Missoula Farmer's Markets & Local People's Market A Saturday morning in Missoula wouldn't be complete without visiting our local Farmer's Market and the People's Market. Located in downtown Missoula at Railroad and Higgins, the Farmer's Market has been in operation since 1972 and provides a place for local farmers and vendors to share their goods. The People's Market features locally made crafts, jewelry, baskets, and arts. It has something for virtually everyone. The Farmer's Market/People's Market is open on Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. from May to October. For more information visit, Missoula Saturday Market. Clark Fork River Market   Over the last several years a new farmer's market also started on Saturday mornings under the Higgins Avenue bridge, along the Clark Fork Rive... 07/07/2009

Social Media Club Missoula to Hold First Meeting  Social Media Club Missoula Strategies for Video in Social Media July 15, 2009 at 6:00 p.m. Missoula Public Library - Downstairs Meeting Room If you get it, share it. The First Meeting of Social Media Club Missoula is set for Wed., July 15th at the Missoula Public Library from 6:00 - 7:30. Tim Danyo from Imagination Media will talk about Social Video Strategies and we'll discuss future events, elect officers, and generate new ideas. Admission is Free! Please RSVP.   The Missoula Social Media Club is looking for help shaping the future of social media in our local area and sharing information. We will have planned events with guest speakers and informal get-togethers. We would also like to bring in some well known speakers to talk about s... 07/07/2009

Last week’s team meeting produced an interesting tale of ‘overpricing woe’.  The parents of one of my associates listed their house in mid-2006 at $590,000.  The inaccurate list price was determined by their real estate agent, and the property sat on market for nearly 2 years, suffering a price drop of almost $200K.  By the time my co-worker’s family unloaded the property, they had to settle for only $400,000; this unpleasant situation could’ve been avoided if only it had initially hit the market in the correct price range.   Overpriced listings are, unfortunately, a common practice in real estate.  Some agents overprice their listings thinking they have provided themselves with “wiggle room” when it comes time to negotiate.  Other agents price too high because they are either in agreem... 06/29/2009

Yesterday there was a 12 home Realtor lunch tour on the south side of Missoula.  All of the houses were larger/newer homes in newer subdivisions, priced between $350,000 - $600,000.  For those of you unfamiliar with our market, that's probably what you'd consider the "top end" right now, there's higher priced stuff, but these are mostly large homes with 4+ bedrooms, newer, big lots as high as 2 acres, etc.  After completing the tour it was sobering what is going on in our "top end" market, the general disconnect between agents and sellers, and how people still don't realize the changing national market.  A few observations: - Not a single house was priced within 10% of it's market value. - Of the 4 most expensive homes only 1 had a yard, the rest had an acre of weeds or dried out dirt/c... 06/05/2009

Rent To Own! 50% rent credit! Beautiful 2 br / 2 ba, 1280 sq ft home in gorgeous Missoula MT!  The home has an oversized 1 car garage on a nicely landscaped standard city lot.  It has a shingle roof and vinyl siding.  The home sits at the base of the City Trail system so your recreation is right outside your door!  The heat is gas forced air and it is an energy efficient home.  Utilities average only $63/mo total!  Rent is $850/mo and first months rent and low down required to move in. Please contact us with any questions at www.50statesrent2own.com. Until next time.... Pete Olsen Rent To Own Homes, LLC www.50statesrent2own.com www.activerain.com/blogs/peteolsen01 05/21/2009

A recent sign order resulted in our supplier mistakenly printing over 30 extra sign riders. Acknowledging the mistake, our supplier offered to dispose of them at no charge, a courteous gesture... ...but in today's economic and environmental climate... ...how could we just throw away 30ish perfectly good signs?  Instead, we returned the signs, and asked our provider to simply re-label them when the time comes for the next order. Fantastic!  An environmentally-friendly, all-around 'green' solution to a potentially wasteful problem!  Goomzee also reduces paper waste by delivering listing information to homebuyers via text message.  In fact, I even get 'THE LOOK' from co-workers when I print something onto hardcopy.  It's exciting to work for a company that does its part for the environment... 05/21/2009

I am moving! True, packing, hauling, sorting, and paying 1st Month's Rent is not at all enjoyable, but a new place to live in is like taking a new lease on life. Sadly, I have to be out of my current residence by the end of this week, and I haven't even started packing...Hello Procrastination, my old friend. No matter. What I'm missing in terms of packing/sorting joy, I'm more than making up for in terms of networking. On Wednesday I set up an appointment to take a walk-through of a condo up in the South Hills of Missoula. Slightly off the beaten path, a bit of a struggle for my little Nissan to get to, but a great place nonetheless. What surprised me when I got there was the real estate agent standing expectantly in the front lawn, clipboard hugged to her chest and her eyes scanning th... 05/19/2009

