NeoEden Site

5 Things I Love About the Latino Community in Minnesota —

Fri, 16 Jan 2026 08:38:09 -0800

Minnesota is home to a vibrant, resilient, and deeply rooted Latino community. As a real estate agent who has served Spanish‑speaking families in Minneapolis for more than 24 years, I’ve had the privilege of witnessing the beauty, strength, and cultural richness of this community up close.

In recent months, harmful narratives have circulated about Latinos in Minnesota. These narratives are not only inaccurate — they erase the lived experiences of the families who have built, restored, and strengthened our neighborhoods for decades.

I want to offer a different perspective. A fuller one. A human one.

Because personal stories are the antidote to polarization, hate, and violence.

These are the five things I absolutely LOVE about the Latino community in Minnesota.

1. Amor: A Culture of Warmth and Connection

My journey began in my early 20s, when I traveled to Latin America and fell in love with the LOVE. It was tangible — in the greetings, the music, the language, the emotion. That experience shaped my life and ultimately led me to become a Spanish‑speaking real estate agent.

5 cosas que AMO de los latinos en Minnesota

Fri, 16 Jan 2026 08:50:00 -0800

Minnesota es hogar de una comunidad latina vibrante, resiliente y profundamente arraigada. Como agente de bienes raíces que ha servido a familias de habla hispana en Minneapolis durante más de 24 años, he tenido el privilegio de presenciar de cerca la belleza, la fortaleza y la riqueza cultural de esta comunidad.

En los últimos meses, han circulado narrativas dañinas sobre los latinos en Minnesota. Estas narrativas no solo son inexactas, sino que también borran las experiencias vividas de las familias que han construido, restaurado y fortalecido nuestros vecindarios durante décadas.

Quiero ofrecer una perspectiva diferente. Más completa. Más humana.

Porque las historias personales son el antídoto contra la polarización, el odio y la violencia.

Estas son las cinco cosas que absolutamente AMO de la comunidad latina en Minnesota.

1. Amor: Una cultura de calidez y conexión
Mi camino comenzó a principios de mis 20 años, cuando viajé a América Latina y me enamoré del AMOR. Era tangible: en los saludos, la música, el idioma, la emoción. Esa experiencia dio forma a mi vida y finalmente me llevó a convertirme en un agente de bienes raíces de habla hispana.
Los inmigrantes latinos traen esa misma calidez a Minnesota.
La amabilidad.
La hospitalidad.
La riqueza emocional.
Es un regalo para nuestro estado.

2. Familia: La base de comunidades fuertes
Uno de los aspectos más hermosos de la cultura latina es el compromiso con la familia. Se honra a los adultos mayores, se valora a los niños y las familias permanecen unidas ante cualquier desafío.
En un mundo donde el aislamiento es cada vez más común, las familias latinas modelan una forma de vivir arraigada, conectada y profundamente humana.
Las familias saludables crean comunidades saludables, y Minnesota es más fuerte gracias a esto.

3. Trabajo: “Si se quiere, se puede”
Mi lema en español es “si se...Read More

Loving Lady Winter-3 ways to align yourself and your home with the changing seasons

Thu, 20 Nov 2025 15:10:30 -0800

1. Nurture your introvert, as the plants are doing.

This is the time of year when nature hunkers down. The leaves are falling, and making such a show of themselves as they do! The plants are pulling their energy in, conserving effort, and getting ready for new growth next spring. We can learn a lot from this!

As humans, some of us tend to push and push forward, never really giving ourselves permission to withdraw and rest. Others of us do the opposite. We withdraw and hide, avoiding people and social interaction, and never really pushing forward into the world as we were meant to, and as plants do in the spring. Regardless of which way you tend to be, you can allow balance into your life by following the lead of Mother Nature. If you are the driven type, use this time to go within, listening to your intuition as winter draws near. The creative process we all live within requires rest and renewal. Oftentimes, there is an easier way to achieve our goals, a way we will only see if we take a break and tune in. We all have some degree of introversion, and now is the time for you to nurture yours.

