A Trek up the "M"

When you arrive in Missoula from the west you can't help but see the big "M" on the hillside behind the University of Montana.

The "M" is an easy hike. Well, if you are in great shape. But even if you aren't is still is a trek worth taking.

It's a 3/4 mile strenuous hike up 11 switchbacks which ends up bringing you 620 feet in elevation. As you start out you can see the beautiful campus of the U of M and the mountains surrounding Missoula. As you get farther up you can see the whole valley, the Clark Fork River and right into the Washington Grizzly stadium - the home of the Montana Grizzlies football team. Go Griz!

Some interesting tidbits about the "M" and how it was formed is that it was built by the U of M forestry students in 1908. They carried stones up the zig zag path. In 1912 it was replaced with a wooden "M" which blew off in 1915. It was then replaced with a large stone "M" which was in place till 1968 when it was replaced with the concrete "M" we see still today!

Every day you can see lots of people making the trek. It is not an easy hike but what you see from the top makes it all worth it. It's not easy in the middle of winter with the switchbacks being frozen or in the dead of summer when the weather is hitting 90's. But you can't spend time in Missoula and not hike the "M". The University bookstore even sells t-shirts that claim "I Hiked the M".

So get hiking!

Check out other fun spots in Missoula as well http://gonw.about.com/od/attractionsmt/tp/missoulaattractions.htm

Making Friends as an Adult - in The Garden City

It's nice to have friends that you have had since you were young but sometimes one of you moves away and you drift apart. How to find friends as an adult? Especially if you have moved to a new city. As an adult it is a little harder to form those bonds we easily made in a sandbox as a child. 

If you have recently moved to Missoula County and have yet to bond with one of our over 100,000+ residents here are a few tips and ideas to help get those friendships flowing!

KIDS ACTIVITIES - If  you are a parent, one of the best ways to meet others is through your kids. Missoula offers so many different  activities that allow us parents to set on the sidelines or in the theater seat (http://www.mctinc.org/ - MCT, a Missoula original.) with handful of others just like us.  Take advantage of these moments. Some of the best adult friendships come from these meetings.

SPORTS - http://ci.missoula.mt.us/ is a Missoula site that offers tons of information on The Garden City. Under the Services drop down is Parks and Recreation. This is a great place to find activities for your kids but tons of Adult Activities are also offered. This is a great way to meet new friends and stay active. Soccer teams, softball teams, heck even Sand Volleyball teams are forming now.  If running is more your style Run Wild Missoula will be your choice to find those friends with the same mindset as you -http://www.runwildmissoula.org/.

VOLUNTEER - Find a cause you are passionate about and you will form a strong bond with others that share the same values and beliefs as you. http://www.americantowns.com/mt/missoula-volunteer-organizations

WORSHIP - If you are a religious or spiritual person take time to visit one of our many churches and find that perfect fit for you. http://www.makeitmissoula.com/community/churches/

And of course when in doubt, SMILE. A smile goes a long way. "Your smile brightens the lives of all who see it," writes Dale Carnegie in his best selling book "How to Win Friends and Influence People." You never know when you are meeting a new friend!

Missoula Neighborhoods

We all grew up in a neighborhood, all of our childhood memories revolve around where we grew up and the streets, parks, stores that were near to us.  Every time I work with buyers they ask about neighborhoods and I find myself reflecting on my childhood.  The only way to know a neighborhood is to ask those that live there and that is why the Missoula Organization of Realtors  created The Front Porch.  This website has videos, statistics and information about each of Missoula's unique neighborhoods.  Go to http://www.livemissoula.com/
I also always suggest to buyers to visit the neighborhood that they like during different times of the day to get a sense of the area. We sell homes and neighborhoods sell lifestyles and we need to bring them together for our clients.  We offer as many resources as we can to buyers while they are shopping for a new home.  We LOVE http://www.makeitmissoula.com/housing and http://www.livemissoula.com/ and if you have any other suggestions please let us  know!

