Real Estate

Real Estate Matthew Gardner’s Top 10 Predictions for 2023 This video shows Windermere Chief Economist Matthew Gardner’s Top 10 Predictions for 2023. Each month, he analyzes the most up-to-date U.S. housing data to keep you well-informed about what’s going on in the real estate market. 1. There Is No Housing Bubble Mortgage rates rose steeply in 2022 which, when coupled with the massive run-up […]
Real Estate What is an Adjustable-Rate Mortgage (ARM)? Securing the most advantageous financing for your situation is an integral part of the success formula of buying a home. After getting pre-approved but once you’ve found the home you’d like to pursue, one of your primary tasks is exploring different loan products to see which best fits your situation. This is the fork in […]
Real Estate How’s the Market? Q3 2022 Real Estate Review While still considered a seller’s market, our July-September home sale activity signaled the return of some much-needed balance.  Seattle and Eastside home prices still posted year-over-year gains in Q3, but rising interest rates markedly slowed the pace of both listings and sales.  Houses also stayed on the market longer than we saw during the frenzy […]
Real Estate How’s the Market? Q2 Real Estate Review While Seattle and the Eastside are still considered a seller’s market, buyers experienced some much-needed relief in the second quarter with new listings outpacing the number of homes sold. Rising interest rates have initiated a shift toward a more balanced market. Opportunities abound for both sellers (who are still seeing higher sales prices than this […]
Buying How to Avoid Overpaying for a Home in a Transitioning Market Look Carefully at the Home Itself Here are four home attributes beyond the number of bedrooms and baths that you should have your eye on…   Home (building) quality: Very well-built homes are a rare find and typically worth every penny of their price. Don’t confuse them with so-so homes that just measure up to […]
Real Estate How’s the Market? Q1 Real Estate Review Across the region, home values continued to see huge year-over-year gains from 2021 to 2022. Most homes sold in the first 10 days and for well above the asking price. We started the year with an extreme shortage of homes for sale, resulting in an overall lower number of sales compared to the start of […]
Real Estate Should You Remodel or Sell Your Home As Is? Homeowners who are preparing to sell are often faced with a dilemma about whether to remodel or sell their home in its current state. Each approach has its respective advantages and disadvantages. If you decide to remodel your home, it will likely sell for more; but the increased selling price will come at the cost […]
Real Estate How’s the Market? Annual Report on Seattle Area Real Estate… In the wake of extreme buyer demand and mind-blowing bidding wars, housing prices soared in Seattle and reached staggering heights on the Eastside. Record low interest rates were the silver lining for those buyers who were able to successfully purchase a home with financing.   2022 looks to be another strong year for real estate. […]
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Buying Thinking About Buying a Second or Vacation Home? Here are a few tips to make sure it’s worthwhile… These days, having your own home away from home is a compelling concept. There are many clear benefits including being able to use your home how you wish, decorate to your taste, and include your furry friends in your time away. There are also challenges […]
Buying Interest rates make a BIG difference when you buy…   You probably know that interest rates affect your monthly mortgage payments, but most of us aren’t aware of just how big an impact they really have on a home loan. Each 1% change in interest rate equates to roughly a 10% change in buying power. This means you can qualify for a much more […]
Living, Trends & Community Payback Times for Energy Efficient Home Upgrades   Thinking of going green? Today’s technology offers a whole host of ways to boost your home’s efficiency, reduce your carbon footprint and lower your energy bills. Some upgrades can pay for themselves in a relatively short amount of time, while others with large price tags might take decades to start paying back. The good […]
Real Estate Economic Insights from Matthew Gardner   As we all hunker down through these challenging times, it is comforting to remember that there will be light at the end of the tunnel. A voice of calm and reason in this time of uncertainty has been our Windermere Chief Economist, Matthew Gardner. While he is expecting an economic slowdown accompanied by a […]
Living, Trends & Community Remodeling Cost vs. Value   Every year, Remodeling Magazine evaluates which projects bring the most return at resale in different markets around the country in their “Cost vs. Value” report. While returns have dipped nationwide due to growing costs and consumer anxiety, Seattle still saw better pay-off on remodeling than the national average. The chart below shows cost vs. […]
Real Estate New Real Estate Excise Tax (REET) Rate (eff. 1/1/20)   Now that Washington State Senate Bill 5998 has been signed into law, our local real estate excise tax—the tax paid when you sell a property—will be getting a facelift in 2020. The flat rate of the past will make way for a new tiered system which gives owners a tax cut on the first […]
Buying Should I Move or Remodel?   There are a number of things that can trigger the decision to remodel or move to a new home. Perhaps you have outgrown your current space, you might be tired of struggling with ancient plumbing or wiring systems, or maybe your home just feels out of date. The question is: Should you stay or […]