVE SHORT SALE TRAINING OR EXPERIENCE. Short sales are different than a regular listing and for a different listing...you need a different realtor....one with training and experience and the patience and resources to work through the process.  (Our last short sale had over 400 pages of documentation !) Call Sally & David Hanson...or go to our website:

                                       http://www.WeSellUpSideDownHomes.com

                     Let us help you put your world right side up !  In Southeasten Wisconsin, call: 414-525-0563, 7 days a week. Outside Wisconsin, contact us and we will refer you to an expert in your area.

        CALL US NOW....FORECLOSURE IS AN UGLY PRICE TO PAY WHEN YOU CAN CALL US AND AVOID IT !

   My Dad isn't here to read this blog....he could fix anything and everything...could refinish wood better than any finished carpenter or painter...helped us finish all the woodwork when we built our house and was there every day for months at 7 a.m.  in the heat at age 76....and would not have had it any other way. He thought it was a compliment and an honor...the honor was ours.  My father had open heart surgery and then guillam barre syndrome and a staff infection which kept him in intensive care for most of the last 3 months of his life which ended 5 years ago March 11th.  I was at the hospital every day, most of the day. During this time, my mother had a heart attack, open heart surgery, was in intensive care and then came to live with us during her recuperation. Life was Hell but I knew if it seemed bad for me...recovering from knee surgery and a recently diagnosed insulin dependent diabetic, it was worth for both parents who had been married 56 years.

                                                                         Frank  J. & Vera L.  Repa - Parents of:

                               Sally K. Hanson,Realtor - Brookfield, WI , Barbara Kate Repa - Attorney-                          San Francisco  & John Joseph Repa - Director of Development - Pacifica -  San Diego and Parents-in-law to David L. Hanson, Realtor - Brookfield, WI  (Children in Birth Order...)

     My favorite flower is a daisy...any color...any size...they are survivors and grow where they are planted and I love them. A couple months after my Dad's passing I was still having trouble getting thru a day without lots of tears falling as they are while I write this blog. We have a lamp post with terraced stone and landscape stone in front of our house. Every mother's day we go to the nursery and buy the brightly colored annuals that welcome us at the end of our driveway all summer long.  That spring, five years ago, green clumps began popping up thru the stone...gardner that I am not, I feared weeds had found their way thru the landscape cloth and landscape stone and now we would have to take it all apart, dig out the weeds and then plant our annuals.  To my surprise, a few days later with the spring showers, it became apparent that they were not weeds...but DAISIES !  I didn't plant them....they just grew...no I don't think that at all...I think my Dad put them there to remind us that he really is watching...that he misses us too  as much as we miss him.  And to remember to grow strong to the best of our abilities wherever we choose to be planted....He was a proud man with a gentle wit, quick smile...almost always a bow tie....and know Dad we try every day to be the kind of kids who grow strong where they are planted...thanks for the memories....And the daisies....

  Sometimes Bad things happen to good people. Illness, unemployment, an adjustable rate that adjusted far higher and faster than you planned...things that could not be avoided no matter how good a person you are or how well you manage money...sometimes, it happens. You get behind in your mortgage...first one month and then you hope to catch up and before you know it, several months have gone by and you have not been able to come up with the mortgage payment....life got in the way...gas prices went up, your hours at work were cut...your company moved out of town or closed.

     Your lender does not want to own your home...if you have missed payments, the sooner you act, the better the opportunity to fix the problem.

                               We can help you even if you owe more than your home is worth !

                                         Avoid Foreclosure !   Lessen the Damage to your Credit !

                                                                           Call Us Now !

                                                              In  Northern Illinois Call:   Vicki                  

                                                                      847-854-3800

                                          In Southeastern Wisconsin Call: Sally & David Hanson

                                                                        414-525-0563

                                   Take the first step in getting on with the rest of your life !

    Last week it was our very great pleasure to finally meet Vicki Watzwalick...our long time referral source, e-mailer and voice on the phone. Vicki, a/k/a/ the Queen of Short Sales.. She graciously shared her knowledge of Short Sales complete with handouts, e-mail forms and lists....and oh yes...PIZZA ! We brought the dessert, table decorations (very important) and magic pencil favors. Vicki's office is just across the Wisconsin/Illinois border....a short hour and a half ride from our house.  In addition to all the wonderful sharing of her knowledge we also found several agents in need of a Wisconsin licensed agent to refer to their friends.  One of the agents told us she had made several calls to agents who were not interested in paying ANY referral fees, just wanted the buyers' names....nice !

   One more time....with feeling...with gratitude....with excitement...with prosperity...with friendship...with knowledge....with cooperation...with joy.....ACTIVE RAIN IS THE VERY BEST THING WE NEVER PAID FOR !!!

    If you have anyone relocating to southeastern Wisconsin and want them to have FIRST CLASS SERVICE, you can refer them with confidence to Sally K. and David L. Hanson.