Testimonials

THANK YOU Kathy Sparks for helping us find our new home! Your expertise and knowledge of the market made this experience amazing!  The wonderful house warming gift was a delightful ending to fruitful search for a home in Crow Wing County!!  Anybody needing to buy or sell? She will make it happen!

Now onto The Renovation Experience…

Anna D.

Rod did a great job for us selling our cabin. No hype just the facts. If you listen to his recommendations you won’t regret it. Sold our place in a week!!!!

Tom M.

Thank you so much Rod!  It was a wonderful experience, relaxing and zero stress.  You work so hard for your clients, your dedication is just amazing!  Thank you again.

J & M

We cannot thank you both enough – it was such a difficult, but necessary desision for us to sell our second home of 30 years.  You both made the process a good experience.  Thank you both so much.

R & C

We were so happy to have found Rodney Sparks to facilitate the sale of our lake home and search for a new place. He is a consummate professional who knows all the ins and outs of real estate. Rod was always available for help and questions. He made the rather stressful time of a move quite easy. We highly recommend him!

Jim & Anne

I may not be an expert at critiquing real-estate agents, I mean, someone would have to have a house for sale every other day and work with multiple agents to be an expert right? That said, Kathy at Woods and Shores completely blew me and my wife away! We are one of those less than genius couples who partnered with family members to purchase a cabin. Yeah, LOL huh. When it came time to sell, my goodness, people become monsters, wild with expectations and demands of all sorts. There is no need to get into the details, all I can say is Kathy was so calm, and patient, diligently listening at every turn and tirelessly working through each obstacle. At the end of the sale, I found myself, reading a wall ornament in the closers office that said ” For people who have integrity, it means everything… For people who don’t have integrity… it means everything” that saying made me think, something some people might say I don’t do often enough. However, I will say this Woods and Shores has the highest degree of integrity, they’ve been around long enough to know a satisfied customer is worth more than money. I for one will certainly recommend Woods and Shores every chance I get.

Kathy, Thank you so much for all your hard work to make our cabin sale happen!  We know this was difficult with multiple owners in difference cities, but you pulled it all together!

We enjoyed working with you folks at Woods & Shores.  The entire process was very smooth and professional.  We so much appreciated that, and would indeed recommend you and your firm whenever possible.  A very sincere thank you, and best wishes for a fine summer season.

Rod provided excellent service. He’s very knowledgeable on the market and puts in a great deal of effort to achieve the best results possible. But more importantly, I found him to be a person of high integrity. I highly recommend Rod!!

Kathy Sparks is hands down the best realtor I have ever had the pleasure of working with. She’s professional, highly proficient with every aspect of real estate, and you can rely on her to put the work in needed to get the best outcome for her client. I honestly can’t recommend working with her enough! She brings an unparalleled level of experience to the table and that’s reflected in the relationships/contacts she has in the community. I hope I have the opportunity to work with her again!

We had a great experience with Rod. His work ethic, vast experience in real estate and the market, and his honesty and straight forward approach really stood out. Rod also helped us beyond the transaction with tips on internet service, gas and electric service, insights on the property – he cared beyond the sale. We couldn’t recommend Rod more highly.

Woods and Shores has been around forever and Kathy really knows the area well. She was incredibly helpful, helping us get our property ready to sell, keeping us updated on the level of interest and what people thought of it, and helping us with the final negotiation. Her experience and expertise helped us get a reasonable price where both parties were satisfied. Kathy went above and beyond with her communications and was very responsive with the questions we had and keeping us updated, including a couple Saturday evenings. She seems to work around the clock to keep her clients informed and happy. I can recommend Kathy without hesitation. She was fantastic and made us feel important. We really appreciate all the work and dedication that she invested in us and in selling our property.

Rodney is the type of real estate agent that all agents should model themselves after! We had our lake home on the market for three years with another agency. We did not receive any offers. Rodney signed our property and sold it in less than sixty days! He took care of all the details related to the sale. It was a very pleasant selling experience! He is also a very heartfelt personality! We enjoyed getting to know him and hope to cross paths again in the future. Another note, Rodney came highly recommended to us by good friends of ours that had the same experience! He is remarkable at his job!

