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Brian Murphy

Kerrie Cardon’s Whitefish Real Estate Newsletter March 2019

by

Kerrie Cardon real estate agent Whitefish

 

Kerrie knows that this truly is the Last Best Place. Kerrie cherishes this area and our wonderful state. She is passionate, a great listener and is very hands on. Being a Montana native has given Kerrie an avid appreciation for the amazing lifestyle that this beautiful state has to offer. Kerrie became a Realtor as a way to leverage her passion into helping you achieve your Montana dream. Call Kerrie today to begin your own amazing journey, 406.270.2614.

Real Estate Market Trends

Flathead 2018 home sales (with median acreage), by city and home style

BY RICHARD DEWS // FEB 13, 2019

Which home styles are sold in greatest (and least) quantities, across the Flathead? Does it vary by city? How many acres (or fractions thereof) come with which home styles, and does that vary by city? I was recently asked about the acreage which comes with home sales. This week, I’ve analyzed the 2018 single-family home sales across Flathead cities, which sold for prices between $150,000 and $600,000 (see chart). I’ve focused on two statistics: 1) quantity of homes sold by city and style (blue columns using left-side axis values), and 2) among those, the median accompanying acreage (gold lines using right-side axis values).

In every city but Lakeside, the log style had the highest median accompanying acreage. One-and-a-half to two-story and ranch-style homes sold in the highest quantities, across every city, and often by overwhelming ratios versus other styles. One-story-style homes sold in the third highest quantities, but they often had the least accompanying acreage.

Richard Dews is CEO of Glacier Flathead Real Estate, a Flathead-based real estate software and services company.

Economic Outlook: More Growth in 2019

State bounced back from stagnant economy, with momentum expected to continue, economists say

BY MOLLY PRIDDY // FEB 19, 2019

The state economy bounced back from stagnation last year with help from western counties and increased construction activity, among other factors, according to economists from the University of Montana visiting last week for the 2019 Economic Outlook Seminar.

State revenues in 2017 were weak due to a stagnant economy in 2016, said Patrick Barkey of the Bureau of Business and Economic Research (BBER), but 2018 revenues were stronger thanks in part to a surge in construction across the state but particularly in Flathead, Gallatin, and Missoula counties.

Read the rest of the story… click here.

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    SKIJORING RETURNS TO REBECCA FARM

    MARCH 2-3, 2019

    Rebecca Farm is excited to host their second skijoring competition on Saturday, March 2 and Sunday, March  3. Opening ceremonies begin at noon both days, closely followed by the start of this adrenaline-pumping competition. Joe Warner, well known rodeo announcer, will emcee as alpine skiers pulled by horse and rider teams fly down a challenging curved course, navigating gates, grabbing rings and soaring over jumps up to 6 feet high.

    Click here for more details…

    BRASH RODEO WINTER SERIES

    March 1-2; 15-16; 29-30; 2019

    Rodeo has been a part of Montana’s culture since the first cowboys arrived over 150 years ago. Our events include bull riding, saddle bronc riding, bareback riding, steer riding, team roping, barrel racing, breakaway roping, calf roping and chute dogging. We are Western Montana’s longest running series open rodeo. Your Glacier country vacation would not be complete without experiencing the Brash Rodeo. See you at the arena!

    Click here for more details and tickets…

    Find snow conditions on Whitefish Mountain: visit their snowcams

    Kerrie Cardon’s Whitefish Real Estate February Newsletter

    by

    Kerrie Cardon real estate agent Whitefish

     

    Kerrie knows that this truly is the Last Best Place. Kerrie cherishes this area and our wonderful state. She is passionate, a great listener and is very hands on. Being a Montana native has given Kerrie an avid appreciation for the amazing lifestyle that this beautiful state has to offer. Kerrie became a Realtor as a way to leverage her passion into helping you achieve your Montana dream. Call Kerrie today to begin your own amazing journey, 406.270.2614.

