Janna Rankin Scharf, CLHMS, GRI, SFR - Coeur d'Alene, Idaho Homes for Sale It's Where is it? Wednesday, the day you can win a prize for being the first one to take a look at the photo below and correctly answer the question of Where is it?  Because this is my first Where is it ? Wednesday, I have used a very small degree of difficulty (ya think?)as a test to see if anyone will play along!  This week's prize winner will win lunch with me at Qdoba!  So, unless you have been living under a rock, you should be able to guess this location.  Where is it? Post your answer in the comments section under the blog post.  Check back tomorrow for the answer if you are stumped!  :-P   05/04/2011

Janna Rankin Scharf, GRI, CLHMS, SFR - Coeur d'Alene Idaho Homes for Sale On May 12, I and my local Keller Williams associates in Coeur d'Alene, Sandpoint and Kellogg will pause from our usual daily activities of selling homes to join nearly 80,000 Keller Williams agents around the country in service to our communities.  Come join us in making a difference on RED Day!  Renew / Energize / Donate Whether or not you join us in organized community service on Red Day - Each of us can make our little part of the world better for our having passed through it. 101 Ways to Make a Difference 1.  Repair a home 2. Plant trees 3. Visit a children's hospital 4. Host a recycling fair 5. Clean up local parks 6. Help a youth organization 7. Become a Big Brother 8. Adopt a cat in need 9. Volunteer at a d... 05/02/2011

Janna Rankin Scharf, CLHMS, SFR, GRI - Coeur d'Alene Idaho Real Estate Here is an interesting way to look at real estate market sales statistics in the Coeur d'Alene area.  Broken down by neighborhood, here are the stats for some of the most active subdivisions in the area.  These are the sales for the first quarter of 2011. Neighborhood            Sales            Average Price Bentwood Park           1                  $375,000 Broadmoore               7                  $169,258 CDA Golf Course         4                  $259,750   CDA Place                 11                $211,946 Dalton Gardens         2            $256,000            Fieldstone                  7                  $179,700 Hawks Nest               6                  $141,642 Highlands                  2          ... 04/28/2011

Janna Rankin Scharf, CLHMS, GRI, SFR - Coeur d'Alene Idaho Homes For Sale I recently participated in a Green Forum sponsored jointly by the Coeur d'Alene Association of Realtors and the Coeur d'Alene Chamber of Commerce.  After visiting with a myriad of sustainable building vendors, I thoroughly enjoyed earning 6 hours of Continuing Education credit by attending Building, Marketing, Financing & Appraising Green Construction. More and more, consumers are looking for green features in their home.  Among consumers who bought homes with green features, the following factors were cited as very or extremely important: 91%  Reduced operating costs 84%  Health Benefits What was very interesting to note is that in King County, Washington, the Northwest Multiple Listing Service added green design... 04/26/2011

Coeur d'Alene Idaho Waterfront Homes For SaleWe who are blessed to live in spectacular northern Idaho know that crystal clear, sparkling blue lakes and rivers are the main attraction!  Whether it's a view that goes on forever, or the proximity to water just outside the back door, northern Idaho home buyers love the water!The following links will take you to ALL of the waterfront homes for sale in the Coeur d'Alene Multiple Listing Service! Coeur d'Alene Lake Waterfront Homes For Sale Hayden Lake Waterfront Homes For Sale Spokane River Waterfront Homes For Sale Avondale Lake Waterfront Homes For Sale All Coeur d'Alene Area Waterfront Homes For Sale  If you would like a personal tour, by land or by sea, of any of these spectacular properties just give me a call!  04/18/2011

Janna Rankin Scharf, CLHMS, GRI, SFR - Coeur d'Alene Idaho Homes For Sale I have been working with some pre-approved buyers in a search for their perfect home.  We finally found it!  The next step was to get the ball rolling on their mortgage loan application. Being the analytical guy that he is, Mr. Buyer decided that although he had been pre-approved by a lender, he wanted to shop around for the best possible deal on a mortgage.  He spoke with four different lenders and received a Good Faith Estimate from each of them.  He carefully analyzed fees, rates, and costs associated with the loans.  At the end of the day, one stood out heads and shoulders above the rest.  He took that GFE to the lenders who didn't quite measure up to ask if they could meet or beat it.  I was impressed that th... 04/16/2011

There's 'No Free Launch" at Honeysuckle Beach Anymore! - Hayden Lake, Idaho The City of Hayden will now charge for launching your water craft at Honeysuckle Beach. They start collecting launch fees next month (May). The fee to launch is $6 for Hayden residents and $8 for non-residents.  Yearly passes can be purchased for $30 for residents and $60 for non-residents. Launch fees are paid by the "Honor system."  via an on-site Drop Box. Launch users fill out a form and deposit it with their payment into a collection box. While fees are only in effect from Memorial Day to Labor Day, passes go on sale beginning May 2nd at the Hayden City Hall.         FREE MLS Listings Search at: http://www.SellingNorthIdaho.com Please contact: Pam Jank , Your North Idaho Real Estate Pro, with any of your Re... 04/12/2011

