Real Estate Blog

"For a Special Breed of Homeowners"There is a new 18 lot equestrian community currently being developed in East Wenatchee.    The "Highland Estates", situated over the ridge (below) the Highlander Golf Course, is touted as being "For a Special Breed of Homeowner".  The lots are 2 acres each and the community will feature a private equestrian facility and a 37 acre riding trail.   For additional information, individual listing details, or a plat map of this new home community for horse lovers, please contact:
Carol@TopPropertiesWenatchee.com

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source: New Equestrian Community Coming To East Wenatchee

For those people who really want to buy a home but are not in a position to get financing because of low credit scores, I have good news!  There is a program available that may allow you to get into a lease/purchase, with up to 2 years to raise your credit scores in order to get financing.    The greatest advantage to this program is that the selection of homes is very large.  We’ve always had a severe shortage of lease/purchase homes in the Wenatchee area.  Now the inventory has opened up dramatically… and we offer the advisory staff to walk you through the process of improving your credit scores, so you can finance the home as soon as possible. 

If you’d like additional information on the lease/purchase program, please contact me:

Carol@TopPropertiesWenatchee.com
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source: New: Lease Purchase Properties Available !

Yesterday I had an inquiry on one my listings, priced at $135,900.  Fortunately (for me) and unfortunately (for the buyer) this particular listing has a pending sale scheduled to close early next month.  That left the buyer wondering what else was available in the Wenatchee  and East Wenatchee area in this price range.  Sadly, there aren’t many homes for sale in this price range that you’d want to live in.  They said a little fixing up is fine, but many of our current listings in this price range are in the "re-hab" category, not a simple fixer upper. 

Anyway, I did a search of homes in the $100,000 - $140,000 price and this is what came up:
Single family homes 
Condominiums (under $140,000)
(These links will be good until July 9, 2006.  The actual status and information provided through these link is subject to change)

I can also do a customized search for manufactured and/or mobile homes by special request.   Some people use the terms manufactured and mobile interchangeably but they are not the same.   We identify "manufactured" homes as those on land of their own.  "Mobile" homes, on the other hand, are those on leased land where a monthly fee is paid.  Besides the use of the land,  the monthly fee for mobile homes generally includes water, sewer, and (sometimes) garbage.

Carol@TopPropertiesWenatchee.com
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source: Wenatchee Homes For Sale: $100K - $140K

For the last few weeks, I’ve been negotiating with a builder to assist some clients to get a custom home built.  About 3 weeks ago, we spent 4 hours on-site discussing everything the buyers wanted.  Eventually, the builders came back with an estimate of costs.    So, we sat down over a conference table last Saturday to hash out the details.  At that time, the builders indicated they wanted to work on a "cost plus" basis.  This means cost of materials, labor, plus a guaranteed profit margin for the builder.   My buyers wanted a day or so to make a final decision.   In the meantime, the builder came back with an "actual list price".    Without going into all the details, let me just say this sounded safer for the buyers knowing they would be locked in with an actual price.  So, we agreed to their terms (with a couple of minor conditions attached).    WELL, the builder came back to us this morning saying they WON’T attach an actual price to the home until the home is framed and drywalled.   This could be 3 or more months away because it will take 5-8 weeks just to get the permit approved, then the foundation must be poured before the framing can begin.   Good grief.  What a merry-go-round. 

The gist of the apprehension on the builders part is that costs are going up so fast, they are literally scared to set a price this far out from completion.   Don’t ask me why they made the offer in the first place.   In the meantime, what do my buyers do?  Do they wait or do they go shopping for a different home that has an actual price attached?   

Stay tuned…

Carol@TopPropertiesWenatchee.com
Do a complete customized property search
Residential Blog

source: New Construction Dilemma

I would like to try to make some sense of the insanity that is settling into the local real estate market right now, but I’m not sure it’s possible. 

As I was driving around Wenatchee, East Wenatchee and Malaga today, looking at new listings, I came across several random lots with For Sale signs.  I called each of the listing agents to get some details and each one told me they have offers pending on them as of the last few days.  These are lots that have been sitting for quite a while, and not in prime locations.  

Although there is plenty of new development going on, it appears these scattered lots are being scooped up… probably by independent builders desperate for a spot to build.   The small independent home builders are having a difficult time finding building lots.  Development of a large parcel is so expensive (and time consuming) that it’s prohibitive for the smaller builder.   The larger parcels that are being developed are being controlled by the developers, leaving the "little guy" scrambling. 

Carol@TopPropertiesWenatchee.com
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Latest Wenatchee Real Estate News, Info, Trends

source: Building Lots Scarce

Earlier in the week I posted some links to the inventory of homes for sale in the $250,000 and under price ranges.  Through my comments section, I was asked to post what is available over $250,000.  Here is a link to the inventory of single family homes in the Wenatchee and East Wenatchee area from  $250,000 - $400,000. 

