It was wonderful to see that Walla Walla made the list as one of the best cities to move to in the US after the pandemic.Here is the link to the article in Business Insider.If you are looking for a wonderful property.  Here is a fabulous home that was custom built and has been meticulously maintained.  A "matterport" tour is an excellent way to preview a property for out of town buyers. 09/06/2020

  Best wishes in 2020! 12/23/2019

I am so proud of my community.  I am sold on Walla Walla having lived here since 1991.  I love watching the county grow and change.  It just keeps getting better and better.  We have over 160 wineries, 3 Colleges and two hospitals, one of which is a V.A. Hospital.  Our downtown is charming with the restaurants and boutiques, not to mention the tasting rooms.  I recently stumbled across yet another article that talked about "The 10 Most Charming Cities" and sure enough. . .Walla Walla made the list.  I have included the link.  The people are friendly; we have four fabulous seasons and approximately 300 days of sunshine a year.  An active community with loads of things to do.  Little to no traffic and our cost of living is reasonable.  Come check out Walla Walla and see for yourself! 10/14/2017

Do you ever ask yourself. . .How much is too much?           The deliberate choices we make on a daily basis. . .What we say, where we go, what we post online, who we associate with, and what attitude we express can protect us from a dangerous situation and ensure our safety, or bring about potentially harmful circumstances. Blessings are all around us.  A key part of receiving blessings is to be a blessing to others.  Blessings come in all forms from - making a nice meal, opening your home, going the extra mile to help someone, reaching out and showing someone you care.  It can be the smallest thing like saying, "I am glad you are here" or offering a smile to someone.  The 26 Acts of Kindness is a good example.  So when we try to be a blessing to those around us and we are faced with p... 03/11/2014

Today I am playing catch-up like mad.  I am overwhelmed and it is gloomy and raining outside.  On days like today, I do a lot of self-talk to cheer myself up!  What works best is when I start making a gratitude list where I count my blessings.  At the top of my "thankful list" is my son Bennie and my Niece Donara.  I thought I would share this photo and I hope it warms your heart like it does mine.  Wishing you all a Marvelous Monday!   03/10/2014

Renovation work must be completed in a workmanlike manner All work on an FHA 203k project must  be completed in a professional workmanlike manner. Here is a photo of an eave vent that was to be replaced... is it completed in a professinal workmanlike manner? I think not.   This home had 2 x 6 rafters and 5.25" x 22" eave vents were installed. This contractor wanted to replace them per the scope of work but he used a 3.25" x 22" eave vent intended for use on a 2 x 4" rafter.  He didn't find anything wrong with this installation but finally agreed to replace it once he realized no payment was ever going to be made till it was corrected. To think that this contractor had been "validated" by the lender. Of course it was not one of our regular contractors and with this installation would lik... 05/28/2013

  Looking for another great reason why you should move to Walla Walla County?  Well, for our small county with a population of approximately 60,000 residents, we have three hospitals to select from.  First on the list is our Veterans Hospital. . .Jonathan M. Wainwright Memorial VA Medical Center.  The Jonathan M. Wainwright Memorial VA Medical Center in Walla Walla, Washington provides access to comprehensive health care for eligible Veterans through primary, secondary and long-term care in the following areas: Audiology Caregiver Support Program Dentistry Dietetic Counseling Extended care - provided through contracted nursing home care and in-home services Gastroenterology Health Promotion & Disease Prevention Program  Medical Foster Home Program Medicine Optometry Pharmacy Behavioral... 04/05/2013

It's become a price war out there.  Home owner's want to sell their homes for top dollar, while buyers are patiently waiting for the next price reduction.  What to do...what to do... Price it right in the beginning.  A house that is priced accordingly will produce more activity and sell quicker than a home that isn't priced right - we all KNOW this....yet we give in....we bend to the will of sellers because ultimately we don't want to lose the sale and its their home - its their decision.  So how can you avoid this pitfall?  Show sellers the comps they are bond to come up against in the face of an appraisal.  Remind them, YOU do not dictate pricing and that buyers in this market will patiently wait for the price to move itself back down the price-o-meter. Explain and stand behind your p... 02/23/2011

