In the beginning of 2024 the experts were sounding the alarms for a very rough year for real estate professionals. By most measurements, they were correct. Real estate transactions that closed in 2024 were the lowest in 35 years. Prices in 2024 were up nationally 2.5 percent. Mortgage rates hit a 23-year high in mid-October. Many … More What I learned in 2024
There’s always plenty of advice from various sources about how to prepare your home when the home leaving for a week or two. At a very minimum, reach behind your washing machine and turn off the water supply lines to the unit. The hoses that supply the washing machine are under constant pressure and it … More Getting your home ready for your vacation
The idea of this cozy, less expensive housing solution has caught on in the last decade. The term “tiny home” seems to be used as a catch all for these types of homes. The range of prices for the structures themselves generally seems to be between $30,000 to $85,000 for basics models in Washington state. … More What a “tiny home” is and isn’t
When buying a home on septic rather than sewer you are buying effectively an on-site sewer system. At a minimum, this system should be pumped and inspected every three years. As far as other maintenance, not much is required except what you DON’T do. Don’t flush feminine products down the toilet. Don’t buy “flushable wipes”. … More More straight “poop” about septic systems
Like almost every adult in North America, I buy things on Amazon. One of the reasons I like that platform is that I can read reviews on items and hopefully learn from other buyers’ experiences. I’ve learned to disregard the lowest and highest and try to see a majority opinion on an item. Why throw … More The importance of reviews – 5 STAR agent
The term “mix and match” might be good for fashion, but not so good for wiring and plumbing in an older home you may be thinking of purchasing. As the market has slowed in many area of the country, buyers waiving inspections (thankfully) is a very uncommon occurance. I believe that every home purchase should be … More Inspecting Older Homes
As the days get shorter and temperatures dip, there are some basic maintenance items that need your attention. Hint: it is about water! Clean your gutters of all leaves, needles and debris. Clogged gutters overflow and spill water behind the gutters to rot fascia boards. Over flowing or dumping water also can negatively impact on … More Getting Your Home Ready for Fall & Winter
It seems like home buyers and real estate professionals are in the same boat sailing and in unchartered waters. I refer to it as the “double whammy”. You’d have to be living under a rock to not know what has happened to mortgage interest rates – they’ve just about doubled. Simply put, a home buyer … More Market conditions: Double Whammy
There’s a lot of terms or “jargon” associated with buying and financing real estate. To those in the business or with lots of real estate experience, private mortgage insurance is a day to day term. But, to first time home buyers, it can be a head scratcher, so…in a nut shell, PMI is a fee … More Private Mortgage Insurance (or PMI)
One topic that comes up in both my daily job as a real estate broker and in my legislative role for the Citizen Potawatomi Nation is the HUD 184 Loan, also known the “Indian Home Loan”. I sometimes wonder if home buyers want to finance a home with this loan because it is cool and … More “Indian home loans” or 184 Hud programs
Olympia Real Estate Blog 