My son took this thought provoking picture in downtown Coeur d'Alene. I got a big kick out of it. I have had days that feel like this and I'm pretty sure the rest of you have, too.  I think we all have.  Dreary days of indecision. Days where no matter how determined we are to stay positive, we just can't seem to find that silver lining.  Sometimes, we all come to a fork in the road of our lives where none of our options appear to be good ones. Especially when circumstances beyond our control seem to be forcing us down a road we don't want to travel.  If you find yourself wondering which way to turn for sound real estate advice, please give me a call. Sometimes just talking about it can bring a better course of action into focus. 11/05/2016

I was doing something I've done a million times, driving down Sherman Avenue in downtown Coeur d'Alene.  It wasn't quite 9:00 as I was heading to my office from a happy closing at the title company.  I was deep in thought about my To Do list for the rest of the day when I came aroun the corner and this scene opened up in front of me.  The view made me gasp and do a double take.  I think we who are blessed to live here get so used to the beauty around us that we don't often really see it.  It just is.  This morning it took my breath away.  I pulled into the parking lot at Independence Point and grabbed my camera for a little walk about.  It was quiet and calm.  A cool and gentle breeze of early springtime gently carried the sounds of the geese and birds floating in the air.  I was lost i... 05/18/2016

 SECONDARY WATERFRONT is a classification of waterfront property for sale in the Coeur d'Alene Multiple Listing Service. I often get questioned about just what that term means. Quite simply, it means that a particular piece of property classified as secondary waterfront in the Coeur d'Alene area has no frontage on the water, but it does have rights to water access.  Often, we will see this in waterfront communities where some of the homes have frontage on the lake or river, while others in the neighborhood do not. But those non-waterfront homes or lots are often granted access to the neighborhood beach, dock, boat ramp or park which does front the water. For many, secondary waterfront in Coeur d'Alene is desirable in that it gives them easy recreational access to our beautiful lakes and... 04/22/2016

 If you are looking for waterfront homes for sale in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho - your search is over!I invite you to make short work of your search by simply clicking on the link below. Waterfront Homes for Sale in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho  This link will take you to every waterfront home for sale that has been listed in our Coeur d'Alene Multiple Listing Service. Please don't hesitate to contact me for more information about our Coeur d'Alene Waterfront Market or more information about any of the beautiful Coeur d'Alene waterfront homes for sale that you come across in your search. I can provide you with current statistical information specific to each lake or river, including: Number of Active listings, Number of Pending listings, Number of Closed Sales this year, High/Low/Average sold price p... 04/21/2016

As part of the singing and ringing, I called upon one of our local agents on Active Rain. If I had a home in Coeur d' alene Idaho to sell, Janna Scharf would be the agent I would call. I haven't had the pleasure of meeting Janna face to face but she is actually located in the Keller Williams office in Coeur d alene. Yep thats right in my back yard, in the parent office and I still haven't met her. (We have about 180 agents now and I live 2.5 hours away) As well as experienced real estate broker she is just a nice gal that we could all learn from.  Now because both Janna and I are out working hard we had to cut our talk short, but I still wanted to include her in here as an agent to follow.No matter where you live and work you will notice a handful of real estate agents that are a big na... 01/31/2016

The Polar Bear Plunge in Lake Coeur d' Alene Back in 1978 a group of 4 friends started a tradition of jumping into the Icy waters of Lake Coeur d' Alene on January 1st. The polar bear plunge was born. Now while I prefer to enjoy my winter scenes out the window while I sit by the toasty fire, each year in North Idaho on Jan 1st thousands gather on Sanders beach to take the frosty plunge.    This year we have an added bonus. The "Reason for Freezen" charity drive took place at the Plunge. Volunteers collected money and clothing/item donations for St. Vincent de Paul while serving breakfast goodies and warm drinks. Our plungers freeze for 30 seconds and the drive will help people less fortunate in the community to combat the freezing conditions throughout the winter season. 01/02/2016

As real estate agents, some days it seems our job is to be problem solvers.  In order to keep our transactions on track to close on schedule, or even at all, we are continuously fending off and overcoming obsticles that appear out of the clear blue sky, unexpected in many cases, to challenge our resolve.  In fact, much of our time is spent anticipating things that could possibly go wrong, so that we can head them off at the pass before they become an issue.  Some days I do feel like Wonder Woman as I run the gauntlet of underwriting conditions and inspection issues.  The good news is that Superman and I manage to get our clients to the finish line, and all is well with the world!   Happy Halloween from Wonder Woman and Superman! Be safe out there, have fun and spread a little joy!     10/31/2015