No question the market is tough.  Let's face it. . .Real Estate transactions have become very challenging to put together whether it is a foreclosure, short sale, estate property, bankruptcy, or a distressed property owner who has tried a loan modification with no avail and now is a desperate and distressed seller.  A "regular or normal" deal is rare.  For example, a homeowner who wants to simply sell their home for fair market value and is willing to negotiate when an offer comes in.  Of course, once this "normal" contract becomes active you have all the hoops of inspections, then re-negotiating and then battling all the financing guidelines. I think it is fair to say that the level of difficulty has tripled in the last 2 years and the stress level of agents has quadrupled.  This year... 05/21/2010

Well I am gearing up for a good year, whether or not our market cooperates!  Here is the January 2010 market statistics. Multiple Listings-All Areas   2009   2010     December   January Active- Single Family (Resale)   469   474 Total Single Family Sold   40   32 New Listings       88           Median List Price   $210,000     Average List Price   $284,782               Walla Walla and College Place  Active December Active January > $99,000 10 4 11 1 $100,000-$124,999 4 2 6 0 $125,000-$149,999 35 7 36 3 $150,000-$174,999 33 10 40 2 $175,000-$199,999 27 0 33 4 $200,000-$224,999 26 5 28 6 $225,000-$249,999 23 3 28 2 $250,000-$274,999 18 3 22 1 $275,000-$299,999 13 0 16 4 $300,000-$324,999 9 0 8 0 $325,000-$349,999 3 1 6 0 $350,000-$374,999 1 0 3 0 $375,000-$399,999 8 0 7 1 $400,000-$499,9... 02/03/2010

I'll admit it, the last couple of months have been hard.  Not just professionally but personally.  It all started with a nagging fear of our "slow season", then just wentdownhill from there.  Maybe its the weather I thought, it has been really cold and gray.  Maybe its the market, after all it is so slow here.  Maybe its the impending holidays....my rationalization went on and on. Then I thought, maybe it is me?  So I decided during this slow season to refocus my self and take some time to Re-vamp my business and recharge my thinking.  Sometimes we all need a little down time to reflect. I reflected on why I do real estate and came to the conclusion, that is the one constant in my business that part never changes, I care about my clients and genuinely want to work with them.  No matter ... 01/29/2010

   This is an interesting website with statistics on the Washington Housing Market, State wide and by county.  Put together by the Washington State Real Estate Reasearchcenter out of WSU.  I pulled statistics for just Walla Walla County, but you can also search by any county in the state.  1. Home Resales are WCRER estimates based on MLS reports or deed recording (Real Market Data LLC) 2. SAAR means data presented at Seasonally Adjusted Annual Rates allowing quarter-to-quarter comparison. 3. Building permits (total) are from the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census 4. Median prices are WCRER estimates. Half the homes sold at higher prices, half lower 5. Affordability index measures the ability of a typical family to make payments on median price resale home. It assumes 20% ... 10/30/2009

Watch this short Video by the Washington Homeowners Association to learn more about closing costs and the closing process. 10/29/2009

Do you want the good news or the bad news?  Nothing that starts this way ever ends very well does it?  I always opt for the bad news first in hopes that the good news will make the bad news not seem so awful.  The truth is, I am not sure the good news is much better than the bad news.  So sit down while you read this because the truth hurts. This economy has effected everyone. (And if you say it hasn't affected you, than you must live on mars)  As an Real Estate agent my day is usually filled with a roller coaster of emotions.  The happy and ecstatic clients that just bought their new home, the frustrated sellers who's house isn't selling, the angry buyer who lost financing and my least favorite the distraught homeowner that is looking at a bleak future that includes possibly loosing th... 10/28/2009

