Following are links to the current condo listing by market area:


Wenatchee Condos for sale
East Wenatchee Condos for sale
Cashmere Condos for sale
Leavenworth Condos for sale


These links will be active for 30 days, but inventory changes constantly so please contact us for the most up-to-date information.


If you have questions or want additional information on any of the listed inventory, please contact:

   The Willinger Real Estate (and Property Management) Team
   Carol Williams  CarolWilliams@charter.net
   Shelley Granger  ShelleyGranger@charter.net


Have a great week!




         

 The April Wenatchee Real Estate SNAPSHOT published by Pacific Appraisal Associates could make for some interesting, and encouraging, conversation.  Will get an analysis published soon!


The market across the country seems to be improving and Wenatchee is still among the best in the nation. 


Hope you're all enjoying a great Spring.

The coming of Spring is always highlighted by the anticipation of a new baseball season.  As always, I remain hopeful the Seattle Mariners can do well.  But, I'm not just a good time fan (although 2001 was my fav) and I'll enjoy the season no matter what... because there is always next year.

The Wenatchee real estate market seems to be coming alive with the spring bulbs and buds.  The combination of low interest rates, plentiful inventory, excellent pricing and happy spring weather seems to be bringing serious back out of hibernation.

In addition to the locals shifting from one home to another, we are also seeing out-of-towners and out-of-staters coming to Wenatchee once again.

The winter was a bit slow for sales.  A quick review of the "SNAPSHOT" put out by Pacific Appraisal Associates shows sales activity down about 33% for the same period last year (February), yet the average sales price was only down about 3%.  This shows, inspite of the slowdown, our market remained relatively strong.   Still we have plenty of inventory and there are a lot of motivated sellers ready to sell their homes and move on.

We, at Willinger Real Estate, remained busy through the winter with our growing Property Management division.  We are showing investors higher returns through controlled maintenance costs and low vacancy rates.

Hopefully, I'll be able to spend more time keeping up with this blog and keeping you informed about current news in the local Real Estate market.

Whether you're a buyer, seller, investor... or looking for a rental contact the Willinger Real Estate Team:
   Carol Williams  CarolWilliams@charter.net 
   Shelley Granger  ShelleyGranger@charter.net
   WillingerRealEstate.com 

Happy Spring!


For current Wenatchee real estate news, info and trends visit our various websites:
  Free search of all Wenatchee MLS homes and land for sale
  Current Wenatchee Condo info
  Current Wenatchee Rental info

* * * *

Willinger Real Estate
1642 Stella Ave., #1 * Wenatchee, WA 98801
Phone: 509-470-6012 * Fax: 509-664-5088   
         

The final 2008 Wenatchee area real estate numbers came out last week from Pacific Appraisal Associates. 

I'm not exactly sure how to interpret them but I'll give it a go. 

Nationally, sales and price numbers are down dramatically.  Locally, our sales numbers are down dramatically but the actual median and average sales prices are only down slightly.   I don't know exactly what this means but apparently, inspite of the slow down, sellers have not gotten desperate yet. 

Having said that, however, we real estate agents are getting bombarded with messages with price reductions and pleas for offers on current listings. 

We do still have sales activity.  I would have thought what is selling is in the bargain price ranges, which WOULD bring down the median and average prices but that is, apparently, not what's happening. 

In spite of what is happening nationally, Wenatchee real estate still seems to be weathering the "storm" fairly well.  We are NOT immune to nationwide economics.  As one commenter pointed out... we are not in a bubble. 

But, it's a relative thing.  We are not seeing the same percentage of foreclosures or unemployment.  We are, however, experiencing serious financing restrictions which is keeping a lot of potential buyers from consummating their puchases. 