Rent to own! 50% rent credit!  4 bedroom 3 bath, 2350 square foot home in beautiful Missoula, MT!!  The home has a 2 car attached garage and has been completely remodeled and it sits on a standard city lot.  There are new floor coverings, new paint inside and out, new roof, new sprinkler system, new countertops in kitchen, new stainless steel appliances, new vanities and showers and new fixtures!  There is a fenced yard, 3 tiered deck with views, washer dryer hookups, natural gas heat and is on city water and sewer.  Rent is $1700/mo and first months rent and low down required to move in. Please contact us with any questions at www.50statesrent2own.com. Until next time.... Pete Olsen Rent To Own Homes, LLC www.50statesrent2own.com www.activerain.com/blogs/peteolsen01   05/15/2009

Rent To Own! 50% rent credit!  3 bedroom / 1 bath, 1308 square foot home in beautiful Missoula, MT!  The home has a 2 car attached garage that sits on a beautiful city lot.  It has a great yard with incredible views.  The home is 1 level and has been newly painted, new windows, new flooring with stone tile in the bathroom.  There is gas heat and the stove and fridge would stay with the house.  Rent is $875/mo and first months rent and low down required to move in. Please contact us with any questions at www.50statesrent2own.com. Until next time.... Pete Olsen Rent To Own Homes, LLC www.50statesrent2own.com www.activerain.com/blogs/peteolsen01   04/30/2009

 Twitter Basics for Business April 29th - 11:00 a.m.   Free Class at the Missoula Public Library Twitter is the Internet's fastest growing social media networking site. Learn how to utilize this tool to: Promote Your Business Meet Other Local Twitter Users Find Out About Local Events and Breaking Stories We'll provide information to help you: Learn What to "Tweet About" Identify Twitter Tools to make using Twitter easy & fun Develop a Twitter Strategy Find out how others are using Twitter With Special Guest - Clint Miller @RECR - one of Missoula's most popular Tweeple. Clint will share how he uses Twitter to get in front of potential customers and make sales! The class is Free but seats are limited so register early. For more information, visit Missoula Tweetup. Register for the 11:00 a... 04/27/2009

“I question the validity of a practice that allows you to be paid when you didn’t do the job you’re getting paid for.” - Brenda Florida, Century 21 Alliance of Lansdale, PA “Procuring Cause should simply go away. It’s an antiquated system.” - Tom Early, President of National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents Procuring cause.  It pains me just to type the phrase; like the words “Root Canal” or “Pepto-Bismol”, ‘procuring cause’ packs around negative connotations like they’re a new-born litter of possums. What most agents don’t know is that while procuring cause may be a danger, it is in fact a two-way street that has the capability to benefit both listing and selling agents. Verily, hast thine gotten ahead of thineself? Thou hast! Forgive me; for all you readers out there that are sti... 04/27/2009

******* > By TwitterButtons.com 04/15/2009

You're Invited to Attend an OPEN HOUSE in Missoula's 44 Ranch Estatesat 2409 Snaffle Bit Way, Missoula Montana 59808 Today, Sunday, April 5, 2009 from 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. 4 Bedrooms, 2.5 Baths Priced to Sell at $297,000 Bonus Mainfloor Office/Den Full Paritally Finished Basement Virtual Tour for 2409 Snaffle Bit Way, Missoula MT 59808 Beautiful & Spacious NEW 44-Ranch home with open floor plan, 17 foot ceilings in living room, large bedrooms, a bonus office/den and a luxurious master suite. This home also boasts a gourmet kitchen with upgraded cabinets, a wine rack, stainless steel appliances, large mainfloor laundry/utility room, a full basement that is framed for bedrooms, wet bar and home theater room. The home is well under recent appraisals - possibly the best buy in Missoula!! F... 04/04/2009

