About Chelan County, WA

I got a kick out of the survey on the Most, and least, prestigious jobs in America. With Real Estate Agents coming in last of everybody, I think it gives some good food for reflection on why that is the case and what it might take to see that change, even just a little bit. Most people know some great real estate agents. Of course, they also feel like they know some they consider less than great.

According to the Best Article Every Day, Real Estate Agents have the least prestigious job in America. Their company in the bottom ten include athletes, business executives, journalists, union leaders, stockbrokers, entertainers, accountants, bankers and actors.

Coming in dead last on the list, with only 4% of Americans considering the job to have "very great prestige" and a heavy 34% considering the job to have "hardly any prestige at all." Though they may be viewed by the public as the least prestigious job in America, real estate agent and brokers are often hard worker, working late into the evenings and weekends and are usually on call to suit the needs of their clients. - The Best Article Every Day

Read the link for the most prestigious jobs in America!

I would venture that the public feels that real estate agents don't always work for their clients' best interests. Those feelings area easily confirmed when the National Association of Realtors prevents the google indexing of listings and even our local Lake Chelan Brokers that insist on keeping a closed MLS of 100 or so agents rather than joining a larger MLS where thousands of agents could view their clients' homes for sale. The practice of "dual agency" where a broker is supposedly acting in the best interests of clients on both sides of a transaction is a clear conflict of interest that is an accepted practice with most brokers.

There are honest, ethical and skilled real estate agents in Lake Chelan, and the rest of the country. Until real estate customers demand better behavior from the agents they decide to do business with, I don't expect the standards or prestige of real estate agents to improve much.

Last weekend, there was a big, well promoted real estate auction at Lake Chelan. On Saturday, the 8th of August, James G. Murphy Auctioneers held an auction for 15 condominiums at the Chelan Resort Suites. The auction was a very visible fixture in the Lake Chelan area the last month or so, with signage, open houses and lots of advertising. You have to give the folks at Murphy Auctioneers credit for doing a great job at being visible.

According to Ed Flannigan of James G. Murphy Auctioneers, they had been seeing 700 visitors per week to their web site on the Chelan Resort Suites. On auction day, there were about 40 attendees and 10 registered bidders. One suite had been pre-sold before the auction and 3 suites were sold at the auction. They are in negotiations with several of the registrants on additional sales and the sale is ongoing. To find out more about the available homes, post auction pricing and buyer specials at Chelan Resort Suites, you can contact Ed at (edflanigan@johnlscott.com) (206) 669-6302 who assures me that more sales will be happening in the next 30 days.

North Central Washington doesn't see many real estate auctions. On December 13, 2008, James G Murphy held an auction on condominiums in Leavenworth. At the Leavenworth auction, they sold 6 condos and 4 more sold in the next 30 days for a total of 10 out of 14. In June 2008, Northwest Auctions auctioned off several homes for a Wenatchee developer and I held an auction for development property in the Sunnyslope area.

With the surge in real estate sales in Lake Chelan in July, I thought that there might be a greater turnout at the Chelan Resort Suites auction. In the current market, at least in North Central Washington, auctions have not yet generated the quantity of hoped for bidders. However, strong interest has been generated from the marketing for the auctions and qualified buyers have been brought to the seller and sales have been generated. Auctions are a great way to sell real estate. As this market shifts back to a more typical market, I expect you will see more of them.

So, my partner, Michael, and I took a few days this week to go and spend time at Lake Chelan with a friend whose family has had a "cabin" here for many decades. We were touring around the lake tonight and last night noticiing that there are a larger than usual number of houses available for sale here. Anyone know from the local area if there are any distressed sales out this way? We're all a little curious. Some huge houses have signs on them.

When you start looking for a home, it’s important to consider factors outside the home that can enhance or detract from your lifestyle. Here are some things to consider:

* Is there a playground, pool or park nearby? Are the fees affordable?

* How close is the home to a hospital, police or fire department?

* How big is the garage or driveway? Will there be enough parking for guests when you entertain?

* Can you live with area commute times, traffic jams, gas prices and public transportation access?

Choosing a home that fits your needs, your budget and your lifestyle isn’t hard when you are realistic and understand what's truly important to you. While you may need to compromise on some items, there are plenty of homes available that can fit your needs and make you happy.

When you're ready to buy your next home, The Davidson Team be happy to help you. Please visit our website at www.WenatcheeHouses.com for buying and selling tips, MLS property searches, town and community information and more.

Warm regards,

The Davidson Team

"Start Packing Today!"

In the Lake Chelan area, we've been very fortunate and seen few foreclosures. But, we are seeing a trickle now and they are causing some disruption in the market. I have been talking with some folks who are worried about the ability to sell their homes with the competition from foreclosures.

Fear not! I wrote a post on my outside blog on just that issue:

Even in the most difficult markets, like Phoenix and Las Vegas, there are people getting their homes sold in short timeframes. In those markets, over half the sales are foreclosures! So, the first step is not to fear, it can be done.

Those sellers and agents that are getting the job done basically leave nothing to chance. The research the market and make sure that the buyer who may be in the market for their home is virtually compelled to buy it. They have a strategy, a comprehensive marketing strategy.

While the entire home marketing strategy has much more detail, its essence can be boiled down to: If a home is priced to the market, if it is repaired and staged to excellent condition and if it is promoted properly to the marketplace it will sell. Quickly and for the highest attainable price - to highly-qualified buyers. -PropertyChelan.com

Read the link for more details!