Pullman WA Real Estate ~ Lori Cofer's Blog All About Pullman

Pullman Real Estate Market Report 2011

mypullmanhome — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 01:22:43 +0000

As we close the Pullman Real Estate Market for the end of December 2011 I thought it might be helpful to look at the year in review. It is also a great way to begin to prep for our upcoming market in 2012 as well as it gives a look at where we have been and a better feeling for where we might be in the upcoming real estate market in Pullman.

I have included Pullman Washington single family homes, condos and townhouses for the purposes of this market report.

As of December 31, 2011 we have Sold 173 Homes, with 14 still Pending and 90 Active Homes.

The pending sales at this time are all single family homes with an average days on market of 152. Homes that have gone pending have been in listing price range from 100,000 – 439,000 range.

With Sold homes, we do have the feel for the selling price. Of course, this varies greatly from neighborhood to neighborhood, and home to home depending on location, amenities, square footage, bedrooms, baths and the list goes on. But it does give you a general feel to see the breakdown on the sales price on Single Family Homes.

Here is Condos and Townhouses Sold Figures.

Of course, I would be happy to discuss these statistics in more detail with you whether you are thinking of buying or selling your home. Feel free to calll me at 509-330-0086.

This information is gathered from the Whitman County Association of Realtors® Multiple Listing Service and is deemed reliable but is not guarenteed.

Appeal To Your Buyer’s Senses In Selling Your Pullman Home

mypullmanhome — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 23:35:53 +0000

Five Senses To Appeal To Your BuyersYou are wanting to sell your Pullman Washington Home on the Real Estate Market. Here is a new twist on reaching your buyers. Try to engage as many sense as possible for your buyers. We all know there are five senses which include the following: touching, tasting, hearing, smelling and seeing.There are a lot of ways we can bring our buyers senses to a heightened awareness of what your home has to offer, but here are just a few ideas to help you kick start your showings!

1. Touching – There is more to this aspect than you might first think. From the opening of the door knob, to the feeling of the carpet under our feet, and even to the feel of that smooth granite counter top we are engaging our buyers sense of touch. If you have a heated floor, leave it on so your buyer feels the warmth of the tiles under foot. On a cold winter’s day it will be appreciated.

2. Tasting – You might be surprised how easy this one is to accomplish. I can’t begin to tell you how appreciated a small token left out on the counter just for your buyers can do. This can be really very easy from a few bottles of water or maybe a plate of cookies left for your buyers to enjoy. Again your buyers will be lingering just a bit longer, and regardless if this the house for them or not, they will remember your home with good vibes.

3. Hearing – This is where some nice soft music is appreciated. It feels the house with energy and life. And if you have a wired sound system, turn it on in every room you have it so the buyers can’t miss this great feature of your home.

4. Smell – This one is pretty obvious but often misunderstood. A fresh, clean smell is what we are going for here. Like a clean fresh breeze after a rain. Don’t overload with strong smells or hard chemicals as many people are very sensitive to smell. And by all means, make sure there are no pet smells.

5. Seeing – This is the major sense that your buyers are going to be using once they walk into your home. You want your home to be pleasing to the eye. So keep it spacious and try to provide a nice and peaceful flow to the eye, yet still highlight the features that make your home special.

So bring your buyers senses to the surface, you really can provide a full and engaging showing for your home. Remember, a lot of people buy the home that not only has the features they are looking for but the feel that they are looking for. Make sure your home is one that gives those Pullman buyers that great feeling, the feeling that says you are home!

Is Your House Ready for Snow?

mypullmanhome — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 01:44:52 +0000

In Pullman we are about to experience our first taste of winter for the end of this year in our great state of Washington. Many of our leaves are still on the trees, but I suspect that won’t last much longer as we have a wind advisory this afternoon followed by colder temperatures bringing snow.

I thought I would take a moment today to provide my clients, both new homeowners and sellers, with a 5 tips today.

1. If you haven’t done so, make sure your hoses are disconnected and put away.

2. Clean your gutters. It is important to have clean gutters for water to move down your gutter system and away from the house. Overflowing gutters leads to lots of problems from water in your basement to ice dams during freezing temperatures. So although you might have done this you might need to double check them again after leaves are down to be sure water is moving as it should.

3. Think twice before grabbing that ice melt product. It absolutely ruins concrete. Really the best bet is to get that snow shoveled and let it melt naturally. If you need something for traction, try sand or gravel.

4. You might want to get your furnace serviced now. And don’t forget to change your filter regularly! With the temperatures dropping, you want your furnace working effectively and efficiently.

