Contest Winners!

We had 311 entries in this year’s Oak Holiday Coloring Contest! Take a look at our lobby on deadline day!

After voting for the most creative colorings in 3 age categories, 1st and 2nd place awards were given. Here are the winners!

Category: Age 0-4
1st Place! New Sled!
Henry Elsenpeter (Age 3) of Maple Lake

Category: Age 0-4
2nd Place! Movie Tickets!
Erin Uecker (Age 4) of Annandale

Category: Age 5-8
1st Place! New Sled!
Cole Smith (Age 7) of Annandale

Category: Age 5-8
2nd Place! Movie Tickets!
Ashley Carlson (Age 8) of Maple Lake

Category: Age 9-12
1st Place! New Sled!
Olivia Wolff-Herda (Age 12) of Buffalo

Category: Age 9-12
2nd Place! Movie Tickets!
Madison Nelson (Age 12) of Maple Lake

’till next year! Happy Holidays, from all of us at Oak Realty!

Good Deeds & Good Fun!

A couple of dedicated oak team members braved the bitter cold at the Holiday Train event on Monday night in downtown Annandale. As active members of the Lion’s Club, they assisted in collecting approximately 624 lbs of food for the local foodshelf. By early estimates, over $3,000 was raised that evening in monetary donations as well!

Back in the office, our Holiday Coloring Contest wrapped up yesterday. Our lobby walls are covered! Way to go kids!

A group of office elves will be voting soon. Winners will be notified early next week, in time to pick up their prizes before Christmas.

Thank you to all who helped a child participate! We had an outstanding turnout again this year!

Kick-Off the Season!

Can you believe it? December is here!

Weekend Opens!
Our office is kicking off the month with a pile of Open Houses this weekend, from 11 am – 1 pm both Saturday and Sunday. New and recently reduced properties in the area, including 4 homes in neighboring Clearwater. Visit our web site for directions and more property information.

Coloring Contest Begins!
This week’s local papers are helping distribute our 2nd Annual Holiday Coloring Contest, which officially begins today. Kids ages 0-12 can enter their completed coloring for a chance to win some great prizes. There are some awesome new sleds in our office right now, that will go out to First Place winners in three age categories. If you missed it in the paper, stop in our offices for a copy or download the 2009 Coloring here.

Enjoy the season with these upcoming local events!

Immigrants Christmas – this Saturday
Experience an old-fashioned holiday  at the 12th annual Immigrants’ Christmas at Minnesota Pioneer Park. Located just across Highway 55 from our Annandale Office, the park brings to life traditions of the late 1800’s and early 1900’s with food, music, a silent auction, horse-drawn rides, and opportunties to purchase homemade crafts and goodies. Santa will be there too! Visit the park’s web site for more information: www.pioneerpark.org.

Holiday of Lights – this Friday & Next
Tour Pioneer Village from 6-9 p.m. for the park’s first Holiday of Lights. The village will be illuminated with lights, filled with music and stores will be open with more goodies for sale.

Plan ahead!
Sunday, Dec. 13th – Lion’s Breakfast with Santa
Monday, Dec. 14th – Holiday Train

HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE!

Happy Halloween!

Despite the wind, rain and falling temperatures… the Trick-or-Treat event in town was still a success. We had a variety of characters visit our office yesterday afternoon for some goodies!

“You’re not in costumes!” We still gave the Cross Country Team treats — fuel for their run and a break from the nasty weather!

The last two photos are some of the ghouls belonging to our Oak staff!

Happy Halloween night everyone!

Community Businesses Trick-or-Treat!

Just a reminder that we’re welcoming trick-or-treaters at our Annandale office tomorrow afternoon from 3-5 p.m. as a part of the annual Chamber of Commerce Halloween event! Come on by with the kids! A list of participating businesses can be found in this week’s Advocate, or by looking for an orange pumpkin poster hung in business windows!

Have a safe and spooky Halloween!

Mystery Decorator!

Someone recently had some fun decorating the Oak truck on the North side of Lake Sylvia for fall … but it wasn’t any of us!

We enjoy the fun the trucks have brought to each area they are in, and kindly thank whoever gave some holiday attention to this one on 80th street!

Fall is Here!

Did you feel the wind here yesterday? Yes, that was FALL. Not kindly knocking on the door, but blowing it over and bitterly announcing its arrival. Fortunately we didn’t need to dwell on summer’s departure for long… today’s crisp sunshine welcomes what many of us feel is the most beautiful season in the Heart of the Lakes.

There are endless ways to enjoy this area and the fun fall brings. Get out and hike an area park, drive your favorite back roads and enjoy the colors, visit Stumpf’s Pumpkins and Fairhaven Farms, and don’t miss the final weekends of Swappers Meet and Annandale’s Downtown Farmer’s Market. Check out new locations for harvest goodies like Dan & Stacy Mol’s, and the first annual Fall Festival at Pioneer Park this Saturday, Oct. 3rd. Free this Thursday night? Stroll Main & Cedar Streets and  from 6-8 p.m. for the popular Downtown Art Crawl!

While you’re out and about this weekend, we invite you to tour Pintail Ponds, an innovative new development located just South of downtown Annandale.

Learn what a BayHome is… how coving benefits the residents in this new neighborhood… consider building on choice single family lots in a fantastic location, just a mile south of Hwy 55 on County Road 5! Improved pricing and Contract for Deed options makes a home in Pintail Ponds worth exploring! Tour our completed model, and pick out a free pumpkin too!

Lastly, I’ve got to ask, have you tried a SweeTango apple yet? … Yummm! Be sure you do!

A Nicer Day to Golf

Team Justin, Angie, Gary and Amy represented the office at the Annual Chamber Golf Tournament, held at Southbrook Golf Course on August 24th, on a much nicer day after being rescheduled due to a rainout!

Our carts stood out among the rest! Nice work on the decorating guys!

“That’s a Wrap!”

Were you in the Heart of the Lakes yesterday? Did you feel the perfect temperature? Drive by the glassy lakes? Admire the perfectly puffy white clouds? It was beautiful. In a phrase, it was the very reason we all chose to live here.

Fortunately, we had plans for morning that involved showcasing the area at its best…and we couldn’t have hand-picked a nicer day for the project.

So, what is Justin doing in this photo, with the camera’s turned on him? You’ll have to wait and see. It won’t be long. In the  meantime, consider making the Heart of the Lakes your vacation or year-round home. Or…take a moment to be thankful you already do!

Celebrating 35 Years – Part II

Oak stickers have been on our cars for many years!

Oak Realty's first office on Oak Avenue, Annandale's Main Street

In the lake for some creative marketing!

Our billboard has changed over the years... remember this one?

New office under construction. Oak moves to Highway 55!

In Part III, take a look at Oak today and where we are headed. A lot has changed for our industry in the last few years. We’ll share our insights on the local market, new trends in marketing that we’re following, and how we approach the challenges today’s buyers and sellers are facing. Until next time!