This post is going to be a quick one, simply to give you a link to one of the best resources for the most up to date North Central Washington Business and real estate news: The Wenatchee Business Journal..
The Wenatchee Business Journal always has fresh, well written, content on the Wenatchee Valley and North Central Washington. If you can get a copy of the printed version, it is even more fun and interesting to read than the online version.
Best Regards,
Erin Davidson
Wenatchee real estate agent and Broker
Free access to all Wenatchee MLS real estate listings
How to Keep Your Wenatchee House Cleaner !
Did you know the relative humidity in your home can affect how fast dust accumulates and how long your homes stays clean?
Have you ever noticed that it is more difficult to do a good job dusting sometimes and not others? Did you know your home will stay cleaner longer when the humidity is at an ideal level?
Low humidity levels, like we have in Wenatchee, cause static electricity. Static electricity attracts dust and makes it difficult to remove from the surface you are trying to clean.
High humidity causes problems too. It creates an ideal environment for dust mites, which are a common allergen and increases dust production. Did you know, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology, there are as many as 38,000 dust mites in a teaspoon of house dust? Ewwwww! This is a good enough reason to keep the dust under control in your home, even if you don't mind looking at it!
Maintaining relative humidity below 50% helps prevent dust mite infestations, mold and mildew growth, and inhibits bacteria. An ideal level seems to be between 40% - 50%. This seems to be the best level to eliminate static while decreasing the production of dust mites.
In the winter, a lower humidity level may be necessary. This will help avoid condensation on the inside of the windows due to cold temperatures outside.
To keep household vents dust free, remove and wash them once a year with mild soap and water. After they are clean and dry, apply a generous coat of car wax and buff. This will help repel the dust from collecting on them.
Hope you find these tips helpful.
Yours for health and happiness,
Erin Davidson
Premier One Wenatchee Real Estate agent
Search the entire Wenatchee Real Estate MLS FREE, including...
Wenatchee homes, East Wenatchee homes, Malaga homes, Cashmere homes, Leavenworth homes
Wenatchee Homes: Should I Buy or Rent?
"Now is a great time to buy"... you hear it all the time. But, is it really? Whether it is a
good time to buy for YOU is totally dependent on your individual situation. It
is not just about the economics of current interest rates and Wenatchee real estate market conditions. It is far more complicated than that.
First, I'd like to share:
3 good reasons NOT buy a home...
1) If your job is not secure. The last thing you want if you lose your job
is a mortgage payment. You don't want to be forced to sell your home quickly at
a loss or be forced into foreclosure (or bankruptcy). If you are renting, you
have options... moving into a less expensive place, or temporarily moving in
with friends or family. The financial ramifications of not being able to make
your mortgage payments are far worse than having to move out of an apartment you
can't afford.
2) If you have an unstable relationship. I have known people who have
bought a home their spouse wanted because they think it will make them happy.
Ultimately, a house is not going to fix whatever is wrong with a relationship.
Unless either one of you are able to afford the mortgage payments without the
help of a second income, do not buy a home, or buy one you can afford on a
single income.
3) If you travel a lot for extended periods of time, it probably won't make
financial sense to have the ongoing expense of owning a home. Instead, it might
be more appropriate to get short term housing whenever you are going to stay for
a few months.
Here are 7 good reasons to buy a home, or
not...
1) Pro: Mortgage rates are rising. This may seem like a reason not to buy,
but really it is a reason to buy now rather than later, in order to take
advantage of the lower rates.
Con: If your credit scores are low, you will pay a higher interest rate (or
not be able to qualify for a loan at all). If you are in a position to improve
your credit scores, you may want to take time to do so before buying a home.
Even though you may pay a higher interest rate later, you will qualify for a
better loan, which could save you money over time. However... read #2
2) Pro: Home prices are increasing. Home prices in the Wenatchee real
estate market have increased 11% over the last year and will probably continue
to increase. So the sooner you buy, the better. If you wait to qualify for a
better loan, the savings may be wiped out by higher prices. You can always
refinance later, if your credit scores improve and the opportunity for a lower
interest rate is available.
3) Pro: Listed home inventory is less than a year ago. This matches with
the law of "supply and demand". Inventory is down. Prices are up. The good news
is... building permits issued in Wenatchee are up 167% over a year ago. This
should help ease the home shortage and, perhaps, slow price increases.
4. Pro: Owning can be less expensive in the long run. When you buy a home,
you are creating equity and reducing your housing costs for the future. Your
equity will help you trade up to a larger home as your needs for more living
space increases. When you reinvest the equity, you may be able to get into a
larger home, without increasing your monthly mortgage expense. As time goes by,
and your mortgage is paid off, you can sell the home, buy a smaller home "free
and clear" of a mortgage AND have cash left over to reinvest into another equity
building asset.
Con: In general, when you buy a home it is going to cost more than renting.
Even if your mortgage payment is less than rent, you have to factor in the costs
of taxes, insurance, and maintenance. However, the long term benefits, in my
opinion, far outweighs the additional monthly costs upfront. and... read
#5
5) Pro: Tax Credits.The value of the tax deductions from buying a home with
a mortgage will most likely wipe out any obvious dollar savings from renting.
6) Pro: You can paint the walls purple. Well, even if you don't want to
paint the walls purple, you can make changes as you want, when you want, without
worrying about getting permission from a landlord or the neighbors... as long as
you stay within building code requirements and jurisdictional legalities.
Con: When you rent, if maintenance is needed or something goes wrong, you
can just call the landlord and they will have it fixed (hopefully in a timely
manner).
