About Cowlitz County, WA

A Visit To The Annual Cowlitz County Unique Tin Car Show and Swap Meet 2008

What a unique experience! I had not attended the car show in few years and was surprised of how much has change and grown. According to organizers this show attracts over 3,000 spectators each year and listening to the announcers over the microphone the attendance on Saturday was a record breaker. This yearly event has marked the end of Cowlitz County Summer fun events for the last of 34 years.

The event opened the doors at 8:00 a.m. to hundreds of classic and custom-built cars, trucks and some motorcycles, swap meet, vendors and early eager spectators. Then was followed by exciting events throughout the day like some line dance performance, some contests with up to $300 prices, award and parade of winners presentation and ended with the 9:00 p.m. Longview Downtown controlled Cruise, were according to The Daily News there were over 600 permits issued to participate in this event.

So, if you miss it this year, you are invited to experience how amazing it is to see some of the incredible beefed-up engines, flashy chrome and paint jobs on some of these hot rods and in the way contribute to a good cause, according to event organizers part of the profits are donated to local charities throughout Cowlitz County.

Cowlitz County real estate agent, Venancio Gonzalez a GRI, E-PRO Realtor®, with Windermere Real Estate Allen & Associates, 360 751 4001.

The challenge of pricing and selling a home in today's Cowlitz County real estate market

Today's Cowlitz County real estate market is the weakest I ever experience since I started in the business over five years ago. For the last four years the market was great, homes were selling as fast as they came on the market, sometimes getting multiple offers, everyone was happy. In the last year or so the market slowly started turning now we have a huge listing inventory a home time on the market has increase drastically and there are still many sellers who don't want to faced reality and are asking thing like; why this price? (The house across the street sold for xxx amount of dollars last year), why isn't my home selling? Or why do I have to reduce the price? I don't want to give my home away!

Long gone are the days when sellers use to set the price and homes sold with no problem. Sellers should always be educated on local market conditions but in today's real estate market the need for sellers to know where their home fits on the market equation is even greater. It not about just having a market analysis and agree on the price. The whole picture needs to be look at besides of a market analysis many other key elements have to be taking into consideration; market trends, market absorption rates, percentage of recently homes sold, homes you going to be competing with and seller's level of motivation.

Placing a listing into the Multiple Listing Services in not enough in today's challenging market it takes more than that to successfully sell a home. It takes the ability to correctly price a home, knowledge and understanding of the local market and follow through on the appropriate marketing strategies. It's extremely important for sellers to have the correct information to be able to make the best educated decision possible.

For more information on how to correctly price your home or for a through market analysis of your home, feel free contact Cowlitz County real estate agent Venancio Gonzalez at gonzalezq@windermere.com or at 360 751 4001. You can also visit my website to see my marketing strategies to see what I do to sell your home or one of my post for some seller tips.

The Cowlitz County fair and rodeo 2008 is here, come and join the fun from Wednesday July 30^th to Saturday August 2^nd. Four days of pure fun and excitement awaiting kids, adults and everyone else in between willing to come and join the fun. The fair will begin with the kid's day parade on Wednesday at 11:00 a.m. and will be open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. with the usual variety of stands, games and rides for kids, teenagers and all daring parents. Then there is the variety of special schedule events like the Thunder Mountain Pro Rodeo, Demolition Derby, Cruise to the Fair-Open Car Show, Road Warrior paintball, Rodeo Queen Coronation and many, many more. To see all schedule events, the dates and times, visit the Cowlitz County website here.

Venancio Gonzalez a GRI, E-PRO Realtor®, Windermere Real Estate Allen & Associates, 360 751 4001, Servicing the Cowlitz County real rstate market.

Looking for lodging in the Castle Rock / Silver Lake area?

One of my favorites is the Blue Heron Inn at Silver Lake Washington. Come and experience a true feeling of the Pacific Northwest, treat your self to a friendly service, a full country breakfast, relax in front of a fire place or your own private balcony with wonderful panoramic view of the Historic Mount St. Helens, Silver Lake and surrounding forested valleys.

This beautiful one of a kind place sits at the edge of Silver Lake and offers 7 beautiful rooms to choose from a Jacuzzi Suit, a king size, two queen size, two double and a ADA accessible room all with private balconies and magnificent views, two common T.V. sitting areas with fire place and Wi-Fi Hot Spot. It also offers hosting for weddings receptions, birthdays, baby showers and business meetings. For more information and reservations visit their website here.

Directions: From I-5 take Exit 49 East on Hwy 504 five miles, directly across from the Mt. Helens National Monument

For more information about the local area visit our Silver Lake / Toutle web page Here.

Are you thinking about buying real estate in Kelso Washington?

Let me introduce you to the Kelso Washington community, Kelso neighborhoods and the Kelso real estate market. Kelso Washington is a fast growing, friendly community with about 13,000 residents with some unusual unique features for small city like the Coweeman River, I - 5 and Rail Road running through the middle of the city and the huge Three Rivers Mall with more than 60 stores to choose from. Kelso is divided into only six different neighborhoods; Lexington, Holcomb/Ostrander, North Kelso, Kelso Hills/Mt. Brinion, South Kelso and Rose Valley/Carrols but offers real estate to all kind of different people from the first time home buyer to the sophisticated investor or that million dollars buyer. Kelso real estate prices range from small 2 bedroom or fixer-upper for under $100,000 to the well over $1,000,000 water front, river or mount view properties. To find out more about Kelso Washington and search Kelso homes for sale visit our Kelso real estate page.

Contact Kelso Washington real estate agent, Venancio Gonzalez a GRI, E-PRO Realtor®, with Windermere Real Estate Allen & Associates, 360 751 4001, to list your home or to purchase a home in Kelso Washington.