So... with all that having been said, real estate is still one of the better investments (in my humble opinion).  And, I'm not just saying that because I sell real estate, although that's a good reason.   In the worst of the worst of the worst areas, do you know of any real estate that has lost ALL of it's value?  No!  The worst I've heard varies from 30% to 40% downturn.  That's in areas like California, Nevada, and Florida.   Some high profile companies are now worth NOTHING.  Real estate may have it's ups and downs but it will NEVER be worth NOTHING. 

It's a sobering time on many levels in this country (and around the world).  We will see many changes... most I'd say will, ultimately, be for the good (albeit painful for a while). 

So, we will get through this crazy time and move forward.

Have a great week-end,

For customized service, contact the Willinger Real Estate Team:
Carol Williams  CarolWilliams@charter.net
Shelley Granger  ShelleyGranger@charter.net  

FREE search of all Wenatchee MLS homes and land for sale
Current Wenatchee condo news, info and trends
Current Wenatchee rentals available from Willinger

* * * * *

Information is FREE:
Knowledge, Experience & Integrity Are Priceless

www.WillingerRealEstate.com
Willinger Real Estate (& Property Management)
Carol Williams CarolWilliams@charter.net
Shelley Granger ShelleyGranger@charter.net


1642 Stella Ave., #1 * Wenatchee, WA 98801
Office: 509-470-6012

 

It was extremely sad to hear, and read, about the big fire at the Fontanelle condominiums in Wenatchee over the week-end.   According to reports, 6 condos were totally lost, eleven more were evacuated and there may be damage to others.  Monetary damage estimates are up to $2million. 

 
Although, one can never replace certain family treasures, it is a good time to remember to carry adequate contents insurance.  This is true for homeowners, tenants and investors.


So, a reminder to investors:  Do you encourage your tenants to get contents insurance?  If not, I highly recommend you do something to verify you have recommended it. 


A reminder to tenants:  Do you have contents insurance on your personal belongings.  Your landlord has insurance on the structure but not YOUR personal belongings.  The cost isn't as much as you might think... probably about $15 per month for $30,000 of coverage.


A reminder to homeowners:  Your homeowners policy covers the structure and an allowance for contents.  However, if you have irreplaceable family treasures (pictures in particular), I suggest you get copies put on a CD and put them in a safe place such as a safe deposit box.  I had ALL of my old family pictures put on CD and they have been safely tucked in our Safe Deposit Box at a bank for several years. 


My sincere sympathies to all the families affected by the recent fire.  By the grace of the Good Lord, no-one was hurt. 


Best Regards,


Broker, ABR, E-PRO, GRI
2009 President-Elect NCW Assn. Realtors

Information is FREE:
Knowledge, Experience & Integrity Are Priceless 

www.WillingerRealEstate.com
Willinger Real Estate (& Property Management)
Carol Williams CarolWilliams@charter.net
Shelley Granger ShelleyGranger@charter.net


1642 Stella Ave., #1 * Wenatchee, WA 98801
Office:  509-470-6012

I'm still waiting for the Wenatchee, Washington area 2008 year-end statistics to be published by Pacific Appraisal in their monthly SNAPSHOT.  I did notice however, while comparing October to November, that average AND median prices were up slightly in November over October. 


The price increases aren't much, but any rise is a good sign.  I'll be anxious to compare the December statistics.  Are things starting to loosen up and gain some semblance of normalcy again? 


Stay tuned...



Broker, Realtor, ABR, e-PRO
Willinger Real Estate
1642 Stella Ave. * Wenatchee, WA 98801
509-470-6012


For customized service contact the Willinger Real Estate team today:
Carol Williams  CarolWilliams@charter.net
Shelley Granger  ShelleyGranger@charter.net


Current Wenatchee Real Estate news, info & trends
Current Wenatchee Condo news, info & trends
FREE search of the entire Wenatchee MLS 
Wenatchee Parkside Condo news & info

 

As we look back on 2008, we are so grateful to all our clients for making it an exciting and successful year.  We truly feel blessed in every way.


2009 promises to be an interesting year.  As we see a spirit of hope spread across the nation, let's pray that an economic recovery will help ease the pain and stress many of our fellow citizens have been suffering. 


