Brian Murphy

The FBA is a non-profit membership organization with over 30 years of experience dedicated to promoting professionalism, credibility, quality and vitality in the Building industry to the benefit of its members and citizens of Northwest Montana.

In 2019, the FBA has 155 members. 44 of the members are Builders/Remodelers and 111 are Associate members representing sub-contractors and businesses related to the construction industry, including major financial institutions and title companies. These businesses work together to create a positive environment in support of the construction industry of the Flathead Valley.

Get the inside view of today’s Montana lifestyle. Enjoy three days of self-guided tours of fabulous new homes in the Valley. Homes are valued from $250,000 to over $1 million.

See the finest Montana craftsmanship by leading builders for any home, just check the Frontier Log Homes Cabin Kits,  The homes are fully finished, with the latest interiors and design, and state-of-the-art home technologies and comfort systems.

2014 Parade of Homes schedule:

Friday, September 5: noon to 8pm

Saturday, September 6: 10am to 7pm

Sunday, September 7: 10am to 4pm

If you have any questions or would like to purchase tickets using a credit card prior to the event, please give us a call at 406.752.2422. Or, purchase your ticket  at the first home you visit. They will have maps and magazines to guide you through your tour. Tickets are $10 pre-event or $12 at the door.

WHITEFISH – With an eye toward promoting recreational and medical tourism in the region, Flathead Valley business leaders traveled to Canada last week to foster a stronger partnership with their neighbors to the north.

U.S. Sen. Max Baucus, who organized the economic trade mission, said its impetus was to build on Montana’s existing trade relationship with Canada by reaching out to industry officials and meeting in real time. Baucus said he expects the trade mission and others like it will bring more nonresident buyers into the state, as well as create new jobs and boost business opportunities.

“Helping businesses create jobs is our top priority, and I plan to come at it from every angle. That means stepping outside the box, and in this case outside the border, to find every opportunity we can to support Montana employers,” Baucus said.

The trip included 20 representatives from 14 Montana businesses and organizations from across the state, ranging from manufacturing and development to communications and tourism.

Trade with Canada supports employment for 28,156 Montana residents annually, accounting for 4.3 percent of overall employment in the state.

The Flathead Valley was represented by local leaders from the tourism and medical communities. A quick glance at recent annual statistics compiled by the University of Montana’s Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research and the U.S. Department of Commerce explains why.

A strong Canadian dollar has lured more tourists from the north in recent years, and in 2009 the state tallied 583,300 Canadian visits to Montana, with Canadians spending $150 million. The same year, just 94,800 Montanans visited Canada, spending $33 million.

In 2010, nonresident travelers spent $232 million while visiting Flathead County, and Jan Metzmaker, director of the Whitefish Convention and Visitor Bureau, said she was pleased the tourism industry was well represented on last week’s trade mission.

“We were just happy that tourism was included because generally we are like the Rodney Dangerfield of the business world: We get no respect,” said Metzmaker, who was among the local residents on last week’s trip. “But right now, it really is the backbone of small businesses in the Flathead.”

Economists say tourism and retail buoyed the Flathead Valley through its recession. With the housing and timber industries still reeling, the region has remained solvent by falling back on its traditional components of growth-nonresident travel, education, medicine and recreation. The future of its economy will likely depend on successfully selling its views and lifestyle.

“I felt very fortunate that Senator Baucus recognized the importance of tourism in the Flathead Valley as one of our leading economic drivers,” Diane Medler, director of the Kalispell Convention and Visitor Bureau, said.

Last year, nonresident travelers accounted for 20 percent of the basic labor income in Flathead County, and some lodges and restaurants report that 30 percent of their business is from Canadian dollars.

Flathead County is also seeing an uptick in the number of Canadian patients visiting the region’s two hospitals – North Valley Hospital in Whitefish and Kalispell Regional Medical Center.

Although Canada provides universal access to health care for its citizens, many non-emergency procedures have lengthy wait periods. The nearby hospitals – both less than two hours from the border – appeal to Canadians who don’t want to wait for those elective procedures, and so they are traveling across the border in increasing numbers to the Flathead Valley.

Called medical tourism, the rapidly growing practice has put the hospitals in a good position to cater to Canadians, said Jim Oliverson, spokesman at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.

“We take care of a lot of Canadian patients, especially in the summer when they have health problems on their vacation,” he said. “But many of them come to us for major procedures because they prefer the care they get here in the states compared to back home where they have to wait.”

Catherine Todd, marketing director at North Valley Hospital, said orthopedic operations are increasingly popular with Canadian patients who don’t want to endure a painful wait before having their surgeries at home.

