Tracie DeMars Real Estate

09/22/2025

Beautiful home on 1/2 acre right in town. MLS # 262070098 offered at $789,900. Very private home with an enormous back yard. Imagine yourself reading a book lying on the branch of the huge oak tree.

09/18/2025

Gorgeous, and immaculately maintained 2874 sq ft, 6 bedroom home on a landscaped half acre at the end of a dead-end private road . Off of 119th St & 50th Ave, this slice of paradise is fully fenced and very private. You will enjoy all the extra parking and the RV parking space next to the home. This home showcases pride of ownership with freshly painted fiber-cement siding, high-end vinyl windows, granite countertops, fresh paint inside, a newer roof, and more. From the moment you drive up to this home, you will appreciate the obvious care that has been put into it. It looks like it's straight out of a magazine; all it needs is a rocking chair on the stunning front porch, and you. The front sunken living room has a bay window looking out to the beautiful front yard. The spacious laundry/mud room is off the front entryway and has an interior entry into the garage. The garage itself is spotless, with an exterior door to the back patio, a tool bench, and a plethora of military grade wall storage, and even more storage above. Your kitchen has a new disposal, a large granite counter space, and plenty of cabinets with a pantry under the stairs. The sunken family room is vaulted with a brick fireplace with a gas insert and looks out to the expansive backyard. From the kitchen/family room, you can enter the oversized patio that will be the perfect place to enjoy get-togethers with family and friends...and to enjoy your gloriously private and fenced paradise. So much space to play, garden, or for whatever you dream of. Back inside, there are 2 bedrooms on the main floor. The primary bedroom has a walk-in closet with a slider to the backyard, and bedroom #2 next to the primary with a nice-sized closet, perfect for an office, a nursery, or? Up the stairs (with built-in nightlights), you will find 4 more large bedrooms (3 of them with built-in desks!) and another full bath. There is no lack of living space or room to grow here. This beauty checks all the boxes and is a dream to show. Even better? NO HOA!

4419 NE 115th Street, Vancouver
Rmls #262070098
$789,900

Presented by:
Tracie DeMars Real Estate
ReMax
360-903-3504

07/15/2025

Check out the Clark County Fair.

Welcome to the Clark County Fair. Get your discount tickets now through Wilco Farm Stores, Fred Meyer Stores, and Peoples Community Credit Unition.

06/24/2025

Vote your Best of Clark County favorites now through June 29, 2025. Go to BestofClarkCounty.com to see the ballot!

02/07/2025

This beautiful 1580-square-foot townhome offers a spacious and appealing layout. The open-concept floor plan has many desirable features like central air conditioning, a gas stove, high ceilings, polished quartz countertops, stainless steel appliances, an oversized pantry, and LVP flooring. The warm colors and clean lines create an inviting home space. Upstairs you'll enjoy the wide hallway with a linen closet, laundry room, three spacious bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, and a loft for office, play, or craft area. The primary bedroom features a balcony, a walk-in closet, and an upgraded primary bath with quartz counters, dual sinks, and a tiled walk-in shower. This 4-year-old home is truly lovely, with new modern comforts and the convenience of low-maintenance living. The HOA takes care of all exterior maintenance. Conveniently located near shopping and dining amenities, with a park only blocks away, the local schools are the highly sought-after Union High School and Emerald Elementary School. This home is perfect for any home buyer who is looking for a home that offers comfort, convenience, and easy living.
Are you tired of looking at tiny homes with little, or no garage and no room to grow? Tired of looking at homes that need a lot of work? This home may be the answer you are looking for!

