The transit system all around Brier is quite advanced with newer transit stations in all directions..Canyon Park, Lynnwood, and Mountlake Terrace are all newer transit stations (MLT even has solar) for quick commutes to Eastside (Bellevue and Kirkland or Redmond0, North (Everett) or South to Shoreline and Seattle. Even in heavy traffic, Downtown Seattle is a half hour bus ride tops form the Mountlake Terrace Transit Station.

Brier homes for sale right now:

2931 224^th PL SW: This is a 3 bedroom spacious home right in the heart of Brier – close proximity to all city offerings and good floor plan – large lot – ask about Bonuses. 3 bedrooms/2.25 baths 1812 sq ft Built in 1984 on a large lot – 12632 sq ft! 2 car attached garage, large rec room, more – private quiet road $309,950

19207 Locust Way – not quite in Brier city limits, but close to Brier and enjoys all great Brier amenities. 3 bedroom/1.75 home on 2.42 acres!!!! This home is in a great location in Lynnwood and has wonderful park like spaces - Big bonus on this one, too… $887,400 or Best Offer

22424 Old Poplar Way – practically a stone’s throw from Brier City Hall – giant horse or farm property with AMAZING spaces – this one even has a giant 5 car garage with RV parking and a shop. Expansive 1933 home with 5 bedrooms and 3 baths – 2558 sq feet – It is like Sunset Boulevard in Brier – horse facilities already in place and only a quick jaunt to Brier’s own Equestrian Arena! Looking for a Seattle Equestrian Property???? THIS IS IT!

Want to see these and other Brier Real Estate? We are happy to show you anything in this nice Seattle Suburb. Brier has a lot to offer! realestate@cooperjacobs.com

The three areas I really like in Bellevue for the close proximity to Microsoft are Overlake, Lake Hills, and what we also just call Microsoft because it is so close – Microsoft is a huge part of the local economy and there are always people relocating to be here because of it. Redmond and Sammamish are typically first on the list for Microsoft people moving in from out of state, but Bellevue neighborhoods are a great option and these three MLS areas are quite affordable when looking at a good combination of schools, walk ability, and amenities.

Cooper Jacobs Real Estate Services has a great house listed right now in the Overlake/Microsoft area of Bellevue – near Crossroads Mall and all the other great shopping centers right there. It has easy access to both 520 and I-90 and is on a private cul de sac with a great walking trail to the major drag for easy transit or cycling access. You can check it out here:

15002 NE 9^th PL

Bellevue homes in this neighborhood don’t come up for sale very often and this one has some great spaces. If you are looking at moving to Seattle and want a Seattle suburbs map or some direction on where you might start looking for your particular situation, please feel free to give us a call or drop an email. We have successfully helped many clients with their relocations to the Greater Puget Sound area!

Bellevue real estate:

You can find more great Bellevue Real Estate on our site! We have all listings by all companies and it sweeps the MLS every 15 to 20 minutes for changes. Search for free with no obligation to sign up, but you can sign up and save your searches, save your favorites, or set up custom email alerts so you are always notified when a new Bellevue home comes on the market that meets your needs!

The newest version of the Housing Credit is finally finalized!  There has been lots of speculation, but Obama signed the newest housing credit into law so it is official now. There are some surprising changes that open up the world of credits in 2009 for buying a house to many more people. Here is what you need to know:

The current first time home buyer $8000 tax credit is extended to April 30, 2010 and you have on top of that an additional 2 months to close on the property after that (close by July 1st, 2010).  Income levels have been raised to modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) of $125,000 for singles (up from $75,000) and $225,000 for married (up from $150,000). An additional credit has also been approved for purchasers of new homes regardless of first time home buyer status as long as they have lived in their current primary residence five of the last eight years.  This credit is for $6500 and seems to have the same deadlines/MAGI requirements. 

