http://montanalandlady.com/ Love where you live! I do! Around here in Montana we are all from a small town, with really long streets! We have some of the highest mountains, the best camping, fishing, hunting and skiing in the country. We like to get together for pot lucks, we warm the benches at our local school sporting events. We still have small town newspapers where the local Lions Club lists significant events, like who's anniversary or birthday is coming up next week. And most of us own a piece of Montana with either a home, a horse, or both on it. Our cities are full of economic progress. We have some of the best medical care in the country, (some of the best doctors and nurses want to raise their kids here). Our Real Estate market has been one of the most stable in the country due to a bit more common sense in the culture. Let's hope it stays that way! Take care , Montana Land Lady, Wanda Thomas, Broker, GRI, ABR, RN en-us http://montanalandlady.com/post/3116648/shepherd-worden-huntley-pompey-s-pillar-real-estate-market-news <p>Since the Real Estate Market is often a matter of opinion in conversation, sometimes it's just a good idea to get a handle on the real picture.&nbsp; Below you'll find an <strong>Inventory Supply Chart</strong>.&nbsp; What the heck does that mean?&nbsp; Let's review.</p> <p>The number of homes that sell, in a specific time period, compared to the number of homes available for sale, in that same time period, can help us understand the pace or speed of sales.&nbsp; When you look at the green bars below, the number on top of them reflects the time it would take to sell all of the unsold properties.&nbsp; You'll see that really high green bar for last October, that was a really slow month of closings.&nbsp; Then right next to that bar, we had more closings for the month of November.</p> <p>This graph reflects the<strong> Real Estate Market Activity</strong> for the <strong>Shepherd, Worden, Huntley, Pompey's Pillar</strong>, or Area 10 in the MLS for the <strong>Billings Montana</strong> area.&nbsp; With some of the inventory rising, we may get some pretty good listings for ready buyers.&nbsp; </p> <p><img title="How's the market?" src="http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/3/4/9/5/4/ar133314935345943.jpg" height="336" alt="shepherd worden huntley real estate market news" width="799"></p> <div class="agent_signature"> <p>The Quilting Realtor</p> <img title="Wanda Thomas" src="http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/6/1/6/9/9/ar132329433399616.jpg" height="159" alt="Wanda Thomas" width="175"> <p><span>Many Dream Of Living In Montana</span></p> <p><span>I'm One of the Lucky One's That Already Do!</span></p> <p><span>Wanda Thomas</span></p> <p><a href="mailto:2wandathomas@gmail.com" title="wanda's email"><span>2wandathomas@gmail.com</span></a></p> <p>Call or Text 406-698-8640 for help with all things Montana.</p> <p><a href="http://mthb.net/wp/" title="idx link"><strong>Local MLS Search Link</strong></a></p> <p><span><br></span></p> </div> Wanda Thomas, Billings Montana Real Estate (Montana Homestead Brokers, Broker, CRS, GRI, SFR, RN) Sun, 01 Apr 2012 10:56:09 -0700 http://montanalandlady.com/post/3116648/shepherd-worden-huntley-pompey-s-pillar-real-estate-market-news http://montanalandlady.com/post/3077301/are-we-living-in-homes-that-are-too-big-and-becoming-antisocial- <p><strong>Monday Night Quilting</strong> always brings about some interesting topics of conversation.&nbsp; Sometimes we solve world problems, like war and hunger.&nbsp; Sometimes we talk about the price of cotton and fabric.&nbsp; We also wonder why we can't have quilt fabric manufactured in the USA!</p> <p>But last Monday night we talked about our move as an American society to act more like an individual, and less like part of a family or community.&nbsp; <strong>What does this have to do with Real Estate?&nbsp; </strong>Are we living in homes that are too big and becoming antisocial?</p> <ul> <li>the number of bedrooms, and just "room" in a home has<strong> increased</strong> because kids are more likely to have their own bedrooms instead of sharing</li> <li>the <strong>need for more spaces</strong> to "be" at home, such as more family rooms, more bathrooms (yea!) more eating areas, more decks, more garage spaces</li> <li>quilters definitely <strong>need more room</strong>, I do remember sewing for hours on the dining room table, thank goodness those days are gone</li> </ul> <p><img title="fun group" src="http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/6/0/7/2/0/ar133243117902706.jpg" height="200" alt="fun group" width="298">Most of us in our group shared a bedroom with our siblings.&nbsp; We concluded that it taught us a bit more about <strong>sharing, getting along, working things out.</strong>&nbsp; I can remember dreaming of my own bedroom, and I finally did when I got older, but I had to walk through my sister's bedroom to get to mine.</p> <p>We have many more single people who live alone, and there is a good chance that this could increase.&nbsp; The social benefits of having a room mate ( because you don't have a spouse) might be better then we like to admit.&nbsp;</p> <p>It's interesting to me that there is a <strong>move by my parents generation to move to a "community"</strong> of people with similar interests.&nbsp; Even if the whole room mate idea isn't appealing, the idea of living in close proximity to others, having a meal or two together, exercising together, demonstrates the appeal of community.</p> <p>This concept of groupiness, may be harder for people who have spent years trying to be alone and private, to enjoy the longer life ahead.</p> <p>Thoughts?&nbsp; </p> <div class="agent_signature"> <p>The Quilting Realtor</p> <img title="Wanda Thomas" src="http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/6/1/6/9/9/ar132329433399616.jpg" height="159" alt="Wanda Thomas" width="175"> <p><span>Many Dream Of Living In Montana</span></p> <p><span>I'm One of the Lucky One's That Already Do!