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This Year I’m Going To…

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Wednesday, January 4th, 2012

“This Year I’m Going To…” – 12/29/2011

Every year, it seems like the same things are on the list but this could be the year you really do invest in a rental home.

Rents are climbing, home prices are cheap and mortgage rates are low for even non-owner occupied properties. A $125,000 home with 20% down payment can easily have a $300 to $500 monthly cash flow after paying all of the expenses.

There are lots of investment strategies that work but one that is easy to understand and execute is to stay with below average price range homes in predominantly owner-occupied neighborhoods. These properties will appeal to the broadest range of tenants while you hold them and buyers when you’re ready to sell.

Single family homes offer an opportunity to borrow high loan-to-value mortgages at fixed rates for long terms on appreciating assets with tax advantages and reasonable control

This is the year to make some real progress on your resolutions. First, invest some time learning about rental properties by attending a FREE webinar on January 4th at 7:00 PM Central time by national real estate speaker Pat Zaby. Click here to register

Categories : For Sale By Owner, Investors

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The Ridge at Rock Creek, New Homes In Marysville WA.

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Tuesday, July 13th, 2010

By Harbour Homes

Harbour Homes build their properties to the highest standards of design and craftsmanship, and pride themselves on dedicating developments that reflect the natural beauty of the environment.

The Ridge at Rock Creek in Marysville offers ten new properties in a much sought after area ranging in price from $229,950 through to $319,950.

Harbour Homes build neighborhoods where there’s a variety of home styles that have beautiful streetscapes in order to create a pleasing and happy atmosphere.

The excellent standard features in their homes include high efficiency gas heating, reinforced foundations and front yard landscaping. The best quality cabinetry and vinyl windows are also fitted as standard.

When deciding on a move, your lifestyle influences where you choose to live. The time you have to spend travelling to and from work will be an important issue to consider. Location of the nearest appropriate schools and the availability of shops, restaurants and recreational facilities in the area are all things to be considered.

Harbour Homes provide prospective purchasers with a list of lenders who provide excellent customer services, competitive rates and loan programs. You’ll be guided through the process thus enabling you to choose the best program for you based on your individual financial needs.

All new homes come with a limited new home warranty which is administered by the Residential Warranty Corporation.

Marysville is a city which encompasses beautiful parks and gardens, beach and water sports, golf courses, restaurants, arts and entertainment, museums, zoo’s and aquariums, and much, much more.

There are shopping malls with a small town atmosphere and friendly shop assistants where you can buy anything you need for your new home.

The neighborhoods created by Harbour Homes are all situated within easy reach of all these facilities, together with excellent hospitals and health clinics.

The new homes built at The Ridge at Rock Creek range from 2 bedrooms up to 4 bedroom properties and all offer the very best facilities with the option of choosing preferred fixtures and fittings.

Situated in beautiful surroundings it’s an opportunity for first time buyers and families to live in an area where you have the luxury of a clean and spacious environment, but the convenience of being within a short distance of all the normal family necessities.

Properties within the area are much sought after, and any investment made today can only appreciate in value. This is particularly true of new properties which, generally speaking, need little or no maintenance in the future.

Please send me a reply if you would like to review floor plan choices and layouts or just need any additional information.

Categories : Uncategorized

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Hidden Acres, New Homes In Arlington WA.

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Saturday, July 10th, 2010

Puget Homes have been building houses for the last 20 years. They specialize in building custom homes at affordable prices, and to the customer’s own specifications. This gives the customer the freedom of choice in the design and accommodation best suited to their lifestyle.

Hidden Acres near Arlington, is a private neighborhood consisting of single family lots.

The beauty of buying a new home is the fact that with Puget Homes you are given choices as to what particular features you would like included in each room. All homes are finished to a high standard, including granite kitchen countertops and stainless steel appliances.

Hidden Acres is within easy reach of schools, grocery stores, speciality shops, shopping malls and a Farmer’s Market.

There are hospitals and medical centers catering for young and old alike and excellent care homes within the vicinity.

Arlington is easily accessible via Interstate 5, Washington State Routes 530, 531 and 9.

