There is no doubt that pictures sell your listing. Many use professional photography to better showcase the homes of our sellers. In a resort area like ours, it is equally important to sell our area. In our last weekly meeting at Tomlinson Sandpoint Sotheby's International Realty, we discussed this issue. Posed was what percentage of our buyers were local? While factual numbers are not given here, it can be said that most who buy in Sandpoint, Schweitzer Mountain Ski Resort, and along Lake Pend Oreille, the vast majority of buyers are coming from out of the area. I would go one step further and suggest that even in areas that don't attract from other places, selling with photos of the neighborhood can be equally important. You are selling local attractions, nature, shopping, and anythin... 02/05/2011

Here are scenes from mountain tops and the air of Sandpoint, Idaho and the surrounds of Lake Pend Oreille and Schweitzer Mountain. There are 87 pictures in all, featured on my Facebook page. The photos will be presented in a presentation at the Hope Film Festival. Green Monarchs & Lake Pend Oreille www.SandpointID.net Lake Pend Oreille over Clark Fork River www.SandpointID.net Lake Pend Oreille over Clark Fork River www.SandpointID.net Lake Pend Oreille sunset www.SandpointID.net Lake Pend Oreille sunset www.SkiSchweizer.net Lake Pend Oreille sunset www.SkiSchweizer.net Sandpoint Aerial www.SandpointID.net Sandpoint Aerial www.SandpointID.net Sandpoint Aerial www.SandpointID.net Sandpoint Aerial www.SandpointID.net Sandpoint Aerial www.SandpointID.net Sandpoint Aerial flying toward Hope... 02/04/2011

The more often we can see the beauty in this world, the better the world will be.  Sandpoint, Idaho...it NEVER disappoints. Sunset...February 2, 2011.  Up until this event happened, it had been a somewhat stressful day.  Coming home to this changed all that.  Life is good.   02/02/2011

We have had the same bitter cold the rest of the country is suffering from,  though we really can't complain when the ground is covered by snow and most of January has been in the upper 30s and low 40s. While driving around Sandpoint on a brilliant sunny winter day, I snapped these images: Schweitzer Mountain Winter scene of Cedar Street Bridge over Sand Creek http://sandpointid.net Another view of Cedar Street Bridge over Sand Creek http://sandpointid.net Cedar Street in Sandpoint, Idaho with mountains looming in the background http://sandpointid.net Connie's Cafe in Sandpoint, Idaho Distant mountains in Sandpoint, Idaho View of the Longbridge over Lake Pend Oreille http://sandpointid.net Pend Oreille River in Sandpoint, Idaho http://sandpointid.net Sand Creek flowing into Lake Pend Or... 02/01/2011

Here are some pics of the Pend Oreille River Valley and Sandpoint, Idaho from Baldy Mountain. The pics come from a listing of mine from a house that is an eco-friendly, green-built home by area designer Pete Keller. His website is http://sandpointcustomhomes.com/index.html The views from Baldy and its close proximity to town with acreage and a creek are some of the reasons it is unique.    Links to the listing are below with their own interior and some exterior photos of the home. Here are the pics of the river valley: Evening sun overlooking the Pend Oreille River Valley from Baldy Mountain in Sandpoint, Idaho Evening Clouds below Baldy Mountain in Sandpoint, Idaho Another shot in the dusk on Baldy Mt. above Sandpoint, ID Floating clouds below Baldy Mountain Clouds float above the Pend... 01/30/2011

January February March April May June July August September October November December Sandpoint Upcoming Events - This Week in Sandpoint from the Sandpoint Chamber Coeur d'Alene Upcoming Events - from the CdA Chamber Check out all daily Sandpoint Events in the Bonner Daily Bee Bonner Mall Cinema Movie Schedule - click here! January 16-February 28: Sandpoint - The Art of Love ArtWorks Gallery, 214 N. First Ave. We're speaking the language of love!  From January 16th to February 28th Art Works Gallery is featuring "The Art of Love," a special collection of fine art items that beautifully express the desires of the heart.  www.SandpointArtWorks.com 208-255-7569 February 1: Coeur d'Alene - JazzNIC 7:30-9:30pm http://www.nic.edu A concert featuring the North Idaho College Jazz Ensemble and ... 01/29/2011

  It was a busy day today.  I showed some clients around the mountain (SCHWEITZER MOUNTAIN, that is) and they were duly impressed. They’re great clients and very savvy to the declining market scenario.  The question is, how long do they wait to find the bottom of the market.  ...and when it arrives, will they realize it? I certainly am not going to attempt to force their hand in any way.  I did need to point out that there is another scenario they need to grasp when making the decision to purchase:   Interest rates play an important role in a buyer’s decision.  The bottom may finally arrive next summer but will interest rates remain at today’s prices?  If the rates go up 1% (which they are purported to do), then the “bottom” may, in fact be today.  Example:    Today’s $500,000 home loan... 01/28/2011

