Hello West Bend Area  Friends!  This is my first attempt at blogging.  Hopefully, you will find it informative and maybe even a little bit inspiring.  On Sunday, I was at the local Pick n Save picking up our typical Sunday supper (Hot Ham & Rolls) when I was approached by a past customer who asked what almost everyone asks;  "How's the Real Estate Market in West Bend?"  My response was " it's interesting"!  I expect it to be a challenging year for Realtors and we will have to work hard for our clients.   Most people are aware that this softer market has brought a lot of media attention, not all of it correct.   National averages aren't always the same as Local averages.  We have to remember that Washington County has always been a good investment and I expect it to continue to be.

The WRA (Wisconsin Realtors Association) reports that the number of homes sold in Washington County for 2007 was 1483, which is just a bit over what it was in 2003.   2004, 2005 and 2006 were banner years that we can only be thankful for and hope they come again in the future.

Yes, it takes longer to sell a home.  The MLS (Multiple Listing Service) showed an 88 day average time on the market for the 4th quarter of 2007.  Yes, homes aren't appreciating as quickly as they were.  Yes, there are more foreclosures. Yes, there are fewer new home starts.  Yes, some people had poor information or poor judgment about their loans. Yes, there are fewer qualified buyers.   Remember your basic economics; less demand equals less money.  

And for Realtors, it's more time consuming, more demanding and more costly to do business. Like I said, it's interesting!