Fargo Real Estate: The Garden Hut Opens In South Fargo

The first thing you notice upon entering the new Garden Hut showroom is the huge inventory of lawn, garden and snow removal equipment—over $200,000 of new Toro, Lawn Boy, Cub Cadet and Echo machinery. The next thing you’ll experience is a smiling face, in a red shirt, ready to greet you with a friendly attitude and a helping hand. It could be any one of the new team members at the new Garden Hut location in south Fargo. The Garden Hut Fargo is owned by Rob Mynheir and Steven Flaten.

“The Garden Hut has built a reputation providing excellent sales, parts and service for lawn equipment in Grand Forks and the surrounding area for over 30 years,” explains Mynheir. “Our goal with this new location is to duplicate that excellence, by continuing to provide top quality products and to back those sales with quick and fair service.”

One of the unique features of the Garden Hut is that they sell both residential equipment and commercial products. And according to Mynheir, all repairs performed by the Garden Hut service team are backed by an unmatched one-year warranty.

Mynheir continues, “We provide pick-up and delivery of equipment, full service repairs and parts sales for most brand names. We take trades on used equipment and provide on-site financing. And in the winter, we offer snow removal for single family homes, town-homes and condos. We really are a one-stop shop for all your lawn equipment and snow removal needs.”

The Garden Hut, Fargo, is located at 3471 South University Drive, just south of the Cork and Cleaver. For more information, visit www.thegardenhut.com or call 701.356.3700.

Fargo Real Estate: Eidsness Construction and Cass County Electric Form Partnership

Cass County Electric and Eidsness Construction are partnering to design and build the first Touchstone Energy Home in the Red River Valley. Local builder Ryan Eidsness is working on the project.

“Our business motto is ‘design, remodel and build your dreams’ and we are excited to demonstrate our commitment to dream building with the Touchstone Energy Home,” said Eidsness.

Eidsness Construction has enrolled with the federal government’s Energy Star Program. The company will build the house to Energy Star’s strict standards and guidelines, in an effort to save the homeowner money on energy costs. Upon completion of the project, the home will be certified by an independent Energy Star inspector to earn the Energy Star certification.

Cass County Electric Cooperative, a local Touchstone Energy Partner, has always placed a priority on energy efficiency.

“Right now, energy prices are on everyone’s minds and for good reason. So much so, that we have adopted a set of qualifications for the Touchstone Energy Home Program to bring homeowners comfort, savings and efficiency,” remarked Marshal Albright of Cass County Electric. “In this program, we will work with local builders who are partners with Energy Star to build homes that will save homeowners up to 40% on their energy bill and provide them with the comfort they deserve.”

Energy Star is a government-sponsored program helping individuals protect the environment through superior energy efficiency. An Energy Star qualified home will offer a variety of energy-efficient features that will contribute to savings for heating, cooling and hot water use, in order to improve home quality and comfort.

Not only will the house be energy efficient, it will also be practical and functional. The heating and cooling technology will be simple and easy-to-use. An energy-efficient electric heat pump, coupled with a gas furnace as a backup, will allow for lower home heating and cooling rates.

Eidsness Construction will work with a variety of local companies that are also interested in bringing an Energy Star rated home to the area. Some of the initial sponsors are: Comfort Masters for the heating and cooling system, Cullen Insulation for insulation, Marvin Company and Lamperts Building Center for windows, Rigel’s for Energy Star rated appliances and General Electric for energy efficient lighting. Upon completion, the home will be on display throughout the summer of 2006, as part of the Home Builder Association’s Fall Parade of Homes. Progress reports will be posted at www.fmenergyhome.com. For more information, visit the Cass County Electric website at www.kwh.com or Eidsness Construction’s website at www.eidsnessconstruction.com.

Fargo Real Estate: Erik Hatch: A spiritual and business savy young leader

It’s not as covert as it sounds. Living a double life, for Erik Hatch, is about enlightenment, not espionage. Hatch, the Junior & Senior High Youth Director at First Lutheran Church in Fargo, has decided to pursue an additional career as a licensed realtor with FargoHomes.com, the McKenzie Group.

His primary career is the youth ministry work he has done for over three years at First Lutheran. Primarily, his job is to minister to young adults in grades 7 through 12, both members and non-members, interact with them and form relationships. This includes getting to know the families of the junior/senior high students. Hatch also leads worship in the Celebration Center about once a month.

“Ultimately, I am trying to bring kids into a relationship with Jesus Christ and help them grow in the Christian faith,” says Hatch.
The way he does this is to “first love the kids” then follow that up by getting involved in their church and real-world lives. This includes, but certainly isn’t limited to, confirmation, retreats, mission work, plays, basketball games, concerts, lunches, trips, instant messaging, bible studies and blogging.

“I want them to trust me enough to let me into their world. ‘My kids’ are my friends, my work, and my passion,” Hatch says.
To hear him talk about his role in the spiritual lives of others is inspirational.

“I am so blessed to have the opportunity to share God with kids and adults alike. I am completely honest with them about who I am and how God works through and for me,” remarks Hatch. “I, like any other church worker, am not without sin and temptation and I stumble all the time. I just get the great pleasure of helping myself and other people understand the grace and faith of Jesus Christ.”

In June of 2005, Hatch became engaged to his fianceé, Emily.

“I wanted to be able to own a home for myself, and my soon-to-be wife, and to be secure with all the aspects that accompany home-ownership,” recalls Hatch. “My mother passed away almost five years ago and my father has never been around, so I have learned to be self-reliant in all my endeavors. Money doesn’t mean much to me because I learned early on, from my mother, that it’s not about what you have, but more about who you have around you. Stuff is just stuff.”

Having recently purchased his own home, Hatch decided that being a realtor was something he could do as an extension of his work with the church.

“I have no desire to leave the ministry. It’s where God has called me to be,” Hatch affirms. “I love helping people and, to that end, real estate can be a ministry in and of itself. Buying and selling homes is an emotional thing. I think both careers compliment each other nicely. And if all goes well, this diversified employment will be a blessing.”

Hatch, an NDSU graduate with a degree in speech communication and minors in mass communication and religion, brings academic and life experience to this new endeavor.

“I’m excited for the challenge of balancing two jobs. Sure there will be some hard days, but I thrive on challenges and commit myself to excellence.”

In real estate, for the first two years, Hatch will be primarily working with first-time homebuyers. FargoHOMES is a full-service real estate firm offering residential, commercial, lake and agriculture buying and selling services. Residential real estate and real estate education is FargoHOMES primary focus. For more information call Erik at 701.371.9739 or email erikhatch@hotmail.com.