Three longtime Inland Northwest waterfront real estate specialists have jumped ship and are now operating under a newly formed company called Century 21-Beutler Waterfront, says Bill Fanning, the broker at the new company and one of the agents who moved to it.


Fanning, one of the three agents who were formerly with Tomlinson Black Waterfront Inc., says he will manage Century 21-Beutler Waterfront from its Spokane office in the AmericanWest Bank Building downtown at 41 W. Riverside.


The new company, which is owned by John Beutler, who also owns Coeur dAlene-based Century 21 Beutler & Associates, also has an office in Coeur dAlene, at 1836 Northwest Boulevard.


Century 21 Beutler-Waterfronts associates are Dick Bockemuehl and Kurt Miller, also formerly of Tomlinson Black Waterfront, which no longer exists, Fanning says.


Fanning has been selling waterfront property for 30 years, since his first sale of a lakefront home on North Idahos Twin Lakes, he says, adding that Bockemuehl has been selling waterfront property for 25 years, and Miller has specialized in it for five years.


All we do is sell waterfront property, he says, adding that specializing in such property allows the agents to accumulate knowledge about issues that are unique to waterfront property.


Land-use regulations and building-code restrictions are different in every county, Fanning says. In some places, you cant just take a cabin on a lake and add to it. Generally, just by asking a few questions, we can tell prospective buyers if they can do what they want to do.


Century 21 Beutler-Waterfront will focus on Spokane, Stevens, and Pend Oreille counties in Eastern Washington and Kootenai and Bonner counties in North Idaho. Fanning says there are about 75 lakes and rivers in that territory.


I have lists and maps of everything available on every lake in the region, he says.


Fanning says Century 21 Beutler-Waterfronts recent listings include the Coyote Rock residential development on the Spokane River near Millwood, and the planned Whisper Rock development on the Pend Oreille River north of Newport.


Fanning says he switched real estate company affiliations and joined Century 21 Beutler-Waterfront largely because Bob Tomlinson and Dave Black, the main principals in Tomlinson Black Group of Cos., separated last fall after a 12-year alliance and now are operating separate companies based in Coeur dAlene and Spokane.


We needed to have the same name in both states, Fanning says. The move to John Beutlers company was easy. Weve been close friends and staunch competitors for years. Blending our expertise made a lot of sense.


Century 21 Beutler & Associates has offices in Coeur dAlene, Post Falls, Spokane, Liberty Lake, St. Maries, and Lewiston.


Contact Mike McLean at (509) 344-1266 or via e-mail at mikem@spokanejournal.com.