Free summer carriage rides in downtown Spokane WA continue every Friday in August.  They start at the corner of Main and Wall streets between the hours of 5 pm and 9 pm.  These horse-drawn carriage rides through downtown Spokane have been a delight for residents and tourists alike.  Spokane Teachers Credit Union in cooperation with Downtown Spokane Partnership provide a fun experience and the price is right.  Free! Take a break from back-to-school shopping.  Enjoy the city.  Spokane always has something fun to do.  Why not take a free summer carriage ride in downtown Spokane this Friday?       08/06/2013

Just last week, Laura - @LauralooPeacock - decided to buy a new car and since I had done a brief stint as a car salesman she wanted me to tag along and advise her throughout the process.  Due to the fact that we pretty much don't do anything without sharing it (code for boring people with it) on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Foursquare, we chose to start off at the only new car dealership in the Spokane area that does an even halfway decent job on Twitter, Larry H Miller Toyota of Spokane. We checked in on Foursquare when we arrived and a short time later were greeted on Twitter by the store account.  We began Instagramming photos of the walk-around demonstration by the salesman and tweeting comments during the test drive and pretty soon had several people commenting back to both us ... 08/05/2013

It is almost time for The Largest 3 on 3 Basketball Tournament on Earth - Spokane Hoopfest!  It is hard to believe that a fairly small town tucked away on the upper left-hand side of the map, not really near anywhere or anything, with a population of under 300,000 people is home to such a huge event as Hoopfest. Every summer, the last weekend in June, Spokane shuts down 42 city blocks to make way for 450 basketball courts that will host over 7,000 teams from around the country... and probably the world.  This year it is being held June 29th and 30th and we are expecting a record turn out for the event.  Spokane Hoopfest is an event for everybody, all are welcome and there are brackets for anybody who wants to play starting from youth entering the 3rd grade.  Even Special Olympics and wh... 06/18/2013

Street Music Week Spokane Washington.                                            Another fun "happening" in Spokane this week.  In betweeen Bloomsday and Hoopfest comes Street Music Week.  Just what is Street Music Week?  Entertainers and musicians in the area are invited to participate and entertain in the Spokane downtown core during the second week in June.  And this year the Garland District was added.     The purpose, aside from entertainment, is to raise money. The generous donations from participants and  viewers go to support 2nd Harvest food bank.  Last year Spokane Street Music raised a whopping $12,000 from the generous folks who came by to listen during their lunch hour.  Tomorrow is the last day to enjoy the tunes from noon to 1 pm.  If you can't make it, mark your calendar... 06/13/2013

Great golf opportunities await you in Spokane, WA.  I'm not sure if you have ever heard that said before, but it is true. The Spokane area is home to quite a few beautiful golf courses and About.com's Northwest US Travel ranks Spokane 3rd behind Bandon, OR and Coeur d'Alene, ID.  I have to wonder if it wasn't for the Coeur d'Alene resort's "Floating Green" in the lake, would Spokane be number 2???  Probably, but that's ok. The Spokane area hosts 15 public courses and 2 or 3 private courses (that I am aware of), which isn't too shabby for a town of about 200K. With mild weather and 4 distinct seasons, there are ample opportunities to get out and enjoy what Spokane has to offer on pretty much any given day of the year... the most important of those things being golf! One of Spokane's best... 06/06/2013

 Bloomsday in Spokane. According to the Spokesman-Review today over 48,000 entries have been received for this weekend’s 37th  Bloomsday.  The forecast is for mild weather and partly sunny skies.  Perfect!  I am happy to announce this will be my 37th Bloomsday.  Who would have ever thought that this tradition of participating in Spokane’s biggest road race would evolve into the honor of “PERENNIAL”.   There are 104 perennials.   My wife, Tana, offers her encouragement and support by making sure my calendar is marked and also joining the throng.  Her collection of the coveted T-shirts is pretty impressive, but mine is taking up a lot of space and makes me wonder where the years have gone.  The question of the day is always, "I wonder what color the shirts are this year?" The Martin Luthe... 05/01/2013