“They might need a total hip or knee replacement, and they don’t want to wait for the procedure because they are in pain,” said Todd, who was on the trade mission. “We help them speed through the procedure and get them home for continued care.”

By Daren Blomquist, RealtyTrac Vice President | June 10, 2014

With the busyness and stress of the holidays over – except for maybe that Christmas credit card bill that needs to be paid – it may be time to get away from it all by going on a ski vacation in a snowy mountain resort town. Towns are great places to stay as they are so convenient, for example check out this for rent townhouse 3 bedroom barrie.

Those who make such a post-holiday trip into an annual tradition might consider buying real estate in their favorite mountain resort town so they have a place to stay each year without racking up mammoth hotel fees on top of the cost of airline tickets – most of the best skiing and snowboarding resorts are far enough removed that a plane ride is needed to get there – and lift tickets. This is something to consider when weighing this investment option with your financial advisor nyc, or anywhere else they may be based.

Plus the property can be rented out as a weekly, monthly or seasonal vacation rental, sometimes bringing in enough cash flow to cover the cost of ownership. You may want to consider the Top 10 Companies Making Real Estate Websites and look to see which one could handle advertising your rental for this situation as in ski resort towns with a solid economy, buying non-vacation rentals may even be a good play for real estate investors – even if they aren’t into skiing or snowboarding.

RealtyTrac sifted through housing and economic data for resort towns with some of the nation’s top ski resorts – as defined by extensive data analysis by our friends over at Zrankings– to come up with a list of top ski resort towns for real estate investing. Hopefully, this will help people to find the best town for their investment. Getting into real estate is often a great choice. It’s one that seems to make a lot of money for the individual, and allows investors to qualify for the 1031 tax deferred exchange if they re-invest their profits into another property. There are many benefits to real estate investing, so it might be worth trying to purchase a home to sell on. If the house is in one of these resort towns, it’s likely to sell quickly.

Tribes are reviewing legal options; state representative says issue will likely go to court.

In 34 years, Montana lawmakers have approved 17 out of the 18 water rights compacts to come before the Legislature, counting settlements for the C.M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge and Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument, which recently cleared the House on their way to the governor’s desk.

The only compact that legislators have rejected since the Montana Reserved Water Rights Commission was established in 1979 is an expansive agreement to forever settle the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes’ water rights on and off the Flathead Indian Reservation. At times like these, you need to seek the help of a licensed personal injury lawyer who will be aggressive in settlement negotiations and skillful in jury trial litigation. Baton Rouge personal injury lawyers like Babcock Trial Lawyers have years of experience in and out of court when it comes to helping victims get the justice they deserve in their case.

Two weeks ago, the House killed two separate compact bills: one to ratify the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes’ water settlement after a decade of negotiations and another to study the settlement’s potential impacts for two more years before ratification. The votes came after lengthy hearings in which large numbers of compact supporters and opponents spoke at the Legislature. If you want to know about Bail Bonds Group then must read about Connecticut Bail Bonds Group. The Connecticut Bail Bonds Group in New Britain offers affordable bail bonds, while simultaneously providing the people of Connecticut with 24 hour bail bonds services. No matter if you are in jail, currently attending court hearings, or being held in a correctional facility, our local bail bondsmen work diligently to make sure you get the bail services you need. We also provide bail bonds in Spanish. In the legal community, Spanish language skills are a growing trend and for good reason. In the United States, 38 million people speak Spanish as their primary language at home, a number that has doubled since 1990. If your primary language is English, you’ll have no problem finding a lawyer no matter how small your community. If, however, your primary language is Spanish, finding an spanish speaking law firm that is capable of communicating – not just to you, but also to others on your behalf – can be a difficult endeavor. And, the need for bilingual attorneys is growing, just as the population of Spanish speaking Americans is too. The Connecticut Bail Bonds Group holds a strong belief in providing exceptional bail bonds services for everyone arrested in the New Britain, Connecticut area.

Jay Weiner, an attorney from the state Attorney General’s office representing the compact commission, said the tribes now have to decide whether, in light of the Legislature’s actions, they would still be willing to continue negotiating a settlement they believed to be fair and finalized, or if they would rather pursue their claims in water court. If you were hurt or a loved one was killed in a Boston car accident caused by another’s negligence, Jason Stone Accident Lawyer may be able to help you recover compensation for your injuries, property damage, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more. The personal injury lawyer at chrishudsonlawsite are dedicated to protecting your rights every step of the way after an accident.