There is a wonderful program for those of you who are thinking about buying your first home.  It's offered locally by the Idaho Housing & Finance Association, and called Finally Home!® And here's the good news! Participants who successfully complete Finally Home! MAY be eligible for incentives such as down payment and closing cost assistance.This program will be offered for the last time this year on Monday, November 2nd from 5:15 PM to 9:45 PM.  You will learn what to expect in the homebuying process and all of the steps in making what will probably be the biggest investment in your lifetime!This class will take you through the home-buying process step-by-step -- from deciding whether homeownership is right for you, to finding the home that meets your needs.After completing the program... 10/30/2015

 Historically, Coeur d'Alene home sale activity dips slightly in the fall and winter months.This fact contributes to a substantial number of potential sellers taking their homes off the market. They mistakenly believe that sales will plummet, that buyers are now hunkered in and won't come out again until spring. They're WRONG. Don't you make this mistake! Here are the true numbers of the percentage of homes SOLD each quarter in our Coeur d'Alene market: 1st QTR  - 19% of annual sales 2nd QTR - 29% of annual sales 3rd QTR -  29% of annual sales 4th QTR -  23% of annual sales As you can see, plenty of people are buying here in north Idaho all year around. Savvy sellers recognize that this is the PERFECT time for them to list their house for sale!It's all about supply and demand. For the n... 10/22/2015

The Sanders Beach neighborhood in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho encompasses the area south of Sherman Avenue between 8th and 19th Streets, extending south to Lake Coeur d'Alene. Sanders Beach consists of a mix of 100-year-old cottages that have been loved and remodeled, 1950s-era homes, and new homes where the owners have razed the original structure and built their modern dream home. It includes waterfront properties, and from time to time a vacant lot will show up on the market. There are also some upscale condos and duplexes.One of the main assets of Sanders Beach is the stellar location. It lies at the foot of scenic Tubbs Hill, with its beaches and hiking trails. You're walking distance from the shops, cafes and restaurants downtown. Then there are the events on Sherman Avenue, from Car d'L... 10/17/2015

The Garden District in downtown Coeur d'Alene, Idaho is a historical section of town full of character and majestic trees more than a century old.The Garden District is defined as the neighborhood encompassed by 4th Street on the west, Montana Avenue on the north, Sherman Avenue on the south and 11th Street on the east. Janna was fortunate enough to grow up in the area now known as The Garden District and says there was no better spot on earth to call home in the 60's and 70's!Location, location location! With quick and easy access to downtown activities, beautiful beaches and parks, Tubbs Hill, dining and entertainment, The Garden District is every bit as fabulous a place to call home now as it was back in the olden days.The Garden District was home to my friends and schools and the li... 09/20/2015

As Realtors, we are surrounded by numbers and statistics. It's our job to keep up on our local market, from average days on market, to sold price per square foot, and everything in between. Sometimes it's fun to do a little research on random statistics for no particular reason at all.  Here is my latest installment of Highest/Lowest, based on the listing and selling prices of homes in Coeur d'Alene, Post Falls, and Hayden/Hayden Lake from January 1st through August 30th, 2016.Let's start with Highest Priced ACTIVE Listings:1.  Post Falls takes the blue ribbon with the palatial 28,000 sq. ft. Spokane Riverfront home at 216 S. Parkwood Place, known to locals as The Amway House.  It can be had for a cool $9,995,000.  As mind blowing as that price tag is, consider that when it hit the mark... 08/30/2015

Summer in Coeur d'Alene Idaho is all about the water.  Our beautiful lakes and rivers are the crown jewels in our spectacular North Idaho scenic wonderland. Whether spending the dog days of summer on them, in them or simply admiring their beauty, people come in droves from far and wide to take in their sparkling beauty while soaking up the summer sun.For many, this love affair feeds dreams of owning a Coeur d'Alene waterfront property in our beautiful recreational paradise. I receive frequent requests for information on Coeur d'Alene waterfront property for sale.  If you would like to take a peek at everything that is currently available, these links will take you there in one easy click. Click here to see complete information on every Coeur d'Alene area waterfront home listed for sale ... 08/01/2015