While prosperity is nice, most importanty Shelley and I send sincere wishes for your happiness and health in the coming year. 


Best Wishes,
       

   

 

I can't help but be amazed at the resiliency of the Wenatchee real estate market through what the media reports as a national crisis in the real estate industry.  I am not denying there is a real estate crisis, but I am amazed at how well Wenatchee has been able to weather this unprecedented storm.


Have you looked at the Wenatchee area housing sales statistics lately?  According to the latest report out of Pacific Appraisal Associates (our area statitics gurus) in October sales numbers are down 27% BUT the average price has not decreased a single percentage point over the same period last year.   I find this statistic alone amazing considering home prices are reportedly down in price by as much as 30% (or more) in some markets across the U.S.


While the "average" sales price is not showing a decrease, the "median" price does show a 4% decrease.  The two are sometimes confused but they are NOT the same.  


The "average" price is ALL the sale prices added together then divided by the number of sales for... well, an average.  


The "median" price is the price point at which there are an equal number of homes sold at a higher price and a lower price. 


For example, the "average" price in the Wenatchee MLS market area is shown at $283,358.  So when ALL the sales were added up and the number of sales was added up... the number of sales was divided into the total $$$$ value of the sales to reach an average.


The "median" price is showing as $239,900.  This means an equal number of homes were sold for less than $239,900 as more than $239,900. 


For quite some time, the "average" and "median" home prices in Wenatchee were running very close. There is over a $43,000 spread now.  What does this mean if our prices haven't really dropped?


To me, the explanation is in that people are out buying the bargains... those in the lower price ranges where the "bargain prices" are obvious.  The truly serious sellers are pricing their homes very competitively.   We are not seeing many high end sales, which brings the median price down.  It also, of course, holds the average price down. 


Statistics can be deceiving.  Theoretically, the prices could be going up while the "median" price declines.  This is accomplished by more low end homes selling than high end homes.   


If you actually go in and look at the SNAPSHOT report, you will see there were more homes sold in the $150,000 - $250,000 price range than all of the homes in every other higher price range put together.  There were 36 homes sold in the $150,000 - $250,000 price range in September compared to  32 in the $250,000 and up price range.  13 of those were in the $250,000 - $300,000 price range.  It looks like high end homes have pretty well stalled, sucking the median price down.


What we are seeing in our business at Willinger Real Estate is pent up demand building.  We have a number of clients who want to buy but cannot because they have homes in other areas (like Iowa or Arizona or California) to sell before they can buy.  We also have people wanting to buy but the financing environment is so unstable right now they cannot.    This is creating high rent demand (and demand for lease/purchases), so investment properties are a great thing to consider right now. 


Blah, blah, blah.  My point of all this is... it's totally amazing to me that Wenatchee home values have been able to maintain the strength they have considering what's happening acrosss the country.   I've said over and over, we are blessed with a good strong (and mighty diverse) economy AND a geographic location and natural resources that draws people from far and wide. 


Now is a great time to buy in Wenatchee.  If we can weather the storm as we have, what is going to happen when the market rebounds?   I continue to see good things ahead for Wenatchee. 


Now is the time to buy in Wenatchee.  Don't say I didn't warn you. 


Happy Holidays!












Carol Williams,
Willinger Real Estate
Broker, Realtor, ABR, e-PRO, GRI


FREE search of all Wenatchee MLS homes and land for sale 

Current Wenatchee condo news, info and trends

Current Wenatchee vacation rental info

 Although listing and selling Wenatchee real estate is still a primary focus, Wenatchee property management has become an increasingly important part of our business.  We have expanded from 7 rental units to 55 within the last month. 


We're actually finding the more units we have the easier it is to set up systems to manage them.  We are able to secure full time maintenance people who are on-call for us, and we have greater leverage on the service fees we pay, which is proving to be a big savings to our property owners. 


