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. 

Selling your home? Invite the buyers to take a closer look. The front door to your home should welcome buyers to enter. Painting the front door in a glossy, cheerful color that complements the exterior is one of several methods to do just that. Cleaning, polishing and/or replacing the door knocker, locks and handles is another distinctive invitation. And be certain your house numbers are visible and easy to read. A new welcome mat and a group of seasonal potted plants and flowers by the entry is always a good idea.

Become a distinctive buyer or seller. Join Distinctive Properties, Inc. for solutions to your housing needs. View the link below to see our current weekly statistics regarding the housing market.

http://bit.ly/9wvzbi

Kennewick Police officers will be looking for motorcycle riders in August — but for a good time and to benefit the Special Olympics here in the Tri-Cities. Kennewick offiicers and officers from all over the state have set August 28th for the “Northwest Ride of Dreams”, which will feature 5 starting locations across the state with Rotary Park in Ellensburg the final meeting destination. Vendors, events, activities and entertainment will be available for riders when they gather in the park.

This ride is patterned after other events in other states but will be a first in Washington. Law enforcement officers across the state and nationally sponsor different events to raise funds for Special Olympics. The funds raised assist families of Special Olympians to attend events where their loved one’s participate. It is the goal of the organizers to attract 10,000 cyclists and cars in Ellensburg. A $30 ticket price could potentially raise $300,000 for Special Olympics, which would be a wonderful donation to make. 

Registration for the event can be completed at www.nwrideofdreams.org .  Additionally, if you don’t have a bike but have a classic car you’re also invited. There will be a show and shine at Rotary Park as well that day.   The Tri-Cities location for riders departing to Ellensburg will be at Full Throttle Motorcycle Accessories at 135 Vista Way in Kennewick. Registrations for the ride will also be taken there from 7am to 9am. This should be a wonderful ride for everyone and in the process, a wonderful opportunity to give to other folks who will appreciate your generosity!

Congress has passed a bill extending the Homebuyer Tax Credit closing deadlines until September 30,2 010. The extension applies to those transactions that had ratified contracts in place as of the tax credit deadline of April 30, 2010, which have not closed yet.  Many factors contributed to these transactions not being able to close, such as appraisal, overwhelmed closers, lending institutions that were also overwhelmed by so many individuals wanting to take advantage of the $8,000 credit.  So this is really good news for folks who have been sweating the deadline passing without their homes closing.  Everyone can breathe a little easier now.

Over the course of 24 years, the Ye Merry Greenwood Faire and its players have grown in dimension, numbers and types of performances. With their beginnings in 1986 having only 17 vendors to the present where they boast 70 vendors, 8 stages and 30 professional acts; the Greenwood Players have brought joy, merriment and a bit of fantasy to a generation of Tri-Citians.  There couldn’t be a more fitting venue for this Faire than Howard Amon Park in Richland with the beautiful shade trees, the sparkling waters of the Columbia River and the lush green grasses of the park. All this adds to the ‘feel’ of being in another space in time where fair ladies, court jesters, jousting knights and strolling musicians brought life to an otherwise dreary existence for the “common folk”.  The Greenwood storytellers are such fun to listen to as they entwine you into their tales with exceptional performance skills and antics. The merriment begins at 9:30 a.m. on June 26 and 27th and ends around 5:30 p.m.  For more information go to www.yemerriegreenwoodfaire.org.

If you have an interest in the real estate market here in the Tri-Cities and surrounding areas, please take a look at our weekly statistics for this week.

 http://www.distinctiveprop.com/files/files/6.21.2010Stats.pdf