We had a great experience working with Kathy! She was always prompt with her responses willing to research any questions or concerns we had regarding properties. She truly made the buying process smooth and seamless. We highly recommend her services and would not hesitate for a moment having her help us with any future real estate needs. Thanks for everything, Kathy!

Rod helped us through the entire process, making it easy for us to purchase our lake property. He was very responsive and got back to us right away when we needed information. I would recommend him highly to anyone looking for a home.

My wife and I just finished buying a property that Kathy from Woods and Shores Realty had listed. From the very beginning, it was evident she was very thorough and professional. Working as a duel agent can be a little tricky, but Kathy was excellent! She always was available, whether by phone or in person. All questions were answered either by her or another authority she had contacted. From start to finish Kathy was just excellent to work with!

After 21 years of enjoying our cabin on Spirit Lake, we decided it was time to sell so we could travel more. Although it was a bittersweet decision for us, Kathy guided us through the listing and selling process flawlessly with her expertise, knowledge of the area, and attention to detail. She and Rod did an excellent job setting up the listing on the Woods and Shores site and within 3 days we had multiple offers and, within 6 weeks, we closed on the sale. Throughout this process, Kathy was always available, quickly resolved issues that came up, and provided excellent advice. We are so appreciative of all that Kathy, Rod, and Meriellen (the closer) did to make what could have been a difficult and emotional experience into one that was painless and gratifying.

As a first time home buyer I had nothing but a positive home buying experience over the last three years of looking. Kathy had taken the time to show me over 30 plus houses from around the Aitkin-Brainerd Lakes area. If you’re looking for someone who you can put your interests and trust into during this big moment in your life, choose Kathy!”

Rod & Kathy, Just wanted to say thank you for all you both did to help us get our dream lake home.  Thank you for going above and beyond….

Kathy is absolutely amazing! She was always there to help with any questions or showings. When other local realtors made us feel like we weren’t worth their time Kathy never once made us feel this way, no matter the value on the property we went to see. She always dug up all the property info she could and was always quick to respond. She looked out for us, guided us and has gone above and beyond over and over, showing houses when it was convenient for us at all hours of the day and making us feel like a priority. I cannot thank her enough for finding us the home we were waiting for!!

You made such a difference, and it is so deeply appreciated. Thank you Rod for your insight and assistance in helping us with our purchase.  We are thrilled to have this land in our family. We also appreciate your helpful recommendations.  We will certainly recommend you to anyone in the area who is looking for a real estate agent.

We felt very comfortable working with Rod Sparks thru the selling process. He was very knowledgeable of the area market and property values. When the property was listed it was presented in an excellent light both on MLS and their website. Very pleased with their service.

“Rodney was great throughout the entire process. He kept me up to date on everything I needed to know and what was required of me. He was able to sell 2 properties at full asking in just 2 days!!! I would highly recommend Mr. Sparks to anyone.”

Rod was very thorough in handling a number of complicating issues. He provided helpful suggestions. He checked on the property. Rod was always available and responded to concerns quickly. Rod was pleasure to work with.

“Rodney was great to work with!! Always got back to us right away with any questions. Helped make purchasing our home a very easy process!! We were in a unique situation and we were looking for specific things when buying our new home, and we were relocating quite a distance from the home we sold. We were told by a couple other realtors that we probably wouldn’t be able to go the route we hoped.. between Rod and our mortgage broker the two of them made it happen. Can’t thank them enough!!”

“Rodney is very knowledgeable and thorough with everything he does. If I ever had a problem I would want Rodney on my side. I would recommend him to anyone.”

“We asked Kathy to represent us in the purchase of a lakefront property – her response was timely and she accepted. The transaction was done quickly – even in the dead of winter – and Kathy took care of all the details of making it successful. From our view, the entire transaction was handled professionally and completely.”

