Year to Date Trends

Dec. 16, 2007 - SW WASHINGTON (Clark County Washington) RESIDENTIAL REVIEW:
Residential Highlights
New listings dropped 4.3% this October, compared to October of 2006. Additionally, closed sales and pending sales decreased 27% and 21.7%, respectively. At the month’s current rate of sales, the 4,464 active residential listings would last approximately 11.4 months.

Comparing January-October 2007 to the same period in 2006, new listings have now decreased a slight 1.2%. Closed sales and pending sales are both on the decline at 16.8% and 15.9%, respectively.

Appreciation
A comparison of the 12 months ending with October 2007 to the 12 immediately prior shows that the average sale price grew 3% ($307,000 v. $298,100). Using the same formula, the median sale price increased 1% ($262,500 v. $259,900).

(From RMLS)

10 Best Performing Markets

Daily Real Estate News December 11, 2007Housing Markets That Are Still ThrivingThe best-performing housing market in the country during the third quarter was picturesque Wenatchee, a city of more than 35,000 that is the seat of Chelan County, Wash. Prices in the Wenatchee metro area increased by 15.7 percent year over year, according to RealtyTrac.Home prices also jumped more than 10 percent in second home markets in Utah, Idaho, and Colorado. "They're doing so well because they're getting the run-off from California, Nevada, and Arizona," says Jeannine Cataldi, senior economist for Global Insight. "When prices got so high [in those states], people said, 'there must be places that are more affordable.’”Here are the top 10 best performing markets in the country:
Wenatchee, Wash.: 15.7 percent
Provo-Orem, Utah: 14.35 percent
Grand Junction, Colo.: 14.05 percent
Ogden-Clearfield, Utah: 13.95 percent
Salt Lake City: 13.37 percent
Idaho Fall, Idaho: 11.69 percent
Austin-Round Rock, Texas: 9.67 percent
Beaumont-Port Arthur, Texas: 9.44 percent
Asheville, N.C.: 9.44 percent
Billings, Mont.: 9.07 percentSource: BusinessWeek, Prashant Gopal (12/10/07)

Top 10 Best Performing Housing Markets

Top 10 Best Performing Housing Markets
As anybody who has ever sold real estate knows, there are no national markets, only local markets. That adage holds true when you look at the condition of the real estate business nationwide. Business may be tough in many places, but it's not tough all over.In Salt Lake City, Charlotte, N.C., and San Jose, Calif., prices have climbed relentlessly. In the Northeast, the biggest gainers are the gritty cities of Buffalo, N.Y., Pittsburgh, Pa., and Philadelphia.In the West, business is brisk in Northern California and the Pacific Northwest.Here are the top 10 best performing housing markets, according to Forbes magazine, their third quarter median home sale prices, and the percentage that prices have risen compared to third quarter 2006.
Salt Lake City - median home sales price: $246,700; Percent change: 14.1 percent
Charlotte, N.C. - $220,000, 11 percent
San Jose, Calif. - $852,500, 9.4 percent
San Francisco - $825,400, 8.6 percent
Raleigh, N.C. - $229,500, 7.5 percent
Austin - $188,200, 7.2 percent
Pittsburgh - $127,700, 6.1 percent
Seattle - $394,700, 6 percent
San Antonio - $154,700, 5.7 percent Portland, Ore. - $299,700, 5.2 percent

House-price data by metro area

By MSN Money staff
Appreciation in U.S. housing prices continued a slowdown in the fourth quarter of 2006, following a trend that had started earlier in the year.
Twenty-five metro areas recorded decreases house prices, the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight (OFHEO) reported this morning.
http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Banking/HomebuyingGuide/HomePricesByCity.aspx

What's 'beautiful' worth? About $12,500

What's 'beautiful' worth? About $12,500
The right phrasing in real estate listings can speed a sale and even boost the final price, a Canadian study says. And here's a tip: If you must sell, don't put "must sell" in your ad.
By Marilyn Lewis
For more information... http://realestate.msn.com/selling/Article2.aspx?cp-documentid=2856666

New Land Deal

Let's make a land dealThe $17.8 million land purchase by Southwest Washington Medical Center in Ridgefield announced last ...
http://www.columbian.com/business/businessNews/02252007news108543.cfm

Ridgefield is Growing!

Sunday, February 11, 2007BY CAMI JONER
RIDGEFIELD - Backhoes and bulldozers are a familiar sight around the Interstate 5 gateway to this once rural community where work is under way on $40 million worth of new job-related construction.
http://www.columbian.com/business/businessNews/02112007news103249.cfm

Stop Squeezing the Home Owner

The priority Topic for the Washington State Realtors Associatin. Addressing the affordable housing shortage. Realtors fight for homes...http://www.itsapriority.com/

Are holding Open Houses still worth it?

Industry watchers evaluate the practicality of holding open houses in today's market
By John VoketRISMEDIA, Jan. 16, 2007-In this age of "virtual tours," "talking houses," and practically every real estate client using the Internet during some segment of their new home search, is the practice of hosting open houses becoming impractical? Continued >

Is that Mold in the Attic?

Energy Adviser: Condensation likely cause of mold in attic
Sunday, January 07, 2007BRUCE CARTER for The Columbian

I was recently in my attic retrieving Christmas decorations and noticed that the underside of the roofing had turned black! Is this mold? What is causing it and how do I get rid of it?
http://www.columbian.com/lifeHome/lifeHomeNews/01072007news90484.cfm