Maya Angelou(Photo Courtesy Montana State University/Dwight Carter) Acclaimed author Maya Angelou is coming Sept. 13 to speak at Montana State University, the MSU Leadership Institute confirmed. “We are thrilled,” institute director Carmen McSpadden said, calling the upcoming visit “a very special opportunity for our town.” Ticketing details are still being worked out. Angelou, 83, was scheduled to speak at MSU last fall but had to cancel because of health problems. She is a poet, author of “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” about her struggles growing up as a poor black girl in the South and has been a finalist for the National Book Award and Pulitzer Prize. Story courtesy of the Bozeman Daily Chronicle 07/21/2011

Money in Your Pocket Information on staging for resale purposes is abundant in the real estate world. Yes—staging a home for a showing will create a better impression on potential buyers. That point has been made and made again, but I never knew how the monetary values of little projects broke down. The top six ‘fix-up-the-house’ projects are DECLUTTERING, CLEANING, STAGING, LANDSCAPING, REPAIRING, and REPLACING. Decluttering or simply cleaning your home (heck, if you don’t like cleaning or you know scrubbing floors is not your forte, hire a cleaner) is the easiest way to start. The return on spending $290 comes back at around $1,990! That is a 6.86% return! Cleaning windows specifically will brighten a place along with replacing old heavy curtains, update lighting features, and removin... 07/21/2011

When students head off to college for the first time, it can be as nerve-wracking for parents as for their kids. "I'm hyperventilating, honestly," Maggie Byington, a mom from Libby, said Tuesday after an orientation session for parents at Montana State University. "Sometimes I'm ready for her to go, sometimes I don't want her to go." Some 525 incoming freshmen students and many of their parents have been visiting campus this week for three days of orientation. It's a chance for students to learn the ropes, get a taste of dorm life, make friends and, university officials hope, get hooked on the idea of being a Bobcat. "I'm excited to be going here," said Sarah Novasio, 18, who is from Roberts. "I picked MSU because it's close to home, but far enough away from home." After an orientation... 07/20/2011

Josie Simcoe, 4, takes a giant bite of cotton candy while hanging out with her cousins Taylor Fillbach and Reese Fillbach at the 2010 Gallatin County Fair (Nick Wolcott/Chronicle) The Gallatin County Fair kicks off today. This year, fairgoers can expect to see more free activities for children. The fair will feature a "young guns" Wild West play area and pedal-power tractor pulls in Haynes Pavilion, as well as face painting and a petting zoo, said Sue Shockley, Gallatin County Fairgrounds manager. Two new big-ticket events are coming to the fair this year: a pig wrestling contest Thursday and elite professional bull riding Wednesday. As soon as the last bull is thrown, the Glen Templeton concert will begin. An old fair tradition is being revived this year: the people barn is back. Conde... 07/20/2011

For any Real Estate needs call Jenifer at 406-209-0022 or visit BozemanMontanaRealEstate.net! 07/20/2011

  Buyer’s QuestionsàAgent’s Answers Q: “If it is possible that prices will continue to fall, why should I buy now and not wait?” There are two sides to consider when you are thinking about home buying. One side is the price; the more important side is the cost. Thinking about the price of a home plus the interest rate of your mortgage, a buyer such as yourself must think of your personal monthly payments. Riding the market out while waiting for prices to reach their low point will allow interest rates increase to the point where they can cost more over the life of the mortgage. “Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, the National Association of Realtors, PMI, and the Mortgage Bankers Association are all projecting interest rates will increase over the next several quarters…” (www.REALTOR.org/realtor... 07/19/2011

 Downtown Bozeman to display 12 New Sculptures When Ellie Staley stands on the steps of the Bozeman Public Library, she sees Bozeman's past and present. "It's a pretty epic shot with the historical mill in the background and ‘Red Whirly' out front," she said. "It's kind of symbolic of Bozeman." "Red Whirly," a sculpture by local artist Gary Bates, is Staley's favorite piece of artwork in the downtown Art Crossing collection, though she said it's a tough choice. Art Crossing is a nonprofit in its third year of integrating artwork into the downtown setting. This weekend, 12 new sculptures will become part of the downtown landscape, bringing the total number displayed to 42, said Tate Chamberlin, the project's mastermind. Chamberlin said the city owns three of the sculptures currently on d... 07/12/2011