My wife and I were extremely fortunate to team up with David during our recent purchase.  Our entire experience from beginning to close was exciting and effective.  Screening listings, touring homes and making our selection was managed in a fashion that we hoped for, but have not received in past home purchases.  David is an honest, friendly, and a hardworking realtor that listened to our list of requirements and focused on our requests, not his commission; a refreshing approach to home buying.  We will without hesitation team up with David when we decide to make our next move.

We stopped in to Woods & Shores looking for a summer cabin. We could not have been more pleased with the service provided. We worked with Rodney and he was professional and responsive to our questions and concerns. After purchasing our property we had additional contact regarding our property. He continued to work for us after the sale and all our questions were resolved. Very pleased.

Rodney Sparks, our realtor for selling our lake property, did an outstanding job considering where our property was and the road to access the property. I/we would use him again, and will highly recommend him.

Kathy, We made the right choice in picking you to sell our property. You run a good
operation and are fair with your customers.

Kathy, Thank you very much for your service and help in the sale of our lake property. We followed the buyers up to their new place yesterday and spent about two hours in their great company. How nice to have met them, they are delightful people with an appreciation for the cabin and the setting. We are pleased to be passing along the property to such fine folks, and we thank you for making that possible. You did a great job in representing both sides of this transaction fairly and squarely, we appreciate how you so professionally conduct your business! Although at our age we are not likely to be involved in another real estate transaction in the Aitkin market, if we ever have a chance to refer a buyer or seller to you we certainly will recommend you and Woods and Shores with great enthusiasm. We appreciate all the help and guidance you provided.
Thank you very much!

We met Rod in September after finding Woods & Shores online when we decided to look for some lake property in Minnesota. We just completed the purchase of a local lake property that was on the market for the first time in 60 years; and as such had a few outstanding items with the county that needed to be resolved. Not only did Rod introduce us to a terrific property with great sellers; he helped both parties navigate through all issues that needed to be addressed giving sound advice and guidance throughout the process. All aspects of the transaction were taken care of promptly and exactly as Rod said they would be. Did I mention that we were able to close within a matter of 5 weeks and handle the entire thing from our home in Florida? We have since asked Rod for recommendations on a local builder to work with and have started that process. We are extremely particular, and we would recommend Rod and the team at Woods & Shores without hesitation. They provide terrific service, straightforward advice and recommendations and go the extra mile to delight their clients. A++++ Thanks, Lisa

Rod, Thank you again for all your efforts…if ever I have a new project, I’d love to use you as my realtor. Your professionalism and attention to detail were wonderful.

Kathy, Thank you for your patience and hard work in helping my aunt and I with a very emotional task in selling her home.  You went far beyond what a Realtor would be expected to endure.  I will recommend you to any persons who have a professional required to sell their property.

Hi Kathy,  Just a note to thank you for making our move to Minnesota so much easier than we thought possible.  we really appreciated how you kept us informed of so many details!  Your kind of help is hard to find!

Kathy and Rod, Thank you for selling my place and for your patience.  I’m real happy to have that over with, but I do miss hearing from you!  My sincere thanks!

Dear, dear Rod, Thank you for your extra-ordinary work on the sale of the Partridge Avenue house…thank you for going the extra mile!  You are a gift, ande we appreciate you!

Kathy, Thank you for finding the perfect house for me! Out of all the places I’ve lived (11), this one feel the most like me!!

Hi Rod, It’s unusual to make a friend while selling our house, but we did just that.  You were very thoughtful in a sometimes stressful time.  Special thanks for all the things you did behind the scenes.

Kathy, We wanted to thank you for all you did to make our cabin dream a reality.  We LOVE our little cabin in the woods and so does the rest of the family.  We look forward to creating many happy memories there.

Rod, Want to thank you for all you did. I know this cabin was not an easy one to sell. We are so grateful to have this done and move onto the next phase of our life.  Thanks again and if we are ever up Aitkin way we will stop in to say hi.

Our property deep in the woods on a small lake was not an easy sell, but Rod knew just how to position it with potential buyers. His photographs really showed the tranquil beauty of the place. Best of all, he protected our interests as sellers throughout the transactions. When the first buyer pulled out, he immediately got hold of one who was waiting in the wings and made the sale. I highly recommend Woods and Shores!