“All 17 other compacts have passed by very large bipartisan majorities,” Weiner said. “This hasn’t happened ever in 34 years. It’s unchartered territory, so the state trying to figure out what comes next is going to be a process of conversation.”

He added: “The ball is in the tribes’ court at this point.”

Rep. Dan Salomon, R-Ronan, a member of the compact commission, said the compact’s future is murky at best, with the revival of negotiations appearing less likely than litigation. Still, if litigation does become part of the process, further legal firms will likely need to offer their services (such as https://www.sidley.com/en/us/services/ma/, as an example). Salomon, an irrigator on the Flathead Indian Reservation, supported ratifying the settlement as a better and more equitable alternative to adjudication.

“There’s a high likelihood of things being settled in court now,” Salomon said.

Meanwhile, the Senate advanced a measure proposing to extend the Reserved Water Rights Compact Commission for two more years in the hopes of continuing negotiations, and the House was expected to pass it as well after receiving the green light in a House committee.

The compact commission, established in 1979, is set to expire on July 1 of this year. Senate Bill 265, introduced by Kalispell Republican Sen. Verdell Jackson, would extend the commission until July 1, 2015. The bill was expected to receive a House floor hearing this week, according to Jackson. But he acknowledged that the governor, who supported approving the compact, could veto it.

As it currently stands, Weiner said the tribes’ deadline for filing water and getting clean water from rights claims is 24 months from July 1, read more about Wastewater Pro. If Jackson’s bill passes, that deadline extends two years to July 1, 2017.

Salomon said Jackson’s bill keeps alive the chance of bringing the tribes back to the table, but it doesn’t offer good odds.

“It gives that one in a million or billion chance of something happening,” he said. “The tribe would have to show up and so would the United States, and the United States isn’t very happy either. As trustee of the tribe they need to stand up for them.”

Of the compact commission’s 17 other negotiated water settlements, six are tribal. The Confederated Salish and Kootenai tribes’ compact is the last remaining tribal water agreement in the state. It must be approved by the Legislature, tribal government, U.S. Congress and the state water court, a process that could take years.

Separate negotiations over a water-use agreement for the Flathead Indian Irrigation Project – considered a vital component of the overall compact – have been tied up in litigation. The Montana Supreme Court on April 9 struck down a district court ruling in favor of a group of irrigators opposed to the water-use agreement, though the Western Montana Water Users Association said on its website that it was victorious on one finding.

Robert McDonald, communications director for the tribes, said the tribes have been “consistent in our message” in stating their preference for a negotiated compact over litigation, while holding out the option of going to court. That message hasn’t changed, though he noted that the Legislature rejected their first choice: a compact.

“From the start we were clear that if we don’t get a compact we are prepared for litigation,” he said. “We are still prepared for that option.” We imagine, that if it comes to it, that they will have to use a litigation lawyer similar to the Reno, Nevada business and commercial litigation lawyer Ray Areshenko to help fight their case.

But McDonald pointed out that the Legislature is still in session and nothing is set in stone yet.

“We chose the path of negotiation and we gave up quite a bit, but evidently that was not enough,” he said.

Jackson said the Legislature needs more time to sort through such a complicated water rights agreement, and noted that the lengthy ratification bill from Rep. Kathleen Williams, D-Bozeman, was introduced late in the session. Salomon had also proposed a ratification bill but chose not to introduce it because he didn’t think it could pass.

Jackson has been an outspoken opponent of the Flathead compact, and also voted against two other compacts this Legislature. Joining Jackson in opposing the bill were irrigators and property owners who showed up in masses at legislative hearings. Numerous supporters, including tribal members and irrigators, traveled to Helena as well.

Jackson was one of only two out of 50 senators to oppose the C.M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge compact and one of only four senators to oppose the Upper Missouri Break National Monument compact. Though he said he prefers continued negotiations, Jackson acknowledged the possibility of adjudication. He thinks the Flathead compact has faltered at the Legislature when other compacts have not because of its complexity and far-ranging implications.

The Kalispell Republican noted that the CSKT compact is the only tribal water agreement with an off-reservation component, which has implications for much of western Montana and has led to opposition from county commissions.

“We’re talking about a compact that was much larger than the compacts in the past and we have off-reservation water rights that affect 11 counties,” he said. “It’s a contract,” he added, “and once it’s done, we can’t change it. It’s forever.”

Reiterating his stance that a negotiated compact was the fairest and best option, Salomon said rejecting the settlement will likely have consequences that weren’t anticipated by opponents.