15208 NE 70th Street
Vancouver WA
$424,900
mls #746846126

presented by
Tracie DeMars Real Estate
Realtor - ReMax
360-903-3504
www.LearningToBuyAHome.com
www.FreeSellerClasses.com

02/07/2025

If the home is on a septic... does it really need a sewer scope??
REal Estate talk with Tracie DeMars
~~~~~
Real estate is ever-evolving and changing. It is one industry that never remains stagnant and one of the most important things a Realtor needs to do is change with it.
One good example of this is when I was first licensed 20 years ago. Back then an offer on a home was about 8-10 pages and now the paperwork for an offer is about 20-23 pages... at least and it can be even more with additional addendums like a well addendum, a septic addendum, or even if the offer is 'contingent' on the sale of the buyers current home, and that is just a few of the addendums that can be added to a 'basic' offer.
The paperwork we used to list a home was maybe about 10 pages... maybe 15-17 with the sellers' disclosures, and now it is about 40 pages with paperwork for both the local RMLS, and the NWMLS. It is a lot of forms and your Realtor needs to be informed and educated to be able to understand these forms and to be able to explain it to you so that you know and understand WHAT you are signing. Of course, when I was first licensed we used to fax offers back and forth, and we didn't have emails on our cell phones! I mean... not quite dinosaurs walking the earth, but it does feel a bit cro-magnon compared to real estate now.
The paperwork involved in buying, and selling a home changes usually 1-2 times a year, and forms are updated based on changing laws, and any possible court cases. Not all real estate is the same throughout the country and paperwork changes from state to state. Back east buyers and sellers have a Real Estate Agent/Realtor and an attorney who does the paperwork, and how inspections are done is different than here. In our area, Realtors have limited liability to fill out the forms provided to us by the attorneys of the local and state Realtor associations. We can not practice law as we are not attorneys, but we are responsible for filling out the legal forms for a client buying and/or selling their home. If the form is not filled out correctly, or something is missed... your Realtor is legally liable so they have more risk than a Realtor back east. How do you know if your Realtor knows what they are talking about? Ask questions. Albert Einstein once said, "If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough."
Do you know what else has changed? Inspections. In the state of Washington, a home inspector has to be licensed, but that wasn't always the case. What the home inspector looks at, and how long the inspection takes has also changed. Of course, just like everything else... the prices for the home inspection have changed as well. One of the most important changes I think that I have seen with home inspections is the addition of inspections with radon and sewer scopes. As a Realtor, I have talked about the sewer scopes for the past 10 years or so, but it has only been in the last few years have they become more common, and they really are important. I do want to take it one step further though and I will tell you that I encourage a sewer scope even when the home is on a septic system. Hold on... I know what you are thinking.. it is a SEWER scope, not a septic scope, right? If the home that a buyer is making an offer on is on a septic system (on-site sewage), the Septic addendum says that the septic system has to be inspected within the last 12 months, right? Yes, both points are correct... but... I can answer both points with one fact... when a septic contractor comes out to inspect the septic tank, that is all that they are inspecting. They are NOT inspecting the sewage lines from the home to the tank, and honestly, that is where we see a lot of problems.
Ok, storytime...
Late last year I had the sweetest clients who were buying their first home. The home they fell in love with was this super cute tri-level home with a large yard in a cul de sac in Vancouver and on a septic. Not a big deal... many homes in Vancouver (and other areas) have on-site sewage aka... septic. Sometimes the home is on a septic because the sewer line is not available, and sometimes the home is on a septic because when the sewer line came through the homeowner at the time chose not to hook up to the sewer. Yes, when the sewer becomes available to a home on a septic, the current homeowner CAN choose NOT to hook up to the sewer... as long as the current septic is in good working condition. However, if the septic fails... the homeowner (at the time of the septic failure) can not put in a new septic, they will have to hook up to the sewer at that time.
Well, the home that my clients had an accepted offer on had a septic inspection only 6 months prior and the septic inspection said that the tank looked great. Fantastic, right? Well, remember my point from above... I advised my client to have a plumber do a sewer scope (yes, even though the home is on a septic, and the 6-month-old septic report said it looked great), and I also advised my client to have a radon test done as well.
