Community Roots - A Worthy Cause in North Idaho: Feeding the Hungry
Alright, I have to admit, I blog a lot about Community Roots. They aren't real estate related. They have nothing to do with finance. But, they are equally important to me and dear to my heart.
Community Roots is a small organization, started by my baby sister (sister-in-law, technically, but after 15 years, I've earned the right to call her "sister"). Two years ago she, and a very good friend of hers, decided they wanted to give back to North Idaho, Kootenai County to be precise. They realized the need of fresh produce in our soup kitchens, food banks, and other food assistance facilities.
Coeur d'Alene is a beautiful community, but we are not without our challenges. One of them: Coeur d'Alene has a large number of "working" poor. To combate this issue, we have a GREAT network of food assistance facilities that communicate together in order to benefit those who are in need in our community.
This year's report:
Community Roots was able to gather 4,073 pounds worth of fresh produce!!!
Their largest contributors by far: Kilarney Farms and local Farmers Market vendors.
Just some of the food assistance facilities to benefit from Community Roots:
The Women's Shelter
Cherished Ones Ministries Soup Kitchen
Idaho Youth Ranch (Anchor House)
The Senior Center
Lake City Community Church Food Bank
And, in addition to this great news, you should know that it's all done on bikes. That's right! Bicycle! To show everyone that you don't need modern conveniences to care for those in need.
You just need to have a heart and an imagination!
Thank you, Kelly and Korrine! You make me proud to call you friends!
Maryellen Garasky
Mortgage Broker
KMG Mortgage Group
(208) 664-3600
(509) 638-3455
www.kmgmortgagegroup.com
Downtown Fall Fest - This weekend in Downtown Coeur d'Alene
Fall is my favorite time of year. Luckily enough for those of us who live & play in North Idaho and Eastern Washington, we aren't short on things to do this time of year. From apple picking in Green Bluff in Eastern Washington to the many, many festivals and celebrations, my family's calendar is always full.
Join us this weekend as we celebrate Autumn with other small business owners and their families & and friends in Coeur d'Alene in North Idaho.
The Downtown Fall Festival is bigger and better than ever!
All with the usual Fall Festival activities of arts and crafts, food vendors, live music, pumpkin painting and FREE hay rides.
This great celebration will include the Downtown Farmer's Market between 5th & Sherman.
Also this weekend: The Coeur d'Alene Resort's Celebration of Oktoberfest in the Resort Plaza Shops.
Come for the refreshments, hot dogs and other goodies for the entire family!
When: Saturday, Oct 25th
Time: 10:00a.m. - 3:00p.m.
Location: 5th and Sherman Ave in Downtown Coeur d'Alene.
Maryellen Garasky
Mortgage Broker
KMG Mortgage Group
(208) 664-3600
(509) 638-3455
www.kmgmortgagegroup.com
The Road to Home Ownership in North Idaho and Eastern Washington
The road to home ownership in North Idaho and Eastern Washington may not be as difficult as you think. Sure, the media has us all running scared out of fear that the sky is falling. But it's FAR from the truth. There are GREAT deals out there to be found! And, there is still money to be lent.
The first thing you need to do is make a plan. Kevin and I are BIG on planning. Our experiences prove that plans must be flexible and adjust with your circumstances, but it's a great place to start. If I were searching for a house right now, my plan would look a little like this:
1. Get pre-approved for a loan
There is nothing more essential in today's economic climate than getting PRE-APPROVED for your loan BEFORE you look at houses. You should avoid looking at houses until you are pre-approved because you don't want to set your heart on a particular house, only to find out that you don't qualify.
A qualified mortgage professional will sit down with you, gather your financial information, and counsel you on a number of things. Among them are:
A qualified mortgage professional will determine what kind of loan would be best for you - not the best loan for anyone else. Do you require 100% financing? Do you have some money down, but still need near 100% financing. Are you qualified for government loans, including USDA, VA, FHA.
2. Find a Realtor
ActiveRain is a great resource to use when looking for qualified agents who know your area well. My suggestion? Read their BLOG!
Their blog will tell you a wealth of information. Are they familiar with the area you are looking to purchase in? Do they have a professional attitude? Do they know what they are doing? Are they connected enough to represent you and get you the best information? Do they reflect your same personality or the personality you expect from an agent?
Certainly, Kevin and I can refer you to an agent if you have difficulty choosing one yourself. There are certainly a number of good Realtors out there and we'd be happy to refer you to our network of Realtors:
Matt Lambert- Windermere Coeur d'Alene Realty
We first met Matt at a Coeur d'Alene Business Referral Group meeting several years ago. Matt is a seasoned professional who represents the best qualities you can find in an agent. I should know, my parents are looking for a home through him right now.
