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Spokane, WA Real Estate News

By Sarah Reinhart
(Brumback Residential)
If you think asbestos may be in your home, don't panic! Usually the best thing is to leave asbestos material that is in good condition alone, since material in good condition will not release asbestos fibers. There is no danger unless fibers are released and inhaled into the lungs. If asbestos material is more than slightly damaged, or if you are going to make changes in your home that might disturb it, repair or removal by a professional is needed.Asbestos professionals are trained in handling asbestos material. The type of professional will depend on the type of product and what needs to be done to correct the problem. You may hire a general asbestos contractor or, in some cases, a professional trained to handle specific products containing asbestos. The federal government has trainin...
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By Sarah Reinhart
(Brumback Residential)
What is asbestos?Asbestos is a mineral fiber. In the past, asbestos was added to a variety of products to strengthen them and to provide heat insulation and fire resistance. How can asbestos affect my health?From studies of people who were exposed to asbestos in factories and shipyards, we know that breathing high levels of asbestos fibers can lead to an increased risk of lung cancer. Most people exposed to small amounts of asbestos, as we all are in our daily lives, do not develop health problems. However, if disturbed, asbestos material may release asbestos fibers, which can be inhaled into the lungs. The fibers can remain there for a long time, increasing the risk of disease.Asbestos material that would crumble easily if handled, or that has been sawed, scraped, or sanded into a pow...
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By Sarah Reinhart
(Brumback Residential)
Have you considered all the things that could go wrong with a house? Since so many problems are not obvious, it can be scary - especially when you plan to invest so much money. At Property Facts Home Inspections we provide you with answers to some very important questions. Why should I have a home inspection? Identify problems that could cost you money later Learn valuable maintenance tips Protect your investment and money Become familiar with a home or property before you purchase or sell Some of the typical problems that home inspectors uncover: Roof shingle damage Leaking basement Improper drainage around home due to improper grading Poor attic or crawlspace ventilation Missing or inadequate downspouts and gutters Faulty wiring Amateur workmanship Improperly installed building mater...
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By BethAnn Long, Realtor, CRS, e-PRO, CLHMS Spokane Wa Real Estate
(RE/MAX of Spokane)
SELLING YOUR HOUSE  is not as easy at it sounds...I have been a seller many times, and as a realtor I have been involved with all kinds of "situations" when folks have their home for sale. With all of the thought, time, preparation, blood, sweat. and tears that go into deciding wether or not to sell, getting the home ready, choosing an agent...It's amazing anyone ever moves. I am getting tired just thinking about it! Lets face it, this taxes us on every level. It's exhasuting, It's exciting, it's motivating, it's depressing, it's invasive, it's exhilarating, it's demanding, it's sentimental, it's unpredicatble, it's a whole lotta things! Thats my point. Selling your home is MAJOR! Now hear me out, this procsess could go very well. But hang in, it could be a wild ride! In many cases, th...
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By Rick Callaham, Spokane Realtor
(Team Quintana Real Estate)
 Ok the media paints the picture of the greedy Realtor in sublte ways all the time. We never see the story of how th Realtor saved the day and helped the people unless the NAR runs an ad. Te free media we get is how overpaid and greedy the Realtors are and how you might not need them at all. Fact is for sale by owners and people who buy homes on their own run into more trouble that people who hire a professional to help them. Not only that, with all of the required schooling and education on forms that keep getting more and more complex, why would you want to open yourself up to the liability of going it alone.   The problem isn't Realtors are not worth their money, the only problem is if you don't pick the right one. Most Realtors are advertising pick me, pick me, because they only get...
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By James Grapes
(Lilac City Real Estate, LLC)
In spite of national trends and statewide trends in Washington, Spokane continues to produce modest appreciation in property values according to several recent reports.  However, the number of home resales has significantly dropped from the previous year.  How long property values remain unaffected by slow sales remains to be seen. Spokane's primary newspaper recently reported on the overall tax basis of the counties in our region. An article in the May 30, 2008 edition of the Spokesman Review reports that while Kootenai County in Idaho expects property values to decrease by $500 million from last year, and while Bonner County expects property values to remain flat, Spokane County is projecting a 5.3% increase in the the taxable basis of property over last year. Spokane County Tax Asses...
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By Ross Quintana, Real E Smarter Real Estate Coach - 509-362-1966
(Real E Smarter)
Hello Everyone,  Spokane Home Staging is starting to emerge. Home Staging nationwide has been a result of the increased competition from tens of thousands of new Realtors coming into the business over the last few years. Now the market is slowing down and this means with more Realtors looking for the same amount of buyers and more homes for the buyers to choose, it's a very competitive market.   Now, we have been staging Spokane Homes for years, way before the craze of HGTV shows that focus on staging. It was one of our little secrets to beating up our competition. Now the cat is out of the bag. But it's still a little slower to catch on in Spokane. But home owners have lead the way more than Realtors in Spokane. They have realized that their are many things they can do to help the home...