The $6500 credit for “move up” buyers does seem to be retroactive for all year, but I have not found a specific sentence on either the government page or the IRS page to tell me whether or not this is true.  The IRS tax form has not been updated online yet so I can’t go to the form and see there yet, but I will update this once I verify that if you bought your home in 2009 and other wise qualify it is retroactive regardless of when this bill went into effect.  (Stay tuned)

You can find the official bill here - it was written into an unemployment bill so scroll down a bit:  http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?c111:5:./temp/~c111dG8SpH::

Please do email me if you want more info or are interested in Seattle real estate. We have agents that specialize in every area of Seattle neighborhoods and suburbs and would love to help!  courtney@cooperjacobs.com

Most of the Mill Creek homes have just been very nicely presented and all together great choices. I can tell you that there were a few comments from my buyers that Mill Creek sellers should think about - not because I am the expert or my buyers are the only buyers around, but just because it is the general consensus really.

Wall paper. I only saw one room that was pretty neutral, but overall buyers do not want wallpaper. It does not matter how designer or how pretty it is (or how awful), they just DO NOT WANT wallpaper. I always recommend to my sellers that they removed wallpaper prior to putting their home on the market. It is pretty general knowledge and so I was surprised to still see so much of it. I personally liked most of it, but most buyers do not and as easy as it is to take off (it really is most of the time, I swear!), it is a big factor when it comes to how a buyer feels about a home.

Landscaping – well thankfully I was within the Country Club boundaries most of the time and Mill Creek is known for its rigorous CC&R’s and landscaping so the yards were nice although I will say that I would highly recommend that you FULLY fence your back yard. Let’s face it – the majority of Mill Creek prospective buyers will most likely have children, but at the very least they will have a pet if not kids. Again, I know – small thing, but having big gaping holes in your fence line not only takes away from the privacy of the backyard, but overall just doesn’t quite feel homey to most buyers.

Updated kitchen – this was the biggest complaint. For half a million and up a buyer should expect to have at least granite tile in the kitchen and not the original cabinetry.

There are some impressive Mill Creek homes in the $500k to $600k range – if you might be even thinking about living in this highly organized community, then I would recommend looking now. Sellers, if you are thinking of moving out, there are some great buyers looking for quality homes. They like clean lines and updated kitchens. Updated baths are a bonus (please take the carpet out of the bathroom when you update it – no one likes that anymore).

Seattle Suburbs Real Estate $300k and under by city – look at these homes!

Edmonds WA homes under $300k: 32 of them ranging in price from $182,900 for a bank owned home to $285,000 – with most under $250k!!! That is a lot of houses in that range for a Seattle suburb like Edmonds!

Shoreline, WA homes under $300k: 43 of them listed right now! These Shoreline homes range in price from $192,900 for a bank owned foreclosure home to $300,000 and you can even find some of them in Richmond Beach!

Lynnwood WA homes: 102! These are the residential only listings – no condos here, but you can find those, too! These Lynnwood homes start at $184,900!

Mountlake Terrace real estate: 25 homes here for under $300k! $171,884 for a bank owned home is the lowest and there are several that hover just above that low range as well – on up to $300k. Surprisingly, Mountlake Terrace has very few, but that is most likely due to the fact that people are seriously starting to see the value of this Seattle suburb that has long been ignored. Revitalization, new transit improvements, and quality businesses moving in can surely account for the improvement here.

Brier real estate There are only five homes in Brier WA for under $300,000. These Brier homes start at $219,000 and go up to $299,950 for a newly reduced 3 bedroom 1.5 bath rambler with 3 out of 5 of the houses under $250,000.

Lake Forest Park Real Estate: Lake Forest Park has some great places, but nothing under $300k! I did bump it up to $350,000 and got 6 listings there - $324,950 to $349,500. There are some pretty nice choices in these.

Kenmore WA homes: Kenmore real estate has gotten hot again probably due to its recent mention as one of the best places to live in several media venues. There are 10 houses for sale in Kenmore WA that are under $300,000 so why not come find out what everyone is talking about here? In fact, you can get a home here for as low as $255,000 on Finn Hill! There is also a house in Juanita for $284,000 – it is bank owned and waiting for some love!

