It was An Excellent Day for several reasons, but the one that brings me to blogging about it was the realization of a goal I had held for two years.  Late in 2008 I relocated back to my hometown of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.  Rick and I moved away in 1981, and had spend the past 27 years raising our family far from here.  It was a good move back for us, but difficult on several levels.  It's hard to leave established friendships and relationships, both personal and professional.  So here I was, in a position to start my real estate business all over again from zero, in a market that had just crashed locally, and where I had no relationships established.  Well, except for my mom, and my sister and brother-in-law!   I started to rebuild some semblance of a real estate career in earnest in Janu... 03/15/2011

I was looking through some photos that were recently emailed to me by a new client of mine.  We are getting ready to list her house later this week and she thought I might be able to use some of her photos in my marketing.  This one caught my eye.  I did a double take, and yes, that is a little moose taking a cat nap on the snow covered driveway!  Wildlife is abundant here in beautiful northern Idaho, but this is just not something you see everyday!     03/14/2011

Janna Rankin Scharf, GRI, CLHMS, SFR - Coeur d'Alene Idaho Real Estate Mark your calendars for Friday, March 18th, for our annual Keller Williams Realty blood drive to benefit Inland Northwest Blood Center.  It will be held at our office in Coeur d'Alene, at 1450 Northwest Boulevard, Suite 301. Come join us in donating the gift of life! From a grateful beneficiary: "If I could give you a gift in return, it would be to give you a peak into my kitchen window about 6pm any weeknight - to witness the chaos, hear the voices and laughter, and see the bountiful life in our home - because of you and your incredible gift." I was proud when my son, Derek, turned 16 to see how excited he was to be old enough to be a blood donor.  In the last year and a half he has participated in blood drives just... 03/04/2011

Janna Rankin Scharf, GRI, CLHMS, SFR - Coeur d'Alene Idaho Luxury Home SalesBlack Rock Development and American Bank finalized terms the end of February on the foreclosure of Black Rock North, a floundering and unfinished golf community on 1,100 acres directly north of The Club at Black Rock.  A sheriff's sale of the development will occur by the end of next month, according to a story earlier this week.  Read the entire story in the Coeur d'Alene Press here.These high-end projects and others backed by Marshall Chesrown, including the Ridge at Sunup Bay, have floundered with the collapse of the real estate market.  Last year, the assets of the Club at Black Rock development were forfeited to Mountain West Bank through a deed in lieu of foreclosure.  Black Rock Development reportedly wil... 03/02/2011

Spring brings those pesky insects that have been hibernating during the cold winter months.  They will be looking for those nice warm nooks and crannies in your home to hatch their hundreds of thousands of eggs!!!  Just one bug can hatch 3000 eggs at a time.  Egads!,,,,  Many lenders are requiring re-inspections that could reveal pest-related health and safety hazards. So, what can homeowners and sellers do?  Regular use of a local Pest Control Company to maintain your property can not only solve the problems you currently have.  They can help prevent future problems. HOWEVER, if you are a do-it yourself kind of person:Be sure to investigate the inside of the home for any evidence of pest problems. Open food containers, look for cracks in interior walls, look for signs of droppings, dea... 03/02/2011

Be careful of what you say in an e-mail.  It could be ruled as a Binding Contract!!   "As much as communication originally written or typed on paper, an e-mail retrievable from computer storage" is proof of a deal, the court said. It now appears that our emails are being considered "In-Writing."  E-mail and Handwriting are now one and the same according to a ruling of the Appellate Division, First Department of State Supreme Court in Manhattan, N.Y. A lawyer at Thompson Hine, Mario J. Suarez, says that adding a disclaimer on e-mails may help. The e-mail disclaimer may read something like the communications "shall not be deemed an offer, as no documents are binding unless and until executed." This has all come to light from a court case dealing with a breach of contract in a commercial r... 02/22/2011

