Wenatchee real estate blog

Wenatchee rentals at Parkside

Carol Williams — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 22:38:51 +0000

Here is what Willinger currently has available in rentals:

3 bedroom, 2 bath. $995 per month

2 bedroom, 2 bath. $850 per month

All come with water, sewer, garbage included in rent
Stainless steel appliances
Washer/dryer
Electric fireplace
2 parking spaces (one covered, one open

Call or write for details and/or a preview.

1642 Stella, #1
Wenatchee, WA 98801
509-470-6012

CarolWilliams007@aol.com

New e-mail address

Carol Williams — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 19:32:58 +0000

For some reason my Charter e-mail stopped working and I have no idea what e-mail I've been missing. I can always count on my trusty AOL account that I've had forever, so please use that for all future correspondence!!!

CarolWilliams007@aol.com

Thanks,

Carol

I'm baaaack !

Carol Williams — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 19:02:16 +0000

I actually never went away, but the blog has been orphaned for quite a while. Based on the date of my last post (May 9, 2009) I can see that was just before I broke my back and went into crisis mode.

I have never been in such pain, but while I laid in bed groaning, I continued to work with the aid of my blackberry and cell phone. Awwww, the wonders of technology.

Now, 10 months later, my back still has lingering issues but I am still working, selling real estate and doing a lot of property management. We are finding the Wenatchee real estate market relatively healthy compared to many parts of the country. Our diverse economy is a blessing.

I was also elected 2010 President of the North Central Washington Association of Realtors so that's another responsibility I fit in during my spare time. Did I say "spare time"? Silly me.

Well, hopefully, I will be better at posting because there is a lot to talk about in the world of real estate these days!

Best Regards,

CarolWilliams007@aol.com
509-670-7840

Wenatchee Condo Inventory: May 4, 2009

Carol Williams — Mon, 04 May 2009 05:54:42 +0000

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!

Wenatchee Real Estate Activity Update: 4/24/2009

Carol Williams — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 19:25:45 +0000

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.

Wenatchee Real Estate... Springing back

Carol Williams — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 05:21:25 +0000

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

Wenatchee Real Estate: 2008 Final Statistics

Carol Williams — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 23:14:07 +0000

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

The Fontanelle Fire in Wenatchee

Carol Williams — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 03:05:59 +0000

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

Wenatchee Home Prices Going Up?

Carol Williams — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 04:13:52 +0000

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

Happy 2009

Carol Williams — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 06:45:51 +0000

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,

Wenatchee Real Estate: The Amazing Story

Carol Williams — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 17:05:05 +0000

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

Property Management Stuff

Carol Williams — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 00:45:24 +0000

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

Wenatchee Investment Opportunity: Instant Equity

Carol Williams — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 01:54:49 +0000

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

Wenatchee Real Estate: Price & Activity Summary

Carol Williams — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 15:33:40 +0000

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

Wenatchee and the Government Bailout

Carol Williams — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 02:31:06 +0000

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