So there you go! 217 Seattle Suburbs homes under $300,000 and in close in suburbs to Seattle. If you are looking to take advantage of the first time homebuyer $8000 tax credit, then this is a great starting point for you! We can also help get your closing costs paid by the seller in most cases. If you want more info about using this credit, short sales, foreclosures, or more: realestate@cooperjacobs.com or call 425-502-5431

Cooper Jacobs Real Estate Services: Serving Seattle neighborhoods and Seattle Suburbs with care.

Nestled on the banks of Lake Union, Eastlake offers some of the best Seattle floating homes with gorgeous Western views and easy waterfront living. If houseboats are not your thing, though, Eastlake has a great combination of affordable view condos, older charming homes, cute duplexes, and new townhomes – some with cool Green home features like solar. Living on the West side of Eastlake Ave seems to be the most popular choice – anywhere on the West side provides you east access through a series of mini parks at the end of the streets – Roanoke& Lynn Street are great places to throw a kayak in and go, but there is also a little known tiny public dock for boats to launch and run into Pete’s Market where you will find one of the best selections of wine in the city.

Eastlake Real Estate is a great Seattle waterfront choice that is close to it all! Interested in anything Downtown Seattle related? Well Eastlake is probably the best place to live for a combination of smaller neighborhood living and urban amenities. The streetcar can take you into Downtown Seattle and South Lake Union is still developing, but has some of the attractive Seattle suburban perks like Whole Foods! Want to go to a Sounders or Mariners game? It is all at your doorstep while still being close to I-5 for easy commuting if you need to head out of town.

Looking for easy living and low maintenance out of the suburbs? Eastlake is my number one recommendation and Eastlake homes have a lot to choose from! You can find easy no maintenance homes and wonderful spaces – some great townhomes, too. If you want more maintenance and closer waterfront living, then go for a houseboat – they are relatively affordable compared to other real estate today and what better way to enjoy Seattle’s waterfront living?

©Cooper Jacobs Real Estate Services: Seattle Real Estate, Courtney Cooper is the Designated Broker, Seattle Realtor, EcoBroker, and member Built Green 206-251-5948

You might already know that I have a thing for Seattle historic homes, but there are many Seattle suburbs that offer some amazing beauties as well. Sometimes the price tag is a bit more appealing, too! Snohomish, WA is one town that comes to mind, but also take a drive through old Everett if you ever get a chance! Everett has a rich history and there are quite a bit of stately homes to prove it. I took a few shots on my last little tour there and wanted to share some of my favorite neighborhood houses.

Labor of Love….

Luckily, many of these architectural beauties are on the historic register so that we can enjoy them for generations to come. Many were not so lucky and are at the mercy of future buyers who want to embark on a labor of love. Restoring one of these homes can be quite time and money intensive and the movie Money Pit comes to mind instantly! If you have the stamina, pocketbook, and desire, though, you would be leaving a legacy behind for future generations, and I would also love to hear your story!

If you are interested in Everett homes, please let us know – I would love to show you some of the gorgeous places out there!

Here are some of the great places to shop, eat, or go to in or very close to Lynnwood:

Trader Joe’s, Starbucks, Sears, Target, Olive Garden, The Rock, Pottery Barn, REI, Macy’s, Nordstrom, PF Chang, Williams-Sonoma (my mother has always said that if you are going to look for a great place to live in or around a new city then you should just look for a Pottery Barn, Starbuck’s, or William-Sonoma because they have already done the research for you!). Barnes & Noble, Nordstrom Rack, Babies R Us, Toys R Us, Michael’s, Dania, Wight’s, more!

Looking for Lynnwood real estate? We can help! This city is celebrating its 50^th Anniversary all year long!

