There are interactions marketers have with prospects where the prospect wants something and the marketer or organization just isn't interested in delivering it. These interactions almost always end badly. I visited a Blockbuster store in London, hoping to rent an appropriately Royal-family focused DVD. After a bit of search, I found it. Would they sell it to me? No, it's rental only. Oh, can I rent it? (I asked with my full US accent). Sure, fill out this form. Five minutes later, they said, "Oh, you're from the US. You can't rent here." What about if I pay as much money as it would cost if the DVD got lost? Nope. What if my hotel vouches for me? No. Here's the thing: From the rational consumer's point of view, this is silly. They should take my money and we'll both be happy. From Bloc... 02/21/2009

02/20/2009

The 24 acre park features paved pathways that circle a 10-acre lake.  There are also seating areas, swinging benches and fountains. In the summer, visitors can rent paddleboats, fish in the ponds, and watch remote control sailboat races.  There is also a putting course and lawn bowling courts. Centennial Lakes park even has cultural performances inside the huge amphitheater. In the winter, visitors can skate across 10 acres of carefully maintained ice or ride one of the park's Norwegian ice sleds. Figure and hockey skate rentals are available for children and adults. To learn more about Edina real estate, please contact me. 02/17/2009

Each quarter the Park and Recreation department of City of Edina produces a catalog with information about youth sports and family activities. The name of the publication is the "Park & Recreation Insider". This spring there are a myriad of activities and programs available for the entire family. The Junior Golf Program at Braemar is always popular and gives kids between the ages of 10 and 18 a chance to learn the sport of golf. The Edina Aquatic Center will open in early June and is fun for the entire family. It's children’s pool features spiral and tunnel slides, a tire swing, sprays, fountains and other water-in-motion amenities. But the main attraction is an Olympic-sized pool with a three-meter diving board, a one-meter diving board and lap swimming lanes. Swimming lessons are als... 02/14/2009

Come hear Mayor Hovland and Superintendent Dressen speak on the state of the community.  This event will be at Edinborough Park on Wednesday, February, 18th beginning at 11:15 a.m.  They will be speaking on growing stronger through challenging economic times.  You can register on the Edina Chamber of Commerce: http://www.edinachamber.com/ 02/13/2009

Kim Melin | Coldwell Banker Burnet | 952-844-6246 4101 Parklawn Ave. #226, Edina, MN Great price on move in ready init in Edina! 1BR/1BA Condo offered at $85,399 Year Built 1971 Sq Footage 787 Bedrooms 1 Bathrooms 1 full, 0 partial Floors 1 Parking 1 Car garage Lot Size Unspecified HOA/Maint $240 per month DESCRIPTION Great price on move-in ready unit! Newer carpeting, fresh paint, new bathroom. AC in unit, deck for great entertaining. Private heated garage, pool with setting. see additional photos below COMMUNITY FEATURES Covered parking ADDITIONAL PHOTOS Seller contact info: Kim Melin Coldwell Banker Burnet 952-844-6246 For sale by agent/broker Equal Opportunity Housing Posted: Jan 16, 2009, 11:12am PST 02/13/2009

http://www.edinaunplugged.org/   Kids want more unscheduled time to spend with their families."Edina Unplugged" is part of our community's response to that request. We are also building on the experience and initiatives of other communities. Barbara Z. Carlson and William J. Doherty, Ph.D. authors of Putting Family First: Successful Strategies for Reclaiming Family Life in a Hurry-Up World, began a grass-roots organization in Wayzata, MN called "Putting Family First. " This group is dedicated to finding balance in our overscheduled lives, and organized Wayzata's first family night in March 2005. Visit their website at www.puttingfamilyfirst.org. Their "research" and "FAQ" pages are especially good, and they have some nice ideas for things to do in the backyard and while driving, as well... 02/13/2009

is a  business neighborhood featuring over 175 retailers and professional services ranging from apparel for men, women and children; jewelers, an array of spas and salons to pamper yourself, an art-house movie theatre, countless specialty and gift boutiques, a gourmet grocery store and so much more. There are 20 restaurants ranging from fine, contemporary, and casual dining. Enjoy American, Italian and Southwestern fares. Pizza, coffee shops and Euro cafes, bakeries and meals on the go. This neighborhood also schedules monthly events. The next event is Ladies Night Out on March 12th. You can visit 50th and France at West 50th Street and France Avenue in Edina. Or visit their website. 02/09/2009