Two points here...
First, I advised my client to have the sewer scope done by a licensed plumber. Yes, some inspectors do their own sewer scopes, but they are not licensed plumbers. Many times when I have assisted a seller a buyers agent has sent in a buyers inspection response where the buyers inspector has said something was wrong with the sewer lines. I always have a licensed plumber come out for a second opinion, and nine times out of ten, they have said that the sewer line was fine, or have countered the inspector with a different opinion. The point is that the home inspector is a home inspector. The licensed plumber is a licensed plumber for the sewage. Two of the inspectors that I refer a lot have plumbers come out to do the sewer scope as a requested part of the home inspection. They understand that having a licensed plumber do the sewer scope means having it done correctly. I appreciate them not trying to 'do it all'. This isn't one-stop shopping my friends.
Secondly, there are some areas (like the heights, and cascade park) that usually have higher radon readings. What is this? Radon has no color, smell, or taste and is a radioactive gas. It comes from the natural decay of uranium that is found in nearly all soils. It typically moves up through the ground to the air above and into your home through cracks and other holes in the foundation. Any home can have radon. I highly advise a radon test (which usually requires 3 days), especially when any part of the home is underground... like with a basement, tri-level, or split-level homes... and homes with a slab foundation.
My clients, bless them, listened to me. Radon levels to be considered 'safe' need to read 4.0 or lower, and the radon levels in this home were about 30.0... over 7x the 'safe' amount. The sewer scope also failed as it was not draining from the pipes. Oh boy...
Radon mitigation isn't too big of a deal and is not usually too expensive. Is it cheap? Well, no, but not as expensive as many other possible issues. Radon mitigation for this home was $1650. That was the easy part, and as there was a bedroom in the basement area of the tri-level, I sleep better knowing that they would be safe.
The failed sewer scope was a whole other problem though. As part of the inspection, my clients requested that due to the failed sewer scope, the seller have the septic either repaired, or the home hooked up to the nearby sewer. Unfortunately, the septic could not be repaired as the drain field was not working. Well, that answers why the septic inspection said it looked great doesn't it... Because the sewer was nearby, a new drain field could not be put in as the septic had failed. So, what is the cost of this? Well, the bid that the seller received was $12,000.
Again, I have been a licensed Realtor for a long time now, and let's be honest here.. I have SEEN THINGS! Remember when I said that 85% of the homes sold are sold by 15% of the Realtors, and we all know each other? There aren't that many of us who have been licensed as long as I have been, and for those of us who do work Real estate full time as a career, well, we talk and share 'war' stories.... just like we all do with friends in the same industry. Also, anyone who has had ANY work done on their home will tell you that it almost always costs more than you think it will.. it's just Murphy's Law.
Well, I would not let my clients close before the sewer work was done, even though it meant that we were going to have to extend closing by about 3 weeks, and there is a reason for this... as you will see...
As the plumbing company started the sewer hook up they found that the sewer line at the road was at a higher elevation than the plumbing for the home was buying. Now, it wasn't just the plumbing from home to the sewer that needed to be done... it was the plumbing IN the home as well that needed to be done. The $12,000 bid turned into $49,000! Yeah... you read that right.. FOURTY-NINE thousand dollars, and that didn't include the cost of the permits.
So what would have happened if my clients had closed before the sewer hook-up was completed? The bid that the seller received for the sewer hook-up ($12,000) meant that the work couldn't be done for two weeks past our original closing date. If my clients had closed on time, and not listened to me when I said that they should wait until after the work was done, then my clients would have been responsible for this difference ($49,000 - $12,000 = $37,000) because only $12,000 would have been held back from the sellers. Let's take this one step further... what would have happened if my clients had NOT done the sewer scope on this home with an on-site sewage/septic that had just been looked at with a glowing report? Well, after living in the home awhile this spring the backyard grass, where the drain field is, would have been very lush....and smelly. My clients, my first-time home buyers, would have had it checked out and found that the drain field had failed and that they would need to hook up to the sewer. In short, it would have been my first-time home buyers who would have been responsible for that $49,000 + bill to hook up to the sewer.
