July was a very busy month here in The Gorge. Things are moving! As of July 31st almost the same  number of homes sold in 2020 (134 homes) compared to 2019 (129 homes) in Hood River County. One thing different is the average price. Average price for 2019 was $469,000 compared to YTD average for 2020 $489,412 and in the last few months averages of $500k+. Prices are increasing, inventory has also dropped this month causing upward pressure on prices as well. We are seeing this same trend in both Wasco and Klickitat County - similar home sales and an increase in average price. You can see by the current pending home sales that we are expecting a strong and busy Fall. Not to mention historically low mortgage interest rates. Many would have expected the pandemic to cause the real estate market to crash again or sales to decline, but it has done just the opposite! If you have any questions or would like specific information on a listing, please feel free to give us a call.

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Our market is still showing signs of strength! Pending homes (home that have an accepted offer) continue to increase from last month and comparing the number of sales last year at this same time. Inventory remains low. Both continue to be signs that prices will remain stable and the market is still  going strong. At this point there are no signs that prices may fall. It continues to be one the most popular questions asked  with so much uncertainty, how is the real estate market? At this point our answer is it not showing signs of slowing down or prices falling. It does appear there are more people who live in cities considering the possibility of moving out to more rural areas. Going back to business as usual does not seem to be in the near future, many people are understanding the luxury of having a back yard or the benefits of living a little outside the city. Interest rates are still at record lows! If you have any questions or would like specific information on a listing, please feel free to give us a call. Our office is closed to the public, but we are still here to help! We are still able to help with selling your home and are available to show you any home for sale!

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Many are still wondering this month, if COVID-19 is impacting our local real estate market. So far our   market is still strong! Listings have dropped this last month, which typically we do see an increase as we head into the summer. Part of this could be due to sellers withholding putting their home on the market due to the risk of people coming into the home or the uncertainty of the future. However, with inventory remaining low and demand still high it is the equation for a strong market and no signs of prices    decreasing. In all counties in The Gorge we saw the number of pending sales (homes with accepted offer) increase again. All counties (Hood River, Wasco, Klickitat & Skamania) show the number of     pending sales have increased from April and also show an increase when compared to May 2019. Interest rates have remained low, which again is great for buying and refinancing. Refinancing activity is up! If you have any questions or would like specific information on a listing, please feel free to give us a call.  Our   office is closed to the public, but we are still here to help! We are still able to help with selling your home and are available to show you any home for sale!

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Many have been wondering how is COVID-19 affecting our local real estate market. So far we are not seeing it transpire to less sales or a fall in market prices. Currently in Hood River County there are 24 pending home sales (homes that have an accepted offer) in April 2019 there were 22 pending. In Wasco County there are currently 38 homes pending compared to 25 in April 2019. With that being said there are sellers that are postponing and buyers that are being reluctant to buy and are willing to be patient. Only time will tell if the market will continue to remain strong. Real estate is a market that tends to be slow to react  and takes time to show a new trend. One thing different compared to our last recession is many banks and lenders are being proactive and have already put plans in place for homeowners to forebear their payments and efforts to stop a wave of foreclosures– If you are struggling, make sure you reach out to your mortgage lender. If you have any questions or would like specific information on a listing, please feel free to give us a call.  Our office is closed to the public, but we are still here to help! We are still able to show houses, but with social distancing and we have gloves & masks available!

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As predicted September was another busy month for sales in our area. We do expect sales to still be strong in October and start to slow a bit as November and December approach. Many people wonder is now a bad time to sell or buy? It is true Spring and Summer are the busiest months, but more people list during these months which results in more sales. Sellers prefer to wait till after the holidays or after the school year, but most buyers still continue to shop all year around. It is important to evaluate what the   benefit is to you to sell now. Sometimes Spring is better because the market is improving, if we are in a downward motion Spring may not be better.  As a buyer it is important to know there are not as many homes coming on the market during the Winter. Interest rates are still great now is a great time to take advantage of low rates. If you have any questions or would like specific information on a listing, please feel free to give us a call.

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Another busy month in real estate and we expect another strong month in September/October. Currently in Hood River County there are 50 homes currently pending (accepted offer), Wasco County 36 homes pending, Klickitat County 49 homes pending, Skamania 18 homes pending. All counties showing much stronger sales compared to the beginning of the year. For example in March 2019 in Hood River  County there were only 16 pending. This is truly a sign that inventory is picking up because sales are      increasing AND inventory is increasing as well, remaining slightly above 100 homes. With the number of multiple offers on homes decreasing, inventory increasing and rates decreasing to 3 year lows - this can be encouraging for many Buyers who felt burnt out a year or two ago. It is also important as a Seller that you are paying attention to the changing market and asking about the market specific to your price range and area. If you have any questions or would like specific information on a listing, please feel free to give us a call.

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Thank you everyone who came to celebrate with us! We are proud we have served this community for 50 years. We look forward to many more years! July was another busy month in the real estate world. 33 sales compared to 15 sales in January 2019. Inventory continued to increase slightly in August. Although not a major increase, inventory levels are the highest we have seen since 2014. Why the increase? It is hard to pinpoint one factor. One reason we have heard is that some sellers who were postponing selling now feel the market is flattening and think this is the best time to exit. Interest rates have also continued to decline and stay low. They are currently below 4% for a 30 year conventional loan. If you didn’t take advantage of refinancing last time rates were this low, you may want to inquire. Let us know if you would like some names of local lenders. If you have any questions or would like specific information on a listing, please feel free to give us a call.

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Inventory continues to increase in Hood River County. We have been seeing this same increase in  Wasco County as well. In Washington, Klickitat and Skamania County, the inventory has been more stable and we are not seeing these same increases yet. For buyers this may a bit of good news. The other bit of good news is interest rates have fallen back down below 4% for 30 year conventional mortgage. Sales were up this last month, 29 compared to 18 sales last month. This is typical, when inventory increases sales do tend to increase. However, unlike the previous years our inventory is increasing faster than sales.We are starting to see the market change. Many have predicted that thing may start to slow in 2020 - it will be interesting to see what happens this second half of 2019. Many have asked how Insitu layoffs have affected our market. So far we have not seen a noticeable change due to the layoffs. If you have any   questions or would like specific information on a listing, please feel free to give me a call.

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It’s starting to feel a lot like summer! With the warm weather and the end of the school year approaching it feels like the real estate market is picking up. As real estate agents we are starting to hear more and more people thinking about selling—so not quite reflected in the numbers yet. Currently there are 30 homes pending in Hood River County, about half of those are homes under $450k. Based on the pending data, under $450k the average days on market is 25, median days on market is 5. This is a very active segment of the market and one that is important to be prepared to move fast and to not be surprised if you are in a multiple offer situation. Comparatively above $450k in Hood River County the average days on market is 108 and the median is 38. The Fed has agreed to hold rates which is good news for buyers. Rates have been hovering around 4.25% for a 30 year fixed mortgage. If you have any questions or would like specific information on a listing, please feel free to give us a call.

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