tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72385553903287060762024-02-20T23:50:55.147-08:00Oly HomesAnya Myer, REALTOR® and local aficionado on buying and selling real estate in the Olympia areaAnya Myerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05120764835547629701noreply@blogger.comBlogger399125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238555390328706076.post-34915045765239739112017-03-21T20:09:00.000-07:002017-03-21T20:09:54.083-07:00New listing: Very unique and private serene enclave at Offut Lake $399,000<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZdXPGdWOW_4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Anya Myerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05120764835547629701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238555390328706076.post-11003467071942947142017-02-27T08:00:00.000-08:002017-03-01T22:37:40.753-08:00Brokers report “high velocity” market, but with hope for homebuyers<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">KIRKLAND, Washington (Feb. 6,
2017) – Western Washington’s “high velocity” market continued during January
with the number of pending sales (7,745) outgaining the number of new listings
(6,507), according to new figures from Northwest Multiple Listing Service.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Properties are moving through
the market at an unusually fast pace,” remarked broker and chairman of the
board at Northwest MLS. “Although we have a high number of new listings, they
are moving into a pending or sold status within the typical 30-day reporting
period. This phenomenon causes a low active listing count,” he added. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Brokers added 6,507 new
listings to inventory last month (163 fewer than during the same period a year
ago), while year-over-year pending sales jumped by 492 transactions for a gain
of about 6.8 percent. New listing volume was the highest monthly total since
October when members added 7,591 properties. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">At month-end, there were 9,752
active listings in the MLS service area, which encompasses 23 counties. That
total was 2,605 fewer than the year-ago volume of 12,357, a decline of 21
percent. Only three counties (Ferry, Jefferson and Kitsap) reported
improvements in the number of active listings compared to the same month last
year. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Measured by months of
inventory, the selection is at historic lows in many counties. At month end,
there was just under 1.7 months of supply system-wide, which compares to the
year-ago figure of about 2.5 months of supply. Both King and Snohomish counties
have less than one month of supply. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“If home buyers were hoping
that January would start to bring more balance to the housing market, they’re
going to be sorely disappointed. The number of homes for sale remains at record
lows, and the growth in pending sales tells us that sellers are still firmly in
the driver’s seat,” said one broker.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">MLS director agreed, pointing
to five years ago when buyers could choose from 5,378 listings of single family
homes in King County versus last month’s selection of 1,569 listings. “The real
question is whether there will be relief in the near future, and the
unfortunate answer is no,” he said, citing the combination of new jobs, a
shortage of new homes, and a reluctance of sellers to list their home for fear
of not being able to find their next one. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Commenting on “typical seasonal and beginning of the year
adjustments,” one company president said he is encouraged by new listing
activity. “There is no indication that the annualized trend of shrinking active
inventory will reverse itself anytime soon, but we’re seeing momentary bubbles
of increased inventory for buyers currently in the market” noted a broker.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“List it and they will come” is
the new mantra as new listings come on the market, commented a broker. Despite
having more sales than new listings over the past few months, He said there is
hope for homebuyers. “As the days start getting longer the future will look
brighter for the backlog of buyers waiting to find a home.” Describing February
as the bridge month between winter and spring markets, Scott expects to start
seeing an increase in the number of new listings. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Buyers who are properly
positioned to make quick decisions, and who have the proper negotiation tactics
and guidance are finding success in this high velocity market,” one reported. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Not surprisingly given the
imbalance in supply and demand, prices continue to rise. Last month’s median
price for the 5,874 completed sales of single family homes and condominiums was
$327,175, up 9 percent from the year ago figure of $300,000. There were 889
more closed sales in January than for the same month a year ago for a 17.8
percent increase. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Single family home prices
(excluding condos) increased 9 percent, rising from $309,950 to $338,000. The
median price for single family homes that sold in King County last month was
$525,000, up more than 6.9 percent from the year-ago sales price of $490,970.
Several outlying counties reported double-digit gains. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“The softening of single family
home prices in King County over the last few months, combined with the
relatively large price increase in Snohomish County (8.2 percent) suggests
buyers are migrating north in order to find more affordable housing,” said a
broker.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Brokers in Pierce and Kitsap
counties also reported price hikes larger than King County’s. The median price
of a single family home in Pierce County jumped nearly 11.6 percent from a year
ago while the year-over-year price in Kitsap was up 9.4 percent. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Condo prices rose 5.5 percent
in January compared to a year ago, increasing from $255,750 to $289,900. King
County condo prices surged more than 9.8 percent, from $282,250 to $310,000. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“For buyers, it is a good
news/bad news scenario in Kitsap County,” reported MLS director Frank Wilson.
“More houses came on the market last month than a year ago, but pending sales
surpassed that number to keep the market tight. Brokers navigated these
challenges and buyers endured, “but the tightness will likely be magnified
during 2017,” said Wilson.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Wilson said open house traffic
has “started off with a bang” as more buyers have decided now is the time to
buy, believing that prices will only continue to rise .” He expects escalation
clauses, multiple offer situations and backup offers to “be the norm during the
first quarter. The hierarchy of purchasers: cash, conventional loan, VA loan,
and FHA financing will continue to be the pecking order,” he stated. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“We’re seeing the frenzy change
to a fanatical desire to own a home as buyers scramble to beat increasing
interest rates,” reported one. He expects the Feds to increase rates two more
times between now and April, “and that will only increase buyers’ aggressive
tactics to secure a home,” he suggested.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">He also noted sellers are able
to “get away with putting homes on the market in conditions that historically
would be rejected by buyers.” Now, however, he said buyers are willing to turn
a blind eye to repairs and future maintenance. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: xx-small;">Northwest Multiple Listing Service, owned by its member real
estate firms, is the largest full-service MLS in the Northwest. Its membership
of nearly 2,100 member offices includes more than 25,000 real estate
professionals. The organization, based in Kirkland, Wash., currently serves 23
counties in the state.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
Anya Myerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05120764835547629701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238555390328706076.post-40718749041097031452017-02-02T10:14:00.000-08:002017-03-01T22:15:22.065-08:00Mortgage Rate Update<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbqX57LSwS8gcwAsGPA4mnKfyOLaAZJU1A4Oi8ZsXQCosm5XfSniDYgS-e2O0SjYNjIjcbs7fqPB4Pno0hiV8Dzmm0mA1h8X6SLcDL1kfovca7DoAQHipnQe0DnuFT-dZEAJ584biDf8yN/s1600/rates.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="467" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbqX57LSwS8gcwAsGPA4mnKfyOLaAZJU1A4Oi8ZsXQCosm5XfSniDYgS-e2O0SjYNjIjcbs7fqPB4Pno0hiV8Dzmm0mA1h8X6SLcDL1kfovca7DoAQHipnQe0DnuFT-dZEAJ584biDf8yN/s640/rates.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
Anya Myerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05120764835547629701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238555390328706076.post-85859666357163187152017-01-24T14:04:00.000-08:002017-01-24T14:04:27.778-08:00It doesn't get much cuter<iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fremax%2Fphotos%2Fa.10150857986839418.517653.46070299417%2F10155651638164418%2F%3Ftype%3D3&width=500" width="500" height="300" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true"></iframe>Anya Myerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05120764835547629701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238555390328706076.post-12637921553478215032017-01-19T22:30:00.000-08:002017-03-01T22:31:25.546-08:00Inventory shortages persist, but Northwest MLS brokers notch record-setting sales totaling $40.3 billion during 2016<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">KIRKLAND, Washington. (Jan. 19,
2017) – Members of Northwest Multiple Listing Service reported 95,500 closed
sales during 2016, outgaining the prior year’s volume of 88,331 transactions
for an increase of more than 8.1 percent. Inventory was at record lows for much
of the year.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Measured by dollars, last
year’s sales of single family homes and condominiums were valued at more than
$40.3 billion. Compared to 2015, that dollar volume represents a gain of nearly
18.2 percent. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The sales activity reflects the
work of 25,888 brokers across 23 counties in the member-owned Northwest MLS. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Last year’s completed sales
included 81,872 single family homes (about 86 percent of the total) and 13,628
condominiums. Of these sales, about 11.3 percent were newly built residences. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The area-wide median price for
last year’s sales of single family homes and condominiums (combined) was
$337,500, a gain of 8.9 percent from the year-ago figure of $310,000. A
comparison by county shows median sales prices ranged from $102,500 in Ferry
County to $489,000 in King County. With one exception (Ferry) all counties had