I recently posted a blog article on some tricks and tips for Facebook, Twitter, Activerain, Tour Factory, and more. The response was encouraging. Thanks for the calls, but, like many, I appreciate the e-mails more. Anyway, there is a great resource for those who want to expand use of Facebook to increase their biz called How to Use Facebook for Business offered on the Hubspot Blog. Click the link and you will have the 22-page pdf that can be a great help. Gary Lirette, featured in Where To Retire magazine and host of the Tuesday noon local radio shows: North Idaho Business as well as North Idaho Arts. E-mail Gary or call 208-610-1384Read Gary's Blogs   Tomlinson Sandpoint Sotheby's International Realty 200 Main StreetSandpoint, Idaho 208-255-3474 www.SandpointID.net - To learn all about... 01/27/2011

Near as I can tell, this story was first reported in the Juneau Empire from their website. The story was written By Abby Lowell and the photos are courtesy of Sharon Kelly. The heart-warming tale has gone viral, and I recieved it today. Doing an exact search on Google of "the Best Day of Fishin' Ever" I found literally thousands of repeats of this story. Here is the link to the original: http://www.juneauempire.com/stories/100810/out_717573934.shtml Here is the e-mail: The best day of fishin' ever!!!      Four young Sitkablack-tailed bucks fell upon good  luck Sunday as they were pulled from the icy waters of Stephens  Passage, Alaska by a group of locals on Tom Satre's 62-foot charter  vessel.  Four juvenile Sitka black-tailed deer swam directly toward the boat. Once the deer  reached ... 01/27/2011

Last night I used Skype to go over a contract with clients. Skype (pronounced /ˈskaɪp/) is a software application that allows users to make voice calls over the Internet. Calls to other users within the Skype service are free, while calls to both traditional landline telephones and mobile phones can be made for a fee using a debit-based user account system. Skype has also become popular for its additional features which include instant messaging, file transfer, and video conferencing. The network is operated by Skype Limited, which has its headquarters in Luxembourg and is partly owned by eBay. So, your cell phone is dead, but you have your laptop and you are near Wi-Fi. You can make a call using Skype. Calls to other Skype users are free. That, however, is not the best benefit. You can... 01/26/2011

Posting your blog on Activerain may seem fruitless to some, but it can make you appear to be really tech-savvy without much effort. How you ask? Well, what makes you look technologically more advanced than your fellow REALTORS®? Is it that you have a really cool website with lots of bells and whistles? Maybe it is that you are a prolific blogger. Is your blog on your website? Are your blogs on Facebook? Do you Tweet? Are you photographing your area and putting that out on a photo website? Do you Skype with your clients out of the area? Do you use a virtual tour? Does your virtual tour automatically post to YouTube? You can accomplish all of this with the built-in resources on Activerain and a few other easy steps. First, all of it is pretty easy, and if you follow the step-by-step metho... 01/26/2011

The first Long Bridge began May 26, 1908, and was in operation until being torn down in the 1930's to make room for a new wooden bridge. During the Great Depression that the second bridge was built with help from the WPA and finished March 3, 1934. The bridge had the moniker of "The longest wooden bridge in the world" and was a tourist draw for decades, serving the region for 22 years. Heavy traffic of World War II (Bayview had a Naval training station during the war) took its toll on the structure and in June of 1956 the third bridge was built. This current Long Bridge was dedicated on September 23, 1981 and it runs along side the previous one. At over two miles long, it traverses the second largest freshwater lake in the west: Lake Pend Oreille. Here are some pics: Dusk over Sandpoint... 01/22/2011

Lake Pend Oreille is a lake in North Idaho, with a surface area of 148 square miles. With 111 miles of coastline, it is 65 miles long, and 1,150 feet deep in some regions, making it the fifth deepest in the US. It is fed by the Clark Fork River and the Pack River, and drains via the Pend Oreille River. It is surrounded by national forests and several small towns. All but the southern tip of the lake is in Bonner County. The southern tip is in Kootenai County and is home to Farragut State Park, formerly the "Farragut Naval Training Station" during World War II. The lake is home to many species of fish, including rainbow trout, lake trout, perch, crappie, bass, whitefish and kamloops. The forests consist of ponderosa pine, Douglas fir, poplar and western larch. Local animal species includ... 01/22/2011

Sandpoint lies on the shores of Lake Pend Oreille, one of the most beautiful lakes in North America. Lake Pend Oreille is so deep and quiet the U.S. Navy has a submarine research facility located here. There are few lakes that host the scenery that Lake Pend Oreille provides. The lakes protected coves make for great water skiing, wakeboarding as well as an overnight camping adventure. The prevailing winds from the southwest provide sailing enthusiasts many days of quality boating. There are numerous sailing regattas all summer long providing sailing as well as social enjoyment. Because of its size, waves can approach the size of ocean and sea waves, though, for the most part, Lake Pend Oreille is a calm body of water. Since winds are more calm than not, windsurfing isn't seen as often a... 01/22/2011

