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

There are many hurdles in the purchase of a home.  Most buyers need to be qualified by a lender to assess their “lendability”, the right home has to be found, the offer needs to be crafted, presented and accepted  – and usually an inspection of the home has to be done and repairs negotiated.  Whew! … More What happens when a home does not appraise for at least the agreed upon price?

It seems like everyone knows a Realtor or has a friend of a friend who sells real estate.  If you are buying a home or selling, how do you pick the one that is right for you? Many people look for an agent with a big on-line presence and good reviews. That is reasonable, however, … More How to choose a Realtor

The old adage that everything is negotiable is especially true world of residential real estate.  The listing forms used by the multiple listing service that I belong to have four blank spaces regarding fees, allowing Realtors and their clients to fill in either a flat amount or a percentage of the sales price as the … More “Standard Commission” Fee

When I have an opportunity to meet with a new client to talk about selling their home, I bring lots of printed material with me to discuss a possible listing price:  a list of similar homes that have sold recently in their area to compare and adjust to their home, their tax evaluation from their … More Zillow anyone?

In western Washington, most home buyers get a home inspection prior to closing a home purchase.  This is not required by the lender and is very different than an appraisal. An appraiser is seeking to determine the value of the property to be financed.  The inspector is creating a report to document current and potential … More The Value of a Home Inspection

Recently, I wrote up an strong offer for a home for a super nice family.  The home had been on the market for a while and there were no other agents in sight.  After the offer was presented, another offer appeared and was accepted.  This left me and my clients scratching our heads.  What to … More My offer was beaten out, what now?

This program was designed to provide access to mortgage financing to Native Americans. Section 184 home loans are guaranteed 100% by the Office of Loan Guarantee within HUD’s Office of Native American Programs. This guarantee encourages national and local banks to provide mortgage loans to Native Americans. The Office of Loan Guarantee works with a … More What is a Section 184 loan?

While looking at re-sale homes, you might see a sign rider that says “this home is covered by a home warranty”.  Sounds good, right?  What does it really mean? A home warranty covers specific features of a home, based on the plan that was purchased.  It is often paid for by either the seller or … More What is a Home Warranty?