NATIONWIDE OPEN HOUSE SPOKANE WA 2013 GIVES BIG! Greeting's from the Great Northwest! I am holding two FANTASTIC HOMES OPEN TODAY! Saturday 4/20/13 and you can enter to win a 1,500 GIFT CERTIFICATE from the incredible Tin Roof! See their website at http://www.thetinroof.us/ I would LOVE to see you at my OPEN HOUSE's TODAY Saturday, 4/20/13 I will be at 1717 S. Grand across the street from the FAMOUS Manito Park on Spokane's South Hill! from 10am-12pm where YOU can enter to WIN! Take the VIRTUAL TOUR NOW! http://www.tourfactory.com/938126   And then for a second chance to win, come and see me from 1-3:00pm at 3222 W. Northloop- a house on a gorgeous year round Creek for only 92,500! http://www.tourfactory.com/925217    BethAnn Long, Realtor Coldwell Banker Tomlinson South www.BethAnnHome... 04/20/2013

  I have my tickets…do you have yours? WAR HORSE opened today at the Spokane INB Performing Arts Center.  Best of Broadway Spokane WA, continues to bring exciting and new entertainment to the Inland Empire. Upcoming events include Gordon Lightfoot, West Side Story, Behold Jesus and Lord of the Dance.  A friend of mine realized that she had given and received tickets to WAR HORSE for Christmas!  She sent out an email looking for buyers.  I responded to her email SO I have my tickets.    Spokane is simply a great place to work and play!  Hope you can enjoy this show or the next one!   03/05/2013

Darla Pilant, Real Estate Broker with Exit Real Estate Valley, has earned the Certified Distressed Property Expert® (CDPE) designation, having completed extensive training in foreclosure avoidance, with a particular emphasis on short sales.  At a time when millions of homeowners are struggling with the possibility of foreclosure, the skills and education accumulated by Pilant over her eight years as a Realtor will help benefit local homeowners. In a Spokane short sale transaction, the lien holder accepts the selling price of the home, even if that amount is less than (or “short” of) the borrower’s mortgage balance. This option is less harmful to a homeowner’s credit score, does not challenge employment or security clearance, and allows the seller to be eligible for certain home loans s... 03/05/2013

With all of the negative news out there, I want to say that we here in Spokane WA feel really good about the health of our current market. Inventory is tightening up, lees listings overall, aproximatley 14% less than this time last year. Our percentage of short sales and foreclsores are were at about 22% of sales in 2012, down from the prior year of nearly 30%.  The median home price went up about 4% in 2012 which is a great sign of stableization. Spokane has always been a far better than average place to invest in real estate. In addition, we have seen an increase, however slight, in population growth even throughout this past recession. 2008 = 1.4% 2009 =1.4%2010 =1.1% 2011= 0.3% 2012 = 0.6%  population growth. People recognize that Spokane has been voted one of the top ten places for... 03/03/2013

  Winter in Spokane, Washington probably isn't that different from many other places in January.  However this is how it looked yesterday morning (while I was shoveling my driveway).  It's quite peaceful and beautiful...don't you think? The headline which appeared in The Spokesman-Review read "Winter delivers its first big punch".  Over 6 inches of snow was reported. It was the perfect storm for building a snowman in Spokane, Washington.  01/08/2013

  A few years ago, we discovered a wonderful new Holiday Tradition! Our spectacular Manito Park on Spokane WA South Hill has an incredible light " show" in the "Greenhouse"* adjacent to Duncan Gardens. I am really looking forward to seeing this incredible display of design and creativity! Thousands of lights and plants seem to come to life. It is mesmerizing! We will make an evening of it! It is one of the most enchanting experiences I have ever had! Here are the details: Holiday Lights at Manito Park's *Gaiser Conservatory. Friday, December 7th through Wednesday, December 19Conservatory hours 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Gaiser Conservatory will be decorated with thousands of lights along with poinsettias, mums, and more. The Friends of Manito will host an Open House on Saturday, Dec 8 and S... 12/02/2012

Purchasing a home in Spokane with a reverse mortgage is very similar to purchasing a home with a conventional mortgage.  The down payment must be from qualified sources and is based on certain factors, such as  ·        Purchase price ·        Home’s appraised value ·        Interest rates ·        Borrower’s age The current national home value is capped by FHA at $625,500 and in Spokane that typically isn’t a problem.  Our median home price hovers around $120,000.   Empty nesters who wish to downsize without incurring monthly mortgage payments may think the program is too good to be true. So now it is time to speak to an expert. A reverse mortgage specialist can assist the homebuyer (age 62+) with determing the amount available (and the down payment) so shopping occurs in the right pri... 11/20/2012

