May 2017

Selling Your Home? Is Your Listing ‘Pet-Friendly’?

One of the many benefits of owning your own home is the freedom to find your ‘furever’ friend. By pointing out the aspects of your home that make it ‘pet-friendly’ in your listing, you’ll attract these buyers rather than alienate the 61% of American households that have a pet! If you are one of the many homeowners looking to list your home for sale, how do you stand out to the millions of...

#1 Answer to the Housing Shortage: New Construction

The biggest challenge to today’s housing market is the shortage of housing inventory for sale. A normal market would see a six-month supply of homes for sale. Currently, that number is below four months. This is the major reason home prices have continued to appreciate at higher levels than historic averages. The good news is that builders are now starting to build more homes in lower price...

4 Tips for Effectively Making an Offer

So, you’ve been searching for that perfect house to call a ‘home,’ and you finally found one! The price is right, and in such a competitive market, you want to make sure that you make a good offer so that you can guarantee that your dream of making this house yours comes true! Freddie Mac covered “4 Tips for Making an Offer” in their latest Executive Perspective. Here are...

3 Reasons the Housing Market is NOT in a Bubble

With housing prices appreciating at levels that far exceed historical norms, some are fearful that the market is heading for another bubble. To alleviate that fear, we just need to look back at the reasons that caused the bubble ten years ago. Last decade, demand for housing was artificially propped up because mortgage lending standards were way too lenient. People that were not qualified to...

Gallup: Real Estate is Best Long-Term Investment 4 Years Running

Every year, Gallup surveys Americans to determine their choice for the best long-term investment. Respondents are given a choice between real estate, stocks/mutual funds, gold, savings accounts/CDs, or bonds. For the fourth year in a row, Real Estate has come out on top as the best long-term investment! This year’s results showed that 34% of Americans chose real estate, followed by stocks at 26%....

Inventory Shortages Are Slowing Down the Market

The real estate market is moving more and more into a complete recovery. Home values are up. Home sales are up. Distressed sales (foreclosures and short sales) have fallen dramatically. It seems that 2017 will be the year that the housing market races forward again. However, there is one thing that may cause the industry to tap the brakes: a lack of housing inventory. While buyer demand looks like...

Sold 20% Above List Price with 9 Offers! Gorgeous, remodeled home in the desirable neighborhood of Wembley Park in Woodinville

Sold for $811,000 Click Here for Details Stunning, remodeled home in the desirable neighborhood of Wembley Park. This spacious floorplan boasts 2,550 s.f. and features 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths on a 6,256 s.f. lot. The list of recent and extensive updates include remodeled kitchen, baths, laundry room and gorgeous cherry wood floors throughout.  Formal living room features white millwork and an...

Sold for Full List Price! Beautiful Home with In-law Suite in the Desirable Neighborhood of Olde Morrison Place on English Hill in Redmond

Sold for $850,000 Click Here for Details Stunning home with in-law suite in Olde Morrison Place on English Hill. The light filled 3,600 s.f. floorplan features 6 bedrooms, 4 baths on a sunny 12,570 s.f. lot. This one of a kind home, includes a private in-law suite, fully fenced yard and an attached three car garage with storage options. The gracious two story entry welcomes you in. Formal living...

Is 2017 the Year to Move Up to Your Dream Home? If So, Do It Early!

If you are considering moving up to your dream home, it may be better to do it earlier in the year than later. The two components of your monthly mortgage payment (home prices and interest rates) are both projected to increase as the year moves forward, and interest rates may increase rather dramatically. Here are some predictions on where rates will be by the end of the year: Freddie Mac “While...

Do You Know the Cost of Waiting?

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 4.9% according to CoreLogic. Waiting until next year to buy could cost you...

Financial Planning: 4 Reasons to Buy a House Today

Homeownership will always be a part of the American Dream. There are advantages to owning your own home (educational, health, social) that far transcend any economic impact. However, we want to look at several of the financial advantages of homeownership in today’s post. 1. Buying is Cheaper Than Renting The results of the latest Rent vs. Buy Report from Trulia show that homeownership remains...

