Book Review: ‘The Smartest Money Book You’ll Ever Read: Everything You Need to Know About Growing, Spending and Enjoying Your Money’ Author: Daniel R. Solin

Today’s post-recession, pro-consumer, anti-bank zeitgeist reflects a dramatic sea change in the world of personal finance advice. Gone are the days when the cable TV pundits whose eyes bulge as they holler hysterics about what, when and whether to buy, sell or hold are taken seriously as anything but entertainment.

All the rules of thumb (e.g., owning a home is good) have been revised and nuanced (e.g., owning a home is good if X, Y and Z, but renting makes more sense if A, B and C).

And there’s also been a sea change in how this advice is delivered. Instead of a once-weekly column in the local paper by a financial writer, these days there is a steady stream — flood, even — of advice-blog posts written by actual financial advisers and delivered in short, simple chunks right-sized for today’s shrunken attention spans.

Daniel R. Solin is one such expert/blogger, and uses the same pithy style, linking to complementary online resources as he does in his advice columns on HuffingtonPost.com and USNews.com in his new book, “The Smartest Money Book You’ll Ever Read: Everything You Need to Know About Growing, Spending and Enjoying Your Money.”

Here are four of Solin’s smartest financial do’s and don’ts:

1. Don’t try to play the market. Solin practically pleads with readers not to base their housing or stock market investment decisions on their guesses as to whether the market will rise or fall, and when.

On real estate, Solin says to get aggressive about building equity by making conservative mortgage decisions and extra payments, when possible, rather than trying to sell at the top of the market and buy at the bottom.

And when it comes to the stock market, Solin exhorts readers: “Don’t just do something — stand there!” Solin repeatedly cites historical evidence that simply getting and staying in the market yields better results in the long term than what he calls “hyperactive” investing.

2. Do consider other options to a reverse mortgage to access fast cash in retirement. “Smartest” offers loads of Solin’s advice for retirees whose portfolios, plans and bottom lines have been adversely affected by the recession.

Rather than seeing a costly, legacy-draining reverse mortgage as their first resort for access to large amounts of cash, Solin first cautions retirees to get serious about whether anything but health, food and shelter are truly needs vs. wants (note: helping your children is not a need, in his book) and lists a number of more attractive, but less commonly considered options for accessing cash, including a “regular” home refinance or loan against a 401(k) or cash value life insurance policy.

3. Don’t confuse salespeople for financial advisers. Calling the investment industry “friend and foe,” Solin points out the sobering truth that 95 percent of actively managed funds fail to equal or beat their market indexes, yet the fees for investing in actively managed funds tend to be several times more expensive than for index funds, eroding whatever returns investors in active funds do attain.

Solin urges readers to be aware of the difference between an investment broker, who he says is more accurately described as a salesperson; and a financial adviser, who can take a look at your life and your money and help you set goals, pick low-fee investments, rebalance your portfolio, manage your tax exposure and manage your emotions.

Solin recommends that readers put together a trusted team including an estate planning attorney, a certified public accountant (CPA), and fee-only (i.e., not commission-based) investment and insurance advisers.

4. Do shop around. Solin likens our monthly income and expenses to our body’s metabolism. In the same way we gain weight over the years by consuming calories on autopilot, we can lose cash by having our insurance, investment and other expenses auto-debited, making it highly unlikely that we’ll notice when fees and bills rise.

Solin advises checking in on these items at regular intervals, and shopping around to see whether we can find a better deal.

“Smartest” makes a great effort to be comprehensive in terms of covering every area of financial life, but it doesn’t actually go deep enough to be the only book you need. Rather, it is a great start at giving you the rationale for getting motivated to grow up and get serious about your finances, and provides you with a primer and a road map for the work ahead of you.

With 40-plus chapters averaging a couple of pages in length each, “Smartest” feels rather like a collection of Solin’s blog posts; this will leave some readers hungry for more depth and detail, but will certainly appeal to many others who cringe at the density of a more traditional personal finance title.

To its credit, “Smartest” also does a good job of pointing out where you can find tools to execute Solin’s recommendations or learn more about a given subject online, mostly on the wildly popular and free, do-it-yourself money management platform Mint.com.

Generally, “Smartest” is written in plain English — though its approach is a tad bit imbalanced, getting a little bit in the weeds and detailed in the sections of his particular expertise and borderline vague and oversimplified in others.

