Busy, busy weekend….

Winter barrel tasting and Christmas light parade on the same weekend. The  Christmas light parade is always a fun event for our office. With a prime location on Main St, we put out chairs to make comfortable seating for our clients and the community for great viewing of the parade. Along with complimentary coffee, hot chocolate, and hot cider plus cookies and pastries, it is a nice time for everyone. While we enjoy serving our clients and the community, it is also a great opportunity for us as an office, working as a group to put everything together. Associates, staff, family and friends join at our office earlier in the day to put up our outside lights and to decorate our office for the holiday season. Then everyone returns about an hour before the parade to get ready for the event. We really have a fun time doing it.

The parade was stunning with the lights, the music, and the singing. We served well over 200 warm drinks including over 100 cups of hot chocolate alone. We provided small sacks for the kids to pick up candy thrown from the floats. We were packed. Look at some of our photos and you will see how many families used our location for their venue to watch the parade. It is such a pleasure watching families with their children, friends, and fellow workers having a good time and enjoying the parade.

Many thanks go out to my associates, staff and friends who helped make it all come together.

Business is still strong. Rates for home loans are so low I cannot believe the opportunity it is for potential homebuyers along with the tax credit. This is the time for the first time home buyer or a family looking to move into a new home. Look on our website for new inventory entering the market. Also, if you have family or friends from afar who have not been to Walla Walla, have them go onto our website, http://http://www.coldwellbankerfirstrealtors.com/, and watch the tour of the city. It is about 16 minutes but a very comfortable view from a quiet spot in their home.

I travel to San Diego in about two weeks to share Christmas with my son and daughter in law, and my three grandchildren; Haley, Audrey, and Joe. It is the highlight of my year when I have time with them all. Plus a side benefit of 70 degree weather. To all of you and your families have a wonderful Christmas and New Year. Looking forward to 2010 and all it brings.

Regards,

Dennis M. Ledford, Owner/Broker
Coldwell Banker First Realtors

Walla Walla Tour

done

We are pleased to present a tour of Walla Walla.

A Time to Reflect

Thanksgiving week is a time to reflect and think about all we have to be thankful for.    We are able to meet as a family and celebrate with my mother at her home each Thanksgiving.    She still cooks the turkey and makes her fabulous corn bread dressing.    My sister in law, Sheri brings brussel spouts, potatoes, and pumpkin pie.    We bring pies, green beans, and bread.   Some Thanksgivings are packed with family and some like this year, not so many, but we always go around the table to tell what we are thankful.   There are always some surprising comments but all come from the heart.

 A Brief History of Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Day is now a favorite American holiday…but did you know it took awhile to catch on as an annual tradition?

According to scholars, the first known Thanksgiving took place on September 8, 1565 in Saint Augustine, Florida when Spanish settlers held a Mass of Thanksgiving after arriving safely in the New World. English settlers in the Virginia Colony held a similar day of thanks in 1619. Two years after that, the colonists at Plymouth Plantation celebrated the most famous Thanksgiving, during 1621.

It wasn’t until October 3, 1789, that it actually became a holiday, when then President George Washington proclaimed a day of Thanksgiving…but just for that year. In 1795, Washington again proclaimed a day of Thanksgiving, and President John Adams also declared Thanksgivings in 1798 and 1799.

After a decade and a half without the celebration taking place at all, President James Madison renewed the tradition in 1814, and even went so far as to declare the holiday twice in 1815!

In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln finally proclaimed the last Thursday of November as a national day of Thanksgiving that should take place every year. Years later, President Franklin Roosevelt stated that Thanksgiving should always be celebrated on the fourth Thursday of the month – as opposed to landing on the occasional fifth Thursday.

I wish you and your family a safe and happy Thanksgiving holiday!

All is strong in the real estate market in Walla Walla.    We have more written business in November of this year than in 2008.    Our associates keep connecting with families who have real needs and are finding them their new home.   Rates are at the lowest in forty years, tax credits, inventory, and a strong buyers market make it the time to take action.   Look at our website, coldwellbankerfirstrealtors.com, for homes and an associate to assist you in the process.       Starting this week we will activate our new Walla Walla Community Tour.   Look for the little car, push and watch as we move through our community.    Watching it helps you understand why families find Walla Walla such a beautiful place to call home.

We will have reduced hours for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years.    I want our staff to enjoy time with their families and relax and enjoy the meaning of the holidays.   Take the time to donate food or any other items to the many families not as fortunate as you.    If you do not have time to search or shop for items, send money to the organization of your choice.  It will be greatly appreciated and mean so much to a local family.   We have chosen Helpline’s women’s shelter this year for our $10.00 closing agent donation.    We are also sponsoring one or two local families that are unable to provide Christmas for the children with food and gifts.   It is a special feeling.    If you are interested in sponsoring a family contact The Salvation Army or a local church.  They can put you in contact with a family in need. 

