March Real Estate Update For The Okanogan Valley

OKANOGAN VALLEY MARKET SNAPSHOT


Apologies for being a bit later with the newsletter this month!  I've been out of town for several days, and have been playing catch up.  More on that trip in a minute...

Residential sales held the same in February as January, with 6 residential sales in the Okanogan Valley, and an average sales price of $133,317, down from $192,567 in January.  Average days on market in February was 250 days, compared to 81 in January.  As of 3/15/11, there were 224 active residential listings, and 15 pending sales.  Search active homes here .  

Land sales also stayed the same as January, with only 2 land listings closing in February.  There are 444 active land listings as of 3/15/11, and 5 pending sales. Search active land listings here. 

These are sales reported through the NWMLS, and do not reflect private sales, or those from offices who are not members of the NWMLS.  These statistics are deemed reliable, but are not guaranteed.  

FEBRUARY RESIDENTIAL SALES

CITY	BED	BATH	SQ. FT.	LOT SIZE	YEAR	$/SF	DOM	ORIG. PRICE	SOLD PRICE
Tonasket	3	1.0	924	3.15 ac	1976	48.59	332	$67,500	$44,900
Oroville	2	1.0	1,246	0.10 ac	1925	72.23	239	$109,900	$90,000
Omak	4	1.5	2,974	0.31 ac	1945	35.31	243	$175,000	$105,000
Oroville	3	1.5	1,668		1910	77.94	28	$139,950	$130,000
Omak	3	2.0	1,758	2.40 ac	1960	110.92	656	$195,000	$195,000
Tonasket	3	1.5	1,830	9.82 ac	1990	128.42	4	$139,000	$235,000
AVERAGES			1,733			$78.90	250	$137,725	$133,317

FEATURED PROPERTY

Seller will finance with only $6,000 down!  Over 4 acres in Aeneas Valley , with small storage shed.  Good water prospects, power near.  Details here. $19,500

TIDBITS AND LINKS

*  SO, about my trip...  If you have not yet heard the news, the actor Jack Black, (who has family ties to Tonasket) helped sponsor a once in a lifetime trip for the Tonasket Marching Band to go to Disneyland!  The students took part in a 90 minute session with music professionals at Disneyland, marched through Disneyland as a part of their performing arts program, and were able to meet Jack for pictures, autographs, and dinner one evening!  I was able to travel along as a chaperone, and it was a really great experience for all.  Celebrity gossip news picked up the story, and I quit counting posts after thirty!  You can read my blog post here , and there are also links in that post to some of the other articles and blogs about the trip.  

*  Tonasket Junior Rodeo is coming right up!   The date has been set for April 16-17 at the Tonasket Rodeo grounds.  Entry forms need to be notarized and postmarked by April 5th.  

FROM MY KITCHEN TO YOURS...

Crazy Cake!

This was always a favorite when my kids were in elementary school, because it makes a gazillion (well, almost...) cupcakes, so it fed their whole class and then some!  I'm guessing it is called Crazy Cake because  there are no eggs...  

 

Add together:

 

4 1/2 cups flour

3 cups sugar

2/3 cup cocoa

3 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 tsp. salt

2/3 cup oil

3 tbsp. vinegar

3 tsp. vanilla

3 cups cold water

 

Mix well, and bake at 350 degrees.  Makes one 9 X 13 cake pan, plus 12 cupcakes, or a LOT of cupcakes!   (Sorry, I can't remember exactly how many - I want to say 36).  Cake needs to bake 40 minutes - one hour, cupcakes need 20-30 minutes.  Frost with caramel frosting:

 

Caramel Frosting

 

In saucepan:

 

Melt 1/4 cup butter

Add 1/2 cup brown sugar

Boil for one minute - stirring constantly, then remove from heat

Stir in 3 tbsp. milk, 3/4 cup powdered sugar, and 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Beat until smooth, adding powdered sugar until desired thickness.  Remember, will thicken as it cools and sets. 

