Welcome back for Part 3 of the many great reasons to check out Wenatchee real estate, and settle down to life in one of the best places on Earth to live.
Click here is you missed Part 1 or Part 2
O: Ohme Gardens: From high upon a bluff overlooking the beautiful Wenatchee Valley is Ohme Gardens. Originally intended as a private family retreat for the Ohme family, interest of friends and community members prompted them to open the Gardens to the public in 1939. The Ohme family owned the property until 1991 when Washington State Parks & Recreation purchased the gardens and surrounding property. It is currently owned and operated by Chelan County. It is a popular spot for weddings and many other events.
P: Parks: There are over a dozen community, county and state parks in the immediate Wenatchee area. The Wenatchee Department of Parks and Recreation has lots of information on their website about the local parks, pool, and community events.
Q. Quandry: The Quandry is what to do with your spare time in Wenatchee. So many choices, so little time! Ok, so it's not that easy to come up with activities that start with the letter Q but Quandry seemed like a good option!
R: Rafting: The Wenatchee River, running a windy 53 miles from beautiful Lake Wenatchee into the Columbia River at the north end of Wenatchee, is a very popular site for whitewater rafting from April thru August. Most of the actual rafting takes place between Leavenworth & Cashmere. There are about 5 different companies offering whitewater river rafting in the Wenatchee area. Just do an internet search for "Wenatchee River rafting" and you will get lots of choices.
S: Sunshine: The obvious choice for this category is our 300 days of sunshine. We don't always have sunshine, but we have a lot of it! Most of the days without sunshine are in December and January, but there are lots of activities in the area for those days too.
T: Town Toyota Center: In spite of the financial controversy surrounding this facility, it has been a wonderful addition to the community. We now get some seriously good programs and concerts IN Wenatchee. The Town Toyota Center website touts "World Class Entertainment and High Impact Sporting Events.
Enjoy!
Erin Davidson
Wenatchee Real Estate Agent and Broker
* Sharing current news and information about Wenatchee real estate
Free Search of the entire Wenatchee real estate MLS
Wenatchee homes, East Wenatchee homes, Malaga homes,
Cashmere homes, and Leavenworth homes
The Alphabet of Reasons to Live In or Move To Wenatchee, Washington Part 2: H - N
Welcome back for Part 2 of the many great reasons to come buy some Wenatchee real estate, and settle down to life in one of the best places on Earth to live.
Click here if you missed Part 1: A - G
H: Hockey & Hydro-power: The Wenatchee Wild is our ice hockey team, which is part of the Pacific Northwest Amateur Hockey Association! Come join the fun! Inexpensive hydro-power is one of the best reasons to live and/or run a business in the Northwest...specifically the 3 county (Chelan, Douglas & Grant) area surrounding and including Wenatchee. I mentioned it before under "E" for "Electricity", but it is worth mentioning again.
I: Incredible Weather: The Wenatchee Valley Chamber of Commerce boasts that Wenatchee has 300 days of sunshine. Here is a link to a site outlining Wenatchee weather throughout the year.
J: Jogging.: Whether you are actually a jogger, runner, walker, biker, or rollerblader, or just like to stroll... you will find lots of trails. Our 10 mile Apple Capital Recreation Loop Trail is one of the most amazing and popular attractions, with lots to see and do along the trail.
K: Kiddie Parade: The first week-end of the annual Apple Blossom Festival in Wenatchee includes a parade focused just on kids and a youth day.
L: Leavenworth and Lake Chelan: Not ALL of the fun is in Wenatchee. Leavenworth, just 25 miles west of Wenatchee and Lake Chelan, which is 35 miles north of Wenatchee, are both very popular destinations for residents and tourists.
M: Mission Ridge and Museum: How cool is it to have one of the best ski and snowboard areas in the Northwest just 12 miles from town? Mission Ridge has amazing views of the Wenatchee Valley, lots of sunshine and plenty of terrain for every level of ski enthusiast. The Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center is also a treasure of our community.
N: Nature and Natural History: Wenatchee abounds in plants, animals, and geologic history. Visit the Wenatchee Naturalist website and consider joining in on some of their events. Here is a link to a short and interesting video about the geology of the Ice Age Floods of the Wenatchee area.