The city has many beautiful parks which are ideal for children of all ages, including a skate park, playgrounds, picnic areas, areas for baseball and soccer, or a quiet stroll through the beautiful woodland areas.

The city has grown over the last 20 years and there has been an increase in commercial and industrial growth also. This means there are ample job opportunities for those considering moving to the area.

Education in Arlington consists of five elementary schools, two middle schools and an alternative high school. Nearby are the University of Washington, the Seattle University and Seattle Pacific University.

The city also has it’s own Municipal Airport which has two runways.

Hidden Acres is an ideal area in which to bring up a family, with hiking, skiing, water sports, museums, zoos, wildlife reserve, and many other family orientated activities all within the Arlington area.

For keen golfers there are golf courses set in beautiful surroundings, with restaurants where the family can sit and enjoy the views whilst eating freshly prepared meals.

Many of the homes at Hidden Acres have already been sold, so if you’re interested in this particular area early contact is advisable.

Hidden Acres is a development in a sought after area, Puget Homes is a Company renowned for quality. These two factors are enough to ensure the value of these desirable properties will not falter.

Please send me a reply if you would like to review floor plan choices and layouts or just need any additional information.

Categories : Uncategorized

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Pacific Meadows Division 2 New Construction In Marysville

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Friday, June 25th, 2010

Pacific Ridge Homes

Pacific Meadows Division 2 is a 160 home neighborhood in Marysville, situated in over six acres of parks.

Pacific Ridge Homes have built over 1,000 homes throughout the Puget Sound area, and are known for their honesty, integrity, loyalty and commitment to their customers.

Pacific Ridge Homes Studio allows you to view all the upgrade features, fixtures and amenities the company has to offer, including a high efficiency furnace, air filter systems and central vacuum.

Wandering around the Studio you will be able to see the elegant fireplace, and features on kitchen appliances. Cabinet styles are on display together with lighting and fixture options and you’ll be able to compare a dazzling array of kitchen and bathroom counter tops of marble and granite.

Designer tiles, carpets, window blinds and even customized front doors can all be seen, which will prove to be a great asset when trying to decide upon how you want your finished home to look.

The company is a star certified member of Built Green, which is a residential building program that supports environmentally friendly, resource efficient home building. Homes are all built to a very high standard using materials and practices that help to protect the health and beauty of the environment. They are more energy efficient making them very cost effective, and provide safety and comfort for the whole family.

Financing by Pacific Ridge Homes’ preferred lenders gives you the opportunity to put together a program which will best suit your financial situation.

The Warranty program will give you protection and peace of mind and allow you to contact the builder at any time if you have any problems with plumbing, electrical or heating systems.

Marysville is a vibrant city which offers all the usual amenities to the community, including excellent schools, hospitals, clinics, and day care centres.

There’s an abundance of shopping facilities all offering good quality goods, and restaurants, museums, parks and recreational areas and clubs.

Pacific Meadows is a short distance from the centre of Marysville, and close to Freeway 5. Seattle lies south of Marysville and can be easily accessed via the Freeway.

Buying a home is probably one of the biggest purchases you’re ever likely to make, so it’s important to ensure any decision you make is the right one. By discussing your requirements with an expert you’ll be able to iron out any worries or problems you may have, and be given advice on the best options available within your financial budget.

Please send me a reply if you would like to review floor plan choices and layouts or just need any additional information.

Categories : Uncategorized

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The New, Stricter FHA

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Friday, June 25th, 2010

The Federal Housing Administation (FHA) program has changed to keep up with the times. The new, stricter FHA is used to insure approximate one-third of all home loans currently in the real estate market. Presently, the FHA now requires higher upfront insurance premiums, that applicants have a minimum credit score of 620 (at the time of this blog post) with less than two 30 day late marks in the last two years, two years of steady employment with your income remaining the same or increasing, a bankruptcyat least two years old with a perfect credit discharge,a foreclosure at least three years old and perfect credit since then and a mortgage payment on your new home that doesn’t exceed 30% of your income before taxes.