Taunya Fagan - Just Listed Montana Real Estate with pertinent SW Montana property listing details from SW Montana's MLS - Newest Bozeman Montana real estate listings for sale from all of SW Montana. Get daily updates for just-listed Bozeman real estate.Week 2, July 10 - 16, 2011 - Get the latest pricing, details, addresses...the necessary info on all Montana real estate listings and properties for sale in Southwest Montana. Locate all recently listed Montana properties each morning on the Bozeman Real Estate Blog. Below are the most recent listings, detailing MLS information you need to find the right property, giving you the advantage...Please see Bozeman Montana Real Estate Listings for all today's new listings from some of these Montana towns and cities: Alder, Amsterdam, Anaconda, A... 07/11/2011

Bozeman Summer Hiking Series - Lava Lake Lava Lake - Lee Metcalf Wilderness near Bozeman, MT Located just 25 minutes from downtown Bozeman, the Lava Lake Trailhead begins a stone's throw from the west bank of the Gallatin River.  Lava Lake is a popular hike due to its proximity to both Bozeman and Big Sky, its gradual ascents along Cascade Creek and the sheer beauty of the lake itself.  The trail to and from the lake is a roughly 6 mile loop that meanders through the Gallatin National Forest and Lee Metcalf Wilderness before reaching the hikes namesake. Cascade Creek on the way to Lava Lake Several springs and small tributaries of Cascade Creek flow out of the hillsides and across the trail along the way.  Two bridges are crossed en-route to the lake as well, one over a small rivulet an... 07/02/2011

 Lower Madison River Recreation Areas Cause Parking Concerns As the board shorts and bikinis repopulate the Madison River this summer, the agency that manages most of the land used by floaters is hoping to avoid the parking congestion that can spill onto Montana Highway 84 on busy days. "We're concerned that the highway's right there. We just want people to be aware of the traffic patterns and that it is a highway with moving traffic," said David Abrams, spokesman for the Bureau of Land Management. Land managers said the congestion can be avoided if river users take advantage of many river put-ins that dot the river on the popular stretch of river, particularly the California Corner, which is about a half-mile downriver from the popular Warm Springs boat launch. "The two spots at either... 07/02/2011

Main Street Bozeman Comes Alive for Start of Annual Concert Series   For the sixth summer in a row, local band The Clintons kicked off the Music on Main concert series, and guitarist and vocalist John McLellan said it's still a fun event for the band. When McLellan called out, "All right, Clintons, let's go!" before the music started, the band climbed onto the stage at the intersection of Bozeman Avenue and West Main Street and invited the crowd to close in around them. McLellan said the Bozeman community is what makes the event different from any other in Montana. "This is our community," he said, gesturing to the packed crowd of women in sundresses and men in button-down plaid shirts, all dancing to the music of the Golden Grenades during a set break. "We get to call this home. A lot ... 07/01/2011

Sacajawea Middle School Rain Garden Project Helps Environment and Kids The drainage area at the north edge of Sacajawea Middle School was full of mud, garbage, weeds and old Dr. Pepper bottles when Jeydin O'Malley first saw it. "Disgusting," the 14-year-old Bozeman student said. On Tuesday, the area was transformed into an attractive "rain garden." Not only is it prettier, with a streambed lined by river rocks and bordered by native and perennial plants, but the rain garden is also designed to help the environment. The plants will clean the water, filtering out fertilizers from the nearby sod farm and soccer fields, parking-lot oils and other pollutants that would otherwise run off into the Gallatin River. The garden was created thanks to the hard work of several volunteers and about 16... 06/30/2011

Bozeman Summer Hiking Series - Kirk Hill Loop's Looking North into Bozeman with the Bridger Range in the Distance Sunny Saturday's are made for hiking and with a 4 year old's and 2 year old's social calendar to keep up with, short hikes close to town are perfect for getting a quick fix when birthday parties and play dates are one the daily docket.  The Kirk Hill Loops fit the bill to a "T" in this situation.  Less than 10 minutes from town, the longest of the loops is under 2 miles and even with a handful of stops to rest little legs we did a 1.6 mile circuit in less than 1:20:00 while gaining over 600ft of elevation. Peeking through the trees into the Gallatin Valley The Kirk Hill Recreation Area was made possible by a land donation from the Kirk Family as well as participation from Mo... 06/30/2011