Buying a Home? Do You Know the Lingo?

Buying a home can be intimidating if you are not familiar with the terms used during the process. To start you on your path with confidence, we have compiled a list of some of the most common terms used when buying a home. Freddie Mac has compiled a more exhaustive glossary of terms in their “My Home” section of their website. Annual Percentage Rate (APR) – This is a broader measure of your...

Sold 7% Above List Price! Wonderfully Updated Home in the Desirable Neighborhood of Heritage Hills in Sammamish

Sold for $827,600 Click Here for Details Updated home in the desirable neighborhood of Heritage Hills. This spacious floorplan boasts 2,750 s.f. and features 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths on a 9,828 s.f. lot. The list of recent updates include: Outside - New driveway and rear deck. Inside - New carpet, updated kitchen and remodeled baths and laundry room. Formal living room features a soaring ceiling and...

Sold 26% Above List Price with 9 Offers! Gracious and Flowing Tri-Level Home in the Desirable Neighborhood of English Hill in Redmond

Sold for $820,000 Click Here for Details Gracious and flowing home in Olde Morrison Place on English Hill. The light filled 2,190 s.f. floorplan features 3 bedrooms, 2.25 baths on a sunny 8,531 s.f. lot. The bright, open entry welcomes you in. Formal living room with bay windows and vaulted ceilings. Formal dining room with decorative ceiling overlooks rear yard. Big kitchen with vaulted ceilings,...

Sold 21% Above List Price with 10 Offers! Lovely Two Story with Large Yard in the Desirable Neighborhood of English Hill in Redmond

Sold for $850,000 Click Here for Details Lovely, bright and spacious home in Coventry on English Hill. The light-filled 2,310 s.f. floorplan features 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths and a huge bonus room on a flat, cul-de-sac lot that is 8,867 s.f. The open, two story entry welcomes you in. Formal living room with bay windows and white millwork. Formal dining room with large window showcasing the serene rear...

Western Washington Real Estate Market Update – Matthew Gardner

Posted May 1 2017, 11:00 AM PDT by Matthew Gardner, Chief Economist, Windermere Real Estate Western Washington Real Estate Market Update Posted in Market News and Western Washington Real Estate Market Update by Matthew Gardner, Chief Economist, Windermere Real Estate ECONOMIC OVERVIEW I’m happy to report that Washington State continues to add jobs at a steady rate. While the rate of growth is...

NWMLS Market Report April 2017 – Shrinking Inventory Puts “Stranglehold” on Sales Around Western Washington

KIRKLAND, Washington (May 4, 2017) - "Frustrating" is how brokers are summarizing the mood of buyers, brokers - and industry professionals - during the current housing market frenzy. New statistics from Northwest Multiple Listing Service show declines in inventory and sales, while prices continue their upward trajectory, but those numbers only tell part of the story. "The real estate market is going...

Sold 28% Above List Price with 7 Offers! Light Filled, Cul-De-Sac Home in the Desirable Neighborhood of English Hill on Redmond

Sold for $895,000 Click Here for Details Gorgeous, two story home in Olde Morrison Place on English Hill. The light filled 2,030 s.f. floorplan features 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths on a lush 9,869 s.f. lot. The home is ideally situated at the back of a quiet cul-de-sac. The gracious two story entry welcomes you in. Formal living room with bay windows and vaulted ceiling. Formal dining room decorative...

Get All the Facts about PMI

When it comes to buying a home, whether it is your first time or your fifth, it is always important to know all the facts. With the large number of mortgage programs available that allow buyers to purchase a home with a down payment below 20%, you can never have too much information about Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI). What is PMI? Freddie Mac defines PMI as: “An insurance policy...

Is the Current Pace of Home Sales Maintainable?

There are some experts questioning whether the current pace of residential home sales is maintainable. Are too many people buying homes like in 2004-2006? Are we headed for another housing crisis? Actually, if we look closely at the numbers, we can see that we are looking at a very healthy real estate market. Why the concern? Some are looking at the last four years of home sales and comparing them to...