    Outlook 2019: A ‘Rosy’ Outlook for Real Estate

    BY MOLLY PRIDDY // JAN 1, 2019 | FLATHEAD BEACON

    The real estate market was hot in 2018, the kind of activity that keeps Realtors and homebuyers hopping well past the busy spring and summer seasons and into the historically slower times of fall and winter.

    “What I’m hearing from my agents is that they’re as busy now as they were in July,” Erica Wirtala of the Northwest Montana Association of Realtors said. “I’m sure there are some out there that are slowed up, but the ones really hustling are still busy and doing well.”

    Homes in the $200,000 to $300,000 price range sold the most in 2018, a demand that lines up with a growing population in Flathead County. Richard Dews, CEO of Glacier Flathead Real Estate, charted real estate activity in 2018, and the data showed a decline in less-expensive home sales, while higher-end purchases are picking up speed.

    According to Dews, 240 homes between $200,000 and $249,000 sold in 2017, whereas in 2018, that number dropped to 200. Properties listed for more than $450,000 saw an increase in sales of anywhere between 15 to 50 percent over 2017 depending on the price range.

    READ the rest of the story…click here.

    Residential Rising

    BY MYERS REECE // JAN 2, 2019 | FLATHEAD BEACON

    Whitefish

    A total of 144 new residential units were permitted in Whitefish from January through the end of November, the second most in the last decade behind 2016. That total included 63 single-family homes valued at nearly $31 million, as well as 27 townhouses and 54 multi-family units.

    If a number of large projects either approved in 2018 or pending approval break ground and start submitting building permit applications, 2019 could see record or near-record residential construction.

    Three projects approved in 2018 — Alta Views off JP Road, Eagle Lake by Mountain Mall and The Quarry on Wisconsin Avenue — have the potential alone to bring more than 260 units to the city, with construction timelines depending on phasing and build-out plans.

    “If you’re looking at 2019, there’s a good indication that all those approved projects, if they all come forward, there’s going to be a lot of residential construction,” Whitefish Planning and Building Director Dave Taylor said.

    Additionally, the city council on Jan. 7 is scheduled to discuss a proposal to build a 234-unit apartment complex, consisting of seven buildings, at the old North Valley Hospital site. The owner of the property is Michael Goguen and the applicant is Will McDonald. Roughly 30 percent of the 11.8 acres would be open space.

    The project calls for 90 studio apartments, 90 one-bedroom units and 54 two-bedroom units, and includes 20 percent — or 47 of the 234 units — to provide deed-restricted affordable housing. The affordable units would be income-restricted and managed in partnership with the Whitefish Housing Authority.

    The city had $5.5 million worth of commercial projects permitted from January through November of 2018, including five new projects, nine additions and 28 remodels. There should be a number of notable commercial projects moving forward this year as well, including the $26 million new Muldown Elementary School.

    READ the rest of the story…click here.

    Below are properties listed for sale by Kerrie.

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      Whitefish Theatre Company presents “Mamma Mia: The Musical”

      Put on your platform shoes, your feather bosas and get ready for one of th emost popular musicals of all time, Mamma Mia! February 21-24, 2019

      O’Shaughnessy Center, 1 Central Avenue, Whitefish

      All shows at 7:30PM (except Feb 24-show is at 4PM)

      2019 Whitefish Mountaineering

      February 9, 2019

      PRE-REGISTRATION IS MANDATORY!

      The Whitefish Whiteout is a mountaineering race, where competitors skin and bootpack up a variety of terrain, remove their skins and descend challenging terrain. The course will take competitors on an up and down route throughout the permit area of the resort and consists of 8 stages for the Long Course, 3 stages for the Short Course and an Ascent-Only Category.

      The Whiteout is open to AT/touring skiers, telemark skiers and splitboarders with a men’s and women’s category in each. Choose from Single Ascent, Short Course and Long Course in each category. There is a maximum time of 4 hours for all competitors to complete the course.

      Click here for more details.