However, if you are looking to start your proactive financial planning up again, after the trauma of the recession, or if you are just taking control of your finances for the first time, “Smartest” is a smart choice for the starter book you need to put your own personal money train in motion.

Click Here for the Daily Real Estate News Article

By Tara-Nicholle Nelson
Inman News®

–

Claudia Williams
Owner/Ecobroker/Exchangor
Blue Ribbon Properties, 835 Main Ave #214, Durango, CO 81301

970 247 8388 (office), 970 749 3555 (cell), 970 247 8360 (fax), blueribbondurango.com

Connect with Claudia on facebook, buzztown, twitter, linked in and my blog articles

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Check out the New Market Snapshot to monitor the value of your home and get current local market conditions

As we wrap up 2011, Trulia’s Chief Economist looks ahead at what’s in store for the battered housing market and which cities have a big reason to celebrate the New Year.

My crystal ball is never as crystal-clear as I’d like, but I do think that we can expect a gradual economic recovery to move the housing market a few steps back toward normal in 2012.

Before getting into the predictions, let me be upfront about what I’m assuming. After 14 months of job gains, I expect the economy to continue its slow but determined recovery. I don’t do my own macroeconomic forecasts, but every single one of the fifty-ish economic forecasters surveyed by the Wall Street Journal expects the economy to grow throughout 2012, and that makes sense to me.

Here’s what I expect in 2012 and what it means for agents:

Delinquencies will go down, but foreclosures will go up.

Fewer borrowers will fall behind on their payments next year, thanks to the strengthening economy and refinancings. The share of delinquent borrowers is already down more than a quarter from the peak a couple of years ago. But many borrowers who fell behind on their payments during the housing crisis are still in limbo: last year’s robo-signing controversy threw a wrench in the gears of the foreclosure process. That means that some delinquent loans haven’t yet gone through the foreclosure process. Once a settlement is reached with banks over robo-signing, we’ll see a new wave of foreclosures and foreclosure sales.

What it means for agents: Despite the decline in delinquencies, the wave of foreclosures will hurt. New foreclosures will depress prices for several reasons – foreclosed homes are often sold at a discount and used as comps for non-distressed homes; vacant homes bring down the value of their neighbors; and high foreclosures are the worst thing for consumer confidence in the housing market. That will hurt seller motivation even more than buyer motivation since lower prices will mean deals for some buyers. Agents should be gearing up with competitive pricing strategies to catch buyers and preparing to counsel their traditional seller-clients about the depressed prices to come in high-foreclosure areas.

Rents will rise – which is a bad thing.

With fewer people buying homes and more people losing their homes to foreclosures, rental demand is increasing. High rents will hold back economic growth if businesses can’t pay workers enough to have a roof over their heads. Squeezed city-dwellers won’t get relief until late 2012: that’s when a wave of new multi-unit construction projects that started late this year will be completed and available for rent. To tackle growth-killing high living costs in the priciest cities head on, local governments need to get rid of height restrictions and arduous permitting processes, which hold back urban construction and push development to the suburbs.

What it means for agents: Rising rents and falling prices make buying a great deal – but only for prospective buyers who can afford the downpayment and qualify for a mortgage. When counseling buyers, agents need to be aware of the struggle and sacrifice required to save for down payments in this climate. But the good news is that there will be clients motivated by available inventory and low prices – even though these clients may require more hand-holding around financing options.

Mortgage rates will inch up – which will probably be a good thing.

A stronger economy will push Treasury bonds and mortgage rates up because inflation becomes more likely and investors demand higher rates to hold bonds. But lots of factors can push rates up or down. For the housing market, which direction rates go is less important than why. Gradual economic recovery is good news for the housing market even if it means higher mortgage rates – because higher mortgage rates should go hand-in-hand with greater housing demand.

What it means for agents: Higher mortgage rates mean higher monthly payments for buyers, but a stronger economy means that buyers will be better able to afford those rates. Higher rates probably won’t hold back buyers much: rates are only one of many factors that enter into the cost of buying a home, and for many buyers the downpayment is a much bigger barrier to homeownership than the monthly payments. Also, buyers need to be reminded that homeownership has other costs on top of the monthly mortgage payment, like insurance and maintenance, which can add half again as much to the cost of owning a home. Agents should help buyers figure out the overall costs and benefits of homeownership, not just the monthly mortgage payment.

 Government will sit on its hands.