I have bought and sold homes in some of America’s garden spots and worked with top realtors across the country and Kathy Sparks is one of the finest. She skillfully, navigated the contract, keeping my interests as seller in the forefront of the deal.  She was always available by phone, returning my messages promptly. Considering I was an out of state seller, and closed from a remote location, she e-mailed all contractual documents for signature, this was of the utmost importance; she had my back all the way to closing, and expedited the entire process smoothly. Thanks Again.

Top notch Real Estate! Very experienced in the industry and highest level of integrity in their agents! Fabulous knowledge of the area and property available. We worked with Rod and he was so helpful in explaining the process and getting us comfortable and confident to make great decisions. We love the outcome, and couldn’t have found a place more fitting for our life style and needs! He was there from beginning, all the way to the end of the process, ensuring everything was in place and being done correctly! He took the stress out of spending a lot of money and buying a second home – who isn’t looking for that?! Rod, we thank you in our hearts for finding you, and helping us find our fabulous cabin on Ross Lake! We “say hi” every time we pass your business!

Rod went the extra mile for me in every way on my purchase of a cabin. I live 1500 miles from Aitkin, and Rod guided me through the entire purchasing process. He provided me with names of services to mow the lawn, local banks for the mortgage, surveyors to eliminate flood insurance, and watched over the cabin to make sure everything was in order. He came to the cabin while we were moving in to show me the idiosyncrasies of the cabin. He didn’t push any of the cabins we looked at on me, just opened the door, and replied to my questions. I could not have asked for a better realtor or a better buying experience.

Rod, I want to thank you very much for making our buying experience very enjoyable. As someone from out of the area, I was very concerned about finding a realtor that we could trust and have confidence in. You certainly met those expectations and then some. Within 30 minutes of meeting us, you knew exactly what we were looking for. You did not try and sell us something just so that you could make a profit. When it came to the negotiation phase of our purchase, it was very clear to us that you were representing our best interest. I am a relationship person. I like to do business with people that I have a relationship with and can trust. I am very pleased to add you to that list.

Rod Sparks is the Realtor you hope to find when buying or selling a property. His willingness to provide services beyond just the paperwork was exceptional. He is reliable as well as knowledgeable. We have bought and sold many properties and have also worked in the real estate and mortgage banking industries. Rod is truly exceptional his field.

Kathy represented us on the sale of our cabin, which was in our family for 43 years. It was an emotional decision for us, but one made easier because we knew the business side of the transaction was in great hands. Kathy was such pleasure to work with. She was always available when we needed her, always returned emails and phone calls promptly, and was always willing to go the extra mile. We live 2 hours away from the property, so if something needed to be checked on, she was willing to do it for us. She worked tirelessly to get the cabin sold. My family will always be grateful for her hard work and effort.

This is the second time I have used Rod’s services. He is a very honest and detail orientated realtor. I’d highly recommend him to my friends and relatives.

Looking for a realtor to find your perfect place Up North? Seek out Rod Sparks at Woods and Shores Real Estate. He treats your investment as if it were his own. Extreme level of integrity. His knowledge of the area, real estate market, and expertise in the process is second to no one. We were happy to have him in our corner as he led us through the process of finding a fabulous home.

Rod is a real estate professional in the truest sense of the word. He is respectful, knowledgeable, and very responsive. He tells you what you need to hear, not what you want to hear.

Rod was wonderful to work with. We had been kicking tires for quite some time and during that process had talked with several other realtors. Rod quickly rose to the top of our list because he was very professional, very patient with our many questions, very knowledgeable of the area, the particular property we were interested in, and even the owner of the property we purchased. We love our new cabin — the whole realtor experience was great because of Rod.

Rod has the reputation in the area that led me to choose him to be my realtor. His office is convenient and his fellow employees are very helpful. In addition Rod was very patient with my desire to hold out for the price I wanted. His participation in the closing process made for a smooth transaction with the buyers. I would recommend Rod and his realty office to anyone!