One of my associates, Tim Teed is serving a Thanksgiving dinner free to people who have nowhere to go at Barnaby’s this year.   Signup for the dinner is at Helpline.  I have associates assisting in serving and preparation of the dinner and I thank Tim and Stephanie for their effort.   

Thanks again for your time.    Any questions respond and I will get back to you.

 DM Ledford, Broker/Owner

Coldwell Banker First Realtors

Guest Blog by Jerry Holm

If you were to ask me what a dream vacation would be I’d have to tell you,  7 days on a a 47 ft. Catamaran in the British Virgin Islands!   With 4 private bedrooms, it is a great vacation to take with friends.

The BVI’s are located 35 minutes flying time, Southeast of Puerto Rico.  After having the pleasure of 9 sailing vacations around those islands, each time my wife & I arrive on Tortola is still very exciting to us.  The minute you step off the plane on Beef Island….you know you’re on “Island time”.  It’s not unusual to see goats and cows in the middle of the road as our taxi takes us to our charter company in Road Town, Tortola.  

This is a British Colony, so cars drive on the left side of the road.  The sunrises and sunsets are spectacular, a photographers dream.   The island people are hospitable and friendly.  You can enjoy yourself without the worry or fear of pirates invading your boat.  Swimming, snorkeling and scuba diving in the crystal clear water are safe with hundreds of colorful fish surrounding you.  

When not eating on your boat, there are many restaurants to choose from.  Menu’s might include, lobster, shrimp, conk all cooked with a Caribbean flavor and you can top it off with a wedge of key lime pie!  

Occasionally you can hear the music of the steel drums.  On one of our vacations we had the pleasure of watching a concert in Road Town,  put on by the school students with ages ranging from kindergarten to high school.   It was the highlight of that trip!

Several times we have made the 14 mile trip out into the Atlantic Ocean to the remote Island of Anegada.   Sailing to Anegada is a little scary at first as the island is only 15ft. high so you cannot see it until you are half way there!   Once you arrive, the sandy beaches are heavenly and inside the coral reef so there are no large waves.    If you’re lucky you will see a large group of Flamingos.

The Bath’s on the Island of Virgin Gorda is a fun place to hike.  There are the most unusual formation of large granite boulders.    Some of the boulders are as large as a two story home….tilted together…with pools of water and trails for hiking in between them.

So as you can see,  staying on a Catamaran for days is wonderful as you’re not stuck in one location,  you have the whole BVI’s to explore!   

If you are wondering about this great vacation and have more questions,  you can email me at jholm@cbfr.biz.  I would be happy to share more details with you!   

Jerry Holm, Realtor

Coldwell Banker First Realtors

GREAT NEWS!!!

President Obama signed the The Worker, Homeownership, and Business Assistance Act of 2009 into law on Friday, November 6^th.   The legislation greatly expanded the first time homebuyer tax credit; extending the date for the $8,000 first time homebuyer credit and expanding it to include a $6,500 credit for many buyers looking to purchase a new home.  To qualify, buyers in either group must sign a purchase & sale agreement by April 30, 2010, and close by June 30, 2010. The credit is available for the purchase of a principal home purchased at $800,000 or less.  Individuals with annual incomes above $125,000 and joint filers with incomes above $225,000 would be excluded. Current homeowners must have owned their home for at least five years.

In my opinion, I feel this will generate more activity in the new construction area which will put our local work force back on the job.    More new construction means more jobs and continued inventory for the first time home buyer.   If you are thinking of making a change, contact one of our senior home consultants on pricing, financing, marketing, and inventory.   They lead the community in homes sales and satisfied homebuyers.   Look at our web site coldwellbankerfirstrealtors.com to view the current mls inventory and to choose one of our qualified associates.  It is a great opportunity to make a change for your family needs.   Start the process today.

I spent some time with Dr. Steven Van Ausdle, President of Walla Walla Community College last week to discuss the plans WWCC has for the next few years and was excited to hear about the college accepting students for The Watershed Ecology Program, a new educational piece for the community.  If you are interested in the program you can contact Jaime Clark, the Ecology Program Advisor.   I did not realize the number of people it takes to maintain the wind power units we see developing in our area.   Dr. Van Ausdle indicated it takes one full time employee for every eight towers.   With the number of units we see being built in the area, it is  creating a large number of full time jobs at a good family wage.   We need sustainable energy with a renewable framework to keep our environment safe.    WWCC is fortunate to have such an innovative source of ideas in the person of Dr. Van Ausdle.