year-over-year price gains. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Year-over-year prices for
single family homes (excluding condominiums) increased 8.7 percent system-wide,
rising from $320,000 in 2015 to last year’s median price of $347,950. Condo
prices jumped 12.6 percent from the 2015 figure of $254,900 to last year’s
median selling price of $287,000. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Only about 7 percent of the
sales were for homes priced under $150,000. About one-third of the sales were
in the $300,000 - $500,000 range, with the largest share (34 percent) selling
for $150,000-$300,000. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Inventory shortages challenged
brokers and buyers throughout 2016. Member-brokers logged 121,468 pending sales
(mutually accepted offers) during 2016, while adding 113,305 new listings to
inventory. Brokers said depleted inventory often led to competitive bidding and
multiple offers for homes in the most desirable areas. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">During 2016, the average
area-wide supply, as measured by months of inventory, averaged only 1.86
months, down from the previous year’s figure of 2.4 months. King County had the
lowest level, averaging only 1.1 months of supply. In general, industry
analysts use a 4-to-6 month range as an indicator of a balanced market,
favoring neither buyers nor sellers. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">High-end sales also surged during 2016. Northwest MLS
members reported 3,251 sales of single family homes priced at $1 million or more,
up more than 21 percent from the 2015 total of 2,676 “luxury” sales. Condos
priced at $1 million and up accounted for another 339 sales. A total of 1,711
condos sold for $500,000 or more, outgaining 2015’s total of 1,459 half-million
dollar-plus sales (up 21.4 percent).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The highest-priced single
family home that sold during 2016 by a member of Northwest MLS was a property
on Mercer Island that commanded more than $9.75 million. Topping the chart of
high-priced condominiums was one at Escala in downtown Seattle high-rise that
sold for $8 million. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Among other highlights in its
annual compilation of statistics, Northwest Multiple Listing Service reported: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">
About 45 percent of last year’s single family home sales had three bedrooms,
while the vast majority of condos (nearly 76 percent) had two bedrooms or
fewer. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">
The median price for a 3-bedroom home that sold in 2016 was $311,000, about 9.8
percent higher than the previous year’s figure of $283,250. A comparison by
county shows the median price for a 3-bedroom home ranges from $120,000 in
Ferry County to $485,000 in King County. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">
Of the condo sales, about six of every 10 (61.7 percent) were located in King
County, primarily in Seattle or on the Eastside. That ratio matched the figure
for 2015. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">
For the new construction component involving Northwest MLS brokers, newly built
condos fetched higher prices than single family homes, just like 2015. Last
year’s sales included 9,416 newly built single family homes that sold for a
median price of $455,000 (up 11.8 percent from 2015), and 1,375 condos that
sold for a median price of $552,900 (up 22.9 percent from 2015). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> A
comparison of 2016 and 2015 median prices of single family homes shows all but
one county reported year-over-year gains. Going back to 2007, most counties
have rebounded. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> Prices vary widely among
school districts. Homes that sold last year in 13 districts reported median
prices of more than a half-million dollars, topped by Mercer Island at more
than $1.3 million. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: xx-small;">Northwest Multiple Listing Service, owned by its member real
estate firms, is the largest full-service MLS in the Northwest. Its membership
of nearly 2,100 member offices includes nearly 26,000 real estate
professionals. The organization, based in Kirkland, Wash., currently serves 23
counties in Washington state.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
Anya Myerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05120764835547629701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238555390328706076.post-48553371031105309992017-01-17T15:48:00.003-08:002017-01-17T15:48:52.463-08:00Mortgage Rate Update<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtKwOpYLOp1XNzMXsvT1lhd7wBctje_16wwMVgw9YRo7WpsenEdhUS_o6hZmV1okFY5QyrnIxaeH3MUj55T_bTEo5ewDHsmQwpcZeZIYRgYaR6IDKKkZ_jYiHW-lJOYeY8Za9G3UP7ZYP2/s1600/rates+1.17.2017.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtKwOpYLOp1XNzMXsvT1lhd7wBctje_16wwMVgw9YRo7WpsenEdhUS_o6hZmV1okFY5QyrnIxaeH3MUj55T_bTEo5ewDHsmQwpcZeZIYRgYaR6IDKKkZ_jYiHW-lJOYeY8Za9G3UP7ZYP2/s640/rates+1.17.2017.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />Anya Myerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05120764835547629701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238555390328706076.post-2659775048223419012017-01-17T15:27:00.001-08:002017-01-17T15:52:48.758-08:005 Stats to Watch as Home Sales Rise<div property="dc:title">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Existing-home sales were on the rise last month, led by a surge in the Northeast and modest gains in the South, the National Association of REALTORS® reported Wednesday.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Existing-home sales – completed transactions that encompass single-family homes, townhomes, condos, and co-ops – ticked up 0.7 percent in November, reaching a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.61 million. The gain was enough to propel existing-home sales to the highest level since February 2007. Further, sales are 15.4 percent higher than a year ago.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Housing has posted a strong three-month stretch to close out the year, says Lawrence Yun, NAR’s chief economist.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“The healthiest job market since the Great Recession and the anticipation of some buyers to close on a home before mortgage rates accurately rose from their historically low level have combined to drive sales higher in recent months,” Yun says. “Furthermore, it’s no coincidence that home shoppers in the Northeast – where price growth has been tame all year – had the most success last month.” </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Here’s a closer look at five stats that put the housing data from November in context.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><strong>1. Home prices:</strong> The median existing-home price for all housing types in November was $234,900, up 6.8 percent from a year ago ($220,000).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><strong>2. Days on the market:</strong> Forty-two percent of homes sold in November were on the market for less than a month. On average, properties stayed on the market for 43 days in November, which is down from 54 days a year ago. Short sales lingered on the market the longest at a median of 110 days in November. Foreclosures sold in 55 days and non-distressed homes took 41 days to sell, NAR’s data shows.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><strong>3. All-cash sales:</strong> All-cash sales comprised 21 percent of transactions in November, which is down from 27 percent a year ago. Individual investors account for the biggest bulk of cash sales and purchased 12 percent of homes in November, down from 16 percent a year ago.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><strong>4. Distressed sales:</strong> Foreclosures and short sales increased to 6 percent in November, but that's still down from 9 percent a year ago. In November, four percent of sales were foreclosures and 2 percent were short sales. On average, foreclosures sold for a discount of 17 percent below market value in November, while short sales were discounted 16 percent.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><strong>5. Inventories:</strong> By the end of November, total housing inventories fell 8 percent to 1.85 million existing homes available for sale. Inventories are now 9.3 percent lower than a year ago. Unsold inventory is at a four-month supply at the current sales pace.</span></div>
<div property="dc:description">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“Existing housing supply at the beginning of the year was inadequate and is now even worse heading into 2017,” says Yun. “Rental units are also seeing this shortage. As a result, both home prices and rents continue to far outstrip incomes in much of the country.”</span></div>
<div property="dc:description">
</div>
<strong><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Regional Breakdown </span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><strong>Northeast: </strong>existing-home sales rose 8 percent to an annual rate of 810,000. Sales are now 15.7 percent above a year ago. Median price: $263,000, which is 3.3 percent higher than a year ago.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><strong>Midwest: </strong>existing-home sales dropped 2.2 percent to an annual rate of 1.33 million in November. Sales are still 18.8 percent above a year ago. Median price: $180,300, up 6.5 percent from a year ago.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><strong>South: </strong>existing-home sales increased 1.4 percent to an annual rate of 2.22 million, and are 11.6 percent higher than a year ago. Median price: $206,900, up 9.2 percent from a year ago.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><strong>West: </strong>existing-home sales dropped 1.6 percent to an annual rate of 1.25 million in November. Sales are 19 percent higher than a year ago. Median price: $345,400, up 8.5 percent from a year ago.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><br />
<div property="dc:description">
<em><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Source: </span></em><a href="http://www.realtor.org/topics/existing-home-sales/data" target="_blank"><em><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">National Association of REALTORS®</span></em></a></div>
</div>
</div>
Anya Myerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05120764835547629701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238555390328706076.post-75093553142438149342017-01-09T15:13:00.000-08:002017-01-17T15:13:51.129-08:00HUD Lowers FHA MIP by a Quarter Point
<span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Mortgage insurance premiums on FHA-backed loans will be
lower by 25 basis points on loans endorsed starting January 27, the federal
government announced today.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 20.4pt; margin: 0in 0in 13.2pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“After four straight years of growth and with sufficient
reserves on hand to meet future claims, it’s time for FHA to pass along some
modest savings to working families,” Julian Castro, secretary of the U.S.