Bozeman Summer Hiking Series - Drinking Horse Mountain  Entering Trail from the Bozeman Fish Hatchery The second installment of my Bozeman Summer Hiking Series is Drinking Horse Mountain, a nice 2.5 mile loop that begins from the parking lot of the Bozeman Fish Hatchery on Bozeman's north side just before entering into Bridger Canyon.  Consequently, the Hatchery has its own interpretive trail that is also worth checking out if you are looking for something fun and interesting for the family to do. Views from Drinking Horse My family and some good friends of ours with younger children started our trek up just after 5pm.  We took the more gradual of the two routes to the top to facilitate our stroller and 3 & 4 year olds who were insistent on hiking the whole way up.  We completed the app... 06/20/2011

Years ago, when I was just starting in real estate in Florida. I  had one of those clients, who, how can I say… was mentally challenging. She was an Italian lady “Maria” from New Jersey who was looking for a home to retire to. She was a tiger, I showed her a new model home and as we were touring the home, she would ask a question, and as I was answering the question she would be asking another question. Have you ever had someone like this? It was like we were running through the home. Warp speed. I tried my best to keep up with her. The next day, she came back and bought the home. That night I went to visit my dad, he was very ill, and I sat next to his bed telling him about the sale I made that day to the Italian lady “Maria”. He was in out of consciousness, but I knew he could hear m... 06/14/2011

If we all just had a crystal ball that worked. Unfortunately, none of us are able to peek into the future to see what will happen next. We all just have to exist with what we know now. I think we all would agree that the last several years have been brutal, and it may not be much better for a little while. As such, we all all have to cope with less income. The Internet, though, seems to be on its own warp speed. Most of us can barely keep up with all the new things that technology can now do. If this is what we know now, it seems that the real estate industry will evolve along those lines and will be headed in that direction. I can see that the real estate companies that have not already, will soon be going to the 100% commission models. Agents will not be able to survive otherwise. Bro... 06/09/2011

Bozeman kids send gift of fun to Japan quake victims This great article was a feature in the Bozeman Daily Chronicle.  When we think of relief to places in need, often the focus is on food, clean water and shelter, but in reality there is more that a family needs to give it back some semblace of normalcy.  These school children are trying to deliver just that. Third graders donate for Japan earthquake relief Morning Star third graders hold a box destined for kids in Japan who were affected by the March earthquake and tsunami. From left clockwise is: Anna Sofianek, Taka Irizarry, Morgan Curran, Isaac Holmgren, Holly Angell, Addison Harrington, Carter Cape and Ava Lauman bottom right. To lift the spirits of Japanese children who lost homes and family members in the March earthquake and ts... 06/09/2011

Bozeman Summer Hiking Series - The "M" Trail Bozeman is surrounded by phenomenal access to some truly wonderful recreational opportunities, hiking being one of them.  One of the most recognizable and popular hikes in the Bozeman area is the "M".  The "M" is so named for the large, white "M" that symbolizes Montana State University and can be seen from nearly everywhere in the Gallatin Valley. There are two routes to take up to the namesake, one is quite direct and other quite meandering.  On this day, with a 4 year old and a 2 year old in tow, we opted for the meandering route.  The trailhead was busy, but the trail was uncrowded.  It was a bright clear day and we passed several young families out and about as well as a prominent Bozeman architect and his wife who were enjoying the bea... 06/07/2011

Ants, Wasps, & Mosquitoes: Do-No-Harm Defense or All-Out War? This week we’ve been helping you make patios and decks more comfortable during hot and humid days. Today, we’re focusing on how to prevent ants (try Cream of Wheat), yellow jackets, and mosquitoes from ruining your outdoor fun this summer. Read 99-Cent Store Solution #5: Fix a Stripped Screw Yesterday, we tightened a loose cabinet hinge for less than three bucks. Today’s tip is the most inexpensive of our series. The turn of the screw is … a pain in your neck if it’s stripped. Read Shotgun Plan for Lending Industry Woes Disincentive to Home Ownership New government safeguards may protect investors—but at what cost to you? Proposed regulations would cripple your ability to buy and sell a home and cause property values to plun... 05/31/2011

Current SW Montana Fishing Report The Gallatin RiverThe Gallatin River is located just west of Bozeman and is known for it's abundance of fish and it's unbelievable scenery.  Starting about 70 miles south of Bozeman and flowing North following U.S. Highway 191 most of its length, the Gallatin has easy access and is a great choice for wade fishing all year long. Current Conditions & Fishing Strategy05/23/2011 The Gallatin is pretty dirty for now with flooding around Greek Creek. Probably a good time to stay away from the river and do a little hiking. The Lower MadisonStarting below Ennis Reservoir and running north for approximately 35 miles to its confluence with the Missouri, the lower Madison provides both excellent wading and floating opportunities. Current Conditions & Fishing Strat... 05/25/2011