Come back soon and check for the third installment of the Wenatchee Alphabet Series.
Hope you are enjoying this beautiful weather!
Best Regards,
Erin Davidson
Wenatchee Real Estate Agent and Broker
"Sharing the current news and information about Wenatchee real estate
Free Search of the entire Wenatchee real estate MLS
Wenatchee homes, East Wenatchee homes, Malaga homes,
Cashmere homes, and Leavenworth homes
Click here if you missed Part 1: A - G
H: Hockey & Hydro-power: The Wenatchee Wild is our ice hockey team, which is part of the Pacific Northwest Amateur Hockey Association! Come join the fun! Inexpensive hydro-power is one of the best reasons to live and/or run a business in the Northwest...specifically the 3 county (Chelan, Douglas & Grant) area surrounding and including Wenatchee. I mentioned it before under "E" for "Electricity", but it is worth mentioning again.
I: Incredible Weather: The Wenatchee Valley Chamber of Commerce boasts that Wenatchee has 300 days of sunshine. Here is a link to a site outlining Wenatchee weather throughout the year.
J: Jogging.: Whether you are actually a jogger, runner, walker, biker, or rollerblader, or just like to stroll... you will find lots of trails. Our 10 mile Apple Capital Recreation Loop Trail is one of the most amazing and popular attractions, with lots to see and do along the trail.
K: Kiddie Parade: The first week-end of the annual Apple Blossom Festival in Wenatchee includes a parade focused just on kids and a youth day.
L: Leavenworth and Lake Chelan: Not ALL of the fun is in Wenatchee. Leavenworth, just 25 miles west of Wenatchee and Lake Chelan, which is 35 miles north of Wenatchee, are both very popular destinations for residents and tourists.
M: Mission Ridge and Museum: How cool is it to have one of the best ski and snowboard areas in the Northwest just 12 miles from town? Mission Ridge has amazing views of the Wenatchee Valley, lots of sunshine and plenty of terrain for every level of ski enthusiast. The Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center is also a treasure of our community.
N: Nature and Natural History: Wenatchee abounds in plants, animals, and geologic history. Visit the Wenatchee Naturalist website and consider joining in on some of their events. Here is a link to a short and interesting video about the geology of the Ice Age Floods of the Wenatchee area.
Come back soon and check for the third installment of the Wenatchee Alphabet Series.
Hope you are enjoying this beautiful weather!
Best Regards,
Erin Davidson
Wenatchee Real Estate Agent and Broker
"Sharing the current news and information about Wenatchee real estate
Free Search of the entire Wenatchee real estate MLS
Wenatchee homes, East Wenatchee homes, Malaga homes,
Cashmere homes, and Leavenworth homes
The Alphabet of Reasons to Live In or Move To Wenatchee, Washington Part 1: A - G
When I decided to write this series on the best things about Wenatchee, it was difficult to know where to start. There are so many BEST reasons, it is impossible to list them by number so I decided to go with an alphabet series instead. Here is part 1... A - G.
A: Apples and Art: If you Google "Apple Capital of the World", Wenatchee not only dominates page 1 search results... it totally fills page 1. If you want to learn more than you ever wanted to know about apples, visit the Washington State Apple Commission website. Then, I recommend you make a trip to their visitor center. Not only do we have the best apples in the world, we also enjoy local production of excellent pears, cherries, peaches, prunes, and nectarines. As for Art, check out the Art on The Avenues website to learn about the wonderful display of sculpture art throughout the city. Click on the arts in the Wenatchee area, for more information.
B: Blossoms, Baseball and Beer. If you want to truly the feel the amazement of Spring, come to Wenatchee in the Spring when you will see acres and acres of fruit blossoms explode in the valley. Be sure to take the annual Washington State Apple Blossom Festival in Wenatchee the last week in April and the first week-end in May. It is impossible to take in all the activities, so you need to come back every year. Wenatchee is home of the Wenatchee Apple Sox, members of the West Coast League of the Summer collegiate league. According to the team's website: "The AppleSox provide affordable family entertainment for baseball fans throughout North Central Washington, and an excellent environment for college players from around the country to develop their skills". As for beer, we are seeing a trend toward more breweries in the Valley.
