SOLD - Commercial Lot at the corner of SW 4th Street and Laurel in Brainerd.

This will be a great opportunity to relocate your office to a high traffic location. The office building will consist of 4 units, with two having all ready been leased.

HART may get new home - Animal rescue group buys land on Highway 210 east

By JENNIFER STOCKINGER
Staff Writer
Heartland Animal Rescue Team in Baxter may have a new home in 2010.HART, a nonprofit humane society as well as an impound-holding facility, Tuesday purchased about nine acres of land on Highway 210, east of Brainerd, across from Matty's restaurant, to build its new home, said Holly Ailts, HART executive director.Ailts said purchasing the land was the first step. Now HART will have to raise funds to construct its new home on the property. Ailts said in 2009, HART will kick-off its campaign to raise $1 million for the building."We don't have any concrete plans right now because of today's economic challenges," Ailts said about constructing a building. "We understand that everyone is struggling right now so it may be hard for people to commit dollars to build a home for animals when people are losing their homes."Ailts said if the economy continues to falter, it could be 2011 before HART would be in its new home.

Rendering/Kuepers Inc.
Ailts said HART has been looking for land for a while to build a larger facility. The new building, designed by Kuepers Inc. of Baxter, would be about 10,000 square feet.Ailts said with the economic growth in Baxter over the years, the current HART building on Dellwood Drive has become too close to other businesses and homes and it does not fit in the neighborhood anymore."We've had problems with barking dogs and we want to be in a more agricultural setting," said Ailts. "We also would like a new building because our current building is outdated. We don't have proper water drainage or air flow so it's hard to keep our animals healthy."Ailts said HART also wants to expand its services, not only to dogs and cats, but to help with horse rescues.Susan Voss, HART board president, said, "A new facility will help us better serve the animals because we've outgrown our space and that building wasn't built for HART, but we've made do."The new facility will allow us to isolate animals who are sick and this will help keep our animals as healthy as possible."Voss said plans are to also create walking trails for the pets."We, as a board, and the entire staff are extremely excited and very pleased with the land purchase," Voss said. "It's perfect for our mission."For more information about donating to HART for the building project, call HART at 829-4141. Donations also may be mailed to HART, 15494 Dellwood Drive, Brainerd, MN 56401. Or donations may be made online at www.hartpets.org.JENNIFER STOCKINGER may be reached at jennifer.stockinger@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5851.
var headline = "HART may get new home";

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SOLD - 8.82 Acres on Highway 210

Navigating Choppy Waters

Peebles now open in Hibbing's Irongate Plaza

Additional space available. Contact Nate at Nate@CloseConverse.com for more info.

Prime Location in Hibbing, MN

How Will Commercial Real Estate Handle the ‘Obama Effect’?

CRE Executives’ Reactions Run the Gamut from Hopeful to Pessimistic. But the Industry Promises a Full Agenda For the Obama Administration and Democrat-Controlled Congress

President-elect Barack ObamaChange is coming to Washington, DC, as promised -- and the commercial real estate industry is wasting no time in making sure its agenda is front and center for President-elect Barack Obama and the 111th Congress. To almost no one’s surprise, the CRE industry tended to favor Republican John McCain over Obama -- based at least in part on concerns that the Democrat’s tax policies could adversely affect the industry’s ability to continue attracting significant amounts of investment capital. An August survey of 425 real estate executives by law firm DLA Piper found that just over 30% believed Obama would have a more favorable impact on the industry as president, versus 67% for McCain. With Obama now making the transition into office and the Democrats having strengthened their holds on Congress, CoStar Advisor polled real estate professionals on their thoughts regarding what should be the top priorities during the first 100 days of the Obama Administration. Suggestions include a laundry list of policy issues ranging from rejecting increases in capital gains and other investment taxes, to moving more aggressively to stabilize the Treasury and capital markets, suspending market rules regulating perceived asset value, investing in public construction and infrastructure and other economic stimulus, and reforming Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Unlike the blizzard of legislation signed into law during the first 100 days of the Roosevelt Administration in 1933 and the Johnson Administration in 1964, Obama "must narrow his priorities to a precious few," said Dr. Paul C. Light, a professor at New York University, author and expert on presidential transitions. "There will be no New Deal or Great Society next year. This may be the most difficult transition since Abraham Lincoln," Light said. "Roosevelt faced difficult decisions. But Obama is inheriting two wars, rising unemployment and a housing market and economy in turmoil. Obama can use some of these calamities to create a sense of urgency for mortgage relief and economic stimulus." Jim Scofield, senior investment advisor for Sperry Van Ness in Raleigh, NC, did not vote for Obama because of his personal opposition to the president-elect’s position on abortion. But the nation has no choice but to work collaboratively for the success of Obama and other elected leaders because "when they succeed, the American people succeed." "We are obligated to establish policies that benefit all, and not ones that benefit just one constituency at the expense of others, like politicians do," Scofield said. "This works for everything, including commercial real estate where apartments, offices, stores, warehouses and factories are owned and used, directly or indirectly, by everyone -- rich or poor." "The most critical issues for Obama’s administration to address in the first 100 days are righting our economy and restoring confidence in the credit system, and concurrently establishing a health-care system where everyone can enjoy quality health care at a reasonable cost," Scofield said.
Continue the article at http://www.costar.com/News/Article.aspx?id=9AC9C706FEA405FD83297485144907A7&ref=100