Support your Idaho lakes and get your boat inspected before you hit the water! Boat Inspections Begin for Zebra Mussel in Idaho -You can't hit the water without one! All boats, including canoes, jet skis and inflatables over ten feet long that pass an Idaho inspection site must stop. If you fail to stop it's an $85 ticket.  The inspection is free and they will decontaminate for free.  If they find mussels there is no charge to decontaminate. You are to clean, drain of all water and dry your water craft before dropping it into state waterways. Boats must also get an invasive species sticker.  The Sticker is $22 and is purchased through the state department of parks and recreation. That fee pays for the inspection program.  The Inspection Stations will be open between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., s... 04/12/2011

Janna Rankin Scharf, CLHMS, GRI, SFR - Coeur d'Alene, Idaho Homes for Sale Yesterday I happened to ask a guy I just met how he happened to end up in northern Idaho.  He told me he was a Jersey boy, and had taken an online quiz to find out the spot to live that would be best suited to his preferences and interests.  It gave him a ranked list of potential locations that would be ideal for the life he envisioned living.  From there, he arranged a job interview and a month later was on an airplane headed this way with New Jersey in his rear view mirror. I was intrigued, so I went to the site and took the quiz.  An interesting and random list of cities across the country came up for me.  When I get some time I will go through all the information for the locations and see just want those plac... 04/10/2011

When I read a blog post or comment that is interesting, I like to check out the writer's Active Rain profile - hoping to find out a little about the person.  Many are resumes, with lists of qualifications, credits, awards.  That's OK.  You are introducing your service to whomever comes across it. But you might be missing out on a great opportunity to show consumers and real estate professionals just who you really are.  And what you really do for your clients. I happened across a wonderful Active Rain profile today.  Janna Rankin Scharf is an AR Ambassador - I have subscribed to her blog for a long time.  She sets a great example of what a real estate blog could be. But I never noticed her profile before, or maybe she has changed it lately.  Janna sells Coeur d'Alene and North Idaho hom... 04/03/2011

Janna Rankin Scharf, CLHMS, GRI, SFR - Coeur d'Alene Idaho Homes for Sale There is good news today for both buyers and sellers of homes for sale in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.  PMI Group, the nation's leading private mortgage insurer, has removed the Coeur d'Alene Metropolitan Statistical Area from its Distressed Markets List.  As of today, 4/1/11, homebuyers in our Coeur d'Alene real estate market will find it easier and less expensive to obtain mortgage insurance! Homebuyers who don't have the cash for a 20 percent down payment are most always required to take out private mortgage insurance. For those homebuyers who have to carry private mortgage insurance, buying in a distressed market can cost them another five percent down.  PMI will only insure up to 90 percent of mortgage loans in dist... 04/01/2011

Janna Rankin Scharf, CLHMS, SFR, GRI - Coeur d'Alene Idaho Short Sale Homes for Sale I haven't posted about Short Sales for a while, so today is the day!  Click here to see all short sale homes for sale in the Coeur d'Alene MLS.  This link will remain active through April, 2011. As of today, April 1, 2011, there are 261 homes listed for sale as short sales in the Coeur d'Alene MLS, ranging in price from $35,000 to $2,400,000. Those of you who follow my blog must know that at any given time I have homes listed for sale as short sales, in varying stages of the oft complicated process.  Simultaneously, at any given time I will have buyer clients attempting success in purchasing a short sale.  The past couple of years, short sales have come out of obscurity into the forefront of the real es... 04/01/2011

According to the NAR (National Association of Realtors®, there was an increase in Pending Homes Sales for the month of February.  There were notable regional variations.  Each February, NAR Research conducts a normal review of PHSI seasonal adjustment factors and fine-tunes monthly data for the past three years. The PHSI in the Northeast fell 10.9 percent to 65.5 in February and is 18.4 percent below a year ago. In the Midwest the index rose 4.0 percent in February to 81.1 but is 15.9 percent below February 2010. Pending home sales in the South increased 2.7 percent to an index of 100.3 but are 5.3 percent below a year ago. In the West the index rose 7.0 percent to 105.6 and is 0.6 percent higher than February 2010. "We may not see notable gains in existing-home sales in the near term, ... 03/31/2011

BEWARE! Big FHA Increase on Monthly Mortgage Insurance Premium on April 18th.... On  April 18th, FHA will be adjusting the monthly mortgage insurance premium.  This could potentially have a big impact on buyers qualifying for a FHA loan. For instance on a $150,000 purchase with an adjusted loan amount of $146,975, the monthly mortgage insurance will go from $110.23 per month to $140.85 per month. If you are or have an FHA Buyer you need to see your lender as soon as possible.  This will save you hundreds of dollars if you buy now. If a Buyer has good credit, there are other programs that will further save money.  Give me a call if you would like additional information.     FREE MLS Propery Listings Search at: http://www.SellingNorthIdaho.com Please contact:    Pam Jank , Your North Idah... 03/29/2011

