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. 

Head down to Columbia Park July 29 – July 31 to view/participate in any of these Water Follie events:

Friday July 29
All Day Free Fries Fryday
8:15 AM Grand Prix West Testing
9:10 AM Unlimited Hydroplane Testing
11:30 – 1:30 HAPO Community Credit Union Over the River Air Show
1:50 PM Unlimited Qualifying – H1 Unlimited Fast Lap Friday
4:00 PM Vintage Unlimited Hydroplane Exhibition
4:40 PM Grand Prix West Challenge Race
5:10 PM Western States Insurance Unlimited Hydroplane Dash for Cash

Saturday July 30
8:15 AM Grand Prix West Testing
9:10 AM Unlimited Hydroplane Testing
11:30 – 1:30 HAPO Community Credit Union Over the River Air Show
12:00 PM Hydro Drivers Autograph Session
1:50 PM Legends Casino Vintage Heat 1
2:20 PM Babcock Services Grand Prix West Heat 1
2:30 PM Air Show Performer Autograph Session
2:50 PM Cascade Natural Gas Unlimited Hydroplane Heat 1A
3:10 PM Plumbers & Steamfitters UA Local 598 Unlimited Hydroplane Heat 1B
3:40 PM AHBL, Inc. Grand Prix West Heat 2
4:00 PM Legends Casino Vintage Heat 2

Sunday July 31
8:15 AM Unlimited Hydroplane Testing
9:30 AM Grand Prix West Testing
10:15 AM Vintage Hydroplane Testing
11:00 AM Opening Ceremonies
11:30 – 1:30 HAPO Community Credit Union Over the River Air Show
1:50 PM Connell Oil Unlimited Hydroplane Heat 2A
2:10 PM American Family Insurance Unlimited Hydroplane Heat 2B
2:30 PM Legends Casino Vintage Heat 3
3:10 PM  Plumbers & Steamfitters UA Local 598 Unlimited Heat 3A
3:30 PM Cascade Natural Gas Unlimited Heat 3B
3:50 PM Atomic Screenprinting Grand Prix West Final
4:30 PM Lamb Weston Columbia Cup Unlimited Final
4:45 PM Awards Ceremony – ANG Stage

Air Show Schedule (Fri-Sun 11:30-1:30)
11:35 AM Bad Yak!
11:47 AM CAF B-17/B-25
12:02 AM USCG Rescue Deno
12:22 PM Bill Stein Airshows
12:34 PM John Klatt
12:46 PM Huey/Cobra Helicopters
13:05 PM ACC F-15E Strike Eagle
13:25 PM End of Air show

SCHEDULE SUBJECT TO CHANGE
SPONSORSHIPS AVAILABLE – CONTACT THE TRI-CITY WATER FOLLIES FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Bogert Aviation is the new hero to four CBC students by donating $9,000 to help the students compete in a national Skills USA competition.  The competition is scheduled for June 20-26 and is geared towards automated manufacturing technology and its a teamwork project.

Owner Richard Bogert has hired several CBC students over the years and has been very pleased with the quality of his employees. He felt it was time to give back to the CBC program that gave him such qualified employees. 

Rob Walker, the instructor of CBC’s Machine Technology program indicates that a name change is due for the program, from Machine Technology to Manufacturing Technology because of the level of skills that consist in the program more accurately fit into the manufacuring fields.

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.

On Tuesday a $500,000 boost came to the Hanford Reach Interpretive Center from the state supplemental budget. This funding came from the Heritage Capital Projects Fund, a program run by the state Historical Society. The Richland Public Facilities District, who is the public agency overlooking the construction of the Center found that another agency had withdrawn its request for funding and decided to request the legislature to redistribute the money to the Reach project.

The Center is a proposed 61,000 square-foot interpretive center which will tell the story of the Hanford Reach National Monument and the surrounding plants and wildlife, geology and historyof the region. The location for the Center has been in flux from the start after objections from area tribes. However, a proposal to place the building at the west end of Columbia Park is under consideration by both the Kennewick and Richland city councils, as they work on the master plan for Columbia Park as a whole.

HAPO Community Credit Union will be sponsoring this years Annual River of Fire Festival in Columbia Park, according to the Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce. The event takes place on July 4th and is billed as the largest fireworks presentation in Southeastern Washington. A Tidewater barge anchored on the Columbia River will be the platform for the fireworks setup and spectators can watch the $20,000 fireworks display from any spot in Columbia Park, along with from most higher elevations in both Kennewick & Pasco.

The day long event begins at 10 am with cardboard Boat Races, the Kid’s Area opens at 11 and at noon, the Opening Ceremonies will take place. Stage entertainment will cxommence at 12;15pm and continue until 10pm. The finale of the day will be the 25 minute firework display.

If you are interested in becoming a sponsor or a volunteer for this family-friendly event, connect with the wonderful folks at the Tri-City Regional Chamber office by calling 736-0510.