April 2021

Patience Is the Key to Buying a Home This Year

The question many homebuyers are facing this year is, “Why is it so hard to find a house?” We’re in the ultimate sellers’ market, which means real estate is ultra-competitive for buyers right now. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) notes homes are getting an average of 4.8 offers per sale, and that number keeps rising. Why? It’s because there are so few...

Planning to Move? You Can Still Secure a Low Mortgage Rate on Your Next Home

This year, mortgage rates have started to slowly climb above recent record-breaking lows. Many homeowners planning to move may feel like they’ve missed the chance to score a great rate on their next mortgage. In reality, there’s still time to secure a rate far below the historic norm. Here’s why. After creeping up for seven consecutive weeks, average mortgage rates have dropped...

Why This Is a Great Year to Sell Your Vacation Home

As vaccines are administered and travel resumes, many of us are beginning to plan for those long-awaited vacations we missed out on over the past year. Some households are focusing their efforts on buying a vacation home rather than staying in a hotel, too. The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) reports: “Second homes (i.e., homes sold to buyers who are not...

Some Buyers Prefer Smaller Homes

Over the past year, we’ve had plenty of opportunities to reflect on what we consider most important in our lives. The place we call home is one of the biggest things many of us are reevaluating. George Ratiu, Senior Economist at realtor.com, shares: “The very nature of the pandemic, through the health implications, social distancing, and need to isolate, has really...

4 Major Reasons Households in Forbearance Won’t Lose Their Homes to Foreclosure

Protection, Model house and umbrella on white background, Finance insurance and Safe investment concepts There has been a lot of discussion as to what will happen once the 2.3 million households currently in forbearance no longer have the protection of the program. Some assume there could potentially be millions of foreclosures ready to hit the market. However, there are four reasons that won’t...

“We really appreciate his team’s hard, passionate and professional work.”

We have had a lot of experience buying and selling houses in different states.  Tony and his team by far was the best real estate team we've had the pleasure of working with. We were house searching late during my pregnancy. Tony and his team quickly helped settle us in the new home before my delivery due date. After a year and a half, due to family reasons, we needed to move out of Washington State. ...

Northwest MLS Brokers Say Bidding Wars, Escalating Prices, and Buyer Fatigue are Widespread

KIRKLAND, Washington (April 7, 2021)   – Brokers with Northwest Multiple Listing Service (NWMLS) added 10,562 new listings to inventory during March --  the highest volume since September when they added 11,210 properties to the selection. Even so, demand continued to outstrip supply, keeping inventory depleted. The latest statistical summary from Northwest MLS shows double-digit...

Homeownership Is Full of Financial Benefits

A Fannie Mae survey recently revealed some of the most highly-rated benefits of homeownership, which continue to be key drivers in today’s power-packed housing market. Here are the top four financial benefits of owning a home according to consumer respondents: 88% – a better chance of saving for retirement 87% – the best investment plan 85% – the chance to be better...

Sold 30% Above List Price with 19 Offers! Immaculate 4 Bedroom, 2.5 Bath Home with Huge Heated Shop on 1 Acre Lot in Snohomish Neighborhood

Listed at $1,150,000 Click Here For Full Details Traditional two story located in the Maltby neighborhood of Snohomish. The light filled 3,152 s.f. floorplan features 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, den and bonus room on a lush, flat 52,708 s.f. lot. Special features include: 4 season covered patio with built in kitchen, 4 car detached shop, new carpet, beautiful hardwood floors, new roof and  exterior...

Latest Jobs Report: What Does It Mean for You & the Housing Market?

A young woman is telecommunicating and working on a laptop at home. Last Friday, the Bureau of Labor Statistics released a very encouraging jobs report. The economy gained 916,000 jobs in March – well above expert projections of 650,000 to 675,000. The unemployment rate fell again and is now at 6%. What does this mean for you? Our lives are deeply impacted by our nation’s economy....

Don’t Sell on Your Own Just Because It’s a Sellers’ Market

In a sellers’ market, some homeowners might be tempted to try to sell their house on their own (known as For Sale By Owner, or FSBO) instead of working with a trusted real estate professional. When the inventory of homes for sale is as low as it is today, buyers are eager to snatch up virtually any house that comes to market. This makes it even more tempting...

Your Tax Refund and Stimulus Savings May Help You Achieve Homeownership This Year

If you’re planning to buy a home this year, saving for a down payment is one of the most important steps in the process. One of the best ways to jumpstart your savings is by starting with the help of your tax refund. Using data from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), it’s estimated that Americans can expect an average refund of $2,925 when filing their taxes this...

There’s No Reason To Panic Over Today’s Lending Standards

Today, some are afraid the real estate market is starting to look a lot like it did in 2006, just prior to the housing crash. One of the factors they’re pointing to is the availability of mortgage money. Recent articles about the availability of low down payment loans and down payment assistance programs are causing fear that we’re returning to the bad habits seen 15 years ago. Let’s alleviate...