by Marti Reeder | Nov 7, 2016 | Credit, Finance, Home Buying, Home Ownership, Mortgage
A good credit history is needed to buy a home, but what constitutes a “good” credit score varies by lender and loan type. For example, to qualify for an FHA loan with a 3.5% down payment, you need a FICO score of 580 or higher. Conventional loans backed by Freddie Mae...
by Marti Reeder | Oct 31, 2016 | Budgeting, Credit, Down Payment, Finance, Home Buying, Home Ownership, Misc., Mortgage
As we said in our Oct. 17 blog post, this is a seller’s market, so it is important that you get pre-qualified or pre-approved for a mortgage. Here’s what you’ll need to qualify in the current real estate market: A down payment. This can range from 5%...
by Marti Reeder | Oct 17, 2016 | Budgeting, Down Payment, Finance, Home Buying, Home Ownership, Home Value, Making an Offer, Market Conditions, Mortgage, Real Estate
Right now we are in a seller’s real estate market, because the number of homebuyers exceeds the number of homes for sale. This means that, to buy your dream home, you need to stand apart from other home buyers. Not only do you need to have professional...
by Marti Reeder | Sep 26, 2016 | Finance, Home Buying, Home Ownership, Making an Offer, Offer
Right now real estate inventory in King County is low. That means that there are fewer homes on the market than there are buyers, making it a seller’s market. It also means homes for sale will sell more quickly, at higher prices, and some will receive multiple offers....
by Marti Reeder | Sep 19, 2016 | Economy, Finance, Home Ownership, Home Selling, Home Value, Reporter
The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) has released its latest Quarterly Home Price Index, and we’ve got great news – in the Pacific region, home prices are up 8.01%. In Washington state, home prices are up 10.4%. Home prices actually increased in every...
by Marti Reeder | Sep 12, 2016 | Appraisal, Finance, Homeowners Insurance, Mortgage, Reporter
Homeowner’s insurance is insurance coverage that protects your home, its contents and other assets in the event of fire, theft, vandalism, accident, storm or other disaster. Homeowner’s insurance also covers liabilities if someone is hurt on your property. Some...