North Idaho Real Estate Blog Keeping the “invisible” property owners of Kootenai County in-the-know, as if you were here on a daily basis. 208.769.9464 * dreamteam @ nidt . com * Author: Christina Ethridge, REALTOR(R)

Yes, I’m bringing up a topic (on everyone’s minds) that I’ve brought up before. Now, rather than hearing it from me, let’s take a look at what experts think about Coeur d’Alene’s economic future.

The one thing I do take strong exception to is this statement: “The U.S. economy is tumbling into a full-blown recession this year — it may be there already.”. By any definition, we are not tumbling into a recession, nor are we there and key economic indicators show that we won’t get there. The only thing that has happened is that economists have gotten onto the media bandwagon and deviated from their facts for PR, period.

What is the definition of a recession? 2 consecutive quarters of negative GDP growth. Did you get that? TWO consecutive quarters of negative GDP growth. The 4th quarter of 2007 was a paltry 0.6% growth, but it was still growth. Yet again, the 1st quarter of 2008 was the same paltry 0.6% growth. We have YET to slip into even ONE quarter of negative GDP growth. Not a single quarter yet.

Anyway, onto the article itself.

Bureau of Labor statistics show that even as housing starts flatline and gas prices skyrocket, the number of jobs in Coeur d’Alene has consistently risen in the past year.

Based on those upward employment trends, Mark Hovind, a Nevada business consultant and president of JobBait.com, placed Coeur d’Alene on a list of 27 “recession-proof” areas in the U.S.

The cities on the list are those in which the number of jobs outpaced growth in the workforce. The data were collected over several years — including during the recessions of 1990 and 2001 — ending in 2007.

“Why is Coeur d’Alene sailing through these recessions?” he asked, “in a word: Leisure.”

Kathryn Tacke, regional economist for the Idaho Department of Labor, said the tourism industry is only one sector contributing to the overall growth in the area, and the reasons for the city’s relative stability are complicated.

Tacke added health care and manufacturing to the economic sectors contributing to the upward trending job market.

Nationwide over the last 10 years, the U.S. has lost 3 million jobs in manufacturing, while Kootenai County has added about 1,000 with 24 percent growth, Tacke said.

Posted under Economics of North Idaho

Yes, I’m bringing up a topic (on everyone’s minds) that I’ve brought up before. Now, rather than hearing it from me, let’s take a look at what experts think about Coeur d’Alene’s economic future.

The one thing I do take strong exception to is this statement: “The U.S. economy is tumbling into a full-blown recession this year — it may be there already.”. By any definition, we are not tumbling into a recession, nor are we there and key economic indicators show that we won’t get there. The only thing that has happened is that economists have gotten onto the media bandwagon and deviated from their facts for PR, period.

What is the definition of a recession? 2 consecutive quarters of negative GDP growth. Did you get that? TWO consecutive quarters of negative GDP growth. The 4th quarter of 2007 was a paltry 0.6% growth, but it was still growth. Yet again, the 1st quarter of 2008 was the same paltry 0.6% growth. We have YET to slip into even ONE quarter of negative GDP growth. Not a single quarter yet.

Anyway, onto the article itself.

Bureau of Labor statistics show that even as housing starts flatline and gas prices skyrocket, the number of jobs in Coeur d’Alene has consistently risen in the past year.

Based on those upward employment trends, Mark Hovind, a Nevada business consultant and president of JobBait.com, placed Coeur d’Alene on a list of 27 “recession-proof” areas in the U.S.

The cities on the list are those in which the number of jobs outpaced growth in the workforce. The data were collected over several years — including during the recessions of 1990 and 2001 — ending in 2007.

“Why is Coeur d’Alene sailing through these recessions?” he asked, “in a word: Leisure.”

Kathryn Tacke, regional economist for the Idaho Department of Labor, said the tourism industry is only one sector contributing to the overall growth in the area, and the reasons for the city’s relative stability are complicated.

Tacke added health care and manufacturing to the economic sectors contributing to the upward trending job market.

Nationwide over the last 10 years, the U.S. has lost 3 million jobs in manufacturing, while Kootenai County has added about 1,000 with 24 percent growth, Tacke said.

Posted under Economics of North Idaho

I’m sharing this with you not to provide commentary on it, but to put it out there as valuable information when making the decision to buy or sell real estate in Idaho.

“Small businesses are Idaho’s job-creating dynamo,” said Dr. Chad Moutray, chief economist for the Office of Advocacy. “They are the key to the state’s ability to increase gross state product, personal income, and total employment. Clearly policymakers need to consider their impact on small business when they are making policy decisions.”

Updated data and statistics on the state’s small businesses are available at www.sba.gov/advo/research/profiles.

For information and a copy of all the state and territory small business profiles, visit the Office of Advocacy Web site at www.sba.gov/advo .

Press Release Here.

Posted under Economics of North Idaho, For Buyers, For Investors

I’m sharing this with you not to provide commentary on it, but to put it out there as valuable information when making the decision to buy or sell real estate in Idaho.

“Small businesses are Idaho’s job-creating dynamo,” said Dr. Chad Moutray, chief economist for the Office of Advocacy. “They are the key to the state’s ability to increase gross state product, personal income, and total employment. Clearly policymakers need to consider their impact on small business when they are making policy decisions.”

Updated data and statistics on the state’s small businesses are available at www.sba.gov/advo/research/profiles.

For information and a copy of all the state and territory small business profiles, visit the Office of Advocacy Web site at www.sba.gov/advo .

Press Release Here.

Posted under Economics of North Idaho, For Buyers, For Investors

I’m sharing this with you not to provide commentary on it, but to put it out there as valuable information when making the decision to buy or sell real estate in Idaho.

“Small businesses are Idaho’s job-creating dynamo,” said Dr. Chad Moutray, chief economist for the Office of Advocacy. “They are the key to the state’s ability to increase gross state product, personal income, and total employment. Clearly policymakers need to consider their impact on small business when they are making policy decisions.”

Updated data and statistics on the state’s small businesses are available at www.sba.gov/advo/research/profiles.

For information and a copy of all the state and territory small business profiles, visit the Office of Advocacy Web site at www.sba.gov/advo .

Press Release Here.

Posted under Economics of North Idaho, For Buyers, For Investors