In election years, politicians don’t take risks: they’re more talk and less action, so don’t expect any bold housing policy reforms next year. What’s more, with the housing market now recovering, we’re not in enough of a crisis to force political opponents together. Instead, in 2012 we’ll see the effects of modest housing proposals from this year: easier refinancing under the expanded HARP program, and more government-owned homes coming to market for sale or rent. But the bitter debate in Washington over the budget deficit and debt will continue.

What it means for agents: No news may be good news: I don’t expect major changes in policy that will upend the housing market. But government is slowly scaling back support for housing, both to encourage the private sector to come back in and also to help deal with the federal budget deficit. Late this year we saw increased fees on Fannie and Freddie to help fund the payroll tax cut, lower conforming loan limits, and proposals to scale back mortgage interest deduction. Agents should explain to buyers what these changes means for their mortgage costs, both before and after taxes.

Smart cities are hot.

 In 2012, the local housing markets that will enjoy rising prices, new construction or both, are those that start the year with stronger job growth and fewer empty homes holding back the market. My top five cities to watch are Austin TX, Houston TX, San Jose CA, the Boston suburbs, and Rochester NY. Most of these cities have strong high-tech industries or high-skill workforces. During the housing boom, the go-go cities tended to be lower-skill, lower-education metros. But in 2012, smart is hot.

What it means for agents: All markets are local. Even though the housing bubble and bust affected nearly all markets, each local market is recovering – or not – at its own pace. National indicators are helpful in understanding where the market is going overall, but buyers and sellers need to understand what’s happening in your local market – which could be very different from the national picture

Click Here for the Link to the Trulia Article

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Before you slide into a holiday-induced brain freeze, there are a number of steps you can take before year end to save you money, courtesy of Uncle Sam. There are lots of other juicy tax benefits that are slated to disappear at the end of 2011, but read carefully, because some are subject to income testing. “A little planning can go a long way,” according to Michael Goodman, CPA/PFS, CFP and President of Wealthstream Advisors. He advises acceleration of deductions this tax year if you expect to be in a lower tax bracket next year.

7 deductions due to expire in 2011

1) Higher education expenses: Taxpayers with adjusted gross incomes (AGI’s) of up to $65,000 for singles and $130,000 for couples can claim $4,000 of deductions for college tuition and fees. (IRS Publication 970)

2) Mortgage insurance deduction: Borrowers with AGI’s up to $100,000 may be able to treat qualified mortgage insurance as home mortgage interest, which means that 100 percent of 2011 premiums may be deductible. The insurance contract had to be issued after 2006 and deductions are phased out in 10 percent increments for homeowners with AGI’s between $100,001 and $109,000. (IRS Publication 936)

3) State sales-tax deduction: If you itemize your taxes, you can choose to take an itemized deduction for state sales taxes instead of state and local income taxes. This is a no-brainer for residents of states without income taxes, such as Texas and Nevada. But it might also work for people in areas with low state-income taxes that made a large purchase during the year such as a car or an engagement ring. (IRS sales tax calculator)

4) Energy efficiency upgrades: Here’s where going green can save you green. If you make energy efficiency improvements to your home before the end of the year, you may be eligible for a tax credit of 10 percent for the cost, up to a maximum of $500. Approved improvements include new windows, insulation, high efficiency furnaces, water heaters and air conditioning, among many. Be sure to keep your receipts and manufacturer certification. (Energy Star items that qualify for the tax deduction)

5) IRA charitable donation: Donors over age 70 1/2 can contribute up to $100,000 of traditional IRA assets directly to one or more qualified charities (but not a donor-advised fund). While there’s no tax deduction, the gift is excluded from income, and can count as part or all of the required minimum distribution. The charity must be qualified as publicly supported (no private foundations or donor-advised funds), and the distribution must go directly from your IRA to the charity without going to you first. The timing of this could be perfect if you haven’t yet taken your required minimum distribution for 2011; if you don’t need the money; or if you don’t itemize. (IRS Publication 590)

6) Enhanced adoption credits: As part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (March 2010), the Adoption Tax Credit was extended one year until Dec. 31, 2011, the amount of credit was increased to $13,360 and it was made refundable, meaning that families can benefit even if they have less than $13,360 of federal income tax liability. If adoption expenses have been paid for by an employer, you may qualify to exclude up to $13,360 from income. The credit is subject to income phaseouts from $185,210 to $225,210 in AGI. (IRS Topic 607)

