September 2017

The number of building permits issued for single-family homes is the best indicator of how many newly built homes will rise over the next few months. According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau and U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development Residential Sales Report, the number of these permits were up 7.7% over last year. How will this impact buyers? More inventory means...

How do you select the members of your team who are going to help you make your dream of owning a home a reality? What should you be looking for? How do you know if you’ve found the right agent or lender? The most important characteristic that you should be looking for in your agent is someone who is going to take the time to really educate you on the choices available to you and your ability to...

According to a 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...

Every homeowner wants to make sure they maximize their financial reward when selling their home. But how do you guarantee that you receive maximum value for your house? Here are two keys to ensure that 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...

Some Highlights: The National Association of Realtors (NAR) recently released their latest Existing Home Sales Report. First-time homebuyers made up 31% of all sales in August. Homes are selling quickly with 51% of homes on the market for less than a month. A limited supply continues to drive up prices for the 66th consecutive...

There is no doubt that the largest challenge in today’s housing market is a lack of housing inventory for sale. This challenge has been defined as an “overwhelming lack of supply,” and even a “straight up inventory crisis.” First American just released the results of a survey which sheds light on the reasons for the current lack of supply. The...

Recently released data from Fannie Mae’s National Housing Survey revealed that rising home prices were the catalyst behind an eight-point jump in the net percentage of respondents who say now is a good time to sell. The index is now 21 points higher than it was this time last year. Overall, 62% of Americans surveyed said that now is a good time to sell (up from 58%), while 26% of...

Sold for $1,050,000 Click Here for Details Elegant and spacious home with tasteful updates throughout, in the desirable neighborhood of Sheffield on English Hill. The gracious floorplan boasts 3,160 s.f. and features 5 bedrooms, 3.5 baths on a 35,100 s.f. lot. The list of recent and extensive updates include: Outside: Freshly painted. Inside: Updated kitchen and baths, new carpet and refreshed...

Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae, and The Mortgage Bankers Association are all projecting that home sales will increase in 2018. Here is a chart showing what each entity is projecting in sales for the remainder of this year and the next. As we can see, each entity is projecting sizable increases in home sales next year. If you have considered selling your house recently, now may be the...

Some Highlights: “The majority of millennials said they consider owning a home more sensible than renting for both financial and lifestyle reasons — including control of living space, flexibility in future decisions, privacy and security, and living in a nice home.” The top reason millennials choose to buy is to have control over their living space, at 93%. Many millennials who rent a...

Hearth just released their 2017 State of the American Dream report which showed that Americans still see homeownership as an integral piece of the American Dream. The report confirmed that “all generations–including millennials–agree homeownership is very important to achieving the American Dream.” Americans ranked “owning a home I love” higher than any...

Married couples once again dominated the first-time homebuyer statistics last year at 66% of all buyers, according to the most recent Profile of Home Buyers & Sellers. It is no surprise that having two incomes to save for down payments and contribute to monthly housing costs makes buying a home more attainable. Many couples are deciding to use what would otherwise be their wedding fund as a...

In this day and age of being able to shop for anything anywhere, it is really important to know what you’re looking for when you start your home search. If you’ve been thinking about buying a home of your own for some time now, you’ve probably come up with a list of things that you’d LOVE to have in your new home. Many new homebuyers fantasize about the amenities that they see on television...

Some Highlights: The concept of supply & demand is a simple one. The best time to sell something is when the supply of that item is low & the demand for that item is high! Anything under a 6-month supply is a seller’s market! Nationally, there has not been a 6-months inventory supply since August 2012! Inventory levels differ depending on the area of the country and price range,...

Thank you, Tony and Wendi, for being our agents. The process went so smoothly with you answering all our questions and responding to all of our questions and requests promptly - we felt confident in your skills and your experience and trusted you would take care of us, which you did. We would not hesitate to recommend you to our friends. Tony and Mandy Andrea Sold in Redmond - August...

Sold for $635,000 Click Here for Details Lovely, remodeled home in the desirable neighborhood of Finn Hill in Kirkland. This spacious floorplan boasts 1,940 s.f. and features 4 bedrooms, 1.75 baths on a 7,345 s.f. lot. The list of recent updates include: Outside - Freshly painted exterior, resealed driveway, newer composite deck and double pane windows. Inside - remodeled kitchen and bathrooms, new...

Dear Tony: I want to thank you for the amazing, no-hassel job and exceptional work you did for me on the sale of my triplex apartment building in Seattle. You managed to make more money for me than the initial sales price even though the building never actually went on the market! That’s some kind of magic! The process was so easy with you taking care of the details and interacting with the...

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 6.7% over the last 12 months. The same report predicts that prices will continue to increase at a rate of 5.0% over the next year. The bottom in home prices has come and gone. Home...

The biggest challenge in today’s real estate market is a lack of housing inventory. How big of a challenge is the housing shortage? Here are what four industry economists are saying on the issue (emphases added): Mark Fleming, First American’s Chief Economist “The underlying fundamental issue is an overwhelming lack of supply… The supply of newly constructed homes is also...

Sold for $788,000 Click Here for Details Stunning, remodeled home in the desirable neighborhood of Sunrise on English Hill. The great room style floorplan boasts 1,670 s.f. and features 3 bedrooms, 1.75 baths on a 8,415 s.f. lot. The list of recent and extensive updates include: Outside - high quality roof and refinished deck. Inside - Remodeled kitchen and laundry room, updated bathrooms, new carpet...

KIRKLAND, Washington (Sept. 6, 2017) - As smoke and ash blanketed parts of Washington state, one real estate broker noted, "Even in a fire there are some cooler spots, and seasonally, the housing market is in a cooler spot." The latest numbers from Northwest Multiple Listing Service show there are both cooler spots and hot spots, with the demand for housing and prices showing few signs of being...

There are some homeowners who are patiently waiting to get the price they hoped for when they originally listed their houses for sale. Something these homeowners might want to take into consideration is the fact that if their homes haven’t sold yet, maybe they’re not priced properly. After all, 14,904 houses sold yesterday, 14,904 will sell today, and 14,904 will sell...

Today, many real estate conversations center on housing prices and where they may be headed. That is why we like the Home Price Expectation Survey. Every quarter, Pulsenomics surveys a nationwide panel of over one hundred economists, real estate experts, and investment & market strategists about where they believe prices are headed over the next five years. They then average the...

Some Highlights: Hiring a real estate professional to buy your dream home, or sell your current house, is one of the most 'educated' decisions you can make! A real estate professional has the experience needed to help you through the entire process. Make sure that you hire someone who knows current market conditions & can simply and effectively explain them to you and your...

Here are five reasons listing your home for sale this fall makes sense. 1. Demand Is Strong The latest Buyer Traffic Report from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) shows that buyer demand remains very strong throughout the vast majority of the country. These buyers are ready, willing, and able to purchase… and are in the market right now! More often than not,...