North Idaho Homes for Sale, Kootenai County and Coeur d'Alene Idaho Western States Home Sales Jumped 19.9% in 4th Quarter In the West, existing-home sales jumped 19.9 percent in the fourth quarter to 1.17 million, but were 14.2 percent below the sales posted in the fourth quarter of 2009. The median sale price of an existing home in the West fell 2.9 percent to $214,400 in the fourth quarter compared to a year earlier. According to NAR's Quarterly Metro Report:  Nationally speaking, existing-home sales jumped 15.4 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.80 million in the fourth quarter of 2010 from 4.16 million the previous quarter.     Free MLS Property Search at: www.SellingNorthIdaho.com Contact: Pam Jank, Realtor, ABR, GRI, CRS, RSPS, PPS Previews Property Specialist ·Web:... 02/16/2011

Coeur d'Alene Idaho homes and land for Sale. Banks requiring higher downpayments from Buyers Banks are trying to mitigate their risk as home prices continue to fall by requiring higher down payments from Buyers.  They also feel Buyers that pay higher downpayments are less likely to default. The Obama administration has called for the gradual increase of down payments to a minimum of 10% on conventional loans (that can be purchased or guaranteed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac).  Right now the median downpayment in the fourth quarter of 2010 rose to approximately 22% on Conventional Loans.  This is the highest median down payment since 1997, according to a Wall Street Journal and Zillow.com analysis. Buyers that can qualify for USDA, FHA and or/VA loans can still purchase with 3.5% down pa... 02/16/2011

Coldwell Banker Schneidmiller Realty 2011 - 4th Annual, Kootenai County, Commercial Real Estate Market Forum - Keynote Speaker Charlie Nipp Engage in conversation with experts within the commercial real estate industry, as we discuss how regional growth, the state of the economy and world events impact our real estate market. Learn about trends and hear from specialists in office, retail, multi-family, investments and industrial/flex-tech. Free MLS Property Search at: www.SellingNorthIdaho.com > Contact: Pam Jank, Realtor, ABR, GRI, CRS, RSPS, PPS Previews Property Specialist Web: Coeur d'Alene Idaho Homes for Sale email to:pamjank@hotmail.com Phone: 208-661-2282 Fax: 208-772-6282 Toll Free: 800-829-2555 EXT.1275 COLDWELL BANKER SCHNEIDMILLER REALTY 1924 Northwest Blvd, Coeur d'Alene, I... 02/14/2011

FHA is increasing it's Annual Mortgage Insurance Premiums effective for case numbers assigned on or after April 18, 2011.  The upfront amount will stay the same at 1%.  95.00 percent .90% increasing to 1.15% (majority of buyers with 3.5% down)  95.00 percent .85% increasing to 1.10%  90.00 percent .25% increasing to .50%  90.00 percent  0% increasing to .25% This increase could have a direct affect on what you can qualify to purchase.  Let me know if you have any questions.      Free MLS Property Search at:  www.SellingNorthIdaho.com Contact:  Pam Jank, Realtor, ABR, GRI, CRS, RSPS, PPSPreviews Property SpecialistWeb:  Coeur d'Alene Idaho Homes for Saleemail to:pamjank@hotmail.comPhone:  208-661-2282 Fax:  208-772-6282   Toll Free: 800-829-2555  EXT.1275COLDWELL BANKER SCHNEIDMILLER REA... 02/14/2011

Happy Valentines Day!  Do Something out of the ORDINARY.... Chocolates and Flowers are nice but the memorable Valentines are the ones that are out of the ordinary.... My Daughter's guy has surprised her with a "Hands on Art" and Dinner evening.   The couples make each other a custom pottery item and enjoy a candle light dinner.   I'd say that's an out of the ordinary & memorable Valentine!                   Free MLS Property Search at:  www.SellingNorthIdaho.com Contact:  Pam Jank, Realtor, ABR, GRI, CRS, RSPS, PPSPreviews Property SpecialistWeb:  Coeur d'Alene Idaho Homes for Saleemail to:pamjank@hotmail.comPhone:  208-661-2282 Fax:  208-772-6282   Toll Free: 800-829-2555  EXT.1275COLDWELL BANKER SCHNEIDMILLER REALTY1924 Northwest Blvd, Coeur d'Alene, ID  838314   02/14/2011

