Three trends already emerging in spring housing season
What can homebuyers expect to face this selling season? An improving housing market has made it a different picture in many areas compared to recent years, housing experts say. A recent article at Bankrate.com notes some of the following trends taking shape in the housing market this spring: 1. Expect to pay more for a […]14 years ago
Federal Reserve renews vow to keep interest rates low
The Fed voted this week to continue its near-zero interest rate policy for the next quarter and likely much longer. The move will keep mortgage rates low in the coming months, if not years. In recent weeks, mortgage rates have hovered around record lows, which has helped increase home buyer purchasing power as well as […]14 years ago
State requires sellers to install carbon monoxide alarms
New Washington state regulations require sellers of any owner-occupied single-family residence to equip the residence with carbon monoxide (CO) alarms in accordance with state building codes before a buyer or any other person can occupy the residence following the sale. The measure is intended to prevent deaths from CO, an odorless, colorless gas that is […]15 years ago
The investor factor: More homes become rentals
As the number of for-sale homes listed on the multiple listing service drops, the number of single-family homes up for rent has been gradually increasing.15 years ago
Low-ball offers drop with dwindling Puget Sound inventory
Last year, 10 percent of real estate salespersons complained about receiving low-ball offers on listed homes – offers usually submitted by the buyer for 25 percent or more below the list price, according to a National Association of Realtors survey of its members. That number has dropped drastically. According to a survey this March of […]15 years ago
Tom Kelly: Another big lift from Rebuilding Together
Nearly two decades ago, I watched a Rebuilding Together team complete a dream come true for an elderly woman, then 98. All she wanted was a stack-style washer and dryer and freshly painted rooms in her craftsman home. “Well, I got all that and more,” Mary Edith said that day. “They painted my house inside […]15 years ago
FHA delays loan rule on borrower credit disputes
After being criticized that a new rule could shut out too many borrowers, the Federal Housing Administration says it will postpone implementing the rule, which would make it tougher for borrowers with credit disputes on their records to qualify for an FHA-backed mortgage. The new rule took effect April 1, but after the first week […]15 years ago
Can’t beat a dip: Top 10 amenities for vacation properties
Renting out your place this summer? Vacation property owners often wonder which amenities will add the greatest appeal (other than waterfront) to their vacation rentals. To help answer this question, we pulled data from actual travelers searching for properties on HomeAway, VRBO and VacationRentals.com to determine the most in-demand amenities. Here’s what we found: 1. […]15 years ago
Job security still a tender topic, Bankrate study reveals
Homes follow jobs, and Americans are still skittish about their long-term employment outlook, according to Bankrate’s Financial Security Index. While 29 percent of those interviewed by Bankrate said their overall financial situation is better today when compared to a year ago (26 percent), 22 percent of those surveyed said they have less job security compared […]15 years ago
Lesser of 2 evils: Short sales outpace foreclosures
Banks are agreeing to more short sales, and for the first time, short-sale transactions are exceeding foreclosure deals, according to the most recent housing data from Lender Processing Services (LPS) Inc.15 years ago
Bad guys abound: Foreclosure scams rise 60 percent
Mortgage foreclosure scams – which seek to dupe struggling homeowners with offers to save them from financial troubles – have soared nearly 60 percent this year. Scammers are increasingly using federal programs, like refinance programs such as HARP and HAMP, to try to trick homeowners, reports the Homeownership Preservation Foundation (HPF), a nonprofit group that […]15 years ago
Commercial giant Grubb & Ellis sold in bankruptcy deal
BGC Partners Inc. announced it has acquired Grubb & Ellis Co., one of the nation’s largest commercial real estate brokerages. The firm will be integrated with BGC’s Newmark Knight Frank, which BGC acquired in October 2011, and the merged companies will operate as “Newmark Grubb Knight Frank.” The new commercial company will have more than […]15 years ago
Inventory shrinkage: Puget Sound ranked No. 7 in U.S.
The Seattle-Bellevue-Everett region was ranked No. 7 in the U.S. by Realtor.com in its top 10 housing markets for a shrinking number of homes on the market, fresher inventory, and an increase in median list price. In 146 metros tracked by Realtor.com, the number of for-sale listings was down 21 percent in March compared to […]15 years ago
Tom Kelly: Reverse mortgage not just a ‘last resort’
A recently published study revealed that a reverse mortgage can be powerful tool when used within a coordinated strategy rather than a "last resort" after exhausting the securities portfolio.15 years ago
How much to fix an REO? One-quarter of purchase price
Investors are buying up foreclosures in bulk, viewing the potential returns from REOs-to-rentals as better than most other investments. But experts caution investors to be careful that they don’t take on more than they can handle, and make sure they devote some attention – and budget – into the rehabilitation of many of the properties […]15 years ago
Investors benefit from both sides of ‘Rent vs. Own’
Not everybody chooses – or is able – to own a home, but somebody must own the roof over our heads. Investors are pouncing on foreclosure bargains and then turning the properties into money-making rentals, taking advantage of both sides of the “Rent vs. Own” debate. And, investors have a lot from which to choose: […]15 years ago
Do good-looking agents really sell more homes?
Appearance may matter when it comes to selling homes, at least according to researchers in a newly- published study in an industry journal, Applied Financial Economics.
15 years ago
Average loan amount grows, lifting industry confidence
The average amount of mortgages being approved by lenders has grown in the last three months from $215,000 to $235,000 – a possible sign of increased buyer and lender confidence, according to analysts at Capital Economics. Besides the increase in average mortgage amounts, analysts also point to other positive signs shaping up in the housing […]15 years ago
BofA rolls out plan to curtail short-sale approvals
Bank of America announced it is refining its short-sale process to streamline its approval process and reduce the wait in accepting offers and making it to closing. The changes are expected to trim the bank’s decision time in half – from 45 days or longer to 20 days. Starting April 14, the bank says it […]15 years ago
Fannie Mae study reveals upswing in buyer urgency
More homebuyers may jump off the sidelines this spring as they get more urgent about purchasing a home, fearing that home price and mortgage rate increases are on the horizon. In the most recent survey, 73 percent of Americans say now is a good time to buy, according to the latest Fannie Mae Housing Survey […]15 years ago
Former Husky, World Series star, anchored downtown
Tim Lincecum, the two-time National League Cy Young Award winner who led the San Francisco Giants to the 2010 World Series title, agreed to a two-year contract worth $40.5 million earlier this year. Lincecum, who starred at Liberty Senior School near the Renton-Issaquah border before moving on to the University of Washington, was said to […]15 years ago
Home office tax deduction? Might not be worth it
A popular tax deduction that is often taken yet needs additional consideration is the home office deduction.15 years ago
Home values rising in some hard-hit markets
Hard-hit housing markets in Florida, Michigan, and Arizona are seeing an increase in average home values, according to CoreLogic, a financial services company specializing in real estate data and analytics. In particular, investors are fueling a resurgence in Miami, pushing home and condominium values higher than in other popular Florida cities. Meanwhile, a lack of […]15 years ago
