April 2015

It’s that time of year when we can finally look forward to getting outdoors in the warm sunshine. Unfortunately we have to share both the outdoors and the sunshine with ticks and especially the most unwelcome deer tick, the carrier of Lyme disease and several other nasty things.

Deer tick season typically starts in mid-May and runs through the middle of July, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Ramsey County is officially listed as a “moderate risk” area while our neighbor to the north, Anoka County is labeled high risk.

Prevent Tick Bites

Be especially cautious if you plan on being in a wooded or brushy area and make it a point to check your body periodically for ticks. If you’ll have your pooch with you, check

Having pets is a really great addition to any family. Pets are typically great coddler’s but the problem with this is all of the shedding that happens. We want our dogs and cats to enjoy the sofa with us but their hair is shedding everywhere.

When you want to have pets, cuddle them and allow them on the furniture despite all of the shedding, follow these few tips to remove hair from furniture quickly so that it doesn’t bother the rest of the family, guests and cause any allergies to flare up.

What to do about pet hair on furniture

If you have leather sofas, this makes maintaining shedding pet hair a breeze. On any other couch, pet hair clings like a squirrel to a nut. Leather furniture is more expensive and less common in homes, so for those

Hooray for the homebuyer that understands the importance of lining up financing before ever stepping foot into a house for sale or placing eyes on a real estate listing website.

 It’s one thing to understand the steps to take in the home buying process and yet another to understand the whole “how does lending work?” question. Because it seems like such a mysterious process, most first-timers look for the lender with the lowest interest rate, sign on the dotted line and call it a day.

 That is a huge mistake, and here’s why: there’s more to a loan than the interest rate and you must compare apples to apples to ensure you’re getting a good deal. Not all loan products are identical so it takes some serious comparison shopping to make sure you’re

When the buyer's lender wants to schedule the appraiser's appointment it's a good sign that you’re nearing the end of the sales process. It's that one final hurdle to jump, and it typically invokes anxiety in both the buyer and the seller. After all, if the appraised value doesn't meet or exceed the requested loan amount, the deal may fall apart.

What to expect

The typical inspection portion of the appraisal appraisal process takes only about 20 to 30 minutes. The appraiser will look at the home's size, its condition and the quality of the materials used to construct it. After inspecting the home the appraiser heads back to the office to compare homes that have recently sold you your home to come up with a fair market value. 

How to prepare

The Orchid Restaurant is one of Minnesota’s favorite family-owned eateries. It’s located in the White Bear Township shops making it the perfect place to spend the day. Find it adjacent to the White Bear Township Theater and you’ll probably notice the aroma when you walk by with delicious Vietnamese and French cooking flavors.

The Nguyen family owns the restaurant along with two restaurants in France and they believe in fresh, authentic dishes. Here is a look at what you can enjoy at Orchid Restaurant any day of the week.

About Orchid Restaurant

Orchid cooks fresh, authentic French and Vietnamese dishes along with Chinese and Thai dishes. They feature a children’s menu, a vegetarian menu and a gluten free menu. They have an excellent wine

April is National Volunteer Month and the Kris Lindahl Team – big believers in helping out those that need it the most – have a couple of ideas of how you might volunteer right here in our community.

Assist the Elderly in North Oaks

Waverly Gardens, a senior living community in North Oaks, offers several volunteer opportunities for those interested in assisting their senior residents. From children to older adults – they accept most volunteers.

Some of their needs include supplementing staff service to give the little “extras” to brighten someone’s day. Spending time socializing with the residents is also a needed service.

Administered by Presbyterian Homes and Services, you can learn more about volunteer opportunities at Waverly Gardens

There are so many things to take into consideration when it comes to buying a home. You need to pay attention to certain aspects of the home when viewing it. The size of the home may be important, but you have to ensure there are no real issues before making a purchase. These issues can lead to large expenses that no new homeowner wants to be faced with.

If you go into viewing a home with a checklist of things to look for, you will properly be prepared to know what issues to look for.  This will help you when making a bid on the home, as well as deciding  if repairs are minor or major. Being prepared will prevent surprise expenses occurring once you have purchased a home. Here are some things to check for.

Foundation

Cracks in the foundation

If you are looking to experience European style bakery and classic café food, you need to stop by the Taste of Scandinavia. Top notch ingredients are used to create amazing edible art. The Taste of Scandinavia was established in 1990, and proudly continues to serve the Minneapolis/St. Paul area.

Founded and operated by Soile Anderson, she has utilized authentic recipes from Finland. She brought these recipes along  with her when she made her  move to America nearly 35 years ago.

The Food

All items are made fresh daily from the experienced chefs at the Taste of Scandinavia. Quality is important to the staff, and all menu items are made with this concept in mind.

Menu options are made in house, which adds to the warmth of stopping in and

Hot off the local MLS presses – the March 2015 North Oaks real estate market update! We’re heading into the spring homebuying season so we thought we’d share the news with you, just in case you’re thinking of buying or selling a home in North Oaks.

News for North Oaks Home Buyers

There will be lots more homes to look at this spring compared to last, especially if you get into the market right now. In March (the MLS releases statistics a month late) new listings increased more than 9 percent. Homeowners are apparently feeling more confident that they can sell their homes and actually make some money off of them, unlike in years past.

The best news for North Oaks homebuyers is that the inventory of available homes has increased almost 36

Panino's is the place to go for amazing panini, pizza, pasta and drinks in North Oaks, MN.  Food is always made fresh to order with the dough baked fresh every morning.

 Panino's serves their entrees with lean meats, fresh vegetables and part-skin cheeses. This family-owned and operated business is a local favorite and home of the awesome “Beer Tubes.” Here is what you’ll experience at Panino's.

About Panino's

Panino's is known for their “secret dough recipe” and it’s why they are so successful. You’ll enjoy a delicious meal of baked perfection, fresh tastes and smiles from the friendly staff. It’s a family-owned and operated business originally started in Colorado Springs by the Frasca family in 1974. With their use of top quality meats,