Edina's schools are faced with economic challenges as a result of the current economy.  Instead of using this as an excuse for providing a less than excellent atmosphere for learning, Edina views this as an opportunity to actively pursue the District's vision of enhancing successful learning for all students. Edina Public Schools plan to seek creative solutions to maximize the resources they do have, and welcome the community's input.  They have established a suggestions form where staff, parents and community members can provide feedback. Comments received through the form will be shared on a feedback page. Budget information is also displayed. Updates will be provided on the budget overview page as they become available. Stay involved! These children are our future. 02/07/2009

Southdale has more than 120 specialty stores, including Aveda, Coach, J. Crew, Banana Republic and The Apple Store. It's anchor stores are Macy's, JC Penny's and Marshalls. Southdale Center boasts a top restaurant lineup that includes The Cheesecake Factory, Maggiano's Little Italy and P.F. Chang's China Bistro. It even has a 16-screen AMC Theatre. Southdale has various specials and sales throughout the year. In February multiple stores will be hosting Valentine's Day sales. Southdale Center is located in Edina, MN at the corner of West 66th Street and France Avenue South in Hennepin County. Mall hours are Mon to Sat: 10:00am - 9:00pm and Sun 11:00am - 6:00pm. Visit Southdale Center website for more information. 02/02/2009

Kim Melin | Coldwell Banker Burnet | 952-844-6246 5840 Oaklawn Ave, Edina, MN PAMELA PARK CUTIE! Wow! Prime east Edina location! Concord schools, across from Pamela Park, walk to ice cream, etc! Absolutely nothing left to do-rem 4BR/1.5BA Single Family House offered at $354,988 Year Built 1961 Sq Footage 2,464 Bedrooms 4 Bathrooms 1 full, 1 partial Floors 1 Parking 1 Car garage Lot Size 6,683 sqft HOA/Maint $0 per month DESCRIPTION This home is sure to please! Location, location, location! Just a stones throw from Pamela Park…a 62-acre area for kids of all ages. Wonderful play area, great walking paths, a pond, a warming house for winter skating, and much more! This 1961 built rambler has been carefully updated and remodeled by the family. Wonderful floor plan with great spaces for all... 01/29/2009

Nice condo in a great location! Walk out your door to new Edina Promenade. Walking and bike paths connecting to Galleria, Centennial Lake Park, YMCA & more! All new carpet, paint, flooring, trim, A/C unit. Sunny south-facing views of courtyard with pool & grills. Heat, cable included in dues. 01/29/2009

Is your family growing and you need to upgrade? Are good schools important to you? Do you still want a short commute to downtown Minneapolis?  Try Edina! And now is a great time, because of low interest rates as well as a buyer's market. Edina was the only community with more than 200 home sales last year that posted an increase in home sale prices. In 2008, the median sale price of Edina homes sold through the Regional Multiple Listing Service was $388,250, up 3 percent from 2007. Throughout the metro area, the median sale price fell 13.3 percent. Edina High School was ranked among the top 2 percent of high schools in the nation by U.S. News and World Report and landed 93rd in a 2007 Newsweek poll on the best 100 high schools in the nation. Edina also hosts four golf courses, two priva... 01/26/2009

