It's no surprise to those of us who love living here that the Coeur d'Alene metro-statistical area ~ Kootenai County, including Post Falls and Hayden ~ placed 2nd on the Milken Institute's Best Performing Small Cities list for 2008, up four points from last year's 6th place finish. "Coeur d'alene is not a secret anymore. We're well known on both the East and West coasts," said Steve Griffitts, president of Jobs Plus, Inc., the Coeur d'Alene area economic development organization. The index ranks U.S. metro areas to reveal where jobs and prosperity are being created based on economic growth, long- and short-termed measurements of employment, salary increases and high-tech output.
The cat has been creeping out of the bag for some time now. Locals and tourists have long known that North Idaho is a treasure. But Coeur d'Alene, the jewel of North Idaho, has landed on the world wide radar screen of spectacular places to live ~ or own a vacation home. Recent articles sang our praises in USA Today as well as the current Robb Report Vacation Homes, which ranked Coeur d'Alene as one of the top 5 great places in the country where the time is right to buy NOW.
Considering the current grim home sale statistics in Kootenai County ~ August saw only 39 home sales as compared to 119 last year ~ sellers should be welcoming these latest reports and the buyers they will surely attract.
Here is the verbiage from the Milken Report:
"Placing 2nd among the 124 smallest cities in 2008 is Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. Despite the housing downturn, overall job and wage growth in this region outperformed the national average. Our five-year indicators, which encompass the period fom 2002 to 2007, show that employment and wages in Coeur d'Alene grew 18.8 and 21.8 percent over the national average, respectively.
The area's fast-growing tourism industry has recently been a major engine of growth, adding 1,800 new jobs in 2007 alone. This sector now accounts for 3.1 percent of total jobs in the metro area. Coeur d'Alene has also emerged as a regional health-care hub; hospitals and health-care services accounted for 51.7 percent of job growth from 2006 to 2007."
For the full Milken Report, go to www.milkeninstitute.org.
Janna Rankin Scharf, GRI, CSP, CLHMS
Associate Broker
Coldwell Banker Schneidmiller Realty
1924 Northwest Blvd.
Coeur d'Alene, Idaho 83814
(208)651-9700
NorthIdahoJanna@gmail.com
Janna Rankin Scharf provides a superior level of real estate services to home buyers and sellers in Coeur d'Alene and Kootenai County, Idaho. Visit www.JannaScharf.com to search for homes in the Coeur d'Alene MLS for anywhere in spectacular North Idaho.
No matter how grand or modest your real estate dreams may be, you can turn to me in confidence. Give me a call today and let me know what I can do to be of service to you!
Janna Rankin Scharf AB, GRI, CSP, CNS, CLHMS 208.651.9700
Wishing you all a Merry Christmas
and a magical holiday season
filled with the true spirit of Christmas!
;)
;)
Janna- Look at your sweet aerial photo! And I had to do a double take on the photo of the bride because it looks just like the bridge over the Chetco River here in Brookings! Yours is a little higher though. Nice localism post!