We need to push ahead to protect our streams, our rivers and lakes to allow us to maintain a sustainable environment.    It is my understanding WWCC  is working to development a park that will highlight their ideas on protecting the environment in conjunction with the government, Umatilla tribes, and private investment.    All of this activity makes Walla Walla a wonderful place to live.

Thanks, for reading my ideas.   Send a request if I can answer some questions or be of assistance.

Dennis M. Ledford, Broker/Owner

Coldwell Banker First Realtors

SUNSETS IN WALLA WALLA….

I wonder how many residents of the Walla Walla Valley sit and enjoy our sunsets, especially in the fall. Several times this past month or so I have looked out my office window or been sitting on my patio earlier to see some of the most magnificent sunsets in the world. What is the expression; “we do not see the forests for the trees”. I really feel it is true in so many ways for the families in Walla Walla. Everyone is so busy with work and family that they do not always reflect on the beauty of the Walla Walla Valley. What a place to live.

Twenty years ago, I was showing property to a professor coming to Walla Walla for a short tenure at Whitman College. I was driving him around the valley and our community, listening to his comments and I really started to understand what a man from New York City saw in Walla Walla that was so special. He said the following to me and I have never forgotten it, “Dennis”, he said, “you just do not know what a special gift you have, living here in Walla Walla”. Since them I have really started to take time to enjoy all we have. Every time I return from traveling across the west , and come over cabbage hill and see our valley, I turn to my wife Donna, and say, “I do not if I have seen a more beautiful spot as Walla Walla in our 3000 mile of travel.”

We have another business sunset coming, November 30th. All sales must be closed for the first time homebuyer tax credit. If it has not closed you will not receive the credit. If you are just entering into a sales contract and hope to close by that date you need to check with your lender first to and see if the process can accommodate your needs. Do not enter into a transaction, needing the credit, until you have discussed it with your Realtor and lender.

Please check out our company website: coldwellbankerfirstrealtors.com. Comment on its use. We have really made a sincere attempt to make easy and comfortable to use. We don’t demand names or contact information. We want you to feel comfortable to do your searching and hopefully contact us when you are ready. We hope you will enjoy our new feature for the tour of Walla Walla. It will have photos of parks, schools, downtown, hospitals, buildings, the Blue Mts & more. Everything we could think of. If you have photos you feel would add something to our tour, you can submit them on our website. The tour should be up and running by the 10th of November.

Enjoy some of the sunsets and take more time understand the beauty of the Walla Walla Valley.

DM Ledford, Broker/Owner

Coldwell Banker First Realtors

RESULTS OF THE REALTOR FOOD DRIVE…

Well it did not turn out well.    At this point we are down about 50% from last year’s total which is very disappointing and a big blow to the local food bank and our local families in need of help.    I am suggesting we donate money or take food to one of the several grocery stores where we have our collection barrels.    We need everyone’s help.  The effort is greatly appreciated and the Walla Walla families that did participate I applaud you for the help you provided.   If you can afford to do more I encourage you to do it.

We were presented a program by the general manager of the new Walla Walla summer baseball team opening this summer June 6^th.    They will be playing at Borleske Stadium with college scholarship players in a league basically the size and scope of a class A.   The players cannot receive any pay except for food out of town and lodging.   They will need family housing from host families in our area.    If you have interest give Zachary Fraser a call, 801-360-8391.  It will be great to have baseball back in Walla Walla.   Did you know Ozzie Smith and Tony Gwinn started their professional baseball careers in Walla Walla.   Zachary feels we are one of the few small markets that have had two hall of fame players begin their careers.

 The market is still strong but there is growing fears on rising interest rates.  Last week, the core consumer price index (cpi) was reported higher than expected, indicating that inflationary forces may already be underway.   Remember, inflation erodes the value of the fixed return that a bond provides; therefore, inflation is harmful to bonds and home loan rates.   Just the hint of inflation can cause home loan rates to worsen, which is what, we saw last week.

 There are lots of other indicators out there, but the bottom line is that the heat is on.   We could see rates increase in the very near future.   Take action and lock in.   First time homebuyers your time line is falling away fast.   November 30^th, and it has to be closed.  That takes some time to accomplish in our current underwriting environment.   Altogether it is time to make your move.  

 Contact one of my associates or take a look at our site:  coldwellbankerfirstrealtors.com.

 Thanks for reading…

 DM Ledford, Broker/Owner

Coldwell Banker First Realtors

SMART REAL ESTATE INVESTORS ARE BUYING NOW

Why would Warren Buffett be purchasing real estate companies and large home builder companies??? Well I know. Because he feels real estate is going to rebound in a big way. So do I. We are seeing strong real estate investors coming back into the market here in Walla Walla. We are selling commercial, residential, and condo properties and getting more and more inquiries. We had 5,800 visits to our web site in the past 30 days from 28 different countries. If you are a first time buyer homebuyer you have even more reasons to purchase your first home. Do not wait for the prices to hit bottom. You cannot pick that date. Why???? Do we throw a parade or have a day from school when that time comes??? No!!! Waiting will find you changing from a buyer’s to a seller’s market. In a seller’s market their motivation to accept an offer might change to a more wait and see attitude.

