February 2016

Are the Kids Finally Moving Out?

During the recession, many young adults graduating from college were forced to move back in with their parents. This caused new household formations to drop dramatically from the long term average of 1.2 million formations annually to half that number. However, this may be the year this turns back around. According to the Urban Land Institute’s report, Emerging Trends in Real Estate, household...

SOLD FOR 11% ABOVE THE LIST PRICE! Just up from Lake Washington in Kenmore – 4 Bedroom Home with full Mother-In-Law Suite!

Beautifully maintained and updated home on a quiet street in Kenmore. The open floorplan boasts 2,370 and features 4 bedrooms and 1.75 baths and includes a full mother-in-law suite! Recent updates include new roof, fresh paint, new carpet and refinished oak floors. On the main floor: Spacious living room with gleaming hardwood floors, gas fireplace and big windows overlooking the front yard. Formal...

SOLD for 17% Above List Price! Close to Sunrise Elementary on a Quiet Cul-De-Sac Backing to a Greenbelt on English Hill in Redmond

SOLD for 17% Above List Price! Well cared for tri-level home in Sunrise on English Hill. The light filled floorplan features 1970 s.f., 4 bedrooms, 2.25 baths on a quiet 11,227 s.f. cul-de-sac lot backing to the greenbelt! Recent updates included vinyl windows, neutral paint, white millwork and doors. Formal living room with vaulted ceiling, fireplace & big windows overlooking the front yard....

SOLD FOR 5.7% ABOVE THE LIST PRICE! Great View Home in South Bothell in The Promontory West

Listed for $700,000 Fabulous view home in desirable Promontory West on Norway Hill! Promontory West is an outstanding community of view homes with multiple greenspace parks and trail access to the Sammamish River Trail. The formal living room has a recessed ceiling with crown molding, fireplace, bay window overlooking front gardens and large windows with cascade views to the rear. The dining room...

SOLD 2016!! Spacious Two Story Home on Private Lot in Desirable Winchester Hills Neighborhood of Woodinville

SOLD 2016! Beautifully maintained and updated home in the desirable neighborhood of Winchester Hills in Woodinville. The open floorplan boasts 3,009 s.f. and features 4 bedrooms and 2.5 baths with den and bonus room. The formal living room has a vaulted ceiling, fireplace and large windows overlooking the front gardens. The dining room features hardwood floors & wainscoting - it’s a...

Growing Family Causes Move From Smaller to Larger Home on English Hill in Redmond

Tony is an outstanding real estate professional. He offers a great deal of experience and local knowledge as it pertains to the east side. Overall we had two great experiences with Tony. He represented us as a Buyer's agent, a Seller's agent was an asset to us on both sides of the table and can be characterized as the following: - Extremely prepared: was prompt at every meeting and always came prepared...

Do You Know How Much Equity You Have In Your Home? You May Be Surprised!

CoreLogic’s latest Equity Report revealed that 256,000 properties regained equity in the third quarter of 2015. This is great news for the country, as 92% of all mortgaged properties are now in a positive equity situation. Price Appreciation = Good News For Homeowners Frank Nothaft, CoreLogic’s Chief Economist, explains: “Home price growth continued to lift borrower equity positions and...

What You Don’t Need To Hear From Your Listing Agent

You’ve decided to sell your house. You begin to interview potential real estate agents to help you through the process. You need someone you trust enough to: Set the market value on possibly the largest asset your family owns (your home) Set the time schedule for the successful liquidation of that asset Set the fee for the services required to liquidate that asset An agent must be...

Homes Selling Quickly Across The Country

According to the National Association of Realtors’ (NAR) Existing Home Sales Report, homes were on market for an average of 58 days in December. This was slightly longer than the 54 days in November, but still better than the 66 days experienced in December 2014.  32% of homes across the country were on the market for less than a month! Colorado, Utah and Delaware led all states as homes are...

NWMLS Market Report: January 2016 – Lack of Inventory “A Game Changer” For Home Buyers

KIRKLAND, Washington (February 4, 2016) - Depleted inventory is contributing to "overwhelming" traffic at open houses, shifts in strategies for both buyers and sellers, and escalating prices, according to officials with the Northwest Multiple Listing Service. Dick Beeson, a former chairman of the MLS board, said the lack of inventory in almost every county is, "without question, a 2016 game...

Will Appraisals Continue to be a Challenge in 2016?

First American Title issues a quarterly report, the Real Estate Sentiment Index (RESI), which“measures title agent sentiment on a variety of key market metrics and industry issues”. Their 2015 4th Quarter Edition revealed some interesting information regarding possible challenges with appraisal values as we head into 2016. “The fourth quarter RESI found that title agents continue to believe that...

No Matter Which Groundhog You Listen To, You Should Sell Before Spring!

Is spring closer than we think? Depending on which Groundhog you witnessed today, you may have less time than you think to get your home on the market before the busy spring season. Many sellers feel that the spring is the best time to place their home on the market as buyer demand traditionally increases at that time of year. However, the next six weeks before spring hits also have their own...