SBA Announces New Ways to Improve Small Businesses Access to Capital

WASHINGTON - In response to the credit crunch, today SBA's Acting Administrator Sandy K. Baruah announced important loan program changes to help the agency's lending partners increase access to capital for small businesses.
First, an interim final rule allowing new SBA loans to be made with an alternative base interest rate, the one month LIBOR rate (London Interbank Offered Rate), in addition to the prime rate, which was previously allowed. In the past 60 days, both the prime and LIBOR rates have not yet returned to their historical relationship-of roughly 300 basis points between the two rates. The mismatch between the rates is squeezing SBA lenders out of the lending market, since their costs are based on the LIBOR rate.
"This change will help more small businesses obtain capital to grow their businesses and create new jobs," Baruah said. "By allowing both rates, SBA is making its programs more flexible, increasing opportunities to access capital and giving both lending partners and small business customers more options to meet their needs."
The second change allows a new structure for assembling SBA loans into pools for sale in the secondary market. The enhanced flexibility in loan pool structures can help affect profitability and liquidity in the secondary market for SBA guaranteed loans, especially with the current market conditions. Because the average interest rate is used, these pools are easier for pool assemblers to create, thus providing incentives for more investors to bid on these loans.
"The challenge small businesses face today is not the cost of capital, it is access to capital," said Baruah. "Interest rates are at historically low levels meaning money is inexpensive, yet lenders aren't lending and borrowers aren't borrowing. This indicates markets are frozen due to liquidity concerns. This interim final rule is an important step to reenergize the lenders to make SBA- backed loans and will help open the gateway of capital for entrepreneurs."
"SBA moved quickly on these changes after consulting with small businesses, lending partners and other government agencies," said Eric R. Zarnikow, SBA's Associate Administrator for the
Office of Capital Access. "We're confident these solutions will help free up capital so lenders can continue to make SBA-backed loans."
By addressing market issues that were impeding the funding streams for both lenders and small businesses, SBA is making capital more available to America's small businesses. The SBA will be issuing additional technical guidance to lenders in the coming weeks relating to the implementation of these important changes.
For more information on the interim final rule or to share your comments, visit www.regulations.gov. To learn more about SBA's guaranteed loan programs visit www.sba.gov.

Retailers’ Buyer’s Market by Lynda A. Gutierrez

Samuel Johnson said, "The habit of looking on the bright side of every event is worth more than a thousand pounds a year." (Adjusted for inflation from the late 18th Century, today’s bright side would have to be worth a hundred times more!) And if you look hard, there's the faintest glimmer of brightness in the storm clouds looming overhead. It’s all about a power shift – and, if it’s worked right, retailers (and consumers) will ultimately be the better for it. The dire economic situation and skyrocketing unemployment has made this a buyer’s market for employers. And that’s an amazing opportunity.
The first instinct is to capitalize on the fact that you (finally!) hold all the cards and start channeling Scrooge and Simon Legree. After all, when jobs are scarce, employees can like it or lump it. But slave-driving a skeleton staff engenders only resentment in employees and customers alike – and any money that’s saved on salaries flows right down the drain in lost sales and productivity, and probably shrink.
On the contrary, the leverage that comes from having truly motivated job seekers is most productive when it's used to transform them into truly motivated employees. In times of plenty, employers are resigned to filling jobs slots with anyone with a pulse. In bad times, however, you can not only pick the best and the brightest, but can also encourage and mentor them, to help educate them in professional behavior and standards and, through your efforts, make them advocates and ambassadors for your brand.
Idealistic? Yes. A lot of work? Definitely. A waste of time and effort? Absolutely not. First off – improved sales-floor effect aside (and that's a pretty big thing to put aside) – every young person is not only a consumer but in today’s blogging, Twittering, texting world, their opinion of – and experience with – your company can have a ripple effect on the loyalties and buying decisions of untold numbers you might not otherwise reach.
Secondly, high quality, well-chosen employees respond to genuine interest by their managers and are generally receptive to ways to improve their present state (i.e., opportunities to make more money now...and set their feet on the path to higher-prestige careers later) through training or just casual advice. They thrive on seeing extra effort or accomplishment noted and rewarded. (Of course, accomplishing this may require some training for store management as well.)
People instinctively strive to live up to someone else's true and honest belief in them. Innumerable books and movies have spotlighted the jaw-dropping accomplishments that talented teachers can inspire in even the ‘worst’ students. Imagine the results a retailer could reap – in its employees and its bottom line – when it has the opportunity to hand-pick the best of the best – and help them become even better. What a wonderful store that would be.

SOLD - Exhaust Pros in Brainerd

Leased - 1600/sf of Office Space in the Johnson Center

Sarah Nelson, owner and operator of Accucare Audiology & Hearing Solutions, LLC, has recently signed a lease on 1,600 square feet in the premeir Johnson Centre office building. You can look for her new office to be opening in Suite 240 of the centre, located on Golf Course Drive in Baxter.

Just Listed - The Brainerd Lakes Chamber Building