We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
Preamble United States Constitution
Current Mortgage Rates               My Listings            Real Estate Market Update    
Hello dear friends and clients, 

The holidays are upon us. What a festive time of year! This coming Saturday, the 19th, the Bigfork Elves will do their magic decorating the village. That afternoon, the Bigfork Art Walk will begin at 4 and the tree lighting at 7. Bring your friends and family. I'll see you there!

I am sponsoring a fully decorated tree at the 6th Annual Festival of Trees to benefit the Bigfork Art and Cultural Center. Join me on December 2nd at 5:30 for the  Silent and Live AuctionMake your holidays easy...take home a beautiful, decorated tree!

The Market: From Kelley Appraisal Services, we get a good synopsis of the first 10 months of residential home sales in Flathead County. The number of sales in the first 4 months of the year were up from the previous year, then the following 3 months they were down followed by August and September, which were up, and now October had a 10% drop from October of 2015.  By the end of October there were 1,408 residential sales, compared to 1,445 sales in 2015. The total number of sales are down 2.6 percent from last year. 
 
Of course, we can't know how the coming changes in Washington may effect our market. As an eternal optimist, I believe that Montana is a destination for all kinds of buyers who seek a life in a beautiful place with many wonderful people. 

Let's stay informed, pay attention and enjoy our beautiful place together.  Cheers! Denise
Home maintenance projects you may want to tackle in November.   Click here to read
Real Estate News (click on the photo to read more)...
The 10 most overlooked markets that aren't
 just good bargains, but also good places to live. 

Low interest rates and rising home prices may keep affordability stable at the national level.
Don't we all need a romantic getaway?Here are the top places in each state. Holiday gift idea, maybe?

If you are thinking of painting before listing your home, here are 4 colors that turn off buyers. 
MY LISTINGS...
NEW
860 N. Ramsfield Road, Bigfork
MLS #21611989 $348,650 
NEW
811 Kila Road, Kila
MLS #21608165 $460,000

CONTINGENT
318 Old Sawyer Way, Bigfork 
MLS #21610907


What will the Fed do in December? Here is some insight from Reuters. Click here to read.
SOLD...                                          
107 Golden Bear Drive, Bigfork
MLS #21602542
639 Three Eagle Lane, Bigfork
MLS #21603069
1152 Mill Creek Drive, Bigfork
MLS #21604914

What are Real Estate's top issues in 2017? Click here to read.
SOLD...                                          
1154 Mill Creek Drive, Bigfork
MLS #21604917
503 Conservation Court, Bigfork
MLS #21610964
511 Conservation Court, Bigfork
MLS #21610965

SOLD...                                          
519 Conservation Court, Bigfork
MLS #21610966
Porches are more popular than decks.
Click on the photo to read.
Drones: Assessing the risks.
Click on the photo to read.

Do you get confused with real estate language ?
Click here 
for a handy and alphabetical 
dictionary of the most common real estate terms. 
   
  BOOK NOOK...                                   BON APPETIT!

This is my newest read and I am learning a great deal about family business practices and being an entrepreneur. For instance, if you have a family business, a communication about business outcomes is a great place to start. The basis of this book is asking the right questions.  McGrane says,  "Statements kill conversation, however, asking questions opens up lines for communication."

Here's a synopsis:
Bill McGrane III, President of McGrane Global Centers and author of the new release, Just Ask! Success Can Be as Simple as Asking the Right Questions. Asking questions also creates more effective family communication. "Asking questions of others," McGrane states, "enables you to learn more about them- how they think, feel, view life, and what they aspire to." Family author, Mark Victor Hansen, co-author of Chicken Soup for the Soul says, "Asking is the pathway to greatness and all good."

McGrane's book, Just Ask! Success Can Be as Simple as Asking the Right Questions, offers the techniques and understanding of the art of asking questions one can use to create more successful, mutually beneficial relationships. Chock full of hundreds of the right questions for every situation. 

San Francisco ala carte Pumpkin Bread
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Mix together  1 1/2 cup sugar, 
1 2/3 cup flour, 3/4 tsp baking powder,  1 tsp ground cinnamon,
1tsp ground cloves,  1 tsp ground nutmeg,  1/4 tsp ground ginger
2 eggs beaten,  1/2 cup vegetable oil,  1/2 cup water
1 cup pumpkin puree
 
Mix all dry ingredients together. Add eggs, oil, water and pumpkin. Mix with electric mixer. Pour into prepared regular loaf pan or 2 medium loaf pans, or 3 small loaf pans.  
Bake single loaf 50-60 minutes (smaller load 45-50 minutes. 
Test with toothpick.
 
Topping - Pumpkin Spice Mix
1 15oz. canned puree pumpkin,  ½ cup brown sugar, p inch of salt
1 tsp vanilla,  1T espresso powder,  2T maple syrup,  2T pumpkin pie spice. M ix and keep in a container in fridge 2 weeks or freeze. 

Blend into whipping cream and top before serving.

It's a tasty autumnal treat. 
Thank you Shelley Gonzales for the recipe!
Dear Denise,
Not only are you a no nonsense real estate agent, you are also so a very knowledgeable, hands on and pleasant person. Being so new to the area, not only showing us properties, we got an education to this area. You explained the market place. Our decision was facilitated by your presentation of the subject matter. Everything was simplified and a pleasant experience.
Charles Murillo DDS & Arlene McDowell
Call me and let's talk about your real estate goals. Go with Success!  
406.249.1758  DeniseLang@NPRMT.com 
National Parks Realty  710 Grand Drive   Bigfork, Montana 59911