</span></p> <p><span>Wanda Thomas</span></p> <p><a href="mailto:2wandathomas@gmail.com" title="wanda's email"><span>2wandathomas@gmail.com</span></a></p> <p>Call or Text 406-698-8640 for help with all things Montana.</p> <p><a href="http://mthb.net/wp/" title="idx link"><strong>Local MLS Search Link</strong></a></p> <p><span><br></span></p> </div> Wanda Thomas, Billings Montana Real Estate (Montana Homestead Brokers, Broker, CRS, GRI, SFR, RN) Thu, 22 Mar 2012 08:53:44 -0700 http://montanalandlady.com/post/3077301/are-we-living-in-homes-that-are-too-big-and-becoming-antisocial- http://montanalandlady.com/post/2635854/billings-heights-homes-for-sale-activity-for-today-12-6-2011 <p>I have some clients who are interested in the <strong>Billings Heights Real Estate Market Activity</strong>, so while doing my search I thought it would be some helpful information to share.</p> <p>The market areas I searched in Billings Montana for this report include <strong>area 1, West of Main Street and area 2, East of Main Street.</strong></p> <ul> <li>196 unsold homes on the market</li> <li>22 of these homes have accepted contracts that are pending to close</li> <li>25 of these homes have accepted contracts that are contingent on the successful outcome of contract details such as home inspections and other investigations</li> </ul> <p>The<strong> Activity Index</strong> for today in the<strong> Billings Heights is about 23%</strong>.&nbsp; Which is a pretty healthy number.&nbsp; Of the homes that are currently under contract, the average number of days these homes were listed before they secured an accepted buy/sell was 93 days.&nbsp; That's a <strong>longer</strong> time period than we usually have, which is more like 65 to 75 days.</p> <p><img title="Home Sale Activity Billings Heights" src="http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/4/1/5/3/1/ar13232122013514.jpg" height="210" alt="Billings Heights Real Estate Market" width="350"></p> <p>Keep in mind that only about 43% of all homes that are listed successfully close (which means ownership is transferred).&nbsp; Heading into winter, we often see a bit of hesitation in the number of sales, depending on our weather.</p> <p>Our<strong> prices</strong> for this group of <strong>unsold homes</strong> looks like this for average:</p> <ul> <li>$193,758 the average price of all unsold listings</li> <li>$186,532 the average price of these homes that are pending</li> <li>$171,112 the average price of these homes that are contingent</li> </ul> <p>The selection of homes at this time of the year and in this market is diminished.&nbsp; This is evidenced by the Activity Index being greater than 20% (<strong>favors sellers due to decrease in unsold inventory</strong>).</p> <p>Those homes that have closed in the same Billings Heights areas 1 and 2 over the past 90 days showed the following:</p> <ul> <li>$181,609 was the average sold price</li> <li>97% was the average list price/sold price</li> <li>89 was the average number of days on the market before a successful offer was agreed to</li> <li>2.22 was the average number of bathrooms</li> <li>4 was the average number of bedrooms</li> <li>2,232 was the average square feet of the properties sold</li> </ul> <p>On a more personal note, this dang wind is driving me crazy, I can't get warm!&nbsp; For a couple of days now I've tried not to go outside, and the sun is shining!&nbsp; My plastic trash cans were flying around the neighborhood, along with those of my neighbors, thank goodness they were emptied this morning.</p> <p>PS&nbsp; We could use some snow.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <div class="agent_signature"> <p>The Quilting Realtor</p> <img title="Wanda Thomas" src="http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/6/1/6/9/9/ar132329433399616.jpg" height="159" alt="Wanda Thomas" width="175"> <p><span>Many Dream Of Living In Montana</span></p> <p><span>I'm One of the Lucky One's That Already Do!</span></p> <p><span>Wanda Thomas</span></p> <p><a href="mailto:2wandathomas@gmail.com" title="wanda's email"><span>2wandathomas@gmail.com</span></a></p> <p>Call or Text 406-698-8640 for help with all things Montana.</p> <p><a href="http://mthb.net/wp/" title="idx link"><strong>Local MLS Search Link</strong></a></p> <p><span><br></span></p> </div> Wanda Thomas, Billings Montana Real Estate (Montana Homestead Brokers, Broker, CRS, GRI, SFR, RN) Tue, 06 Dec 2011 18:04:29 -0800 http://montanalandlady.com/post/2635854/billings-heights-homes-for-sale-activity-for-today-12-6-2011 http://montanalandlady.com/post/2552422/superintendent-needed-to-go-so-our-teachers-wouldn-t-retire-to-uruguay <p>This past summer during my gym exercise, I overheard many local teachers discussing their plans to pull up roots and move to <a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/uy.html" title="CIA info on Ururguay">Uruguay in South America</a>.&nbsp; Sounded like an interesting migration; cheaper cost of living, practically free health care (touted to be better than USA) and just a relief from the<strong> "nightmare in School District 2".<img title="South America to retire" src="http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/6/2/8/6/4/ar131842056046826.jpg" height="200" alt="teachers off to Uruguay" width="105"></strong></p> <p>Like many school systems around the country, the largest one in <strong>Montana,</strong> <strong>School District 2 in Billings,</strong> is facing budget troubles.&nbsp; The<strong> leader of any</strong> school district, legislative district, State or Country<strong> can have a hard time keeping their job in a tough economy.&nbsp;</strong></p> <p>The local school board for District 2 experienced a huge increase in public comment and input during the last few months leading up to the forced departure of the superintendent.&nbsp; People were gathered together, carrying signs and chanting their cause.&nbsp;</p> <p>The school board members, an all volunteer force, were discussing how upset people were and what they could do about it.&nbsp; It would be fair to say that there was not overall agreement in the school board group about what the cause of the dissent was among the teachers, administration and the public.