Golf is my favorite active pasttime and I enjoy playing many various courses near Wenatchee, across the State and in the Southwest during the winter months.  One of my very favorite courses ever is Bear Mountain Golf Resort, just 35 miles north of Wenatchee. Bear Mountain is not only a fun, yet challenging, course to play... it has fabulous views overlooking Lake Chelan from every single hole.  So, even if you're having a bad game you can still enjoy the amazing beauty of the Lake Chelan Valley.In the above image, the lake in the forground is on the golf course.  Lake Chelan is in the distance.  Many holes offer a much greater view of Lake Chelan, which is slightly over 55 miles long and 1486 feet deep in places.Other entertaining golf courses in the Wenatchee area are:Three Lakes Golf ... 04/23/2016

How to destroy an appliance in one easy step…  250v receptacles.  Wenatchee Home InspectionsAhh in the land of home inspections we get to see a lot of fun things. Quite often many homeowners do things without really understanding what the final outcome may be. Here is an example of such a case. On a home inspection I find a receptacle that has been wired for 240/250v (bottom receptacle marked 220v) that is on a standard 120/125v receptacle. This is a problem since it most likely will destroy most 120v appliances in a very short time if plugged into it.Receptacles are designed and configured to an application. The blade configuration of a receptacle will typically tell you what type of circuit you have, i.e. 120 v 15 amp, 240 v 20 amp etc… ( Link to NEMA Plug & Receptacle Configurations-... 08/10/2015

I think you need to be a groupie… Grouping of conductors in MWBC- Wenatchee Home Inspections   It is very common to find multiwire branch circuits (MWBC) in homes, especially newer homes.  A multiwire branch circuit is where you have two or more hot/line conductors (ungrounded conductors) sharing a common neutral (grounded conductor).   We can argue the merits of this type of wiring in residential, you find those who like them and those who do not.   But as home inspectors and electrical inspectors it often hard to tell if  the hot conductors (ungrounded conductors) have been properly landed on opposing buses. What leg are they on?   This is important because if both hot conductors are on the same buss/leg the currents on the neutral conductor will add up versus canceling each other out... 12/04/2014

Is my window too high off the floor for emergency egress? Manufactured Homes Rules.   Wenatchee Home Inspection Services.   This is a quiz for those who sell and do home inspections on Manufactured Homes. What is the required sill height for egress windows/emergency escape and rescue?   Well lets look into this a bit.   Most of us home inspectors know that the IRC (2012 IRC- 310.1) requires a sill height of not more than 44 inches measured from the finished floor to the bottom of the clear opening.       But the standard for a manufactured home is actually different. Manufactured home use the HUD standards which are define in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR’s) specifically 24 CFR Part 3280 - “MANUFACTURED HOME CONSTRUCTION AND SAFETY STANDARDS”   Here is the HUD Standards for egres... 10/27/2014

http://melissakiser.housingtrendsenewsletter.com/ 08/05/2014

Pre-punched - Phase inspection of window Installations   I do several phase inspection a year. I will look at installations of the various components of the home and perform in essence quality control.   During a recent phase inspection of a new construction I saw the contractor installed the windows without using the manufacturer’s pre-punched slots for the fasteners. Depending on the environment of the home this may have an effect on the performance of the window and shows that the windows were not installed per manufacturer’s recommendations.     Now this will vary a bit from manufacturer whether it will void a warranty. I spoke with a technical representative from one of the prominent window manufacturers here in Washington State and their position is they do not warrant the install... 11/04/2013

        Great living space and situated on one of the largest lots in the neighborhood! All new carpet, paint and vaulted ceilings. Living room with gas fireplace. Family room with slider to huge backyard. Bedroom and full bath on main floor. Level lot with room for exta parking and irrigation water too.      $240,000    1634 Kayla Way    Beds: 4, Baths: 3, SqFt: 2423   View More Photos » View More Details » For More Information, Contact: Melissa Kiser Phone: (509) 668-8800   NCWhomes.com 06/12/2013

