ComeBuyAHouse.com

June 2009 Seattle Area Market Updates

June 2009 Seattle Area Market Updates

KING COUNTY
In King County, number of sales increased by 20.7% over May which is a strong rise month over month. First time home buyers carry the day, and we are busy busy busy, closing 4 first time home buyer transactions!  We are still seeing multiple offer situations on the lowest price range homes as well as bank owned homes in most price ranges.  From June‘08 to June ‘09 the median price is down 12.16%.

SNOHOMISH COUNTY
In Snohomish County, the number of sales rose 8% from May ‘09.  The average price of a residence is 11.61% lower than June ‘08. The rate of price drops is slowing.

Please remember that these numbers are county wide trends, and that real estate pricing is very localized and can also be affected by the owner’s situation.
Please call us for a closer look at properties that interest you.

Lynette Hensley

Here are downloadable PDF’s:
Real Estate Market updates for King, Snohomish Counties:
King County

Snohomish County

Compiled by our title partner, from MLS statistics.

Lynette Hensley, Associate Broker, Realtor
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Want to look up weather info for your chosen city?

http://www.weatherreports.com/

Type in the city you want to know more about and then click go.  You get the current weather report, and if you look under the daily forecast there is a line with averages, like this:

Average temperature of July: 57°F. Average high temperature: 66°F. Average low temperature: 51°F. More Averages »

If you click on “More averages”  you can find the average rainfall, temps, snowfalls, all kinds of averages.

Know more about the town you want to live in!

Lynette Hensley
Associate Broker

Save Money on Your Water Bill

Water saving measures you can take:

• soaker hoses instead of sprinklers
• don’t pre-rinse dishes
• do laundry only with full loads
• shower instead of taking baths
• turn off the faucet when brushing teeth or shaving
• change to an efficient shower head
• check for leaks at sinks and toilets
• Save the water that runs while waiting for hot water. Use to wash produce, cleaning, watering plants.
• for warm water, turn hot water on first, then add cold water as needed.
• don’t use the garbage disposal, compost.

This info compiled from SavingWater.org

Lynette Hensley
Associate Broker

Eagle Falls near Index, WA

Look at the beauty only 2 miles from our Index listing!  The fish are a-jumpin’ and the water is a-flowing’ in this beautiful area of Washington State.  This is Eagle Falls on the Skykomish River.  Here you can swim, boat and simply wade around and enjoy the beautiful area.  Here is a bit more about the falls: Eagle Falls.

Lynette Hensley
Associate Broker

Index Recording Studio and 2 Bedroom Home

Index Home & Recording Studio

Facing the town of Index’s climbing wall is this 2 bedroom home with a full recording studio in the basement.

2 Bedrooms and one bath are on the main level, with the kitchen, breakfast counter and dining room lighted by clerestory windows.  This home was built in 1918, redone in 1945, and has been well cared for.

In the 80’s the basement was converted to a recording studio. Isolation booths, wall treatments of egg crate foam rubber and sound isolated ceilings are some of the features, along with full internal wiring for recording.

This home is located in the town of Index, WA, along

Sound Booth

Hwy 2, between Stevens Pass and Monroe. Index Blog Mountain views are included, and proximity to recreational activities like hiking, skiing, river water sports and climbing add to its charm.  From the front porch, you can see climbers on the town’s climbing wall, and from the backyard, Mt Index is majestic to the south.  Leaving the home toward town one can also see Mt. Persis, Gunn & Merchant peaks.  The town is surrounded by mountains, and is also near the Skykomish river where there are recreation opportunities within walking distance of the home.

Mt Index

Rhodies in the spring time are a wonderful display of color–mature plantings and fruit trees in the yard.  Between the house and gardening shed are stairs leading up to the house, as well as down to the basement studio, or the terraced backyard/patio.  It’s a shy quarter acre of peaceful mountain home.  $199,950

Please Call Larry Baumgartner for a private viewing, 206 291 4117 or email for more information

Featured Listings

All information is deemed reliable as of this posting, but is not guaranteed.  The price and market status is subject to change at any time.

Title Shows an Unpaid Tax Balance

Question:

Schedule B in the special exceptions section B paragraph 2, where it says General & Special Taxes there shows an unpaid balance of $1345.09.  Is that something we have to pay?  Do we have to pay for it on or before closing?