      Find snow conditions on Whitefish Mountain: visit their snowcams

      Big Mountain

      Presidents’ Day Weekend Fireworks & Torchlight Parade

      February 16 on Big Mountain

      Celebrate the holiday weekend on the slopes with a bang. Join us at the bottom of Ed’s Run to watch as a glowing group of skiers descend the slope followed by spectacular fireworks show.

      Starts 6:45 p.m. on Ed’s Run/Upper Village.

      Live music at Ed & Mully’s.

      *Night skiing is extended for Presidents’ Weekend– join us on the slopes from 4-8:30 pm on Sunday, February 17.

      Torchlight Parade Registration: Register at the bottom of Chair 2 by 5:30 pm. You must be an intermediate or expert skier or snowboarder to participate and be wearing low-visibility goggles. Please wear warm clothing that you won’t mind getting a few torch burns on.

      Click here for more details.

      Greg Carter’s Whitefish Real Estate January Newsletter

      by

      Greg Carter

       

       

       

      I chose Montana’s Flathead Valley as an ideal place for my family. It’s proven to be one of the country’s most dynamic areas with great growth potential over the next 10 years. Call me today at 406.250.9000.

      Whitefish Winter Carnival 2019

      Whitefish Winter Carnival

      The Legend of  Ullr

      Once upon a time, there lived a god named Ullr who reigned over winter activities in the Nordic regions. Aiding him were his Prime Minister and Queen, who were skilled in creating the beauties of winter.

      As time went by, however, his subjects become engrossed in exploring the world and its oceans, and they paid less homage to their god-king and the festivities of their winter season, so Ullr became a god all-but-forgotten, except in dim tradition.

      Read more at https://whitefishwintercarnival.com/history/

      Merry Maker: January 5

      A bawdy adults-only good time, enjoy a hearty roast of Whitefish and current events.

      King & Queen Coronation: January 12

      A fun, family event! Come in out of the cold and be a part of history with the unveiling of King Ullr LX and his Queen of the Snows.

      Disco Party: January 12

      Dust off your moves and your duds for an evening of groove. Prizes for best costume.

      Prince & Princess Coronation: January 18

      An annual tradition, watch the new Prince Frey and Princess Freya crowned at half-time, and cheer on the Bulldogs!

      Skijoring: January 25-27

      This sport combines a mix of two of Montana’s favorites – horses and skiing.

      Gala: February 1

      Support Carnival and kick off the weekend with merriment and frivolity at the Carnival Gala.

      Some events require a carnival button for entry. For more details on all the above Carnival events, browse to: https://whitefishwintercarnival.com/events/

      Featured property-Mountain Watch at Meadow Lake

      Mountain-Watch-building-lots

      Nestled in mature stands of pine, birch and western tamarack, design and build your own private hideaway or choose from plans developed exclusively for Mountain Watch. Thoughtful and sensible design guidelines assure the lasting quality and character of this naturally beautiful neighborhood. Full services including water, sewer, electric, and cable are available to every home site.

      More info and more photos…click here or call Brian Murphy at 406.890.1681 for your private showing of these beautiful building lots.

      Governor Bullock

      Governor says recreation stirs economic growth

      BY DANIEL MCKAY, WHITEFISH PILOT // 12-11-18

      Montana Governor Steve Bullock says it doesn’t take much thinking to realize why people are visiting the state.

      “Last year we had over 13 million visitors to our state,” he said. “They weren’t coming to go to our Wal-Marts, right? They could do that at home. They’re coming to see the opportunities that make this state so amazing. And these visits stir economic growth, create local and good paying jobs.”

      Bullock kicked off the first Business of Outdoor Recreation Summit last Tuesday in Whitefish at Grouse Mountain Lodge focusing on the value Montana’s public lands have both recreationally and economically.

      Read the rest of the story:

      https://www.whitefishpilot.com/front_page_slider/20181211/governor_says_recreation_stirs_economic_growth

      Find snow conditions on Whitefish Mountain: visit their snowcams

      Big Mountain

      Kerrie Cardon’s Whitefish Real Estate January Newsletter

      by

      Kerrie Cardon

       

      Kerrie knows that this truly is the Last Best Place. Kerrie cherishes this area and our wonderful state. She is passionate, a great listener and is very hands on. Being a Montana native has given Kerrie an avid appreciation for the amazing lifestyle that this beautiful state has to offer. Kerrie became a Realtor as a way to leverage her passion into helping you achieve your Montana dream. Call Kerrie today to begin your own amazing journey, 406.270.2614.