Communication is a huge part of our business strategy.  We are finding tenants appreciate responsiveness and communication too.  In that spirit, here is a link to the Parkside condo and apartment blog we have established to keep tenants and owners informed of what's happening in their complex.


If you, or someone you know, needs a reliable property management company in Wenatchee, please have them contact us to discuss our management strategies:

The Willinger Real Estate Property Management team:
Carol Williams  CarolWilliams@charter.net
Shelley Granger  ShelleyGranger@charter.net
Office phone:  509-670-7840

Have a great week,

Carol Williams
                      & Shelley Granger


Remember:
Information is FREE.  Knowledge, Experience & Integrity Are Priceless

We have a rare Wenatchee real estate investment opportunity that will only be available for about 30 days.  This is a fully rented and condominiumized 4-plex.... with rents guaranteed!


We have sold several units at the full appraised value of $199,900 per unit ($799,600 value per 4-plex).  We are now offering a full building of 4 units at only $630,000!  That is only $157,500 each ($42,400 below appraised value).  


We have several parties wanting to buy but they have to wait for their homes to sell elsewhere.  They want lease/options and are willing to pay full price ($199,900) for lease/options but my seller can't wait.  He needs cash now!  So, when the current rental leases expire, you can sell the condos OR let me put in lease/option clients and you make about $42,000 per unit!  


These condos are also zoned to allow vacation rentals, which we are getting double the standard monthly rent rate.   Monthly rents are currently $995.  We are getting $2,000 per month ($500 per week) on short term rent contracts.  There is exceptional demand for short term contracts.  Wenatchee was recently identified (by NuWire Investor Weekly) as the #3 spot in the nation to invest in a vacation rental property.


If you or someone you know are looking for a profitable and diverse investment opportunity in a strong economic market, have them call me (Carol Williams) at 509-670-7840 today. 


Wenatchee is still a strong buy market.  We have demand but, unfortunately, many of the people relocating here have homes to sell elsewhere and cannot buy YET.  They WILL buy. 


Although we have a strong economic climate here (now and for the future) we are affected by the nationwide slow down, for the very reason I just mentioned.  In the meantime, you can make the market conditions work FOR you.


Now is the time to buy.


Yours for happiness and prosperity,
 


For the most current Wenatchee real estate news, info and trends contact the Willinger Real Estate (and Property Management) team:
   Carol Williams  CarolWilliams@charter.net
   Shelley Granger   ShelleyGranger@charter.net


FREE search of all Wenatchee homes and land for sale


Remember:
   Information is FREE. 
      Knowledge, Experience & Integrity Are Priceless 

It's time for a current Wenatchee real estate price and activity summary.  Want to know how all the reports of doom and gloom across the country and around the world is affecting the Wenatchee area? 


Through all the negativity, I have continued to be bullish on the Wenatchee economy and how that is going to play into the big picture for our local home buyers, sellers and those sitting on the fence.  The national situation can't help but affect us BUT you may be surprised at what the statistics show. 


Wenatchee, as I've said many times before, has a strong and diverse economy with several MAJOR industries that aren't going anywhere for a very long time!  Our hydro-power is probably one of the most significant factors in the strength and stability of our economy and so important on many levels.  


Our medical centers are also huge players in the strength and stability of the Wenatchee economy.  With the aging population, Central Washington hospital and Wenatchee Valley Medical Center are both expanding and it can't happen soon enough. 


Agriculture continues to be an important industry.  ALCOA, the aluminum production plan has a long term contract with the PUD and is a significant, good paying employer.  


Tourism,  educational services and local, state and federal government jobs add to the good paying  employment base. 


And, of course, there are all the supporting services that is an important part of every local economy.


So... all of that being said Wenatchee is in very good shape from an economic point of view.


