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REALTORS® Nationwide Open House

April 24, 2012

REALTORS® all across the state are getting ready for the biggest housing event ever…the REALTOR® Open House Weekend. It’s happening all over the nation April 28th and 29th.

There will be over 100,000 homes featured across the county with very motivated sellers, the best selection of homes and extremely low interest rates…And don’t underestimate how important interest rates are right now. For example, if they go up just one percent – it could add over $50 thousand dollars to the life of your loan.

The time to act is now. So go see your lender and get pre-approved for a loan and then lets go look at some houses! It’s fun it’s free and now is the time, during the REALTOR® Nationwide Open House Weekend April 28th and 29th!

For a listing of Open Houses near you, contact your local REALTOR® Association or a REALTOR® near you. Find a REALTOR® in your area.

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Lay groundwork carefully on buying your first home

April 23, 2012

Lay groundwork carefully on buying your first home

As a young adult, there are few occurrences that make you feel more like a “grown-up” than when you purchase your first home. It’s a process that’s frightening, somewhat frustrating and fun — all at the same time.

With the economy and the housing market wreaking havoc with emotions, even considering a first house can leave you wondering, “Is there ever going to be a right time?”

Read Full Story on The Seattle Times…

Are you dreaming of buying a home? Check out our Homeownership Simplified section a for information & tips on buying a house and our handy calculators to figure out potential mortgages, closing costs, and more!

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Bidding Wars Erupt as U.S. Supply of Homes for Sale Falls

April 17, 2012

Bidding Wars Erupt as U.S. Supply of Homes for Sale Falls

Bidding wars, absent from most parts of the U.S. residential market since its peak in 2006, are erupting from Seattle and Silicon Valley to Miami and Washington, D.C. The inventory of homes hovers close to a six-year low, while an increase in jobs and record affordability are tempting more buyers. The number of contracts to buy previously owned homes jumped 14 percent in February from a year earlier, the National Association of Realtors reported yesterday.

Read Full Story on Bloomberg…

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Homebuying warms up in many parts of nation

April 16, 2012

Homebuying warms up in many parts of nation

Five years after the U.S. housing bust sent sales and prices plunging, the spring homebuying season is pointing to a long-awaited recovery.

Reduced prices, record-low mortgage rates, higher rents and an improving job market appear to be emboldening many would-be buyers. Open houses are drawing crowds. A wave of foreclosures is leading investors to grab bargain-priced homes.

And many people seem to have concluded that prices won’t drop much further. In some areas, including King County, house prices have begun to tick up.

Read More on The Seattle Times…

Are you thinking of buying a home? Check out our Homeownership Simplified section a for information & tips on buying a house and our handy calculators to figure out potential mortgages, closing costs, and more!

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Rate on 30-year mortgage drops to 3.88 percent

April 13, 2012

Rate on 30-year mortgage drops to 3.88 percent

Freddie Mac reported Thursday that the rate on the 30-year mortgage loan dropped to 3.88 percent (down from 3.98 percent) which is just above the record low rate of 3.87 percent reached in February.

The 15-year mortgage dropped to a record low of 3.11 percent (down from 3.21 percent last week) beating the previous record of 3.13 percent that was hit last month.

If you are in a position to buy, now is an excellent time with both housing prices and mortgage rates so low. Check out our Homeownership Simplified section for helpful information on buying a home in Washington State!

Interested in how different mortgages and rates affect monthly payments? Check out our handy Wahomeowners Calculators to see!

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