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Mary Trochlil Larsen can help you start a financially successful redesign, redecorate or home staging business, or further develop your existing interior decorating business, gaining you more clients and more profits.

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Investor orientated commentary on economic and monetary issues from a free market perspective. Policies discussed include sound money on a gold standard and limited role of government. Investment research focuses primarily on both precious and base metal

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We help new and seasoned real estate investors purchase and own investment property in Minnesota.

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Satellite TV industry news, plus information on DVRs, HDTV and DISH Network.

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Adventures Within the New Space

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Last news: August 12, 2008 16:00:45

Recently Congress passed the American Housing Rescue and Foreclosure Prevention Act., also known as the Housing Bill. Its passage was lauded by many who are legitimately concerned about foreclosures and the housing market in our countrys economy. I was asked how I could vote against a bill to help American homeowners, but I found this bill to have more to do with helping big banks than helping average Americans. The answer is that there is more to any bill than its name or the headlines surrounding it. If one only paid attention to bill titles, one could happily vote for almost any bill put to a vote on the floor. Titles do not tell the complete story of a bills provisions, and many titles are downright deceptive and come close to emotional blackmail of legislators. But we cannot afford to be fooled by fancy titles. The housing bill could perhaps be more aptly named The Big Banking Bailout at Taxpayer Expense Act as large sections of it were written by big banking lobbyists according to Evans and Novak reporter Tim Carneys Capitol Hill sources. At least that title would be honest. - [Read more]

It is amazing how people can use different products to seal up openings or glue items together. Like some of these excellent repairs from a North Minneapolis foreclosure: First you have the canned expanding foam to plug some holes (no doubt to keep the mice out): Then you have the masking tape to cover a hole [...] - [Read more]

Ok, so if you read your Marketing Minute yesterday you KNOW this has been a frustrating week. And it continued - and then got better.

So, its been one of THOSE weeks. I spent a couple of days last week really cleaning out and purging my office - it was a GREAT spring clean! The last time I did it was early November, so the...

So now it is the Wall Street Journal who has something to say about the decorating business. Today it is about the art of Real Estate Staging - check out the article - and ALL of the comments - HERE...

On April 3rd the Washington Post had a VERY interesting article on licensing for designers - Id be interested in what YOU think! You can find it HERE as well as below: Watch Out for That Pillow By CLARK NEILY...

Hey Everyone, Just wanted to make sure you know about my new phone program for redesigners, redecorators, interior decorators, drapery designers, real estate stagers and all other creative people related to the decorating field. Its designed to KEEP YOU FOCUSED...

Like all of you have, I have had a slammin past couple of days. Because I have been in front of so many people lately, several times I was asked "how do I do it all?" And when I made...

So things are humming along at a crazy pace here at Mary Larsen Designs and GrowYourDesignBiz.com. The best thing about it is that I am totally in the groove, so things are really happening. Im crazy productive, still taking full...

Earlier today I was getting out some stamps and envelopes to pay a few bills. The only good thing I have to say about bills is in my business it typically means if I am paying for something someone else...

The long days of summer have just begun here, and I try really hard to make every weekend feel like a little vacation. One way I do this is by being very strict that weekends are "work free".

To recap last weeks issue, there are 3 steps you can take towards getting it all done. Phase II looks at these 3 steps a little differently. Now that you know they are worth doing, consider this:

By Ruth Mantell, MarketWatch This update includes corrected data from the National Association of Realtors regarding the percentage change for housing starts. WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) — In a sign that the U.S. housing market may strengthen in coming months, an index of sales contracts on previously owned U.S. homes rose 5.3% in June from the prior month, the [...] - [Read more]

Word of mouth marketing is often overlooked in the world of internet marketing, as it is not technically “e-marketing,” and not “new,” so to speak. However, in today’s world of social media, instant messenger, and mobile phones, word of mouth marketing is more alive than ever. It’s becoming more and more of a better and [...] - [Read more]

In holding overnight rates steady at 2% this week, the Fed once again put forth its belief that despite a cascade of horrific financial data, the economy was likely to continue to grow slowly and that inflation would moderate. Although wrong on both counts, this view is consistent with the relative optimism that prevails across the country. After nearly two decades of an uninterrupted consumption binge, most Americans simply refuse to believe that anything can seriously derail the American economy. Its a pleasant dream, but the wakeup call cant be too far off. - [Read more]

As I have mentioned previously, probably 90% of the properties that I am looking at with customers these days are foreclosures. Most of them need work. At the minimum, all need carpet and paint ($5000). Most need much more than that including windows, kitchen & bath remodels, and potentially a new roof [...] - [Read more]

Becoming a freelancer is a huge decision. You need to be ready to take the perks that come along with working independently, as well as the disadvantages that you may also suffer. Only you will know when you are truly ready to take the plunge, but as a newcomer to the Freelance game, I can [...] - [Read more]

One problem with politicians is that when problems they create come to a head, they typically feel this irresistible urge to DO something, rather than to UN-do something, or to simply back off to avoid exacerbating the situation. Too often, that which they end up doing has very little connection to the cause of the crisis, but plays well in the press and superficially makes everyone feel better. Bills that are rushed through Congress under duress are never studied enough, providing too tempting an opportunity to quietly slip in unrelated provisions that erode freedoms in ways that would never pass as a stand-alone bill. We famously saw this with the PATRIOT Act, but Washington learned nothing from that. - [Read more]

Unlike old soldiers economic fallacies refuse to fade away. Nouriel Roubini, former Clinton White House economist and now a professor of economics, has been busy telling the Bloomberg business news service that the economy is heading for a severe downturn that will be worse than the 2001 recession. Like the vast majority of economists Roubini bases his analysis on Keynesian phantasmagoria. In his view "the U.S. will experience a systemic financial crisis", though he does admit that at 5 per cent of GDP a deteriorating housing market is too small to trigger a recession. Nevertheless, because consumption is more than 70 per cent of GDP a decline in consumer spending would "trigger a full-blown recession". As evidence of this view he states that the heavily indebted consumer may have reached the point where he will need to reign in his spending. - [Read more]

Probably 90% of the properties I show or preview these days are foreclosures. Many of them have been vacant for months or even years. Add to the time is that almost no one cleans up their house if they are losing it and what do you get? Smelly houses.

There is nothing else like a vacant North Minneapolis house in the warm summer heat. Even in the middle of winter they have a unique smell you can’t beat!

Jennifer Kirby has found that same smell even in nice suburban houses. Check out her her great post at Minneapolis Real Estate Blog.