This is BEYOND frustrating for me and this WILL be a vent/rant.

Let's get one thing VERY STRAIGHT here - deciding to buy a brand new construction home directly through the builder WILL NOT SAVE YOU MONEY - PERIOD!

I don't care if you think that by doing so the builder is more likely to "make a better deal". I don't care if you think that you are "better than the average person at negotiating".

You WILL NOT get a better deal. IN FACT, we have proven it time and again, we have gotten better deals for buyers than the builder has ever given "directly".

I'm talking about homes built by local mega builders Viking, Copper Basin, Hallmark, etc.

These builders include the cost of selling the home in their pricing structure and they are NOT going to reduce the price of the home below a specific number - they do not want to devalue the neighborhood! Want a better deal? Talk to us, we KNOW what homes the builder is willing to negotiate more on than others. It's a benefit of working with builders and selling huge amounts of their inventory WITHOUT being "their agent". It's that simple. Not to mention that they will pay X% for every home, whether that % goes 100% to their agents or, if that % is shared with their agent and YOUR agent.

The builder's agent IS NOT representing you. They DO NOT have your best interest in mind, period. They have their interest in mind. Why on earth would you go directly to the builder without representation WHEN YOU ARE PAYING FOR IT WHETHER YOU USE IT OR NOT??

It's like paying for an attorney to represent you and then not using that attorney and representing yourself.

There are 2 types of people we see doing this, ones who just don't understand that they need representation (YES, you do) and pay for it anyway and those that think they are "not your average Joe" and can get a better deal themselves. I can talk until I'm blue in the face and whether y'all believe me or not, I see it every day and I know for a fact you are kidding yourselves (oh, and losing money too).

Are we on the same page now????

The United Health Foundation ranks all 50 states and Idaho has come in a healthy #8 (from #15 in 2007).

Strengths:
Low incidence of infectious disease
Low rate of preventable hospitalizations
Low levels of air pollution
Low percentage of children in poverty

Significant Changes:
In the past year, the percentage of children in poverty decreased by 5%
Since 1990, the incidence of infectious disease declined by 88%
Since 1990, the infant mortality rate decreased by 45%

Click here for a .pdf of 2008 snapshot of Idaho

Click here for America's Health Rankings 2008 overview

Click here for an interactive map of "Our Nation at a Glance"

Information obtained from America's Health Rankings.

In the December 2008 issue of REALTOR Magazine, a REALTOR wrote in on the issue of "Why pay for what's free". His contention is that agents putting extensive information on their websites are simply "trying to show people how much smarter they are than everybody else to attract customers." He goes on to say that this is the reason that the "general public has stopped calling". In other words, stop giving away free information and start making people call you.

Hum... I don't think this agent "gets it". He simply doesn't understand todays "information exchange" and definitely doesn't get Web 2.0. He'll be one of those lost in the abyss in 3-4 years as the whole "information available to everyone" becomes the norm (isn't it already??).

By providing as much information as possible to you, the consumer, I am not trying to show anyone that I'm "smarter than everybody else". Rather, I'm trying to provide as much information as I can to you, the consumer, so that you can be better informed and you can know without a doubt that I am experienced, qualified, knowledgable and able to assist them in their real estate endeavors.

Every time I find myself providing information to a client or prospective client, I immediately think "hey, I bet there are more people out there with this same question" and that's when I decide to blog about it.

Anyway - I just thought that the comment this agent made was extremely out of date and unfortunately, all too often, is the perfect cliche of an agent - their value is wrapped up in information hoarding - when in fact, my value is wrapped up in my ability to get a complicated, high stress, high dollar transaction completed safely, smoothly and legally.

YES! I could not resist writing about this little diddy...

CNN profiles Sun Meadow Resort near Worley Idaho (just a hop-skip-jump from Coeur d'Alene Idaho).

Nudist resort earns top honors, mention on CNN

Sure, it's still 20 degrees at night, the snow is still falling and the skies are still gray.

But go ahead, get naked. It's good for your pocketbook.

A CNN feature story on Tuesday about the virtues of "nakations" included a few notes about a North Idaho resort that landed in the top five places "to forget your worries -- and your swimsuit."

In the article, Erich Schuttauf, executive director of the American Association for Nude Recreation, said the economic recession is "doing us a lot of favors, maybe because there's the idea that if you've lost the shirt off your back, you should go nude."

Article here.

Sorry, no photos :)

I recently had some tailoring work done by a local seamstress. I used this seamstress shop on the recommendation of a colleague. Unfortunately, I do not have much good to say about this shop. From not returning phone calls, to charging significantly more than quoted to slopping tailoring.

It wasn't just me, it was multiple people that have expressed disatisfaction with this shop. Uneven hems (one side longer than the other), suit jacket that was too large when going in and is now too small?!? - very sloppy work.

So, I was on a quest - a quest to find a truly excellent seamstress. I am happy to say I found one. I send many thanks to Sandra at Sandra Kay's. She knew the right person for me and made the connection for me.

My advice - call Sandra for a recommendation.