5. If you have a wood burning fireplace, consider getting in a chimmney sweep to get it cleaned. And make sure you have the damper closed off when not in use so your heat doesn’t go straight out the chimney.

And of course, last but not least, enjoy the change of seasons that make living in Pullman Washington such a great place to live!

Lori Cofer, Realtor®

New Pullman WA Homeowners…Get Your Sprinkler System Winterized!

mypullmanhome — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 03:56:24 +0000

Fall is here and beautiful in Pullman Washington. The leaves are putting on their spectacular final show before dropping. And temperatures are dropping as well. By Monday the forecast says that we might drop down to a chilly 33 degrees.

So, I wanted to remind my buyers who are now new homeowners, if you haven’t yet had your sprinkler system blown out and winterized, now is the time to get it scheduled! And if you are one of sellers who have your home on the market, it is a great idea not only to get the sprinkler system winterized, but keep your receipt handy so your new buyer knows you took care of it.

And just a quick reminder, don’t back up those moving vans on the lawn. It may make loading your truck easier, but it sure can cause a lot of expensive damage to the sprinkler system.

If you,like myself, aren’t as lucky to have a sprinkler system, don’t forget to disconnect those outside hoses. Freezing water in a hose expands, often into the interior pipes, causing a lot of damage.

It is also a good time to coil up those hoses, and put those sprinklers away waiting for warmer spring days to return.

Pullman Real Estate Market Report – 9/16/2011

mypullmanhome — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 20:13:05 +0000

As we draw near an end to the 3rd Quarter of Pullman Real Estate Sales, I thought it would be a great time to look at some statistics on our Real Estate Market here in Pullman Washington.

As of September 16, 2011 we have 130 Active Homes on the Market, which includes single family homes, condos, townhouses and manufactured homes. We have 26 Homes Pending Closing. And we have Sold 161 Homes this year. Interestingly, this compares very closely with the same time in both 2010 and 2009.

Of those homes Sold, 88 of those are in the up to 200,000 price point. 67 Homes have Sold in the 200,000 to 400,000 Range, and only 6 in the above 400,000 range.

I have chosen to break down the days on market as well but by neighborhood, or in our case by hills. College Hill has an average 127 days on market. Military Hill 191 days. Pioneer Hill 136 Days on Market. Sunnyside Hill 155 days. And surrounding Pullman, 94 days on market.

It will be interesting to once again look at this as our market winds down into the end of the year. I suspect, of course, things will be slower, but I know I personally still have some pending sales that will impact the figures. And listings that are priced to sell for those who are looking for great deals with these incredible interest rates!

Preparing Your Pullman Home in Fall For Spring Real Estate Market

mypullmanhome — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 19:12:57 +0000

I have been busy preparing for our Real Estate Beasley Realty Home Sweet Home Buyers and Sellers Workshop here in Pullman on Saturday at Gladdish 10-5.

I will be presenting on tips for getting your home ready for Spring Market. I am firm believer that if you are already have your home on the market, to keep it on the market during the fall and winter months. There may be less buyers looking, but those that are looking are serious buyers!

For those of you considering putting your house on the market for next year, I will be presenting some tips on what you can do in preparation.
Here are just a few of the many tips I will be sharing.

1. Plant Bulbs Now! Our weather in the early spring can get quite cold at nights, so annuals have to typically wait to go out till mid May. Bulbs will provide a wonderful spring show for you….and your buyers!

I find in our area the a selection of snowdrops and crocus will give you early color, followed by the welcome color of daffodils giving way to tulips, and then lovely lilly’s as we move to early summer.

Some early plants that thrive in those cool nights that you might consider early in the spring is primroses and pansies.

2. Do exterior touch up painting! If you need a fresh coat of paint on the porch or front door do it now! Again with our cooler early spring weather, now is the time to have your entrance spruced up. I have had folks desperately need to have this done who have to wait till better weather, losing valuable first impression time! And don’t forget to re-stain the deck!

3. Do any pruning you possibly can now. This is a great time to take a look at your landscaping is pleasing to the eye and in proportion to the home. You might even want to consider a new plantings to give you appeal in the winter months. Lovely red dogwood shrubs and quite striking against the snow which as we know can fall into early spring.

4. Fertilize the grass. Give your lawn a jump start with a a fertilizer best suited for fall. It will help root growth providing you with a lusher and healthier lawn come Spring!

