This year Washington State enacted the Foreclosure Fairness Act which will provide assistance to those families and individuals who are struggling to make their mortgage. If you have fallen behind or are looking at the need to begin falling behind this video will be a huge help to you. It will explain your rights and the services available through the Foreclosure Fairness Act.

If you live in Clark County, WA and would like additional assistance please feel free to reach out. We’re here to help. While you likely feel like you’re the only one struggling to make the mortgage, rest assured, you’re not. Many times every single week we meet with families and individuals who for one reason or another find themselves at that crossroad of what to do regarding their house payment. Let us help you wade through these murky waters and help you get to the other side as smoothly as possible.

Today is the day. I launch my new little “project” by highlighting a new neighborhood in Clark County, WA each week. As I mentioned last week I’m sure it will morph as time goes on and I get into a normal routine. Let me get right to it. I figured that I might as well start with one of our oldest neighborhoods in Vancouver, WA.

Arnada neighborhood

Arnada is one of our oldest neighborhoods in downtown Vancouver and one of my favorites too. It is bounded on the east side by I-5, on the south by 15th Street, Main Street is the western boundary and Fourth Plain tops it off on the north. Here’s a little video snapshot of Arnada.

Please check back throughout this week as I share about this great neighborhood.

It should be no secret by now that I love my hometown of Vancouver, WA. I love everything about Clark County, WA (yes, I also love Clark Co, NV. Viva Las Vegas!).

As I was nearing the “end” of 365 Things To Do In Vancouver, WA I decided I should figure out how to expand what I spent a year doing. I wanted to do something that would allow me to continue highlighting great things to do all over town and also re-share all the things I wrote about last year. I want to continue promoting our local businesses, events, parks, trails and activities. I also want to share details about the neighborhoods these wonderful places and events “live” in.

So, today I introduce my next “project”. Beginning on Monday, March 7, 2011 I’ll begin spotlighting a Clark County, WA Neighborhood of the Week. Each week I’ll focus on one particular neighborhood. I’ll share general information, demographic data, school data, etc. about that neighborhood. I’ll highlight local parks, restaurants and activities. I’ll likely share a “Home of the Week” as I preview homes for sale in the neighborhood. I’ll also be creating a map of all the homes for sale in each neighborhood. This map will also include the “365 Things To Do In Vancouver, WA” posts I’ve written over the last year. My hope is to create a complete Clark County, WA neighborhood resource guide for those who already live there plus share it with others who might like to make that neighborhood home.

Having listed and sold single family and multi-family real estate in Clark County since 1994, I’ve learned that people buy neighborhoods. This guide will help share the great things about each neighborhood as well as continue to promote supporting our local businesses. We all must work together to help keep our local economy strong and thriving.

This newest “project” will be a constant work in progress. I’m sure as it begins I’ll tweak and modify it as necessary to hopefully make it better each week. Of course, there is also a Clark County WA Neighborhood of the Week Facebook page where each post will be shared with a larger audience. Please feel free to “Like” it.

If you have neighborhood information to share please send me a message through the “Meet Up With Dale” box on the sidebar. I’d love to hear from you. Let’s all work together to make this the best site possible.

See you all 3-7-11!

Today’s Monday market statistics are brought to you by the numbers 9-8-6-6-4.

It is Monday and that means we get to look at some more of our Vancouver area market statistics. A few weeks back we looked at the Fishers Landing and Cascade Park areas of Vancouver. This week we’ll work our way West and head into the Vancouver Heights area. Specifically we’ll look at zip code 98664. As always, I’ll post the statistics with a link to go see them much larger and easier. They’ll give you the December snapshot showing things like number of new listings, number of sales, average days on the market, rate of appreciation, average sales prices, etc.

(You can click on image for full size)

As always, take a look at all the numbers. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to shoot me an email, make a call or send me a text. If you want more detail of a more specific set of market data, let me know!

Curious about how the new extended Home Buyer Tax Credit works? Here is a great little video that breaks it down in simple terms. Take a look and I hope it helps.

Today’s Monday real estate market statistics are brought to you by the numbers 9-8-6-8-3.

It is Monday and that means we get to look at some more of our Clark County area real estate market statistics. Last week we looked at what is happening in the Camas, WA and Washougal, WA real estate market. This week we’re going to head West to Fishers Landing and Cascade Park. As always, I’ll post the statistics with a link to go see them much larger and easier. They’ll give you the November snapshot showing things like number of new listings, number of sales, average days on the market, rate of appreciation, average sales prices, etc.

(Please click on image for larger view)

As always, take a look at all the numbers. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to shoot me an email, make a call or send me a text. If you want more detail of a more specific set of market data, let me know!

Today’s Monday real estate market statistics are brought to you by the numbers 9-8-6-0-7 and 9-8-6-7-1.

It is Monday and that means we get to look at some more of our Clark County area real estate market statistics. Last week we looked at what is happening in the Battle Ground, WA real estate market. This week we’re going to head back South and East to the Camas and Washougal areas of Clark County. As always, I’ll post the statistics with a link to go see them much larger and easier. They’ll give you the October snapshot showing things like number of new listings, number of sales, average days on the market, rate of appreciation, average sales prices, etc.