&nbsp; In fact,<strong> many feathers were being ruffled from several sides.&nbsp; SD2 Trustees voted to terminate the Superintendent's contract and buy him out.</strong></p> <p><strong>This whole time, during the public school board meetings, we never heard from the superintendent.&nbsp;</strong> He was there, sitting, with his lips zipped.&nbsp; He did bring an attorney, which is perfectly reasonable, but still, why so quiet?&nbsp; Could this be part of the problem?&nbsp;<strong> Communication skills, zip?&nbsp;</strong></p> <p>I hope the<strong> job search for the next superintendent</strong> includes the criteria of "great communicator".&nbsp; Maybe you need a couple of people to serve in this job, or at least a "press secretary" who can communicate to the public.</p> <p><strong>A skilled administrator cannot lead without being a good communicator</strong>.&nbsp; People are much more willing to forgive shortfalls if they "feel" like their leader is driving them down the right road.&nbsp; Sometimes you have to take a couple of turns, but<strong> if the pack doesn't know why you're going down that different road, they'll think you're on the wrong one!</strong></p> <p>Uruguay is a long way from Billings Montana.&nbsp; We need seasoned teachers in our district, after all,<strong> we have some of the highest testing students in the country right here.&nbsp; They didn't get that way without good teachers, administrators, board and public.</strong></p> <p>This is just my humble opinion :)</p> <div class="agent_signature"> <p>The Quilting Realtor</p> <img title="Wanda Thomas" src="http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/6/1/6/9/9/ar132329433399616.jpg" height="159" alt="Wanda Thomas" width="175"> <p><span>Many Dream Of Living In Montana</span></p> <p><span>I'm One of the Lucky One's That Already Do!</span></p> <p><span>Wanda Thomas</span></p> <p><a href="mailto:2wandathomas@gmail.com" title="wanda's email"><span>2wandathomas@gmail.com</span></a></p> <p>Call or Text 406-698-8640 for help with all things Montana.</p> <p><a href="http://mthb.net/wp/" title="idx link"><strong>Local MLS Search Link</strong></a></p> <p><span><br></span></p> </div> Wanda Thomas, Billings Montana Real Estate (Montana Homestead Brokers, Broker, CRS, GRI, SFR, RN) Wed, 12 Oct 2011 07:58:14 -0700 http://montanalandlady.com/post/2552422/superintendent-needed-to-go-so-our-teachers-wouldn-t-retire-to-uruguay http://montanalandlady.com/post/2519436/how-do-you-talk-to-your-customer-clients-about-your-real-estate-relationship-disclosure-form-and-not-scare-the-pants-off-of-them- <p>I follow<a href="http://activerain.com/blogs/ninarogoff" title="Nina's blog"> Nina's blog and she asked a very good question about agency disclosure </a>upon meeting with people to talk about real estate listing and sales.</p> <p>She was bringing to light that the agency disclosure, from some agents, is not as forthcoming to people as it should be, either delayed or not mentioned at all.&nbsp;</p> <p>I think that many agents struggle with the best way to bring this subject up to their clients, and may be hesitant to scare people away by asking them to sign a disclosure paper, our form is 2 pages long!</p> <p>In our state of Montana, must be made in writing at or before the listing or buyer's agent agreements are signed, and a statutory broker must disclose their relationship at the same time the broker first endeavors to locate property for the buyer.</p> <p>In simple terms, it's required to let the customer/client know how you work in relation to their needs.</p> <p><img title="I wonder" src="http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/5/0/6/2/9/ar131664343492605.jpg" height="200" alt="I wonder" width="160">I find that<strong> when I disclose this agency practice, many people that I am newly acquainted with, instantly get their guard up worried about commitment. &nbsp; They don't realize I'm following good practice and Montana Law!</strong></p> <p>Maybe some folks just want to use me to open a door for them, and they don't have any intention of making a purchase or commit to use me as their REALTOR.&nbsp; I'm ok with not showing those people homes.</p> <p>I wonder if one of the first things I said was <strong>"Montana Law requires me to disclose to you the various ways I can help you with your Real Estate needs"</strong> .&nbsp; Pretty blunt, and I do work this into the conversation very well when I'm writing listing and buyer's agency contracts.</p> <p>&nbsp;If anyone has a favorite script that helps people understand this required disclosure, I'd love it if you could share!</p> <div class="agent_signature"> <p>The Quilting Realtor</p> <img title="Wanda Thomas" src="http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/6/1/6/9/9/ar132329433399616.jpg" height="159" alt="Wanda Thomas" width="175"> <p><span>Many Dream Of Living In Montana</span></p> <p><span>I'm One of the Lucky One's That Already Do!</span></p> <p><span>Wanda Thomas</span></p> <p><a href="mailto:2wandathomas@gmail.com" title="wanda's email"><span>2wandathomas@gmail.com</span></a></p> <p>Call or Text 406-698-8640 for help with all things Montana.</p> <p><a href="http://mthb.net/wp/" title="idx link"><strong>Local MLS Search Link</strong></a></p> <p><span><br></span></p> </div> Wanda Thomas, Billings Montana Real Estate (Montana Homestead Brokers, Broker, CRS, GRI, SFR, RN) Wed, 21 Sep 2011 18:21:58 -0700 http://montanalandlady.com/post/2519436/how-do-you-talk-to-your-customer-clients-about-your-real-estate-relationship-disclosure-form-and-not-scare-the-pants-off-of-them- http://montanalandlady.com/post/2516580/home-for-sale-on-the-golf-course-in-the-cozy-town-of-huntley-montana <p>I found this <strong>home for sale</strong> in a <strong>golf course community</strong> that has the kind of charm and upscale finishes I would look to expect in a more upscale price range for the price of $395,000.&nbsp; The <strong>Pryor Creek Golf course i</strong>s pretty good sized, do you like to golf?</p> <p>Over 4,100 square feet of open living space, with the backyard right on the fairway.