Highlighted Seattle Suburbs:

Shoreline, WA: Shoreline is really close in to Seattle and a great place for schools, parks, and more! Shoreline real estate

Lynnwood, WA: Properly priced Lynnwood real estate is really moving right now! This city is also celebrating its 50^th birthday with lots of events all year long.

Mountlake Terrace, WA: Mountlake Terrace is having major changes right now, from the solar Transit Center to major rezoning to give the downtown core a facelift, this Seattle Suburb is a great place to look for close in Seattle commuting and affordability. Highlights: Amorn Thai on 56^th is the best Thai I have ever tasted and Cinebarre is moving into the old Mountlake 9! Look for great things to come for Mountlake Terrace! Mountlake Terrace real estate

Lake Forest Park, WA: Lake Forest Park is a treed paradise right next to the city and on the banks of Lake Washington. This is a great city for nature loving tree enthusiasts. Lake Forest Park real estate  or make sure and check out Seattle homes, too!

Coming Soon: A new map based search to find all homes listed in the MLS right on this site!

The Seattle suburb of Lynnwood, Washington is turning 50 years old and kicking off a year-long celebration with 50 events! This is going to be a wonderful year of fun events! Lynnwood is already such a great place to call home - easy commuting in all directions, close to the Puget Sound and Lake Washington for fun, tons of shopping and restaurants, more movie theatres than you can count, new amazing transit centers, Interurban Trail connecting it to Mountlake Terrace, Shoreline, and Seattle plus North to Everett, brand new high school about to open, and more! In addition it is one of the closer in Seattle Suburbs that also just happens to be affordable! Lynnwood offers housing in every range and is a very easy choice if you are looking for a combination of just about everything you want.

Some Lynnwood, Washington Home Stats (Residential not Lynnwood Condos):

There are currently 348 Lynnwood homes for sale in the residential category of the NWMLS. They range in price from $120,000 to $965,000. These houses for sale start with two bedrooms and go all the way up to a seven bedroom home. The median listing price for a Lynnwood house right now is $364,944 and the average price is $395,578. Right now there are 135 Lynnwood houses under contract and pending in the MLS in some way shape or form. They range in price from $165,000 to $599,950. Closed sales is a great way to see how busy Lynnwood real estate really is. In the last six months, the Lynnwood real estate market has had 225 closed residential home sales! Could that have anything to do with first time home buyer tax credits? Closed sold Lynnwood homes range in listing price from $150,000 to $750,000 with final sales prices that range from $157,000 to $623,000. That sentence alone should give you an idea that sellers are willing to pay your closing costs (look at that first number in both listing price and selling price), and they are willing to negotiate on price.

Let’s look at Lynnwood Condos, too:

There are currently 203 Lynnwood condominiums on the market right now. They range in price from a very affordable $107,900 to $435,000 and in square footage from 590 to a very roomy 2678 square feet and one to four bedrooms. There are 64 Lynnwood condos on the market that are pending in some way and range from price of $97,900 to $409,950. The closed numbers on condos here are also good. In the last six months there have been 101 closed Lynnwood condo properties in the MLS. They range from list price of $124,000 to $395,950 and final sales price of $115,000 to $390,000.

The numbers don’t lie: Lynnwood Washington is obviously moving real estate.

©Cooper Jacobs Real Estate Services:
Interested in other suburbs? Here is a link for other Seattle suburbs, too: Seattle Suburbs

www.CooperJacobs.com

It sweeps the multiple listing service for changes and all listings form all companies are included. This is a great one stop shopping place if you are curious about any Seattle area real estate prices or conditions. There are neighborhood pages and suburb pages to give you info about each market.

Other info?

$8000 tax credit for first time homebuyers – for more than first timers so get all the details to see if you qualify.

$1000 in closing costs

Mountlake Terrace:

Mountlake Terrace real estate has always been a nice cheaper Seattle suburb option, and it is so close to Downtown Seattle! Mountlake Terrace already had some great perks: It is served by the quality Edmonds School District, and its Community Center s phenomenal with an amazing swimming facility. There is a huge gymnastics facility right in town, and the retail tax base is larger than many nearby suburbs.

