Cary Jo Hofstad

As I write this blog, it is snowing big flakes outside my window. Our snow pack is about 52% of normal and the ski hill has half as much snow as a year ago - of course that was a record year. Snow is in the forecast for the next week so skiers rejoice!

There are a number of investors in the market looking at multi-family and commercial real estate. I had a commercial listing just close and showings on the duplex units I have listed. Job ads at Job Service and in the local paper are definitely on the rise. Good news that we have been waiting for. I remember back in '07 the economic forecast for the valley was that 2012 would be the beginning of an up turn in the market. Seemed like a long time to wait but maybe we are there.Since then our MLS has lost about 1/2 of the licensed Realtors. Those of us who have been able to hang in there during the challenging last few years are set to benefit from less competition.

Whitefish Winter Carnival is in full swing. The parade was last Saturday with many events set to come.

Kalispell City Council voted to remove the transportation tax that was added onto the cost of new construction. Any reduction in costs will benefit home buyers of new construction.

Kalispell's current City Manager took a position in another state. An attorney from Helena was set to be the interim but ran into some state pension problems. So, while the search continues for a new manager, the current city attorney may be filling in for a time. The new fire chief has been approved by the city council. Dave Dedman is a Kalispell native and has been filling in for the vacated post and is now the new fire chief.

Record high temps on Wednesday at 50 degrees was really strange. It felt like spring most of the week. Snow in the forecast though for the next few days and boy are we ready for it! The ski slopes are emptied from the surge of holiday tourists. Should be good skiing next week.

The National Association of Realtor's economist, put out a positive market report for the first time in 3 years. He says there are signs that there is the beginnings of a healthy uptick in the market. Not since the first time home buyer's credit has there been this change so it is thought that we are slowly climbing out. All real estate is local however, but national trends trickle into our valley eventually. Good news for my sellers-in addition to decreased inventory and fewer bank owned coming on the market. The good news for the buyers is that still record low mortgage rates are available.

My personal happy news this week was welcoming my first grandchild! Son and daughter-in-law gave birth to a boy in Washington State. So blessed and excited.

Weather: for some reason this is the first thing that comes to mind this week. After many sunny and warm (for winter) days, it is snowing this morning. Still warm and may end up raining in the valley but the ski hills should benefit. It has been a slow start to skiing this year. Big Mtn received 7" the other night which led to avalanche control measures. This weekend should see the start to more stable snow fall and better conditions. Blacktail faces north and has had a better base thus far. Big winds and rain off and on the last couple of days in the valley. The ground has been thawing. Hope the trees and horses don't start thinking it is spring!

Whitefish Mountain Resort has some New Year's Eve options. Snow boarding on the rails under lights at 5pm followed by the torchlight parade. Music at the base lodge free of charge from 5-8:30pm.

First Night Flathead in Kalispell is an annual event. Buy a button and roam around town to various venues to enjoy a wide variety of music from local musicians.

Fresh Life Church had 3 amazing Christmas Eve services on Saturday. We attended the one at 2pm in Kalispell. There are 2 former movie theaters where worship takes place and they were at capacity with overflow in an additional building. This is a very high tech church so the other venues had hd equipped screens showing the live music and preaching from the Liberty theater. There was a 4pm in Whitefish at the cinema there. Amazing music and preaching!

Hockey is showing up around the valley. On any frozen body of water, at the Woodland Park rink in Kalispell and the Stumptown Ice Den in Whitefish.

My winter activities are curtailed due to knee replacement surgery a few weeks ago, but you can still find me in the cheering section for snow!