&nbsp; My favorite part of this home is the open kitchen dinning room, very Montana!&nbsp; Huge eating bar to saddle up to with friends and family.&nbsp;</p> <p>The school system is excellent in this small town community.&nbsp; You may have heard of <strong>Huntley Project School,</strong> lots of people want their kids to be a part of this class B school system.&nbsp; The town of Huntley is actually closer to Billings than the rest of the Project Community, and you can hop on the Interstate and be downtown in about 20 minutes.</p> <p>Here's a picture of the kitchen:&nbsp; for more pictures and info follow this link to <a href="http://mthb.net/wp/?p=346" title="1351 Florian">1351 Florian</a>.&nbsp; I toured this home last week, listed by Kellie Saville, and just had to blog about it.&nbsp; Call me if this is something you'd like more info about.&nbsp;</p> <p><img title="1351 Florian" src="http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/6/6/6/1/3/ar131653267431666.jpg" height="400" alt="home for sale Huntley Montana" width="512"></p> <div class="agent_signature"> <p>The Quilting Realtor</p> <img title="Wanda Thomas" src="http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/6/1/6/9/9/ar132329433399616.jpg" height="159" alt="Wanda Thomas" width="175"> <p><span>Many Dream Of Living In Montana</span></p> <p><span>I'm One of the Lucky One's That Already Do!</span></p> <p><span>Wanda Thomas</span></p> <p><a href="mailto:2wandathomas@gmail.com" title="wanda's email"><span>2wandathomas@gmail.com</span></a></p> <p>Call or Text 406-698-8640 for help with all things Montana.</p> <p><a href="http://mthb.net/wp/" title="idx link"><strong>Local MLS Search Link</strong></a></p> <p><span><br></span></p> </div> Wanda Thomas, Billings Montana Real Estate (Montana Homestead Brokers, Broker, CRS, GRI, SFR, RN) Tue, 20 Sep 2011 11:36:05 -0700 http://montanalandlady.com/post/2516580/home-for-sale-on-the-golf-course-in-the-cozy-town-of-huntley-montana http://montanalandlady.com/post/2511273/the-most-generous-lending-program-in-montana-is-guaranteed-rural-housing-grh-financing <p>Rural Development Financing is available from many lenders in our area, with rates and qualifying <strong>hoops that many people can jump through</strong>, but this does not work for homes in Billings Montana.</p> <p>Not every home can qualify, and not every borrower can qualify, but the adjusted gross income limits are worth a serious look for many home buyers.&nbsp; This is not just for first time home buyers either!&nbsp; This program will allow you to buy as much home as you can afford in the country, or even in small towns with a few highlights to consider:</p> <ul> <li>No down payment</li> <li>No monthly mortgage insurance, so this won't be an addition to your monthly payment</li> <li>No cash reserves required (but I would have some anyway)</li> <li>Credit history doesn't have to be perfect, guidelines that fit&nbsp; situations other lending programs won't even consider, of course, you can't have terrible credit</li> <li>No limitation on source of closing costs, can be gifted, other down payment assistance funds might be allowed</li> <li>Repairs may be financed up to 100% of the appraised or "as improved" value, I find this really helpful for people who want to purchase a discounted home that needs some fixing!</li> </ul> <p>We have some really nice homes in the rural communities that may work just right for this type of mortgage.&nbsp; If you want to know if the area you're thinking qualifies, or not, follow the<a href="http://eligibility.sc.egov.usda.gov/eligibility/welcomeAction.do" title="USDA property eligibility"><strong> link to the Rural Development website</strong></a> and check this out.&nbsp; Then call me and we'll see if we can find you a home!&nbsp;</p> <p>Once you get to the site, just click Property Eligibility and then Single Family, accept the info and you'll be directed to a place you can enter the zip code of the area you're interested in.</p> <p><a href="http://eligibility.sc.egov.usda.gov/eligibility/welcomeAction.do" title="USDA property eligibility"><img title="click to be directed to the USDA website" src="http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/7/1/7/6/3/ar131620730336717.jpg" height="200" alt="rural development website link" width="237"></a></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <div class="agent_signature"> <p>The Quilting Realtor</p> <img title="Wanda Thomas" src="http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/6/1/6/9/9/ar132329433399616.jpg" height="159" alt="Wanda Thomas" width="175"> <p><span>Many Dream Of Living In Montana</span></p> <p><span>I'm One of the Lucky One's That Already Do!</span></p> <p><span>Wanda Thomas</span></p> <p><a href="mailto:2wandathomas@gmail.com" title="wanda's email"><span>2wandathomas@gmail.com</span></a></p> <p>Call or Text 406-698-8640 for help with all things Montana.</p> <p><a href="http://mthb.net/wp/" title="idx link"><strong>Local MLS Search Link</strong></a></p> <p><span><br></span></p> </div> Wanda Thomas, Billings Montana Real Estate (Montana Homestead Brokers, Broker, CRS, GRI, SFR, RN) Fri, 16 Sep 2011 17:15:29 -0700 http://montanalandlady.com/post/2511273/the-most-generous-lending-program-in-montana-is-guaranteed-rural-housing-grh-financing http://montanalandlady.com/post/2505860/save-money-for-a-home-and-save-for-retirement-at-the-same-time- <p>I think <strong>my economics class was about 40 years long,</strong> and frankly it's still not over yet.&nbsp; One thing I have noticed, is&nbsp; with a tough economy, what was old, is new again!&nbsp; I'm not talking about making the most out of garage sale prices, I'm talking about<strong> living a life that includes a paid off mortgage.</strong></p> <p>To me, paying off a mortgage before I retire is the best way to save for retirement; how you might ask?&nbsp; Most financial planners rightfully talk about how much money you'll need, on an annual basis, to live in retirement, and then they try to help you plan for that time.