If you want a home loan through FHA, it’s recommended that you do it now. It is expected that the FHA will get even more strict with their requirements and cost the applicant even more in the future. This is due to the fact that the FHA is trying to bring in more money to help offset the higher amount of foreclosures on the market as well as the higher amount of insurance claims. Even so, the FHA has $45 billion in reserves, which equals approximately 6% of outstanding loans.

With interest rates remaining at all-time lows, home prices at very affordable levels and inventory on hand, it is still a fantastic time to purchase your Arlington dream home now. Contact me today!

Categories : Financing Research, General, Investors, Uncategorized

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New Construction At Shasta Ridge in Marysville Washington

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Friday, June 25th, 2010

Belmark Homes

Belmark Homes newest community at Shasta Ridge is still under construction. Buyers are welcome to visit the site to get an idea of the quality and dedication of the builders who are working flat out to complete homes by the summer.

Located in Marysville near Lake Stevens, these three bedroom homes range from $184,950 to $224,950.

Belmark Homes was founded in 1975 and with their dedication to quality, has had a tremendous impact on the market in the Puget Sound area.

With it’s management team it carries out the construction of new homes with care and consideration for the future community. By providing a personalized service, you’re taken through the process from the initial construction to the finished home, during which time all your queries and comments are addressed in a friendly and helpful manner. The aim of the company is to provide 100% satisfaction.

Belmark can offer an excellent source of financing with Cascade Bank, who give a great service and provide competitive rates. As they understand the company, buyers benefit from working with Cascade who offer a unique financing special for any home purchase at Shasta Ridge.

The properties are built to meet the most up-to-date energy and earthquake codes, and are constructed with environmentally friendly products and practices. These include advanced storm drainage systems and the use of recycled and energy efficient products.

The Belmark team are involved in many programs within the community, from opening a store at Christmas for low end families to visit and obtain gifts for their children, to renovation of local parks. They contribute donations to a centre for battered women, help families with critically ill children, and donate to boys and girls clubs.

Their community spirit is carried through in their construction of superb family homes built to the highest possible standard at affordable prices.

All the properties are close to the city of Marysville where there are shopping malls, individual speciality shops, parks and recreational facilities, museums and zoos.

Schools, health clinics, care homes, and hospitals are all within easy reach.

Seattle, which is the largest city in the State of Washington, can be reached via Freeway I-5 which is close by.

Many people have bought Belmark Homes over the years and their testimonials can be found on the internet. Shasta Ridge offers families the opportunity to live in a safe and happy environment, and yet still be close to all the amenities that Marysville has to offer.

Please send me a reply if you would like to review floor plan choices and layouts or just need any additional information.

Categories : Uncategorized

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Home Warranty

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Tuesday, June 22nd, 2010

When you are looking to purchase a Washington home, you will want to purchase a home warranty. But what is a home warranty? A home warranty covers the cost to repair or replace the major appliances and/or operating systems in a home. A home warranty is especially important when purchasing a home that isn’t new construction, since you are inheriting those problems both seen and unseen from the previous owner.

Over time, it is inevitable that a house will need repairs of some sort, including small and large repairs. What would you do if a major system, such as your air conditioning, went out? The cost to repair the system could be devastating. That’s where the home warranty comes in. For anywhere from $250 to around $600, a home warranty gives the homeowner a level of protection against costs of major repairs or replacement for the plumbing, electrical and heating systems. For an additional cost, you can also have the roof, pools and other systems covered as well. The typical cost per service visit will only be $25-$75 instead of having to shell out hundreds to thousands of dollars from your own pocket.

Equally as important as knowing what is covered by your home warranty is knowing what isn’t covered by it. Improperly installed, mismatched and poorly maintained equipment are considered pre-existing conditions and are not covered. An “act of God” is not covered by the typical home warranty. This includes lightening, storm damage, hurricanes, earthquakes, etc. But, graffiti and pet damage are also covered under the “act of God” category for many warranty companies. Also, any damage that occurs outside the perimeter of the housing structure itself is not covered. For example, if you have a plumbing leak in your yard, it may not be covered by your home warranty. The best course of action to take when you find that you need a major repair done on your home is to contact the home warranty company to make sure it is covered before you call the repair company. You will want to know whether or not you will be reimbursed for the expense.