2. Burn some sage, as we all need plant medicine.

My sage is strong and lovely in the kitchen by the window, and conveniently close to the stove, for there isn’t much a sprig of sage cannot fit its flavor into! It’s also a wonderful cleanser. Did you know that the Native tradition of smudging, or burning sage to purify the home spiritually, is also backed by science? Sage smoke has antibacterial properties, so get yourself some and fill your home with this bright, comforting scent! You don't have...Read More

Renting vs. Owning

Sun, 26 Oct 2025 14:40:09 -0700

People have good reasons for renting, and they have some bad ones, too. The following is the first on a list of common reasons people state for wanting to rent, followed by a professionally-informed opinion about the validity of the reason.

Reason #1 : "Homes are too expensive."

One of the main things people learn as they become saavy at money management is how to look at money over time. This is extremely important, and unless someone hands you a bunch of money (and even then, really), you're not going to move ahead financially without at least a basic understanding of the way money works over time. Let's take a look at historic home values.

Here's a chart showing inflation-adjusted U.S. median home prices from 1963 to 2025. It illustrates how home values have grown significantly over the decades, especially in recent years.

The line chart tracks the inflation-adjusted median home prices in the United States using selected data points from 1963 to 2025. Here's a breakdown of the key insights:

🏠 U.S. Median Home Prices (Inflation-Adjusted)

1963: $98,000
1970: $110,000
1980: $160,000
1990: $210,000
2000: $240,000
2010: $280,000
2020: $360,000
2025: $512,800

Indeed, homes have gotten expensive. This is true. However, despite the occasional up-and-down flux of home values, it is clear that home values go up over time. Thus, when people who have significant home equity are asked when they wish they would have bought, the nearly universal reply is, "sooner."

I...Read More

Adventure in the Tiny Home on Wheels

Thu, 02 Oct 2025 10:33:15 -0700

Travel Journal - 1012125-

What is an adventure? If we know what's going to happen, it isn't that. When you go on an adventure, you don't know what you're getting into; you don't know what it's going to take; and you don't know what it's going to unfold for you. It takes planis (you've got to know where you're going to pout your ship). It takes courage to embark, for there are many unknowns and you've got to be ready for surprises, but then you've got this whole, big world, just waiting to open itself to you.

When I took off in my teardrop trailer last week, I expected the cool, October air and the changing full leaves. but what I didn't know was that I'd also embark upon an adventure within, an inner journey of getting to know my friends and family in a new way.

I knew I would save time on driving but I didn't know camping in the driveways of my friends would open a window into their inner worlds. I didn't know becoming untethered from my house in Minneapolis would open up so many precious moments adjoining our hues to theirs. I only knew I was following my heart. As always (well almost always), it has led me well.

First, there was the way the school lot looked and felt at night, Violets' paper boats floating on the puddle in the streetlight-so odd and enchanting of a perspective shift. We greeted Miss Christine in the lot as she pulled up with a laugh and a cold press.

Then there was the lovely little housewarming for my long-time friends, of whom I never see enough, and the depth of conversation that opens naturally of nights together that open into...Read More

5 Things to do to Be Ready to Sell This Fall

Sat, 19 Jul 2025 10:36:36 -0700

What in the world is going on with rates? WHEN will we see them go down? Even though historically, rates around 6 & 7% are still low, it doesn’t feel that way when you’re locked in on a 3.75 and wanting to sell, does it? I firmly believe rates will go down, and WHEN THEY DO, you’ll want to be the first to know, because there will be a short period of time when OTHERS DON’T KNOW, and this will be the PRIME TIME to sell. Why? Because as your neighbors all find out, supply will rise to meet demand, which means less steeply-climbing prices. CALL ME NOW to get on the HOT LIST so you can BE THE FIRST to know when rates fall!

# 1. DECLUTTER!

You will love the way it feels to live in your home without all of the useless stuff you have collected over the years. Someone else can use it, and you will feel much clearer and more agile of spirit when you have around you only that which you use. This is the part of the process that ALWAYS takes longer than sellers anticipate, so by getting it out of the way now, you'll be ahead of the game.