Rod more than earned his commission with us. We actually bought 3 houses with contingencies in our search. He masterfully wrote up purchase agreements so we were able to bypass the first 2 when the contingencies weren’t met. He eagerly showed us homes in quite a few towns because we were open to location. There was never any pressure, but he willingly provided his expertise and input when asked and we certainly valued his opinion. He even met us at one home with his 4 wheeler so we could tour the grounds. We met at another in sub-zero weather when time was of the essence. Finally, we closed during a snow storm because he knew we were anxious and our schedules limited. His partner, Kathy (Sparks), played a key role in helping us strategize our financing package. We could not have ended up in our absolute dream home without Rod and Kathy. His help did not end at the sale…Rod was instrumental in clearing up an easement issue having spotted it and drawing up the papers and making the contacts to clear the easement from our property. We continue to seek his advice on many homeowner issues and he is always spot on and responsive. Beyond his fabulous Realtor skill, we have become and remain friends today. While we don’t anticipate moving from our dream home, if we did, Rod would without question be our realtor and I strongly recommend him to anyone who wants their own best interests to be carried forward in their search for their dream home or property. He will make it happen for you and then some!!!!

Rod, Thanks for a great job well done! I have already passed your name to people in the Aitkin area and will continue to do so in the future. You are well detailed and a pleasure to work with.

Rod, I spent some time looking at listings and noticing how much better your listings look with your photos. Thanks for being such an honest and easy person to talk to. It makes this process very comfortable.

Rod, It was GREAT!! We have a clean cabin, dock in, caught some fish and did some swimming. Even figured out power to the boat house! 🙂 WE LOVE IT!! Thanks again for everything. You are wonderful to work with and will send potential clients to you in a heart beat!!! If you need a referral, please send them our way. We would be happy to brag you up!!

Rod – we haven’t thanked you for all you did on our recent sale of our lot. It seemed you went above and beyond to help us make the sale and we so appreciate all you did. Of course, your name will be the one we recommend to anyone inquiring about real estate “in our neck of the woods”.  Again, thanks for your help.

Rod represented us when we purchased our cabin in Aitkin, MN. Rod was able to gain an understanding of what we wanted very quickly and kept us up to date on current and new listings. Our primary home is in the Twin Cities and we work full-time so we depended on Rod to assess properties for us and provide us with pertinent information prior to us driving to Aitkin. Rod knows the many aspects involved in buying a home. We were impressed with Rod’s ability to get things done and done right. He was on top of the process from start to finish and nothing fell through the cracks. He was able to recommend competent people to help us with any services we needed. Rod is an extremely knowledgeable, capable and skilled real estate agent. We always felt that he had our best interests in mind. We would not hesitate to recommend Rod as a realtor and would definitely use him again in the future if the need arises.

Hi Rod – long time no see nor talk to. Penny and I talk about you and Kathy from time to time and so I decided I should sit down and send you an e-mail. We keep the coffee mugs you gave us on top of the refrigerator so we are reminded often of the wonderful people who helped us get into our retirement dream home. We are still in awe over the wonderful log home we have and in the location it is in. I’ve said it before but its worth repeating about the professionalism, integrity, tenacity and your commitment to do the right thing is what got us into our wonderful home. We were a couple of naive bumpkins who were blessed to have found such awesome realtors who guided us through a process and the end result couldn’t have turned out any better. Your expertise and Kathy’s creative financing were just what the doctor ordered for us to end up where we did…. You and Kathy are very special people and deserve nothing but the best because you constantly give your best. Take care.

Hello Rod, gosh, I wish all agents were like you, thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!

Hello Rod, I am so glad I decided to list with you this time. This listing is a big wow! That is more like it! You have hit the nail on the head and listed just what I like about it, the pictures are great! I am so happy…Thank you.