Department of Housing and Urban Development, announced today.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 20.4pt; margin: 0in 0in 13.2pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">NAR President Bill Brown praised the move. “Dropping
mortgage insurance premiums will mean a lot more responsible borrowers are
eligible to purchase a home through FHA,” he said. “That puts more money in the
fund to protect taxpayers, and it puts more families in homes so they can live
out the American dream.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 20.4pt; margin: 0in 0in 13.2pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The new premium schedule, which takes effect for
residential mortgage loans that have an insurance endorsement date on or after
January 27, is expected to save the average home buyer $500 a year in
insurance costs.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 20.4pt; margin: 0in 0in 13.2pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In its announcement, HUD said the reduced premiums
reflect the healthy state of HUD’s mutual mortgage insurance fund, which is the
agency’s principle fund for insuring FHA mortgages. “We’ve carefully weighed
the risks associated with lower premiums with our historic mission to provide
safe and sustainable mortgage financing to responsible homebuyers,” said Edward
Golding, HUD principal deputy assistant secretary for housing. “This
conservative reduction in our premium rates is an appropriate measure to
support [home buyers] on their path to the American dream.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 20.4pt; margin: 0in 0in 13.2pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Under the new schedule, a home purchase with a base loan
amount of up to $625,000, with an 85-percent loan-to-value ratio and a 30-year
loan term, will require an annual mortgage insurance premium of 55 basis
points, down from 80 basis points. A 15-year loan of that same amount and
with a 90-percent LTV ratio will require an MIP of 25 basis points, down from
45. Access the full schedule.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 20.4pt; margin: 0in 0in 13.2pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">NAR is calling on FHA to take even more steps to help
home buyers, including eliminating FHA’s “life of loan” mortgage insurance
requirement, which forces borrowers to maintain mortgage insurance regardless
of their equity position. Borrowers with traditional mortgage insurance can
typically extinguish their mortgage insurance once they reach 20 percent equity
in the property. “Our work continues, but we’re encouraged by today’s
announcement,” Brown said.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 20.4pt; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<i><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">—By
Robert Freedman, REALTOR® Magazine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Read
more about this premium change <a href="https://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/press/press_releases_media_advisories/2017/HUDNo_17-003" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;">here</span></a>.</span></div>
Anya Myerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05120764835547629701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238555390328706076.post-72073086569996273522017-01-05T11:30:00.000-08:002017-03-01T22:27:17.164-08:00Home buyer frustration continues due to limited selection and ongoing increases in prices, interest rates<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">KIRKLAND, Washington (Jan. 5,
2017) – Like many other months of 2016, December was frustrating for buyers
across Washington state as they encountered depleted inventory and rising
prices. Post-election hikes in interest rates – with more on the horizon --
added to would-be homeowners’ worries.</span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Northwest Multiple Listing
Service statistics for December show year-over-year drops in new listings, but
gains in pending sales, closed sales and prices. Pending sales (mutually
accepted offers) in the four-county Puget Sound region reached their highest
level since 2005. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“The data just keep telling the
same story – low inventory and increasing prices,” remarked a broker. “As one
of our brokers put it, ‘Sellers received an awesome Christmas gift in December,
but buyers, only a lump of coal.’” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Brokers added 4,217 new
listings to the inventory during December to bring the supply up to 10,571
listings. The volume of new listings surpassed the year-ago figure of 4,041,
but supply still fell, dropping to only 1.4 months for the Northwest MLS market
area covering 23 counties. Both King and Snohomish counties reported less than
a month of inventory. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A broker in Seattle said his
analysis of the MLS data indicates the supply of single family homes for sale in
King County just hit a post-recession low. “The only other time supply fell
below one month was around this same time a year ago,” noted Wasser, a member
of the Northwest MLS board of directors. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">At month end, MLS figures show
inventory (10,571 listings) was nearly 15.6 percent below year-ago levels
(12,522 listings), with about 90 percent of the selection being single family
homes. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Seventeen of the 23 counties in
the MLS report had double-digit drops in active listings at the end of last
month compared to December 2015. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Northwest MLS members reported
6,401 pending sales during December, up from 5,970 for the same month a year
ago for a year-over-year gain of 7.2 percent. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“The housing market remains
frenzy hot on a seasonal basis,” one remarked. Noting sales activity was
substantially higher than the number of new listings, he said such conditions
“continue to foster a competitive market where homebuyers are just waiting for
the next new listing to come on the market.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Commenting on strong sales in the Central Puget Sound
region, he noted King County recorded the biggest year-over-year jump in
pending sales of single family homes, surging nearly 11.3 percent, well ahead
of Kitsap (up 4.5 percent), Pierce (up 4 percent) and Snohomish (up 3.2
percent).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Buyers pursued homes
aggressively all through November and December with little to no slowdown amid
fears of rising interest rates and worsening inventory levels,” said MLS
director. “Inventory levels have dropped to their lowest level, which makes
buyer frenzy even more intense as prices approach double-digit appreciation,”
he added. This director also calculates buyers have lost $37,000 in buying
power due to interest rate increases. He likens the situation to having two
cars, “one going forward, and one going in reverse. The gap is widening too
fast for some buyers.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Closed sales also finished on a
strong note with brokers reporting 7,575 completed transactions during
December. That’s up more than 6.8 percent from a year ago when members notched
7,091 closed sales. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Prices area-wide also continued
trending upward, rising nearly 9.2 percent from a year ago. The overall median
price for single family homes and condominiums that sold during December was
$343,950; a year ago it was $315,000. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">King County prices jumped 12.2
percent, from $450,000 in December 2015 to $505,000 for last month’s sales. For
single family homes (excluding condominiums) the median price for December’s
sales was $550,000, unchanged from October and November. Prices peaked this
year in King County in June, reaching $573,522. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Condo sales slowed compared to
a year ago, due at least in part to a sharp drop in inventory (down more than
19 percent). Pending sales were essentially flat (up 0.73 percent). Closed
sales for December slipped nearly 6 percent, while prices on last month’s
completed sales of condos rose 9.8 percent. The median price on last month’s
closed sales of condos was $280,000. Condo prices in King County jumped more
than 12 percent, from $279,975 a year ago to last month’s sales price of
$314,000. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Looking ahead to 2017, the
Seattle market will continue to perform well, even with the expected interest rate increase,” stated a broker. The regional
economy is in full stride, he noted, adding, “This will continue to create
increased demand for housing across the board. Price growth should start to
cool a little as inventory levels rise modestly, but overall, 2017 should be
another banner year for the housing market.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Consumers should expect prices
to continue edging upward, suggested the NWMLS direction. “NAR indicates we are
70,000 units short of meeting the housing needs in the Puget Sound area.
Builders are just flat out running out of urban land to work with,” he said. Also,
he believes rising costs for construction labor are the driving force for price
increases. Builder confidence continues to grow, reaching its highest levels
since 2005, he noted, but added, “Naturally, some trepidation is heard as some
feel this level of growth in the market is completely unsustainable.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">He believes the pattern of low
inventory and increasing prices will continue. “We believe it is a predictor
for what to expect throughout 2017,” he commented. “There’s simply not enough
new construction to fill the needs of new employees being hired both locally
and new to the state. The key is employment,” Grady continued, saying “There’s
no reason to think that a new administration will cause employment to slow
down; rather, it’s more likely we’ll see it increase in the Puget Sound region
so we’re off to another strong start in 2017,” he stated. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: xx-small;">Northwest Multiple Listing Service, owned by its member real
estate firms, is the largest full-service MLS in the Northwest. Its membership
of nearly 2,100 member offices includes more than 25,000 real estate
professionals. The organization, based in Kirkland, Wash., currently serves 23
counties in the state.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
Anya Myerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05120764835547629701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238555390328706076.post-79510092097429689952016-12-20T15:40:00.000-08:002016-12-20T15:40:00.750-08:00Mortgage Rate Update<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqE_i1w1jKpeCpXy2iV6uHDKYqKvBAtTpyPtcT476Oeu3l1v5bxQhHxInBaXhGwods9BvEkHbsouz5DLjTwAfdKZqn1CXROl3k8o0dutSRpQE2uzZ3nHROzJMRtf69oiHjO-356vSzrnmA/s1600/rates.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="508" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqE_i1w1jKpeCpXy2iV6uHDKYqKvBAtTpyPtcT476Oeu3l1v5bxQhHxInBaXhGwods9BvEkHbsouz5DLjTwAfdKZqn1CXROl3k8o0dutSRpQE2uzZ3nHROzJMRtf69oiHjO-356vSzrnmA/s640/rates.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />Anya Myerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05120764835547629701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238555390328706076.post-72893464060365813372016-12-14T17:30:00.000-08:002016-12-14T20:27:50.727-08:00Mortgage Rates Increase Following Central Bank Meetings<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #384267;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Over the past week, two key central bank meetings were
the primary focus for investors. The outcomes of both the European Central Bank
(ECB) and the U.S. Fed meetings were viewed as unfavorable for bonds. As a
result, mortgage rates ended the week higher. </span></span></div>
</div>
<br />
<span style="color: #384267;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="textwrapper">As it had telegraphed to investors for a long time, the
Fed raised the federal funds rate by 25 basis points on Wednesday. Less widely
anticipated, Fed officials also raised their projections for the pace of rate
hikes in 2017 due to quicker expected progress in achieving the Fed's goals for
the labor market and inflation. In addition to raising rates, the Fed has
stated that it expects to eventually tighten monetary policy by shrinking its
investments in Treasuries and mortgage-backed securities (MBS). The faster the
Fed raises rates, the sooner it is expected that the Fed will reduce its
holdings of MBS, which is negative for mortgage rates.<br /> </span></span></span><span style="color: #384267;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: #384267;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="textwrapper">Ahead of the meeting on December 8, investors generally
expected that the ECB would extend its bond purchase program for another six
months at its current pace. The ECB exceeded this in one way by extending the
program by nine months, meaning that it will now end in December 2017. In a
more important area, however, the ECB disappointed investors. The ECB announced
that the monthly purchases will decrease from 80 billion euros to 60 billion
euros beginning in April. The reduction in the level of stimulus removed some
expected future demand for bonds, causing mortgage rates to rise.<br /> </span></span></span><span style="color: #384267;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: #384267;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="textwrapper">Wednesday's data on retail sales was one of the few
recent reports on economic activity, which fell short of expectations.
