Leavenworth Real Estate

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Quiz Answers

A few weeks ago we posted a silly quiz. We tend to laugh at Seattle area agents who try and practice real estate in Leavenworth and so we made a funny quiz for them.

Here are the answers:

1. Leavenworth has just one zipcode. 98826 runs from Leavenworth to Stevens Pass including Lake Wenatchee and Plain.

Peshastin has their own zipcode though – 98847 which runs from Peshastin to Blewett Pass.

2. 509-548 – This is a Leavenworth phone number. Before the use of cell phones, Leavenworth residents often just shared the last 4 digits of their phone.

509-763 is a Lake Wenatchee or Plain area number while 782 phone numbers are in Cashmere.

3. The pool at Kahler Glen is just for members of the Kahler Glen Athletic Club. The pool at Ponderosa Estates is just for residents and members, not for folks renting there. As for the pool at Chiwawa River Pines… there isn’t one.

4. Some of the properties on Braeburn Road near Lake Wenatchee are in the flood way. While building can occur in the flood zone, it is not allowed in the flood way.

5. Lakefront property on the North Shore of Lake Wenatchee always sells for a premium. The properties listed for under $200,000 are for cabins on USFS “leased land.” These properties do not include the land and the cost of permits has gotten quite expensive in recent years.

6. The Post Office is the name of a local tavern in Leavenworth. Beer is served. We don’t recommend drinking at the other Post Office.

7.  Ponderosa Estates or Ponderosa Community club is the neighborhood with equestrian themed street names like Saddle, Stirrup and Pinto.

 

So, how did you do?

 

1st Quarter Leavenworth Home Prices

The Leavenworth real estate market continued a trend in the first months of 2012 which we’ve seen for some time now.

Prices continue to be a little lower and the number of home sales continues to climb.

 

Median Leavenworth Home Price:

1st Quarter 2012: $273,000 down from  $338,000 in 2011. (-19%)

Average Leavenworth Home Price:

1st Quarter 2012: $326,000 down from $355,000 2011. (-8%)

Number of Homes Sold:

1st Quarter 2012: 20 up from 17 in 2011. (+18%)

Additional Thoughts:

• 5/20 or 25% of these sales were distressed sales. The number of distressed sales for the rest of 2012 is likely to be much less.
• Inventory is down. There were 12% less listings on the market this year compared to the beginning of 2011.
• Home prices tend to bounce around from quarter to quarter. The chart below shows a less dramatic shift.

(2009-2011 Median Home Prices down 6.5% Average Home Prices down 9%)

 

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Required Disclaimer

NOTE: This representation is based in whole or in part on data supplied by the North Central Washington Association of Realtors or its Multiple Listing Service. Neither the Association nor its MLS guarantees or are in any way responsible for its accuracy. Data maintained by the Association or its MLS may not reflect all real estate activity in the Market.

 

Quiz Your Leavenworth Real Estate Expert

A tear comes to our eye every time we hear that someone is buying a house in Leavenworth using a Seattle area real estate agent. Sure, as a licensed real estate broker I can help you buy a house in Seattle, Forks, Mount Vernon, Olympia or even Rockport. I’ve even lived in each of these places at one point in my life.

But having lived there, doesn’t make me an expert and I would be doing you a disservice by pretending to think I could give you expert advice.

Thinking about having your friend from Seattle help you with buying a house in Leavenworth  ? Have them take our fun little quiz!

1. Name the zip codes for the following communities:

• Leavenworth
• Peshastin
• Merritt
• Plain
• Lake Wenatchee
• Yodelin

2. What is the difference between a 548, 763, or 782 phone number?

 

3. Who is allowed to use the pool at:

• Kahler Glen
• Chiwawa River Pines
• Ponderosa Estates

 

4. Why are vacant parcels on Braeburn Road so cheap?

 

5. Why are some lakefront houses on Lake Wenatchee’s North Shore Drive listed for $1 million and others for $150,000 ?

 

6. Can you drink beer at the Post Office in Leavenworth?

 

7. What neighborhood features equestrian themed street names like Stirrup, Corral, Pinto, Appaloosa, Morgan, Quarter, and Saddle?

 

 

We’ll follow up with the answers in a couple of days.

 

 

Mystery Leavenworth Real Estate Listings

Admit it, when it comes to looking at online real estate, you are a bit of a geek.

It’s ok, you’re not alone. Hardly.

Ever notice that sometimes a house that was on the market a few months ago, comes back on the internet, only to disappear again the next day?

Here’s the likely scenario, which usually happens in the spring.

Every fall and winter, Leavenworth real estate listings  go off the market. Some expire because they were listed 6 months previously and the sellers have given up. Some have planned expirations and the sellers plan to try again in the spring.  Some sellers cancel their listings due to winter weather and decreased buyer traffic.

Because of the winter weather, lots of sellers pull their houses off the market for the winter months in Leavenworth.

 

But when is the right time to put a house back on the market?

It’s April and there is still snow on the ground in some places in Leavenworth, and there’s still lots of snow at Lake Wenatchee

Yet, homebuyers start contacting us about looking at houses as soon as January 2!

After searching the available inventory, sometimes we real estate agents have to get creative and we start looking at houses that expired or were withdrawn the previous fall. Sometimes, we find the perfect house for our buyers, even though it wasn’t listed on the internet.

Viola! The house comes on the market as a “new” property and instantly is marked as “pending” and goes off the market.

If you can’t find exactly what you are looking for, just ask.  Maybe we can help you find an unlisted property like the one we helped this family buy.

Thanks to Dawn for this great question! Do you have a question you would like answered? Send us a note or leave a comment on this post.

Leavenworth Front Street Gets Facelift

Long time readers will remember back in 2009 when we first announced that Leavenworth was planning an eastern entrance to Leavenworth’s commercial district on Front St.

 

Thanks to lots of hard work and some grant money, it looks like that vision is coming to fruition.

 

The downtown street reconstruction began on April 2, 2012.

According to the City of Leavenworth:

 

Selland Construction will be setting the survey stakes along the property boundaries and City rights-of-way along Front Street and Division Street.  The Contractor will begin grinding up and removing pavement on Tuesday  morning (April 3) between 14^th Street and 12^th Street in preparation for beginning new sewer line construction.  Wednesday morning (April 4) the contractor will begin removing all curb gutter and sidewalks on Front Street between 14^th and 12^th Streets and will also begin to start some of the sewer line construction at the intersections of both 12^th  Street & Front St and at 14^th Street & Front Street.