Cool Weather Tips For Sellers in Pullman WA

mypullmanhome — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 20:17:09 +0000

It is beautiful here in Pullman Washington, but the night time temperatures are beginning to drop a bit. I know last night we dipped into the 40′s and I believe last week into the 30′s. Most of my listings this year have SOLD, or we have temporary month to month tenants in them. But it is important to keep in mind the cooler weather is just around the corner for the sellers in Pullman.

This is the time to have your furnace checked to make sure it is running in tip top order. A well maintained furnace will last longer and run more efficiently, thus saving you money. And don’t forget to have plenty of filters on hand. They do need to be changed regularly. In fact, for those listings of mine that have tenants, I often encourage them to provide them for their tenant and send reminders to change them monthly when they send a receipt for their monthly rent received. It is a low cost way to ensure those filters are indeed being changed. And much more cost effective than a service call for a dirty furnace.

It is also a good idea to remind your tenant that if they should leave for an extended period of time, not to shut OFF the furnace. But instead keep it at a minimum 52 degrees to avoid freezing pipes.

I also highly recommend contacting the local utility company, in our case here in Pullman Washington, Avista Utilities and let them know you want to be notified if the service is disconnected due to non-payment. Freezing pipes often lead to a bursting pipe that can a lot of damage and expense.

May I also suggest enlisting a neighbor’s help. Find a neighbor that you can leave a key with in case of emergency. I find this especially important in the case where you are away from your home and there is a power outage. A neighbor will be alerted to the fact that power has gone off as they live in the neighborhood. Then once it is restored can go and check to be sure everything is up working again, especially the furnace.

Relocation…To and From Pullman Washington

mypullmanhome — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 04:05:41 +0000

As a Realtor in Pullman Washington, I have clients who relocate to our great community in Pullman, and those who move away. The past weekend has held both for me.

I had a wonderful seller who purchased a home through me decide that they wanted to start a new chapter in their lives. So, as sorry as I was to see them go, I know they are one to wonderful new things in their lives. I am happy to say I SOLD their home, but will miss them greatly. Fortunately we still get to chat on Facebook and I look forward to seeing pictures of them and their precious little girls in their new home.

I also have new clients relocating to Pullman and we are in the process of finding them the perfect home. We spent the weekend together looking and I hope to find them the perfect house very soon. In the meantime, I have enjoyed introducing them to our great community and all that our wonderful town in Pullman has to offer. And that will be the best part….running into them over town…or maybe driving by to see them out cutting the grass…or better yet… maybe for a stamping craft party or taking in a game while my new client and new found friend tries to teach me to relax!

So to both my sellers who have SOLD their home, and to my buyers who are looking for that perfect home, I say thank you. Thank you for the privilege to serve you in your real estate needs. I know that might sound corny but it is true. Either one could of picked any Realtor to meet their needs. They chose me and for that I am truly appreciative. You know the longer I am in the business I see that sales come and go….commission checks come and go….but the people you meet along the way…..well as the Visa commercial says…. “priceless”. They have allowed me to be serve them in one of the most basic needs, their shelter. And of course, we all need to pay the bills, but for me, the return of the satisfaction of helping them truly is the icing on the cake.

Our Customer Appreciation Open House – July 14, 2011 – 4-7PM

mypullmanhome — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 21:55:33 +0000

We at Beasley Realty here in Pullman Washington are getting ready to celebrate our Client Appreciation on Thursday (July 14, 2011) from 4-7. I am looking forward to seeing many of my clients both current and past that I have had the privilege to serve and come to know. And if you have been reading my blog or would just like to stop in and say hello, please do!

I am excited about seeing my clients, both from Pullman Washington and Moscow Idaho as I serve both areas. It is always a lot of fun to catch up and I hope many of you come to see us.In conjunction with this event we will be rolling out our new and fresh off the press yard signs. In fact, tonight I am heading out to replace my signs….well…with a little help from my husband…bless his heart. Hope to see you tomorrow!

Fourth of July Celebration at Sunnyside Park!

mypullmanhome — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 14:48:20 +0000

I would like to wish you all a very wonderful fourth of July weekend in Pullman Washington. We have some great events right here in Pullman at Sunnyside Park. At five o’clock we have a community barbecue at the picnic shelter. At 5:30 our community band will perform followed by Dan Mayer at 6:15.

At 7:15 the King Pins will take center stage and they will be playing their fun music setting the stage for the fireworks that will of course begin shortly after dark .

I hope that you have a wonderful fourth of July weekend and I hope to see you out and about. That is one of the wonderful things about living in small community like Pullman. Our community comes to live around such great events! I hope to see you out at the Fourth of July celebration here in Pullman! Enjoy your weekend with family and friends!