Year End Market Report -2018
By Craig Siphers

The Bitterroot real estate market felt a small slow down starting the end of July due to market contractions in feeder markets of the Montana market effected by the unknown effects of the mid term elections as well as the interest rate hikes of the fed.  Even so, the Bitterroot Valley real estate general ended UP year over year in 2018. Residential Sales Continue to Be Strong Condos had a generally strong year in 2018. there were 19 units sold in...

Clint Eastwood famously said "A man's got to know his limitations" in the Dirty Harry Film.  I have been helping people buy and sell real estate for nearly 30 years and over three decades of investing myself in land and homes.  I like to think I know real estate and I try to give my clients the best exposure of their properties when I list to sell.  (See my Blog on List To Sell)  Technology has gotten to the point that 95% of buyers start their search online and good marketing includes tons of G...

Real estate agents get a bad rap.  I've heard it for years that they rank right up
there, or down, with white shoe wearing used car salesmen.....or your ambulance
chasing attorney.  I guess I have to agree in large part.  I've been a part of that
"fraternity" for nearly 30 years and I've seen some real dandies.  But my partner,
Laura Sherry, is a stand out.  I would like to share a little story about her
commitment to buyers.

She recently represented some great young first time home buyers who werev...

This post is influenced by Jay Thompson's similar post in 2011.  I found his advice so compelling that I wanted to share my own version. This is my take on the 7 habits of highly effective home buyers.  I hope you enjoy it and can use it when buying in Montana.

Habit #1: Get Pre-Approved

It only makes sense that you know what you can buy before you go out the door and start looking at properties.  It is imperative to find a lender that you can work with and sit down with them or go on-line a...

This is a question that is not typically asked because many buyers don't recognize that they don't have representation in a transaction unless they consciously choose a buyers broker.  A buyer's broker protects you.  A buyer's broker is your representative. I have been amazed over the past 30 years buying and selling real estate that most real estate buyers have no idea how the process of purchasing real estate works.

The seller generally contracts with a listing agent to market their property. ...