</p> <p><strong><img title="A Savings Plan" src="http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/6/9/2/3/6/ar131595046563296.jpg" height="200" alt="Save for retirement by paying off your home" width="237">How simple</strong> it is to consider that if you pay off a home, either by using cash to start with, or by paying off your mortgage, you won't have that mortgage expense when you get older.&nbsp;</p> <p>I know lots of young people understand this, they didn't hit the real estate market at it's rapid incline, so they understand, quite clearly that <strong>when you purchase a home, you are not guaranteed instant tax free cash from rapid appreciation in 5 years.&nbsp;</strong></p> <p>Most can look at history and reflect that homes will appreciate over time.&nbsp; So, even with a hiccup in home prices, if you stay put, you should do better than just putting money into a rental you won't ever pay off (except the owner of the rental usually does pretty good).</p> <p>It just makes sense that if you're going to pay a certain amount for housing each and every month, to pay off a home with that payment gets you further ahead than if you don't.&nbsp; Of course, many families, young and old are too mobile to wait out the supply and demand cycles,<strong> but if you can, you should.</strong></p> <p>So, in my humble opinion, <strong>save for a home, pay it off, and then retire with less pressure on your other investments to perform.&nbsp;</strong> Oh yea, should you add some rental property to your "holdings" or just hope the wall street gurus are thinking of you first and not their own take home pay?&nbsp; I like my investments, but I like not having a mortgage in the future as well.</p> <p>When is a good time to buy a home?&nbsp; Should you buy when everyone else is in a hurry to buy or should you buy when everyone else is staying away?&nbsp; The people who make good decisions in any market, always do better.&nbsp; <strong>Would it be better to buy a home when the interest rate is 4% or 8%?</strong>&nbsp; Smart people understand this easy math well.</p> <p>Of course if you're not moving and moving and moving every few years, I can't sell as many houses.&nbsp; But then, should it really be about me?&nbsp; Or should you do things that get you and your family on a secure path to the most comfortable lifestyle, now and in the future, that you can afford.</p> <p><strong>Rookie home buyers wanted!</strong></p> <div class="agent_signature"> <p>The Quilting Realtor</p> <img title="Wanda Thomas" src="http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/6/1/6/9/9/ar132329433399616.jpg" height="159" alt="Wanda Thomas" width="175"> <p><span>Many Dream Of Living In Montana</span></p> <p><span>I'm One of the Lucky One's That Already Do!</span></p> <p><span>Wanda Thomas</span></p> <p><a href="mailto:2wandathomas@gmail.com" title="wanda's email"><span>2wandathomas@gmail.com</span></a></p> <p>Call or Text 406-698-8640 for help with all things Montana.</p> <p><a href="http://mthb.net/wp/" title="idx link"><strong>Local MLS Search Link</strong></a></p> <p><span><br></span></p> </div> Wanda Thomas, Billings Montana Real Estate (Montana Homestead Brokers, Broker, CRS, GRI, SFR, RN) Tue, 13 Sep 2011 17:52:32 -0700 http://montanalandlady.com/post/2505860/save-money-for-a-home-and-save-for-retirement-at-the-same-time- http://montanalandlady.com/post/2499856/a-real-birds-eye-view-of-the-mighty-yellowstone-river <p>I took this picture of a real bird (house)'s eye view of the <strong>Yellowstone River</strong> from a<strong> log home for sale</strong> just east of <strong>Billings Montana</strong>.&nbsp; The road is named<strong> Bald Eagle Road</strong> and while we were viewing this log home listing, right on cue, a Bald Eagle flew right in front of us on it's way to fish in the Yellowstone.</p> <p><img title="Bird's eye view of the Yellowstone River" src="http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/7/7/3/9/9/ar131561873199377.jpg" height="307" alt="View of Yellowstone River from log home for sale" width="600"></p> <p>I think it's only fair to mention that this is not riverfront property, there is a railroad track down next to the river.&nbsp; However, this view is really not to hard to take, lots of wildlife all day long.&nbsp; Tonight you'll be able to see the Northern Lights on the horizon, looking in the very same direction.</p> <p>If you want more info on log homes for sale in our area, just email me here <a href="mailto:2wandathomas@gmail.com" title="wanda's email">2wandathomas@gmail.com.</a></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <div class="agent_signature"> <p>The Quilting Realtor</p> <img title="Wanda Thomas" src="http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/6/1/6/9/9/ar132329433399616.jpg" height="159" alt="Wanda Thomas" width="175"> <p><span>Many Dream Of Living In Montana</span></p> <p><span>I'm One of the Lucky One's That Already Do!</span></p> <p><span>Wanda Thomas</span></p> <p><a href="mailto:2wandathomas@gmail.com" title="wanda's email"><span>2wandathomas@gmail.com</span></a></p> <p>Call or Text 406-698-8640 for help with all things Montana.</p> <p><a href="http://mthb.net/wp/" title="idx link"><strong>Local MLS Search Link</strong></a></p> <p><span><br></span></p> </div> Wanda Thomas, Billings Montana Real Estate (Montana Homestead Brokers, Broker, CRS, GRI, SFR, RN) Fri, 09 Sep 2011 21:50:10 -0700 http://montanalandlady.com/post/2499856/a-real-birds-eye-view-of-the-mighty-yellowstone-river http://montanalandlady.com/post/2498752/montana-hay-bale-trail-september-11-2011 <p><strong>Montana Hay Bale Trail Hobson, Montana, September 11, 2011</strong></p> <p>In Montana we have a way of just hanging out with the neighbors, especially on days when the neighbors clown around.&nbsp; That will be happening again this next Sunday just a hundred miles or so north of me in the Hobson-Utica area.&nbsp;<strong> We will be remembering the 10 year anniversary of a horrible event with the celebration of community spirit!&nbsp; Our towers are made of hay.</strong></p> <p>One of my favorite things to do in my part of the country, is to hit the highway and go see all the small town fun in our<strong> Big Sky Country</strong>.