Now,  for the current Wenatchee housing market summary.  Considering all the negative publicity nationwide about drastically falling housing prices, you may find it interesting to note that neither the "average" nor "median" prices in the Wenatchee area have dropped from a year ago.  The number of homes sold IS down drastically (about 30%) but it is truly comforting to know the prices themselves have not dropped. 


We ARE seeing a lot of price reductions but I attribute a lot of that to over pricing in the first place.  What is selling is priced right and the statistics show prices have not dropped.


The number of months inventory doesn't look too scary either, except in certain price ranges until you get into the higher price ranges.  Inventory by price range:


   under $150,000   5 months
   $151,000 - $200,000   6 months
   $201,000 - $250,000   6 months
   $251,000 - $300,000   9 months
   $301,000 - $350,000   8 months
   $351,000 - $400,000   12 months
   $401,000 - $450,000   16 months
   $451,000 - $500,000   18 months
   $501,000 - $550,000   16 months
   $550,000 - $600,000   13 months
   $601,000 - $650,000   10 months
   $651,000 - $700,000   66 months (Yes... 5 1/2 YEARS!)
   $701,000 and up          35 months



So, there you have it.  If you have an upper end home be prepared to hold on.  If you have a home in the $350,000 and under price range it will sell if it is priced competitively. 


All-in-all, though, my advice is don't sell now unless you really have to.  Stay out of the way for those who really do NEED to sell now.  When the credit crisis dust settles activity will get back to normal and we can all breathe easier again. 


Wenatchee, Washington is still a great place to be!



 

For our most current recommendations contact the Willinger Real Estate team:
Carol Williams    CarolWilliams@charter.net  
Shelley Granger  ShelleyGranger@charter.net  
 

FREE search of all Wenatchee MLS homes and land for sale
Current Wenatchee condo news, info and trends

Here is a link to one of the more interesting dialogues I've read on the Government bailout.  


At the end of the article Mr. Ansley gives his observations about current real estate and financing conditions in Wenatchee. 

Pray for us all!

                                                






FREE Search of the entire Wenatchee MLS homes and land for sale
Current Wenatchee real estate news, info, and trends
Current Wenatchee condo info 

As a homeowner, it's likely that you already know too many claims against your homeowners insurance can cause your premiums to go up, and in some cases, your insurer may even drop your account.

What you may not know is that insurance claims can also affect your ability to refinance or sell your home because the value has been damaged, or your insurance history has made it difficult for new owners to obtain insurance of their own.

How could this happen? It's because of a database called CLUE - the Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange – which is an industry-wide aggregation of insurance claim data.

While insurers have often used this information to set rates in different regions of the United States, in recent years, a CLUE Home Sellers Disclosure Report has come into being as a tool for realtors to use when presenting properties to prospective buyers. These reports provide a five-year insurance loss history for the specified address, but do not reveal any private or personal details about the property owner.

From a seller's point of view, then, CLUE reports are a double edged sword. If you've never filed an insurance claim, such a report could give your home an edge – making buyers feel more comfortable about presenting an offer. On the other hand, if you've had claims, it may cost you a sale, or at least force you to lower your asking price.

While you can't do anything about claims that previous owners may have filed, there are a few steps you can take to keep your property looking better in a buyer's market:

· Maintenance Matters : Keeping your roof, plumbing, and paint in good shape can all help protect your home from water-related damage, and you should also be certain to check the hoses on your washer and dishwasher, and also be sure to keep your dryer ducts clear (this latter has nothing to do with water, but can do much for preventing house fires).

· Raise Your Deductible: A higher deductible will reduce your premium, but it will also force you to pay for smaller repairs and expenses out of your pocket, thus avoiding claims or damage reports being sent to your insurer.

· Consider Before Claiming: Especially if you plan to sell your home in a few years, you should consider paying for water-related damage, and other repairs, directly rather than risk your home being branded "high risk." As well, don't even report damage to your insurer if a claim won't be made, because even unclaimed damage can be passed on to CLUE.

