Searching Spokane Washington Real Estate Just Got A Lot Simpler

If only "picking" out a home were this easy.

Well, it just got easier.

With our new, state-of-the art "Key Word Search," you enter search parameters using key words, helping you hunt down amenities and property types you're looking for and weed out what you're not! Combined with # of bedrooms, bathrooms, location (or whatever), this brand new feature provides you with an incredibly efficient property search tool!

Some common keywords:

Investment
Short Sale
RV Parking
Single Level
Energy Star
Lease Option

Try it today! Use the advanced search to combine key words with search parameters like price and location (click here) or a quick search to search homes and properties by key word only.

Reaching Generation Y: "Why" You Should Try Spokane's Best

From the Spokane Home Builder's Association:

Generation Y relies on e-mail, the Internet, PDAs, BlackBerrys and other electronic devices and, for many, these technologies are their preferred method of communication. In addition, studies show that eight out of 10 Generation Y home buyers use the Internet to research their home choices.

Once they have narrowed their choices, they expect their requests for more information to be answered quickly and for those answers to be personalized ― they don’t want to wait a week or two for a generic response.

I wonder if Generation Y'ers mind being labeled? We're cautioned about defining home buyers (empty nesters, seniors, minorities, etc), but when it comes to young people, the rules seem to change.

There is a lot of truth here, though. We find that a lot of our younger buyers use our automated home search tools and rely more heavily on email. Undoubtedly many of our clients are also using social networking sites like Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, and Blogger.

To that end, we now provide our sellers with the tools and expertise to integrate their home’s listing to any number of websites, increasing exposure to potential (and potentially younger) buyers. Here are some examples:

 Through our relationship with Realbird.com, you can use social book-marking or networking services to save and share your personalized listing website. Forwarding to friends, family or prospects is easy and encourages viral marketing.

 Your listing is featured on our blog using a handy program called a “widget” that is regularly updated and user-friendly.

 We have all the information and coding available to help sellers imbed a beautiful slideshow of their listing onto their blog, website, Facebook profile—or just about any site !

This Just In

Home Price Appreciation by market area. Spokane is included.

Marketing Your Home on CraigsList Means Discerning Serious Buyers from Scammers

Fox 12 News is reporting a new take on a (relatively) old scam.

For one local apartment manager getting flooded with calls about her vacancy, it turned out to be a bad thing.

[snip]

It started, innocently, when a legitimate advertisement about the property was posted on Craig's List. Things went wrong when con artists copied the ad, sweetened the deal and dropped the price. Asking would-be renters to wire them a cash deposit in Nigeria.

"And it looks like one of them was about to send money to these people in Africa," said Roth.

While Roth doesn't want her apartment complex named, she says while clearing up the mess, she got copies of what the scammers sent out from a mother who barely stopped her 18-year-old daughter from sending the con artists money through Western Union.

We've all heard about the "wire money to Nigeria scam" that even smart consumers have occasionally fallen prey to. Copying ads and redirecting readers is a new low.

The most common attempt aimed at scamming me is replying to our CraigsList listing ads. Here's a recent example:

I am interested in buying this house. What are the extra costs like taxes, heating, electric, insurance? Does house need any repairs? Can it be bought with any furnishings? Is it possible to rent with option to buy? Do you have any pictures of the house interior and exterior that you can send with an E-mail?

Let me know. Thanks!

Regards,
The Scammer with Nothing Better to do With My Life

Our real estate listings always include photos and links to our website, which would answer the question of furnishings and, oh, pictures of the interior and exterior!

Usually the questions are worse, and sometimes the emails are more detailed. "I'm moving from London and my agent in Boise will be handling everything."

Ignore these emails. They're a waste of your time. If you have a serious buyer on your hands they won't ask for photos when there is a link to see the house from 50 different angles, and they won't ask about repairs.

Pet Showers? Really?

RIS Media just published an article highlighting real estate trends a la People Magazine's Best and Worst Dressed.

And it's almost as funny.

The "What's Out" section is largely accurate, but there's something humorous about the "What's In" section. Outdated thinking in regards to home-selling applies anywhere in the U.S., but where do pet showers and home elevators fit in? Not in Spokane, I don't think.

Other "ins" include destination bathrooms and floating bathrooms.

Read the article here and see what you think.

Reports of Our Death Have Been Greatly Exaggerated

Oops.

We haven't blogged in a while. Sorry.

We're back in the swing of things with this gem from Forbes.com. Spokane is one of ten "Rising in Value Real Estate Markets."

"Percolating local job markets get some of the credit. (In fact, the more resilient property markets tend to be in places with above-average job growth.) Technology has been a driver in booming real estate markets like Spokane, Wash., and Salem."

"The Real Estate Bloggers" extracted the information and made a nice list here. We've only included a few that might be relevant to our readers.

Salt Lake City, Utah
Median Home Price: $233,100
One-Year Increase: 21.9%

Salem, Ore.
Median Home Price: $227,900
One-Year Increase: 16.7%

Spokane, Wash.
Median Home Price: $197,700
One-Year Increase: 10.4%

Shameless Client Promotion

It is such a joy to list a home as beautiful as this one on West Sierra Way.

An elegant four-bedroom home with an incredible backyard and tons of living space.

Click here for more photos and additional information or call me at (509) 999-1604.

UPDATE: Price Reduced.