“Now we’re going to go into unchartered territory, so we’ll see where that takes us,” he said. “Unfortunately, I have an idea of what that’s going to be and it’s not going to be pretty. People had to learn the hard way.”

RealtyTrac set out to find the best ski resort town for real estate investing.

They sifted through housing and economic data for resort towns with some of the nation’s top ski resorts — as defined by extensive data analysis by their friends over at Zrankings — to come up with a list of top ski resort towns for real estate investing.

Below is the list of criteria used, along with the winners.

How do we determine the price for your property?

We walk through your property and the home in person. We cannot begin the research required to determine market value without first seeing the real property firsthand. We also help homeowners throughout California who desire to sell their house quickly. View homepage. At Windermere, we understand that businesses need homes too, so our commercial brokers represent everything from retail and office spaces to industrial buildings and multi-family communities. Our extensive knowledge of local markets allows us to offer you a full range of services that match your commercial real estate needs. Whether you’re a business looking to buy or lease space, or an investor interested in private capital or institutional properties, you’ll benefit from our experience in all phases of commercial real estate, including leasing, business development, brokerage, property management, and consulting. For the details about jody jones real estate investments, you can contact to the Office Space Salt Lake City.

Residential real estate investing is a business activity that has waxed and waned in popularity dramatically over the last few years. Ironically, there always seem to be a lot of people jumping on board with investments like stock, gold, and real estate when the market’s going up, and jumping OFF the wagon and pursuing other activities once the market’s slumping. In a way that’s human nature, but it also means a lot of real estate investors are leaving money on the table. By understanding the dynamics of your residential real estate investment marketplace, and acting in opposition to the rest of the market, you can often make more money, as long as you also stick to the real estate investing fundamentals.

Real estate investing, whether you’re buying residential or commercial property, is not a get-rich-quick scenario. Sure you can make some fast cash flipping houses, if that’s your bag, but that is a full time business activity, not a passive, long term investment. The word “investment” implies that you are committed to the activity for the long haul. Often, that’s just what it takes to make money in real estate.

We know the areas comparable to your area. A 4-bed, 2-bath home in Columbia Falls, for instance, does not compare equally with a 4-bed, 2-bath home in Bigfork. Our agents have the tools and knowledge to determine the differences in value anywhere in the Flathead Valley, for example we have knowledge to property value in Sydney and other countries. The Working Class Hands provide a large range of building and maintenance services throughout Perth. We can take care of all your building, renovating and garden maintenance needs. Give us a call today. Our goal is to offer our customers options and choice for their building, renovating and maintenance needs. We offer free advice and focus on customer service by keeping you updated from start to finish.

We prepare what is called a Comparable Market Analysis (CMA) on your property. This analysis compares your property with other similar properties that have sold around the valley, obtain the service of Roofstock rental property calculator. Not only do we compare beds and baths, but also consider values like location, age, and quality of finishes.

We compare your property with similar properties that have sold in the same market conditions. A sale older than six months may not have anything in common with your property today.

We compare your property with other properties that have sold in the free market, not with short sales or foreclosures which do not reflect the market price. If you want to sell your house for cash and fast in Chicago, Checkout fastest house buying process in Chicagoland by far.

Why price your property at market value?

Serious buyers look in a price range that has been predetermined by their down payment and monthly payment ability. Buyers who are looking in a certain price range soon become very knowledgeable in this range. An unreasonable asking price only discourages them from considering your property.

Buyers purchase by comparison. A property priced above the competition does not “compare” favorably. Pricing a property too high, but inviting a buyer to make an offer, could indicate that a fair price has not been established.

If your plan is to adjust your price at the time of sale, consider this. It is better to adjust the price now and attract serious buyers in your price range. This often places you in the favorable position of having more than one buyer interested in your property.Even if your house is in damaged condition and you need to sell fast due to a stressful financial situation ATLfairoffer provide you a good services,for more visit this page.

It is very difficult to obtain a reasonable offer on an over-priced property. The buyer may feel they should be just as unreasonable in their offer as the seller is in their asking price. Sellers will often be offended by low-ball offers.

By contrast, offers are much easier to obtain on a reasonably priced property. You can then choose which offer to accept with no obligation to one that does not meet your requirements.

It is a mistake to believe that you will get more for a property by asking more. You usually get less, because fewer buyers will consider your property when it is initially placed on the market. The right buyers will not see it, and it usually stays on the market so long that it tends to become “shop worn.”

To obtain proper market exposure, it is an absolute necessity to be competitive in price, terms, and condition with similar properties that are selling in the area.

