Real Estate Blog

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404 E. Birch * Waterville, WAFor the first time ever (that I know of), there will be a coordinated tour of homes in Waterville.  There are currently 12 homes listed for sale in the town of Waterville, and 6 or 7 of them will be open this coming Sunday, August 6th, from 1:00 - 4:00 in the afternoon. 
If you’re looking for real value in a home purchase, Waterville is a great place to shop.   Watch this blog, as I will be posting a list of addresses (with prices) a little later in the week. 

If you’d like to get advance info on any of the upcoming open houses, please contact:
Carol@TopPropertiesWenatchee.com    

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source: Waterville, WA Tour Of Homes

Yesterday I posted a link to the limited inventory of homes in the under 100,000 and 100K-125K prices ranges.  Here is a link to what’s showing on today’s inventory of mobiles homes on lease land.  I received a comment from one of my readers that he’s had two friends seek employment in other parts of the state because they couldn’t afford to buy a home here. 

Most people prefer to buy a home with land included but, with a limited budget, a home on leased land is actually not a bad option.  When you consider your buying power, you can get a much nicer home (for less money) on leased land than one that includes the real estate, and it beats paying rent (which just means you’re paying your landlord’s mortgage instead of your own).

Let me give you a potentially new perspective on the benefits of buying a home on leased land.  It’s very difficult to find a decent home (one you’d want to live in) for under $150,000 in our current market.  For $60,000 you can get quite a nice home on leased land.  That creates a $90,000 price differencial.   If you make a lot lease payment of $325 (example), you could pay for over 23 years and still be ahead.   Remember, the lot lease generally includes water, sewer and (sometimes) garbage so your net cost is actually less.  Plus, your taxes are less because you are not paying for the value of the real estate.  You are only paying on the lower value of the mobile home.   Between taxes and utilities you would probably save around $100 per month, so your net land lease cost is $225.  That’s 33 years of payments for the $90,000 price differential.  

I realize, of course, the lot lease will increase over the years (affecting the numbers) but do you see my point on all of this?    If you’re on a limited budget but still want a home you can be proud to live in… consider a manufactured home on leased land. 

For a custom consultation and the most current info, please contact:

Carol@TopPropertiesWenatchee.com 
For current pictures and info about the Wenatchee area

source: Benefits of Buying a Mobile Home on Lease Land

As the 2006 Tour of Homes gets underway, and the builders flaunt their showcase homes, I got to wondering what the total current inventory of "affordable" homes looks like.   Affordable is an arbitrary term, of course,  but I searched for homes under $100,000 and found only 6 total.  These are single family residences, excluding mobile homes on leased land.  Adding those (mobiles) to the mix the total went up to 20.   Because there were so few in the under 100,000 price range, I searched homes in the $100,000 - $125,000 price range and there were 12.  All searches were done for the Wenatchee, and East Wenatchee areas and did not include homes for sale in Cashmere, Leavenworth, Chelan or other outlying areas.

With home sales in the Wenatchee area remaining brisk, it is becoming more and more difficult to find affordable homes to buy.  To add to the frustration for those on a limited budget, our anticipated appreciation of 16% for the next 12 months will make buying a home even more difficult as time goes by.  So, if you’re thinking about buying a home… sooner is better than later!

If you’d like a free consultation or customized search in a specific location and price range, please contact:

Carol@TopPropertiesWenatchee.com

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Current Wenatchee area pictures, news, info and trends

source: Are There Any Affordable Homes In Wenatchee?

This week-end, starting Friday, is the annual North Central (Washington) Home Builders Association Tour-Of-Homes. 

The following 10 participating builders have a variety of floor plans and unique style to showcase:  Bollinger Construction, Cedarbrook Homes, Gold Construction, GVL Construction, Jessup Home Design, Olson’s Construction, Stimac Construction, VanAssche Homjes, VanLith Developments and Lenssen Homes.

The cost of viewing all 10 homes is: Adults $8,  Kids (2-12) $4

$1 off coupons are available by visiting the NCHBA website at: www.nchba.cc

Addresses for this years tour are:

Wenatchee:
901Surry Road (Bollinger)

960 Golden Crest Drive (VanLith)

East Wenatchee:

137 Hill Spring Drive (Jessup)

2610 Facher Landing (VanAssche)

2336 Fancher Heights Blvd (Stimac)

983 Briarwood Drive (Cedarbrook)

848 Briarwood Drive (GVL)

445 Dorado Court (Olson’s)

439 Dorado Court (Lenssen)

448 S. Webb Ave (Gold)

Tour times are:
Friday: 3:00 - 7:00

Saturday: 10:00 - 6:00 
Sunday: 11:00 - 4:00

Carol@TopPropertiesWenatchee.com

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source: 2006 Wenatchee Tour Of Homes

Par 3, #8 (Click image to enlarge)I had the pleasure of playing the golf course in Leavenworth, Washington last Friday.

This course is carved out of a forest with many tight, tree-lined fairways, with rugged mountain views and the soothing Icicle River running along the edge of #5 & #6.  I was impressed by the condition of the course, the mountain views… and their beautifully designed and maintained flower gardens.  If you’re a golfer, I highly recommend this course and thought you might enjoy a few pictures from my day on the links.  Oh… My score?  87    
Looking south from the tee box on #5 (click image to enlarge)

 
Flower garden at #10 tee box (click image to enlarge)
Carol@TopPropertiesWenatchee.com

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source: Leavenworth Golf Course

Tonight’s Wenatchee World newspaper reported that the property owner of 28 acres above the Highlander Golf Course in East Wenatchee has been denied a rezone for a 12 parcel development.  Current Growth Management regulations require a minimum lot size of 5 acres, computing t 5 building lots for a 28 acre parcel.  The owner had requested a rezone to allow for 12 building lots.

The planning officials cited slope and soil stability issues as reasons for the denial.  For more information go to the Wenatchee world online version of the article.  Here is a link to the article from two days prior.

Carol@TopPropertiesWenatchee.com

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source: Development Rezone Denied in East Wenatchee

A proposed mobile home park, intended to replace the Ninth Street Trailer Park is being met with opposition from homeowners in the adjacent neighborhood.  The replacement park is necessary because the residents at the Ninth Street Trailer Park will be receiving evacuation notices to make way for new development along the riverfront. 

You can read more about it in tonights Wenatchee World newspaper.   This kind of community is ccertainly needed in the Wenatchee Valley, but where should it go? 

Carol@TopPropertiesWenatchee.com

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source: Neighborhood Opposes New Trailer Park

Taken from the Wenatchee World newspaper online version, here are some of the suggestions recorded during public input sessions on shoreline development in Douglas County, Washington earlier this year:

* Build an amphitheater down by the river

* Try to make park benches more comfortable

* Put in restaurants that overlook the river

* Extend the Apple Capital Recreation Loop Trail

* Don’t extend the Loop Trail

* Get rid of the out-of-commission silicon plant in Rock Island

* Put in more parks, trails and viewpoints

* Protect existing wildlife

* Support low-density residential development

* Improve access to parks and trails

* Limit industrial uses

* Protect orchards

* Get ferry service or build a bridge from Orondo to Entiat

* Enforce buffer zones

* Discourage seagulls

Source: “Citizens Vision for Douglas County Shorelines” report, released to the public in May.

For specific information on real estate in the area, contact:

Carol@TopPropertiesWenatchee.com   
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source: Douglas County, WA Shoreline Planning

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