Lack of Housing Inventory “A Game Changer” For Home Buyers

Posted by Cary W Porter on February 4th, 2016

KIRKLAND, Washington (February 4, 2016) – Depleted inventory is contributing to "overwhelming" traffic at open houses, shifts in strategies for both buyers and sellers, and escalating prices, according to officials with the Northwest Multiple Listing Service.

Dick Beeson, a former chairman of the MLS board, said the lack of inventory in almost every county is, "without question, a 2016 game changer." He described traffic at open houses as sometimes simply overwhelming. "There haven’t been any battle royals on the premises, but it could happen any day now," quipped Beeson, the principal managing broker at RE/MAX Professionals in Tacoma.

The latest figures show a drop of nearly 28 percent in the number of active listings in the MLS database…

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Eight Unwritten Etiquette Rules Every Home Seller Should Know

Posted by Cary W Porter on January 28th, 2016

David Sacks/Getty Images 

If you’re trying to sell your home, you’ve probably scrutinized it, staged it, and scrubbed it down from floorboards to rooftop as if the folks from Architectural Digest were stopping by for a cover shoot. OK, so it’s in immaculate shape—but your home isn’t the only thing under scrutiny here. You are, too! That’s right: No matter how nice your home is, your behavior can also affect how buyers feel about making an offer.

A few days ago we told you the secret etiquette rules that every home buyer needs to know in order to nail the deal. Today we’re focusing on the selling side of the equation. Here are the (previously) unwritten etiquette rules sellers should follow to show their home—and themselves—in the best possible…

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See Our Results in Trossachs!

Posted by Cary W Porter on January 26th, 2016

Trossachs Home SOLD in Sammamish By The Cascade Team

Proven Results:

Sold in 3 Days!
$35,000 OVER Asking Price!
No Inspection!
Seller Saved $19,200!

1132 268th Way SE, Sammamish WA 98075

Beautifully updated Trossachs home! The main floor has an updated kitchen with newer granite, backslash, cook top, dishwasher and a walk in pantry. The family room features a gas fireplace and builtin bookcases. Large formal living room with a gas fireplace. Formal dining room with french doors opens to a covered outdoor entertaining area. Main floor office.  The entry staircase and powder room have been nicely updated.  Newer paint and carpet.  The upper level includes the master bedroom with sitting area, french doors to huge patio, and large master…

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Seven Unwritten Etiquette Rules All Home Buyers Should Know

Posted by Cary W Porter on January 25th, 2016

You like being under a microscope? Whatever your answer to that question may be, you’d better get used to being scrutinized when you’re trying to buy a home. Your behavior can sway sellers to bestow their precious home on you—or pass you up for someone nicer or way less annoying.

Naturally, The Cascade Team is here to help! Just be sure to follow these heretofore unwritten rules of house-buying etiquette to stay in the good graces of all involved.

Get pre-approved for a home loan

Getting pre-approved and knowing exactly how much house you can afford before shopping for a home is key to winning over sellers, real estate agents agree.

“It is simply misleading to look at a home you don’t know you qualify for”. Yes, this is an etiquette…

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Western Washington Housing Market 2015 Year in Review

Posted by Cary W Porter on January 22nd, 2016

KIRKLAND, Wash. (Jan. 21, 2016) – Members of Northwest Multiple Listing Service reported 88,331 closed sales during 2015, outgaining the prior year’s volume of 77,276 transactions for a 14.3 percent increase.

Measured by dollars, last year’s sales of single family homes and condominiums were valued at more than $34 billion. Compared to 2014, that dollar volume represents a gain of nearly 23 percent.

The sales activity reflects the work of 23,800 brokers across 23 counties in the member-owned Northwest MLS.

Last year’s completed sales included 75,975 single family homes (about 86 percent of the total) and 12,356 condominiums. The total units and dollar volume surpassed the previous highs during 2007 when members registered 82,197 sales valued…

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Sammamish Communities and Market Update January 2016

Posted by Cary W Porter on January 20th, 2016

Sammamish Real Estate Market Stats

We track the market in Sammamish closely and update this page every month. Want to know what all of this data means for you? Contact us here You can also access information about many of the different subdivisions located in Sammamish, get detailed school reports, demographics and information on everything from local shopping to education and income levels.

Number of Active Homes in Sammamish

Number of Sold Homes in Sammamish

Median & Average Price of Sold Homes in Sammamish

Median price is the midpoint between the highest and lowest price. Median prices give a more accurate picture of pricing because it's not skewed by unusually high or low priced sales. Find out the price of your home…

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Selling Your Home in a HOT Market

Posted by Cary W Porter on January 15th, 2016

Selling a home is a seller's market is far different from selling a home in a buyer's market. If you are wondering about our current market, then let me assure you: It is indeed a fabulous time to sell! Not only will your days on market be remarkably fewer in a sellers’ market, but you might receive multiple offers, which could drive up the sales price.

It's generally a good idea to take advantage of pent-up demand because it's the demand that drives competition. The larger number of buyers for your home ought to increase the odds you'll make more money. Some homes, especially those referred to as unique homes, meaning homes that can be difficult to sell in any real estate market, will generally stand a better chance of selling as well in a…

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Welcome BACK to The Cascade Team Becky Lower

Posted by Cary W Porter on January 13th, 2016

We are Extremely happy to welcome Becky Lower back to The Cascade Team. Becky worked for The Cascade Team for several years in the past. She is a long time Snoqualmie Ridge resident and an absolute professional in every sense of the word. Becky focuses on Snoqualmie, Issaquah, Sammamish and all of the greater eastside and is extensively networked into the community.

We are very happy to have you back Home Becky!

Cell #425-785-5893

• Fax #425-996-9520
• Email becky@thecascadeteam.com
• Website http://becky.thecascadeteam.com

Hello buyers and sellers and thank you for visiting my bio page! Finding the right real estate broker is a very important decision and I hope to provide you with the knowledge that I am the broker best suited to…

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Welcome BACK to The Cascade Team Laura Hodgson (Formerly Laura Flodin)

Posted by Cary W Porter on January 11th, 2016

Team,

We are VERY happy to welcome Laura back to The Cascade Team. Laura worked for The Cascade Team from late 2008 until 2013, and after a few years away we are happy to bring back a wonderful broker and show her all of the added advancements we have made in the past few years. Many of you probably remember Laura so I'm sure she would love hearing from you! Laura is also newly marring to James (Who Janet has already started making football bets with!)

Glad you are back Home Laura!

• Cell #425-223-1535
• Fax #425-996-9520
• Emaillaurah@thecascadeteam.com
• Websitehttp://laura.thecascadeteam.com/

I am genuinely excited that as a part of this team, I have something exceptional to offer prospective clients. I am happy to be one of few…

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Homes Prices in King County Break Pre-Recession Record

Posted by Cary W Porter on January 7th, 2016

 

Puget Sound area home sales, prices still strong as backlog of buyers compete for scarce inventory

• Average Home Price in King County Hits $508,000: (1st Time over $500k)
• Prices up 15.5% YTD
• Buyers Continue to Compete For Scarce Inventory
• King County now "Well Above" Pre-Recession Record for July 2007
  

KIRKLAND, Washington (January 6, 2016) – Home prices have "clearly recovered" in King County and a few other areas served by Northwest Multiple Listing Service. Many member-brokers say prices are likely to keep rising as a backlog of buyers compete for depleted inventory.

Those were among reactions from brokers upon reviewing the December statistics from the MLS. The latest report shows the year ended on a mostly positive note…

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