Excluding the volatile auto component, retail sales in November rose just 0.2%
from October, well below the consensus for an increase of 0.4%, and the results
for October were revised lower as well.<br /> </span></span></span><span style="color: #384267;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: #384267;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="textwrapper">Looking ahead, The Consumer Price Index (CPI), a widely
followed monthly inflation report, will come out on Thursday. CPI looks at the
price change for goods and services that are sold to consumers. The Housing
Starts report will be released on Friday, and Existing Home Sales will come out
on December 21. In addition, a meeting of the Bank of Japan on December 20
could influence U.S. mortgage rates. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #384267;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="textwrapper"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="color: #384267;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small;"><span class="textwrapper">Information originally provided by:</span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #384267;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small;"><span class="textwrapper">HomeStreet Bank</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><strong><span style="color: #464646; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">The
Sanders Young Team</span></strong><span style="color: #464646; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br />
NMLS ID #487525 and #438324<br />
HomeStreet Bank<br />
720 Lilly Road SE<br />
Olympia, WA 98501<br />
360-259-2266 Teri/360-250-3799 </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #384267;">
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--></span>Anya Myerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05120764835547629701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238555390328706076.post-60166115994336942802016-12-08T21:07:00.000-08:002016-12-14T21:08:05.456-08:00New listing on Olympia's Eastside $255,000<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/62wG3u4rp74" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Anya Myerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05120764835547629701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238555390328706076.post-77446419187870008552016-12-05T22:25:00.000-08:002016-12-14T22:32:27.992-08:00Real estate brokers expect no holiday breather as sales stay strong and supplies remain low<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">KIRKLAND, Washington (Dec. 5, 2016) – Pending sales of homes hit an
all-time high for the month of November according to the latest statistics from
Northwest Multiple Listing Service. The report covering 23 counties around
Washington state also shows the number of new listings added during the month
plunged to the lowest level in 11 months, prompting MLS leaders to predict a
busy winter for residential real estate as buyers compete for the smallest
inventory since March.</span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Last year’s holiday season
ended up being the best time to sell a home around King County as sellers took
the winter months off, but buyers remained persistent. The supply of homes for
sale hit a post-recession low, and so far, this year is mirroring last winter’s
trends,” remarked Northwest MLS director Robert Wasser in Seattle. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Figures for November show a
13.2 percent drop in inventory of single family homes and condominiums, a 9.4
percent gain in pending sales, a 31.3 percent spike in closed sales, and an 11
percent increase in prices compared to the same month a year ago. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">At month-end, there was only 1.69
months of supply system-wide, believed to be a new low. For the 4-county Puget
Sound region there is only 1.22 months of supply, with King County having the
lowest level at under a month (0.96). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Pending sales (mutually
accepted offers) totaled 8,217, and eclipsed the number of new listings (5,779)
by 2,438 units. That imbalance depleted total inventory, dropping the number of
active listings to 13,303, down 13.2 percent from a year ago. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“November’s pending sales for the four-county area of King,
Snohomish, Pierce and Kitsap were the highest since 2005. There were 44 percent
more pendings than new listings,” noted J. Lennox, who described market
activity as a mini power surge. “Every time interest rates increase 0.5 percent
we see these surges because buyers become anxious about increasing rates – but
on a historical basis rates are still amazing,” he remarked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> John Deely, vice
chairman of the Northwest MLS board, said the Seattle residential real estate
market is not taking time off for an end-of-year breather. “The seemingly
inexhaustible supply of ready, willing and able buyers continues to purchase
available inventory. This imbalance in supply and demand continues to fuel
multiple offers and drive prices upward,” said Deely in Seattle. Well-paying
jobs in the tech sector are fueling demand, with “the increase in equity and
tick up in interest rates enticing more sellers to the market.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">George Moorhead, another member
of the MLS board, echoed those sentiments. “We have seen the market pick up
significant speed since the mild slowing during the summer months.” He cited
NAR reports that the Puget Sound area is 73,180 uni</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">ts short of demand, calling
it a staggering number.</span></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Like the last two years we
expect strong sales to continue through December, then taper off in January,
only to pick back up mid-February with another flurry of aggressive buyers,”
Moorhead continued. He also believes an uptick in interest rates will driver
buyers into the market even harder, with inventory likely to plunge even lower.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The median price on last
month’s closed sales of single family homes and condominiums area-wide was
$342,000, up 11 percent from the year-ago figure of $308,000. August was the
only other month this year with year-over-year double-digit appreciation for
prices area-wide. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Thirteen counties in the
Northwest MLS service area reported double-digit price increases last month
compared to 12 months ago. Prices in King, Pierce and Snohomish counties jumped
between 14.4 and 15.3 percent, but the largest spikes were in Okanogan (up 41.4
percent) and Jefferson (up 39.5 percent) counties. Last month’s overall median
price for single family homes and condos that sold was down about 2 percent
from this year’s high of $350,000 for sales that closed in June, July and
August. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Prices for single family homes (excluding condos) rose 10.9
percent from a year ago to $350,500. King County reported the highest median
price for single family homes at $550,000 (up 10 percent year-over-year).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Condo prices reflected more
modest price hikes, perhaps a reflection of depleted inventory (down 18
percent) that is dragging down sales. Pending sales fell nearly 1.9 percent
from a year ago. Last month’s median selling price area-wide was $280,000,
about 5.7 percent higher than a year ago. In King County, which accounted for
more than six of every 10 condo sales, year-over-year prices jumped more than
$30,000 -- from $298,500 to $328,844 (up about 10.2 percent). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Seattle continues to defy all
forecasts and now has the distinction of being the hottest market with the
fastest-rising prices in the nation,” said Mike Grady, commenting the latest
home price index from S&P Case-Shiller. “We believe the market will
continue to be extremely active through the winter and beyond, although the
Fed’s expected interest rate hike may affect this somewhat and provide some
relief to buyers.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Even with the much-anticipated
increase in interest rates, Grady said he does not expect much leveling off of
home prices or activity. Expectations of an easing of mortgage underwriting
stringencies by the new Administration will result in additional buyers
entering the market, which Grady believes “will add fuel to the fire. We
anticipate being very busy through 2017.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Other brokers agreed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Overall, the market continues to be frenzy hot on a
seasonality basis, as we’re seeing the same positive momentum in the Puget
Sound real estate market as last year,” stated Scott, adding, “We’ll be
entering 2017 with an extremely severe inventory shortage that is going to lead
us into a huge price appreciation boost after the first of the year.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Looking ahead to 2017, the Seattle market will continue to
perform well, even with the expected interest rate increase,” stated OB Jacobi.
“The regional economy is in full stride and this will continue to create
increased demand for housing across the board,” he added. He also said he
expects price growth to cool somewhat as inventory levels rise modestly, but he
believes “2017 should be another banner year for the housing market.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“This market engenders
confidence and high expectations by sellers as they continue to command center
stage,” remarked Dick Beeson in Tacoma. “Inventory levels were supposed to
increase by this time of year, yet stubbornly, would-be sellers remain on the
sidelines, so buyers will continue to struggle to find a home and compete with
other buyers through most, if not all of 2017,” added Beeson, a member of the
MLS board of directors. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Beeson also commented on the
“hottest market” label from Case-Shiller. “It sounds like an enviable position,
but it brings its own set of problems and issues,” he noted. Lengthy times to
obtain appraisals due to the limited number of appraisers, low appraisals,
buyers being forced to pay cash for the difference between appraised value and
the sales price, sellers refusing to make repairs on their property, lenders
requiring repairs to be done prior to closing, and multiple offers were among concerns
he listed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Industry-watchers say
conditions are ripe for sustained activity through the holidays, citing
historically low interest rates, motivated sellers, fewer players (less
competition), faster closings (fewer transactions to process) and the appeal of
year-end tax deductions are motivators. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Gary O’Leyar described the current market as “one of the
most extreme I’ve seen in 42 years of working in the Greater Seattle area.” Although
there may be a public perception that brokers are “having a heyday” he said
it’s actually one of the hardest markets he and fellow brokers have
encountered. One listing may generate multiple offers, but at the end of the
day there is only one sale. “Along with buyers who are so tested by this market
are the brokers who partner with them to work through this rugged gauntlet to
secure a successful sale,” he noted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Beeson also commented on the
current market challenges, saying “even in a hot market sellers and buyers need
the guidance of an experienced broker to navigate the waters.” For sellers, he
said, finding a buyer is like the tip of an iceberg – it’s easily seen.
“However,” he explained, “helping a buyer find the right home and winning in a multiple-offer
situation, helping sellers choose the right offer, helping both parties close
the sale are all under the surface and require a knowledgeable, experienced
broker to avoid crashing against a failed sale.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: xx-small;">Northwest Multiple Listing Service, owned by its member real
estate firms, is the largest full-service MLS in the Northwest. Its membership
of nearly 2,100 member offices includes more than 25,000 real estate
professionals. The organization, based in Kirkland, Wash., currently serves 23
counties in Washington state.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
Anya Myerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05120764835547629701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238555390328706076.post-13995040230965509632016-11-28T08:44:00.000-08:002016-12-14T20:44:45.708-08:00Fire Safety<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #1f1714;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Residential fires take their toll every day, every year, in lost
lives, injuries, and destroyed property. The fact is that many conditions that
cause house fires can be avoided or prevented by homeowners. Taking the time
for some simple precautions, preventive inspections, and concrete planning can
help prevent fire in the home - and can save property and lives should disaster
strike.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<ul type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1f1714; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Check holiday
lights for fraying or broken wires and plugs. Follow the manufacturer's
guidelines when joining multiple strands together, as a fire hazard could
result from overload. Enjoy indoor holiday lighting only while someone is
home, and turn them off before going to bed at night.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1f1714; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Candles add a
welcome festive feeling, and should be placed in stable holders and located
away from curtains, drafts, pets, and children. Never leave burning
candles unattended, even for a short time.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1f1714; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Live Christmas
trees should be kept in a water-filled stand and checked daily for
dehydration. Needles should not easily break off a freshly-cut tree. Brown
needles or lots of fallen needles indicate a dangerously dried-out tree
which should be discarded immediately. Always use nonflammable decorations
in the home, and never use lights on a dried-out tree.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1f1714; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">All electrical
devices including lamps, appliances, and electronics should be checked for
frayed cords, loose or broken plugs, and exposed wiring. Never run
electrical wires, including extension cords, under carpet or rugs as this
creates a fire hazard.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1f1714; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Fireplaces should
be checked by a professional chimney sweep each year and cleaned if
necessary to prevent a dangerous buildup of creosote, which can cause a
flash fire in the chimney. Cracks in masonry chimneys should be repaired,
and spark arresters inspected to ensure they are in good condition and
free of debris.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1f1714; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">When using space
heaters, keep them away from beds and bedding, curtains, papers - anything
flammable. Always follow the manufacturer's instructions for use. Space
heaters should not be left unattended or where a child or pet could knock
them over.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1f1714; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Use smoke
detectors with fresh batteries unless they are hard-wired to your home's
electrical system. Smoke detectors should be installed high on walls or on
ceilings on every level of the home, inside each bedroom, and outside every
sleeping area. Statistics show that nearly 60% of home fire fatalities
occur in homes without working smoke alarms. Most municipalities now
require the use of working smoke detectors in both single and multi-family
residences.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1f1714; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Children should
not have access to or be allowed to play with matches, lighters, or
candles. Flammable materials such as gasoline, kerosene, or propane should
always be stored outside of and away from the house.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1f1714; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Kitchen fires know
no season. According to the U.S. National Fire Protection Association, 46%
of reported home fires in 2015 were caused by cooking. Grease spills,
items left unattended on the stove or in the oven, and food left in
toasters or toaster ovens can catch fire quickly. Don't wear loose fitting
clothing, especially with long sleeves, around the stove. Handles of pots
and pans should be turned away from the front of the stove to prevent
accidental contact. Keep an all-purpose fire extinguisher within easy
reach. Extinguishers specifically formulated for grease and cooking fuel
fires are available and can supplement an all-purpose extinguisher.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #1f1714; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Have an escape
plan. This is one of the most important measures to prevent death in a
fire. Visit ready.gov for detailed information on how to make a plan.