Janna Rankin Scharf, Coeur d' Alene Idaho Real Estate Q & A First of all, what is a HUD home? It is a home that is the result of a foreclosure action on a FHA-insured mortgage. In other words, it's a repo.  HUD paid the insurance claim and now is the property owner.  It is offered for sale to recover the loss on the foreclosure claim. By definition, a HUD home can be a 1 to 4 unit residential property.  When first hitting the market, they are offered to owner-occupied buyers first.  After the initial offering, unsold properties are available to all buyers, including investors. How Do I find a HUD home? HUD repos are available to the public on the internet by management companies under contract to HUD. The bid to purchase must be made through a broker registered with HUD.  Any real estat... 02/14/2011

Homes for Sale in Coeur d'Alene Idaho.  Historic Home Sales in Downtown Coeur d'Alene are HOT! The Recent Downtown CDA SOLDS equal 65!  Sold Prices from $84,000 to $475,000 Currently there are only 20 available for purchase in Downtown CDA. Priced from $70,000 to $1,800,000                   MAP and Link to Currently Available Historic Homes in Downtown CDA: http://www.flexmls.com/link.html?u579xzliyqe,7,1                               MAP and Link to Recently SOLD: http://www.flexmls.com/link.html?u579vf3tkfx,7,1 Free MLS Property Search at:  www.SellingNorthIdaho.com Contact:  Pam Jank, Realtor, ABR, GRI, CRS, RSPS, PPSPreviews Property SpecialistWeb:  Coeur d'Alene Idaho Homes for Saleemail to:pamjank@hotmail.comPhone:  208-661-2282Fax:  208-772-628 Toll Free:  800-829-2555 EXT.1275C... 02/12/2011

Coeur d'Alene Idaho Waterfront homes for sale. Residential Waterfront Inventories are DOWN and Sales are UP!  Coeur d'Alene, ID - Kootenai County -  There were 41 Residential Waterfront listings this same time last year.  This year there are only 12 and 7 have SOLD in January! Looks like the bottom may be disappearing....  Active ListingsNew ListingsSold ListingsMonths Inventory Jan - 2011 12 0 7 1.71 Dec - 2010 25 2 14 1.79 Nov - 2010 31 2 12 2.58 Oct - 2010 41 2 11 3.73 Sep - 2010 54 1 12 4.50 Aug - 2010 60 3 9 6.67 Jul - 2010 63 8 5 12.60 Jun - 2010 63 12 11 5.73 May - 2010 57 11 8 7.13 Apr - 2010 52 15 7 7.43 Mar - 2010 45 7 6 7.50 Feb - 2010 44 7 5 8.80 Jan - 2010 41 12 3 13.67 Contact:  Pam Jank, Realtor, ABR, GRI, CRS, RSPS, PPSPreviews Property SpecialistWeb:  Coeur d'Alene Idah... 02/09/2011

Coeur d'Alene Idaho homes for sale.   Residential Market Summary for January 2011 vs 2010 GREAT NEWS!! The Absorption Rate is DOWN by 19.51% , the Solds are UP by 29.6%!  and the PENDING SALES are UP by 21% However, Average Sales Price is DOWN by 1.5% Summary Statistics   Jan-11 Jan-10 % Chg 2011 YTD 2010 YTD % Chg Absorption Rate 15.47 19.22 -19.51 15.47 19.22 -19.51 Average List Price $359,928 $364,582 -1.28 $353,990 $358,634 -1.29 Median List Price $196,700 $214,431 -8.27 $198,250 $211,000 -6.04 Average Sale Price $194,865 $197,858 -1.51 $194,885 $197,858 -1.50 Median Sale Price $148,000 $160,000 -7.50 $148,000 $160,000 -7.50 Average DOM 150 149 0.67 150 149 0.67 Median DOM 116 110 5.45 116 110 5.45 Sold Listings   This Month Year to Date   2011 2010 % Chg 2011 2010 % Chg 0-30k 6 2 2... 02/09/2011