The difference now is that the infrastructure and amenities have caught up and even exceeded what one might expect with the lower priced Seattle suburb housing. The new Park and Ride is set to open up this Spring at the I-5 236^th St SW exit and with that comes even more possibilities further down the road with the rail system. The Downtown area of Mountlake Terrace has undergone some recent rezoning and is all set for a huge revitalization project which will make it a truly modern and inspiring place to live. In speaking with one of the city council members, I learned that there are more permits in for building and redeveloping the downtown area than ever before.

Two and Three bedroom Mountlake Terrace houses start in the low $200,000 range and offer larger yards than some may expect. I recently found a Mountlake Terrace house with 4 bedrooms and two baths for just under $300,000! My buyers are thrilled! You can search Mountlake Terrace real estate by clicking the link.

Lynnwood Real Estate:

Lynnwood Real Estate is pretty much a virtual bargain right now. New construction in particular is overabundant and builders are looking to move inventory. There are many buyer perks for taking one of these houses off their hands in the form of upgrades and seller paid closing costs, plus Lynnwood basically has almost anything anyone would need in the way of amenities. This city is filled with restaurants, movie theatres, and the amazingly redone Alderwood Mall – home of Macys, Nordstrom, Sears, Williams Sonoma, Pottery Barn, J Jill, REI, and more.

Lynnwood already has amazing Park and Rides and the proposed lite rail system was voted to come up to the 164^th Street Exit o I-5. The other great thing about Lynnwood WA is the fact that I-405 and I-5 meet right here making this an ideal spot to live whether you work in Everett, Seattle, or even the Eastside – Kirkland and Bothell are just a few exits away using I-405 with no bridges to cross.

Three bedroom homes in Lynnwood, Washington start in the mid-$250,000 range. Click here if you are interested in searching the MLS listings for Lynnwood real estate.

If you are interested in learning more about either of these Seattle suburbs, please feel free to drop me a line! realestate@cooperjacobs.com

So thrilled to find these Seattle neighborhood posters from Ork Posters (thanks to my Twitter buddy @20_Something ) The posters are all printed on recycled paper with soy inks and a perfect gift for anyone on your list! Here is a link to the Seattle version: http://orkposters.com/seattle.html This is a great gift idea for Seattle RealtorsJ, but also for any Seattle lover! Thanks to Ork Posters for including Seattle!

In addition, Jenny the designer has also created Ork posters for other cities as well including Chicago, NY& SF, and more – check it out!

Need help with Seattle real estate? realestate@cooperjacobs.com Happy Holidays!!!!

PS – Thank you Designer Jenny Beorkrem for letting me use one of these great images!!!!

As a result of the uncertainty being pumped into our environment, many sellers decide to throw in the towel and rent out their house or just wait for a better time. That time really is now. There are buyers out there and they want to see your house. The interest rates are just a tiny bit over 5% right now and expected to drop even further in the next week or so. These buyers need choices!!!!

No, your house won’t sell if you want to just hire a limited service agency or discount broker or let’s be honest, even a full service broker who just sticks a sign in the ground and waits for the buyers to come to them. Your Seattle Realtors need to go out and get those buyers for you by getting your house marketed in the way it needs to be for today’s market: all over the web. The new stat is that over 84% of buyers start on the web on a huge variety of sites. Simply getting your house on the NWMLS will not do it. Simply getting your house on your agent’s company website won’t do it either. Your house needs to be blogged about and listed on all of the major places that the consumer looking for a Seattle house will look for to find you. When I list a home, after I have made sure that it is presented in the best possible way through professional quality Staging and photography, I spend an unthinkable amount of time getting the house actually seen by the buyers who are out there looking. And when I ask how they found that house, the answer is 90% of the time “on the internet”. Is your agent a techie? You need a techie agent!