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By Ross Quintana, Real E Smarter Real Estate Coach - 509-362-1966
(Real E Smarter)
Hello Everyone,  Spokane Home Values are easier and more valuable to get than ever. In today's fast changing Spokane Real Estate Market, knowing what your home is worth is key to making good financial decisions. Whether you are thinking of Selling, Refinancing, or just curious about what your Spokane Home Value is, we have a free report for you.  You can sign up to get your free Spokane Home Value report which goes out 2 time a year to Spokane Home Owners. It is filled with information on your Spokane Property Values and what is happening in your neighborhood. There is no charge for this free service and it's easy to set up. Just give us a call at 509-362-1966 or visit our Spokane House Values link. We are Spokane Real Estate Home Value Experts and have been selected by a national compa...
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By Ross Quintana, Real E Smarter Real Estate Coach - 509-362-1966
(Real E Smarter)
Hello Everyone,  Spokane Realty has had an eciting change over the last few years. There are many Spokane Homes for Sale and some great Real Estate Agents in Spokane who can help you find and buy the perfect Spokane Home. But the downside to all the change in Spokane Realty is that there are almost too many choices.   The key is still to go for quality. Whether you are hiring a Realtor in Spokane or Buying a House in Spokane, if you take your time and look for the quality Realtors and Homes you will not go wrong. But on the flip side, if you choose the wrong Spokane Real Estate Agent and they aren't competitive enough you home won't sell or if you are buying they may not have the best tools to make sure you get the best home. Finding the best home is even more important in shifting mark...
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By BethAnn Long, Realtor, CRS, e-PRO, CLHMS Spokane Wa Real Estate
(RE/MAX of Spokane)
          Why Spokane, Wa.?                                                       A much better question to ask yourself may be...               Why  NOT Spokane, Wa.? Spokane, Wa. was featured in FORBES.COM in 2008 as the 9th best place to start a new business!  (Read on...http://www.forbes.com/business/forbes/2008/0407/097.html )   Spokane has had a stable real estate market since the 1950's! (Ward, June?) Spokane is a beautiful place with lots to do both outdoors and otherwise.(www.visitspokane.com) Spokane has great resteraunts and shopping! www.experiencespokane.com Spokane is the home of incredible sporting events such as BLOOMSDAY (www.bloomsdayrun.org) the worlds largest timed footrace! and HOOPFEST the worlds largest BasketBall 3 on 3 (http://www.spokanehoopfest.net/site/) Spok...
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By -- Casey Brischle, Spokane Home Loan Mortgage Professional
(Columbia Bank)
TIME TO CELEBRATE! Homeownership is the American Dream!  For those of you who own your home, celebrate!  And for those of you who still rent, don't fret!  There are options for you!  Despite the current market turmoil, Bank of Whitman is in solid shape: They have plenty of liquidity, sensible underwriting standards, and are ready to lend! - factors essential to keeping our community strong and families secure in their homes. Today, Spokane is a buyers market and if you are looking to purchase antime soon you have a few things going for you!  1. We have money to lend and programs to fit your needs. 2. Most sellers are willing to negotiate the sale of their house by thousands of dollars in your favor!and  3. With interest rates still dipping below 6% for 30yr fixed loans it guarantees you...
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By BethAnn Long, Realtor, CRS, e-PRO, CLHMS Spokane Wa Real Estate
(RE/MAX of Spokane)
Here in Spokane, WA. we have turned out some downright amazing people! Here are a few you may or may not heard of! Bing Crosby was from Spokane, and was a friend of my grandfathers when he attended Gonzaga University. Yes, one of thr worlds best entertainers was from Spokane! Julia Sweney, comedian best known for her Saturday Night Live performances, was born in my home town the same year as I was!   Patrice Munsel a well known Opera Singer John Roskelley, famous mountain climber who grew up in the same neighborhood as my husband. His partner at times  Chris Kopsynski is also from Spokane. Craig T. Nelson ! OK FOLKS, not only am I a HUGE FAN but I had the privelege of meeting him last summer. Craig grew up here, and attended Lewis and Clark High School. I sold his nephew a house, and th...
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By Spokane Home Loans
(Countrywide Home Loans)
9 Common Buyer Traps to Avoid  part 1  No matter which way you look at it, buying a home is a major investment. But for many homebuyers, it can be an even more expensive process than it needs to be.  Let me share with you the 9 most common and costly of these homebuyer traps, how to identify them and what you can do to avoid them. 1. Bidding Blind - What price should you offer when you bid on a home? Is the seller's asking price too high, or does it represent a great deal? If you fail to research the market in order to understand what comparable home are selling for, making your offer would be like bidding blind. Without this knowledge of market value, you could easily bid too much, or fail to make a competitive offer at all on an excellent value. 2. Buying the Wrong Home - What are yo...
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By Ross Quintana, Real E Smarter Real Estate Coach - 509-362-1966
(Real E Smarter)
Hello Everyone,  Spokane For Sale By Owners are having a tough time right now getting traffic and selling due to the fact that the market has more inventory and more Realtors than usual. This means you can no longer just put a sign up and put it on a for sale by owner website. When there are more homes saying buy me you have to stand out. One of the downsides to selling for sale by owner in Spokane is that there are over 2500 agents out there with marketing plans designed to capture buyers interests. They have marketing budgets and systems, and if you want to compete you have to do more and better quality advertising. I suggest taking advantage of some free advertising that we are offering. We respect that you want to try and sell your home for sale by owner. Roughly 2 in 10 will sell t...
