Whether you are selling your home or looking for a place to live, real estate professionals should be just that – professional. Just like in any other business, customer service should be the top priority. These are some things I think are important in finding a customer service oriented agent: Does the agent seem prepared? … More Does your real estate agent “do” customer service?
Home prices are up 9% in Thurston County for 2016 to 2017. In real terms, a $200K home you could have purchased last year will cost you close to $220K. The average sales price of a home in April 2016 was $258,273. This year that home would cost you $283,510. This is good news … More Thurston Co Real Estate Values
In my time as a Realtor, I’ve had a few listings that were 100% pet free since new. For some buyers, this is a major plus. Showing a home today, I had a buyer sniff twice and say “cats!”. The issue may not just be a litter box smell, some clients are highly allergic to … More The role of pets in your home sale
The Thurston County Assessor’s website is full of fascinating information and can be found at http://tcproperty.co.thurston.wa.us. There is a tab for a picture of the front of your home, tax information and valuation info, but what do they think about the layout of the residence and how accurate is it? The site has a tab, simply … More What does the assessor think of your home?
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.
