A little bird fluttering about the office last week told me of a tantalizing opportunity for my 401(k).  For those of you in the dark, a 401(k) is a retirement savings portfolio and can be used to facilitate investments.  You may hear experts refer to it as a “four-oh wunk”; don’t be alarmed, this pronunciation also points to the same section of IRS Tax Code that serves as both an IRS Tax Code and the name of a retirement portfolio that can be used to facilitate investments.    Among other things, the bird mentioned that I should be primarily looking into real estate investments.  Although I had heard of the NMTC (New Market Tax Credit), the RTC (Rehabilitation Tax Credit), and the benefits of using these in conjunction with a 401(k), I asked why real estate is so important, especially ... 11/25/2009

The Extended First Time Homebuyer & Move Up Buyer Tax Credit for Missoula Real Estate Here's a cute video about the Extended First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit and Move Up Buyer Tax Credit that is available to individuals who buy a primary residence by April 30, 2010. Follow the adventures of Bob and Sally as the learn about the now extended Home Buyer Tax Credit worth up to $8000 for first time buyers and $6500 for existing home owners. It was published by Washington Homeowners.     Here are some additional articles on the topic: Move-up Buyers & First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit Questions & Answers for Missoula Homebuyers The New and Improved Home Buyer Tax Credit for Missoula Buyers & FirstTime Homebuyers Missoula Real Estate Home Buyer Information Tax Credit Information 11/20/2009

“A 2% reduction in negative word of mouth boosts sales growth by 1%” London School of Economics and Political Science, “Advocacy Drives Growth” Study   If you are an active participant in today’s social media circles, you NEED to be monitoring and managing your reputation.  I’m not talking about your street rep (the kind that keeps you from getting mugged by a rival gang), but your online rep (the kind that keeps your company and your name shielded from mudslingers).  As shown in the London School of E&PL’s Word - of - Mouth study, mismanagement of your online reputation has the potential to devastate not only your image, but also your sales rate and company growth.  Thankfully, there is a bevy of web-based tools, both free and paid, that can assist you in your rep tracking.    “Reputat... 11/09/2009

Missoula Offers a High Quality of Life - And Missoulians Like It! A study was just released by Missoula ADAPT, Area Development And Preservation Team, showing 94% of Missoulians are satisfied with the overall high quality of life in Missoula. Some of the study's other findings: 88% are happy with Missoula's public parks and open spaces 81% are happy with Missoula's city government Respondents were also asked about their areas of concern, for respondents growth and development, schools and education, affordable housing, and traffic congestion were the top four. Results come from telephone interviews with 253 voters in Missoula County with approximately 60 percent from the city and 40 percent from outside the city limits. The survey notes a sample error of plus or minus 6 percent at the 9... 11/03/2009

How Much Does It Cost to Rent in Missoula Montana? According to a study from the National Association of Residential Property Managers (NARPM) that was published by the Missoulian this summer, a rental in Missoula typically runs between $520 per month for a studio apartment to $1400 per month for a 4+ bedroom house on average. The table below shows a breakdown:    Studio 1 BR 2 BR 3 BR 4+ BR Apartment 520 560 685 860 1140 Duplex 450 535 700 940 1035 House            - 630 885 1100 1400 There are many factors to consider when you are looking to rent such as: Does the rent include utilities? If not, how much do those run per month? Do you need or want a yard? How much is the deposit? Do they allow pets? Is there an additional deposit? Where is the property located? Will it be convenient t... 10/27/2009

Upcoming Social Media Events in Missoula, Montana Social Media Club Missoula started in July of this year and has grown into a group with more than 40 members. We meet the Third Wednesday of every month at the Missoula Public Library at 6:00 p.m. Admission and membership are free. We have some exciting events coming up: Tonight 10/21/09 - Social Media Club Missoula Meeting: Jeff Mangan from Montana Business is speaking on Social Media Business Strategies in Small Markets / Economies of Scale.   November 6, 2009 - Fidos and Felines - a Tweetup for Animeals starting at 7:00 p.m. at The Broadway: Join us, and bring an item from the Animeals wishlist, pet food, spare change and/or aluminum cans for recycling! Social Media Club will be tweeting from the event, and we'd love to show you what ... 10/21/2009

Every October Newwest.net holds a real estate conference regarding real estate and development in the Rockies.  Each year they've had an economist, Chris Thornberg, come and speak.  Chris has been on-target all three years, predicting the burst of the housing bubble, the effects of the stock market collapse, and the rise in foreclosures.  This year he was the keynote speaker, and here's what I took away from it: The United States is pulling out of the recession, all signs point to that, we're no longer heading downhill.  In fact GDP growth in the 3rd quarter will be positive, the first time since the 2nd quarter in 2008. Job losses and the shrinking of the job market will continue.  Jobs are a "lagging indicator" which means that they're usually one of the last things to correct after a... 10/16/2009