7) Personal satisfaction. The pride of owning your own home, and not being
at the mercy of a landlord is priceless.
If you are considering buying a home, always consult a professional real
estate agent who can guide you and protect you through the entire process.
Best Regards,
Erin Davidson,
Wenatchee real estate agent
Wenatchee real estate agent
Search the entire Wenatchee real estate MLS
Wenatchee homes, East Wenatchee homes, Malaga homes, Cashmere homes, Leavenworth homes
Never Buy a Home Without an Inspection, Unless...
Today I'd like to share a story that will indicate the importance of ALWAYS getting a home inspection before purchasing a home. This true story comes from a retired real estate agent, who is a friend of mine.
As a Wenatchee real estate agent, I have never had anything this dramatic happen during a home inspection, but it could happen to anyone so I thought it is worth sharing with you. It is the perfect (albeit extreme) example of why you should never, never, never buy a home without the aid of a professional who will protect you with all the appropriate inspections and contingencies... and know how to deal with it if problems arise. Your agent will work every phase of the transaction from start to finish.
Anyway, here is a summary of the story:
The agent was working with a very sweet elderly couple who had been looking for a manufactured home in a park. After much searching, they chose a beautiful upgraded and well-maintained home in one of Wenatchee's nicest senior manufactured home communities. They easily negotiated the purchase and sale agreement, which was subject to (among other things) a home inspection.
The home inspection went well until the inspector crawled under the home and discovered the sewer line had never been hooked up! The woman who owns the home was as shocked as anyone, but she had bought the home several years ago "as is" without he benefit of all the inspections. She "trusted" the homeowner to disclose any defects. Had the inspection not been done, her problems would have become the very sweet elderly couple's problems to deal with later.
Beyond the sewer issue, there were a number of additions and upgrades that had been added to the home and the agent began to wonder if the improvements had been properly permitted and inspected by Labor & Industries. In the Purchase and Sale Agreement, verification of proper permitting and final inspections was required as a condition of sale. It turned out there was a long list of issues that needed to be taken care of in that regard. A whole 'nother kettle of worms had been opened.
This transaction is the absolute perfect example of a home inspection uncovering unknown defects, literally protecting ALL parties involved. Special crews had to be brought in to dispose of the sewage, as well as contractors hired and inspections done for the other items. The cost of all remedies in this situation was substantial and a burden to the seller of the property. Turns out the home inspection was very cheap insurance, indeed.
The moral of the story? Never, never, never ever buy a home "as is" (no matter how nice it seems) unless you are actually willing to accept the consequences. It is sometimes tempting to waive a home inspection in a "hot" market, when there may be multiple bids on a home... but don't do it!
As an additional note, a home inspection, which generally lasts over 3 hours is an excellent way for the buyers to become familiar with their new home. Every home has it's own unique personality and the inspection is a great way to learn about the home from beyond what your eyes see during one or two or three walk-throughs.
Best Regards,
Erin Davidson
Wenatchee real estate agent and Broker
Search the entire Wenatchee MLS
Serving Wenatchee, East Wenatchee, Cashmere, and Leavenworth, Washington
As a Wenatchee real estate agent, I have never had anything this dramatic happen during a home inspection, but it could happen to anyone so I thought it is worth sharing with you. It is the perfect (albeit extreme) example of why you should never, never, never buy a home without the aid of a professional who will protect you with all the appropriate inspections and contingencies... and know how to deal with it if problems arise. Your agent will work every phase of the transaction from start to finish.
Anyway, here is a summary of the story:
The agent was working with a very sweet elderly couple who had been looking for a manufactured home in a park. After much searching, they chose a beautiful upgraded and well-maintained home in one of Wenatchee's nicest senior manufactured home communities. They easily negotiated the purchase and sale agreement, which was subject to (among other things) a home inspection.
The home inspection went well until the inspector crawled under the home and discovered the sewer line had never been hooked up! The woman who owns the home was as shocked as anyone, but she had bought the home several years ago "as is" without he benefit of all the inspections. She "trusted" the homeowner to disclose any defects. Had the inspection not been done, her problems would have become the very sweet elderly couple's problems to deal with later.
Beyond the sewer issue, there were a number of additions and upgrades that had been added to the home and the agent began to wonder if the improvements had been properly permitted and inspected by Labor & Industries. In the Purchase and Sale Agreement, verification of proper permitting and final inspections was required as a condition of sale. It turned out there was a long list of issues that needed to be taken care of in that regard. A whole 'nother kettle of worms had been opened.
This transaction is the absolute perfect example of a home inspection uncovering unknown defects, literally protecting ALL parties involved. Special crews had to be brought in to dispose of the sewage, as well as contractors hired and inspections done for the other items. The cost of all remedies in this situation was substantial and a burden to the seller of the property. Turns out the home inspection was very cheap insurance, indeed.
The moral of the story? Never, never, never ever buy a home "as is" (no matter how nice it seems) unless you are actually willing to accept the consequences. It is sometimes tempting to waive a home inspection in a "hot" market, when there may be multiple bids on a home... but don't do it!
As an additional note, a home inspection, which generally lasts over 3 hours is an excellent way for the buyers to become familiar with their new home. Every home has it's own unique personality and the inspection is a great way to learn about the home from beyond what your eyes see during one or two or three walk-throughs.
Best Regards,
Erin Davidson
Wenatchee real estate agent and Broker
Search the entire Wenatchee MLS
Serving Wenatchee, East Wenatchee, Cashmere, and Leavenworth, Washington
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