#2. TAKE CARE OF DEFERRED MAINTENANCE

We all have those lists of things to do that we have not done. Squeaky door hinges, loose locks, dirty windows, funky closet doors, broken window panes. The list goes on and on. Get started on this list now. Keep it simple and achievable by tackling one or two things a week. You'll be surprised how soon you have it all done, and how good it feels to experience yourself as someone who gets things done, instead of who puts things off.

#3. GET FAMILIAR WITH VALUES AROUND YOU

Here's a useful tip on this one. If you call your favorite Real Estate Agent (hopefully that's ME), we can put you on an automated...Read More

What is "Conscious Real Estate?"

Sat, 19 Jul 2025 10:20:19 -0700

At the risk of being a bit confusing, I've decided to merge my real estate and my garden community blogs into one. I will continue to share the great conscious living tips I learn and employ at home, and additionally, I will post an occasional blog on current real estate tips, tricks, and trends. Together, we will be exploring the concept of "conscious real estate," which is an invention of my own that I use to name the process of building a relationship with the land. I'll begin by sharing a vew video clips I took recently in my garden, NeoEden.

Duluth Bike Trip, 2024

Sun, 22 Sep 2024 11:34:12 -0700

Last weekend, I completed a 165 mile bike-ride to Duluth with my nuera (Daughter-in Law), Annika. If you want an easy way to remember "nuera," you can think "la que no era!" She wasn't in our lives at all, and then she was! They met so young and married a year ago, and I am so glad they did, for now I have this lovely addition to my family who is goodness embodied.

I regard this marriage somewhat like a novelty...a thing you look at on a shelf that may break if you take it down, and yet time and again, these two heal my cynical heart with their simple devotion and the pure workability of their relationship.

"What's one thing that's surprised you about being married?" I'm thinking she'll complain about his stinky shoes or morning breath. Without a pause, she says through a bright smile, "How wonderful it is!" He speaks the same exact way of her, and both have been incredibly patient as I adjust to the turning of his heart from me to her. "It's like you two are joined at the hip," I complain, and he says, "I really like Annika, Mom, we are one flesh." What a thing to behold!

"He is a catalyst for the growth of my soul," she explained, looking earnestly at me over her red iced lemonade from "The Fort," which is the restaurant downstairs from the Grant House Hotel in Rush City.

Our training alone was a delight, allowing us to see our cities from the inside out, rather than zooming by the...Read More

I'm Christine

Sat, 18 May 2024 06:13:44 -0700

I'M CHRISTINE.

I help people live intentionl lives through creative resource control.

Resources take many forms: time, money, relationships, garden produce, sunlight, and energy. For us to experience abundance in any of these areas requires FOCUS.

What you focus on expands, so choosing your focus is a first step toward resource control. Do you want to create abundance in your life through real estate, gardening, calm & effective parenting, and intentional & healthy relationships?

If so, reach out! Let's connect. Text 612-578-8849 today. We can create your future in technicolor vision, plan your steps, and remove your barriers!

Here are the services I offer (all of which are designed to fulfill YOUR goals):

Real Estate (including getting you started on short-term rentals $$$)
Coaching (communication, achievement, and even real estate investor education)
Hypnosis (removing what gets in the way of you achieving freedom from addiction, peaceful & natural childbirth, weight loss, and peace of mind)

Self-Worth

Fri, 17 May 2024 14:40:33 -0700

In order to prosper, we must cultivate high self worth. People who are not raised with a deep sense of interconnectedness through family relationships can suffer from low self-worth. Low self-worth can hide beneath other, more obvious issues, causing us to allow our resources to dwindle because we do not feel worthy of them. Failure to manifest oftentimes comes down to failure to be 100% aligned with our goals, not only in our conscious mind, but in our unconscious mind as well. Life is a process of enlightenment, during which we allow light into the unconscious mind as we engage in a dance, sometimes unbearably beautiful, sometimes desperately painful, with the people, events, and situations of our life. Notice that building abundance walks hand-in-hand with healing our self-worth.