Brian and Tammy Waggoner- Lakeshore Realty
Brian and Tammy came to us because they were referred by a business associate of ours at North Idaho Title. Brian and Tammy, in addition to selling real estate, have a rent-to-own company, named Swiftpoint Investments. Through Swiftpoint, Brian and Tammy can help those individuals with credit challenges who might not qualify for a home loan now, but want to eventually. If you are credit challenged, KMG Mortgage Group can work with you to improve your credit situation while you rent-to-own a house from Brian and Tammy.
Janna Rankin Scharf- Coldwell Banker Schneidmiller Realty
We haven't had the opportunity to work with Janna yet, but I have become a fan of her blog here on ActiveRain. I find her informative and passionate about our local area. I encourage you to check it out for yourself.
3. Find a Home
Once you choose an agent, you need to find a home. North Idaho and Eastern Washington are GREAT places to live - I should know, we live here, too. Maybe I'm prejudiced (of course I am), but there is no other place I'd rather be. I have done some extensive traveling, but my heart always calls me back home.
If you are like a lot of home buyers, you like to do some research on your own: filter out some houses and ask your agent to show you only those you are interested in. If that's the case, visit the Coeur d'Alene Association of Realtors website.
In short, I hope you have found the information here to be helpful. I have added several links to our website that may be useful to you as you get on that road to home ownership. And, if you already own a home, that you would trust us with your refinance or purchasing of a second home or rental property.
Thanks for your time and consideration. Best regards to you and your family.
Maryellen Garasky
Mortgage Broker
KMG Mortgage Group
(208) 664-3600
(509) 638-3455
www.kmgmortgagegroup.com
Want to Show off Your Beautiful Town ... And Have NO Talent Behind the Camera?
We had one of the busiest and funnest weekend I can remember in a long time.
We spent Saturday in Green Bluff in Eastern Washington having a great time harvesting apples & pumpkins, kicking up our heels to live music, and just plain old gettin' rowdy.
We spent Sunday in Sandpoint in North Idaho taking photos, eating at "Spuds" and enjoying the beautiful views of Lake Pend Oreille.
To my disappointment, very few of my photos actually show off the beauty of our area. I was happy enough with the ones of family and friends, but when I tried to capture the beauty of North Idaho and Eastern Washington, I have to admit, I fell short ... WAY short!
Today I Googled "Coeur d'Alene in Autumn" and every other key word phrase I could think of. I kept running across photos taken by one Tim Eberly - a local talent who has an eye like the Creator Himself. I contacted Tim and asked his terms to post his photos on my website and blog.
To my pleasant surprise, he is allowing me to use his images free of charge - as long as I provide the professional courtesy of giving him the credit he deserves.
Of course! I wouldn't do it any other way!!!
I know that there are several professionals here on Active Rain who spend a lot of time and energy capturing their local areas in pictures - and capture it well. What happens, then, if you're like me? And, possess no such talent?
Consider partnering up with someone who possess the talent you covet and, make absolute certain, you (1) obtain their permission; (2) give proper credit.
You don't want to be found GUILTY of stealing someone else's hard work!
Please stop by Tim Eberly's website and have a look around. He is local to North Idaho and Denver and has a celebrity list of fans. I know you will become a fan of his work like I have!
Maryellen Garasky
Mortgage Broker
KMG Mortgage Group
(208) 664-3600
(509) 638-3455
www.kmgmortgagegroup.com
Another Great Family Day in Eastern Washington:
Fall Harvest in Green Bluff
You might have seen my earlier blog post "Harvest Time is Here in Eastern Washington...Great Family Fun!" and, if you haven't had the chance to get to Green Bluff in Eastern Washington, I would encourage you to do so as soon as possible.
We had the official "Garasky Family Outing" today and, I can honestly say, it was one of the best times we have had as a family. Every year we take the short trip to Green Bluff and it never fails to deliver great family fun. There was a petting zoo, corn maze, wagon rides, live music, and BBQ waiting for those hungry laborers coming back from the orchard.
If you have photos of you and your family enjoying the beautiful Autumn outdoors, I encourage you to share them here!
Here is our "Official" Harvest photo:
Maryellen Garasky
Mortgage Broker
KMG Mortgage Group
(208) 664-3600
(509) 638-3455
www.kmgmortgagegroup.com
 |
|
|
KMG Mortgage Group is locally owned and operated. With almost two decades of experience, we are licensed in Idaho and Washington. (877) 664-4KMG
ActiveRain Corp. is not responsible for the accuracy of the site's content (which is written by members of the ActiveRain Real Estate Network) and does not endorse the views of the real estate agents, mortgage brokers, and others listed here.
Powered by the ActiveRain Real Estate Network
© 2009 ActiveRain Corp. All Rights Reserved
