April 2019

Saving for a down payment is often the biggest hurdle for a first-time homebuyer. Depending on where you live, median income, median rents, and home prices all vary. So, we set out to find out how long it would take to save for a down payment in each state. Using data from HUD, Census and Apartment List, we determined how long it would take, nationwide, for a first-time buyer to save enough...

In a recent Insights Blog, CoreLogic reported that rent prices have skyrocketed since 2005. Meanwhile, the typical mortgage payment has actually decreased. “CoreLogic’s national rent index was up 36% in December 2018 compared with December 2005, while the typical mortgage payment was down 4% over that period.” Why the difference between the costs of renting versus...

The following analysis of the Western Washington real estate market is provided by Windermere Real Estate Chief Economist Matthew Gardner. We hope that this information may assist you with making better-informed real estate decisions. For further information about the housing market in your area, please don’t hesitate to contact your Windermere agent. ECONOMIC OVERVIEW Washington State...

According to a new survey from Move.com, the wave of first-time homebuyers hitting the market this summer has resulted in an interesting statistic. Nearly 60% of buyers searching for a home this spring are willing to consider buying a fixer-upper, with 95% believing that the projects needed will increase their new home’s value! Realtor.com’s Chief Economist, Danielle Hale, pointed to...

With home prices on the rise and buyer demand still strong, some sellers may be tempted to try to sell their homes on their own rather than using the services of a real estate professional. Real estate agents are trained and experienced in negotiation while, in most cases, the seller is not. Sellers must realize that their ability to negotiate will determine whether or not they get the best deal...

Sold for $925,000 Click Here for Details Lovely, remodeled home in Rosewood on English Hill. The light filled 2,510 s.f. floorplan features 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths on an immaculate 9,245 s.f. lot. Updates include: Newly remodeled kitchen and baths, new carpet and fence. The open entry welcomes you in with beautiful hardwood floors and an elegant staircase. Formal living room with bay window and wood...

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Last fall, some predicted that the 2019 residential real estate market would be a disaster. There was even belief we might experience a housing crash like the one that occurred during the last decade. However, according to two separate reports*, buyer demand dramatically increased over the last three months, leading into this spring buyers’ market (the March data is not yet available). Both...

Interest rates for a 30-year fixed rate mortgage have been on the decline since November, now reaching lows last seen in January 2018. According to Freddie Mac’s latest Primary Mortgage Market Survey, rates came in at 4.12% last week! This is great news for anyone who is planning on buying a home this spring! Freddie Mac had this to say, “Mortgage interest rates have been steadily...

Tony's knowledge base about real estate in general is outstanding. He helped us buy our new house at a good price for us and he seemed to have a contact to fix any problem we needed to address in our new house. We felt Tony went above and beyond to call a roof guy for us to get a roof replacement during a meeting about selling our house. When selling our house, he followed the market closely and was...

Some Highlights: The average down payment for first-time homebuyers is only 6%! Mortgage interest rates have been on the decline since November! Hop in now to lock in a low rate! 88% of property managers raised their rents in the last 12 months! The average credit score on approved loans continues to fall across many loan...

There has been a lot written about millennials and their preference to live in city centers above their favorite pizza place. Some have even gone so far as to say that millennials are a “Renter-Generation”. And while this might be true for some millennials, more and more research has surfaced that shows for the vast majority, owning a home is a major part of their American Dream! New...

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 alienating the 68% 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...

The percentage of home price appreciation on a year-over-year basis has decreased each month for over a year. The question was how far annual appreciation would fall. It seems we may now have the answer. In a recent post on the National Association of Realtors’ Economists’ Outlook Blog, it was revealed that Realtors are starting to sense that home values are beginning to stabilize and that we...

Watch the latest episode of our Bellevue Real Estate Market Update for a recap on our local housing market. We will dive into current inventory levels and housing prices for homes in Bellevue Washington. Would you like to know more about our local real estate market? Contact us here. We are happy to...

Watch the latest episode of our Redmond Real Estate Market Update for a recap on our local housing market. We will dive into current inventory levels and housing prices for homes in Redmond Washington. Would you like to know more about our local real estate market? Contact us here. We are happy to...

Watch the latest episode of our Kirkland Real Estate Market Update for a recap on our local housing market. We will dive into current inventory levels and housing prices for homes in Kirkland Washington. Would you like to know more about our local real estate market? Contact us here. We are happy to...

Watch the latest episode of our Woodinville Real Estate Market Update for a recap on our local housing market. We will dive into current inventory levels and housing prices for homes in Woodinville Washington. Would you like to know more about our local real estate market? Contact us here. We are happy to...

Sold for $621,090 Click Here for Details Beautifully, remodeled rambler on a quiet cul-de-sac in Edmonds. The spacious floorplan boasts 1,504 s.f. and features 3 bedrooms, 1.5 bathrooms on a 6,970 s.f. lot. Updates include: Brand new roof, tankless water heater, double pane windows, new carpet, fresh paint, white millwork, new doors, remodeled kitchen and baths. Beautiful, well manicured front yard...

Tony Meier and team were amazing to work with.  From the first interaction to closing, the team was always on top of everything.  We were especially impressed with the professional photos, video and marketing materials created to showcase our home. Tony and Mary Harlich Sold in Monroe - April...

Watch the latest episode of our Eastside, King & Snohomish County Real Estate Market Update for a recap on our local housing market. We will dive into current inventory levels and housing prices for homes in the Eastside, King & Snohomish County Washington. Would you like to know more about our local real estate market? Contact us here. We are happy to...

As more and more baby boomers enter retirement age, the question of whether they should sell their homes and move has become a hot topic. In today’s housing market climate, with low available inventory in the starter and trade-up home categories, it makes sense to evaluate your home’s ability to adapt to your needs in retirement. According to the National Association of Exclusive Buyers...

In every area of the country, homes that are priced at the top 25% of the price range for that area are considered to be Premium Homes. In today’s real estate market there are deals to be had at the higher end! This is great news for homeowners who want to upgrade from their current house and move-up to a premium home. Much of the demand for housing over the past couple years has come from...

KIRKLAND, Washington (April 5, 2019) - Both pending sales and new listing activity around Western Washington surged during March as buyers, sellers, and brokers emerged from February's record snowfall. Brokers added 10,516 new listings of single family homes and condos to the Northwest Multiple Listing Service inventory last month, the highest monthly volume since August 2018. Compared to the same...

The Housing Market has been a hot-topic in the news lately. Depending on which media outlet you watch, it can start to be a bit confusing to understand what’s really going on with interest rates and home prices! The best way to show what’s really going on in today’s real estate market is to go straight to the data! We put together the following three graphs along with a quote from Chief...

Last week, realtor.com released a survey of active home shoppers (those who plan to purchase their next home in 1 year or less). The survey asked their opinion on an impending recession and its possible impact on the housing market. Two major takeaways from the survey: 42% believe a recession will occur this year or next (another 16% said 2021) 59% believe the housing...

Here are five compelling reasons listing your home for sale this spring makes sense. 1. Demand Is Strong The latest Buyer Traffic Index from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) shows that buyer demand remains 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,...