7) Classroom deduction for teachers: K-12 educators who work at least 900 hours during the school year can claim an above-the-line deduction of up to $250 ($500 if married filing joint and both spouses are educators, but not more than $250 each) of any unreimbursed expenses (books, supplies, computer equipment (including related software and services), other equipment, and supplementary materials) used in the classroom. (IRS Topic 458)

9 More year-end tax tips (with no expiration, except the calendar)

1) Mail your checks for deductible purchases: Procrastinator alert! If you’re the type of person who waits until the last minute for everything, take note: To qualify for write-offs of charitable contributions and business expenses, your payments must be postmarked by midnight Dec. 31. The IRS says just writing “December 31″ on the check does not automatically qualify you for a deduction; and pledges aren’t deductible until paid. Donations made with a credit card are deductible as of the date the account is charged.

2) Give appreciated stock or fund shares to charity: Get in the holiday spirit, with the help of Uncle Sam. One way to lower your tax bill in April is to donate appreciated securities, like stocks, bonds or mutual funds, to a charity. You’ll write off the current market value (not just what you paid for them) and escape taxes on the accumulated gains. Since charities don’t have to pay capital gains on the gift, they get the full value of your generosity. Goodman says “donor-advised funds are a great solution for quick year-end planning. If you know you want the deduction but can’t make the decision as to which charity you want to use, the DAF allows you to capture the deduction now and decide on the charity later.”

3) Take advantage of low capital gains rates: If you’re in the 10 or 15 percent bracket — taxable income below $67,900 for married couples and $33,950 for singles — profits on long-term capital gains (or ones owned more than 12 months) won’t be taxed at all in 2011 and 2012. That’s right: Your capital gains tax rate will be ZERO percent. It might make sense to sell taxable assets at gains in the next two years, because most experts believe that rates will rise in the future. That goes for high earners, because the current top rate is at a historic low of 15 percent. Given that a new 3.8 percent tax on net investment income is set to take effect in 2013 for joint filers with AGI’s of $250,000 or more (or $200,000 for single filers) it makes sense to consider locking in gains at this year’s lower rate. Goodman warns that “the portion of the capital gain that puts you over the taxable income threshold will be taxed at the higher cap gains rate.”

4) Sell losers: If you have investment losses in a taxable account, now is the time to use those losers to your advantage. You can sell losing positions to offset gains that you have taken previously in the year, to minimize your tax hit. If you have more losses than gains, you can deduct up to $3,000 of losses against ordinary income. If you have more than $3,000 of losses, you can carry over that amount to future years.

5) Avoid getting soaked by a wash sale: If you are starting to clean up your non-retirement accounts to take losses, don’t get soaked by the “Wash Sale” rule. The IRS won’t let you deduct a loss if you buy a “substantially identical” investment within 30 days, what’s known as a wash sale. To avoid the wash sale, wait 31 days and repurchase the stock or fund you sold, or replace the security with something that is close, but not the same as the one you sold…hopefully something cheaper, like an index fund. (IRS Publication 550)

6) Fully fund your college savings 529 plan: The average public university now charges over $8,200 for tuition and fees — a massive 8.3 percent increase from last year — so now’s the time to get a leg up on your education savings with a 529 plan. Money saved in these programs grows tax-free and withdrawals used to pay for college sidestep taxes, too. You can invest up to $13,000 in 2011 without incurring a federal gift tax and many states offer state tax deductions for the contributions. (529 Plan information)

7) Use your flex account or lose it: Some employers require employees with flexible spending accounts (pretax dollars that pay out-of-pocket medical and childcare expenses) to forfeit contributions that go unused by Dec. 31. If you have an FSA, check your company’s rules. If you have cash sitting in the account and your deadline is year-end, spend it to avoid leaving money on the table.

Retirement withdrawals: According to Fidelity Investments, two-thirds of all IRA holders haven’t yet taken their required payouts (required minimum distributions or MRD), which must be withdrawn by Dec. 31. There is one exception: Taxpayers taking their first required payout may do so by April 1, 2012. The penalty on not taking your required minimum distribution is steep — 50 percent on the shortfall. (IRS FAQs about MRDs)

9) Project your income: If you’re self-employed, estimate your income for 2011 and 2012. If your tax bracket could rise next year, delay making tax-deductible business purchases until January, when the write-offs will become more valuable. If you think you’ll bring in less money in 2012, do exactly the reverse.

Here is a link to the article, Click Here

Happy Holidays! Don’t forget, I am licensed in Colorado & New Mexico, and am eager to help you in Real Estate Sales & Property Management in LaPlata County & San Juan County!

