To highlight the need for better sanitation around the world, the chairman of the World Toilet Association, Slim Jae-duck, built his house in the shape of a toilet (now that’s dedication). The steel, white concrete and glass house is named Haewoojae, which in Korean means “a place of sanctuary where one can solve one’s worries.” Before he moved in, Jae-duck rented the house for $50,000 and gave the proceeds to his campaign to provide poor countries with proper sanitary facilities.

You have to admit he made a point and did some good at the same time. Bravo.  Click the link above to see the plane house, shell home, guitar, pineapple, shoe homes and more!   It will either have you longing for some really, really wicked discretionary income or make you appreciate your own “Home Sweet Home”.

On the plus side, most reverse mortgages are designed with no monthly payment as long as the owner(s) reside in the home.  There are no minimum income requirements.   You can use the money for any purpose.  Equity disbursed from this type of loan is tax-free.

Depending upon your plan, reverse mortgages will usually allow the owner to retain the title to the property until they have lived in a different residence for 12 months, sold the property, died, or you reach the end of the loan term.

Keep in mind that if your home increases in value during your loan period, less equity will be lost overall.

Here’s some advice, visit the HUD page on this subject and consult AARP and the National Center for Home Equity Conversion.

The Secretary of State is predicting that we may see a 30% turnout today. It’s a poor commentary on Idaho Voters that we would regard a thirty percent turnout as a good turnout for a Primary.   When you think about what others have endured around the globe to have the right to vote; it should be discouraging.   When you think about the men and women serving our country around the planet I would hope that you would take the time to exercise one of our greatest freedoms. I believe any one of them would change places with you today.

Dan

You can email DRobertson@DMBRealty.com or call 208 263-5656 to arrange a private tour or stop by their showroom at 212 N. First Avenue, Suite 101, Sandpoint, Idaho 83864.  When you call, tell them Dan Young at Rainbow Realty sent you.

Send us an email at DYoung6962@aol.com and this special access will be set up within minutes.  For all your real estate needs in northern Idaho contact the hardest working team in real estate, Sandpoint’s Rainbow Realty.   Nearly 40 years at the same downtown location illustrates our commitment to our community and to our clients.  Hope to hear from you soon.  We’re ready to help.

Dan

Dan Young, Broker, ABR (Accredited Buyer Representative)

Owner, Rainbow Realty

Sandpoint, Idaho

It’s that time of the year again and the excitement is building. The car show will be another great success with a record number of entries. Many who visit during the celebration often think about moving to Sandpoint. If you happen to be one of those, let the friendly folks at Rainbow Realty help you find that perfect place. Here at Rainbow we specialize in buyer representation and we’ve been making friends and neighbors for almost forty years, right from this very spot.

And while you’re here take a look at that nifty 1964 International Scout in the parking lot. The Scout was the original classic SUV often referred to as “binders”, they started the development of Bronco, Blazer and Jimmy. You could park it at that new home, finish the restoration and have your very own entry in next year’s show. You would also want to join the forums at Binder Bulletin.Org, and correspond with binder owners all around the country. They’re some pretty fine folks with binder experts that can guide you through any project, providing thousands of dollars of technical assistance at no cost. You’ll find that it won’t be long before you’ll be helping “newbies” with your knowledge.

The North East Washington Regulators do an excellent job of putting together a Cowboy Shoot thanks to Armstrong Rosie and husband A.T. McGee. Several of their members are Canadian citizens from British Columbia.

One, Captain Copps ( Rich Miller, no relation) is a realtor and he and I spent time discussing international property purchases. So our Candian friends who wish to purchase in Idaho can count on Rainbow Realty for being up to speed on all the details.

Next shoot will be the Mica Peak Marshalls’ annual shoot in June.

WHY RPM CONSULTING

Why should someone pay a consultant when they are perfectly capable of finding the information themselves?

The answer is simply time and expedience.

While any person may be able to discover the needed information, it usually takes a great deal of time that could be better spent in other endeavors. The example often used in Economics of the doctor that cuts his own firewood comes to mind. It makes far more sense for the doctor to spend his time earning money as a doctor and hire someone else to cut the firewood. If he were to cut his own then the true cost includes what he could have earned that he had to forgo while cutting the firewood.

The same principle works in consulting. If you are a developer or builder dealing with the local governments for permits, variances or other issues, rather than spending hours going through pages and pages of public records, you are much better off hiring a knowledgeable consultant and spending your time doing what you do best. In addition, as a client your consultant has a duty to you that exceeds the level due to a customer, keeping your interests the top priority.

RPM Consulting offers twenty-six years experience in local government. Ray Miller, the Principal at RPM, served twenty years on the Sandpoint City Council and six years as the Mayor giving him an extensive and thorough understanding of municipal and county government. With this knowledge comes the ability to reduce time requirements from days to hours. Again, it’s your time that you could spend being more productive, and doesn’t that make more sense?