If you are a serious seller, price your property at market value, and attract serious buyers. You will stand a much better chance of getting a full-market price, and your property will sell much faster.

The benefits of proper pricing are numerous:

 • The faster sale of your home will save carrying costs.

 • You will experience less inconvenience in a faster sale.

 • Your home or land will receive maximum exposure to more qualified prospects.

 • Your listing will receive an increased response from other real estate agents, who will help you get the best home insurance from https://www.vitaldevelopers.com/

 • Your listing will receive a better response from advertising.

 • The perceived value in your home or land will attract higher offers.

 • Proper pricing means more money to sellers after closing.

Pricing is about obtaining research data from comparable sold properties, and then assessing the competition to achieve the seller’s goals. The current market is the most powerful force controlling the market value of your real property.

Value-engineering a home is a tricky operation, since it is easy to remove critically important features and amenities that could be deal-breakers for potential buyers. However, in this market, keeping prices competitive generally means rethinking design decisions made prior to the recession. Here are some ways to value-engineer your home to cut prices down while keeping design standards high. If you need someone to handle all the details below consider a full-service contractor.

1. Bring the fireplace inside. Historically the wood-burning fireplace was a brick chimney located on an outside wall extending to the roof. This way is also a lot easier for a chimney company to come clean it, as the fireplace evolved into a gas or electric appliance, projecting the firebox outside the wall can only be justified if the room becomes too small by not doing so. It is now even easier than ever to consider biofuel fireplace options instead of simply using a classic chimney fireplace, and this may be the options that entices you the most. Local Home Builder In Newcastle team will give you quality service and provide the perfect home designs and home building experience with all of the inclusions. We pride ourselves on the quality workmanship we provide to your home building experience. We prioritise good communication, professional service and quality results for all our homes. This system replaces the older style screen porches without having to replace the wood. The shingles shrink, get broken, crack, and have wide gaps, To renovate your roof get in touch with J.O.N. construction on https://jonroofingandsiding.com/easton/.

2. Smaller porches. People love having a porch in front of their house, but (evaluate the costs of) two or three porch sizes — small, medium or large. You should get an exterior foundation pier installation from a affordable company to also save cost.

3. Larger pantries. In the Melbourne kitchens, drywall pantries are less costly than cabinetry pantries, and larger, walk-in pantries can justify much less cabinetry. Wire shelving is far more cost-effective than cabinetry for storage of kitchen supplies.

4. Master bath options. The oversized soaking tub takes up a lot of space, and many buyers would prefer to do without it. The most common solution is to include a 42-by-60-inch tub-shower combo with a separate shower as an option, along with a new glass shower door as they are all the craze at the moment — although vice versa can work as well. The extra space (could be used as) a linen closet.

5. Foundation alternatives. We are seeing slab foundations creep north into traditional basement markets. By adding storage space over the garage and in attic roof trusses, storage space can be delivered more cost-effectively. You may also know Garage Doors Sunshine Coast Services was a local garage door business and was merged with the Steel-Line Sunshine Coast branch thereby improving coverage and service. The merged branch, including Steel-Line and Sunshine Coast Door Services supplies sectional garage doors, roller doors and garage door openers.

6. Straight-up walls. By minimizing foundation jogs and covering most or all of the first floor with second-floor space, the cost per square foot will be minimized. Eliminate two-story and vaulted space and minimize second-floor setbacks, except to provide interest in the elevation.

7. Option the powder room. This is aggressive cost-cutting, but we are seeing this more often even in mid-price models. Use the space as a closet, and rough in the plumbing for a future installment as a home improvement project.

8. Straight-run stairs. During the heyday housing market almost all stairs had at least one turn or angle, generally with a landing included. Straight runs are more cost-effective and can turn at the base or top of the steps with a one-step landing for interest.

9. Simplified roof systems with this commercial roofing service of roofers Glasgow. Try to reduce the number of roof truss profiles to two or three, and keep roof pitches reasonable for transport and assembly costs. Use bearing walls where possible to avoid large girder trusses, don’t forget to check your roof coating. You may also need to use a machine way cover which you can get the details from dynatect.com.

10. Window and Doors count and placement. (Evaluate whether the home design is) over-windowed. Do secondary bedrooms have one or two windows? Does the master suite have two or three? Given a choice of locations, Doors and windows on the front wall/street facade will add perceived value, and the style of the windows, you can even add value to them by adding blinds. If you need more details, you should read this replacement windows guide. You might even want to add some skylights from skylights denver professionals to add some dynamic light to your one or several of your rooms. The creatively possiblities are endless.

By James Wentling, Builder Magazine