LANCE FAHRNEY

Top Agent Lance Fahrney serves the Flathead Valley region of Montana, which comprises the town of Lakeside and the areas surrounding Flathead Lake.

When Lance Fahrney moved to Lakeside, Montana for a publishing job in the local paper, he could have never predicted his path to becoming a high-producing Realtor during the Covid-19 pandemic. All it took was a persistent friend, who happens to be his managing broker, to plant the seed that encouraged Lance to take the plunge into the real estate business about three years ago.

Fahrney serves the Flathead Valley region of Montana, which comprises the town of Lakeside and the areas surrounding Flathead Lake. Flathead Lake is the largest natural freshwater lake in the western United States outside of Alaska, and is near Glacier National Park. With a remarkable volume of sales in his short career, ranging from $5 million one year to $18 million in the next, one would presume that Lance has a high return client and referral rate — however it is quite the opposite, but due to understandable circumstances. As Lance started a month before the country went on lockdown, over 95% of his business came from new and out-of-state buyers. Even though the

Lance attributes his success to his innate ability to connect with people. “I ask questions with genuine curiosity [for] the answers,” he states. “I’ve made friends with almost everyone I’ve helped buy property.” industry does not hold a lot of stock in leads from Zillow, Fahrney muses that out of the 20 transactions in his first year, “15 of those were through Zillow leads… and somehow I was able to connect with people on the phone.” He attributes his success to his innate ability to connect with people. “I ask questions with genuine curiosity [for] the answers,” he states.

“I’ve made friends with almost everyone I’ve helped buy property.”

Lance also has a knack for selling land deals. Since the lakefront views can produce high-end home listings, land deals tend to take a back seat. But for Fahrney, a potential building site means a world of possibility. He has sold big parcels of land, including a 273-acre lot. Fahrney is successful in his sales because “if there is a potential building site, I get out there and do improvements.” From mowing the area down so potential buyers are not walking in waist-high grass, or staging a camping table and chairs for plots with awesome views, he has a gift for making a listing without a home look exciting.

“I love working for myself,” Lance comments. “I work as hard or as little as I want. I really like, when it comes to buyers, the hunt, and finding the right place and negotiating.” Fahrney enjoys strategizing with buyers to help them make an offer on a home that speaks to them. The flexibility of the real estate business allows Lance to be a big part of the community.

Fahrney is successful in his sales because “if there is a potential building site, I get out there and do improvements.” From mowing the area down, or staging a camping table and chairs for plots with awesome views, he has a gift for making a listing without a home look exciting.

Fahrney is currently part of many Boards of Directors for different non-profits in the area including, Lakeside Somers Chamber of Commerce, The Glacier Institute, and the Lakeside QRU (Ambulance). Additionally, in the past, he worked with the Samaritan House homeless shelter, Montana West Economic Development Board, North Valley Hospital Foundation, and Glacier AERO.

While the pandemic thrust Fahrney headfirst into the real estate business, now that the industry has calmed down, he is just now able to start working on creating his marketing campaign!

To chat with Lance, please call (406) 871-8168, or email L ance@PureWestMT.com . His listings can be found at PureWestRealEstate.com