Hold on... I know what you're going to ask... if either of these had happened wouldn't the seller have still been responsible?
Quick answer? No, the seller would not have been responsible, and here's why...
Buyer's Due Diligence. The seller has to legally disclose existing material defects that are known to them. This home had been a rental. The buyer would have had to sue the seller and prove that the seller knew that the septic had failed. As this had been a rental, how would he know? Chances that any of the previous renters knew something was up would be slim, and even if it was a seller/owner-occupied home... the septic inspection came back with a good report, and how would the seller know what was wrong, or if anything was wrong with the septic?
This is why it is important to do the inspections, even when they cost more.. and why it is important to listen to your Realtor... even when you might not like what we have to say. One of the most important things I have learned in Real Estate is that we are always learning as every day, and every deal and home is different and that it is ALWAYS better to be safe than sorry.
Speaking of better safe than sorry... whether you are buying a home (first home, or 10th home) or you are thinking about selling your home... take a home education class!
Home Buyer Class
Saturday 2/8 1pm-3pm Virtual class
Tuesday 2/18 5pm -8pm Marshall Community Center
March
Saturday 3/8 9am-12pm Marshall Community Center
Home Seller Class
Saturday 2/8 10am-12pm Virtual class
Saturday 2/22 10am-1pm Firstenberg Community Center
March
Monday 3/3 5pm-8pm Firstenberg Community Community Center
Go to www.LearningToBuyAHome.com or www.FreeSellerClasses.com to sign up for one of the classes.

01/03/2025

What?? Real Estate isn't like what I see on TV???
January Blog for Home Buyers & Home Sellers

Upcoming Home Buyer & Home Seller classes are available on www.LearningToBuyAHome.com or
www.FreeSellerClasses.com websites
(also some great blogs on there too!)

Hello!
We made it past the holi-daze! Congratulations! It is such a crazy time of the year as we juggle the baking, the family events, who is doing what, or going where, on what holiday, kids out of school, the last-minute gifts, and wrapping ( oh the wrapping... I loathe wrapping!), and so much more. For some, there is the additional pressure of the weather, as not everyone loves the early sunsets, the cold, and the drizzly wet sunshine like I do. There has been a lot going on ... Life is busy, and sometimes something has to give a little even if it 'feels' like it is our sanity sometimes.

One of the first things a client says to me when they want to sell their home is, "Oh my gosh! My house is such a mess right now! Are you sure that you want/need to come over? Can we meet somewhere else?" First, yeah, I want to come over. I have a 'Seller's Guide to Selling Your Home' that talks more about this in more detail, and why it is so important, but quickly... As your Realtor, I need to see your home so I can compare it with comparable homes that are for sale, that are pending, and that have recently sold. This is how we come up with a price range that is going to take you to your next adventure. It also helps me to see if there are any visual items that might need to be repaired, or what we can do now, that might help your home better present itself on the market.
But you know, I do sometimes wonder WHY we all say this? I wonder why for some reason, with everything else going on in our lives, we also think that we are supposed to have a spotlessly clean home like we see on TV... as if our home is going to 'magically' stay clean for longer than 15 seconds. I don't know about you, but between my spouse, our teenager, our 2 dogs, and all of my cats (I have 6 of them! Crazy Cat Lady? Sign me up!) AND our oldest 2 kids, and our amazing grandbabies that are 'popping' in at any given moment, ... if I ever find a genie, my first wish will be to have a home that cleans itself! If you are coming to see my house, give me a week's notice so I can get it clean, but if you are coming to see us... you are leaving with pet fur on your clothes and a full belly. Homes get lived in. Very few homes look like they do when they are on the market. Give yourself some grace. I remind clients of this quite often.

I know that as soon as we set up the appointment to meet to look at your home, you are going to be scrambling to get your home picked up....just like I do with mine... just like the majority of sellers are doing when they have an appointment to show their homes. Sometimes, only sometimes, do I walk into a client's home and find it *chef's kiss* perfect. It does happen occasionally, and if you are one of those people... WHAT IS YOUR SECRET?? Honestly, I am pretty sure it is a superpower... like my husband's ability to walk out of Costco with ONLY the items that he went in there for. He's a monster...