Are you interested in Seattle real estate? Cooper Jacobs Real Estate Services is a full service real estate company. Member Built Green, e-PRO, working on ECOBroker certification. If you need your house sold or you are frightened by what you are hearing or seeing, please feel free to drop me a line – I am happy to let you pick my brain. I am the designated broker for Cooper Jacobs - serving Seattle & Seattle suburbs. Courtney@cooperjacobs.com

Here are a few pointers to get you started, but feel free to email if you want help with Seattle real estate!

Financing….

Getting financing in order is a must before you get going as a buyer. Even if you think that it shouldn’t be an issue, make sure and check is out because the lending environment has changed and it is important to know what you are working with. Just because you had a preapproval a month ago does not mean that your expectations should be the same today.

Home Inspection…

Two words: Get one. I think that luckily buyers have come around and realize that spending $300-$500 is a sound investment and a good insurance plan in case of issues. It is important, too, for sellers to realize how important it is for a buyer to inspect the property before purchase, too. A buyer inspecting your property prior to purchase shifts a lot of the liability to their court! Many agents will recommend an inspection prior to putting your house on the market. It is not always necessary and in some cases should just be avoided. While it is a nice idea to know in advance what is going to come up on an inspection, it also adds greater liability to you when it comes to disclosing known property defects. Let the buyer take responsibility for the inspection.

Real Estate Agents –

Well obviously I think you should use one – I am biased after all, but use an agent that actually knows what they are doing, please. Use an agent that is fluent in the current trends and technologies of Seattle real estate and an agent who is not completely negative. Use an agent who is motivated and has numbers and stats to back up their performance - even in 2008. The last thing you need is a negative nonperforming agent to drag you down in a 2008 or 2009 Seattle real estate market! Houses are selling! Interest rates are low! There are less buyers out there and more competition for you when you are selling your house, but that does not mean that real estate is dead. Seattle relocation is huge and people are still moving!

OK – there are a few starting points – if you have questions about Seattle real estate, please feel free to drop me an email. Interested in Seattle foreclosures? Seattle REO? Seattle short sales? Seattle suburbs real estate? realestate@cooperjacobs.com (Also if you get a chance, make sure and check out my personal favorite Green Lake house!)

I honestly believe that success comes with a good attitude and a clear set of plans. I have the advantage of a fresh attitude because I love my company and the excitement around it. So let’s talk about market times - my first listing in 2008 sold in roughly one week. I was able to sell another unit in the same complex in about a month. I listed a townhouse in Greenwood for about $10k more than the last sale in the same building and got an offer in less than a week. I listed an REO in the Seattle suburbs recently and had several offers in the first few days. I listed a home last week which had been on the market for six months with another agent only to get an offer in less than a week. I have had a couple mishaps in 2008, but none that were my fault or out of the ordinary and for the most part, I have focused on marketing the heck out of my listings and helping buyers along the way.

I have never been a Seattle Realtor to go after expired listings – I have traditionally hated the baggage honestly, but after the success of this last one, I am deciding on a different route. I am so excited for my clients on this latest one – to have them just about give up only to have a delightful buyer come along is just an amazing thing to see. We are in the process of getting final initials on it and I genuinely love my job when I get to help someone really make their dreams come true. I am thinking now that I want to help sellers out there who have lost hope in their shopworn listings. I want to add a fresh approach to these listings and get them sold! How can they possibly expect their house to sell when their agents are full of doom and gloom? I am certainly no Suzy Sunshine, but facts are facts. The lending environment changes EVERY single day. The stock market SUCKS. Many would be buyers have lost both their down payments and maybe their ability to get a loan based on tighter guidelines. Fewer buyers means longer market times and way more competition for sellers. But guess what? People are still moving. Seattle relocation interest is high because we have weathered the storm quite well. Employment here is strong. In fact, maybe some of these negative Nellies should either take a deep breath or go find another job because they are compounding their own predicament just by having a bad attitude. The truth is if you have the means to buy, then this is the market you have been wanting for the last ten years or so….get out there and look at some of these beautiful houses that are being offered!