· Get a Home Warranty: If you don't already have one, consider investing in one today. Home warranty information is not generally passed to CLUE, and will help pay for any small repairs with appliances or internal plumbing, as well as pool equipment.

· Get a CLUE Report: You're entitled to a free copy of the CLUE report for your home once a year. If selling is in the near future, it's in your best interest to know what the report will say.

· Get a Report of Your Homeowners Insurance Company: It can be helpful to know the financial strength of your homeowners insurance underwriter. An additional service made available by homeowners insurance ratings is to explain relevant complaints issued against insurers.

While the real estate market across the country is in a state of flux, one thing that never changes is that having more information is better than having less, whether you're a buyer or a seller. Don't risk having your home affected by insurance information – Get a CLUE.
* * * * *

FREE Search of the entire Wenatchee MLS
Current Wenatchee Condo news, info and trends


Have a great week-end,

                          
On my Wenatchee Condo blog, I've posted the current Wenatchee condo inventory and sales info.


With the proliferation of new condos being built, there are a lot of options for condo buyers to consider.  The majority of demand is for condos in the $200,000 and under price range and we do have a good inventory of those available as well.


We have condos available for primary residences, second homes and vacation rentals. 


Information changes constantly, so for the most up to date info please contact the
   Willinger Real Estate team:
   Carol Williams  CarolWilliams@charter.net
   Shelley Granger  ShelleyGranger@charter.net


Happy Fall,



FREE Search of  the entire Wenatchee MLS homes and land for sale
Current Wenatchee condo news, info and trends


Remember:
Information is FREE.  Knowledge, Experience & Integrity Are Priceless

There is a lot going on in economic news... and particularly that pertaining to the housing market and the mortgage crisis.  I received the following e-mail from a local mortgage guy on August 29th and thought it worth passing along.


"Hi everyone,

Just an update on the economy and mortgage rates-  I had mentioned previously that rates are volatile because the inflation news raises rates and recession or slowdown news lowers rates. Mortgage rates have been moving up and down with every news headline.

Here is my best guess from what I read - most of the runup in prices in food and fuel have already happened, so I see inflation cooling off.  Plus, because people have been shelling out all their money this year for gas, they don't have much left to buy other things; this is going to drop consumer spending and pull the stockmarket downward, and also bring down mortgage rates.

When it comes to home sales, you need to know about another factor- the rate we quote for a 30 year fixed no longer applies to everybody. The base rate may be going down, but Fannie Mae is now charging higher fees and/or adding to the rate for anything except a perfect loan.  For example,  beginning November 1st if you have a 719 FICO score and have a down payment of 20-25%, you will have two additional fees, totaling 1%. This means on a $300,000 loan, your customer needs to come up with an extra $3000 in closing costs or pay roughly 1/4% higher mortgage rate.  The same loan with a 639 credit score has  3% in additional fees!!, they used to send loan officers to jail for charging fees like that. A year ago, a 639 with 20% down had no added fees. (These are all based on the middle of your three credit scores).

So, in short, not everyone who used to qualify will be able to, and I think Sellers ought to know that their pool of potential buyers is shrinking, because there are a lot of people who think they are potential buyers out there that haven't been in to talk to a lender yet, and may get some startling news that they qualify for less of a house than what they think.

One last item, as Fannie Mae is going  to hang people with their credit scores, it is best for people to know theirs. www.annualcreditreport.com  is the real 'free' service that doesn't make you sign up for a credit monitoring service. Your clients will be able to see the items on their report, and  can pay $7-10 to each of the credit bureaus to actually get the scores.

Darel Ansley
Peoples Bank
29 S. Wenatchee Ave
Wenatchee, WA 98801
darel.ansley@peoplesbank-wa.com
O   509-664-5324
C   509-860-3301
F   509-664-5315 

* * * * *

In the meantime, the economic outlook in Wenatchee continues to look strong.  And, we're going into my favorite time of year.  FALL. 