As with any legal, binding contract, you should read over your home warranty completely and thoroughly before signing. If you have questions, ask your home warranty agent so that you know what is covered and what isn’t. Since prices vary from company to company, you will want to shop around before settling on a particular home warranty company. As always, if you have any questions or need any help with your housing needs, please contact me.

Categories : Buyer Resources, General, Investors, Uncategorized

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Tax Credit Deadline Extended?

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Friday, June 18th, 2010

The first time homebuyer tax credit deadline has been extended, sort of. While the deadline to get a home under contract has officially ended as of April 30, 2010, the House needs to approve an amendent for the original deadline for those contracts to get through escrow has been extended from June 30, 2010 to September 30, 2010. This is also true for repeat home buyers that had their homes under contract but not through escrow by April 30th. Because there was such a rush to get homes under contract by the end of April, a backlog of loans was created, leaving approximately 180,000 loans that may not have been able to be completed in time to take advantage of the tax credit for many first time and repeat homebuyers. For that reason, HR 4213 was sent through the Senate Committee in March and was passed yesterday. However, it still needs to be approved by the House.

If you are a homebuyer that did not have your house under a signed, binding contract by April 30, 2010, you will not be able to take advantage of the $8000 first time homebuyer tax or $6500 repeat homebuyer tax incentives. However, if you did have a signed, binding contract on a home purchase by the end of business on April 30, 2010 and were worried that the June 30th deadline was going to come before your escrow closed, you may not have to worry anymore. The three extra months that the government is proposing to extend the tax credit deadline should be enough time to get your home sale completed and allow you the opportunity to take advantage of the tax incentives offered.

This doesn’t mean that homebuyers who missed out on the tax incentives should just give up their dreams, though. There are still plenty of homes available now at reasonable prices. And with interest rates continuing to hover around 5%, it’s still a fantastic time to buy your first home, your vacation home or your retirement home. Just contact me and I’ll be happy to help you.

Categories : Buyer Resources, General, Uncategorized

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Real Estate Market Conditions in Snohomish County

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Friday, June 11th, 2010

For the third month in a row, pending home sales were on the rise, according to the National Association of REALTORS® April figures. This appears to be due to buyers taking advantage of the homebuyer tax credit and more affordable home prices. Pending home sales across the country were up an average of 22.4% higher over the same time last year (April 2009), reaching their highest levels since October 2009, when the initial homebuyer tax credit deadline was set. While the homebuyer tax credit managed to entice approximately 1 million new buyers into the real estate market, low interest rates and much more affordable home prices have also helped buyers “trade up” from their old home to a new one. The new buyers have also helped bring the huge surplus of houses on the market down.

The market conditions in Snohomish County for April 2010 showed an increase of homes sales around 20% over the same time last year. Here are the median home prices for:

Arlington – $220,300
Marysville – $225,691
Granite Falls – $224,903
Stanwood – $244,180

While the homebuyer tax credit deadline may have come and gone, home prices in Snohomish County are still very affordable. With interest rates continuing to hover around 5% or less, now is still a great time to buy. So, let me know if you need help with your Snohomish County real estate purchase.

Categories : General, Investors, Real Estate Pricing Trends, Uncategorized

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Tenant Protection with Foreclosures

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Tuesday, June 8th, 2010

There is protection for tenants in case the property they are renting is foreclosed on. In the past, when a property was foreclosed upon, the new owners or lender (who took over ownership) could kick out any tenants living on the property. It didn’t matter whether the tenant had a current lease or if they were paying their rent on time. Thanks to the Helping Families Save Their Homes Act, tenants legally have rights to the property they occupy no matter who the current owner is. Under this law, any new mortgage holder (whether a new owner or lender) must honor any current leases in place as long as the tenant pays their rent on time, are not a close relative of the former homeowner and the rent reflects the current fair market value for comparable properties in the area. If you are currently renting a property on a month-to-month basis, the new owner must give you a 90 day notice to move if they want you to vacate. Luckily, a new owner doesn’t mean panic for a tenant anymore thanks to the tenant protection under the Helping Families Save Their Homes Act.