&nbsp; This Sunday will be especially fun, since there will be miles of special hay bale art up and down the road.&nbsp; This is the 22nd consecutive event for this community, <strong>genius way for a fun fundraiser</strong>.&nbsp; We even get to vote on our favorite hay bale design (we've heard some will be mechanically inclined).</p> <p>Here is a map of the event, gates open Sunday morning at 8am.&nbsp; Maybe I'll see you there?&nbsp; I will be posting some pictures and add them to this post, just for fun.&nbsp; I will be taking my 18 month old grandson on the adventure, he like to ride in the car.&nbsp; For more info, visit their great website by clicking<strong> <a href="http://montanabaletrail.com/map-to-the-montana-bale-trail-what-the-hay/" title="Montana Hay Bale Trail">HERE</a></strong></p> <p><img title="Montana Hay Bale Trail Map" src="http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/4/7/6/0/4/ar131557974940674.jpg" height="650" alt="map of Montana Hay Bale Trail" width="650"></p> <div class="agent_signature"> <p>The Quilting Realtor</p> <img title="Wanda Thomas" src="http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/6/1/6/9/9/ar132329433399616.jpg" height="159" alt="Wanda Thomas" width="175"> <p><span>Many Dream Of Living In Montana</span></p> <p><span>I'm One of the Lucky One's That Already Do!</span></p> <p><span>Wanda Thomas</span></p> <p><a href="mailto:2wandathomas@gmail.com" title="wanda's email"><span>2wandathomas@gmail.com</span></a></p> <p>Call or Text 406-698-8640 for help with all things Montana.</p> <p><a href="http://mthb.net/wp/" title="idx link"><strong>Local MLS Search Link</strong></a></p> <p><span><br></span></p> </div> Wanda Thomas, Billings Montana Real Estate (Montana Homestead Brokers, Broker, CRS, GRI, SFR, RN) Fri, 09 Sep 2011 11:08:16 -0700 http://montanalandlady.com/post/2498752/montana-hay-bale-trail-september-11-2011 http://montanalandlady.com/post/2497648/rocky-mountain-sewing-and-craft-festival-billings-montana-sept-29-30-and-oct-1 <p>The <strong>Yellowstone County Extension Service</strong> helps to organize a 3 day event for Sewing and Crafty people who love to see and learn new things.</p> <p><strong>Quilting, Serging, Machine and Hand Embroidery, Jewelry Making and garment construction; all under one roof!</strong></p> <p>You get to hang out with like minded people!&nbsp; You get to try skills you already have and learn a few new ones!</p> <p>The cost is so affordable, I don't know how they do this, except for the great support of sponsors and teachers!</p> <p>You can click this link to take you to our<a href="http://www.co.yellowstone.mt.gov/extension/" title="Rocky Mountain Sewing and Craft Festival"> Yellowstone County Website onto the Extension Service page</a> for the full brochure and some pictures of the finished products from some of the classes.&nbsp; You'll need some basic sewing supplies, and some classes feature projects that you can do right in the class, but you need to purchase the kits in order to have the right stuff.</p> <p>Have you thought about sewing up a few children's clothes lately?&nbsp; I know we have rekindled a huge interest in sewing for children just because the things you can make are so darn cute and special!</p> <p>Here's a couple of pictures of some fun skirts one of the teachers,<strong> Nancy Sasse</strong>, will have during class #54 on Saturday October 1 in the Dress Form Room of the Shrine Auditorium on Broadwater Avenue.</p> <p><img title="Rocky Mountain Sewing Festival childrens sewing by Nancy Sasse" src="http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/5/2/6/4/0/ar131551474904625.jpg" height="389" alt="childrens sewing project" width="400"></p> <p>Lots of fun fabrics in this skirt, many more to choose from, and surprisingly easy to make!&nbsp;</p> <p><img title="Rocky Mountain Sewing Festival childrens sewing by Nancy Sasse" src="http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/3/6/0/8/7/ar131551489878063.jpg" height="351" alt="childrens sewing project" width="400"></p> <p>You can find the fabrics and the pattern at <a href="http://www.4windsquilting.com" title="Four Winds Quilting Website">Nancy's website</a>, some fabrics will be available for purchase right at the Rocky Mountain Sewing and Craft Festival in the vendor's section!</p> <div class="agent_signature"> <p>The Quilting Realtor</p> <img title="Wanda Thomas" src="http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/6/1/6/9/9/ar132329433399616.jpg" height="159" alt="Wanda Thomas" width="175"> <p><span>Many Dream Of Living In Montana</span></p> <p><span>I'm One of the Lucky One's That Already Do!</span></p> <p><span>Wanda Thomas</span></p> <p><a href="mailto:2wandathomas@gmail.com" title="wanda's email"><span>2wandathomas@gmail.com</span></a></p> <p>Call or Text 406-698-8640 for help with all things Montana.</p> <p><a href="http://mthb.net/wp/" title="idx link"><strong>Local MLS Search Link</strong></a></p> <p><span><br></span></p> </div> Wanda Thomas, Billings Montana Real Estate (Montana Homestead Brokers, Broker, CRS, GRI, SFR, RN) Thu, 08 Sep 2011 16:56:37 -0700 http://montanalandlady.com/post/2497648/rocky-mountain-sewing-and-craft-festival-billings-montana-sept-29-30-and-oct-1 http://montanalandlady.com/post/2484026/what-s-the-meaning-of-labor-in-labor-day <p>The first thing I think of is a worker, usually an <strong>hourly paid worker</strong>, who shows up and does the "stuff" that needs done.&nbsp; The Labor Force usually works at the pleasure/need of the boss, who usually represents the best interest of either a for profit, or not for profit institution.&nbsp;</p> <p>The hourly worker, Laborer, <strong>works for a specified amount of money and hopefully benefit</strong>, (no benefits are not free, people actually have to work for them).&nbsp; The hourly worker gets paid the same wage no matter what the company/institution makes the same day.&nbsp; If the company has a really good year and makes a profit, that can sometimes be distributed to the Labor Force in a manner of a bonus or salary increase.&nbsp; But basically, the profit benefits the company owner/owners/shareholders.