We invite you to visit the best Montana Real Estate School.  Our Montana Real Estate Courses are fully accredited and approved. Our Montana real estate school is one of the leading online Real Estate Schools offering the best prices for online real estate courses available anywhere. Our licensed Instructors are ready and available to assist you with your Montana Real Estate course and Montana real estate license. hhttp://www.rowlettcareerschool.com/mt-montana.htm Our Montana online real estate school offers pre and post licensing and continuing education for Montana Real Estate, Appraisal, Home Inspection, Mortgage Broker, Land Surveyor, Engineer, Personal Finance, Professional Development, Counselor, Social Work, Tax Assessor, funeral director services, consumer education and legal CEU... 10/06/2009

Help Our Furry Friends - October is Adopt a Shelter Dog Month The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA®), American Humane and several animal rescue and welfare groups are working independently to let the public know that October Adopt a Shelter Dog Month. There are lots of great dogs - including pure breds in our local shelters just waiting for a home. Learn More About Adopting a Shelter Pet You can save a loving pet and you may also help yourself. According to several studies, pet owners may actually live longer! Read more. Missoula Pet Adoption Facilities Animeals1700 Rankin StreetMissoula, MT 59808406-721-4710 Humane Society of Western Montana5930 Hwy. 93 SouthMissoula, MT 59804406-549-3934 Missoula Animal Control6700 Butler Creek Rd.Missoula, MT 59808406-... 10/02/2009

Missoula Architecture & History - The Northern Pacific Railroad Depot on Higgins Ave. Missoula has some beautiful buildings in our downtown area, and many have historical signficance as well. One of my favorites is the Northern Pacific Depot building located at the north end of Higgins Avenue. The Northern Pacific Railroad Depot was built in 1901 by the nationally recognized firm of Reed and Stem of St. Paul, Minnesota. This depot is one of four that the firm designed in Montana. The building is a long, rectangular brick structure with one story wings on the east and west side of the building. It is said to represent a "simplified version of Renaissance Revival Style".* The exterior of the building is decorated with four urns with the distinctive Norther Pacific symbol of the yin-yang. ... 09/25/2009

Are Your Missoula or Western Montana Property Taxes Too High? If you're like most of us, you recently received your notice from the Department of Revenue for the property taxes on your home or land in Western Montana. The Montana constitution and state law require periodic reappraisal of property and 2009 is a reappraisal year. And if you're like me, your mouth dropped at the value that was assigned to your property - our appraised value was significantly higher than what our property is worth. If you're assessed value is high then the taxes assessed to your property may also be high. So what can you do? 1.) Request an Informal Review: To do this, complete a Request for Informal Review Form (Form AB-26) and send it to your local Department of Revenue office within 30 days after you rece... 09/20/2009

Missoula MT Sept 8, 2009 - Agreements with Intermountain MLS of Boise and Northwest Montana Association of REALTORs in Kalispell, plus two others, continue to grow Goomzee’s nationwide footprint.  Goomzee®, a leading text message marketing and lead generation provider that connects buyers and sellers in real time, announces agreements with four more multiple listings services.   Intermountain MLS of Boise Idaho spans southern Idaho and eastern Oregon and is the largest multiple listing service provider in Idaho.  Northwest Montana Association of REALTORs spans Montana’s beautiful Flathead Lake communities and is the largest multiple listing service provider in Montana.  Goomzee also has signed agreements with Missoula Organization of REALTORs and Wilmington Regional Association of REALT... 09/10/2009

Add a Video Tour of Your Local Area to Your Website with a Mueller Map Awhile ago, ok it's been quite awhile now, I won a Mueller Map for listening to JC KC Social Media Edge on Blog Talk Radio (formerly Twitter Tuesday) that is hosted by ActiveRain's Jason Crouch, Ken Cook and Mike Mueller. I'm still pretty new to video but had some videos put together using digital still photos and RealEstateShows.com. We also had access to some great local videos on YouTube from our local Realtor Association. View Our Missoula Local Tour Here Adding a Mueller Map to your website is a great way to show people your area through local videos that you have created or that you are able to find on YouTube. Each point on the map is connected to a video of that location. Viewers can either click on the point... 09/09/2009