As I have written before, this is the perfect storm for the buyer. Lowest interest rates in over 50 years, great inventory, and a strong motivation in sellers to make something happen to sell their properties. Call one of my associates today to take some action. Log on to coldwellbankerfirstrealtors.com for a list of my associates and to look at the properties currently available in our local mls.

We are still making improvements to our marketing of our rental inventory. We will soon have our new Coldwell Banker First Realtor property management site up and running. In talking with my business consultant, Chris Saffer of Solutions 5, we should be up and running in less than three weeks. We are also starting to use Craig’s list to present some of our large sites and special rental opportunities. This week we are featuring The Washington Apartments which is a very special complex with beautiful turn of the century charm, close to town for easy walking to a variety of shops, restaurants, etc.  All is well.

We are selling homes and listing beautiful properties. Call us if you need professionals to assist in finding a new home or selling and moving up. We are fortunate to have two great home builders working with us, Sullivan Rowell and Thad Sirmon Construction. They represent quality and professional assistance in the construction of your new home.

If I can be of assistance to talk about real estate or any other area I know something about contact me and we will talk.

DM Ledford, Owner/Broker

Coldwell Banker First Realtors

 

What Beautiful Fall Weather…

Crisp and clean in the morning and Indian summer weather in the afternoon. I just really enjoy the fall. It is another reason Walla Walla is so special.

We had another great month in written business with forty offers agreed to, which matched our production in September of last year and keeps us operating at a strong level. In September closings we closed 42% of the homes in the local mls which keeps us again in the top position in our community. I could not be prouder of the agents which represent Coldwell Banker First Realtors. They are true professionals and it is so enjoyable to work with them on a daily basis.

On the national level, our franchise, Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC, ranked highest among real estate companies in satisfying home sellers according to the recently released J.D. Power and Associates 2009 home buyer/seller study. The independently administered study measured customer satisfaction of homebuyers and sellers among the largest national real estate firms. We are proud of our national affiliation because we are associated with the strongest worldwide organization in real estate.

We had our annual Coldwell Banker First Realtors golf tournament this past Saturday. It was fun but it was cold and wet. The winning team was made up of Cindy Waliser, George Kaup, Josh Ledford, Byron Burris, and Dee Balmer. We really had fun even though we had to give up after 12 holes. The rain and cold just took its toll, so we retreated to the café and had a wonderful meal and warmed up before we headed home.

We have started our fourth quarter of the year and so far it is going very well. Interest rates are below 5%. Hard to believe, but it is true, and it couldn’t be a better time to make a move into a new home or your first home with the advantage of the low rates, the good inventory, buyer’s market, and the first time homebuyer’s tax credit.

Hope all is well in your community. We are seeing very positive developments headed our way this fall and next spring. Call if I can assist or answer any questions. Thanks for taking time to read and hopefully enjoy some of the data.

DM Ledford

Rates are Low!!!

Unbelievable low rates are out there. We were told by Bobbie Jo, our Coldwell Banker mortgage representative that almost all the loan programs are under 5% at this point. Assuming you have an adequate credit score, now is the time to make your move to purchase your new residence with the low rates, large inventory, and a softer buyers market. First time homebuyers. You need to close your transaction by November 30th to take advantage of the $8,000 gift from Uncle Sam. It is hard to pass up. Make the change from renting and buy your home. Do not continue to pay rent to your landlord so he can pay for his home you are living in.

We have a lot of sickness in our organization, but I am so proud of the way they circle the wagons around the families in our organization which need help. My agents and employees never cease to amaze me with the way they step up to the task they are asked to assist in. What a great group of people.

Our annual golf tournament is set for October 3. We will be playing at the Milton Freewater golf course with our tee times starting at about 1 pm. We use the scramble format to help everyone feel comfortable in just going out to have fun and play golf. Some have never played golf but they just enjoy the time out in the beautiful fall weather laughing with their friends. I will try to have photos available in the next couple of weeks.

Sales are going great and a lot of new families are moving to our area. Megan our agent marketing consultant tracked our activity on ColdwellBankerFirstRealtors.com and we had 2400+ hits with over 2000 new inquiries from 26 different countries. We are seeing more and more buyers use our site. Electronic communications continue to grow and grow. If you have any questions about how to find a home go to our site and find one of my associates to assist you in the search and the financing of your new home.

Thanks for taking the time to read this. Walla Walla real estate is doing well.

 DM Ledford