C: Columbia River. There is no way to list all the benefits of having the mighty Columbia River running smack dab through the middle of our beautiful city. It offers a plethora of recreational opportunities, a source of water for orchards, and plenty of hydro-electric power. It is a key component of our economy and our playground of activities.
D: Dams. Yes, dams! There are many dams on the Columbia River and two in a close proximity to Wenatchee proper. The Rock Island Dam is just 10 miles South of Wenatchee and the Rocky Reach Dam is just 6 miles north of Wenatchee, providing some of the least inexpensive electricity rates in the entire nation. This inexpensive power is a HUGE benefit for homeowners and businesses alike. If you live in an area with high power rates, you might find it worth moving to Wenatchee just for the inexpensive power rates.
E: Economy. The Wenatchee economy is strong, diverse and resilient. We have several significant industries which creates a resiliency not found in many places. We do not depend on one major industry. Among others, Wenatchee boasts such major employers as: The Aluminum Company of America (ALCOA), Various medical facilities, Chelan & Douglas Country PUD's, Agriculture, Local Government, State Government, Federal Government, Education, various major Retail outlets and typical service industries. High technology is also becoming a major player in our employment numbers. The very diversity of the local economy shields us from some of the ups and downs of the national trends.
F: Fun. Whether you like indoor or outdoor (or both) recreation and entertainment, The Wenatchee area is a literal playground for our residents and visitors. Go to the Wenatchee Valley Chamber of Commerce website and explore some of the possibilities.
G: Grapes. Although Wenatchee is still known for our apples, grapes and wineries have been growing at a steady pace. Check out this link to some of the wineries in the Wenatchee area.
Come back soon and check out the rest of our Alphabet Series on the Best of Wenatchee.
Happy Spring!
Erin Davidson
Wenatchee real estate agent and Broker
Free Search of the entire Wenatchee real estate MLS
Wenatchee homes, East Wenatchee homes, Malaga homes,
Cashmere homes, and Leavenworth homes
A: Apples and Art: If you Google "Apple Capital of the World", Wenatchee not only dominates page 1 search results... it totally fills page 1. If you want to learn more than you ever wanted to know about apples, visit the Washington State Apple Commission website. Then, I recommend you make a trip to their visitor center. Not only do we have the best apples in the world, we also enjoy local production of excellent pears, cherries, peaches, prunes, and nectarines. As for Art, check out the Art on The Avenues website to learn about the wonderful display of sculpture art throughout the city. Click on the arts in the Wenatchee area, for more information.
B: Blossoms, Baseball and Beer. If you want to truly the feel the amazement of Spring, come to Wenatchee in the Spring when you will see acres and acres of fruit blossoms explode in the valley. Be sure to take the annual Washington State Apple Blossom Festival in Wenatchee the last week in April and the first week-end in May. It is impossible to take in all the activities, so you need to come back every year. Wenatchee is home of the Wenatchee Apple Sox, members of the West Coast League of the Summer collegiate league. According to the team's website: "The AppleSox provide affordable family entertainment for baseball fans throughout North Central Washington, and an excellent environment for college players from around the country to develop their skills". As for beer, we are seeing a trend toward more breweries in the Valley.
C: Columbia River. There is no way to list all the benefits of having the mighty Columbia River running smack dab through the middle of our beautiful city. It offers a plethora of recreational opportunities, a source of water for orchards, and plenty of hydro-electric power. It is a key component of our economy and our playground of activities.
D: Dams. Yes, dams! There are many dams on the Columbia River and two in a close proximity to Wenatchee proper. The Rock Island Dam is just 10 miles South of Wenatchee and the Rocky Reach Dam is just 6 miles north of Wenatchee, providing some of the least inexpensive electricity rates in the entire nation. This inexpensive power is a HUGE benefit for homeowners and businesses alike. If you live in an area with high power rates, you might find it worth moving to Wenatchee just for the inexpensive power rates.
E: Economy. The Wenatchee economy is strong, diverse and resilient. We have several significant industries which creates a resiliency not found in many places. We do not depend on one major industry. Among others, Wenatchee boasts such major employers as: The Aluminum Company of America (ALCOA), Various medical facilities, Chelan & Douglas Country PUD's, Agriculture, Local Government, State Government, Federal Government, Education, various major Retail outlets and typical service industries. High technology is also becoming a major player in our employment numbers. The very diversity of the local economy shields us from some of the ups and downs of the national trends.
