Tri-City Area and Real Estate Blog

Tourism is growing in the Tri-Cities.  June saw 11,000 visitors attending 12 sports activities, generating nearly $3 million in revenue for the Kennewick, Pasco and Richland area.  July promises 7 additional sporting events with the likelihood of 8,500 visitors spending more than $2.4 million.  Hector Cruz, sports development manager at the Tri-Cities Visitor & Convention Bureau indicated that sports organizers appreciate the family-friendly atmosphere of the Tri-City communities.

The Tri-Cities offer close to 3,500 guest rooms for those attending sporting events.  Restaurants and various hospitality businesses partner to offer corresponding discounts to the many visitors who return to the Tri-Cities for a second look after the sporting event is over.  Repeat customers is always a good invitation for staying longer or relocating to the Tri-Cities.  Distinctive Properties, Inc. carries a wide range of listings for homes in Kennewick, Pasco, Richland and outlying smaller communities.  We welcome the opportunity to serve new arrivals.

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.

We want to warmly welcome two agents to our Distinctive family!  Dina Mendoza has been a Realtor in the Tri-Cities area for 10 years. Susan Bond is a new agent and has been working in the Kennewick School District for many years.  We are so happy to have both these talented ladies working with us and wish them many years of success!

October 2010 marks the move date for the Z Place Salon & Spa in Kennewick to their new home in the Southridge area of town. This move will allow for a expansion of services as well as more room for staff & clients – approximately 3 times as much room! The groundbreaking for the new building will be Thursday June 3rd at 9 am. The owners, Vonda and Doug Smith, plan to have two other spots in the facility to lease out – with a potential for a restaurant and perhaps a clothing store. The new facility will allow clients from Richland, Pasco and West Richland easier access via the highway to this location, without having to travel through traffic to their current location. Southridge is considered to be the new growth area in the Tri-Cities, with a proposed new restaurant and water park in the works as well as current tenants HAPO Credit Union, KGH medical center, and wine tasting rooms. To visit Z Place online, go to www.zplacesalonspa.com

It’s that time of year again, where young men and women in our communities turn their tassels and toss their mortarboards into the air – then face their futures with a mixture of happy anticipation and a little bit of anxiety. We’ve all been in the same place and survived so we know they will too! We at Distinctive Properties, Inc., wish them the very best in their bright futures and new adventures!!  Check here for the graduation schedules in the Mid-Columbia region: http://bit.ly/91IyGb