Coeur d'Alene Blues Festival is almost here. This is a litter teaser with a fraction of what is to come on April 1st through 3rd, 2011 at the Coeur d'Alene Blues Festival.       FREE MLS Propery Listings Search at: http://www.SellingNorthIdaho.com Please contact:   Pam Jank , Your North Idaho Real Estate Pro, with any of your Real Estate / Relocation / New Construction and/or Referral needs: Pam Jank, Realtor, GRI, CRS, ABR, RRS, SFR, PPSPreviews Property Specialistemail to:pamjank@hotmail.comPhone:  208-661-2282Fax:  208-446-0660  Toll Free:  800-829-2555 EXT.1275COLDWELL BANKER SCHNEIDMILLER REALTY 1924 Northwest BlvdCoeur d'Alene, ID  838314   03/23/2011

The Coeur d'Alene Blues Festival runs from April 01, 2011 to April 03, 2011 Don't miss these 3 incredible days. The Coeur d'Alene Blues Festival is a soul swinging weekend celebrating the sweet ballads of the Bayou featuring the best and most popular rhythm and blues bands from around the Pacific Northwest. Schedule of Events: Friday, April 1stBlues Cruise | 7 - 10 PM Lake Coeur d'Alene Boat Cruise and Dock Party featuring The Fat Tones & Laffin' Bones. We are connecting 2 cruise boats together and staging a band on each one. The sound systems will be syncronized on each boat for a complete emersive audio experience as the two bands alternate sets. The boats will cruise on the lake from 7:30-9:30PM. Arrive early and leave late... Join us dockside with a full bar dance party before and a... 03/21/2011

Have you heard those terrifying words: Sorry we have to do a "WIPE and RELOAD?"  These 10-Tips can help prevent that from happening.... 10 Tips for Keeping Your Computer Running Smoothly - Computer Maintenance I constantly have friends, colleagues and family members begging me to help them with their computers.  More often than not, the problems they have come from improper regular maintenance, not cleaning out their Cash or defraging, defunct Anti-Virus and Firewall Blocker programs, improperly shutting down, power surges, etc.... Following these simple tips should help prevent most of those annoying and avoidable computer problems.  ALSO, I want to emphasize two of the biggest "Tear Jerkers" .... BACK-UP, BACK-UP, BACK-UP (see #3) and DO NOT LOOSE or THROW OUT your SOFTWARE DISCS (esp... 03/19/2011

Janna Rankin Scharf, GRI, CLHMS, SFR - Coeur d'Alene Lake Homes for Sale As much fun as I had yesterday showing waterfront homes for sale on Coeur d'Alene Lake, I doubled my fun today with two listing consultations on spectacular secondary waterfront homes.  The weather was much like yesterday, although I think today I saw a little bit more blue sky.  I also saw rain, snow and hail.  Spring, come ON! I just finished entering one of those listings into the MLS and will have fun launching it over the next couple weeks.  Luxuryhomes.com, Lakehouse.com, WallStreetJournal.com, WorldProperties.com, vFlyer, Previsite...  Good times!  The second one likely will be launching mid-April.  Beautiful homes, stellar locations, world-class views!  Tomorrow I will chain myself to my desk and catch up o... 03/17/2011

Super moons only come around about once every 18-20 years.  So mark Mark your calendar. On March 19th, a full Moon of rare size and beauty will rise in the east at sunset. It's a super "perigee moon"--the biggest in almost 20 years. "The last full Moon so big and close to Earth occurred in March of 1993," says Geoff Chester of the US Naval Observatory in Washington DC. "I'd say it's worth a look." The best time to look is when the Moon is near the horizon. Low-hanging Moons look unnaturally large when they beam through trees, buildings, etc.   On March 19th the moon will be rising in the east at sunset and may seem so nearby, you can almost reach out and touch it.  Unfortunately, you will not be able to... this super perigee Moon is still 356,577 km away.                Free MLS Propert... 03/17/2011

Janna Rankin Scharf, GRI, CLHMS, SFR - Coeur d'Alene Idaho Waterfront Homes for Sale This afternoon I had an opportunity to show waterfront property to a prospective buyer in search of a good investment for summer family fun, along with future retirement possibilities.  I don't think there is a more enjoyable part of my job than showing waterfront homes for sale! Whether Coeur d'Alene Lake, the Spokane River, Hayden Lake or any other of our many spectacular Northern Idaho lakes and rivers, it's always a good day!  Now, some days this time of year are not quite as good as others, depending on weather, but it's always good!  What's not to like about an opportunity to get out of the office and cruise around the lake?! Today, the gray skies gave way in a few spots to let some rays of sun br... 03/16/2011