At the beginning of December I had a conversation with Matt Smart from Mountain Horse Adventures on my show: Speak Up North Idaho, broadcast on KSPT and KBFI in North Idaho. Here is a link to that post: http://activerain.com/blogsview/2010504/ski-joring-during-sandpoint-winter-carnival-sandpoint-blog Matt was introducing North Idaho to the sport of Skijoring, which was to be part of Sandpoint Winter Carnival. To learn about the sport, read the blog post. I was able to cover and photograph all the events except this one. To see pictures of all the events, including the Schweitzer Torchlight Parade and Fireworks, the K-9 Keg Pull, and the Rail Jam, visit Sandpoint Winter Carnival: A Look Back. Here are the pictures taken by Gerri O'Brien of the Sandpoint Winter Carnival Ski Joring: Gary L... 01/21/2011

OK.  Here goes my first attempt at video marketing.   The (hopefully) correctly imbedded video is of my new listing on Schweitzer Mountain...The Ridge.  This afternoon, a potentially massive snow storm is approaching from the North.  If you had a home on The Ridge, you could watch all the storms come in and get "psyched" for the greatest powder skiing on the planet the next day!   "This post is written as a submission to the ActiveRain Kodak Video Challenge contest.  I have the chance to win the KODAK PLAYTOUCH Pocket Video Camera, great for Realtors looking to create wide angle home tours and real estate marketing videos!"     01/17/2011

One of the final events for the Sandpoint Winter Carnival is the K-9 Keg Pull. Every shape and size of dog participates, and every age and type of owner urges them on. It is held in the alley beside Eichardt's Pub, and people cheer on the mutts and purebreds, as the dogs commune with one and other. It is billed as just possibly the most endearing event you'll ever attend, and this year didn't disappoint. Here are the pics: Nice sized crowd at the K-9 Keg Pull for Sandpoint Winter Carnival Last year's winner of The K-9 Keg Pull at the Sandpoint Winter Carnival Every size of dog at the K-9 Keg Pull at the Sandpoint Winter Carnival Gary Lirette, featured in Where To Retire magazine and host of the Tuesday noon local radio shows: North Idaho Business as well as North Idaho Arts. E-mail Gary... 01/16/2011

For the 37th Annual Sandpoint Winter Carnival hundreds of people gathered in Schweitzer Village to witness this Winter Carnival signature event where Schweitzer lit up the night with its annual torchlight parade and fireworks. A constellation of skier-powered torchlights wove their way down the mountain creating a cascade of fire trails ending with a bang with a grand fireworks show over the village and the snow-covered slopes. Schweizer Torchlight Parade Schweizer Fireworks during Sandpoint Winter Carnival Great crowds & family fun at the Schweizer Fireworks during Sandpoint Winter Carnival Gary Lirette, featured in Where To Retire magazine and host of the Tuesday noon local radio shows: North Idaho Business as well as North Idaho Arts. E-mail Gary or call 208-610-1384Read Gary's Blogs... 01/16/2011

Every year, Main Street right in front of my office at Tomlinson Sandpoint Sotheby's International Realty is closed off for one of the main events for Sandpoint Winter Carnival for the Rail Jam and Bonfire. Brent Sleeps handles the fire, and there is a DJ and plenty of skiers and onlookers. Great time. Here are the pics: Looking down Main St from the Clock Tower People walk along First Ave to various Winter Carnival events Bonfire blazes on Main St in front of the Rail Jam for Sandpoint Winter Carnival Rail Jam at Sandpoint Winter Carnival Rail Jam at Sandpoint Winter Carnival Bonfire on Main Street for the Sandpoint Winter Carnival Catchin' air on the Rail Jam for Sandpoint Winter Carnival Historic Panida Theater in Sandpoint, Idaho First Ave in Sandpoint during Winter Carnival Gary Li... 01/15/2011

The Bio-Luminesce Firedancers have performed for the last five years at the Sandpoint Winter Carnival. They have always performed in the courtyard at Pend d'Oreille Winery. However, in the last two years they have attracted a crowd upwards of 200 people, so this year, the street was closed off. I was there tonight, and though I estimate there weren't more people this year, there were as many as previous years, and we all had a better view and more room. The winery was packed, the rain held off, and it was a good time had by all. Here is a cool story posted about the troupe in the Inlander for Winter Carnival: Burning Desire - Bio-Luminesce is fueled by sustainable fire. Here are the pics:  The crowd waits for the show at the Pend d'Oreille Winery & the Bio-Luminesce Fire Dancers The Bio... 01/14/2011