A FAVORITE QUOTE

Don't count the days, make the days count!  Author Unknown

 
 
 

Actor Jack Black helps send Tonasket Marching Band to DISNEYLAND!!

For the past several months, the Tonasket Music Boosters, band students, and their friends and family have been fundraising for a big trip to Disneyland.  The marching band auditioned, and was accepted to march through Disneyland, as a part of Disney's performing arts program.  The students also had a 90 minute workshop with music professionals at Disneyland, where they learned a new song, and recorded a DVD of that performance.  Actor Jack Black, having family ties to the Tonasket area, made a sizable donation that helped us reach our fundraising goal and send the group of about 70 students and 20 chaperones on our way!  Apparently, this news made its way to some celebrity news and blog sites!  You can read about it here, and here and here.  The students were also able to meet Jack, and get photos and autographs, and the group had dinner with Jack and his family at Big Thunder Ranch inside of Disneyland. 

I was able to travel along as a chaperone, and it was truly a once in a lifetime experience for the students (and grown ups!).  Many had never been to Disneyland before, let alone get to march through it as a band, and meet a famous person!  Here is a blog link detailing the fun, and at times crazy events of the trip!  A few mechanical "issues" along the way, but a completely awesome experience!  Thank you Jack Black, and all of the many others who supported our fundraising efforts!  Photos will be posted to our Facebook soon!

February Real Estate Update for the Okanogan Valley

OKANOGAN VALLEY MARKET SNAPSHOT

Well, things slowed down in January, as is pretty typical this time of year.  There were 6 residential properties sold in January, compared to 15 in December.  Average sale price of $172,433, down from $183,567 in December, and average days on market for January was a mere 81 days, vs. 254 for December.  As of 2/10/11, there are 224 active residential listings.  Search homes here.

Vacant land sales in the area were also down in January - two land listings sold, compared to 11 in December.  As of 2/10/11, there are 449 active land listings.  Search land here.  

These are sales reported through the NWMLS, and do not reflect private sales, or those from offices who are not members of the NWMLS.  These statistics are deemed reliable, but are not guaranteed.


JANUARY RESIDENTIAL SALES

CITY	BED	BATH	SQ. FT.	LOT SIZE	YEAR	$/SF	DOM	ORIG. PRICE	SOLD PRICE
Riverside	2	2.00	924	00.59 ac	1993	64.94	108	$70,000	$60,000
Okanogan	2	1.25	1,500	00.34 ac	1956	53.33	112	$99,500	$80,000
Omak	4	1.75	1,820	00.19 ac	1967	87.91	83	$168,500	$160,000
Oroville	2	1.75	1,544	24.19 ac	2006	123.61	28	4232,500	$190,850
Omak	5	3.25	4,150	00.32 ac	1912	64.64	63	$299,900	$268,250
Oroville	3	1.75	2,200	07.51 ac	2005	125.23	93	$285,000	$275,500
AVERAGES			2,023			86.61	81	$192,567	$172,433

FEATURED PROPERTIES

	New "rough finished" cabin on over 3 acres in Aeneas Valley.  Good water in area, and easy access.  SELLER FINANCING AVAILABLE!  Details and photos here.   $32,500
	GREAT BUY - 40 acres for $40,000! Just 7 miles from Tonasket - outstanding Cascade views.  Good water in area.  Details here.

TIDBITS AND LINKS

*  BARGAIN!  Smith & Nelson in Tonasket is selling pears and Golden and Gala apples - $10 for a 40 pound box!  And they are very good!!

*  If you are looking for some interesting things to see or do this time of year, check out my recent blog post. 

*  The Bonaparte Lake Resort is under new ownership since last fall.  They have spent the winter months renovating the restaurant and have recently reopened.  We decided to mosey on up there for dinner last night, and were very impressed!  They have managed to retain the rustic appeal, but the place is very CLEAN, and the food was excellent!  Be sure and check them out!!  

FROM MY KITCHEN TO YOURS...

Mexican Pickled Carrots

I had these at a Mexican restaurant once, served along with the chips and salsa.  They were really good, but very unusual, and I knew I had to track down a recipe to make them on my own...  Thank you, oh wonderful internet, I finally found the right one a few years back, and have added them to my canning list. (Though they do not need to actually be processed.)

