BRIEFLY

BAXTER - David Grell recently joined Keller Williams Realty Brainerd Lakes as a real estate agent.

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Grell, a lifelong resident of the Brainerd lakes area, has been in real estate since 2006 and specializes in residential, lakeshore and commercial properties. Grell attended St. Cloud State University, where he earned a management degree. He has more than 17 years of experience in sales and sales management and is a member of the national and Minnesota Associations of Realtors.

Grunewald earns CRS designation

Joan Grunewald, a sales associate with the Up North Properties Team of Edina Realty in Crosslake, was awarded the Certified Residential Specialist designation.

Realtors who receive the CRS designation have completed advanced courses and have demonstrated professional expertise in the field of residential real estate. According to the Council of Residential Specialists, fewer than 4 percent of real estate agents nationwide have earned the credential.

Garden Expo set for April

The 2009 Ready, Set Grow! Garden Expo is scheduled April 4 at Lakewood Evangelical Free Church in Baxter.

Registration is $25 and the deadline is March 27. Call 454-6924 to register.

The expo, sponsored by the University of Extension Master Gardeners and Brainerd School District Community Education, will include seven speakers covering various gardening topics.

Kuss and Mittelsteadt join Advisor's Mortgage

Pat Kuss and Lynn Mittelsteadt, formerly of MidAmerica Mortgage Corporation in Baxter, have merged with Advisor's Mortgage, LLC, a residential mortgage loan provider in Minnesota.

Advisor's Mortgage, with offices in Brainerd, Aitkin and Bloomington, focuses on home loans that span from single family homes to four-unit homes, including primary homes, second homes and investment properties. Services include loans for purchase, refinance and new construction.

Kuss and Mittelsteadt have been members of the Greater Lakes Association of Realtors since 1992.

Crosslake Garden Club to meet

CROSSLAKE - The Crosslake Garden Club will host a luncheon meeting at noon Feb. 18 at a garden member's home.

The speaker, Mykel Barthel, will discuss "House Plant Enthusiasts: Plant Placement and Care."

Call Yvonne at (218) 562-5725 for more information, directions and to make reservations.

Home energy audit can help you save energy, money

Having a home energy audit can help you figure out exactly where you are wasting energy and losing money in your house. During an audit, a professional will spend several hours going over your home, testing it for leaks and checking the insulation. The auditor can suggest ways to make your house more energy efficient.

If you decide to have your home analyzed, here are a few tips from the U.S. Department of Energy's Web site (www.energysavers.gov), which also has other good information on staying warm and saving money.

To prepare for the energy audit:

Check references in advance, just as you would with any contractor.

Make a list of existing problems such as drafty rooms or condensation on windows.

Have available copies of your energy bills from the past year.

Talk to your family about their energy issues and questions so you can use the opportunity to speak to an expert about solutions.

- Washington Post