March 2017

Sold 25% Above List Price with 23 Offers!! Completely remodeled home in the desirable neighborhood of Sheffield on English Hill

Sold for $966,000 Click Here for Details Completely remodeled home in the desirable neighborhood of Sheffield on English Hill. The gracious floorplan boasts 2,260 s.f. and features 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths on a shy acre lot. The list of recent and extensive updates include: Outside- high quality roof, sprinklers and paint. Inside - updated kitchen, remodeled baths and laundry room! The spacious formal...

Looking to Move-Up to a Luxury Home? Now’s the Time!

If your house no longer fits your needs and you are planning on buying a luxury home, now is a great time to do so! We recently shared data from Trulia’s Market Mismatch Study which showed that in today’s premium home market, buyers are in control. The inventory of homes for sale in the luxury market far exceeds those searching to purchase these properties in many areas of the country. This...

Millionaire to Millennials: Buy Now!

Self-made millionaire David Bach was quoted in a CNBC article explaining that "the single biggest mistake millennials are making" is not purchasing a home because buying real estate is "an escalator to wealth.” Bach went on to explain: "If millennials don't buy a home, their chances of actually having any wealth in this country are little to none. The average homeowner to this...

Renting or Buying… Either Way You’re Paying a Mortgage

There are some people who have not purchased homes because they are uncomfortable taking on the obligation of a mortgage. Everyone should realize that, unless you are living with your parents rent-free, you are paying a mortgage - either yours or your landlord’s. As Entrepreneur Magazine, a premier source for small business, explained this month in their article, “12 Practical Steps to Getting...

The Foreclosure Crisis: 10 Years Later

CoreLogic recently released a report entitled, United States Residential Foreclosure Crisis: 10 Years Later, in which they examined the years leading up to the crisis all the way through to present day. With a peak in 2010 when nearly 1.2 million homes were foreclosed on, over 7.7 million families lost their homes throughout the entire foreclosure crisis. Dr. Frank Nothaft, Chief Economist for...

Sold with 20 offers! Great opportunity for first time home buyer or investor!

Sold for $375,000 Click Here for Details Great opportunity  for a first time home buyer or investor! This rambler is 997 s.f and features 3 bedrooms, 2 baths on a 14,810 s.f lot. Recent updates include vinyl double pane windows and high quality roof. Bright, open living room includes bay window and fireplace with wood stove insert. Formal dining room with slider to back deck and yard - perfect...

What Are the Experts Saying about Mortgage Rates?

Mortgage interest rates have risen over the last few months and projections are that they will continue their upswing throughout 2017. What impact will this have on the housing market? Here is what the experts are saying: Laurie Goodman, Co-director of the Urban Institute’s Housing Finance Policy Center: “In 1984, 1994, 2000, and 2013, every time we have rate increases, we have increases in...

It’s a Seller’s Market! Should I Downsize Now?

A study by Edelman Berland reveals that 33% of homeowners who are contemplating selling their houses in the near future are planning to scale down. Let’s look at a few reasons why this might make sense for many homeowners, as the majority of the country is currently experiencing a seller’s market. In a blog, Dave Ramsey, the financial guru, highlighted the advantages of...

4 Great Reasons to Buy This Spring!

Here are four great reasons to consider buying a home today instead of waiting. 1. Prices Will Continue to Rise CoreLogic’s latest Home Price Index reports that home prices have appreciated by 6.9% over the last 12 months. The same report predicts that prices will continue to increase at a rate of 4.8% over the next year. The bottom in home prices has come and gone. Home values will continue to...

Which Homes Have Appreciated the Most?

Home values have risen dramatically over the last twelve months. The latest Existing Home Sales Report from the National Association of Realtors puts the annual increase in the median existing-home price at 7.1%. CoreLogic, in their most recent Home Price Insights Report, reveals that national home prices have increased by 6.9% year-over-year. The CoreLogic report broke down appreciation even...

Don’t Let Your Luck Run Out

Some Highlights: The “Cost of Waiting to Buy” is defined as the additional funds it would take to buy a home if prices and interest rates were to increase over a period of time. Freddie Mac predicts that interest rates will increase to 4.8% by this time next year, while home prices are predicted to appreciate by 4.8% according to CoreLogic. Waiting until next year to buy could cost you...

A Tale of Two Markets: Inventory Mismatch Paints a More Detailed Picture

   The inventory of existing homes for sale in today’s market was recently reported to be at a 3.6-month supply according to the National Association of Realtors latest Existing Home Sales Report. Inventory is now 7.1% lower than this time last year, marking the 20th consecutive month of year-over-year drops. Historically, inventory must reach a 6-month supply for a normal market where...

