Greetings!  

Each year at this time we pause between memories of the ski season and planning for the upcoming waterfront season to focus on the unique golf communities here in western Montana. With 12 championship golf courses from Polson to the Canadian border we are blessed with that rare combination of great golf venues, long daylight hours and cool weather that makes this a destination mecca for golf. 

Golf in the Flathead Valley drives real estate sales in many ways.  As one of the leading outdoor attractions, to many it is just one more of the many amenities available to any visitor or homeowner. However, for a significant group of homeowners here, golf is the centerpiece of activity and enjoyment for the full six month season. In this issue we focus on those exceptional properties located within a golf community, where for the summer and into the fall it is all about golf. 

Real estate in local golf course communities continues to see significant activity through the recent (and hopefully past) slump. New home construction and sales of existing homes has been very resilient within golf courses, though pricing is clearly one of the motivating factors for purchasers. It may be that the best indication of interest lies in new home construction, which seems to be at the nexus of pent up demand, low lot prices, and contractors hungry for work. Iron Horse Golf Club has seen 8 new homes begin construction over the past two years, and there are currently 10 more homes at some point in the design review process. As a result of this activity and the fact that the club is operating in the black, membership remains dynamic for the private club.

Rock Creek Cattle Company, a 30,000 acre working cattle ranch in Montana's Gold Country has an 18 hole golf course that was named 2012 Golfweek's #1 Best Residential Golf Course in the U.S. Further indication of the success of this one of a kind community is the sale of 5 of the first 6 Willow Cabins constructed. There are currently an additional 6 of these homes breaking ground as of this writing, following close on last year's new swimming pool and outdoor recreation additions.

As the real estate market evolves to recover from one of the worst slumps in history Glacier Sotheby's is pioneering a new form of real estate ownership and marketing. Ownermatch International is a newly formed entity that promotes and facilitates exclusive co-ownership by two parties of luxury second home properties in premium resort communities. Glacier Sotheby's International Realty is the exclusive Ownermatch firm for the State of Montana. Visit the web site www.ownermatchresorthomes.com  or let us know if you would like to know more about the exciting new range of Ownermatch opportunities.

Rate on 30-year mortgage falls to record low - usatoday.com The average rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage fell this week to a record low for the seventh time in eight weeks. Cheap mortgages have helped drive a modest recovery in the weak housing market this year. Mortgage...Read full story.

 Shortage of homes for sale creates fierce competition - latimes.com The newest problem for the slowly improving housing market isn't a shortage of serious buyers, it's a shortage of good homes...Read full story.

Foreign Buyers Binge on U.S. Homes - online.wsj.com

To many Americans, plowing money into real estate has never looked like such a risky venture. But to many foreigners, U.S. housing has never looked like a smarter investment. Nick Timiraos has details on The News Hub...View full story.