Local fire departments can also provide recommendations on escape planning
and preparedness. In addition, all family members should know how to dial
911 in case of a fire or other emergency.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="color: #1f1714;">Information originally provided by Pillar To Post </span><span style="text-align: center;"> </span></span><br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: xx-small;"><strong>The Sound Team</strong><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: xx-small;">(360) 753-5025<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: xx-small;"><a href="mailto:greater.olympia@pillartopost.com" linktype="2" shape="rect" target="_blank">Greater.Olympia@PillarToPost.com</a> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<a alt="http://TheSoundTeam.pillartopost.com" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001aCLV1hry-0H4ob7KafG2EAOU_l90uX3TRsPVLfPRaVrNWdhj-a6WZNrv9BKe-kmSw197U_A_75uuSsD5_qZtIb67fwQ5HXVpSgNqEsChpjXlxL-05tvbRfYQksYgf1aS_hMWYaH4yELFeovTV2YQCzlisdYLxCiRPvB-ad64rCgPFxN3hGsNq6Ycj8PnoupV&c=-pSdi2IuYlR6sGPDVPic4VEpgd0QGpsUlkaXLzsxboeDcK1Cm9FKZA==&ch=EzX3n6r7x3PH0wvjPWT79pQVFJMRiWvtcOcvo4yWF5Y1dEhZ6aVhXw==" linktype="1" shape="rect" target="_blank" track="on"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: xx-small;">TheSoundTeam.PillarToPost.com</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anya Myerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05120764835547629701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238555390328706076.post-54822757122029415082016-11-04T10:30:00.000-07:002016-12-14T22:24:03.437-08:00Home sales and prices still climbing around Puget Sound, but brokers expect slowdown<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">KIRKLAND, Washington (Nov. 4, 2016) – Home sales around Western
Washington outgained new listings again in October, fueling competition for
scarce inventory and pushing prices higher. Some seasonal slowdown is still
expected – and the Nov. 8 elections may be in play as well, according to
brokers at Northwest Multiple Listing Service who commented on last month’s
activity.</span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">MLS members reported 9,950
pending sales during October, but they added only 7,591 new listings, the
lowest number since January. A year-over-year comparison of pending sales shows
there were 633 more mutually accepted offers last month than twelve months ago
for a gain of 6.8 percent. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Closed sales improved even
more, rising from the year-ago total of 7,769 completed transactions to last
month’s volume of 8,554 (up 10.1 percent). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“While the stock market remains
somewhat skittish regarding the upcoming presidential election, this feeling
clearly has not transferred to the housing market, unfortunately for buyers who
were hoping to have more homes to choose from this fall, listings in October
fell to levels we haven’t seen since the 1990s – and at this point, we probably
won’t see any sizable increase in inventory until the spring at the earliest,”
he added. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Active listings dropped more
than 13 percent compared to a year ago, with further shrinkage expected. At
month end there were 15,690 single family homes and condominiums offered for
sale in the MLS system, which encompasses 23 counties. That’s 2,378 fewer than
the year-ago total of 18,068, and 2,446 fewer than September. All but two
counties (Clallam and Ferry) reported year-over-year decreases in inventory. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> Overall, there was only 1.8 months of supply. King County had slightly
more than one month (1.1), with several areas within that county reporting less
than a month’s supply. In Snohomish County, where inventory plunged more than
20 percent from a year ago, there was with 1.3 months. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“The further we move into
November, the more we’ll start feeling the typical seasonal drop when new
listings coming on the market decline by 50 percent on a monthly basis compared
to spring and summer months,” suggested J. Lennox. Buyers are still out there,
he emphasized. “We’re heading into winter with a repeat of last year’s
conditions: low inventory, a backlog of buyers, and historically low interest
rates.” On the heels of the “best October on record” Scott predicts “a strong
winter market where the inventory remains tight throughout the season.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Not surprisingly given the
large MLS territory, which includes both rural and urban areas, activity is
stronger in some sub-markets than others. Prices also reflect a wide spectrum.
Of the four counties comprising the Puget Sound region (King, Kitsap, Pierce
and Snohomish), only Kitsap had an uptick in new listings compared to a year
ago, but that county’s robust pending sales (up 20.7 percent) helped deplete
its total inventory versus twelve months ago (down about 7 percent). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“The market in Kitsap is still
very active,” according to Frank Wilson in Poulsbo. He noted Kitsap typically
lags the Seattle market by 6-to-9 months.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Wilson expects a slowing in
Kitsap County, at which time the upward pressure on pricing will begin to ease.
“For now, the median price is up almost 13 percent from a year ago,” added
Wilson, a board member at Northwest MLS. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In South Sound, prices rose at
a more moderate rate, around 9.6 percent in Pierce County and just over 6.8
percent in Thurston County. “Homes priced under $400,000 are looked at hard by
buyers on ‘day one’ and often draw multiple offers,” said Northwest MLS
director Dick Beeson in Tacoma. Above that figure, things slow down markedly,
he noted, adding that’s true in other areas, but the starting numbers and wait
times might vary. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Beeson also cautioned sellers
to be realistic in pricing, even in the current imbalanced market when sellers
may have the upper hand. “Price cures all ills. No amount of marketing a
property will cure the ill caused by too high a price,” said the veteran
broker, citing data on expired listings that eventually came back on the market
but oftentimes sold at a reduced price. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">System-wide, prices for single
family homes and condos (combined) rose nearly 8.2 percent from a year ago,
increasing from $318,000 to $344,000. In the four-county Puget Sound region,
King County claimed the largest increase and the highest prices. Year-over-year
prices jumped 14.5 percent, from $432,750 to $495,500. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Single family home prices
(excluding condos) increased 9.2 percent from a year ago; in King County the
gain was nearly 14.6 percent, climbing from $480,000 to $550,000. That
countywide median price is higher than September (which was $538,000) but lower
than the year-to-date peak of $573,522 in June. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Condo prices increased $20,000
from a year ago (more than 7.3 percent), climbing from $265,500 to $285,000.
The median price on closed sales of condos in King County was $320,000, about
10 percent higher than a year ago. Inventory area-wide fell more than 21
percent, leaving only 1.1 months of supply.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">While prices continue to appreciate,
Wilson said the “appraisal situation” is tempering activity. “We’ve spent the
last 20 years improving the closing process, making it faster and more
efficient. With the reduced number of appraisers in the marketplace now, we are
seeing 2-to-4 weeks being adding to closing times, and costs doubling or
tripling.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Along with appraisal delays and
seasonal adjustments, another industry leader mentioned reports indicating real
estate markets nationwide are experiencing an “election cycle slowdown” due to
the uncertainty surrounding next week’s elections. “People may be taking a
‘wait and see’ approach before buying or selling,” said Mike Grady. However, he added, “We believe that regardless
of who wins, there will be no major impact on the Puget Sound region’s
economy.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Grady cited solid local
economic indicators and the Federal Reserve’s decision on Wednesday to hold off
on increasing interest rates as signals for a good time for home buyers and
sellers to make a move. “It actually could be a great window of opportunity,”
he stated. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">MLS director George Moorhead
also commented on jitters associated with Election Day. “We are hearing
concerns from buyers relocating from other countries and how policies may
change job security,” he stated. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">On an encouraging note for
buyers, Moorhead said there has been more flexibility involving new
construction incentives and upgrades, notably among larger national builders
wanting to close out inventory. He believes it’s been at least 18 months since
such offers were available to buyers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“New construction projects are
still going forward and are only hampered by the lack of available land for
larger development sites,” reported Moorhead. Both national and mid-sized local builders are
completing smaller 4-to-6 lot plats, even though they prefer plats of at least
12 lots, according to Moorhead. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Asked about activity from
foreign investors who might be shifting attention from British Columbia to
markets in Washington because of tax hikes and other measures being imposed
there, and recent reports of plunging sales, brokers with Northwest MLS had
varied reactions: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Default" style="margin-bottom: 1.9pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">
Moorhead said they’re seeing an increase in foreign money, but it’s more in the
commercial arena. He also noted they are a hearing of foreign buyers looking
not just in Puget Sound, but also in California, Texas and other states. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default" style="margin-bottom: 1.9pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">
Gary O’Leyar described it as “a great example of what happens when you impose a
restriction (excessive taxes or restraints) onto a free market. Although the
circumstances are not exactly the same, rent control in a free trade market
could have similar detrimental results.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default" style="margin-bottom: 1.9pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">
Grady’s response was: “It’s not at all surprising that pending sales in
Vancouver (B.C.) dropped comparing month-to-month, after the huge surge that
happened in the final month before the new fees commenced.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> Beeson was upbeat. “This move
[by the British Columbia government] to put an additional tax burden on foreign
investors should bring smiles to Washington brokers, particularly in the
Greater Seattle and Eastside markets. It's only a matter of time until these
investors find a welcome mat out just a few miles south of Vancouver and
property prices worth writing home about.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: xx-small;">Northwest Multiple Listing
Service, owned by its member real estate firms, is the largest full-service MLS
in the Northwest. Its membership of nearly 2,100 member offices includes more
than 25,000 real estate professionals. The organization, based in Kirkland,
Wash., currently serves 23 counties in Washington state.</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anya Myerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05120764835547629701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238555390328706076.post-58874277868872244402016-11-02T14:56:00.001-07:002016-11-02T14:56:48.302-07:00No Change From Fed<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #384267; font-size: 11.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Over the past week, shifting expectations for foreign
central banks and headlines about the U.S. election were the main influence on
mortgage rates. The U.S. economic data had little impact. Mortgage rates ended
the week a little higher. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #384267; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 15.3333px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #384267; font-size: 11.5pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt;">As widely expected, the U.S. Fed made no policy changes
on Wednesday, and its statement was very similar to the prior one. Investors
still think there is roughly a 75% chance for a federal funds rate hike at the
next meeting on December 14, nearly unchanged from before the release of the
Fed statement. There was little market reaction to the Fed meeting. </span></div>
<div style="color: #384267; font-size: 11.5pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt;"></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #384267; font-size: 15.3333px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
<span class="textwrapper" style="color: #384267; font-size: 11.5pt;"><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 11.5pt;">By contrast, recent news from Europe and Japan was
negative for global bonds. Due to better than expected European economic data,
concerns grew that the European Central Bank (ECB) may see less need to
increase its monetary stimulus, particularly its bond purchases. In addition,
an official of the Bank of Japan (BOJ) said that the BOJ may not increase its
bond purchase program, disappointing some investors. Bond purchases from
central banks around the world have helped push global bond yields lower in
recent years, so indications that there may be less stimulus in the future
caused yields to rise, including U.S. mortgage rates. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11.5pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 11.5pt;"></span></div>
</span>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #384267; font-size: 11.5pt;">One reason that the U.S. Fed is able to wait longer to
tighten monetary policy is that inflation has risen very slowly so far this
year and remains below the Fed's target. The recently released core Personal
Consumption Expenditures (PCE) price index, the inflation indicator favored by
the Fed, was 1.7% higher than a year ago, matching expectations. Core PCE has
remained close to current levels all year. According to the Fed statement, Fed
officials expect that inflation will rise to their target of 2.0% "over
the medium term." </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<span class="textwrapper" style="color: #384267; font-size: 11.5pt;"><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 11.5pt;">The U.S. election also has influenced mortgage rates.