 

2 lbs. carrots - peeled, cut into large chunks

2 yellow onions - sliced

1 1/2 quarts warm water

7 oz. canned jalapenos - with liquid

1 tbsp. dried Oregano

6 garlic cloves - halved or sliced

2 cups cider vinegar

1/4 olive oil

2 bay leaves

1 tbsp. salt

 

1.  Bring carrots and water to boil in large pot.  Boil for five minutes; remove from heat.

2.  Add remaining ingredients.  Cover and let cool several hours.

3.  Remove peppers before transferring to jars. 

 

Makes 2+ quarts.  Let sit three days before using.

A FAVORITE QUOTE

"Beware of little expenses; a small leak will sink a great ship"  Benjamin Franklin

Pages! Listings!

Hey everyone!  I'm figuring out more of the ins and outs of this blogging site, and now have added some pages with listings for you to see, as well as a page with a search tool to customize your search.  I will update them as listing status changes, or as new properties come on the market.  And, as I get time, I will try and add pages with more content.  For now, there is still a wealth of area information and useful real estate tools, news, etc. on my real estate website at TNTRealEstatePros.com.

Thanks~

Tina Holan

Historic Treasures, Abundant Recreation....

On a recent drive through the Okanogan Highlands, I found plenty of fodder to share on my blog...  It was the perfect winter day - crisp, cold, sunny, and endless blue sky!  The kind of day where thick, white frost clung to trees and barbed wire fences and grasses.  I found dozens of photos waiting to be taken - old barns, ranches, the old Wauconda school, the Wauconda Grange Hall (1917 and still used today!).  All while my camera rested comfortably - on my desk - at home...

Okay.  Well - it made me realize two things:  One, I should ALWAYS take my camera along!  What was I thinking?!?  And two, there are a lot of really neat things to see and enjoy and do here that people from out of area might not realize.  Living in the Aeneas Valley, we decided to take the scenic back roads into Tonasket - a much longer route, but such a pretty drive.  After turning at Wauconda onto Toroda Creek Road, you meander through open ranch lands and timber for several miles, and then come across the old ghost town of Bodie.  One of the many things I love about the Okanogan, are the remnants of history that are still around to be enjoyed.  Another fun place to visit up in this region is Molson.  If you missed my earlier post about this ghost town, you can read about it here.

There is plenty of winter time recreation in the highlands as well.  Sitzmark Ski Hill is a great place for family fun and they have lots of activities scheduled for February.  If snowmobiling is your thing, check out the Bonaparte Sno-Park.  And, Beaver Lake and Beth Lake are popular spots for ice fishing. 

Alright, so I did run back up in the late afternoon and snapped a few photos to share...  They are not the glorious photos I had envisioned while the sun was high in the sky at 11:00 AM, but I will share a few anyway. 

Don't blink, or you will miss Wauconda!  Located on Highway 20, between Tonasket and Republic, this is one stop shopping at it's finest - cafe, groceries, post office and fuel.  Admittedly, I have not eaten here since it changed hands last, but the food has always been pretty darn good!

The old Wauconda school is currently listed for sale for $349,000.  Includes 23+ acres, and 9 RV sites.

And, (shameless plug), also listed for sale in this area is this Hidden Creekfront Retreat for $400,000!

The Wauconda Grange Hall - 1917

And a little about Bodie...

TIP - Research area wells before you buy!

Washington State Department of Ecology has some useful tools to help you research wells in any given area before you buy.  Use this tool to search by tax parcel number, or township, section and range - and remember to include the county that you are researching.  Or, you can search by map.  This well report will show you well depth, gallons per minute, soil type, and when and who drilled the well. 

January Real Estate Update for the Okanogan Valley

OKANOGAN VALLEY MARKET SNAPSHOT

The number of homes sold in the Okanogan Valley in December increased to 15, up from 14 in November, with an average sale price increasing to $183,567, up from $161,300 in November.  Average days on market was 254 days, compared to 209 in November. As of 1/7/11, there were 219 active residential listings.  Search homes here.