</p> <p>Now what about the<strong> word Labor</strong>?&nbsp; After the hourly worker, I think about my "labor" when I <strong>gave birth to 4 children</strong>, I labored for hours, it was<strong> really hard work</strong> (no one better disagree with this, I dare you).</p> <p>Then I think about<strong> "labored breathing"</strong>, which can happen whenever you<strong> work really hard</strong> or suffer from some type of physical ailment, basically it's hard breathing.</p> <p>Then I think about <strong>"laboring while I'm pulling weeds in my garden"</strong> which refers to the hard work I have to do to make things grow even though I know the same weeds will be back there in a couple weeks (repetitive labor).</p> <p>Then I wonder about the Holiday I'm about to take over this <strong>Labor Day weekend<img title="Happy Labor Day Weekend" src="http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/2/3/1/1/6/ar131482804461132.jpg" height="200" alt="bbq burgers" width="144"></strong></p> <p>And I thank goodness for all of those who labor to <strong>make this world a better place</strong> and I'll be thinking about how hard it is to make a buck in this world, and how<strong> I hope we all have enough bucks to grill a hamburger and drink a beer with friends</strong> on the deck at Grandma's cabin.</p> <p><strong>Thank you all!</strong></p> <div class="agent_signature"> <p>The Quilting Realtor</p> <img title="Wanda Thomas" src="http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/6/1/6/9/9/ar132329433399616.jpg" height="159" alt="Wanda Thomas" width="175"> <p><span>Many Dream Of Living In Montana</span></p> <p><span>I'm One of the Lucky One's That Already Do!</span></p> <p><span>Wanda Thomas</span></p> <p><a href="mailto:2wandathomas@gmail.com" title="wanda's email"><span>2wandathomas@gmail.com</span></a></p> <p>Call or Text 406-698-8640 for help with all things Montana.</p> <p><a href="http://mthb.net/wp/" title="idx link"><strong>Local MLS Search Link</strong></a></p> <p><span><br></span></p> </div> Wanda Thomas, Billings Montana Real Estate (Montana Homestead Brokers, Broker, CRS, GRI, SFR, RN) Wed, 31 Aug 2011 18:04:09 -0700 http://montanalandlady.com/post/2484026/what-s-the-meaning-of-labor-in-labor-day http://montanalandlady.com/post/2482636/another-hiker-killed-by-grizzly-in-yellowstone-park <p><strong>I'm very sad to hear this news,</strong> this kind of press just makes films like "The Night of the Grizzlies" run through my head.&nbsp; I love Grizzly Bears, not up close, but I just love the fact that we have them still around.&nbsp; Encounters with people are <strong>VERY RARE, but the headlines are huge!<img title="Yellowstone Grizzly Bear Incident" src="http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/5/6/8/1/6/ar131475799961865.jpg" height="200" alt="Grizzly Bear" width="215"></strong></p> <p>More worry-some, for me, was to hear that the<strong> hiker who was killed</strong> was on the Mary Mountain Trail, <strong>ALONE AND WITHOUT ANY BEAR SPRAY.</strong>&nbsp; Good grief, the<strong> Mary Mountain Trail</strong> is located in one of the most active areas of Yellowstone Park for Grizzly Bear activity.</p> <p>I suppose solitude on the trail is a treasured experience for some people, I personally don't get it.&nbsp;<strong> Never travel alone,</strong> but if you do, take precautions and protect yourself please.&nbsp; When a Grizzly Bear attacks a human, for whatever reason, that<strong> Bear is as good as dead as well.</strong></p> <p>I would like to <strong>see Yellowstone Park</strong> institute a <strong>"group" hike meet up time</strong> at trail heads for those people who have the sense to travel together on these wonderful hikes.&nbsp;<strong> Be a little friendly out there</strong> and you'll find that most people, foreign or otherwise, will enjoy being in a group.&nbsp; You don't have to stay too close together, just be in a group.&nbsp; Who knows, you might meet some like minded people and enjoy the hike even more!&nbsp; You'll definitely feel safer and be safer.&nbsp; Groups are so much less likely to have Grizzly Bear problems.</p> <p>I have been hunting huckleberries in Grizzly Bear country for 40 years and even though Grizzlies love huckleberries, I've<strong> NEVER HAD AN ENCOUNTER.</strong>&nbsp; Even with this great record (so far), I still carry bear spray, holler "hey Griz, I'm here" and frequently make some type of noise so I don't surprise a bear.&nbsp; Lately we've been<strong> packing a little heat</strong> on the hip as well, at least since the bear population has increased over the years.&nbsp; I don't plan to ever shot a bear unless it's absolutely necessary, but I'll pull the trigger on my bear spray in a split second.</p> <div class="agent_signature"> <p>The Quilting Realtor</p> <img title="Wanda Thomas" src="http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/6/1/6/9/9/ar132329433399616.jpg" height="159" alt="Wanda Thomas" width="175"> <p><span>Many Dream Of Living In Montana</span></p> <p><span>I'm One of the Lucky One's That Already Do!</span></p> <p><span>Wanda Thomas</span></p> <p><a href="mailto:2wandathomas@gmail.com" title="wanda's email"><span>2wandathomas@gmail.com</span></a></p> <p>Call or Text 406-698-8640 for help with all things Montana.</p> <p><a href="http://mthb.net/wp/" title="idx link"><strong>Local MLS Search Link</strong></a></p> <p><span><br></span></p> </div> Wanda Thomas, Billings Montana Real Estate (Montana Homestead Brokers, Broker, CRS, GRI, SFR, RN) Tue, 30 Aug 2011 22:36:17 -0700 http://montanalandlady.com/post/2482636/another-hiker-killed-by-grizzly-in-yellowstone-park http://montanalandlady.com/post/2480067/how-s-the-summer-real-estate-market-in-shepherd-huntley-worden-ballantine-and-pompey-s-pillar- <p>We've sold 17 homes in the past 90 days, and that's not too shabby!&nbsp; The price range for the home sales seems to be under $200,000 with only 4 selling over this price.</p> <p>This is the<strong> slowest sales summer in the past 5 years,</strong> pretty much in step with the rest of the country (even though living east of Billings is always a bright spot to me!)