More now than ever. We like it because it can be part of your 203k project and may even assist you in getting a loan closed that might be falling apart due to the ratios out of sync. I met this young man and asked him to write something for my blog, see what you think? The best thing is that you can add this to the mortgage at the same time you close the loan without any loss of time due to the additional work as it all happens after the close of escrow. My name Is Adam, I am a solar consultant for nationwide solar.  The reason we do solar is because of the benefits home owners receive.  Solar energy saves money plain and simple, which is why it makes sense. Once the panels are on your roof they produce free electricity for you to use for decades to come. You don’t do anything except en... 05/27/2020

My newest book, Surviving the Home Inspection: The Essential Seller's Guide, shot to #1 in the Kindle Home Buying and Selling category this weekend. Right now, it's still in the top 10, which is enormously gratifying.   Designed to help the seller get ahead of the inspection process and reduce their stress, Surviving the Home Inspection has more than a dozen checklists for the sellers to use in getting ready, along with hundreds of tips and ideas to make the process work in their favor.   The paperback edition will be out in the next two weeks. For a limited time, I am offerring a free Kindle copy to Realtors and home sellers. The offer expires on 4/8/2015.  If you get a free copy, an honest review at Amazon would be appreciated. Limit 1000. Email me if you would like your free copy! 03/30/2015

Have Code Books – Will Travel Tomorrow I hit the road for a 4 hour drive to Colville Washington for an inspection.  It’s  the third longest commute I’ve had since I started my business but for some clients going the extra mile is worth it.  The futhest was for a client I had already done two local inspections with – Kent was the seller on both – who was relocating out to the Port Angeles area and wanted me to inspect his new home when he was buying.  Having a seller hire you after you've inspected two of his homes is a pretty high compliment.  The other was for a niece in the Seattle area.  Colville is actually pretty close by those standards. Tomorrow is a unique event because I’m not doing a home inspection.  Instead, I get to break out the code books and check a new home for complian... 05/03/2012

Contrary to popular opinion, we do have pest issues in areas like Pullman and Moscow.  Our primary invader is the carpenter ant.  The problem that is starting to develop is that while we have a slew licensed inspectors in the area (and the number is growing), only two of us are still licensed as pest inspectors. The Washington State Standards of Practice for home inspectors is pretty clear.  We are required to report any conducive conditions to pest infestation and wood destroying fungus and, if not also licensed as a Structural Pest Inspector, refer our clients to an SPI if we suspect insect damage. One of the realities of the marketplace is that home inspectors market to Realtors rather than directly to clients.  I have my doubts that the referral will consistently take place.  There ... 10/02/2010

The inspector shall "Report any evidence that indicates the possible presence of an underground storage tank. "  Part of the process with having the inspectors go through a licensing process is that we now have more consistency in the reports that get generated.  That  quote above right from the new Washington State Standards of Practice for licensed home inspectors.  Tracking these down can be tough though.  Underground tanks were often placed by the side of the home and, in the forty or fifty years since they were used, those areas were converted to flower beds or shrubbery.  Normally, I'll look for a vent for the tank or the fill tube - though I had one newer house in Pullman that had a fill tube (it was even marked "Heating Oil" on the cap) with a house that never had an oil furnac... 11/04/2009

The title of the post and the question itself probably seem a bit silly.  Everybody here on AR is in the same business whether they're a Realtor, Inspector, Mortgage Broker, Stager.  Quite often though I see people confuse industry with job. A good example was this last Friday. I was taken by surprise during one of my inspections Friday, of a Clarkston WA house. I had an exchange with a Realtor from Lewiston ID that went something like this: Inspector:  So, have you been keeping tracks of the changes in the home inspection side of things? Realtor:  No.  Why should I pay attention to your industry? Huh?  Since I didn't have a ready answer, I think she had a point.  And in my usual way, I thought of all sorts of good answers - hours later.  Before I arrived at those answers though, I had ... 02/09/2009

I recieved the following email from the ASHI of Western Washington- Well, it didn't take long! We have just received word that the first attempt to change the new Home Inspector Law has been brought forth in the Legislature. It is Senate Bill 5644, which you can review at: http://apps.leg.wa.gov/documents/billdocs/2009-10/Pdf/Bills/Senate%20Bills/5644.pdf Basically, the bill attempts to allow on-line learning and inserts the word MOLD into the requirements for a Home Inspection. We would expect the DOL to fight the on line learning change, as all Real Estate classes are currently required to be instructor lead courses. Both the Real Estate Licensees and Home Inspectors are under the Real Estate Division of the DOL. Of course, inserting the word MOLD into the Home Inspection requirements... 01/29/2009

Well, it's about time. For those that don't know me, I am an avid, if less talented, runner.  Unfortunately, one that has been sidelined for several months.  I'm finally back to running but because I haven't had a chance to build up my mileage, it won't be racing any time soon. In the meantime, I'll be crewing.  The Snake River Half is a fast 1/2 marathon run every year by the Palouse Roadrunners just down the hill fron Pullman WA.  The course is an out and back with an elevation profile that looks like this: Ideal for someone that hates hills. Since I can't run it though, I'll be assisting at one of the aid stations with the Asotin HS Cross Country team and their coach, Tim Gundy. I haven't helped at many races in the last few years and I find that I miss it.  One year, while still in ... 01/20/2009