How does a smart seller combat these forces? Hire a Realtor who cares and can actually do their job by making your house stand out from the pack. The old way does not work. If you want a fresh approach from a Realtor who is making this market work, please feel free to drop me a note: realestate@cooperjacobs.com Happy Halloween 2008!

Short Sale Sellers: The bank is going to want to see proof. You need to have copies of pay stubs, bank statements, tax returns, etc. to document your financial situation. It is also helpful to have copies of significant medical bills if they have played a part in the situation. You will need to hand write a permission slip for your agent to be able to speak on your behalf to the lien holder. Make sure that your Realtor asks for a short sale package right away from the lender so that you can get things moving faster.

Short Sale Buyers: Have your Realtor ask if the short sale is an approved short sale complete with an element of hardship. The seller’s agent won’t always know the answer to this question because the lien holders don’t fully approve a short sale without a contract for sale, but in some cases there may have been a previous offer that was approved but fell through. Every situation is different! My last Seattle suburbs short sale closed in a little under a month from the time we wrote up the offer, so a long wait is not necessarily always the case, but more of the norm. Most short sales will take at least a month to get approved and sometimes many more months. Patience pays in these cases except that while you are waiting other offers can come in and kick you out of first position. The newer MLS addendums do a lot to alleviate this problem because they do specify whether a seller can accept other offers while waiting to hear an answer about yours.

The bottom line is that a short sale is a good option if you truly do have a financial hardship and need to sell your home –they also are a great opportunity for a patient qualified investor. If you are interested in Seattle short sales or Seattle real estate, please email me at realestate@cooperjacobs.com I know of a lot of great opportunities with short sales right now and I would love to share with you!

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/383884_housing18.html

Buying up some of these new construction houses in the coming months might be a great way to get ahead when 2012 rolls around…. Plus the builders are thinking more short term and trying to off load these properties with many perks alongside them.

Check out some of the newer developments in South Everett, Bothell or Lynnwood for easy examples of what is out there: Seattle Suburbs Listings

If you are interested in Seattle real estate, please feel free to get a hold of me: Courtney@CooperJacobs.com

©Cooper Jacobs Real Estate Services, Seattle Realtor serving Seattle neighborhoods & Seattle suburbs, e-PRO, member Built Green

Who should be buying a Seattle house, townhouse, or condo?

1. Move up buyers who want to take advantage of both the lower prices on those stage two homes as well as increase in FHA or first time buyers who are able to purchase your current lower priced home (my last Greenwood townhouse listing sold in four days) and the sellers got an amazing price on their new home that they NEVER would have gotten a year ago.
2. First time homebuyers. FHA is the way to go right now with 3% and 3.5% down payment programs plus flexile sellers when it comes to negotiating. Lending parameters are changing hourly so get in while you have the opportunity.
3. Seattle relocation buyers – this is a perfect time to come into Seattle and afford some of the best Seattle houses and neighborhoods!

Who should hang tight or rent?

1. A buyer who might be scaling down – empty nesters might not get as much return for their larger houses when buying down.
2. A buyer with no down payment – down payment assistance is gone for the moment – take some time to save for a down payment and keep your credit score up.
3. Anyone who might move out of the area in a year or two. I see this market stabilizing and not really appreciating for another year or two. When it does begin to go back up, it will be at a slower pace. Real estate is a long term investment.

    

Are you interested in Seattle real estate? realestate@cooperjacobs.com

Good news for those that are qualifying: there are some good choices out there. I have been surprised with all of the DOOM and GLOOM out there that I am still getting into multiple offer situations in many cases. Price and condition along with good old location are the three driving factors of course, but really, haven’t they always been? The difference now is that we are back to what a normal Seattle real estate market should be instead of a free for all frenzy. The smart sellers are still positioning themselves to sell their homes.

Need help with Seattle real estate? realestate@cooperjacobs.com