Missoula's Best Breakfast / Brunch at The Shack Missoula's Best Breakfast or Brunch can be found in downtown Missoula at The Shack. They've won this award numerous years from the readers of both The Missoulian and The Missoula Independent, for a reason. The Shack is one of our favorite breakfast spots and after-church brunch meals. I took our daughter Kelsey there last weekend and we had a great meal - the photo to the right is their SMALL Omelet. The Shack has been a Missoula favorite since 1949, when a World War II vet named Axel Hansen introduced a "new" type of dining to Montanans. The Shack is located at: 222 W Main StMissoula, MT 59802(406) 549-9903The Shack View Their Breakfast Menu Online A good article about The Shack that recently appeared in the Missoulian Omelet King Rules a... 04/02/2009

The Missoula Real Estate market enjoyed a burst of activity in late February and early March with a flurry of buyers and many new homes going under contract. Missoula has also been fortunate that our housing prices have held their value better than many areas of the country. In February, the Median Home Price actually increased significantly from 2008 and the number of sales in the Missoula Urban Area was almost the same. Residential Market Activity in the Missoula Urban Area (residential, AND residential with acreage) Missoula Urban Area - Month of February  Year # of Sales Median Price Avg Days on Market 2009 43 $ 240,000 152 2008 44 $213,000 158 2007 63 $178,500 119 2006 75 $199,500 117 2005 48 $162,750 131 2004 57 $159,942 140   Missoula Urban Area - YTD - January 1 through February... 03/31/2009

Below is Part 2 of “Tips for Brokers”. Part 1 (viewable here) offered up some golden nuggets of brain food by covering Who to Recruit and How to Recruit Them. We pick up where we left off below by discussing the all-important interview process. The interview is a face-to-face interaction that can be handled several different ways to achieve successful results. Unfortunately, the process on the whole is oftentimes overlooked and/or poorly conducted. Read on to learn how to make the most out of your next series of interviews. What to Do Once You’ve Recruited… Let’s set up a hypothetical: Broker Bill has fifteen prospects in his lobby. His end goal: narrow down his findings to three ‘possibles’. His problem: which way to go about interviewing. Should Bill conduct his interviews in the trad... 03/30/2009

Meet Me In Missoula The Missoula Downtown Association, The Missoula Convention & Visitor's Bureau and Missoula Cultural Council have joined forces to sponsor a "Meet Me in Missoula " weekend promotion from May 1st -3rd, 2009. The community has a number of events scheduled including: First Friday Art Walk Opening day at the Missoula Farmer's Market Garden City Brewfest Maggotfest - Rugby Festival Lippizanner Stallions Missoula Children's Theater Performance UM's Performance of Shakespeare's Medea For more information on the event, including a full list of what's happening, visit Meet Me in Missoula where you can invite your family and friends to join you in the fun! Local hotels will be offering special rates and they are planning to give away prizes. *******     03/26/2009

Missoula's art community has a diverse range of artists, festivals, art walks, theater, music and dance. Downtown Missoula has an abundance of galleries: photography, sculptures, paintings, ceramics, and local crafts. First Friday is a prime showcase of the talent and culture found in Missoula on the First Friday of every month. At least 11 different locations are included in the First Friday art walk. For more information on First Friday Missoula, visit http://firstfridaysmissoula.blogspot.com. Those locations include:     The Artists' Shop                                                 306 North Higgins  406-542-3379                            www.missoulaartistsshop.comA cooperative artist-run gallery. China Woods 716 Dickens 406-550-2511 www.chinawoodsstore.com A premier source for... 03/16/2009

  Grupthink is a different kind of social networking site. The idea for Grupthink grew out of an idea to allow people to interact freely online while exploring open topics of their choosing. Anyone can pose a question, provide an answer and vote for their favorites. This is great for discussions about everything from "What is the sweatiest movie" to "What is the best restaurant in your town". What you end up with is the aggregate answer of a community to an open-ended question similar to poll results. On Grupthink, you can set up your own profile, create your own grups and topics. Your grups and topics can be limited to grup members or they can be open to the public. You can invite friends to join and to vote on your topics. You can even create a poll and put it on your website or Blog ... 03/10/2009

  Grupthink is a different kind of social networking site. The idea for Grupthink grew out of an idea to allow people to interact freely online while exploring open topics of their choosing. Anyone can pose a question, provide an answer and vote for their favorites. This is great for discussions about everything from "What is the sweatiest movie" to "What is the best restaurant in your town". What you end up with is the aggregate answer of a community to an open-ended question similar to poll results. On Grupthink, you can set up your own profile, create your own grups and topics. Your grups and topics can be limited to grup members or they can be open to the public. You can invite friends to join and to vote on your topics. You can even create a poll and put it on your website or Blog ... 03/10/2009