F: Fun. Whether you like indoor or outdoor (or both) recreation and entertainment, The Wenatchee area is a literal playground for our residents and visitors. Go to the Wenatchee Valley Chamber of Commerce website and explore some of the possibilities.
G: Grapes. Although Wenatchee is still known for our apples, grapes and wineries have been growing at a steady pace. Check out this link to some of the wineries in the Wenatchee area.
Come back soon and check out the rest of our Alphabet Series on the Best of Wenatchee.
Happy Spring!
Erin Davidson
Wenatchee real estate agent and Broker
Free Search of the entire Wenatchee real estate MLS
Wenatchee homes, East Wenatchee homes, Malaga homes,
Cashmere homes, and Leavenworth homes
Equity Sharing: A Real Way To Buy Wenatchee Real Estate With Little or No Down Payment
There have been a lot of late night infomercials made touting how to buy a house with no down payment. They make it sound so easy, but those strategies are actually quite difficult to make work with today's much tighter loan requirements. The real estate bust of 2007 - 2012 changed a lot in the world of buying real estate.
Equity Sharing is a legitimate way for people with a very small down payment, or no down payment, to buy a home without taking the risk, or incurring the high cost, of low down or no down payment loans. You can buy Wenatchee real estate for no money down AND enjoy the benefits of a buyer friendly loan! This strategy works everywhere.
Equity Sharing means what it implies. Two (or more) parties share in the investment and value of a property. Generally speaking, in an Equity Sharing arrangement, there is an "occupier" of the property and an "investor". The "occupier" will live in the house, make the payments and cost of maintaining it, while the "investor" is just looking at the potential financial gain on the original investment after a future sale.
The two parties purchase a property and share the equity, which is the net value of an asset after all unpaid debts are deducted. A sale on a $200,000 house, with a $150,000 loan (and no other debts) has an equity of $50,000. The equity would be divided among the two parties, as outlined in the Equity Share Agreement. It can be any percentage split, as agreed by both parties.
The good news about Equity Sharing is: There are no rules in setting up the agreement.
The bad news about Equity Sharing is: There are no rules in setting up the agreement.
The primary purpose of Equity Sharing is to benefit both parties. How that is done for the satisfaction of both parties is totally up to those involved. Always, solicit the help of an attorney or other reliable professional, who specializes in this kind of transaction, to help draw up an agreement that will protect the interest of all parties. This is a very specific real estate niche, so find a competent professional to help draw up the agreement.
I won't recommend anyone specific, but an excellent source of detailed information and sample forms and agreements for Equity Sharing is available at Sirkin Law. That is a California business entity and I don't recommend them for creating legal documents in Washington State, but their website is the most comprehensive source of information I have found on this subject. When you actually start looking for an attorney in a specific location, start with those who specialize in local real estate law and get someone familiar with the Equity Sharing niche.
The potential benefits of Equity Sharing:
1) The "occupier" gets into a home with no down payment but isn't paying the high cost of a no down payment loan. The occupier is only making payments based on the borrowed amount (and not the down payment portion).
2) With an "investor" partner, the "occupier" will be able to buy a home sooner, instead of having to wait to save the down payment. Wenatchee real estate values are on the rise again and the longer you wait, the higher the prices will be... meaning a larger down payment will be required, and/or the payment will be higher.
3) The "investor" has the benefit of investing in real estate without the duties of a landlord in dealing with tenant issues, collecting rents and maintaining the property.
The potential downside of Equity Sharing:
1) A properly executed Equity Sharing Agreement, with all parties living up to their responsibilities will take away most of any potential downside. There is always a risk, especially for the investor. Such as:
1) The "occupier" may not properly maintain the property to maintain it's value.
2) The "occupier" may lose their job and not be able to make the necessary payments to keep the loan current.
3) The "occupier" may make changes that actually devalues the property. During the duration of this kind of agreement, it is best NOT to make any significant changes that may not appeal to a future buyer.
Note: It can be a beautiful arrangement IF the agreement is drawn up properly and all issues are addressed. However, do NOT go into this kind of arrangement with rose colored glasses. How the cost of insurance, taxes and capital improvements will be handled should also be clearly outlined in the Equity Sharing Agreement.