Wordless Wednesday - Welcome to My Branch Bald Eagles are a frequent sight along the Clark Fork River. They seem to come back to the same areas so we know where to look for them and enjoy seeing them on our drive. We loved that he was sharing his branch with a crow - that was the first time we've seen that! Here's Another Bald Eagle Photo  09/09/2009

Hope to See You at this Year's Missoula Parade of Homes September 17-20, 2009 We always look forward to attending the Missoula Building Industry Association's Parade of Homes and Remodeling Tour. This year is the 20th anniversary and promises to be one of the best Parades yet. They are featuring eight homes throughout the Missoula valley this year with prices ranging from $190,000 to $1.5 million, giving you plenty of inspiration for whatever your budget is. This year's Parade will feature a wide variety of enticing ideas to work into your dream home.   Missoula Parade of Homes 2009 Dates: Sept. 17-20, 2009 Tickets are on sale Sept. 4, 2009 at First Security Bank, Vann's in Missoula and Hamilton, Missoulian and BMC West and are $8 in advance or $10 at the door. For more information on t... 09/08/2009

Forbes Magazine Ranks Missoula as One of North America's Top 10 Trout Towns! Forbes just released its list of the Top 10 Trout Towns in North America - Missoula, Montana is on that list. According to government statistics, some 11 million anglers in the U.S. and Canada search for that moment of beauty every year - fly fishing. President Obama joined the ranks recently when he fished for trout in Montana. Forbes Magazine states: Missoula is a laid-back college town with a serious trout-fishing addiction. Anglers can fish the bouldery Blackfoot (A River Runs Through It author Norman Maclean's home river) and the cottonwood-lined Bitteroot, both of which empty into the Clark Fork, named after explorer, William Clark, which has 300 miles of fishable water. Missoula Montana (MT) is an amazin... 08/27/2009

Missoula, MT - August 25, 2009 – Goomzee, a leading provider of text-message marketing solutions for real estate professionals, announced today one of its latest innovations for marketing professionals, drag and drop photo organizing.  This functionality is available within its web-based campaign management software that its customers use to publish and manage text message marketing campaigns.  The new functionality will allow any user to reorganize photos and captions in seconds right from their web browser with a simple drag and drop interface. Sales professionals realize that photos are essential when marketing any product or service today, and real estate marketing is no exception.  Recognizing this need several years ago, Goomzee introduced its patent-pending technology, Mobile Vir... 08/25/2009

As you may know, the holdings of Fidelity National Real Estate Solutions have recently been re-branded as LPS Real Estate Group.  Some individuals in the industry instantly labeled the move as a “Fire Sale”, but in reality the situation is really nothing more than a simple name change.  Well, maybe I shouldn’t have spoken so quickly.  “Simple” is misleading, as the advent of LPS has caused a bit of confusion among Real Estate agents and RE tech vendors alike, many of which work with FNRES-now-LPS on a daily basis.     With this confusion in mind, I set out to decipher the Rubix cube that is LPS’ corporate history.  Thankfully, several timelines made my job quite easy; here are my findings:   It all started when Fidelity National Financial (FNF) acquired Chicago Title and Trust Co. in 20... 08/13/2009

Missoula Montana Free Wi-Fi  Wireless Internet Locations in the Garden City Missoula MT has many locations with free public Wi-Fi Wireless Internet access points around the city. Local businesses are starting to realize that Missoulians want their internet and they want it Free! Here is a list of Wi-Fi Wireless Internet Locations in Missoula, MT Missoula Free Wi-Fi Locations at  Coffee Houses & Restaurants, and Bars 1.) Break Espresso - One of Missoula's best local coffee shops, Break Espresso is located in downtown Missoula on at 432 North Higgins, Missoula, MT Phone: 728-7300. 2.) Food for Thought - A college favorite, located across from the University of Montana campus on the corner of Arthur and Daly - 540 Daly Ave, Missoula, MT Phone: 721-6033 3.) Liquid Plant - Located in downtow... 08/13/2009

Has the Missoula Montana Real Estate Market Stabilized? So What's Up with the Missoula Real Estate Market? National reports show that the real estate market is improving. The National Association of Realtors just reported that home sales rose in 3.6% June, marking five consecutive months of improvement for the first time since 2003.  While things are heading the right way on a national level, all real estate markets are local. The Missoula Real Estate Market is no different. It is important to keep in mind that the Missoula real estate market has not seen the same type of declines that have been highly publicized in other parts of the country. The median home price in Missoula County-$217,000 as of June 30, 2009 has fallen less than 1 percent since its peak in 2006, according to the Mis... 08/11/2009