Sellers
What Kind of a Buyer are You?
March 4, 2011 by Gabrielle · Leave a Comment
Talking with prospective buyer clients every week involves having frank discussions about how they see themselves reaching their new house goals. Listening to them describe the sort of house they want along with how they see themselves living in the home, the neighborhood and location, helps set up a relationship that describes how a buying [...]
So … What IS a Buyer Agency Agreement?
February 8, 2011 by Gabrielle · 1 Comment
In a previous post, I wrote a bit about why a Buyer Agency Agreement is important and how a Buyer / Broker relationship might occur. I also indicated that, as a rule, I require a Buyer Agency Agreement to work with Buyers. So what, exactly, does a Buyer Agency Agreement obligate a Buyer to do? [...]
Working With Buyers — That Scary Buyer Agency Agreement
February 8, 2011 by Gabrielle · 1 Comment
I love working with Buyers. The excitement of shopping for houses, seeing homes through their eyes, and the ultimate gratification everyone has when the transaction closes and move-in day occurs! It just doesn’t get much better than that!! But working with Buyers is a tremendous amount of work. There’s a lot of stress involved, a myriad [...]
Flood Maps Affect Home Sales and Purchases
January 19, 2011 by Gabrielle · Leave a Comment
Foreclosure Statistics – Auburn, WA
October 20, 2010 by Gabrielle · Leave a Comment
I was directed to a Web site this morning called Foreclosure Radar. Like most sites of this sort, its aim is to get real estate agents to subscribe to their service (for a fee) with referrals to be directed from the site back to the fee-paying agents. I typically avoid these sorts of things as [...]
HURRY! — JP Morgan Chase — Strugging Homeowner Event TODAY
September 30, 2010 by Gabrielle · Leave a Comment
Buried deep in the newspaper yesterday was an announcement that JPMorganChase Bank is holding an event TODAY, September 30th, for homeowners struggling to make their house payments for Chase and EMC mortgages. Being held from 11am – 5pm at the Chase Homeownership Center, 16400 Southcenter Parkway, Suite 200 in Tukwila, homeowners should bring their most [...]
Investor Alert: FHA Financing for “Flipped” Houses
September 23, 2010 by Gabrielle · Leave a Comment
In mid-January, 2010, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) issued a temporary waiver (good until February 1, 2011, or until extended or withdrawn) to give FHA borrowers the ability of obtaining an FHA-insured mortgage on a home that was purchased less than 90 days previous. What this means is that a Buyer can [...]
There is NOT a 3.8% Sales Tax on All Home Sales Starting in 2013!
September 22, 2010 by Gabrielle · Leave a Comment
Over the last several weeks I’ve had a number of clients and contacts email me with a “Is This True?” question about the rumor of a 3.8% “sales tax” to be added to the sale of a home after 2012. With the passing of President Obama’s Health Care bill, some people are digging deep for [...]
The Business of Short Sales in Auburn, WA
September 17, 2010 by Gabrielle · Leave a Comment
Short sales are a huge part of our area’s current listing inventory and sales statistics. They’re difficult transactions and time consuming. They require specialized knowledge and dedication to the task in order to be successful. They also require impeccable business practices and an adherence to the highest of ethical standards. The business of real estate [...]
16 Tips to Prepare Your Home for Sale
September 1, 2010 by Gabrielle · Leave a Comment
While buyers must shop within their financial qualifications, their decision to make an offer on a home is first, and foremost, an emotional response to the appearance of your home and property. The money and negotiation side to the actual purchase comes later. In order to maximize the appearance of your property — thus eliciting [...]
Buy Now? … or Wait?
August 22, 2010 by Gabrielle · Leave a Comment
I bought my first home in the mid-’70′s, and then bought again in about 1983. Even though interest rates were “obscene,” (seems like ours was somewhere around 17.5%) somehow we managed to make it work. Builders and sellers routinely bought down rates and prices were considerably lower. I was reminded of this fact this morning when receiving [...]
15 Things Your Buyer’s Agent Should (Will!!) Do For You
August 21, 2010 by Gabrielle · Leave a Comment
My daughter is currently shopping for a house outside of Washington State, where I’m licensed and practice. Although I cautioned her and her husband against making sign calls and suggesting (strongly!) that she work with a Realtor I interviewed on her behalf and recommend, they decided to make a sign call and then moved forward [...]
Help for Underwater Homeowners?
August 16, 2010 by Gabrielle · Leave a Comment
Almost everyone I talk with these days is … as I am … backwards on their home loan-to-value ratios. Many of us bought our homes in the early 2000′s and then even refinanced them or added home equity loans somewhere in the 2005-2007 days, bringing our total home loan indebtedness to a number that is [...]
What is a Deed-in-Lieu?
August 12, 2010 by Gabrielle · Leave a Comment
A Deed-in-Lieu of Foreclosure is a process where the lender agrees to take the deed to your home rather than pursue a foreclosure action against you for nonpayment of your loan. This option is easiest where there is only one mortgage, and where there are no other liens. Depending on your lender, a payment might [...]
Sometimes a Short Sale is Just NOT the Right Answer!
August 9, 2010 by Gabrielle · Leave a Comment
I like to consider myself a resource for sellers who are considering their options. Should they pursue a short sale? Should they just walk away? Should they just try to hang on no matter what? Recently I had an opportunity to meet with a wonderful couple that were truly truly trying to do “the right thing,” [...]
