The Cascade Team Blog - Buying A Home

Earnest-Money Deposit Mistakes Home Buyers Live to Regret

Posted by Cary W Porter on February 27th, 2017

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Once home buyers find a home they love, they declare their commitment to the seller with a sizable chunk of change known as an earnest-money deposit. Yes, it sounds so sincere and serious because it is—and if you get it wrong, you could lose thousands of dollars. To scare you straight, here are eight mistakes with earnest-money deposits that home buyers often make. To ensure you don’t end up as one of them, read on to avoid these snafus.

Mistake No. 1: Not understanding what an earnest-money deposit is

First, make sure you fully grasp what an earnest-money deposit (EMD) is—namely, proof that a buyer is committed to completing a sale by having skin in the game. The earnest-money deposit is a negotiable amount between…

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Reveled: The Top Dates for Listing a Home

Posted by Cary W Porter on February 16th, 2017

Home listings are most often likely to debut on Thursdays and Fridays. Fridays are the most common listing day by a slight margin, according to research by the National Association of REALTORS®.

What are the most popular dates to list? Half of all new listings in 2016 were first listed between March and July, which supports that the spring season is indeed real estate’s busiest time.

The most popular month for new listings is April, followed by March, May, June, and July, according to NAR.

“While home closings exhibit a strong tendency to get done at the end of the month, listings are much steadier throughout the course of the month with a slight tendency to be posted earlier rather than later,” NAR researchers note at the Economists’…

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8 Dating Rules That Apply to Real Estate

Posted by Cary W Porter on February 14th, 2017

 

So much of our lives are online nowadays. Our social lives happen in online communities as much or more than in friends’ basements or bars. We meet people with similar interests by joining Facebook groups or following someone’s story on Snapchat. YouTube is where we learn to do almost everything, from simple home maintenance tasks to cooking dinner for the family.

Home shopping, like dating in the 21st century, almost always starts online as well. They’re both about finding the right one – and just like a matchmaker, house hunters turn to you to help them wade through the pool of eligible homes and find the one of their dreams. Here are eight ways online dating and home shopping are exactly the same and what your role is as the…

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For Valentines: How Home Shopping Can Feel Like Dating

Posted by Cary W Porter on February 12th, 2017

Are your home shoppers desperately trying to find “the one?” Finding the perfect housing match can be like finding the perfect mate. For some Americans, this year’s Valentine may come in the form of a home, filled with shiny new fixtures and a great first impression. But that search isn’t always easy.

In a recent article, realtor.com® highlights how home-shopping can feel a lot like dating.

1. You need to have trust.

Americans seem to think they have a better chance at finding love than finding the perfect home. Fifty-two percent of home buyers believe they will find their dream home compared to 73 percent of Americans who believe they will find true love. While competition in the housing market is intense right now, home buyers shouldn’t get…

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How Buying or Selling a Home in Spring is Like Driving In Rush Hour

Posted by Cary W Porter on February 10th, 2017

by Karen Briscoe  

Key Takeaways

• There are benefits to avoiding peak real estate seasons for home sellers, like less competition. The buyers in the market are often more motivated.
• The benefits for buyers in the offseason can go the same way, because sellers are also more motivated.
• Ancillary services, like home appraisers or lenders, are more available during the offseason.

Traditionally, the spring real estate market is March through May, but in many markets it can start as early as February, around Ground Hog Day. Sometimes sales continue to be robust, and the peak selling season will stretch into June.

Lessons from rush hour

Rush hour for traffic in many metropolitan areas is from 7 to 9 a.m. and 5 to 7 p.m. Commuters…

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Stunning Issaquah Highlands Townhome: Offers Reviewed As Recieved!

Posted by Cary W Porter on February 9th, 2017

$550,000 - 884 3rd Ave NE, Issaquah    Bedrooms: 3    Bathrooms: 2.25    Sq. Footage: 1,707    Year Built: 2011    Garage Spaces: 2    Type: Townhouse / Condo    MLS® Number: 1076532

OFFERED BY: PROPERTY DESCRIPTION:   Cary W Porter Designated Broker & Owner 425.891.7447 Schedule a Showing Request More Info Seller is reviewing offers as they come in so don't wait! 3 Bedrooms w/ 2 Car Garage in The Highlands will go fast!!!... Welcome to Highlands Square at The Issaquah Highlands. Stunning 3 bedroom, 2.25 bath, 2 car garage Dream Home. Slab granite and Stainless…

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Western Wa Housing Report| “High Velocity” Market, But With Hope for Homebuyers

Posted by Cary W Porter on February 7th, 2017

  KIRKLAND, Washington (Feb. 6, 2017) – Western Washington’s “high velocity” market continued during January with the number of pending sales (7,745) outgaining the number of new listings (6,507), according to new figures from Northwest Multiple Listing Service.  

• Properties are moving through the market at an unusually fast pace
• Active Listings Decline By 21%
• If home buyers were hoping that January would start to bring more balance to the housing market, they’re going to be sorely disappointed.
• Prices up another 9%

“Properties are moving through the market at an unusually fast pace,” remarked John Deely, chairman of the board at Northwest MLS and the principal managing broker at Coldwell Banker Bain. “Although we have…

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2 Feet of Snow Doesn't Cool This Housing Market!

Posted by Cary W Porter on February 6th, 2017

  In spite of the record snowfall from Seattle to Spokane and down to Portland our markets have been amazingly HOT.. (And that certainly doesn’t leave Arizona out, which even though use to the warm temperatures is also setting records for the number of transactions this early in the year!) Just last week we had 16 new listings which is a RECORD for the last week of January 1st half week of February. It is wonderful seeing many of you getting out there and spreading the word. At The Cascade Team we have so much more to offer than other brokerages in this crazy market, and with homes flying off the market in only a day with as many as 30 offers our value proposition is just enormous.   “The greater Seattle area saw the fifth highest average…

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Home Sellers See Biggest Profits Since 2007

Posted by Cary W Porter on February 3rd, 2017

“The greater Seattle area saw the fifth highest average home price percent gain since purchase in 2016 in the country — a quite remarkable data point — and one which demonstrates the strength of the area’s economy,” said Matthew Gardner, chief economist, covering the Seattle market. “However, despite this rampant price growth, very few home owners are cashing in on these gains, as listing inventory remains at levels not seen since the late 1990s. Those who are taking advantage of the market are primarily banking their gains and buying another home locally rather than moving to less expensive areas. As long as the Seattle economy continues to outperform the nation, the region will continue to remain high on the list of bullish markets.”

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Hot Tools For A Hot Market - Hi Tech/ Hi Touch Tools for Buyers and Sellers

Posted by Cary W Porter on February 2nd, 2017

        See Our Results                Ask These Questions                 Our Marketing Program          Free Home Value Analysis

It doesn't matter if you are ready to sell, ready to buy or looking to do both, The Cascade Team has you covered. From “Smart Search” which learns with you as your browse for homes to our PRIME Marketing program designed to stimulate high interest and multiple offers we have the information, technology solution and personal service designed to take your real estate experience to the next level!

Leveraging The Latest In Real Estate Marketing Technology

A solid real estate marketing plan is very important. It takes more than a MLS listing, sign, some paper flyers, and an open house to sell your home in today’s…

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