Answer:

Property taxes are paid 1/2 at a time, in April and October.  The October payment hasn’t been made yet, which is what’s showing. The taxes are prorated between the buyer and the seller as of closing day.  That’s what pre-paids are for–to have enough $ on hand for your mortgage servicer to pay your taxes when they come due.  So you will only pay for taxes during the period of time you own the house, not for the seller’s taxes.

Good question!

Lynette Hensley
Associate Broker

Our client asked this Question:

Question:
Will we actually get the keys on our closing day?  I have heard of people signing the closing papers, but then they didn’t get their keys until a few days later.  Would there be a chance of that happening and if so…why?

Answer:
In many  other states people sign and get possession of the property the same day.

In the State of WA, buyers and sellers sign papers a day or two ahead of the closing, and that’s what you will do in most cases. Closing day is still the day you get your keys.

Why?  Washington is an Escrow state–that means that the escrow officer will guide you through the signing and notarize your signatures.  Then all your loan documents go back to the lender for a final review, then funds are released and title releases the deed to record at the county.  Once the deed is recorded, you get your keys.  Though technically at 9PM on the day of closing is when you can have them,most often the keys are turned over to the buyer as soon as escrow says the transaction is closed.

Lynette Hensley, Associate Broker

Mae’s Cafe is a Yummy Brunch Spot

Question:
I live in north Ballard… what is the best yummy brunch spot in the area?

(Asked and answered on Zillow)

Answer:
We really like the Volunteer Park Cafe: Special menu with creative food flair. Think roasted pear brioche french toast. Capital Hill area. And Mae’s Cafe:

Wonderful omelets and your happy making breakfast foods, and cow decor. On funky Phinney Ridge. Them’s the faves!

Lynette Hensley—-ComeBuyAHouse.com team

Other Tax Exemptions I Should Know About?

Question:
I’m about to buy my first house and all I hear about is what a good time it is to buy… I know that you can get the 8k credit or do the 0% down FHA loan, but are there any tax exemptions or any grants that I should be trying to apply for?

Just wondering if anyone has stumbled across anything? Are there any other Government handouts for first time home buyers besides FHA?

(We answered on Zillow)

Answer:
Hi, As a first time home buyer you will qualify for the $8000 credit, and could get an FHA loan. Most loans will require the borrower to have a small down payment, FHA is now 3.5%. There are programs available, state by state, that are supported by state bonds or non-profit groups that offer down payment assistance or low rates or special financing programs. Your best bet would be to look for a loan officer that specializes in first time home buyers and knows about such programs. I’m in Washington State where there is a program called the “House Key”. You attend a class for home buyers, which will fill you in on all the requirements of receiving the assistance. Often the loan program will also require you to stay in the home for a specific length of time, presumably so that you will have built some equity. Also the lender doesn’t make money as fast with the lower rate or the longer term that is offered. I put this search statement into Leapfish.com search engine, “[your state] first time home buyer programs” and came up with some good results. That will give you some programs to ask loan officers about.

Good luck!
Lynette Hensley — Associate Broker

How can I understand the sales history of a foreclosed home?

Question:
I’m looking at the sales history of a foreclosed home that has been in the market for quite some time. It shows 6 different file dates –one in 2004 another in 2005, 2 in 2006 and the last one in 2008. What do the abbreviations under “Instr Type” mean–TRD, D/T, WD, and SWD? What do these all mean?

Answer:
Your Question:”Instr Type” mean–TRD, D/T, WD, and SWD?

Instrument type–the type of deed that conveys ownership

The types of deeds available and their means of conveyance vary from state to state.
TRD = Trustee Deed or Deed of Trust A trustee’s deed is often used in bankruptcy
D/T = Deed of Trust — this is the deed that allows the lender to have an interest in the property
WD = Warranty Deed — this is the deed that is most often used to convey property from seller
to buyer in a purchase transaction
SWD = Special warranty Deed — this is used in REO/bank owned/Repo or foreclosure sales where the property is held for a very short time, and not occupied by the seller. It’s warranty only warrants the period of time that the seller has owned the property.

Caveat: This is general information only, when dealing with deeds and foreclosures, it’s wise to have legal assistance beyond your real estate professional.

Lynette Hensley — Associate Broker

(Asked and answered on Zillow)