      Whitefish Winter Carnival 2019

      Whitefish Winter Carnival

      The Legend of  Ullr

      Once upon a time, there lived a god named Ullr who reigned over winter activities in the Nordic regions. Aiding him were his Prime Minister and Queen, who were skilled in creating the beauties of winter.

      As time went by, however, his subjects become engrossed in exploring the world and its oceans, and they paid less homage to their god-king and the festivities of their winter season, so Ullr became a god all-but-forgotten, except in dim tradition.

      Read more at https://whitefishwintercarnival.com/history/

      Merry Maker: January 5

      A bawdy adults-only good time, enjoy a hearty roast of Whitefish and current events.

      King & Queen Coronation: January 12

      A fun, family event! Come in out of the cold and be a part of history with the unveiling of King Ullr LX and his Queen of the Snows.

      Disco Party: January 12

      Dust off your moves and your duds for an evening of groove. Prizes for best costume.

      Prince & Princess Coronation: January 18

      An annual tradition, watch the new Prince Frey and Princess Freya crowned at half-time, and cheer on the Bulldogs!

      Skijoring: January 25-27

      This sport combines a mix of two of Montana’s favorites – horses and skiing.

      Gala: February 1

      Support Carnival and kick off the weekend with merriment and frivolity at the Carnival Gala.

      Some events require a carnival button for entry. For more details on all the above Carnival events, browse to: https://whitefishwintercarnival.com/events/

      Featured property-Mountain Watch at Meadow Lake

      Mountain-Watch-building-lots

      Nestled in mature stands of pine, birch and western tamarack, design and build your own private hideaway or choose from plans developed exclusively for Mountain Watch. Thoughtful and sensible design guidelines assure the lasting quality and character of this naturally beautiful neighborhood. Full services including water, sewer, electric, and cable are available to every home site.

      More info and more photos…click here or call Brian Murphy at 406.890.1681 for your private showing of these beautiful building lots.

      Governor Bullock

      Governor says recreation stirs economic growth

      BY DANIEL MCKAY, WHITEFISH PILOT // 12-11-18

      Montana Governor Steve Bullock says it doesn’t take much thinking to realize why people are visiting the state.

      “Last year we had over 13 million visitors to our state,” he said. “They weren’t coming to go to our Wal-Marts, right? They could do that at home. They’re coming to see the opportunities that make this state so amazing. And these visits stir economic growth, create local and good paying jobs.”

      Bullock kicked off the first Business of Outdoor Recreation Summit last Tuesday in Whitefish at Grouse Mountain Lodge focusing on the value Montana’s public lands have both recreationally and economically.

      Read the rest of the story:

      https://www.whitefishpilot.com/front_page_slider/20181211/governor_says_recreation_stirs_economic_growth

      Find snow conditions on Whitefish Mountain: visit their snowcams

      Big Mountain

      Selling Your Home? Here Are Some Tips

      by

      Even when the market is hot, you’ve got to make sure your listing stands out from competing homes. Pictures move the masses and if you’re not careful, they can move prospective buyers away from your listings online, also remember that once your house goes for sale it can be sold any minute, so have your future home ready for moving day, hire the removalist canberra to brisbane to help you out. If you need help with a full house removal Affordable Solutions or commercial relocation our service can help.  Cookson Moving doing removals in Blackpool and easily handle any type of move including awkward sized furniture removals or piano removals you may need.

      The location of Larnaca is always favorable for business, tourist, and leisure activities. There are plenty of shopping malls, cinemas, restaurants, hotels, shopping centers, entertainment centers, schools, health facilities, parks, recreational areas, etc. So, if you are looking for property for sale in Cyprus, go to iListers website and you will find various properties for sale in Larnaca that have options of all types of property.