Many parents are able to help their children financially when they are in the process of buying a first home. However, not everyone is lucky enough to have parents who are financially capable of doing that. A properly drawn Equity Sharing Agreement can appeal to many potential investors.
Keep your mind open to the possibilities!
Best Regards,
Erin Davidson
Wenatchee real estate agent and Broker
Free Search of the entire Wenatchee real estate MLS
Wenatchee homes, East Wenatchee homes, Malaga homes, Cashmere homes, Leavenworth homes
Equity Sharing is a legitimate way for people with a very small down payment, or no down payment, to buy a home without taking the risk, or incurring the high cost, of low down or no down payment loans. You can buy Wenatchee real estate for no money down AND enjoy the benefits of a buyer friendly loan! This strategy works everywhere.
Equity Sharing means what it implies. Two (or more) parties share in the investment and value of a property. Generally speaking, in an Equity Sharing arrangement, there is an "occupier" of the property and an "investor". The "occupier" will live in the house, make the payments and cost of maintaining it, while the "investor" is just looking at the potential financial gain on the original investment after a future sale.
The two parties purchase a property and share the equity, which is the net value of an asset after all unpaid debts are deducted. A sale on a $200,000 house, with a $150,000 loan (and no other debts) has an equity of $50,000. The equity would be divided among the two parties, as outlined in the Equity Share Agreement. It can be any percentage split, as agreed by both parties.
The good news about Equity Sharing is: There are no rules in setting up the agreement.
The bad news about Equity Sharing is: There are no rules in setting up the agreement.
The primary purpose of Equity Sharing is to benefit both parties. How that is done for the satisfaction of both parties is totally up to those involved. Always, solicit the help of an attorney or other reliable professional, who specializes in this kind of transaction, to help draw up an agreement that will protect the interest of all parties. This is a very specific real estate niche, so find a competent professional to help draw up the agreement.
I won't recommend anyone specific, but an excellent source of detailed information and sample forms and agreements for Equity Sharing is available at Sirkin Law. That is a California business entity and I don't recommend them for creating legal documents in Washington State, but their website is the most comprehensive source of information I have found on this subject. When you actually start looking for an attorney in a specific location, start with those who specialize in local real estate law and get someone familiar with the Equity Sharing niche.
The potential benefits of Equity Sharing:
1) The "occupier" gets into a home with no down payment but isn't paying the high cost of a no down payment loan. The occupier is only making payments based on the borrowed amount (and not the down payment portion).
2) With an "investor" partner, the "occupier" will be able to buy a home sooner, instead of having to wait to save the down payment. Wenatchee real estate values are on the rise again and the longer you wait, the higher the prices will be... meaning a larger down payment will be required, and/or the payment will be higher.
3) The "investor" has the benefit of investing in real estate without the duties of a landlord in dealing with tenant issues, collecting rents and maintaining the property.
The potential downside of Equity Sharing:
1) A properly executed Equity Sharing Agreement, with all parties living up to their responsibilities will take away most of any potential downside. There is always a risk, especially for the investor. Such as:
1) The "occupier" may not properly maintain the property to maintain it's value.
2) The "occupier" may lose their job and not be able to make the necessary payments to keep the loan current.
3) The "occupier" may make changes that actually devalues the property. During the duration of this kind of agreement, it is best NOT to make any significant changes that may not appeal to a future buyer.
Note: It can be a beautiful arrangement IF the agreement is drawn up properly and all issues are addressed. However, do NOT go into this kind of arrangement with rose colored glasses. How the cost of insurance, taxes and capital improvements will be handled should also be clearly outlined in the Equity Sharing Agreement.
Many parents are able to help their children financially when they are in the process of buying a first home. However, not everyone is lucky enough to have parents who are financially capable of doing that. A properly drawn Equity Sharing Agreement can appeal to many potential investors.
Keep your mind open to the possibilities!
Best Regards,
Erin Davidson
Wenatchee real estate agent and Broker
Free Search of the entire Wenatchee real estate MLS
Wenatchee homes, East Wenatchee homes, Malaga homes, Cashmere homes, Leavenworth homes
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