Sold with 7 offer and 19% above list price! Completely remodeled, Burnstead built, rambler in the desirable neighborhood of Sheffield Greens

Listed at $860,000 Click Here for Details   Completely remodeled, Burnstead built, rambler in the desirable neighborhood of Sheffield Greens. The light filled floorplan features 2,090 s.f., 3 bedrooms, 2 baths on a quiet 10,137 s.f. lot at the back of a quiet cul-de-sac!  Recent updates included new hardwood floors throughout, neutral paint, and completely remodeled baths. Formal living...

Mortgage Interest Rates Went Up Again… Should I Wait to Buy?

Mortgage interest rates, as reported by Freddie Mac, have increased over the last several weeks. Freddie Mac, along with Fannie Mae, the Mortgage Bankers Association and the National Association of Realtors, is calling for mortgage rates to continue to rise over the next four quarters. This has caused some purchasers to lament the fact they may no longer be able to...

Sold 32.8% Above List Price with 41 Offers! Updated tri-level home in the desirable Finn Hill neighborhood of Kirkland.

Sold for $697,000 Click Here for Details Updated tri-level home in the desirable Finn Hill neighborhood of Kirkland. The light filled floorplan features 1,850 s.f., 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths on a 7,123 s.f. lot on a quiet street!  Recent updates include bamboo floors, newer carpet, neutral paint and white millwork. Formal living room with vaulted ceiling, skylights, gas fireplace, built-in...

How to Get the Most Money When Selling Your Home

Every homeowner wants to make sure they get the best price when selling their home. But how do you guarantee that you receive maximum value for your house? Here are two keys to ensuring you get the highest price possible. 1. Price it a LITTLE LOW  This may seem counterintuitive. However, let’s look at this concept for a moment. Many homeowners think that pricing their home a little OVER market...

Builder Confidence Hits 11-Year High

In many areas of the country, there are not enough homes for sale to satisfy the number of buyers looking to purchase their dream homes. Experts have long proposed that a ramp-up in new, single-family home construction would be one of the many ways to overcome this inventory shortage. According to a recent survey conducted by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and Wells Fargo, housing...

Housing Market Expected to “Spring Forward”

Just like our clocks this weekend in the majority of the country, the housing market will soon “spring forward!” Similar to tension in a spring, the lack of inventory available for sale in the market right now is what is holding back the market. Many potential sellers believe that waiting until Spring is in their best interest, and traditionally they would have been right. Buyer demand has...

Thinking of Selling? Do it TODAY!!

That headline might be a little aggressive. However, as the data on the 2017 housing market begins to roll in, we can definitely say one thing: If you are considering selling, IT IS TIME TO LIST YOUR HOME! The February numbers are not in yet, but the January numbers were sensational. Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist for the National Association of Realtors, said: “Much of the country saw robust...

The Connection Between Home Prices & Family Wealth

Over the next five years, home prices are expected to appreciate 3.22% per year on average and to grow by 17.3% cumulatively, according to Pulsenomics’ most recent Home Price Expectation Survey. So, what does this mean for homeowners and their equity position? As an example, let’s assume a young couple purchased and closed on a $250,000 home in January. If we look at only the...

Attention Sellers! 2017 is Your Year to Cash In!

If you have contemplated selling, this is the year you have been waiting for to cash in on the market! The perfect circumstances await Sellers in 2017. The Northwest MLS just reported record low inventory in the Puget Sound. In February 2017, the MLS recorded its lowest level of inventory ever.  This gives seller's a significant edge. Read more here. 59 million Buyers are expected to...

NWMLS Market Report February 2017 – Housing Inventory Reaches Record Low

KIRKLAND (March 6, 2017) - Home buyers are in a spring mood, but sellers are still hibernating, suggested one broker while commenting about the latest statistics from Northwest Multiple Listing Service. Figures for February and feedback from brokers indicate record-low inventory is spurring multiple offers, rising prices, fewer sales, and frustrated house-hunters. Year over-year pending sales...

Mortgage Rates Impact on 2017 Home Values

  There is no doubt that historically low mortgage interest rates were a major impetus to housing recovery over the last several years. However, many industry experts are showing concern about the possible effect that the rising rates will have moving forward. The Mortgage Bankers Association, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the National Association of Realtors are all projecting that mortgage...

SOLD with 3 offers! Lake Serene Hideaway! Custom Built 3 Bedroom Home With Top of the Line Finishes.

Sold for $485,000 Click Here for Details Custom built 3 story home in the desirable neighborhood of Serene Lake. This spacious home is 2,575 s.f. and features 3 bedrooms, 3.5 baths plus a huge bonus room on the 3rd floor. The home is ideally positioned at the back of Serene Village with a fully fenced yard. Top of the line finishes include extensive stone counters, tile, slate flooring on the main...

Over Half of All Buyers Are Surprised by Closing Costs

According to a recent survey conducted by ClosingCorp, over half of all homebuyers are surprised by the closing costs required to obtain their mortgage. After surveying 1,000 first-time and repeat homebuyers, the results revealed that 17% of homebuyers were surprised that closing costs were required at all, while another 35% were stunned by how much higher the fees were than expected. “Homebuyers...