In my real estate career I’ve ordered and attended many pre-purchase inspections.  I advise my buyers to attend, listen and to take the information in – hopefully without over reacting.  The purpose is to find major flaws in the foundation, roofing or the home’s major systems.  Inspectors are giving an opinion, and of course, covering … More Home inspections – the top 3 “fixes”

The more I deal with septic systems the more I know they are best left to the experts.  In Washington state, septic tanks get pumped whenever a home is transferred from one owner to another.  The pumping company not only pumps the tanks, but tests the system and notes that each component is functioning properly. … More The real poop about septic systems

The weather outside may still be cold and damp, but the real estate market is red hot. Why? Inventory (homes on the market for sale) is very low.  February 2017 had only 623 units VS 920 units in 2016.  There are more buyers looking at fewer homes. Home prices are up 8.3% from March 2016 … More Thurston County Real Estate is H-O-T!

Determining the number of bedrooms a home consists of seems like easy business.  Well not so fast… Homes, if they are on septic systems should be listed according to how many bedrooms the septic system is rated for.  That is not always the case – so check the county’s website. Rules for counting bedrooms on sewer systems … More How many bedrooms is it anyway?

VA loans are ONLY offered to those who have served in a branch of the military – and they are earned.  There are many great features of this loan program. The most basic of these are: Zero down payment required No private mortgage insurance required (other borrowers with less than 20% down pay monthly to … More Why is a VA loan so great?

Last week I introduced the Active House concept, a new vision for sustainable housing. The ideas have been around for a few years, but it was only recently formalised into a certification scheme. Houses that meet the right criteria can now be labelled with the stamp on the left, and this is the first house […] … More Sustainable housing from our neighbors to the north.

What exactly is a “seller’s market”?  This generally refers to a period of time when sellers have the upper hand in negotiating the sale of their home – seemingly able to name their price and terms to the detriment of buyers. How does this situation occur?  Usually by high buyer demand, favorable interest rates for … More Buying in a “Seller’s Market”

Source: Hard surface flooring: Hardwood/Laminate

Why go through all the stress and hassle of buying a home, why not keep renting?  There’s an old saying:  You are going to be paying someone’s mortgage – either your own or the landlord’s. There are three basic reasons to get shopping for your home today: Building equity:  For most Americans, it is a … More The “Big Three” reasons to buy a home