Renter's it is indeed time for homeownership!If you are paying about $1200 ... or more a month, I may have the perfect solution for you.THE CHALLENGEI have encountered a significant number of people in the last few years that have rented their current home or a series of homes without ever having given serious thought to purchasing their own home. Let's break this down! If you would indulge me answer a few questions (for yourself of course).1. Do you need to live some place? - Yes ... Everyone needs to live somewhere!2. Is there a cost attached to that rental home? - Of course ... your monthly rent!3. Are you paying your mortgage or someone elses? - You are paying the owners mortgage each month!4. By living in someone elses home are you restricted in your use? In otherwords you can't pa... 05/22/2015

For many folks that are new to an area I often hear the following, "We would like to come to the area and rent for a year, because we don't know what the best neighborhoods are!" As someone who came to the area from out of state (Texas to be exact). I would like to offer some assistance to the cautious. I have moved twice and I wish someone had written this blog post for my benefit.Lake Forest Subdivision is one of the top neighborhoods in my opinion. I myself live in Coeur d'Alene ... indeed not too far from this area. In fact when I moved over to CDA from Post Falls, LAKE FOREST was one of the neighborhoods that I searched regularly for available homes. At the time there were no homes to be had that met my family's needs. What happens in neighborhoods like Lake Forest is that homes te... 05/15/2015

6717 Windy Pines is in a Coeur d'Alene, Idaho top neighborhood. If you or someone that you know are looking for a home in one of Coeur d'Alene's Premier Neighborhoods then you have arrived at your destination. This impeccably maintained home features 5 full bedrooms and 3 full baths. This Lake Forest Subdivision home is literally close to everything in town as it is situated between Ramsey and Highway 95 on the northern end of Coeur d'Alene. This is a split level designed home with two separate living areas and everyone loves the open concept living, dining and kitchen arrangement on the main floor. The kitchen dining area flows out of the slider onto a large deck which would be great for all of your outdoor barbequing and entertaining.   View the Tour   Call in order to set up your own... 03/19/2015

Absorption Rates are all about supply and demand.  Absorption rates vary widely from town to town and neighborhood to neighborhood, and also from price range to price range within those communities.If you are trying to sell your house, or even if you're in the market to buy, one of the pieces of information that should be factored into your pricing or offer strategy is the absorption rate for homes in your specific community and PRICE RANGE. An absorption rate will tell you, based on current market activity, how many months, or even years, it should take to get your house sold in our current market, at a particular price. The formula is really very simple if you have the statistical info that you need.Let's say you have a home to sell for $250,000. And let's say that there were 40 homes... 01/07/2015

             A quick peek in the Coeur d'Alene MLS for homes for sale as short sales on 12/28/2014 turned up a list of 61. They range in price from a high of $1,500,000 for a 13 acre forested waterfront retreat on Lake Coeur d'Alene in Worley down to $65,000 for a condo in Kellogg. One thing's for sure, short sale distress is an equal opportunity condition. It's noteworthy that of those 61 homes, 13 have contracts pending, awaiting final review by the seller's lender.  Be educated, pre-approved and prepared to POUNCE when you see a great home hit the market, or you will end up singing the blues! Homes that are being offered for sale as Coeur d'Alene short sales are homes that have a current market value of less than what the owner owes on their mortgage. They are upside down, under wate... 12/28/2014

Janna Rankin Scharf, GRI, CLHMS, SFR - Homes for Sale in downtown Coeur d'AleneDowntown Coeur d'Alene, Idaho homes for sale bring a premium over similarly sized homes of the same era in other locations in our real estate market. The attraction, of course, is the proximity to our beautiful lakefront downtown with it's sandy city beach and park, quaint shops, restaurants galore and hopping night spots.The closer to the center of action, or the lake, the higher the price tag per square foot. Many historical homes, from bungalows to mansions, have been lovingly restored and remodeled with all the latest and greatest bells and whistles.Many are in need of fixing, and there is no shortage of people willing to snap them up the minute they come on the market.If you are looking for a charming ho... 12/28/2014

"Polar Express" shown for kids of all ages at Keller Williams Keller Williams Couer D' Alene does much for its community as well as for the kids of agents and staff of Coeur D' Alene and Sandpoint offices.  This evening was a great example as the movie "Polar Express" was shown for kids of all ages at Keller Williams, in the training facility on the big screen. One of my top 3 favorite Christmas movies.  This is usually reserved for only a day or two before Christmas.  I made an exception this year with the Coeur D' Alene showing.  This animated movie is facinating with how real and life like the characters are. Tom Hanks does the voice over not only for the main character of the conductor, but a few other of the characters as well. If you do not have this movie I highly suggest it for ... 12/19/2014