The Lewis Clark Real Estate Merket ...Current Period 01-01-08 through 12-31-2008                                 these are just residential SOLDS in the LC Valleytotal SOLD: 720 total volume 126,698,706 average price $175,970One Year Ago SOLD: 976 153,569,078 $157,345 Increase/(Decrease) (256) -26% volume(26,870,372) -17% $18,625 12% Interest Rates are at a all time low .... Paying rent on property owned by others is not an attractive proposal. Even if you, as a new home owners understand that you may not realize high equity gains for some years, owning a home offers a quality of life that we Americans desire. We are an independent society and having control of our home drives many of us home buyers. Let's talk about owning a home!   01/16/2009

  The higher payment of car makes people feel burdensome and as a result they fail to take pleasure out of their car. Hence car loan refinancing would be the smart way for people to get their bliss out of the car. However very few people go for the refinancing car loans, inspite of its easy availability and the reason behind it is lack of information. The automobile refinance can be the great source for people with bad credit, people having late payments or people who are passing through the stages of bankruptcy, repossessions etc. As refinancing offers you a platform to exchange an older higher interest loan with a new lower interest loan where you choose your terms and conditions. Refinancing can be done for both private party and used car loans. Rapidcarloans.net gets you low rates a... 01/09/2009

Cost of Living Comparison:Clarkston, Washington - Encinitas, California Change cities Encinitas is 136% more expensive than Clarkston. Housing is the biggest factor in the cost of living difference. Housing is 522% more expensive in Encinitas. A salary of $125,000 in Clarkston, Washington should increase to $295,102 in Encinitas, California Clarkston U.S. Avg. Encinitas Cost of Living Indexes Clarkston Encinitas Overall 86 203 Food 101 113 Housing 58 363 Utilities 82 126 Transportation 104 112 Health 116 131 Miscellaneous 104 105 100=national average » Compare these cities in over 100 categories   it is True!  there is No Place like Home!  information from 12/21/2008

TOTAL - RESIDENTIAL (All Areas)   Current Period 152   27,657,207   181,955       506     One Year Ago 182   32,606,647   179,157       596     Increase/(Decrease) (30) -16% (4,949,440) -15% 2,798 2% Statistics for: Class=RE,LD,CI,MF,FA AND Type=SFR,SF-2A,MWL,MW/OL,CDO AND Date Range=07/01/2008-09/30/2008 AND Area=Astn/Clmns,ClarkDtown,ClarkHghts,LewisEMain,LewisWMain,LewisDtwnE,LewisDtwnW,LewisDtwnS,LewisOrchE,Tammany,Waha,LewisNorth AND Grouping Selector=3; As Of: 12/16/2008   Qty Sold % Chg Volume Sold % Chg Average Sale % Chg Median Sale % Chg Qty Active % Chg   RESIDENTIAL   All Areas   Asotin/Clemans   Current Period 4   943,150   235,787   231,575   18     One Year Ago 9   1,957,275   217,475   226,000   30     Increase/(Decrease) (5) -56% (1,014,125) -52% 18,312 8% 5,575 2% (12... 12/16/2008

Home Staging Can Sell Homes FasterLewis-Clark Valley Real EstateIn today's buyers market, buyers are very value conscious.  If you plan on selling your home it is critical to distinguish yourself, from the rest of the homes on the market, in order to sell. CEO of Property Staging Consultants, Jackie Riggins explains the best ways to create the maximum perception of value in this excellent short video.    Patty Luther selling the Lewis-Clark Valley817 Stewart Avenue Lewiston ID Clarkston WA  208-743-9772  or  509-758-1311  http://www.rock-n-rollrealty.com/ 11/24/2007

Market Report for Lewis Clark ValleySingle family home sales in the Lewis-Clark Valley1.  Number of homes on the market...3652.  Homes sold since beginning of 2007...4433.  Average sales price of those homes sold...$169,4324.  Average days on the market...96LAST YEAR, SAME PERIOD...1.   there were 308 ACTIVE Residential listings in the Lewis-Clark Valley2.  Homes sold in same period in 2006...3333.  Average price of those homes sold last year 2006...$157,7494.  Average Days on the market...86To take a look at the listings in my area check out my Website  http://www.pattyluther.com/YOUR LEWIS CLARK VALLEY REALTOR OF CHOICE 08/10/2007

                                             Welcome to Clarkston, Gateway to Hells Canyon! We are proud to be recognized as a region of outstanding beauty and historical significance. The twin cities of Lewiston, Idaho and Clarkston, Washingotn were named in honor of the famous explorers, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark from the Corps of Discovery Lewis and Clark Expedition. As they led the Corps of Discovery through our area in 1805 they were provided much needed assistance from the Nez Perce Indians in the region. Located at the confluence of the Snake and Clearwater Rivers, surrounded by gentle rolling hills, the Lewis-Clark Valley is located 465 river miles from the Pacific Ocean and is at the head of the navigation system of the Columbia/Snake River. The area is often referred ... 07/30/2007

Last summer I relocated from Lewiston, Idaho to a quaint little town calledAsotin, Washington.  Asotin is just across the snake river from Lewiston,so it wasn't like I moved far away.  In fact, I can look out my front picturewindow and see the city of Lewiston, as well as the city of Clarkston,Washington.In my community, the Snake River separates Washington and Idaho.  I am licensedto sell real estate in both states.  Living here, a Realtor almost hasto have a license in both states-even though I know successful Realtors that do not have both.A lot of people ask why I moved to Asotin..well to tell the truth, it wasfor the house that I found while "out in the field". But that is a whole otherstory.  This blog is titled "Why I like Asotin."Asotin is a small town of just over 1000 people. ... 01/25/2007