Well another month has come and gone.  Here are the September 2009 statistics:   2009 2009 2009 2009 2009     Avg. DOM           August    September        October     November December     Total Single Family Actives 574 522                           Total Single Family Sold 53 50           Walla Walla and College Place                     2009 2009 2009 2009 2009   Active August September October November December DOM >$99,999 15 4 2       166 $100,000-$149,999 60 11 9       160 $150,000-$199,999 95 15 14       204 $200,000-$249,999 83 14 5       125 $250,000-$299,999 57 5 5       173 $300,000-$349,999 18 2 0       142 $350,000-$399,999 10 1 2       323 $400,000-$499,999 20 0 0       212 $500,000+ 44 1 0       228 Average Sales Price $ 185,499 Median Sales Price $160,400             T... 10/27/2009

Walla Walla Real Estate Agents are ready to assist you will all your home buying or selling needs.  Preferred Properties Land and Homes is your one stop shop.  The only office in Walla Walla that are members of both the Northwest Multiple Listing Service and the Walla Walla Multiple Listing Service.  Also members of, The Luxury Real Estate Network and National Association of Realtors.  Preferred's Walla Walla Real Estate Agents offer expertise and are dedicated to providing you with the service you deserve.   Buying or selling a home is one of the great milestones in life, and can be one of the most stressful. Our goal as Walla Walla Real Estate Agents is to make your experience enjoyable and trouble-free so you are left with positive memories.  We believe that it is paramount to provid... 10/25/2009

Well I had a great day of showing properties yesterday.  It was more or less a whole city tour of neighborhoods I thought my client who was relocatingwould like.  We looked at everything from new construction in a developments to established areas with older homes.  As we went through these areas I was taking mental notes about my buyers response to the properties so that I could get a better idea of what she was looking for so we could narrow it down. The result of this tour was we were looking at many similar homes, possibly even homes next door to each other and I noticed one apparent theme: Preparing your home for a showing makes a huge difference!  For instance we looked at 2 homes in the same neighborhood, built by the same builder.  The first one we walked in and the lights were ... 10/23/2009

There are many reasons why people sell their home.  They want to upgrade, downsize, they need to relocate and in today's economy it could be that you lost your job, can't afford your mortgage, or are getting a divorce.  No matter what the reason is, as a seller in today's market you need to know all you can.  I get asked a lot, am I a candidate for a Short Sale.  But, most of the time they don't know what a short sale is and the potential negative consequences.  What is a short sale?  Basically, in plain and simple terms, the owner owes more than the property is worth and the seller does not have the assets to pay the difference.  The biggest thing to remember throughout is that "fairness" is not a factor.  The first order of business would be to contact a licensed attorney who can disc... 10/15/2009

In today's market conditions buyers can be faced with many hurdles that they didn't encounter before.  Everything from foreclosure or distressed properties, bankruptcy and short sales.  Now while we are in a "buyers" market these kind of properties might not be right for every buyer.  A short sale is basically a home where the owner owes more than the home is worth, or cannot sell the home to fully pay off the balance of what is owed. Although you may think you are getting a good deal that is not always the case.  A short sale just reflects what the current market value is on the home. It is not necessarily a bottom of the barrel price that makes that property a "steal".    Now are you the right buyer for a short sale?  Ask yourself a couple of key questions.  Do I have months to wait ... 10/14/2009

This week I had the pleasure of attending the first ever RainCamp, hosted by ActiveRain.  The focus was on staying on top of the latest technology that not only benefits me as an Agent, but my buyers and sellers as well.  Have you had the technology conversation with your real estate agent?  The real estate world is changing dramatically every day.  Does your agent know about the newest and latest technology?  Are they using the Internet and marketing your property so that it has maximum visibility on the Internet?  Does your agent have a Facebook page, or a twitter account that they post information to? Now I grew up in the age of technology, but technology is changing so rapidly that even I at times feel like I am falling behind.  As of right now though, I am fully committed to provid... 10/08/2009