Take the worry out of buying a home in Minnesota   In today’s real estate market many Minnesota home buyers face overwhelming odds that the home they fall in love with will be a foreclosure. Some Minnesota home buyers are choosing to wait to purchase a home with hopes to avoid having to deal with foreclosures in Minnesota. This just might be a costly mistake and before making that decision let me share with you some tools that may bring you to easy, allowing you to take advantage of the Minnesota housing market and rock bottom interest rates. Foreclosure Bus Tour - Foreclosure PowerTour    In today’s real estate market many Minnesota home buyers face overwhelming odds that the home they fall in love with will be a foreclosure. Some Minnesota home buyers are choosing to wait to purchase ... 01/24/2009

The five pillars of success See (really see) what's possible Know specifically what you want to achieve Make good decisions Understand the tactics to get things done and to change minds Earn the trust and respect of the people around you 01/22/2009

This information is a free research tool from the Minneapolis Area Association of REALTORS.  To read the entire report, click on the logo below. The number of new listings in the Twin Cities metro area has decreased 7% since this time last year however the number of pending sales has increased 19%. The average amount of time a home was on the market also decreased slightly in December 2008. The housing afordability index increased by a whopping 36%! Now is definitely the time to buy. Time will tell if the new year brings a change in the housing market. 01/21/2009

If you're less than thrilled about the proposed continuation of late start at Creek Valley Elementary in 2009-2010, please sign our petition via the link below: Edina Residents Click Here to sign the Early Start Equality Petition As concerned constituents of District 273, we propose start times at Edina Elementary Schools to be rotated fairly and equitably. Schools that currently have late start are due to have early start in 2009-2010 and deserve it. However, the Edina School Board is proposing to leave all start times as is for the coming years. Edina policy states that times are set every two years and are rotated among the elementary schools to be equitable. We understand the budgetary pressures District 273 is facing, but know there is a way to continue rotating start times in a fi... 01/15/2009

generation adjusts as teens confront a harsh economy January 8, 2009By Marco R. della Cava The late-afternoon sun flicks finger-like shadows into the steel-and-glass study hall at Drake High School. A dozen students fiddle with pencils and hair clips. One teen breaks the silence. "I had no idea until I walked into this room today that everyone felt this was such a big issue for them," says Lindsay Rogers, 15. A few seats away, Dani Curtin, 16, nods. "On the surface, your friends make you feel they're doing well. But I guess you see very quickly it's affecting everyone." The elephant in this room is another big E, the economy, which for today's teens threatens to upend everything from social habits to college plans. Perhaps never before has a generation that has wanted for so little — th... 01/13/2009

Spending on U.S. construction projects is holding up better than expected, thanks to outlays on office buildings, lodging and power plants, but it is likely to falter in the coming months. U.S. construction spending fell at a seasonally adjusted 0.6% annual rate in November to $1.078 trillion, the Commerce Department said Monday, following a revised October decline of 0.4% that was smaller than originally reported. Residential spending fell at a 4.1% rate in November to $336.3 billion, 22.8% lower than November 2007. Despite the credit crunch and worsening economy, nonresidential spending showed surprising resilience, rising 1% during the month to $742.1 billion, up 9.2% from the previous year. Outlays increased for power plants, roads, public-safety facilities, hotels and office buildi... 01/07/2009

Kim Melin | Coldwell Banker Burnet | 952-844-6246 7717 Marth Court, Edina, MN A magnificent redux in a premier Edina neighborhood. 5BR/3.5BA Single Family House offered at $1,575,000 Year Built 2007 Sq Footage 5,185 Bedrooms 5 Bathrooms 3 full, 1 partial Floors 2 Parking 3 Car garage Lot Size 17,835 sqft HOA/Maint $0 per month DESCRIPTION A thoughtful and elegant floor plan is sure to please- as well as the myriad amenities you'll find. Master craftsmanship and materials abound in this exquisite home which puts the "luxe" in deluxe! v Art nooks throughout home v Walnut hardwood floors v Richly appointed main floor office v Dining room with built-in buffet and granite counter top v Vaulted living room with a wall of windows, Venetian Plaster walls, gas FP, built-ins, and space! v High e... 01/04/2009