Rod, I want to thank you for the time and effort you are putting into this project. Most importantly, the expertise and education you are passing on to us. As a father, you can also appreciate the fact that knowledge gained from others seems to be absorbed when it comes from somebody other than DAD. What we will gain from this experience and hopefully many more is a broadened education through the experience not just for economic gain/loss but most importantly, the knowledge as how your part in the real estate industry intertwines with our part of the industry. So whatever I can do to perpetuate the profession and the 3rd generation of surveyors working with Woods & Shores I’m all for it! Anyhow, thanks to you and Kathy for taking us under your wing and as always the door swings both ways, whatever I can do to assist in any way, all you got to do is call! Thanks again, Rod.

Hello to Rod & all, Thanks for the information. We would like to thank all of you for your assistance in purchasing the home UP NORTH. By now, we are knowing half of the population of Aitkin so we need to set up two tents for the house warming party, and for sure, you all will be invited! This has been going so smoothly, unbelievable. Thanks to all of you.

Rod – Thanks for keeping me posted and for being so understanding. That is why I knew to pick Woods and Shores again for the sale – excellent customer service! I am confident that everything will go smoothly through the closing!

Rod, Thank you for the pleasant experience on my recent land purchase. I enjoyed working with an honest hard working businessman ( that’s you).  If anyone I know is also looking for property or homes in your area I will definitely recommend WOODS AND SHORES!!! Thanks again Rod.

Rod, Thank you so much! We have been enjoying the stress-free aftermath of such a smooth transaction with you! Thanks again for the wonderful job you performed; it was really such a pleasure! !

Rod, The girls mention your name often and still enjoy talking about our search together as you can see from this photo the poster they made you with a big thank you is wider than our dock. Our time here at the lake has been a pure joy. Pat & I have commented several times over the past year about all the fun we had and how we have created memories that will last a lifetime. Thank you for being a part of those memories.

We LOVE our new cabin. It’s our “Happy Place”. We always wave and say “HI” when we drive by your office every weekend. I hope you enjoy the attached photo with all of us along side your Woods & Shores SOLD sign. Thanks for all you have done in the smooth transaction of the cabin. Take care Rod.

Rod, Your ears must have been ringing, I was going on and on about you to one of my staff this morning and then she was standing sort of close by when you called and when I hung up, I said that was him doing his good deeds again! I think they’ll be selling at some point soon and if they do I’ll be sure and remind her about you.

Hi, We just listed our home with your company this past week. I have a very peaceful feeling about that decision, especially after receiving “glowing reviews” about you from Helen B. She told me how you went to bat for her and Bob when they listed their place on Nord Lake before moving into their townhouse. I do especially want to comment on a wonderful person you are Rod. You have personality plus, the warmth and sincerity shines thru. It’s a true pleasure to have listed with you as well as your firm. Here’s wishing us all “good luck”, have a happy, peaceful day.

Rod, God has sent me a gift and it was you. I do not know what I would have done without you in this time of deep sorrow. I don’t know many people as kind & nice as you. Thank you for seeing me through this and always looking out for my best interest.

Rod, Thanks so much for all you did for us to get the house sold. We really appreciate that you were there to keep an eye on things for us. You were great to work with, both buying the house and selling it. You always went the extra mile and then some. Thanks for helping us get back home.

Rod, I spoke with Jack and several others in the area and I have never heard so many good things about a realtor. I sure made the right choice. We really appreciate all the extra’s you have done and are doing for us.

Rod, Jack the inspector had nothing but the utmost kind words for you as a realtor in regards to how well you do your job. He went on & on about your work as a realtor your ethics and morals. Thought it’s always nice to hear that.

Rod, Thank you for your work in making our dream of owning a cabin come true. We appreciated your honest approach with us, and also in leaving us room to decide without pushing. You were always trustworthy and just an all around great agent for your seller and for us the buyer. May God continue to bless you with the sales you deserve.

Rod, Thank you for your patience during our cabin search. We really needed your experience, advice & professionalism to find our special place. We all were shocked and how smoothly you made everything go. I know you work hard behind the scenes. We wish you much success.

Hello Rod, Thanks so much for all your follow through. You are such a pleasure to work with; and it’s so nice when agents are so responsive and helpful!!