Life is good,











Remember:
Information is FREE.  Knowledge, Experience & Integrity Are Priceless

FREE search of the entire Wenatchee MLS  homes and land for sale
Current  Wenatchee Condo News
Current Wenatchee rental information
Current  Wenatchee Vacation Rental information

Willinger Real Estate is not just a Wenatchee real estate sales and marketing company.  We also specialize in Premium Property Management with a full team of specialists to take care of every phase of property management. 


If you would like to discuss our Property Management services, contact the Willinger Real Estate team today:
Carol Williams  CarolWilliams@charter.net
Shelley Granger  ShelleyGranger@charter.net


Remember:
Information is FREE.  Knowledge, Experience & Integrit Are Priceless


FREE search of the entire Wenatchee MLS homes and land for sale
Current Wenatchee condo news, info and trends
CurrentWenatchee vacation rental info


Your for success and prosperity,

In last Friday's "Safety Valve", the letter-to-the-editor portion of our local paper, The Wenatchee World, my friend Roger Dorner (a retired builder), wrote an interesting article on what has happened to the affordability of housing in the Wenatchee real estate market.    Roger was a prolific builder in his day and he totally understands the economic dynamics of making affordable housing available.  I have received his permission to re-publish his article and here it is in it's entirety:

* * * *
"In a Safety Valve letter Aug. 23 Marilyn Lancaster asks why there is no building of affordable homes here. That is a valid question, and deserves an answer. In Yakima, Tri-cities and Moses Lake there are large subdivisions of new homes selling for $150,000 and less. Why not here?

In this area subdivision land with utilities are many times as expensive as in the cities mentioned. Add development costs and imposed fees, and a builder pays about $85,000 for a building lot. Add permits and fees for water-sewer-electric hookups, construction financing, liability insurance and overhead. Expenses are over $100,000, before any construction begins. Then pay for materials, labor, subcontracting, selling costs. Add for the builder's earnings. The selling price is far above what is considered affordable housing.

In the cities mentioned, developer/builders are able to buy modestly priced land and develop building-ready lots for far less, then standardize construction methods for a limited selection of house plans. High volume in one location reduces costs of labor, subcontracting, financing and selling, and allows smaller margins for the builder. I have toured the Aho Construction subdivision in Yakima. Very respectable, and most houses less than $150,000.

Our affordability problem starts with the cost of the land. Land zoned for building, with utilities available, is so scarce that the price is astronomically high. Municipal and utility jurisdictions have imposed more and more costs on developers and builders. These high costs are compounded by the carrying costs (interest, taxes, overhead, selling). So it is not possible for a builder to build affordable housing as described above. To survive, builders must build expensive homes.

If we are to ever again produce affordable housing, the solution must start with the political process, to get the price of land down. Get utilities available. Then, at least as applies to producing affordable housing, lesser fees for developing and building. Then we could have some affordable housing.

So it is not "If we build it, they will come." "They" (people needing affordable housing) are here. It is "If it were possible, they would build it."

Roger Dorner"


* * * *

Have a great day!

Broker, Realtor, ABR, e-Pro, GRI, REI

Information is FREE. 
Knowledge, Experience & Integrity Are Priceless


For customized service Contact The Willinger Team:
Carol Williams:  CarolWilliams@charter.net  
Shelley Granger:  ShelleyGranger@charter.net  


FREE search of the entire Wenatchee MLS

Shelley Granger and I are very happy to announce the opening of our new Wenatchee real estate office.  As is obvious from the logo at left, the name of our new company is Willinger Real Estate, a result of combining our  last names (Williams and Granger). 


Willinger Real Estate agents will focus on primary residential sales and listings, as well as multi-family and investor properties.  We will do property management and soon be able to offer our services to Condo Home Owners Associations (HOA's) as well.    We offer phenomenal customer service and will customize our services to the needs of each individual client.


