Ring the bells that still can ring. Forget your perfect offering. There is a crack in everything.
That's how the light gets in. Leonard Cohen
Hello dear friends and clients,

The peacefulness of winter has settled upon Camp Lang. Thank you Jennifer Wright for this photo of our winter wonderland!

There is good news in Montana real estate. Whether you are living here or thinking of moving here, Montana is the place to be. This past 18 months, we saw the migration of Americans from urban centers to rural areas. Realizing that work and school can be all or partly remote, the Flathead Valley came on the radar of this national trend. Montana, which saw its population increase by 1.7%, and listing prices rise by 37% annually in November, became the fastest among all states. Read here and Read here.

If you are considering listing your property, let me know. Our market is strong and our inventory is low. My experience, consistent record and excellent negotiating skills will successfully lead you toward a sale at the right price. The Lang Team is here to make your real estate dreams come true whatever they are, wherever you are.

Another perk for you, as the seller, is our exclusive membership in Forbes Global Properties. What does this mean? When you list your luxury, high end property, your home will be opened up to the international market. Click here to view Bigfork properties on the Forbes website providing access to the entire Forbes network. Here's another advantage. Maybe you have always wanted to have a home in Florida, France, Hawaii or the place of your dreams. I can use my Forbes Global Properties referral network to connect you with an expert and knowledgeable Realtor in many national and international markets. Let's talk!

From our home to yours, we wish you a healthy and prosperous New Year!
Denise
Northwest Montana By The Numbers
according the NW Montana Multiple Listing Service for December 2021
Whitefish
New Listings 33
Sold 28
Median $727,500

Bigfork
New Listings 4
Sold 14
$750,000
Flathead County
New Listings 98
Sold 183
Median $650,000

Lake County
New Listings 20
Sold 54
Median $414,500
Experience Montana - a True Winter Wonderland!
Any recreational experience you dream about, you'll find at Base Camp Bigfork...Dog sledding, snowshoeing, cross country skiing. We have it.
When February flakes fly, the village of Whitefish gathers to celebrate a tradition of fun, frivolity and friendship. Join us and take in the fun!
ARTICLES YOU MAY ENJOY
Commercial projects are making strides in Kalispell. Some big developments will begin to take shape this year.
The generation that wanted to wait to buy a home is now believed to account for more than half of all home-buying loan applications.
FEATURED REAL ESTATE
New, Contingent and Sold Properties
NEW Residential
MLS #22108806 $497,750
NEW Commercial
MLS #22108357 $497,750
CONTINGENT
MLS #22118514
Testimonial
A huge thank you!!!
It’s been almost 1 year since my purchase thanks to you two! I’m still getting settled in but I couldn’t be happier with my new home and so excited to keep moving forward on the decorating and art placement! You both were absolutely excellent and responded to my every need in the process of the purchase and build out. I cannot thank you enough for all the professional assistance and immediate response to my needs. I will forever be grateful to you, Denise and Ashley. I couldn’t have maneuvered all of it without you by my side! 
Gratefully yours, Christine
Ceri (our lop-eared Corgi) says...

I love to celebrate with my people. Here I am enjoying a sip of hot cocoa with marshmallows and peppermint schnapps. Now, I know I'm not supposed to have chocolate or schnapps because I'm a dog, so click here for a website I have found that tells my people (and yours) the human foods that I CAN eat! I do love peanut butter, oatmeal and chicken.
Denise's Cooking Corner - Mussels and clams in a wine cream sauce
I like to complement this recipe with grilled asparagus, crusty bread and pair with Veuve Clicquot. Enjoy and Happy New Year!
 
Ingredients
3 T Extra virgin olive oil
2 shallots, chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 lb clams, cleaned
1 lb mussels, cleaned
1 c white wine
½ c heavy cream
4 T butter, cut into pieces
½ bunch fresh parsley, chopped
Salt
Red pepper flakes, to taste
Crusty bread, to serve
 
Preparation
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and garlic and cook until softened, about five minutes. Add the mussels and the clams, wine, cream, butter, and parsley and season to taste with salt (preferably kosher or sea salt). Stir, cover the pot, and cook until mussels and clams open and are cooked through, about ten minutes (don’t overcook). Season with red pepper flakes to taste. Enjoy with crusty bread!!! This recipe can be easily doubled.
Denise's Book Corner - How the Light Gets In by Louise Penny
(a winter-curl-up-by-the-fire book)

My thoughts: I love Penny's novels (this book is #9 in the series). If you enjoy a mystery where good triumphs over evil, you'll like this one. The story takes place in the town of Three Pines which reminds me of Bigfork in the sense that it is a character in itself and as Gamache puts it, "Three Pines has some cracks but it also has a rare ability to heal the brokenness of things."

A note about the title. My quote this month ties into this book. It comes from song writer and poet, Leonard Cohen, fellow Canadian-Quebecer like Louise Penny. From his song Anthem, "Ring the bells that still can ring. Forget your perfect offering. There is a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in." Mr. Cohen did not charge Louise Penny to use his words. He gave them freely.
Summary: Christmas is approaching, and in Québec it's a time of dazzling snowfalls, bright lights, and gatherings with friends in front of blazing hearths. But shadows are falling on the usually festive season for Chief Inspector Armand Gamache. Most of his best agents have left the Homicide Department, his old friend and Lieutenant Jean-Guy Beauvoir hasn't spoken to him in months, and hostile forces are lining up against him.

When Gamache receives a message from Myrna Landers that a longtime friend has failed to arrive for Christmas in the village of Three Pines, he welcomes the chance to get away from the city. Mystified by Myrna's reluctance to reveal her friend's name, Gamache soon discovers the missing woman was once one of the most famous people not just in North America, but in the world, and now goes unrecognized by virtually everyone except the mad, brilliant poet Ruth Zardo.
As events come to a head, Gamache is drawn ever deeper into the world of Three Pines. Increasingly, he is not only investigating the disappearance of Myrna's friend but also seeking a safe place for himself and his still-loyal colleagues. Is there peace to be found even in Three Pines, and at what cost to Gamache and the people he holds dear?
Call me and let's talk about your real estate goals.
I love to share, so if an item or two in this newsletter interests you, pass it on!
Just scroll down to the bottom of this email and click "forward."
406.249.1758