        Spectacular Columbia River, Mountain & City light views. One of the last lots available in sought after Eaglerock. This is a beautiful setting situated on a quiet cul-de-sac. All ready for you to create your own private estate. Irrigation water has been installed.      $179,900    3975 Lupine Ln    Acres: 1.23   View More Photos » View More Details » For More Information, Contact: Melissa Kiser Phone: (509) 668-8800   NCWhomes.com 05/17/2013

Welcome to the most current Housing Trends eNewsletter. This eNewsletter is specially designed for you, with national and local housing information that you may find useful whether you’re in the market for a home, thinking about selling your home, or just interested in homeowner issues in general. Please click on this link to view the Housing Trends MARCH - 2013 Newsletter http://melissakiser.housingtrendsenewsletter.com The Housing Trends eNewsletter contains the latest information from the National Association of REALTORS®, the U.S. Census Bureau, Realtor.org reports and other sources. Housing Trends eNewsletter is filled with local and national real estate sales and price activity provided by MLSs and the National Association of Realtors, U.S. Census Bureau key market indicators, con... 03/27/2013

Welcome to the most current Housing Trends eNewsletter. This eNewsletter is specially designed for you, with national and local housing information that you may find useful whether you’re in the market for a home, thinking about selling your home, or just interested in homeowner issues in general.Please click on this link to view the Housing Trends SEPTEMBER - 2012 Newsletter http://melissakiser.housingtrendsenewsletter.comThe Housing Trends eNewsletter contains the latest information from the National Association of REALTORS®, the U.S. Census Bureau, Realtor.org reports and other sources.Housing Trends eNewsletter is filled with local and national real estate sales and price activity provided by MLSs and the National Association of Realtors, U.S. Census Bureau key market indicators, co... 09/27/2012

Early afternoon in Wenatchee June 14th I’m finishing up work and packing my things to head back to Renton. One challenge of work and travel is making time to look around. I did a little research before I drove over and found several great photos of sculptures shared on Google+. Soon I discovered Riverfront Park and Wenatchee’s Art on the Avenues. The park is only a few blocks from our office in town and I was excited to see these works in person. At the time I had no idea of the scope of this project. Later I found out there are 85 works in the park and around town. One of the first pieces I came to (and appropriately so) was “Welcome” by Jim Johnson, from Salem, Oregon. This impressive sculpture is about 10 feet tall and made of bronze, stainless steel, and copper. True to history, ind... 07/01/2012

Wenatchee, Robe of the Rainbow Bridges have always represented a metaphor to me. Regardless if it’s figurative or physical. When we cross them life changes. I’m in the new now now and that bridge behind me and everything preceding it just became then. I don’t know exactly how this ties into real estate and title insurance other than at this moment I’m thinking about how we cross bridges everyday. On my way to Wenatchee from Seattle last Wednesday I snapped this photo crossing the bridge into Sultan where the Sultan River joins the Skykomish River. From my daily routine vantage point it’s like crossing from one world into another. The Seattle metro area is now definitely behind me and by the time I get just a couple of miles down the road through Goldbar I’m ascending into the the Cascad... 06/22/2012

Hey, live music junkies -Cascade Subaru is sponsoring “Subaru Summer Concerts in the Park” again this year! You can experience exclusive music performances on Thursday (and one Friday) evenings starting on July 5th, from 6:30-8:30pm at Ohme Gardens.Treat yourself to snacks from Tastebuds, tour the Gardens and enjoy the summer sunsets during performances from Queens of Seven, Gideon’s Daughter, the Junkyard Jane Band, Too Slim and the Taildraggers, OK 2 Botay and the Kevin Jones Band. There’s a little something for everyone in this line up!For the full schedule, visit theSubaru Summer Music Series webpage or CascadeSubaru.com. Bring your blanket/lawn chair, or come early to reserve a seat and tour the gardens. 05/30/2012