      1) Home buyers love browsing photos on the internet. The more photos you have online the more time a prospect will spend viewing and connecting with your listing. Good quality photos can show off all the special features of your home so you can use these Super Cheap Signs with photos of your house so more people can see your house is up for sale, this said by the best professionals of property management in Perth.

      2) When shooting outside, make sure the sun is behind you. The light will act as your own natural “studio light” brightening up the property.

      3) Make your photos look cheerful; show off natural light inside by shooting on a sunny day.

      4) If your home doesn’t have windows or natural light, bring your own “sunlight.” Investing in household lamps can go a long way toward producing better photos by brightening things up. If you do have windows, then make sure you dress them well. This can have a huge effect on the natural light in your property, but also on its aesthetics. It may be a good idea to check online to see your options out there. Companies like shuttercraft have online galleries so you can see some of the fantastic options there to provide your home with a classy, well-lit look.

      5) Show off the areas of your home that attract most home buyers – the bathrooms, closets, kitchen, outdoor living space, and any additional unique features such as hot tubs, special appliances when an appliance breaks down you need to have it repaired now and not later in the week or month. We https://www.scottsdaleapplianceco.com provide same-day repairs for all residents of Scottsdale. And we can almost always complete repairs on ovens, stoves, washers, dryers, dishwashers, refrigerators, and freezers on a single visit on the same day that you call us for help. When you receive a service call from one of our certified local technicians you are always in great hands. We routinely send our repairmen for training and education. With their updated training and years of experience, our technicians can perform any necessary repairs on all appliance brands and models and the newest technologies as well. and don’t forget to hire the Elite Honolulu Appliance Repair if they need any fixes, built-in entertainment centers, or a separate mother-in-law living space.

      6) During your photoshoot, remove clutter and pests and the use of services such as schaumburg pest control, which can be found at Bigfoot Pest Control 924 Central Ave, Roselle, IL 60172 (847) 891-8852. Move cars out of the driveway, clear off table and counter spaces, and clear out the corners of a room. A homeowner in search of squirrel removal Baltimore, called Don Brody, the owner of On The Fly Pest Solutions out of Pikesville Maryland looking for help. Little did the homeowner know that the squirrels had gnawed wires in the attic presenting a major fire risk.

      7) Pictures are worth a thousand words, but don’t forget to include special features in your written descriptions as well.

      Retire Here, Not There: Montana

      by

      No Montana home would be complete, it seems, without hiking boots, skis and fishing poles. Residents and visitors alike can roam through the Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks, ski relatively uncrowded resorts like Bridger Bowl and Big Mountain, or fly-fish in the chilly rapids of the Bitterroot or Yellowstone Rivers.

      “The scenery and lifestyle here are a huge draw,” says Bill Beecher, a financial planner at Beecher Financial Planning in Great Falls, Mont who helps with Common Financial Problems and How to Deal with Them.

      So far, at least, that kind of popularity hasn’t led to overdevelopment. In recent years, some residents have been fiercely protective of Montana’s natural resources.

      Posh ski resorts and massive developments are few and far between in the state. When a Las Vegas developer sought to trademark the phrase “The Last Best Place”—one of the state’s unofficial mottos—for his high-end Missoula ranch, residents appealed to their state representatives to stop him.

      Now that slogan is permanently protected by law. In Montana, there is “a big sense of community,” says Beecher. Montana also is affordable: The median home is less than $170,000 and there is no state sales tax.

      Read the whole article here.

      Report Family Gifts of Real Estate to the IRS

      by

      The Internal Revenue Service has a low-profile but sweeping effort under way to use state land-transfer records for evidence of omissions in reporting gifts of real estate to family members. The IRS state and federal gift-and-estate tax program is finding people who haven’t filed Form 709 to report U.S. gift and generation-skipping transfer taxes to the IRS.