Vacant land sales were up in December as well, 11 sold in December compared to 6 in November.   

These are sales reported through the NWMLS and do not include private sales or those from offices who are not members of the NWMLS.  These statistics are deemed reliable, but are not guaranteed.  


DECEMBER RESIDENTIAL SALES

CITY	BED	BATH	SQ. FT.	LOT SIZE	YEAR	$/SF	DOM	ORIG. PRICE	SOLD PRICE
Omak	3	1.00	1,846	0.11 ac	1930	35.21	161	$94,900	$65,000
Conconully	3	0.75	1,232		1983	81.17	177	$120,000	$100,000
Tonasket	4	2.25	2,690	1.10 ac	1918	37.17	8	$109,900	$100,000
Oroville	3	1.00	1,820		1939	64.84	330	$128,000	$118,000
Oroville	3	2.00		0.34 ac	1960		349	$174,000	$124,000
Omak	3	1.75	1,152	0.23 ac	1975	124.13	282	$145,000	$143,000
Oroville	3	2.00	1,263	0.16 ac	2006	126.68	123	$174,900	$160,000
Oroville	2	1.00	906	0.26 ac	1971	198.68	183	$98,000	$180,000
Oroville	2	1.50	2,082	0.94 ac	1911	8646	183	$124,900	$180,000
Tonasket	3	2.00	1,560	11.60 ac	1992	116.67	243	$198,000	$182,000
Omak	3	2.00	1,874	0.28 ac	2008	104.06	182	$239,500	$195,000
Oroville	3	2.00	1,276	9.80 ac	1995	160.66	328	$249,950	$205,000
Oroville	3	2.75	2,240	0.51 ac	1993	123.44	721	$309,900	$276,500
Okanogan	3	2.75	3,776	18.91 ac	1996	86.07	241	$405,000	$325,000
Oroville	2	1.75	1,231	0.06 ac	2007	324.94	304	$439,900	$400,000
AVERAGES			1,782				254	$200,790	$183,567

FEATURED PROPERTIES
 

	JUST LISTED!  Hidden creek-front retreat on 40 acres near Wauconda, along Turner Creek.  Spacious home with many upgraded features, 2 guest cabins, 2 RV hook-ups, and abundant wildlife!  Details here , and don't forget to check out the virtual tour - there is just way to much to see!
	Lakefront home and acreage - SOLD for $182,000!
	GREAT BUY!  20 acres in Aeneas Valley just reduced to $23,000!! Nicely treed, and good signs of water in area.  Close to national forest and recreational/fishing lakes. Contact me for more details.

 
TIDBITS AND LINKS

*  NEW!!  Join T&T Real Estate, LLC on FACEBOOK and hear about new listings, price and status changes and more!  

*  Looking for a home?  Now may be the time to buy... Mortgage costs are going up!  Read this article for more information.
*  Check out Sitzmark Ski Hill in the Okanogan Highlands!  Located just 20 minutes northeast of Tonasket, with 80 acres of ski-able terrain; 30% beginner, 60% intermediate, and 10% advanced.


FROM MY KITCHEN TO YOURS...

Creamy Coconut Squares

A friend recently introduced me to this recipe, which uses coconut flour - something I had not tried before, but YUM!  Coconut flour is a high fiber, high protein, gluten-free, not to mention tasty alternative to wheat or other flour.  It also calls for xylitol in place of sugar, a more more healthful alternative.  Look in your local health food store for ingredients. 

1 tbsp. coconut oil

1 8 oz. package cream cheese

1 cube butter (1/4 lb.)

4 large eggs

2 1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 cup coconut flour

1/2 cup xylitol 

 

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees, grease 11 X 7 pan with coconut oil.  Cream butter, cream cheese and eggs - add remaining ingredients until well blended.  Pour batter into greased pan, bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  Makes 24.

 

A FAVORITE QUOTE

 

Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man.  Benjamin Franklin