Let’s get started in Camas, WA

(Please click on image for larger view)

Now we can move next door to Washougal, WA

(Please click on image for larger view)

As always, take a look at all the numbers. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to shoot me an email, make a call or send me a text. If you want more detail of a more specific set of market data, let me know!

Today’s Monday real estate market statistics are brought to you by the numbers 9-8-6-0-4.

It is Monday and that means we get to look at some more of our Clark County area real estate market statistics. Last week we looked at what is happening in the Ridgefield, WA real estate market. This week we’ll head East to the area of Battle Ground. As always, I’ll post the statistics with a link to go see them much larger and easier. They’ll give you the October snapshot showing things like number of new listings, number of sales, average days on the market, rate of appreciation, average sales prices, etc.

Let’s head to Battle Ground, WA now

(Please click on image for larger view)

As always, take a look at all the numbers. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to shoot me an email, make a call or send me a text. If you want more detail of a more specific set of market data, let me know!

Today’s Monday market statistics are brought to you by the numbers 9-8-6-4-2.

It is Monday and that means we get to look at some more of our Clark County area real estate market statistics. Last week we looked at what is happening in the Salmon Creek, NW Vancouver areas of 98665, 98685 and 98686. This week we’ll head north along I-5 to the Ridgefield area. As always, I’ll post the statistics with a link to go see them much larger and easier. They’ll give you the October snapshot showing things like number of new listings, number of sales, average days on the market, rate of appreciation, average sales prices, etc.

Let’s look at Ridgefield now

(Please click on image for larger view)

As always, take a look at all the numbers. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to shoot me an email, make a call or send me a text. If you want more detail of a more specific set of market data, let me know!

Buying a house? Thinking about buying a house? Getting ready to close on a home? Are you completely confused about what Closing Costs are? Does the whole thing give you a headache and you wish someone could give you a super simple explanation about them. Well, today is your lucky day. Here is a great little 3 minute video that is Closing Costs 101.

Give it a watch and I bet it will help.

If you have any questions about this or anything else real estate related please feel free to shoot me a call or an email and I’ll do my best to get you an answer.

Today my wife, Bridget is hosting a Blog Carnival over on her One Word At A Time… blog. I’m very excited for her and happy she’s gotten as involved as she has in blogging and social networking. She’s having a wonderful time meeting some great new friends and I just know that one of these days she’s going to get that call she so badly desires… “Bridget, we’d like to have a conversation about getting your writing published and distributed.”

As I mentioned, her blog is “Hoping To Make A Difference… One Word At A Time…” and for each post she takes a single word and expands upon it through her experiences and perspective. Since she is hosting this Blog Carnival the idea was to keep with her “One Word” theme. To read all the Blog Carnival entries you need to head over to this post.

The word for today’s carnival is…

Trust

As a Realtor this word resonates within me. Am I trustworthy? Do people trust me? On a daily basis I am responsible for the largest investment most people will ever make. Do I handle that responsibility with care? Do I earn each clients trust?

What is trust?

Whether online or offline, I desire to act in a manner that earns everyone’s trust through being genuine and honest. Chris Brogan and Julien Smith have just released their newest book Trust Agents that discusses the concept of online trustworthiness. From the inside cover you see:

Trust agents aren’t necessarily marketers or salespeople; they’re the digitally savvy people who use the Web to humanize businesses using transparency, honesty, and genuine relationships.

Real estate is a human business! Even with all the automation of home searching and valuations, ultimately it is a human business. I believe that anyone who originally met me online would say that I’m the same guy IRL (In Real Life). I’m generally the same goofy guy who loves to take pics of food and anything else that crosses my path, engage in great conversation, listen when an ear is needed. Maybe point someone in the direction of help if I know someone who can help. I don’t do these things because I have to, I do them because it’s who I am. I think Jeff Turner summed it up wonderfully:

“You can always tell when someone is sincerely interested in helping others and when they merely want you to think they’re interested. Dale proves over and over again, that he is truly interested in helping others. For a real estate professional, that’s a gift. I’m honored to know Dale and pleased I can count him as a client and a friend.”

These are words that humble me and make me smile. (Thank you again Jeff, I’m honored to call you friend as well!) Everyone wants to think they are trustworthy but unfortunately all are not.

Realtors are one step above Multi-Level Marketers

Wow! Those are words that hurt. Tonight I was out with a few friends and we were talking about online and offline reputations and the above statement came out of one of their mouths. They did not direct it at me but it was directed at the industry I am a part of. I’ve also heard from more than one individual that real estate professionals are not much (or any) better than used car salesmen.

Why do people continue to work with people they don’t trust? This escapes me. If you have that feeling about someone, why not move along and find someone you do trust? Especially when dealing with such a large investment. Trust is critical! Why place such an enormous responsibility in the hands of a “MLM or used car salesman”? I don’t know the answer, but it is an interesting question.

So, do you trust your real estate professional? Have they earned your trust? I certainly hope so. Are you a real estate professional? Are you trustworthy? Are you going above and beyond to earn the trust of those who need you and your service? I certainly hope so.

Trust Agents photo by Chris Brogan, used under Creative Commons licensing
We Con photo by boeke, used under Creative Commons licensing