Beautiful updated top floor condo with huge deck overlooking the mountains! Gorgeous new Mahogany laminate floors. Spacious family room with fireplace and lots of windows. Large master and second bedroom with walk-in closet. Huge bath with double vanities. Bright open kitchen with newer appliances. Sports court & heated pool. One covered parking plus one additional reserved spot. 03/28/2012

Spring is in the air! Our real estate market is proof of that, even if our weather hasn’t received the memo. Multiple offers abound, and pending sales are UP month after month! Some listings are pending prior to the finish of the first open house. It’s a breath of fresh air to see the increase in activity. Buyers are ready to buy and Sellers are seeing first hand that now is a great time to sell. There’s been a healthy shift in our outlook on housing in general. Maybe for some of us, our values have changed after weathering the storm for the past 4 or so years. We’ve always known that real estate is an investment in our future. Steadfast equity gains and house flipping aside, we also know, with our hearts as well as our minds that having a place to call “home”; a place to plant our root... 03/22/2012

Give yourself some credit!   Give yourself some credit, or at least make sure it’s in good shape before embarking on the loan process if buying a house is on your wish list. More than ever, having a healthy credit score is important and could mean the difference between obtaining a home loan or not. Interest rates are at historic lows, so don’t let old habits or debts prevent you from taking advantage of this market. This is something I consistently see happening in Wenatchee, WA where I sell real estate for RE/MAX Landmark. Buyer’s contact me and are eager to purchase a home, the first thing I do is put them in touch with a lender to get them pre-approved. The biggest obstacle recently is people having trouble getting financing. People want to buy, but many have blemishes on their cred... 03/08/2012

Pending Sale! $235,000. Blue Heron Shores is a fabulous low bank waterfront lot on Lake Entiat. This premium lot has 100 feet of low bank sandy beach waterfront.This one acre parcel has exceptionally easy access and gentle slope. Private paved access off Hwy 97 at Orondo. Domestic water, power, fiber, fire protection and irrigation water available. 03/08/2012

Assuming The Same Service Levels? Not every agent in the Wenatchee Valley offers equal client services or experience. The average agent only completes five transactions per year. In my opinion it’s hard to stay on top of things professionally if you only work at it just a few times each year. And you certainly would not have much experience negotiating those five transactions on behalf of your clients. By choosing an agent with a large marketing budget and ideally with their own in-house marketing team, your property will be exposed to a much wider pool of qualified buyers. Reaching a greater number of prospective buyers means a better chance of receiving a good offer and in less time. Newspapers and most print media is no longer effective in selling homes so you'll want to pay a lot of... 02/28/2012

New roundabout coming to 97A and Ohme Garden Road WENATCHEE — The state Department of Transportation will build a roundabout this summer on Highway 97A where it intersects both Ohme Garden Road and Stemilt Warehouse Way. Project Engineer Kevin Waligorski says the intersection, just north of Olds Station, has a high volume of traffic from employees at the nearby Stemilt fruit warehouse and fruit trucks. If you go: What: Open house on the proposed roundabout for Highway 97A at Ohme Garden Road and Stemilt Warehouse Way. When: Feb. 29, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Where: State Department of Transportation’s “Maintenance Area 1,” Building B, conference room, 2830 Euclid Ave., Wen. Content: View roundabout design, learn about traffic flow, talk to experts, sound off. Stemilt Growers will pay for one-thi... 02/27/2012

As of today, there are 23 short sale listings in the Wenatchee WA MLS and 16 are under contract.  For bank-owned homes, there are 59 on the market and 26 with a pending sale.  The inventory of foreclosure and pre-foreclosure homes has grown since last year. As a matter of fact, our market has been absorbing this inventory pretty well. There have been 8 short sale and 87 bank-owned homes that have closed in the last six months. The Wenatchee Real Estate market is picking up and listing inventory is falling. If you are looking to buy or sell now may be the perfct time! 02/27/2012