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By Rick Callaham, Spokane Realtor
(Team Quintana Real Estate)
Hello Everyone,  If you are thinking of Buying a home in North Spokane give us a call. We specialize in North Spokane Real Estate, both for people buying and selling. If you are looking for homes for Sale in North Spokane visit our webpage designed just for that. North Spokane, Mead, Shadle, and all of North Spokane has some great things to offer.   A wide variety of affordable, and excellent homes to choose from and lots of parks and shopping make it an ideal choice for people looking for Real Estate in Spokane. Visit our website and learn about our free North Spokane Home Search Tool that will show you all the homes in North Spokane in the public Spokane MLS . You can save your favorites, rate them, map them, track them, view pictures, and set up appointments to tour them. This is an ...
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By Spokane Home Loans Spokane Mortgage
(Spokane Mortgage)
  Downtown Spokane has undergone a major rebirth in recent years after the completion of RiverPark Square mall.The heart of our cityis at an elevation of about 1,890 feet (576 m) above sea level, while the rest of the city varies by nearly 1,000 feet (300 m).  Downtown Spokane lies along both sides of the Spokane River, at an elevation of about 2000 feet.  Downtown Spokane is also very pedestrian friendly with wide, wheelchair accessible, sidewalks, pleasant weather and beautiful landscaping.  In all over 500 projects worth over $2 billion dollars are taking place in the downtown area. It's a great place... check it out. The downtown core of Spokane is alive with arts and culture, shopping, dining, and warm friendly people. It has a 100 acre park park downtown and held expo'74. The Spok...
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By Ross Quintana, Real E Smarter Real Estate Coach - 509-362-1966
(Real E Smarter)
Hello Everyone, I just wanted to talk about the Greystone development in Spokane. It's nestled on the South Hill in Spokane and is a really beautiful neighborhood to live in. Close to Ferris High School, Greystone is laid out around a beautiful 3 acre park. It's no wonder homes don't come up for sale that often in Greystone. The people who live there love it. We have a site dedicated to Greystone with a virtual video tour of Greystone and Market Statistics for Greystone. If you're thinking of buying a home in one of the South Hill's premiere developments call us 509-362-1966 your Greystone experts. If you live in Greystone and are thinking of selling visit our website for Free Greystone Home Values or call us. We are experts in getting you Top Dollar for your Greystone home. For Everyth...
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By Ross Quintana, Real E Smarter Real Estate Coach - 509-362-1966
(Real E Smarter)
Hello Everyone  I just want to clarify for Spokane Home Buyers a few things you may not know. When you look around on the internet you are going to see ads or links to the Spokane MLS (Multiple Listing Service). The MLS is a database that agents who are part of the SAR (Spokane Association of Realtors) use to share listing information. OK now that we defined it in easy terms. Now you may see phrases like: Spokane MLS , Spokane Public MLS, Spokane IDX, Spokane Washington MLS, Spokane Wa MLS, or Spokane Multiple .   Many sites offer you access to the Spokane MLS but it isn't quite true. Yes the Spokane MLS has all of the homes in Spokane (besides For sale by owners) but it is never available to the public. What is available is the Public Spokane MLS also known as the Spokane IDX. If you f...
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By BethAnn Long, Realtor, CRS, e-PRO, CLHMS Spokane Wa Real Estate
(RE/MAX of Spokane)
           North, South, East or West, Spokane Washington is the best! If you are considering traveling to, or buying real estate in Spokane. Wa. You are in for a treat! Let me give you a quick overview like a travelers guide of the basic areas of Spokane. Perhaps you know that Forbes Magazine rated Spokane, Wa. as the 9th best place to start a business. (2008). WOW!!! NORTH SPOKANE Geographically this is a much larger and more populated than the south side. Closer to the river and downtown, north Spokane is part of District 81 schools. When you proceed farther north, you enter the Mead School district (http://www.mead354.org/). The north side has a lot to offer, including great restaurants and shopping at the north town mall! There are dozens of new neighborhoods and wonderful areas in...
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By Spokane Home Loans Spokane Mortgage
(Spokane Mortgage)
Thinking of Relocating to Spokane? You will love it here!    Spokane is located at the eastern edge of the Columbia Plateau's wheat farms and steppe, where they meet the forested Rocky Mountain foothills, the Selkirk Mountains. The Great city of  Spokane is primarily served by Interstate 90, which runs east-west from Seattle, through Downtown Spokane, and eastward through Spokane Valley, Liberty Lake, and onward to Coeur d'Alene.  Spokane is a conservative community that has undergone major transformations, particularly in attitude, in the last 5-10 years.  We are the largest city east of the Cascades and the focus of the what is called the "inland empire". It is  a large economic region of agriculture, forestry, and mining that reaches to northeastern Oregon, northern.  Spokane is know...
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