      New tax rules have made big gifts to family members popular this year, as Congress raised the limit on how much a person can give in a lifetime to $5 million without having to pay gift tax. Still, any time a gift to one person exceeds $13,000, the giver is supposed to let the agency know in a filing of Form 709. Previous gift limits still apply to the time period in which they were in place.

      In the previous two years, 323 taxpayers have been examined for failing to report possible gifts. Another 217 are being examined and 250 more were being considered for review. So far, 97 had failed to report gifts on Form 709. Twelve cases resulted in taxes or penalties because a gift put the donor over the $1 million lifetime gift credit that applied at the time.

      States that have handed over information on gift-like transactions are Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin, according to the document. The IRS examined a sampling of data from these states and reported that it showed an extremely high failure-to-report rate.

      Taxpayers need to be aware that there are no special exceptions to the rules when making a transfer to a family member, even if they get money from the payday loans guide on punchdebtintheface.com. If the property is valued at more than $13,000, a gift-tax return must be filed. Even if the transfer falls within a lifetime exemption amount—currently $5 million—it must be reported to the federal government using Form 709.

      Real Estate’s Road to Recovery

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      Report shows strong improvement in Flathead County’s sales and foreclosures

      Supporting the widespread perception that Flathead County’s real estate market is recovering, an annually anticipated report shows solid improvement in sales and foreclosures in 2012, and slight gains in new construction. Housing remains affordable with low interest rates and buyer confidence appears to be on the rise.

      Yet signs of the downturn persist, with bank-owned properties still making up a large percentage of sales. And land sales and subdivision activity remain near their historic lows.

      Those trends are gleaned from a 2012 Flathead County real estate market report released by Jim Kelley of Kelley Appraisal earlier this month. Real estate professionals use the report each year to guage the health of their industry, which has been a mostly depressing exercise since the housing market crashed.

      But, as Kelley’s report suggests, there is now reason to approach the numbers with more optimism. Kelley notes that one contributing factor to the improvement is the better employment picture in the valley.

      “In general, 2012 was a substantial improvement over 2011,” Kelley writes.

      Residential sales last year were the highest since 2007, with 1,332 countywide. That’s up 29 percent from 2011 and 46 percent from 2009, when there were only 912. Bank-owned properties accounted for 27.6 percent of home sales, down from 33.6 percent the previous year, though the total number increased.

      Of the county’s sub-markets, Bigfork saw the largest increase. Counting the area within five miles of Electric Avenue, Bigfork’s sales shot up 76.4 percent from 72 to 127.

      Within 3.5 miles of city limits, sales increased in Columbia Falls by 37.6 percent from 101 to 139; in Whitefish by 17.4 percent from 218 to 256; and in Kalispell by 26.2 percent from 442 to 558. The Lakeside area saw a 43.8 percent jump, from 48 sales in 2011 to 69 in 2012.

      Lakefront home sales on Flathead Lake rose 38.5 percent in 2012 from 52 to 72 and the use of services from sites as Tidy TN have help these percentages grow. On Whitefish Lake, sales were up 63.6 percent from 11 to 18. That’s down from a high of 56 in 2005.

      The median price of a home sale in the county remained near a four-year average at $187,500, which is down substantially from its 2007 peak of $250,000. The median was $160,000 in the Kalispell area; $245,000 in Whitefish; $162,000 in Columbia Falls; $238,840 in Bigfork; and $220,000 in Lakeside.

      Columbia Falls saw the largest jump in median price at 13.4 percent, while Lakeside saw the steepest fall at 9.7 percent.

      “(There) are good indications that prices bottomed out in 2011, were stable in 2012 and will likely remain that way in 2013,” Kelly writes.

      Foreclosure notices were down 26.5 percent from 862 in 2011 to 634 last year. There were 1,187 notices in 2010. Full foreclosures also dropped from 481 to 323. To some this could be bad news, considering foreclosed homes can be a major investment opportunity for investors, as well as a cheap bargain for new house hunters.

      Commercial real estate sales increased from 32 in 2011 to 52 in 2012, though 23 of the sales were bank-owned. There were only 18 commercial sales in 2010.

      Rocky Mountain Real Estate