November 2022

Buying or selling Real Estate on Seattle’s Eastside this week? HERE’S THE NEWS YOU NEED TO KNOW!

https://youtu.be/TOxaVFFS36U Wednesday Update: Seattle's Eastside Residential Market Update for the week of 11/30/22. This Eastside Update encompasses the cities of Bellevue, Bothell, Carnation, Clyde Hill, Duvall, Fall City, Issaquah, Kirkland, Kenmore, Medina, Mercer Island, Newcastle, North Bend, Redmond, Sammamish and Woodinville We have mixed news to share this week. Watch our video for all the...

3 Ways You Can Use Your Home Equity

If you’re a homeowner, odds are your equity has grown significantly over the last few years as home prices skyrocketed and you made your monthly mortgage payments. Home equity builds over time and can help you achieve certain goals. According to the latest Equity Insights Report from CoreLogic, the average borrower with a home loan has almost $300,000 in...

Your House Could Be the #1 Item on a Homebuyer’s Wish List During the Holidays

  Each year, homeowners planning to make a move are faced with a decision: sell their house during the holidays or wait. And others who have already listed their homes may think about removing their listings and waiting until the new year to go back on the market. The truth is many buyers want to purchase a home for the holidays, and your house might be just what...

Thanksgiving brings changes to Seattle’s Eastside Real Estate Market. Watch our video for the latest update!

https://youtu.be/oEF87T900Fw Wednesday Update: Seattle's Eastside Residential Market Update for the week of 11/23/22. This Eastside Update encompasses the cities of Bellevue, Bothell, Carnation, Clyde Hill, Duvall, Fall City, Issaquah, Kirkland, Kenmore, Medina, Mercer Island, Newcastle, North Bend, Redmond, Sammamish and Woodinville I cover some nice improvements for the Seattle's Eastside Real...

What Homeowners Want To Know About Selling in Today’s Market

If you’re thinking about selling your house, you’re likely hearing about the cooling housing market and wondering what that means for you. While it’s not the peak intensity we saw during the pandemic, we’re still in a sellers’ market. That means you haven’t missed your window. Realtor.com explains: “. . . while prospective home sellers may lament that they missed their...

Mortgage Rates Will Come Down, It’s Just a Matter of Time

This past year, rising mortgage rates have slowed the red-hot housing market. Over the past nine months, we’ve seen fewer homes sold than the previous month as home price growth has slowed. All of this is due to the fact that the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate has doubled this year, severely limiting homebuying power for consumers. And, this month, the average rate for...

Want to buy or sell real estate in Seattle’s Eastside this week – HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW!

https://youtu.be/IbQLCQTBVTw THE NUMBERS: Active Listings reached their highest level this year on 7/27/22 at 1189. Active Listings are down from last week. 916 vs 944 a 3% decrease. Compared to a year ago this week, listings are up 589%.  Active List Prices peaked this year in the week of 3/9/22 with the median at $2,499,500. As of this week they are at a median price of...

Top Questions About Selling Your Home This Winter

There’s no denying the housing market is undergoing a shift this season, and that may leave you with some questions about whether it still makes sense to sell your house. Here are three of the top questions you may be asking – and the data that helps answer them – so you can make a confident decision. 1. Should I Wait To Sell? Even though the supply of homes for sale has increased in 2022,...

Why It May Be Time To Add Newly Built Homes to Your Search

If you put a pause on your home search because you weren’t sure where you’d go once you sold your house, it might be a good time to get back into the market. If you’re willing to work with a trusted agent to consider a newly built home, you may have even more options and incentives than you realize. That may be why the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) says the...

Home Equity: A Source of Strength for Homeowners Today

Experts agree there’s no chance of a large-scale foreclosure crisis like we saw back in 2008, and that’s good news for the housing market. As Mark Fleming, Chief Economist at First American, says: “. . . don’t expect a housing bust like the mid-2000s, as lending standards in this housing cycle have been much tighter and homeowners have historically high levels of home...

VA Loans: Making Homes for the Brave Achievable [INFOGRAPHIC]

Some Highlights VA Loans can help make homeownership possible for those who have served our country. These loans offer great benefits for eligible individuals and can help them buy a VA-approved house or condo, build a new home, or make improvements to their house. Homeownership is the American Dream. One way we can honor and thank our veterans is to ensure...

What’s Ahead for Mortgage Rates and Home Prices?

Now that the end of 2022 is within sight, you may be wondering what’s going to happen in the housing market next year and what that may mean if you’re thinking about buying a home. Here’s a look at the latest expert insights on both mortgage rates and home prices so you can make your best move possible. Mortgage Rates Will Continue To Respond to Inflation There’s no doubt mortgage...

Wednesday Update: Seattle’s Eastside Residential Market Update for the week of 11/09/22

Wednesday Update: Seattle's Eastside Residential Market Update for the week of 11/09/22 MARKET RECAP:  INTEREST RATES: In spite of the Fed's raising short term rates last week by 0.75%, the 30 year fixed rate only moved up slightly. As of today, 30 year fixed rates are at 7.21% THE MARKET:  The median closed sales price has held steady from August to October at $1,350,000. This is...

The Majority of Americans Still View Homeownership as the American Dream

Buying a home is a powerful decision, and it remains a key part of the American Dream. In fact, the 2022 Consumer Insights Report from Mynd found the majority of people polled still view homeownership as a key life achievement. Let’s explore just a few of the reasons why so many Americans continue to value homeownership. The Financial Benefits of Owning a Home One possible...

Northwest MLS Brokers Say Motivated Home Buyers Turn to Creative Financing Options

Brokers with Northwest Multiple Listing Service (NWMLS) are reporting a return to some creative financing methods as motivated home buyers and sellers grapple with higher mortgage rates. Despite that, and the seasonal slowdown in activity, 6,435 hopeful homebuyers succeeded in having sellers accept their offers to purchase during October.   “Buyers are benefiting from more choices in...

Key Factors Affecting Home Affordability Today

Every time there’s a news segment about the housing market, we hear about the affordability challenges buyers are facing today. Those headlines are focused on how much mortgage rates have climbed this year. And while it’s true rates have risen dramatically, it’s important to remember they aren’t the only factor in the affordability equation. Here are three measures used to establish...

Do You Believe Homeownership Is Out of Reach? Maybe It Doesn’t Have To Be.

It turns out, millennials aren’t the renter generation after all. The 2022 Consumer Insights Report from Mynd says there’s a portion of millennial and Gen Z buyers who are pursuing homeownership as a way to build their wealth, but it may not be exactly the way previous generations have done it. The study explains how they’re breaking into the...

Wednesday Update: Seattle’s Eastside Residential Market Update for the week of 11/02/22

Wednesday Update: Seattle's Eastside Residential Market Update for the week of 11/02/22 MARKET RECAP: RATES: The Federal Reserve is set raise short term rates today. This will be the 6th time this year as they continue trying to rein in the economy through "demand destruction" making everything more expensive to finance including housing.  The 10 year treasury (what 30 year rates are based upon)...

Sell Your House Before the Holidays

As you look ahead to the winter season, you’re likely making plans and thinking about what you want to achieve before the year ends. One of those key decision points could be whether or not you want to move this year. If the location or size of your current home no longer meets your needs, finding a house that better suits your lifestyle may be a top priority for you. But with today’s...

3 Trends That Are Good News for Today’s Homebuyers

While higher mortgage rates are creating affordability challenges for homebuyers this year, there is some good news for those people still looking to buy a home. As the market has cooled this year, some of the intensity buyers faced during the peak frenzy of the pandemic has cooled too. Here are just a few trends that may benefit you when you go to buy a home today. 1. More...