Where Do YOU Want To Live?

When looking for that new home make sure you start doing research in advance regarding what part of town you are looking to move too.

If you have kids one of the first things you will want to start doing is researching the schools in Missoula County and figuring out what works for you and your family.

http://www.mcps.k12.mt.us/portal/default.aspx

If you are active and into the outdoorsy lifestyle of Missoula you may want to live somewhere centrally located to the Rattlesnake or close to the M for those great hikes.

If you are looking to bike and walk instead of drive you may want to look at the University area.

If you are looking for something possibly a little less expensive and willing to commute you may look at the outskirts of town.

That's why we love Missoula. So many choices.

I LOVE MISSOULA IN THE SPRING

I don’t know about you but the sunshine these last few days has gotten me ready for spring to come.

I love Missoula in the spring. Even though it is only March and Punxsutawney Phil did just see his shadow, which should mean six more weeks of winter, I am still thinking about spring.  But, did you know that the groundhog is only 13% accurate? Here’s hoping Phil gets it wrong again and spring is upon us before we know it.

 It’s fun in Missoula in the spring to drive down South Hills or out in Target Range and see the explosion of houses going on the market. Do you know what I mean? You may see one new sign one week? *Boom* But then by the end of the month it seems like half the houses on your normal drive to work or school are for sale. *Boom, Boom*

But one thing I would like you to think about is that people are buying houses 365 days a year. Every day a house is being sold somewhere. Check out this article on the two best days of the year to buys home. http://homebuying.about.com/od/buyingahome/qt/BestDay2BuyHome.htm I would have never thought this.

If you are looking to buy a home this Easter, give me a call.

SUNSHINE ON MY SHOULDERS

Wow, Spring has arrived, finally!  Everyone is loving the sunshine today and hopefully it will stay around for a while.  Missoula's real estate market is heating up too. There are great buyers out there shopping and we are taking about three new listings every single week and so the inventory is really good too.  We have some
really awesome listings now and coming up and so check them out at www.DianeBeck.com when you have a moment.  We are always looking for great ideas for  articles on tips for homeowners,  statistics on the real estate market, and anything that is helpful for the consumers.  Today's real estate market is ever changing and evolving and so is our business and how we market our properties.  We know we need tools like blogs, facebook, youtube and twitter and we want to learn the "new rules of marketing" and continue to do a great job for all of our clients.  We are innovative, forward thinking and every changing with our strategies and we invite you to let us know if you hear or see something that may be beneficial to us, here in Missoula, Montana.

HANG ON TO YOUR HAT

All signs indicate that the real estate market in Missoula (and around the country) is on the rebound.  Yes, there are some markets that will not see much recovery for a very long time, but Missoula is NOT one of them.  We have had more activity in the last two weeks on our listings than in the last two years and I feel that the tide is turning and as we move in to the Spring, hang on to your hat.   Sellers, you need to be priced competitively, strategically and better understand the buyers in this marketplace.   Buyers, you need to have your financing pre-approved, be prepared to be realistic and understand that every seller is not in a distressed situation.  Sellers AND Buyers....put yourself in the others shoes, understand the dynamics of your barganing position and be realistic.   Yes, there are bank owned properties (REO's) and there are short sales (they are NOT short timelines) but that is a small fraction of our market and we need to take them into consideration, but not let them "dictate our marketplace"  as it is a relatively low percentage of sales.  The first thing BOTH buyers and sellers need to know is that they need to work with a real estate professional that you TRUST and that has the experience and knowledge to assist you with one of the largest transactions you will ever make.  Check credentials, check references, do they work full time in the industry or do they have a part-time job in something else and do they clearly understand your specific needs?    It's critical that you have an understanding of the process, the potential pitfalls, and the possible unexpected things that can happen in any transaction.    Do your homework BEFORE you get started, it will pay off in the long run.
Buying or selling real estate is NOT an easy thing to do in this type of market, you will really appreciate the expertise of someone that knows what they are doing, in YOUR best interest!