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There’s no shortage of advice online about the best time to list, and it all goes something like this: The majority of home sales occur when the weather heats up, and homes sold during this time of year tend to attract high prices. Conventional wisdom tells us it’s best to list early in the year. That way, you’re sure to benefit from the June peak in sales, and the premium pricing during the summer months as well. List too late, we’re warned, and you could miss this warm weather bump.

At first blush, this conventional wisdom seems particularly wise. After all, there’s one thing that all homeowners looking to sell have in common — they want to do so as quickly as possible, and for as much money as possible. Listing early, in theory, means more…

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Do your research, choose your listing price, and watch the buyers line up.

Unlike the cost of a gallon of milk or a flat-screen television, a home’s price can be hard to pin down. It’s complicated because each home is unique, and has its own story to tell.

When it comes to setting the price of a house, the only thing to do is to look at the recent sales and active listings of similar homes in your area. Combine this research with the inside market knowledge of a local real estate agent, and you can confidently choose your list price.

Here are some guidelines to keep in mind when determining how much to ask for your house.

Make sure to look at recent comps

Markets change fast, so it’s best to find comparable sales within the past…

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The Cascade Team App ~ Real Estate on Your Time

Drawing Your Own Search Area

Relying On Search Algorithms

Long gone are the days of relying on your real estate agent to set up a customized search for you based on the area you are looking to purchase your future home. With The Cascade Team's new app, you can not only set up your own searches and alerts, but you can draw on your mobile phone's screen, tracing a perimeter on the search area you want! How much easier could house hunting get?!

Remove Homes & Communities

Receiving Unwanted Home Leads

Already know the area or community you are hoping to buy a home in? Be in…

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KIRKLAND, March 6, 2017) – Home buyers are in a spring mood, but sellers are still hibernating, suggested one broker while commenting about the latest statistics from Northwest Multiple Listing Service. Figures for February and feedback from brokers indicate record-low inventory is spurring multiple offers, rising prices, fewer sales, and frustrated house-hunters.  

  • First time on record with under 10,000 Listing System-wide
  • Pending Homes outpace New Listing by nearly 5,000 Homes
  • Inventory down 25% from a Year Ago
Year over-year pending sales (mutually accepted offers) declined for the first time since March 2016, falling 8.9 percent. Eight counties, including King and Snohomish, reported double-digit drops in pending sales as the…

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The New Cascade Team Mobile App

The Cascade Team Real Estate's highly-rated real estate app for IPhone and Android allows you to search all available MLS listings of current homes for sale, so you know you're getting the best and most accurate information. Take your home search to go with the mobile app, complete with interactive maps, photos, and one-touch access to your local real estate agent. Plus, everything you do on the app syncs up with your account on www.TheCascadeTeam.com, so you always have your saved searches and homes with you and can save homes for sale that you love while you're on-the-go. 

***** "Full MLS integration on a responsive platform"
***** "Most accurate data for serious buyers/sellers"
***** "Great features and…

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earnest-money-mistakes ericsphotography/iStock

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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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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cupid, hearts and houses  

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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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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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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