Generally, news that favors Trump has been positive for bonds and negative for
stocks. News that favors Clinton has caused the opposite reaction. </span></div>
</span>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<span class="textwrapper" style="color: #384267; font-size: 11.5pt;"><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 11.5pt;">Looking ahead, the Institute of Supply Management (ISM)
Services index will be released on Thursday. The important monthly employment
report will be released on Friday. As usual, this data on the number of jobs,
the unemployment rate, and wage inflation will be the most highly anticipated
economic data of the month. The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey, or
JOLTS, which measures job openings and labor turnover rates, will come out on
November 8. The election also may continue to influence mortgage rates. </span></div>
</span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<strong><span style="color: #7e7e7e; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt;">This information provided by: The Sanders Young Team,
NMLS ID #487525 and #438324</span></strong><b><span style="color: #7e7e7e; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt;"><br />
<strong>HomeStreet Bank </strong><br />
<strong>720 Lilly Road SE Olympia,
WA 98501</strong></span></b></div>
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]-->
<!--[endif]-->Anya Myerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05120764835547629701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238555390328706076.post-49992458125607512612016-10-18T15:34:00.001-07:002016-10-18T15:34:20.635-07:00VA Appraisals<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Effective 10-31 VA has
increased their appraisal fees to <span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;">$800 SFR/ $900 Manufactured</span> Home and increased their timeliness
to 14 business days, up from 10. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Other AMC’s are also
notifying me of an increase in appraisal fee, one of our best performing AMC’s
is increasing the fee for <span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;">a
SFR in Thurston Co to $750</span>, + $200 for 5 acres = $950 - effective Nov 1<sup>st</sup>.
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I am seeing turn times from 5
days to 45 days being quoted with an average turn time of 2 weeks depending on
location and complexity of assignment. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Let me know if I can help you
today. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: #1f497d; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
<hr align="center" size="2" width="100%" />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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mso-width-percent:0;mso-height-percent:0;mso-wrap-distance-left:9pt;
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</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><img align="left" height="136" hspace="12" src="file:///C:\Users\ANYAMY~1\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image002.jpg" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_5" width="231" /><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif;">Andrea C McGhee </span><i><span style="font-family: "Calibri Light", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Residential Mortgage Loan
Originator <o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: #bf9000;">Goldwater Bank, N.A. -
Mortgage Division</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;">NMLS# 103092,
Corporate NMLS# 452955<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;">2620 RW Johnson
Blvd SW Ste 104 Tumwater, WA 98512</span><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;">Direct:
360.915.9609 | Cell: 360.451.2358 <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Email: <b><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #bf9000; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;"><a href="mailto:amcghee@goldwaterbank."><span style="color: white; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">a</span></a>amcghee@goldwaterbank.com</span></b><span style="color: #bf9000;"> </span>|<span style="color: blue;"> </span><a href="http://www.goldwaterbank.com/"><b><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #bf9000; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">www.goldwaterbank.com</span></b></a><span style="color: #bf9000;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<b><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="https://www.zillow.com/profile/Andrea-McGhee/"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #c00000; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Read My Reviews on Zillow</span></a></span></b>Anya Myerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05120764835547629701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238555390328706076.post-22716675451937023812016-10-14T15:43:00.000-07:002016-10-18T15:48:31.589-07:00Flippers<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The 2016 Legislative Session has changed what defines a "Flipper" in the Contractor Registration Act in Washington state. Previously, it was:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Anybody who modifies their home within the 12 months prior to selling"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The Contractor Registration Act in Washington state has since been revised to change the "contractor" definition to exclude:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Any person that makes repairs by HIRING a licensed & bonded contractor".</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Do you have questions? Want to know if you're a flipper? Call me.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRGBVNEMIfQL5-AjYAjGfXwG0qkfvafsJUg3ZIOPlARpqulFF6OA1Bc1d-gY3c0wZ2Y9cRqrRvRdSxqda-LZoex2mBUCwg9ucfLY9Ze5Vx-otMfIEt9XiId7Ly7TBiNPVmKT64JqH2kI2C/s1600/RMMission_650x152_Slider.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRGBVNEMIfQL5-AjYAjGfXwG0qkfvafsJUg3ZIOPlARpqulFF6OA1Bc1d-gY3c0wZ2Y9cRqrRvRdSxqda-LZoex2mBUCwg9ucfLY9Ze5Vx-otMfIEt9XiId7Ly7TBiNPVmKT64JqH2kI2C/s640/RMMission_650x152_Slider.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>Anya Myerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05120764835547629701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238555390328706076.post-72995652907266723582016-10-05T22:07:00.000-07:002016-12-14T22:13:11.443-08:00Western Washington housing market still strong, but some see signs of rebalancing<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">KIRKLAND, Washington (Oct. 5, 2016) – It’s still a seller’s market, but
some leaders from Northwest Multiple Listing Service think the imbalance may be
easing in some areas, pointing to a slower pace of sales and moderating prices.
Others aren’t convinced, citing mixed indicators.</span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Northwest MLS statistics
summarizing September activity show year-over-year gains in the volumes of new
listings (up 14.5%), pending sales (up 9.3%), closed sales (up 9.5%), and
prices (up nearly 9%). Inventory for single family homes and condominiums
across the 23 counties in the report dropped about 8 percent from a year ago. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Commenting on September’s
activity, Northwest MLS director George Moorhead reported “rumblings on both
sides of the fence” by buyers and sellers. “Buyers are getting antsy to make a
move before interest rates rise and they’re looking harder at homes that have
been on the market longer than 30 days.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Sellers are considering
remodeling instead of buying as they cannot find a suitable new home, according
to Moorhead. He noted builders also face challenges in their searches for new
development sites near metro areas. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">MLS members continue to
scramble to replenish inventory. Compared to a year ago, they added 1,275 more
new listings during September, ending the month with 10,047 total new listings.
Like most months this year, however, September’s pending sales of single family
homes and condos exceeded the number of new listings. Brokers reported 10,463 pending
sales (mutually accepted offers) last month for a 9.3 percent improvement over
a year ago. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">September’s new listings marked the lowest monthly total
since February – but it may be an expected seasonal slowdown.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> “We have one month until November when new listings coming on the
market drop by 50 percent on a monthly basis compared to spring and summer
months,” explained J. Lennox. With the decrease typically lasting until the end
of February, “the best opportunity for homebuyers to find a home will be in the
next 30 days.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The current selection includes
18,136 active listings, down about 8 percent from the year-ago inventory. Only
two counties -- King and Clallam – reported year-over-year gains in inventory
during September. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Area-wide supply, as measured by months of inventory,
improved slightly from August, rising from about 1.9 months to 2 months. Supply
remained below two months in King, Snohomish and Pierce counties.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Demand for homes around Puget
Sound remains strong, with the market showing “no marked change throughout the
summer months,” remarked MLS director Dick Beeson. Well-priced, well-conditioned
homes continue to command attention and draw offers in record time, he noted. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">September was “an interesting
month for a few different reasons”.. Among factors he cited were the modest
increase in the number of new listings in the tri-county region (King, Pierce,
and Snohomish) and the slowing pace of sales and prices. “The good news is that
all of this points towards a market that is slowly beginning to rebalance
itself.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">MLS director Frank Wilson
believes Kitsap County is moving into the fall cycle, evidenced in part by
slowdowns in listings and sales when compared to mid-year activity. He also
reported fewer people at open houses and fewer multiple offer situations. “We
are still heavily weighted to a seller’s market, but a small shift might be
telling – we’re seeing more price reductions than in the recent past,” said
Wilson.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Sparse inventory in many
close-in neighborhoods, a shortage of appraisers, and the likelihood of an
interest rate hike before year-end are sources of concern, according to some
MLS spokespersons. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“We continue to see a seller’s market expansion in
peripheral counties, with absorption remaining high and prices continuing their
relentless increases,” said Mike Grady. Additionally, he cited reports on
healthy job creation and single-family building permits, and increases in investments
in the local market by foreign buyers. “We don’t expect things to moderate
significantly any time soon,” he remarked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A shortage of real estate
appraisers is concerning to Grady and other MLS officials. “We are hearing
concerns from brokers that closing times are increasing because appraisals are
more difficult to get completed in a timely manner given the frenzied pace of
activity,” Grady stated, adding, how rush fees can also slow down the process
for those not paying a premium for expedited service. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“With the current shortage of
appraisers and the lengthened time and increased costs it takes to get an
appraisal, this market is even more challenging,” said Wilson. “We’ve gone from
reductions in closing time over the past 20 years to now lengthening the
process because of changes to our industry and the requirements to be an
appraiser.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Beeson agreed, saying
“Appraisals continue to plague brokers and sellers.” The number of certified
appraisers statewide has diminished by half from 5,000 to around 2,500 since
Dodd/Frank regulations took effect. Longer appraisal time isn’t the only
challenge, he noted. “Appraisers are struggling to establish values based on
the continued rise in sales prices. Many buyers are faced with the prospect of
paying above appraised values if they want to secure a home,” according to
Beeson, who noted this difference must be paid in cash so the mortgage amount
doesn’t exceed the valuation. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Median sales prices system-wide
jumped nearly 9 percent from a year ago, from $312,000 to $340,000. Compared to
August, prices dropped by $10,000. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“It is normal for median home prices to fluctuate the second
half of the year,” stated Lennox. He noted the median home price for single
family homes that sold in King County dropped from $550,000 in August to
$538,000 for September. Compared to 12 months ago, the countywide median rose
9.7 percent for single family homes and 16.4 percent for condos.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Condo prices area-wide rose
17.3 percent from a year ago, escalating from $260,000 to $305,000. Supplies
are tight, with only 1.3 months of inventory. In King County, where last
month’s median sales price was $355,000, there is only one month of supply.