Stacy E. Engle, (970) 759-6411 . (970) 247-8388 . (505) 334-8814 . stacytune@durangolive.net . BlueRibbonDurango.com

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Season’s  Greetings

This year has brought expansion to Blue Ribbon Properties, we added three new agents welcoming Terry Sadler, Don Ferris and Bill Powell. We’ve expanded into property management in Bayfield, Durango and Farmington area in addition to our continuing premium real estate sales services in Colorado and New Mexico. Sales volume is up and that’s a tentatively strong signal for the upcoming year!

What a turbulent year 2011 has been, another year marked with dramatic changes and challenges. Several of you took advantage of the opportunities in this market, refinanced at historically low interest rates or bought real estate at reduced prices. Others are still waiting in the wings for the right deal to come along, or maybe you are getting frustrated trying to sell your property in a tough market.

Regardless of your position in the real estate market, we continue to see that your need for accurate and up to date information is greater than ever. We continue to pride ourselves on having established our blog as one of Durango’s best sources for real estate statistics! Every Friday we post an update of sales and new listings and we are proud to say that our number of subscribers is steadily increasing.

If you haven’t subscribed to our blog articles, we would like to encourage you to do so at BlueRibbonDurango.com or follow us on Facebook at fb.com/blueribbonproperties.

Overall, the recent activity, coupled with the pent up demand of potential home buyers who haven’t bought in the past few years, leads me to continue to forecast a healthy albeit slow market recovery.

Being the optimist that I am, I can’t help but point out the positive news and real estate market headlines over the past few weeks:

“The U.S. Economy – Finally, Some Positive News”, The Economist, Nov 26, 2011

“an improved outlook for at least the near future is now showing up all over the economic data.“

“Housing in 2012: Things are looking up”, Money Magazine, Dec 2011

“The outlook: Most of the country will see the housing market stabilize, just don’t bet on a big increase in prices.”

“Housing looking better …”, Durango Herald,  Nov 20, 2011

“We’ve recently had some OK local economic news. Real estate appears to be recovering. Builders are feeling confident enough to start spec homes for would-be buyers, and between September and October, foreclosures fell 15 percent. New home permits are trending upward nationally and in Colorado. The National Association of Home Builders reports new home sales rose 5.7 percent last month. Nationwide, home inventory has fallen to about six months, a far cry from the 12-month surplus in 2009. And some believe the pent-up demand of people waiting for a more robust economy, living with family and friends, is about to be unleashed..”

As another year comes to a close we are reminded of just how fortunate we are to have wonderful families and friends, steady business and last but not least we get to live in beautiful Durango and enjoy all the wonderful activities around us. We know that it is the people in our lives that bring real joy and happiness. Together we can overcome anything!

We sincerely value your business and are here to help you with all your real estate needs. If you know anyone who may be thinking about buying, selling or renting, or simply could use information on real estate please do refer them our way. We promise to take excellent care of you and them!

Have a Happy New Year! Here’s to an awesome 2012!

Claudia Williams and the Blue Ribbon Team

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The study shows that Durango’s economy is has a thriving and well-rounded economy with higher than average wages.  Strong industries like natural resources, farming, tourism, and the second home market have helped the economy continue to grow, contributing to the quality of life that the community enjoys.

Durango is a unique and incredible place to live!  While the population sits at a moderate 16,000 people, the vibrant townspeople enjoy a quality of life much like a metropolitan area with a multitude of things to do.  Downtown Durango features an incredible music and arts scene and features more restaurants per capita than even San Francisco.

Nestled in the Animas River Valley at the foot of the San Juan Mountains, Durango gains its life from the rivers, trails, natural hot springs and abundant wildlife that surround the town.  With warm, sunny days in the Winter, mild and dry summers, and colorful autumns and springs Durango enjoys a climate like no other.

There has never been a better time to move to Durango.  Come visit or call us at Blue Ribbon Properties today and we’ll find the perfect match for you to come join our thriving community!

Claudia Williams, Durango Realtor, congratulates Julie Meininger for winning the Cruiser Bike

Congratulations to Laurie Meininger!   She is the proud winner of Blue Ribbon’s Cruiser Bike Giveaway.  Thanks to everyone for participating.  Stay tuned for real estate updates and more fun prizes.  You can find us on facebook, Buzztown Durango, twitter or my blog.

