Harley Wilcox

Are you wondering what to do? Trying to decide if you should attempt a Short Saleor just wait for Foreclosure? Are you getting conflicting information? Is it hard to tell what the Truth is? What is fact or fiction?

Find a Broker or Agent that has learned how to navigate the process and can show a track record of closings.

Here are my recommendationsfor anyone that wants to market and sell their property Short.

1. Contact an agent that has Short Sale Experience. Ask if they will look at your situation and help you understand your options.

2. Be prepared to get your agent all the information he needs in a timely manner. Time is not on your side. Keep your pay stubs and bank statements updated.

3. Present your home in its best light. You may not be making any money from the transaction outside of the moving allowance. Think of the dept forgivenessas your incentive.

4. If you are not going to occupy your home that is being sold short you may be tempted to rent it. If you rent your home make sure you have a great lease agreementthat addresses what is expected of your renter for showing your home and what happens if the tenant does not cooperate. DON’T RENTif you don’t need to!

5. If you have items not considered real property that will not be part of the sale –

remove themprior to showing.

6. Make sure your agent is not presenting the sale as “It’s a terrible thing” that you have to Sale Short. Keep a positive attitude. This is a win win win!

a. Seller wins – they are forgiven dept.

b. Buyer wins – they get a really good deal on the home.

c. Lenders win – it costs them less to sale Short than to foreclose.

Keep in mind; your Realtors are earning their commission on these transactions. The process is time consuming and takes a certain commitment above the normal. I for one will be glad when we forget what distressed property means. I have learned to work these transactions well and yet I will be glad when there are no more Short Sales to navigate. Let us work together to make this downturn in the real estate market a distant memory.

Driggs Idaho Gym - Anytime Fitness is Having a Membership Appreciation Event.

I belong to this gym and appreciate the equipment and the management.

With my schedule it is important to work out on my time. The fact that the gym is 24/7 is extremely important to me.

Working out on a regular basis helps me keep a positive attitude and it helps me feel good about myself.

Hope to see you at the gym.

Here is a Fiscal building permit by year summery that shows how many building permits have been issued in the county of Teton, Idaho. Note: these numbers do not reflect building permits in Driggs and Victor City. The data was supplied by the Planning and Zoning and the report was dated December 14, 2009. I visited the planning/building staff last week and inquired about new building permits for the year. There has been little activity with a few remodel permits; however in visiting with local architects, there seems to be more in the pipeline. Architects will show activity prior to building permits, the plans are necessary to get a permit.

FISCAL BUILDING BY YEAR

The Board of County Commissioners Adopted the Development Impact Fee Ordinance and Amended the Comprehensive Plan By Resolution #102008 October 20, 2008.

Impact Fee Ordinance 102008 went into effect November 20, 2008.

Here is a link to the Impact fee schedule: http://tetoncountyidaho.gov/pdf/forms/Non-ResidentialImpactFee11-03-08[1].pdf

I had a link to the Ordinance and it quit working.

Residential Impact fee $2,005.96

Commercial Impact fee $5,339.74

Our year has started out much better, hope yours has as well. I am looking forward to finding the new normal in the real estate equation.

I hit the pillow on the eve of 2012 and thought "This is going to be a good year". I asked my Real estate partner Heather (and wife, yes I sleep with my business partner) if she thought people all around the U.S. would be thinking the same thing?

Don't YOU think people are ready for a change? A change for the better!

How many in our industry have been collecting Buyers? Our Brokerage, West Group Real Estate, has a pent up demand of Buyers, they have been watching the knife fall (who hasn’t heard of the falling knife?) to the floor. As it lays there they are huddled around waiting to make sure it is not going to explode, or defy physics and fall right through the floor. Do they want to make sure the knot hole in the floor is not going to turn into the black hole and suck all parties into nothingness?

I don’t know about you – I am ready for a shift in the psychology of our Buyers and Sellers.

Let us find the new normal and build on it.

As the sun is warming up the snow I heard a Helicopter and watched out my back door as the chopper landed to pick up skiers here at Teton Springs.

I Google searched the Heli-Ski and found the info below. What a great way to visit Teton Valley Idaho!

Stay at Teton Springs Lodge and Heli-Ski from here!

Heli-Ski Getaway

1/20/2012 - 3/27/2012
$463 per person per night, based on double occupancy*

Teton Springs Lodge and Spa has partnered with High Mountain Heli-Skiing to provide you with an unmatched powder skiing backcountry adventure. You will experience magnificent skiing, breathtaking scenery and glorious powder turns in and around the 305,000 acres of skiable terrain in and around the Teton Mountain Range. Realize your heli-adventure dream this winter season at an unbelievable rate!

• 3 Nights lodging in Deluxe Lodge Room
• Gourmet Breakfast Basket served in your room
• 1 Day guided heli-skiing with High Mountain Heli-Skiing
• 1 Day Lift Ticket at Grand Targhee Ski Resort (or ski at Jackson Hole for an extra fee)
• 3 Night minimum stay requirement
• Final confirmation notice will be sent after High Mountain Heli reservations are officially secured through Teton Springs Lodge and Spa