 WIN A HOUSE...CAR, BOAT and More!  Grand Prize Home is being built at 6619 Madellaine Drive, Coeur d'Alene This is the 18th year of The North Idaho College Foundation's largest annual fundraiser - The Really BIG Raffle.  It kicks off this week as tickets go on sale to win the brand new, $250,000 home currently under construction in Coeur d'Alene Place. The drawing will take place on June 13, and only 5000 tickest will be sold at $100 each. The 2011 raffle home will be ENERGY STAR® qualified and a certified Green Home! The home showcases construction methods and green materials that support energy efficiency and sustainability.  The house is really taking shape now and will be open to the public later this spring. For tons of information on the raffle, the house,and the NIC Foundation w... 02/09/2011

Coeur d'Alene Idaho Homes for Sale. This Dragon must have escaped from the Riverside Park Carousel, in the background.  It appears he became annoyed with all the snow and decided to do something about it.  He seems to be doing his job.  He has now melted most of the snow away!  Unfortunately he is also melting himself away in the process.                                   Free MLS Property Search at:  www.SellingNorthIdaho.com Contact:  Pam Jank, Realtor, ABR, GRI, CRS, RSPS, PPSPreviews Property SpecialistWeb:  Coeur d'Alene Idaho Homes for Saleemail to:pamjank@hotmail.comPhone:  208-661-2282Fax:  208-772-628 Toll Free:  800-829-2555 EXT.1275COLDWELL BANKER SCHNEIDMILLER REALTY1924 Northwest Blvd, Coeur d'Alene, ID  838314  Your North Idaho Real Estate Pro - Pam Jank   02/09/2011

Travis Jank, owner of NexGen Computer Services in Coeur d'Alene (Dalton Gardens) Idaho, not only runs his own Computer & Business Systems Design, Sales & Service business he finds the time to design, build and demonstrate "World Record Braking "computer systems.  He is the Over Clocking Extraordinaire! This brilliant young 22 year old is no novice at this.  He has been building super computers and breaking world records since he was 14 years old.  He became a business owner at 18 and purchased his 1500 sq. ft. office unit at 21. Travis' eloquent public speaking abilities pared with his talent and work ethic have led to multiple job offers from several of the Major Computer Corporations.  However, Travis enjoys being able to keep designing, building, demonstrating and competing.  He says... 02/07/2011

Coeur d'Alene Idaho Homes for Sale. Manufactured Home Financing is Available - Your North Idaho Real Estate Pro - Kootenai County, Coeur d'Alene, Hayden, Post Falls, Rathdrum and Surrounding Areas. Did you know there is still financing options available for manufactured homes that are real property?  Below is an overview of the guidelines: Income limits apply (IHA) They can be financed as an FHA/VA/RD loan.  Must following FHA/VA/RD guidelines for manufactured homes Minimum credit score of 680 Maximum diti 45%  Also able to finance them as a conventional loan through IHA 20% down payment Minimum credit score of 680 Maximum diti 41%  IHA requires the following: Current engineers certification verifying the foundation meets HUD standards Copy of the fully-executed, recorded Intent to Decl... 02/04/2011

Coeur d'Alene Idaho Homes for Sale.  A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words.... A winter walk at City Beach in Coeur d'Alene, ID - Winter 2011   In photo: Wayne and Kristen Simmons Free MLS Property Search at:  www.SellingNorthIdaho.com Contact:   Pam Jank, Realtor, ABR, GRI, CRS, RSPS, PPSPreviews Property SpecialistWeb:  Coeur d'Alene Idaho Homes for Saleemail to:pamjank@hotmail.comPhone:  208-661-2282Fax:  208-772-628 Toll Free:  800-829-2555 EXT.1275COLDWELL BANKER SCHNEIDMILLER REALTY1924 Northwest Blvd, Coeur d'Alene, ID  838314 Your North Idaho Real Estate Pro - Pam Jank 01/30/2011