About Skagit County, WA

I was speaking with a managing broker this week discussing licensed home inspectors. He pulled out his inspector list and I noticed that he had a name of an unlicensed inspector on his referral. I asked him if he was going to notated who had their license and who didn't. He said that he had spoken to the home inspector in question who had assured him that he carried a number of licenses and certifications. The home inspector implied that with what he already had, he was ok. I did mention the benefits to clients who use licensed home inspectors and said that clients should know who is licensed and who is not on referral lists. I hope this broker does this.

It does bring up the question of why would a practicing inspector (the company above has been around for a number of years) would not get their license? The penalty is that these inspectors have to go back to school for 120 hours or more and then ride along with a licensed inspector for 40 hours. Since September 1st, inspectors who missed the deadline have been popping up like moles. I am sure that the Washington Department of Licensing (DOL) is getting every excuse in the book but because these deadlines were written into the law, the DOL hands are tied. Regardless, if these businesspeople are not aware of what happening in the industry, would you want to hire them? Home Inspectors are generalists and need to be knowledgeable in all areas of the home. I network with local inspectors all the time sharing information. Either this inspector kept to himself or decided that he was going to get out of the business before July 2010. Either way would you want to be referring someone like this?

Rick Bunzel, CRI
Pacific Crest Inspections
WASH. HI #312
ASHI Certified #249557
NAHI Member of the Year 2008
NPSAR Affiliate of the Year 2006-2007
WWW.PacCrestInspections.com
360-588-6956
Fax 360-588-6965
Toll Free 866-618-7764

I hate to borrow a line from Bill Clinton, but it just seems too appropriate not to.

The DOW has had an average monthly gain of 636 points for the last 4 months. (3/2/09 it closed at 6,626.94 and 8/1/09 it closed at 9,171.61). During trading today, I saw the DOW at 9,490 as the momentum keeps marching on.

Residential Home Sales in Skagit County with transactions "Pending" gained 37.93% comparing June 2008 with June 2009, according the Northwest Multiple Listing Service's Monthly Recap for June 2009. June 2008 had 116 residential homes with transactions "Pending", June 2009 had 160 residential homes with transactions "Pending") The same report shows a 22.77% gain in Pending Sales across the whole NW Multiple Listing Service, which represents the bulk of the State. Way to go Washington State!

The Federal Government's "Cash for Clunkers" program is so wildly successful that they nearly used up the One Billion Dollars in the first week of the program. At the $4,500 maximum per car, this represents over 220,000 "clunkers" traded in on more efficient cars. Wow!

Positive momentum is here! There can be no doubting it anymore!

The economists always say "Buy Low, Sell High." Well, it seems that we have reached the low and are starting to go up again. The "Time to buy" is here. Whether you're looking to buy a house, a car, or some stock; do it soon.

This past weekend, for the umpteenth time, my wife and I attended the Anacortes Arts and Crafts Festival. This big-time festival, an amazing business enterprise in the small but very charming waterfront city, has been going on for 48 year now. I have not attended each year, but I have visited the festival for at least 35 years. The photos below show some of the color of the street festival. 

While we were there, the grandson got a spider on his face. No worries, it is not real and it rubs right off.

This year's festival is over, as of last Sunday. But, if the good lord proves willing and the creek don't rise, I will be back again next year.

Steven L. Smith

Bellingham WA Home Inspections