</p> <p><img title="area 10 market activity" src="http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/6/0/2/6/1/ar131464847216206.jpg" height="270" alt="shepherd, huntley, worden home sales activity" width="450"></p> <p>Just take this little bit of info to help you see what buyer's are doing;</p> <p>The <strong>average listed price</strong> of homes with and without acreage in the Shepherd, Huntley, Worden, Ballantine and Pompey's Pillar area right now is <strong>$241,890</strong>.&nbsp; But the <strong>average sales price</strong> for the same area in the past 90 days was <strong>$156,722</strong>, that's quite a bit different then last year.&nbsp;</p> <p>For<strong> 2010</strong> during the same period the <strong>average list price was $237,381</strong> and the <strong>average sales price was $228,133!&nbsp;</strong></p> <p>The average number of days on the market for the sold homes almost doubled from 2010 to 2011 from <strong>50 days to 93 days.</strong></p> <p>What's the reason for this change?&nbsp; Here in Montana, when we feel a little pressure on our paychecks, or at least when we worry there might be more pressure on our paychecks, we hunker down and sit tight!</p> <p>This is really a buyer's market right now, only we are missing some good well priced listings!&nbsp; Homes that are well priced and in good condition will sell in 45 days or less.&nbsp; <strong>Overpriced homes continue to lag without any movement, very frustrating for home sellers who were hoping for more in an environment that will only give them less.</strong></p> <p>Sometimes I feel like the grim reaper when I educate people on the current market conditions.&nbsp; My advice?&nbsp; The reasons people move are the same as they've always been, looking for a neighborhood, location (location, location), schools, work, family changes, move up, move down, moving over.&nbsp; Making money on a home in this environment depends on whether you own the home or the bank does, and what the spread is.&nbsp;</p> <p>Paying down a mortgage is still a really good investment, but it may take years before we have growth in prices at a rate of 3% or more.</p> <div class="agent_signature"> <p>The Quilting Realtor</p> <img title="Wanda Thomas" src="http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/6/1/6/9/9/ar132329433399616.jpg" height="159" alt="Wanda Thomas" width="175"> <p><span>Many Dream Of Living In Montana</span></p> <p><span>I'm One of the Lucky One's That Already Do!</span></p> <p><span>Wanda Thomas</span></p> <p><a href="mailto:2wandathomas@gmail.com" title="wanda's email"><span>2wandathomas@gmail.com</span></a></p> <p>Call or Text 406-698-8640 for help with all things Montana.</p> <p><a href="http://mthb.net/wp/" title="idx link"><strong>Local MLS Search Link</strong></a></p> <p><span><br></span></p> </div> Wanda Thomas, Billings Montana Real Estate (Montana Homestead Brokers, Broker, CRS, GRI, SFR, RN) Mon, 29 Aug 2011 16:11:07 -0700 http://montanalandlady.com/post/2480067/how-s-the-summer-real-estate-market-in-shepherd-huntley-worden-ballantine-and-pompey-s-pillar- http://montanalandlady.com/post/2447238/you-could-be-a-montana-huckleberry-picker-if- <ol> <li>You won't spend $60 a gallon to buy them, but you'll spend $350 a gallon to go and pick them yourself</li> <li>You will drive to your favorite spot, even if the road is bad and under construction and it takes you 4 hours on a windy, narrow, on the edge of a cliff road</li> <li>You pack enough food for 10 days for 10 people, even if there's only 4 of you</li> <li>You consider making that 4 hour trip back to town because you're running low on beer</li> <li>You consider bug spray brands that work, and ditch the ones that don't, who has time to be concerned about mosquito's at a time like this</li> <li>You travel on foot deep, and I mean deep, into the wilderness in search of ripe berries, the only trails are those used by deer, elk and bears</li> <li>Your college kids friend, who goes on this adventure for the first time, makes the kind remark "I never would have ventured into the brush, over downed trees and up hills like this for any other reason"</li> <li> <img title="They like Hucks too" src="http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/7/5/0/9/8/ar131300468489057.jpg" height="200" alt="Grizzly Bear" width="215">Every person in your "hunting" party is armed with bear spray, and they know how to use it</li> <li>You have sidearms, just in case you run into one of those bears and he/she wants your berries and you don't want to give them up</li> <li>The only bears that would ever come within 100 yards of your hunting party are named "Rocky" (your kids Beagle that keeps getting lost in the brush</li> <li>You have a berry cleaning system (can't use water) and you're so tired when you're cleaning that you must have a microbrew at your side instead of the bear spray</li> <li>You plan you "vacation" around huckleberry picking season</li> <li>You have a favorite Huckleberry recipe that "is to die for" and when you make it, all your friends want to come over</li> <li>You dream of huckleberry bushes, and the next best bush for weeks after you get back from your trip </li> </ol> <div class="agent_signature"> <p>The Quilting Realtor</p> <img title="Wanda Thomas" src="http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/6/1/6/9/9/ar132329433399616.jpg" height="159" alt="Wanda Thomas" width="175"> <p><span>Many Dream Of Living In Montana</span></p> <p><span>I'm One of the Lucky One's That Already Do!</span></p> <p><span>Wanda Thomas</span></p> <p><a href="mailto:2wandathomas@gmail.com" title="wanda's email"><span>2wandathomas@gmail.com</span></a></p> <p>Call or Text 406-698-8640 for help with all things Montana.</p> <p><a href="http://mthb.net/wp/" title="idx link"><strong>Local MLS Search Link</strong></a></p> <p><span><br></span></p> </div> Wanda Thomas, Billings Montana Real Estate (Montana Homestead Brokers, Broker, CRS, GRI, SFR, RN) Wed, 10 Aug 2011 15:32:28 -0700 http://montanalandlady.com/post/2447238/you-could-be-a-montana-huckleberry-picker-if-