As a life long resident of Spokane WA, I have lived in nearly every area of this city. When relocating to Spokane WA I can only imagine what it would be like to try and decide which neighborhoods in Spokane would be best for you. First of all, believe it ot not, as Realtor's we are unable to offer " opinions" about neighborhoods, or appear to be suggesting one area over another. This is a clear violation of our code of ethics. It would appear that we are saying one part of town is " better" than the other. So, I am attempting to describe some basic characteristics about Spokane neighborhoods, or the area's in Spokane, rather. First of All, Spokane WA is separated by North and South by our breathtaking Spokane River. It literally rages right through the center of downtown Spokane. The Sp... 11/14/2012

  The Spokane Fall Festival of Homes started Friday  with 32 brand new homes open for viewing. Spokane, a great place to live and work, always has a smorgasboard of week end events to choose from.  Eighteen builders are participating in the 8th Annual home show sponsored by the Spokane Home Builders Association.   The Spokane Fall Festival of Homes starts today with 32 brand new homes open for viewing.  Whether you are shopping for a new home or just want to get some ideas, this is an excellent opportunity to see the latest in design, landscape and furnishings.  The show runs Sept 28-30 and Oct 5-7. Don't miss it.  Driving directions and virtual tours are available at their website, www.SpokaneFestivalofHomes.com. Keep in mind that financing for a first home or your next home can come i... 10/01/2012

 Extraordinary loan processing occurs in Spokane WA at First Priority Financial. It is time for me to do a little bragging. May I introduce to you Christy  and Catherine. A day doesn’t go by that I don’t appreciate my loan processors.  They really know how to “get’er done! Spokane Realtors love the fact that they can always speak to our processors -- they love the quick closings and no surprises at the closing table.   It is a wonderful thing to sell a home, have happy clients, receive your commission and move forward to serving your next home buyer.  Our clients love the fact that they can call their loan officer AND my processors for loan status.  (Of course, they really don’t need to do this because all changes in status are emailed to all parties to a transaction.) They are knowledg... 09/21/2012

  Bowl'z, Bitez & Spiritz in Spokane, Washington. Places to go in Spokane, Washington   A Spokane version of the hangout of the popular TV show Cheers is open for business.  They officially opened their doors Hoopfest weekend.  Since that hectic weekend, they have scrubbed up the tennis shoe tracks and cleaned the basketball bruises off the wall and are enjoying a nice flow of customers every day.   This street level gathering place is a natural for those who work in the Paulson Building & our downtown banking district.  The entrepreunurial team consists of Spokane locals, Aron Larson and Jake Miller (pictured here).        Bowl'z, Bitez & Spiritz   Happy Hour 4 pm to 7 pm daily   Open 11:30 AM – Closes 2:00 AM   Food all day and all night Corner of Riverside & Washington 509-808-9750 Y... 07/23/2012

Retire in Spokane WA! The Chicago Tribune has named the top 10 best places to retire and GUESS WHO MADE THE LIST?  Spokane WA is a great place to retire! You can read the article here: http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-06-14/classified/sc-cons-0614-top-retirement-cities-20120614_1_income-taxes-retiree-property-taxes#.T-EycW-xbQA.email Because of the reasonable cost of living, great activities, enormous medical community, and " near nature, near perfect" amenities Spokane has to offer, retiring in Spokane Wa just makes good sense. You will encounter 4 Season's so I guess if you don't like Winter, you may want to be one of the many people from the area who are " Snow Birds". Spokane has some great Senior Citizen Centers in nearly each area of town! The South Hill Senior center is fa... 06/23/2012

Scammers, Charlatons and Public Nuisances in Spokane, Washington My office has received three phone calls  from women who were solicited for "personal" loans.....IF THEY SENT $100 TO INDIA......    Someone was using my company name and phone number.     I was happy to tell these callers they should run not walk away from any offer which requires money to be wired in advance of any service, any time, any where.   I also told them that we only do residential lending for refinancing and home purchasing and have never offered "personal" loans of any type.  I called the phone number and questioned a man (with a foreign accent) who said his business name was my business name and that he was licensed in the state of Washington.  I am licensed in the state of Washington.  He was going to talk t... 06/05/2012

  2012 Spokane Road Construction Map now Available! Spokane is an awesome place to live. We enjoy four distinct seasons, each of which brings new things to do and a varying range of weather conditions. It is common for our winter temperatures to range both above and below the freezing mark, and this "freeze-thaw cycle" tends to wreak havoc on our roads. Which means, come spring there are a lot of potholes to fill! It sometimes seems like summer in Spokane means every major road is under construction. Even though this happens every summer, we all inevitablably run into a detour when we least expect it (and then get really grumpy because it makes us late for wherever we need to be.) You know what I'm talking about, right? Well not this year! The 2012 Spokane Regional Road Construction Map... 05/25/2012