Tri-City Area and Real Estate Blog

We’ve all heard it’s a buyers market, so your are competing with the other homeowners’s attempting to sell there homes in this market.  Your home needs all the appeal to get those potential buyers in there!  Unless your house is silver and shiny, you may want to shine it up a bit with these simple ideas can help show your home at it’s best.

Have your home pre-inspected.

When an offer is made, a home inspection must be performed. Reeling in a buyer, only to lose them to unseen problems with the house is one of the worst things that can happen.  Have your home pre-inspected to uncover any unknown issues.  Prices vary for home inspections ($250 – $500) and an agent here at Distinctive Properties can recommend a professional for you.

Check warranties and get estimates.

If the inspection turns up anything, get estimates for any repairs.  If they are affordable, repair them.  Check warranties on some items, such as furnace, dishwasher, and other real property that stays with the home.  

Make minor repairs.

Not every repair will cost you a lot.  Repair torn screens, squeaky doors, running toilets, etc.  Replace any rotten trim or other small items to increase the look of care to the home.

De Clutter.

Clutter can make the storage in the home seem small.  while you see years of perfectly fine living, other see a house that can’t hold it all.   Clear off the kitchen counters of just about everything.

Clean out closets.  Pack up lightly used items like summer clothes and camping equipment and toys.  You may want to invest in a small storage unit.  A small price to pay for curb appeal.    Store away any bulky furnishing and keep the home simple and basic.  Remember, people are looking at the home and want to picture their belongings in it.  That may be difficult with all the spaces cluttered up.  You basically want to ”depersonalize” your home by removing pictures and knick-knacks.  

Let the buyer see a blank canvas.  

Clean!

You’ve heard about first impressions and how important they are.   A buyer walks into a super clean home is left with the impression that the home is well cared for.   So clean the windows, air out the house to eliminate any natural odors from food, pets, etc.  Have carpets shampooed or steam cleaned and dust off blinds, and launder drapery. 

We hope these tips are helpful.  Visit us on our website at www.distinctiveprop.com for more information. 

In November and December, Realtors across the Tri-Cities will come together to participate in service of their communities by raising food and funds for 2nd Harvest. 

Bags will be dropped off  on their neighborhood doorsteps and bags and donations will be picked up December 2nd, 2011 and all donations will be be delivered to KNDU the morning of December 3, 2011.

With boxes stacked in individual offices and conference rooms, congested hallways,  and desks shoved into any spare space; having room to breathe is a welcome theme for the new Kennewick School District administration offices as they look forward to their upcoming move.  The district purchased the old Buttreys/Fiesta Foods grocery store on West Fourth and currently are having it remodeled to suit their needs.  It is hoped that the move will take place at the end of the year.

Originally, the new building contained 4,500 square feet but the new contractor will be adding an approximate 2,500 square foot partial 2nd story, which will bring the usable space to almost 7,000 square feet.  Currently, the district offices comprise the old Benton PUD building at 6th and Benton Streets, and the old admin building to the north of Kennewick High School, which was built in the 60′s.  This new facility will allow all departments to come together under one roof and will include a large conference room, a classroom for adult classes, and a board room for school board meetings in addition to it’s many office spaces.

Once again the Tri-Cities has resisted the downward trend of property values across the nation, and finds itself in contrast with rising property valuations. Franklin County has been the fastest growing county in the state for the last two years and also one of the fastest growing in the nation. Officials in Franklin County expect values to continue to rise at an average of 3-4 percent as they prepare to mail out revaluation notices within the next month. Benton County anticipates remaining at the current level.

Many other communities within our state are facing devaluation at a significant rate which in turn decreases their tax base. For many its been decades since they’ve lost ground in property valuations. According to a recent market survey in the Tri-Cities, the first quarter of 2010 shows that the median residential resale price encompassing the bicounty area is $176,600, thus being an almost 6 percent increase over the entire year of 2008.

Franklin County continues to see it’s main increase in values due to the development of West Pasco and some large farms. Meanwhile, there are some pockets of decrease in the county, mostly around the Connell area because of unspecified market conditions there.

Much of the success of the Tri-Cities’ ability to remain strong, is due to the stimulus money that came into the Hanford cleanup projects, however, many individuals and organizations have worked diligently to diversify our community so that not all economic strength comes from strictly the Hanford area, but instead comes from growth in agricultural, food processing, and tourism dollars. They have been very successful in their endeavors which in turn have created the economic stability that the Tri-Cities and surrounding communities enjoy today.

Aye! Are ye looking for yer ancestors that came from the Highlands? Balmoral? Or perhaps the Isles? The 10th annual Scottish Fest in Prosser could be the place for ye! Over these past 10 years, the Prosser event has become the premiere highland games in Central Washington State and again this year it will be held ar the Port of Benton Wine and Food Park in Prosser on June 19th.

Those attending will be delighted with the traditional Heavy Athletic Games and Highland Dance competitions and of course, the lilt of the pipes playing in the distance will be beckoning those in attendance, to listen to the massed pipe bands. Other Celtic music will be performed along with sheepdog trials, children’s activities, the Parade of Tartans and much more.  For those of you who are not familiar with the draw of the highland games, take this opportunity to experience the step back in time and become acquanited with a wee bit of the Scot in all of us!  Slante’

4000+ students from Tri-City elementary and middle schools gathered in Columbia Park to wish a fond farewell to the salmon fingerlings they have watched grow in their classrooms for the past 3 months. The 10th Annual Salmon Summit was held at Columbia Park in Kennewick on May 4th near the blue bridge. Throughout the period when the students were watching the fish, they learned about the stages of life for the salmon and about what the name “salmon” means, which is “jumping fish’.  Each of the past 10 years the Benton and Franklin Conservation Districts have established this release event, with students putting the fish into small cups and then releasing them into the waters of the mighty Columbia River.  It will be approximately 4 years before the salmon return to this area after their long and arduous trip down the river to the ocean.