Just too bad they are not giving away homes in Durango, I’d take one! Seriously though, while it would be nice to have free homes, let’s be grateful that the Durango real estate market is holding up well and home values are comparatively stong. Here’s the scoop:

Marcie Geffner from Bankrate.com reports:

Have too many foreclosed properties?

Why not give them away?

That’s what Bank of America plans to do with as many as 150 vacant and abandoned properties in and around Chicago through a new “collaboration” with the city that’s intended to address the problem of abandoned properties.

“Unfortunately,” BofA said in a statement, “many homeowners faced with unemployment, underemployment and other economic hardships have transitioned to alternative housing situations, and in many cases, have walked away from their homes, leaving behind vacant and deteriorating properties that can cause neighborhood blight.”

As part of the new effort, BofA plans to:

Register properties with the city when the mortgage is delinquent and the property has been identified as vacant and abandoned.
Identify up to 150 properties that will be referred to a new Cook County vacant and abandoned building court call in an effort to speed up the foreclosure process and return the properties to stable, productive use. The foreclosure timeline for vacant and abandoned properties in the area currently averages 18 months, the bank said.
Contribute funds toward the city’s costs of demolishing deteriorating buildings on the donated properties.
Donate foreclosed and vacant condominiums to the nonprofit Community Investment Corp. as part of an initiative to upgrade, preserve and stabilize management of affordable rental housing.
BofA also recently held a mortgage modification outreach event and opened a new full-time customer assistance center in Chicago.

These and other initiatives “provide convenient opportunities for customers who are having difficulty making their mortgage and other credit account payments to receive face-to-face counseling, on-site processing and underwriting of mortgage modification requests and other assistance,” the bank explained.

Bank of America presently has 12 full-time customer assistance centers. Twenty-eight more are scheduled to open in the next few months. Seven will be located in California. Others will be in Atlanta, Baltimore/Washington, D.C., Denver, Detroit, Houston, Miami, Milwaukee, New Orleans, Philadelphia, San Antonio, St. Louis and other major cities.

Read more: BofA to give away houses | Bankrate.com

To search Colorado and Durango area homes for sale and  foreclosure listings click here or email me and I’ll email you new bankowned properties for sale as they come up!

Every Friday we post Durango Real Estate Market Statistics, including sales and new listings as well as a link to new bankowned listings. Sign up for the RSS feed or email feed in the upper left hand corner of the www.blueribbondurango.com site.

Claudia Williams, Broker, Realtor, Blue Ribbon Properties, 835 Main Ave #214, Durango, CO 81301, 970 247 8388

claudia@blueribbondurango.com

Check out our blog at www.blueribbondurango.com/blog

Town run – Rafting on the Animas River, going right through Durango

Gotta love living in Durango – I spend mothersday watching my kids play soccer (all weekend) in Durango’s own Durango Shoot Out Soccer Tournament and snuck away on Sunday afternoon to go down the river. It was running at 1000, not real big, but getting there. It was hot out and a beautiful, sunny spring day in Durango! How lucky are we to have our very own river in our back yard, and rafts in the garage. I’m up to two rafts, two duckies, six innertubes… I may have to build another garage.

Front page news on today’s Durango Herald – Eight steps to a sweet summer job as a river rafting guide – How about that? Move to Durango, become a rafting guide and I you bring money I’ll help you buy a house! Call me to discuss rafting or Durango Real Estate. Life is Good! I will copy the article below or get the link here.

For info on Durango soccer, the Durango Shoot Out tournament and more go to http://www.durangosoccer.com/

Claudia

–
Claudia Williams
Owner/Ecobroker/Exchangor
Blue Ribbon Properties
835 Main Ave #214
Durango, CO 81301

970 247 8388 (office)
970 749 3555 (cell)
970 247 8360 (fax)
www.blueribbondurango.com

Check out my blog
The Scoop on Durango Real Estate
www.blueribbondurango.com/blog

Life is but a dream

Eight steps to a sweet summer job as a river rafting guide

 

SARAH FRIEDMAN/Herald

Zach Conde shows Mike and Cara Orton how to paddle while they are on the raft. Local rafters say the most important part of a rafter’s job is to make sure the customers leave the river with big smiles.

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Herald file

Rafters enjoy the high waters in the Smelter Rapid Corner Pocket in Durango in June 2010. Several rafters in Durango say you’ve got to love the water and love people make it as a river guide. Oh, it helps if you’re not looking for a fat paycheck, too.

Enlargephoto