At this time, the company consists of Shelley, me and one other agent, Candy Armstrong.  Candy has had her real estate license for about 29 years but she has been keeping busy as a full time appraiser.  She's now ready to get back into real estate sales and assist us with all phases of the business. 


It's been a whirlwind of activity getting all the legal logistics of setting up the company but stay tuned for more new and exciting developments. 


Have a great week-end!

FREE search of the Wenatchee area MLS
Current Wenatchee Condo news, info and trends


Contact the Willinger Team Today:
Carol Williams: CarolWilliams@charter.net
Shelley Granger:  ShelleyGranger@charter.net
Candy Armstrong:  Candy@ncwonline.com

After an unusually long break from blogging, I am going to try to get back to some regular posting.  Life and work has filled my days (and nights) and I took a much needed 4-day mini vacation on the Oregon coast about a week ago. 


So, are you curious about what's happening in the Wenatchee real estate market?  Everywhere I go... and I mean everywhere home or away... people ask me "How is the real estate market".  Of course, they read and hear all the negative media and wonder if it is as bad as they are hearing.


There is definitely still quite a bit of selling activity going on BUT there is also ALOT of inventory.  For example, in the $225,000 - $275,000 price range there are currently 101 homes on the market.  How does an agent who has clients in that price range decide which ones to show?  We certainly can't show 101 homes to one client.  Of course there are always certain criteria a client is looking for but it's still a lot to choose from. 


I've noticed more sign switching going on lately, meaning sellers are switching agents thinking that will help their home sell faster.  What's really going to help their home sell is to price it competitively with the competition.


Yesterday was our weekly agent tour day.  This is when we go out and preview the new listings on the market (and also a few the agents put old listings back on tour because their listings haven't sold and they want us to take another look).  Shelley and I love tour day because it helps us tremendously with keeping up with inventory and pricing trends. Plus, we get to visit with agents and talk business.  The problem is there are so many homes on tour we can't physically get to them all in the alotted 3 hour time frame. 


I guess my point to all of this is... in the current market it is critical for sellers (and agents) to be very competitive and stage and price their homes tightly.  You absolutely cannot "play" the market.  If that's your strategy you just need to stay out of the market and let those who really want and need to sell do it.  


Our Wenatchee area economy is still strong and vibrant and there is no cause for concern.  Even though the market has slowed, there is still activity and well priced properties will sell. 


Have a great day!
Carol


For the most current Wenatchee real estate news, info and trends contact the Top Team:
Carol Williams  TopTeamCarol@gmail.com
Shelley Granger  TopTeamShellwy@gmail.com
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In spite of the significant slowdown in Wenatchee real estate market activity, we are still seeing a decent number of pendings and closed sales comes across daily.  


One of the most interesting statistics I noticed on the May Pacific Appraisal SNAPSHOT report was that the number of homes sold year-to-date is DOWN 28%, BUT the number of homes listed year-to-date is UP 11%.  That will certainly do the trick in stabilizing prices by increasing supply over demand!


What Shelley and I are seeing is lots of homes coming on the market BUT they are cleaner and more competitively priced than we have seen in a very long time.  Homeowners are realizing they must do everything possible to make their home stand out in the (literal) crowd.  That means cleaning it up, deordorizing and pricing it realistically.   


Although statistics show a significant reduction in sales activity, we are still seeing healthy demand.  It appears the financing crisis has put a damper on many wannabe buyers and we are seeing more inquiries for seller financing and lease/purchase options.  We are also seing a strong demand for rental homes and vacation rentals.


The Wenatchee economy continues to be strong. We are blessed with a number of major industries, including hydro power production, aluminum production, agriculture, medical services, government services, educationaal services, and tourism.   With the population in the local area forecast to increase by 50% in the next two decades, housing will continue to be in high demand. 


As always, prices will be solely determined by the balance of supply-to-demand.  










For customized service contact the TOP Team:
Carol Williams  TopTeamCarol@gmail.com  
Shelley Granger  TopTeamShelley@gmail.com  


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