Comments (0)

By Courtney Cooper, November 7, 2009 12:05 pm

New Tax Credit Take Three!

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

Comments (0)

By Courtney Cooper, September 21, 2009 5:05 pm

If you are in the market for Mill Creek real estate right now, I can tell you that I spent a major portion of the last few days touring what is available in the $500,000 to $600,000 range. I have sold and listed Mill Creek homes quite a bit, but I am always delighted to go on a great tour a really compare apples to apples for a particular buyer. As a result of the tours and showings, I have found myself bombarded by listing agents asking me for feedback.

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).

Comments (0)

By Courtney Cooper, August 6, 2009 10:14 am

Seattle suburbs homes under $300,000 are blazing on to the real estate market right now and there are some good ones in here! Take that and add it to the upcoming deadline to take advantage of the $8000 tax credit and it makes for some good steamy competition in this Seattle real estate market! You can find Seattle suburbs homes here, but just take a peek at these numbers!

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.

Comments (0)

By Courtney Cooper, July 21, 2009 10:07 am

Seattle WA neighborhood Eastlake has been heating up lately – Eastlake has always been a great place to live, but lots of soon to be ex Seattle suburb home owners have made the move or are thinking about it! And why not? Eastlake has arguably the best of all worlds in Seattle as far as neighborhoods go. It is small and quaint, yet literally in the middle of everything going on in the heart of Seattle.

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

Comments (0)

By Courtney Cooper, May 31, 2009 3:08 pm

Everett, WA has some amazing properties that rival even some of Seattle’s Capitol Hill homes!

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!

Comments (0)

By Courtney Cooper,

I saw a cute Lynnwood rambler today that had been just about completely remodeled – it was in a great location close to Trader Joe’s and the Interurban Trail, but also tucked back quietly in a cute neighborhood. I love this time of year for looking at houses because you can really tell who keeps up with their home and who doesn’t just by looking at the lawn maintenance. Of course I have a ton of weeding to do out there right now so maybe I should not go there! My point is that this house was priced well under $300,000 and had a lot of really great features – there are some amazing buys right now for Lynnwood homes and the amenities around this Northern Seattle suburb have improved greatly in recent years.

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!

Comments (2)

By Courtney Cooper, May 28, 2009 3:29 pm

Today might seem like a great day to go out and look at houses, and please do by all means get out there and go look, but don’t make a buying decision today. It is absolutely too perfect of a day to decide whether or not to buy a house! We wait all year it seems for a day like today! My morning tour was just amazing and the weather definitely helps to sell even an ugly little house, but luckily I saw a fabulous house!

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!

Comments (0)

By Courtney Cooper, April 23, 2009 10:08 am

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

Comments (0)

By Courtney Cooper, April 12, 2009 7:09 pm

Seattle suburbs real estate and Seattle homes searches are all offered for FREE on this site:

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

Comments (4)

By Courtney Cooper, January 29, 2009 10:49 am

Looking for the best Seattle suburb real estate bang for your buck in 2009? There are so many wonderful properties out there to choose from right now, but here are just a couple of the areas that are really standing out as far as best bang for your buck with regards to square footage, schools, and commute – not to mention the amenities………………

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