As Mark Allen, CEO of the Minneapolis Area Association of Realtors stated:

This edition also features an updated Supply-Demand Ratio (SDR) for December 2006 of 11.01, which means that there will be roughly 11.01 homes on the market for every active buyer in the month of December. This is 54 percent higher than December 2005 and means a longer wait for area home sellers. The SDR is always at its highest point in December while buyers take a pause during the holiday season. See the complete report.

Check out HomeWorthTV for the complete post.

Bottomline, if you are a first-time-buyer there are plenty of homes to choose from in Carver County. The downside is that if you are looking to move-up to a newer, bigger home, then it may take a little longer to sell your current home. Also remember that general statements about a region’s real estate market may not apply to your specific situation. Speak with a REALTOR^®.

Having a tough time selling your home in today’s market?

Check out my post on HomeWorthBlog.

Are you using “Bad Math?”

HomeWorthBlog.com, one of the RE/MAX AdvisorsWest sister sites, has a re-post of an interesting article from RealtyTimes.com.

The columnist, Kenneth Harney, provides an insightful answer to the question: “Is it a housing bust or a media-driven panic?”

If the media hype has caused you to re-think your real estate investments, check out this article.

Marsh Halberg of Halberg Criminal Defense loves living in Carver County.

Nathan Dao, State Farm Insurance Agent in Chanhassen, loves living in Carver County.

John Olson, of the Waconia Fire Department and Co-Program Manager of the Carver County Community Emergency Repsonse Team (CERT), loves Carver County.

And John loves making sure the community is prepared for emergencies, disasters and all of the things most people don’t want to think about. Things happen, and it is good to know that John and people like him are prepared.

CERT, a program of Citizen Corps, is also part of “READY CARVER COUNTY,” a joint effort of Carver County Public Health, Red Cross, and the Medical Reserve Corps of Carver County.

Send an email to MRC@co.carver.mn.us for an information packet on emergency and disaster preparedness.

You can also visit the Minnesota Homeland Security and Emergency Management Department.

Lavonne Kroells, Chapter Executive of the American Red Cross Carver County Chapter, loves living in Carver County.

They are based in Norwood Young America at 315 West Elm Street.

THINGS TO KNOW: Though the Red Cross was federally chartered in 1917 by the federal government, the American Red Cross receives no funding other than from private donations.

If you are looking for a charity, this is one of the best. Not only does the Red Cross provide a crticial disaster preparedness service, but anyone willing to make a contribution, in addition to being rewarded in heaven, will be the first to get blood. Not really, but they do provide a critical service.

Mary Welch loves living in Carver County. But as Executive Director of the Chaska Land Trust, Mary also helps others buy a home in Chaska and Carver County.

What is a land trust? According to Mary’s web site:

A community land trust (CLT) is a non-profit corporation created to provide secure, affordable access to land and housing for community members, attempting to meet the needs of those least served by the prevailing market.

A community land trust helps lower income people own homes on land that is leased from the land trust through long-term (99-year), renewable ground leases.

Governmental and private grants further subsidize homes on the ‘front end’ thereby “locking in” the benefit of these subsidies one homeowner after another.

This innovative service is worth looking into if you think buying a home is out of reach for you.

Today marked the official ground breaking of the Cloverfield Marketplace in the Cloverfield neighborhood.

This 9,000 SF retail space in the heart of Cloverfield adds to the traditional, older neighborhood feel of this Chaska development. Visit their web site for lease information.

Carver County is home to the University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. This unique place makes Carver County that much more wonderful.

Carver County loves the UMN Landscape Arboretum, and Frank Molek, Director fo the Arboretum, loves Carver County.

Kent Peterson, General Manager of the Oak Ridge Conference Center, loves working in Carver County.

If you can’t live in Carver County, then the least you can do is host your next conference or corporate retreat at this wonderful hotel and conference center located in Chaska, MN. You’ll be in heaven, if only for a day or two.

Do you need to build that critical sense of TEAM for your staff? The Summit Challenge Course (PDF) at Oak Ridge may just be the solution.

You name the need; Kent and his staff can fill it.

Holly Stier, Owner of Jonathon Floral in Chaska, MN loves living in Carver County. And you’ll love the selection of flowers and arrangements that Holly and her shop can put together for you.

Brighten up your little corner of the world with fresh flowers. Visit in person at 2988 N. Chestnut St., or visit her online shop.

Ever wondered how to make your cut flowers last longer? Do you know what floral food is? Well, Holly’s FAQ page on her web site answers these questions and more.

Jeff Burzinski, CEO of Community Bank Corp. in Chaska & Chanhassen, loves living in Carver County.

Community Bank provides personal and business banking, as well investment services and real estate lending.

Restaurant ~ Lounge ~ Ballroom
An 1890’s building with original décor restored.
Casual dining featuring fine cocktails, steaks, seafood,
pastas, chops, salads, and sandwiches.

Greg Geiger, Co-Owner of Chestnuts Restaurant, Lounge & Ballroom, loves living in Carver County.

And speaking of love, have you been to Chestnuts? The food is wonderful. From breaded mozzarella sticks and calamari steak appetizers to sandwiches, burgers and thick steaks, Chestnuts has something for everyone.

Chestnuts is also a lounge and ballroom. You can enjoy live music on Friday nights and rent out the ballroom for your event or gathering. Oh, they also offer catering.

Visit their web site today, or stop by 207 Chestnut St in Chaska, MN for lunch or dinner. Phone: 952-368-0505.

The Chaska Herald had an article Wednesday on Carver County commute time.

In Carver County, commute times are expected to continue to decline as new Highway 212 opens and residents gain a freeway alternative to existing Highway 212 and Highway 5. County commute time holds steady; Average commute to work is 25 minutes

I know I can’t wait until the new highway is done.

But, one thing the article didn’t mention is how Carver County commute time compares to the nation. It’s very comparable. The national average is 25.1 minutes compared to Carver County’s 25 minutes.

Doubling or tripling populations might seem like a big step for small cities, but that’s exactly what Mayer and New Germany are going through.

Some quick links to health care providers in the area:

• Abbott Northwestern Hospital
• Ridgeview Medial Center
• United Hospital
• Fairview Jonathan Clinic
• Lakeview Clinic

Did you know that the Chanhassen Dinner Theatres offers performance training classes?

Who knows you may be the next critically acclaimed thespian (actor).

According to their web site:

The Carver County Auditor administers all federal, state and local elections within the county. Our website reports recent election results and voter registration information to you online.

In addition, the Auditor’s Office oversees voter registration within Carver County. In that role our office works hard to encourage people to participate in our democratic process.

Check it out to find what you need to know about the upcoming elections.