When you are thinking about selling your home, I know that it is a big decision, and the Realtor that you call to assist you is honored, and grateful to have the chance to work for you. We see homes all the time, and trust me when I tell you this, your home is NOT that bad. Very few homes look like they do on TV, or how they do when they are on the market. Sometimes I get questions of why we don't take photos of the garage interiors... well, that is an easy answer... the garage is usually full of the homeowner's stuff that they took out of the home so it would show better.
As a Realtor, during the listing appointment, we will go over how showings work, and how you can get ready to show your home when there is a showing appointment. For many sellers, especially those with pets, and/or children, or who work from home, Next Day showing appointments can be a lifesaver. With next-day showings, you don't have to try to keep your home spotless every day as that is just too much pressure when some days are harder than others and you just want to come home and plop (is that a word?) down on the couch and chill. It is also Murphy's Law that your cat will take that moment to run to the carpet with their latest fur-ball attack.

In a nutshell,
BUYERS....
When you are a Buyer, and you are looking at homes to buy, here are a few things to be aware of...
**When the home is owner-occupied, they most likely can not do a short-notice appointment. Many homes will have a "next day appointments" instruction. Let's plan a day to go look at homes and I will set up an appointment.
**When we have an appointment to show a home, please know that the seller worked hard to make the home show the best it can for you. Just like you, and me, when the in-laws come over, they are scrambling to keep it clean and to prevent their 2, &/or 4-legged babies from their normal chaos. Nothing is worse for a seller than when the Realtor, with their buyers, doesn't show up. I always tell my buyer clients to drive around the homes they are interested in first. If you like what you see, let me know, and I will make an appointment to show the home. This helps prevent the drive-by "ewwwws".
**Some homes will have a floor plan attached to the listing pictures, and some won't. It depends on the listing agent and the photographer that they used. I know that it would be nice if they all had one, but many will not. If you like the drive-by, let's go see the home. Floor plans are great, but seeing the home in person is better.
**Most homes will not have a listing photo of the garage interior. It is a garage. It most likely has most of the seller's belongings in it. I know that the garage is very important for some people (*cough* usually men *cough), and if the garage is important to you, we will see it when we are at the showing appointment.
**The weather is....in a word... wet. Please wear easy on/off shoes, or be prepared to wear shoe booties when we are showing homes.
**Please remember that this beautiful home you are seeing most likely usually looks just like yours, and mine. We are like the in-laws that they cleaned up for, but the only difference is that they want us to come over and see their home. (disclaimer.... this isn't ALL in-laws. I know some people who are pretty fantastic and wonderful in-laws that I would love to have over. They are a blessing.)
**When the home is occupied, or staged for showing, we want to be respectful of the sellers and treat their home, and belongings accordingly. I have grandbabies, and my granddaughter has come with me a few times (just like her mom, uncle, and auntie did when they were little) when I am showing homes. She knows the rule.... we hold hands, we keep our hands to ourselves, and we stay together. It is always a good rule for life. Open the cabinets, check out the pantry, look in the closets, open the crawlspace access if you feel the need (DADS!)...as long as we aren't moving the seller's stuff to do so. If the seller has a bunch of stuff on the crawlspace access door, we will have it looked at during the home inspection...and no matter how cool the seller's Lego collection is... we don't touch it. (It has happened....).

SELLERS....
When you are a homeowner, and you are thinking about selling your home, a few things to remember...
**It is stressful selling your home and letting strangers walk through it. Your Realtor will do everything we can to make it as easy as possible for you. When a Realtor accesses the lockbox to enter your home, your Realtor will get a text/email confirmation of who it was that entered your home, and yes, for about how long they were there too. Some Realtors will leave a business card as a respectful gesture to let you know that they were there, but not every Realtor will. However, your Realtor knows.