Similarly, Snohomish County has only a month of inventory; year-over-year prices
there rose nearly 9.8 percent. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“We have had many conversations
with sellers who wonder if they have missed the market as inventory levels
slowly rise and the Feds signaling a desire to raise interest rates in
December,” remarked Moorhead. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“The looming prospect of higher
interest rates is fueling buyer interest and prompting many buyers to take the
plunge now rather than wait for a reset in prices,” reported Beeson.
“Knowledgeable brokers coach buyers that a 1% change in interest rates equates
to a $200-plus increase in monthly payments on a $400,000 home and more than
$160 a month on a $275,000 home. That means property values would have to
decrease by over 12% to balance the increase in payment due to higher interest
rates. That's not happening anytime soon,” he stated. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In a recent report on actions
consumers can take in anticipation of rising interest rates, Bankrate, an
aggregator of financial rate information, suggested “considering your home
first.” On a $200,000 mortgage, half of one percentage point of interest means
a difference of $20,000 or more over 30 years. “If you are on the fence about
buying or refinancing, now is the time to act,” the author of the Bankrate
report wrote. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: xx-small;">Northwest Multiple Listing Service, owned by its member real
estate firms, is the largest full-service MLS in the Northwest. Its membership
of nearly 2,100 member offices includes more than 25,000 real estate
professionals.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
Anya Myerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05120764835547629701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238555390328706076.post-6474469854776104092016-10-04T15:34:00.001-07:002016-10-04T15:34:43.653-07:00What happens contract to closing?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Here's a scenario of contract to closing, incorporating in specific title & escrow pieces.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghbEntFFRYK-eHNkohW1aENmdtA0WcmPv3ohqx79tA4SvoX5K0ezEpP0EpLU3DKyBKiRF46lazgcf_9QgXTx3v1l5zMLbP-HbRlrs0Bi3wD1I6SnHx79tH87Bu4NPA_XJ-PCkcYjoGsfRq/s1600/title+-+contract+to+closing.tif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghbEntFFRYK-eHNkohW1aENmdtA0WcmPv3ohqx79tA4SvoX5K0ezEpP0EpLU3DKyBKiRF46lazgcf_9QgXTx3v1l5zMLbP-HbRlrs0Bi3wD1I6SnHx79tH87Bu4NPA_XJ-PCkcYjoGsfRq/s400/title+-+contract+to+closing.tif" width="310" /></a></div>
Anya Myerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05120764835547629701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238555390328706076.post-60037140603672242822016-10-01T15:40:00.000-07:002016-10-18T15:42:02.343-07:00Utility Companies<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="height: 48px; margin-left: 283px; margin-top: 15px; mso-ignore: vglayout; position: absolute; width: 32px; z-index: 251661312;"><br /></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><u></u></b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><u><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih_4pe0xkWH9-uVJhHItFQsLYWloDVI18hag3WH5TMUdnSeb6fwB0mETxUuz5ZdpgUHxv3egBB7iJlmRe5WjaJ7BU3yBcibCtl4kdqn49bodHd4S1sQajOsiTCjG2tyaipwpYitozLV2oz/s1600/remax.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="96" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih_4pe0xkWH9-uVJhHItFQsLYWloDVI18hag3WH5TMUdnSeb6fwB0mETxUuz5ZdpgUHxv3egBB7iJlmRe5WjaJ7BU3yBcibCtl4kdqn49bodHd4S1sQajOsiTCjG2tyaipwpYitozLV2oz/s320/remax.jpg" width="320" /></a></u></b></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><u><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span></u></b></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><u><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span></u></b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><u>Puget Sound
Energy (Electric/Gas)</u></b><span style="color: blue;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_3"
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<v:imagedata src="file:///C:\Users\ANYAMY~1\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image003.png"
o:title="image003"/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><span style="height: 42px; margin-left: -53px; margin-top: 13px; mso-ignore: vglayout; position: absolute; width: 39px; z-index: 251671552;"></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">PO Box 97034<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Bellevue, WA 98009<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">(425) 424-6537</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><u><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></u></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><u><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The Water Company</span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
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style='position:absolute;margin-left:211.9pt;margin-top:1.4pt;width:24pt;
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<v:fill o:detectmouseclick="t"/>
<v:imagedata src="file:///C:\Users\ANYAMY~1\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image001.jpg"
o:title="trash can vector illustration -"/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><span style="height: 48px; margin-left: 283px; margin-top: 2px; mso-ignore: vglayout; position: absolute; width: 32px; z-index: 251660288;"></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><u>H&R
Waterworks, Inc. </u></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
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mso-width-relative:page;mso-height-relative:page'>
<v:imagedata src="file:///C:\Users\ANYAMY~1\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image005.png"
o:title=" "/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><span style="height: 46px; margin-left: -48px; margin-top: 13px; mso-ignore: vglayout; position: absolute; width: 32px; z-index: 251659264;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img alt="Machine generated alternative text: " height="46" src="file:///C:/Users/ANYAMY~1/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image006.jpg" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_5" width="32" /></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><u>(Water and
Sewer)</u></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">PO Box 3<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">East Olympia, WA<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">98540-0003<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
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style='position:absolute;margin-left:211.9pt;margin-top:5.75pt;width:24pt;
height:36pt;z-index:251662336;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square;
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<v:fill o:detectmouseclick="t"/>
<v:imagedata src="file:///C:\Users\ANYAMY~1\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image001.jpg"
o:title="trash can vector illustration -"/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><span style="height: 48px; margin-left: 283px; margin-top: 8px; mso-ignore: vglayout; position: absolute; width: 32px; z-index: 251662336;"></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">(360)
357-3758<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_12"
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style='position:absolute;margin-left:-38.8pt;margin-top:12.75pt;width:24pt;
height:34.2pt;z-index:251667456;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square;
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<v:imagedata src="file:///C:\Users\ANYAMY~1\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image005.png"
o:title=" "/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><span style="height: 46px; margin-left: -52px; margin-top: 17px; mso-ignore: vglayout; position: absolute; width: 32px; z-index: 251667456;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img alt="Machine generated alternative text: " height="46" src="file:///C:/Users/ANYAMY~1/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image006.jpg" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_12" width="32" /></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><u>City of
Lacey (Water/Sewer)</u></b><u><o:p></o:p></u></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">420 College St. SE<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Lacey, WA 98503<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
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style='position:absolute;margin-left:211.9pt;margin-top:3.5pt;width:24pt;
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<v:fill o:detectmouseclick="t"/>
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o:title="trash can vector illustration -"/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><span style="height: 48px; margin-left: 283px; margin-top: 5px; mso-ignore: vglayout; position: absolute; width: 32px; z-index: 251663360;"></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">(360) 491-5616</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><u><br /></u></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><u>City of Olympia (Water/Sewer)</u></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
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<v:imagedata src="file:///C:\Users\ANYAMY~1\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image005.png"
o:title=" "/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><span style="height: 46px; margin-left: -48px; margin-top: 0px; mso-ignore: vglayout; position: absolute; width: 32px; z-index: 251672576;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img alt="Machine generated alternative text: " height="46" src="file:///C:/Users/ANYAMY~1/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image006.jpg" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_17" width="32" /></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">PO Box 7966<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Olympia, WA 98507<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">(360) 753-8340<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><u>City of Tenino (Water/Sewer)</u></b><u><o:p></o:p></u></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
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<v:imagedata src="file:///C:\Users\ANYAMY~1\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image005.png"
o:title=" "/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><span style="height: 46px; margin-left: -48px; margin-top: 1px; mso-ignore: vglayout; position: absolute; width: 32px; z-index: 251668480;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img alt="Machine generated alternative text: " height="46" src="file:///C:/Users/ANYAMY~1/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image006.jpg" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_14" width="32" /></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">PO Box 4019
149 Hodgen St. S<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Tenino, WA 98589<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">(360) 264-2368<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
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o:title=" "/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><span style="height: 46px; margin-left: -48px; margin-top: 16px; mso-ignore: vglayout; position: absolute; width: 32px; z-index: 251669504;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img alt="Machine generated alternative text: " height="46" src="file:///C:/Users/ANYAMY~1/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image009.jpg" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_15" width="32" /></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><u>City of
Tumwater (Water/Sewer)</u></b></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">555 Israel Rd. SW</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Tumwater, WA 98501<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">(360) 754-4133<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
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</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><span style="height: 46px; margin-left: -44px; margin-top: 12px; mso-ignore: vglayout; position: absolute; width: 32px; z-index: 251670528;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><u>City of Yelm
(Water/Sewer)</u></b><u><o:p></o:p></u></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">901 Rhoton Rd. SE<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Yelm, WA 98597<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">(360)
458-3244<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
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</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><span style="height: 46px; margin-left: -47px; margin-top: 10px; mso-ignore: vglayout; position: absolute; width: 32px; z-index: 251678720;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img alt="Machine generated alternative text: " height="46" src="file:///C:/Users/ANYAMY~1/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image009.jpg" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_9" width="32" /></span></span><!--[endif]--><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape
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o:title="image006"/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><span style="height: 28px; margin-left: 273px; margin-top: 0px; mso-ignore: vglayout; position: absolute; width: 53px; z-index: 251674624;"></span><!--[endif]--><b><u><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">WA Water Service Co.<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">PO Box 336<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Gig Harbor,
WA 98335<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">(877)
408-4060<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