Here is a link of the inventory of homes from $400,000 - 2,500,000.  The most expensive home is a log home on the Columbia river.

These links are for inventories of single family homes (Wenatchee & East Wenatchee) only and do not include condos and/or manufactured homes on land or acreage.   These links will be good for one month, but inventory is subject to constant change.  Home sell and news homes come on the market every day, so please contact me for the current status of any specific property. 

 If you wish to see some additional information posted, please let me know.  
-Carol

Carol@TopPropertiesWnatchee.com
http://TopPropertiesWenatchee.com
http://www.CarolsWenatchee.com
http://www.RealEstateSuccess.bogspot.com

source: Wenatchee Homes For Sale $250K - $2.5M

The average sale price for single family residences so far in 2006 in the Wenatchee real estate market has been $208,000 while East Wenatchee home sales have averaged $223,000.   We currently have 46 listings in the Wenatchee / East Wenatchee market area in the $150,000 - $250,000 price range.  Here is a link to that inventory of homes for sale. 

Moving into a lower price range, there are only 27 homes listed for sale in the $100,000 - $150,000 price range.  Here is a link to that inventory.    Many of the homes in this category are older and may have needed updating and maintenance issues.   

With such a limited inventory in this more affordable price range (100K - 150K), I researched the inventory of condos and manufactured homes in that same price range.    There are only 15.   

There are only 7 single family home listings under $100,000.     

If you want a specific search done, please let me know and I will customize a search for you.    And, as always, inventory changes constantly and cannot be guaranteed.   These links will only be good until June 23, but the inventory willchange drastically by then. 

When you bring up the spreadsheet, it you click on the listing number a screen will come up giving you an option of a "summary" "full information", "photo tour", "documents"… etc, etc, etc. 

Please contact me for a current list of homes for sale in any given price range.

Carol@TopPropertiesWenatchee.com
Do your own search of homes for sale  (This is not as customizable as my access to the MLS)

source: Wenatchee / East Wenatchee Current Home Inventory

Wenatchee is in the news again and and local real estate values will apparently benefit.  This time the good news is that Wenatchee has been placed #2 in the entire nation (on the "Money" list) of  cities in the U.S. that will experience significant appreciation in real estate values over the next 12 months.   While there is considerable discussion across the country about deflating values and the so called "bubble" bursting, Wenatchee is poised for continued growth and price appreciation.    Washington holds 16 of the top 21 spots on this nationwide list.  This is phenomenol.

While the nationwide average for home price increases in the next year is forecast at 3.5%, Wenatchee is forecast to see a 16.7% increase.   That means if you own a $200,000 home, the value should increase to $233,400 by this time next year (or $2,782 per month)… not a bad little income.    This also means if you’re in the market to buy, time is of the essence.  Now is definitely the time to buy before prices go up any further. 

Much of this forecast, of course, is a result of the strong economic forecast due to the anticipated job growth in the Wenatchee area.   I wrote about this a couple days ago.

If you have specific qestions about the market, please contact me:
Carol@TopPropertiesWenatchee.com
Search the Wenatchee MLS

source: Home Forecast: Where The Growth Is…

As I meet new people, I am constantly being asked how business is for Wenatchee real estate .  As other housing markets across the U.S. see a slowdown and price declines, we continue to experience unwavering expansion and rising prices.  There is no sign of  an impending slowdown in the local area, and an article in the Wenatchee World newspaper Monday seems to agree.    If you have trouble accessing the full article through the link provided, please let me know and I’ll figure out another way to deliver it to you. 

The inventory of  homes available for sale appears to be down, while sales are up.  The number of new building permits being issued is also up.   This expansion reflects activity in the immediate Wenatchee area, but it is also creating pressure (on prices) in the Rock Island, Malaga, Cashmere, Leavenworth, Orondo, Chelan and other outlying areas.  Despite this upward trend on prices, many home buyers find our prices relatively attractive compared to other markets.   As prices continue to increase in the immediate area, I anticipate a trend toward additional pressure on the further outlying areas of the Columbia Basin, such as Moses Lake, Ephrata, and Soap Lake.  

Our strong, diverse, economy and the influx of baby boomers buying second homes for recreation and retirement is a significant factor in the overall activity.    As mentioned in a previous post, there is significant growth anticipated in the Wenatchee area during the next 20 years.

source: Wenatchee Real Estate Still Hot

I’m looking for individual building lots, and particularly lots zoned for multi-family structures… duplex, 4-plex, apartment complexes.    Lots in the Wenatchee, East Wenatchee, Malaga, and Rock Island areas will be considered.

Carol@TopPropertiesWenatchee.com
http://TopPropertiesWenatchee.com
http://RealEstateSuccess.blogspot.com

source: Wenatchee Area Building Lots Needed