The Cascade Team Blog - Selling A Home

2020 Real Estate Recap and 2021 Predictions For Klahanie

Klahanie was one of the hottest markets on the Eastside for 2020. Overall, there were substantial increases in price coupled with declining days on market and bidding wars often driving homes sales well above asking price.

One example detailed below listed at $1.1 million and sold for $1,220,005 in only 6 Days on Market which equates to 110.91% of Asking Price!

So, What’s in store for 2021?

•        All indications are continued price growth estimated to be at least 10% or higher.
•        Bidding Wars and multiple offers on homes.
•        Low inventory
•        Low but slightly increasing interest rates

Take a look at the stats below for a full breakdown. Please remember that each home is different as are the motivations of each…

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Insatiable Buyer Demand Fueling Extraordinary Market Conditions in Western Washington

KIRKLAND, Washington (January 6, 2021) – “Insatiable buyer demand” is keeping inventory scarce as house hunters try to outmaneuver and outbid each other, according to reports from Northwest Multiple Listing Service (NWMLS). Its statistical summary for December showed strong activity throughout the holiday season with double-digit increases in new listings, pending sales, closed sales, and prices.

Northwest MLS brokers added 5,260 new listings to inventory during December, a hefty 39.3% increase over the same month a year ago. Last month’s additions fell short of meeting demand as members reported 6,883 pending sales (mutually accepted offers). That number surpassed the year-ago volume by 940 transactions for an increase of 15.8%.

Pending sales…

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Buyer letters are risky business, more importantly, that letter could be a violation of the federal Fair Housing Act.

Brokers/Agents working at The Cascade Team are asked to NOT include any Buyer letters or allow them to be received with offers on properties they represent:

The Fair Housing Act provides, in part, that sellers cannot refuse to sell a house based on race, religion, color, national origin, sex, family status or disability. Furthermore, the law further protects homebuyers from discrimination based on age, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, ancestry or source of income.

Homebuyers ask all the time about buyer letters. You know the letters I mean: the ones where the buyers write about how much they love the house and why they or their family or their kids will love living there and why the sellers should pick their offer.

That…

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2021 Real Estate Predictions

2020 was a unique one for real estate. Though the pandemic slowed the majority of the economy down, the housing sector boomed.

In fact, it saw almost unprecedented success. Buyer demand soared (up 40% at one point), bidding wars were a constant presence, and mortgage rates bottomed out — hitting a new record low more than a dozen times over, according to Freddie Mac.

The market even bucked the traditional fall slowdown, with unseasonably strong demand well into the cooler months. All this, despite an ever-worsening pandemic.

But now that 2020 is (finally) at its end. Will it be the end of the current housing boom as well?

Probably not!

According to experts, we can expect more low rates, still-rising prices, and a continued exodus to the…

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The Science of Buying in a Low Inventory Housing Market and Negotiating Bidding Wars

Understanding the Numbers When Buying in a Low Inventory Real Estate Market

As a homebuyer in today’s market, you’re no doubt at your wit’s end trying to find your dream home.

And when you find a home you love,  you’re competing with all cash offers and bidding wars driving the sales price above what it’s listed for, and many times, even above what the home is actually worth!

While there is nothing you can do to create more homes for sale, you can certainly arm yourself by understanding the trends and patterns in the areas you’re trying to buy in.

While it’s not quite rocket science, there is definitely a significant competitive advantage to those that understand the trends of a real estate market.

Sometimes, being competitive means not…

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Housing Market Update: With listings down 42.8%, record low interest rates, and demand very high in outer suburban areas, it seems like the perfect price storm has hit!

Northwest MLS brokers say real estate activity across Washington remains strong

 KIRKLAND, Washington (December 7, 2020) – Some real estate brokers expect the competition for homes to ease somewhat over the holidays, but the latest statistics from Northwest Multiple Listing Service indicate activity is unusually strong heading into December.

 “The rush is on for housing,” exclaimed J. Lennox Scott, chairman and CEO at John L. Scott Real Estate. “Real estate activity typically chills as temperatures drop but buyer demand remains high. “With low unsold inventory, all eyes will be on each new home that comes on the market,” he suggested, adding, “This strong demand is present in the more affordable mid-price ranges and extends into high-end…

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Name Your Selling Price As More than 50% of Home Sales See Bidding Wars

For the sixth consecutive month bidding-wars have exceeded 50 percent for all home sales, reaching nearly 57% for the previous month alone.

Despite the ongoing pandemic and in many ways because of it, 2020 has been a record setting year for home prices and sales in and around the greater NW. Some sections of the housing market increased by nearly 30%.

With record low inventory literally causing a Housing Shortage Crisis We have many buyers out there looking and with a lack of inventory, we may just have a buyer for your home.  All it takes is 30 seconds to fill out the form below. Let us know what price you would take for your home, and if we have a buyer, we'll let you know! To learn more about what we offer our home seller clients, CLICK HERE.…

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Despite Covid restrictions on open houses, brokers, buyers, and sellers employ array of virtual tools to stay safe and fulfill housing needs

KIRKLAND, Washington (November 18, 2020) - Even though in-person open houses are not currently allowed under new and reinstated pandemic-related restrictions, broker-members of Northwest Multiple Listing Service (NWMLS) continue to provide services to home buyers and sellers using several contactless and virtual tools.

Feedback from NWMLS representatives include reports of sales by purchasers who made offers to buy based on virtual and live stream open houses without an in-person tour. One manager noted sellers appreciate being directly involved with their listing broker in establishing limits on the number of visits to their home and the strict use of CDC guidelines for post-showing cleaning/sanitizing.

On November 15, when Governor Jay…

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TALKING TURKEY ABOUT THE 2020 FALL REAL ESTATE MARKET

The Thanksgiving real estate market falls squarely in the middle of, well, fall. And while it’s true the market is usually slower around the holidays; the current market trends of constrained inventory and desperate buyers have in fact made the Holidays an excellent time to put your house up for sale.

The Coronavirus appears to have delayed what is typically a busy summer selling season. Anyone who wasn’t able to buy in summer because of the pandemic is most likely looking to take action sooner rather than later. Pent-up demand, in association with historically low-interest rates, and a severe lack of inventory appears to be stirring up activity. More people are coming off the sidelines to buy with multiple offers and bidding wars becoming the norm…

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13 House Selling Superstitions for Friday 13th!

Friday the 13th is an unlucky day if you’re superstitious. And in case you haven’t noticed, it’s here! But we like to think we are people who see the glass as half-full. We prefer to look at the doomed day as an opportunity to reflect upon some unexpected nuggets of—you guessed it—real estate wisdom.

Do you salute a Magpie? Are you afraid of walking over three drains but will happily walk across two? Cultures are full of superstitions, with many finding their way into the world of Estate Agency. Seeing as it’s Friday 13th today, we thought we’d investigate further and take a look at 13 house selling superstitions from all around the world and through the ages.

The number 13 

The country as a whole appears to be increasingly superstitious, and…

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