Windermere Lets Pc Owners Shop For Homes Via Internet

With newly accessibly Internet access via the World Wide Web, Windermere Real Estate is offering home buyers access to an on-line database of Northwest properties for sale to the public.

Consumers will eventually be able to electronically preview 15,000 properties represented by Windermere’s 130 offices in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and British Columbia. Home sellers also will have access to prospective buyers worldwide.

Windermere currently has about 300 homes in the World Wide Web database, including color photos of homes featured in Windermere’s Saltwater communities and Waterfront Properties magazine and the upscale Premier Properties.

The service also offers Northwest consumers the ability to communicate with their Windermere sales associates via electronic mail, including the option to select a bilingual agent from the Interpreter Directory.

For more information, call (206) 527-3801 or access the Windermere World Wide Web account at http:/ /windermere.com.

Vacancy statistics for commercial real estate in the United States dropped 1.4 percent in the past year, from 18.3 percent to 16.9 percent at the end of 1994.

The moderately good news also hit the greater Spokane area, which enjoyed a year-end 1994 vacancy rate of 9.9 percent, according to a survey by the Spokane Building Owners and Managers Association International.

The central business district vacancy rate was 14.1 percent, while the combined rate in the Valley, North Side and South Hill was 6.8 percent.

With vacancy rates below 10 percent in their central business districts, Boise and Portland ranked in the top five cities with the lowest overall vacancy rates downtown. San Diego had the highest downtown vacancy rate in the United States - 27.6 percent.

In Canada, the overall vacancy rate declined from 17.3 percent to 16 percent in the past year.

Century 21 Town & Country Real ty Inc. opened a new franchise in Post Falls as part of an overall expansion of Century 21’s Northwest Region.

The new office, which opened March 1 at 2690 E. Seltice Way, employs nine brokers and office manager Hap Hilbish hopes to hire more agents by the end of March.

Century 21, a subsidiary of Metropolitan Life Insurance Co., is the world’s largest real estate sales organization with 6,000 independent franchises in 15 countries. The company has 180 offices and 1,800 sales associates in Washington, Oregon and Idaho.

A three-day conference in San Antonio, Texas, will feature roundtable discussions on real estate trends and relocation fields for independent brokers, managers and corporate marketers.

The workshop, sponsored by Chicago-based Relo/The International Relocation Network, will be Thursday-Saturday.

Forty vendors in electronics, finances and relocation will be represented at the convention, which will draw more than 700 brokers and directors.

“20/20” correspondent Catherine Crier is the feature speaker for the 25th annual seminar. Other speakers include authors Dave Beson and Keith Harrell.

For more information, call Margaret Raye at (312) 424-0428.

TRANSACTIONS

Ardith Divine has purchased 21,560 square feet at N1510 Pines Road. Agent: Randy Franzen of James S. Black Retail Division.

Ardith Divine has also purchased 11,315 square feet at E12318 Mission. Agent: Randy Franzen of James S. Black Retail Division.

The Aikens Limited Partnership has purchased 9,200 square feet of office space at W301 Inidana. Agent: Jeff Johnson of Jeff K. Johnson Co.

Dale Butterfield has leased 5,060 square feet for an industrial building expansion at S109 Scott, Unit A1. Agent: Kiemle & Hagood Co.

Rick Hooke has leased 1,152 square feet at S109 Scott, Unit C1. Agent: Kiemle & Hagood.

Night Rider has leased 1,118 square feet at W422 Riverside Ave., Suite 326. Agent: Linda Cobbs and Craig Soehren of Kiemle & Hagood Co.

Penny & Jeff Bashe bought 2,700 square feet in Colville. Agent: Michael Shannon of Watson Realtors, Inc.

The Allen Corp. has leased 1,500 square feet for The Precision Machine Shop at S109 Scott. Listing Agent: Tracy Lucas of Kiemle & Hagood. Leasing Agent: Gil Miltenberger of James S. Black Industrial Division.