Tri-City Area and Real Estate Blog

We,  the Realtor Association put our Money where our Mouth is. Watch the video for good information about what is being done for you.

http://www.cnbc.com/id/15840232?play=1&video=1535032423

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

The annual Jimmy Buffett Tribute Party takes place this Sunday, May 30th at the Clover Island Inn in Kennewick, with gates opening at 4 pm, music starting at 5pm with the Tri-City band “Color Blind” as the opening act.  Nobody Famous, a Spokane-based band will be the feature entertainers. Tickets prices for the 21 and over crowd are $15.00.  This has always been a well attended blow out party, so grab your summer garb, your flip flops and party on down to the great music of summer!

The West Richland Area Chamber of Commerce’s annual Hogs and Dogs event is coming up on June 24th at the Bombing Range Sports Complex in West Richland. Over 10,000 people and approximately 4,000 motorcycles attended last year’s event. Admission to the event is $5 and there is a beer garden, live music and motorcycle related vendors. There will also be a raffle for a new Victory motorcycle with tickets being $10 for tickets. 

Call 967-0521 for more information and to buy raffle tickets.

As the Tri-City real estate market begins to heat up, more and more homeowners are considering putting their homes on the market.  Many are looking at Spring 2010, but have a relatively simplistic view of what is involved in preparing their home for sale. 

In today’s market, a market influenced by buyers who have neither the time nor the interest in fixing up a home, just adjusting the price to reflect condition doesn’t make sense.  In fact, if your house needs $30,000 worth of work to put it in good shape and you price it “discounted” by that amount, most buyers will estimate the cost to cure those defects at three times that amount.  At $90,000, you’re already $60,000 apart before they even see it!

In a series of blog entries, I will lay out a strategy for what it takes to prepare your home for sale.  It can take as long as six months to do those things that will make your property scream “buy me” to the buyer, unless you’ve been fastidious in how you keep the home.  There are several stages, and the first is potentially the most expensive:  the exterior, including landscaping and the building envelope.

Curb appeal is the buzz phrase for the exterior, but that’s a small part of the whole picture.  Let’s take a look at landscaping first.

Six months before your anticipated listing date, spend an hour or two walking about the outside of your house.  Landscaping is intended to be a setting for the house–not camouflage.  It should not be so overgrown as to cover windows, nor so close to the house that you can’t walk between the shrubs and house without difficulty.  Many shrubs take well to pruning and a well-manicured appearance can make a big difference.  Clear a path around your house and lower the shrubs that obscure the windows.  Be sure to notice trees that have shoots (called suckers, because they can suck the life out of a tree) protruding from the trunk and remove them.  Also, trim low hanging branches below six or seven feet–prospective buyers should be able to walk beneath a tree (non-weeping variety) without incurring lacerations.  

What about your lawn?  Does it look like a dried out rugby field or a putting green?  There are many products available to improve the appearance of your lawn and, of course, there are lawn services that can put your yard in top-notch shape.  Like landscaping, the lawn is the setting for the home and it is the first thing buyers see when they approach the house. 

So, start working on your lawn and landscaping now, so it will be in good shape by the time you are ready to put your home on the market come Spring.   The next step is to walk around the house and evaluate the building envelope.  And, that’s my next installment.  Stay turned… 

Submitted by:

Your Canyon Lakes Realtor

Sharon Sasser Warren, Realtor                         
   8022 W. Grandridge Blvd.    
   Kennewick, WA  99336