**Please remove any, and all, 'sensitive' items from public view. Some of these items may be medicines. Yes, you usually keep it in the bathroom or kitchen cabinets, or counters but people will be opening those. Talk to your Realtor about a few other places that might be a better option for now. I am not going to put those on here though because that would kind of defeat the purpose. Jewelry is another item that you might consider not leaving out. Most people are wonderful and are walking through your home with a Realtor who they know and trust, and who they have a relationship with, but this isn't always the case. Another thing that would be good to be sure that is put away is important papers with sensitive information. I am always surprised about what homeowners leave lying around on the counter, table, or in their office. We are not trying to look, but sometimes curiosity gets the better of people, and they will look at it even if they are not touching it. Valuable items, equipment, and/or sharp items that could present a danger should be put away. Some other items of a sensitive and private nature (I'll leave it up to your imagination) should also be put away. These items always provoke a few jokes and laughs, but it can be awkward, to say the least.
**If there is an item, or maybe a few plants, that you want to take with you to your next home, please let your Realtor know so that we can make certain those items are excluded from the listing. Some items that contractually stay are blinds, drapes, curtain rods, curtains, built-in shelves, stove/oven, built-in microwave, built-in dishwasher (if it is on wheels and mobile, it is excluded), window/door screens, awnings, wood stoves or inserts, attached lights/lighting, attached heating/cooling fixtures (not window units)... basically anything attached to the home.
**Talk with your Realtor regarding your showing ability. Some people are good with only a few hours' notice, but not everyone will be, and that is ok! You aren't a doctor (ok, you might be), but in this case, you don't have to be on call at all hours. Most people will want to see the home on the weekends, or after work hours, but it is ok to put a timeline on your showings. For example, your kids need to be in bed at 8pm...so no showings after 7pm so you can get them there. My kids always needed time to settle down before bed, and my grandbabies do too. Maybe your showings are limited to when you can run home to get your pets (and make sure there aren't any surprises they left for you). It is ok! Buyers are people too, and if they like your home, they will make an appointment. You are not selling your home to EVERY person, just that one person who walks through your door and falls in love.
**Professional photos! Most Realtors have professional photographers who they can call to take photos of your home. It really does make a difference. Few things irritate me as much as looking at terrible home listing photos.
**I have pets. One of my dogs is old, and he has an old dog smell. If you have, or ever had, an old dog, you know what I mean. If you have pets, your home might have smells that you are nose blind to. Amazon (sweet, sweet Amazon) has ozone machines and air purifiers for a very reasonable price. I always have a few in my car, and in my garage ... just in case a seller needs one. As a side note... I know it sucks in this weather, but please clean up puppy 'bombs' in the yard as some people forget to watch where they are walking because they are excited about your home. That is not what you want them to remember about your home when they get back in their car.
**Remember that your home (right now) looks like the majority of our homes on a regular basis... there is stuff on the counter, the couches are all messed up, toys (for either the 2-legged, or 4-legged babies) are on the floor, the bathrooms need to be cleaned, there are probably dishes in the sink, and clothes that need washed, or folded... or put away. We are busy, and there is always something that needs doing. Give yourself grace, and don't be afraid to ask for help. Selling can be stressful, and we will do all we can to assist you with your home adventure, and to help make your home shine like a diamond. Some things we can't help with, like the cat running to the carpet, rug, or bed... Every Single Time... but many things we can assist with, or know someone who can. There aren't many things that are so big that we can't help you find a solution, and never, ever, EVER compare what your home looks like to listing photos of the homes for sale on the internet because those homes didn't look like that either before they went on the market.

Happy New Year from my family to yours! Here is to 2025... and no one better jinx it. Let's all walk softly, and maybe it won't notice we are here.

As always, "may the odds ever be in your favor" I am here for any questions, and always available to help you with your next Home Adventure... Whether you are buying, or selling... I got you Boo! I appreciate you, and your referrals more than words can express. Thank you!

Have a great day, and I will talk to you soon,

Tracie DeMars
Real Estate broker
Re/Max - Van Mall
360/ 903-3504 cell
www.traciedemars.com
[email protected]

“Interested in free and non promotional home education classes? Go to www.learningtobuyahome.com or www.freesellerclasses.com for local upcoming home BUYER and home SELLER classes, or facebook: Tracie DeMars Real Estate for my educational blog.”

"Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me... Anything can happen, child. Anything can be."
- Shel Silverstein, American poet, cartoonist and composer, (1930 - 1999).