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height:121.2pt;z-index:251676672;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square;
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o:title=" "/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="mso-ignore: vglayout; position: relative; z-index: 251676672;"><span style="height: 162px; left: 193px; position: absolute; top: -49px; width: 128px;"></span></span><!--[endif]--></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br clear="ALL" />
</span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><u>LeMay Inc. (Garbage)</u></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">2910 Hogum Bay Rd. NE<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Lacey, WA 98516<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">(360) 923-0111<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><u>Lewis/Chehalis</u></b><u><o:p></o:p></u></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1713 N. Pearl<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Centralia, WA 98531<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">(360) 264-2368<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><u>Grays Harbor</u></b><u><o:p></o:p></u></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">4201 Olympic Hwy<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Aberdeen, WA 98520<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">(360) 533-2507<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><u>Pierce County</u></b><u><o:p></o:p></u></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">4111 192<sup>nd</sup> St. E<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Tacoma, WA 98446<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">(253) 875-5890<b> </b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><u>Mason County PUD 3</u></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">PO Box 2148<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Shelton, WA 98584<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">(360) 426-8255<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><u>Belfair</u></b><u><o:p></o:p></u></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">PO Box 2148<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Shelton, WA 98584<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">(360) 275-2833<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><u>Shelton</u></b><u><o:p></o:p></u></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">PO Box 2148<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Shelton, WA 98584<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">(360) 426-8255<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><u><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Thurston
PUD<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">912 Lakeridge Way, SW<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Suite 301<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Olympia, WA 98502<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">(360) 357-8703</span><o:p></o:p></div>
Anya Myerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05120764835547629701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238555390328706076.post-79176008194416004992016-09-23T16:11:00.002-07:002016-09-23T16:11:40.646-07:00Countryside Beach Listing $400,000<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/D4cyaZdxRSU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Anya Myerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05120764835547629701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238555390328706076.post-4902119450122177932016-09-20T17:06:00.003-07:002016-09-20T17:06:17.473-07:00New listing at Tempo Lake $215,000<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xV-giXGw3KE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Anya Myerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05120764835547629701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238555390328706076.post-88582255936632811492016-09-19T13:42:00.001-07:002016-09-19T13:42:44.822-07:00Life After Bankruptcy: 7 Steps to Rebuilding Your Credit<div class="rvps1" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="rvts1"><span style="font-size: 36.0pt;">McFerran Law,
P.S.</span></span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="rvps1" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="rvts2"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt;">Practicing Real
Estate Law in Western Washington since 1986</span></span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="rvps1" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="rvps2" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="rvts2"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt;">September 19</span></span><span class="rvts3"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">th</span></span><span class="rvts2"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt;">, 2016</span></span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="rvps3" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="rvps4" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="rvts5"><span style="font-size: 32.0pt;">Life After
Bankruptcy:</span></span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="rvps4" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="rvts6"><span style="font-size: 26.0pt;">7 Steps to Rebuilding
Your Credit</span></span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="rvps4">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="rvps5">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="rvts8">Declaring bankruptcy
affects not just your finances and personal life, but your credit score as
well. Your credit score often diminishes during the financially
trying times leading up to bankruptcy. Each missed credit card, auto loan,
or mortgage payment will take a hit on your credit score. If you
elect to declare bankruptcy, your credit score will further
decrease. A bankruptcy will remain on your credit report for up to
10 years, and there is a good chance your Fair Isaac Company score, more
commonly known as your FICO rating, will be low following a
bankruptcy. With this being said, you do not have to wait 10 years
to rebuild a positive credit score. In just a few years following
bankruptcy, your credit can improve drastically if these following steps are
adhered to:</span><span style="line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="rvps5">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="rvts8"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 200%;">1.<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="rvts9">Review your credit report</span><span class="rvts8">—It
is important to begin the process of rebuilding your credit by first gaining an
understanding of where you stand. You have the right to obtain one free
credit report a year from Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax on </span><span style="line-height: 200%;"><a href="https://www.annualcreditreport.com/index.action"><span style="line-height: 200%; text-decoration: none;">annualcreditreport.com</span></a></span><span class="rvts8">.
Once you retain your copy, in addition to assessing your score, review the
credit report for any errors. Contact the credit reporting agencies to
correct any inaccuracies that will negatively impact your score.</span><span style="line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="rvts8"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 200%;">2.<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="rvts9">Always pay your bills on time</span><span class="rvts8">—Your
payment history has a considerable impact on your credit score, making up 35%
of the overall rating. Accordingly, one of the easiest ways to bring up
your credit score is to pay your bills on time. It is helpful to put
reminders on your calendar every month by the due date. Additionally,
many services allow you to set up an automatic payment system, which will ensure
you do not forget.</span><span style="line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="rvts8"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 200%;">3.<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="rvts9">Cautiously apply for credit</span><span class="rvts8">—Credit
cards can play a critical role in rebuilding credit. If you did not keep
a credit card open during bankruptcy, you should apply for one after your
bankruptcy has been discharged. You may need to open a secured card,
which requires you place a security deposit with the issuer. Make sure
you do not repeat past mistakes—pay off the full balance whenever possible and
be careful not to amass any significant debt.</span><span style="line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="rvts8"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo4; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 200%;">4.<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="rvts9">Know your limits</span><span class="rvts8">—For rebuilding
credit, as well as ensuring a positive financial status, be aware of the limits
on your credit cards and keep balances well below it. Use all credit
cards sparingly and pay the bill on time, every time.</span><span style="line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo4; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="rvts8"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo5; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 200%;">5.<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="rvts9">Be wary of credit repair services</span><span class="rvts8">—You
will likely receive mailings from companies promising to help repair your
credit. Investigate any such services before you use them, as they may
charge hefty fees and attain few results. You can rebuild your credit on
your own at no cost.</span><span style="line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo5; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="rvts8"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo6; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 200%;">6.<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="rvts9">Obtain a loan</span><span class="rvts8">—A year or two
after your bankruptcy, you may want to consider applying for a car loan or line
of credit. Be sure the loan is affordable and that you can successfully
pay it off. You may receive higher interest rates. Shop around and
know that your rates will drop in the future with successful repayment of the
loan.</span><span style="line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo6; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="rvts8"><br /></span></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 200%;">7.<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="rvts9">Do not close accounts</span><span class="rvts8">—After
declaring bankruptcy, you may be leery of credit cards and lines of
credit. Many individuals go so far as to close these lines of
credit. Taking this action can have a damaging effect on your
credit. Closing accounts reduces the amount of credit available to you,
thereby diminishing your credit score. Keep lines of credit open even if
you do not use them.</span><span style="line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="rvts8">Call us for a free
bankruptcy consultation to see if you qualify for bankruptcy protection. Not
only will we review your current financial circumstance, we will explain your
options and the advantages/disadvantages of each. Bankruptcy is only one
option. The number to call is 253-284-3838 to schedule an appointment at any of
our offices in Tacoma, Kent, Seattle (Northgate), Everett and Silverdale.</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="rvts8"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">Information received with permission by: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="rvts16">Richard J.
Welt</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="rvps4">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="rvts17">Attorney
at Law</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="rvps4">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="rvts18">McFerran
Law, P.S.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="rvps4">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="rvts15">1833
No. 105</span><span class="rvts19">th</span><span class="rvts15"> Street, Suite 101</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="rvps4">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="rvts15">Seattle,
WA 98133</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="rvps4">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.mcferranlaw.com/">www.mcferranlaw.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="rvps4">
<br /></div>
<div class="rvps4">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="rvts8"> 3906
So. 74</span><span class="rvts21">th</span><span class="rvts8"> St
1833 No. 105</span><span class="rvts21">th</span><span class="rvts8"> St, Ste. 101 25028 104</span><span class="rvts21">th</span><span class="rvts8"> Ave SE</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="rvps4">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="rvts8">Tacoma, WA 98409
Seattle,
WA 98133
Kent, WA 98031</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="rvps12">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="rvts8">2520 Colby Ave,
Ste. 101 9633 Levin Rd,
Suite 101 </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="rvps4">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="rvts8">
Everett, WA 98201
Silverdale, WA 98383
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="rvps4">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="rvts8"><span style="font-size: x-small;">McFerran Law is a
debt relief agency as defined by federal bankruptcy law.</span></span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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Anya Myerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05120764835547629701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238555390328706076.post-26760982321704494242016-09-08T10:17:00.000-07:002016-09-19T10:18:11.769-07:00Mortgage Rate Update<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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