by Marti Reeder | Feb 5, 2020 | Design, Economy, Finance, Home Buying, Home Decor, Home Equity, Home Ideas, Home Improvement, Home Ownership, Home Search, Home Selling, Home Value, John L. Scott, King County, Listings, Making an Offer, Market Conditions, News, Pricing a Home, Real Estate, Renting vs. Buying
Did you know that we’re in the midst of an economic expansion – and it’s the longest expansion in our history? As we bustle through our daily lives, sometimes we lose sight of that fact. And economists think there may be even more growth ahead, as indicated in a...
by Marti Reeder | Dec 4, 2019 | Budgeting, Down Payment, Finance, Home Buying, Home Ownership, Home Search, Home Selling, Making an Offer, Mortgage, Real Estate
Think again! We’re seeing an increase in interest in second homes in our market. This interest is being driven by two main groups – millennials who fear they can’t afford a home in the area they want to live in (but who want to own something), and established...
by Marti Reeder | Nov 20, 2019 | Budgeting, Down Payment, Finance, Home Buying, Home Ownership, Home Search, Home Selling, Making an Offer, Mortgage, Real Estate
What in the world am I talking about? In short: cosigning a loan for a friend or family member. Let’s take the case of Tom and Sue. They have a mortgage on their home and weren’t planning on moving for years (if ever). So, when one of their kids was ready to buy a...
by Marti Reeder | Oct 9, 2019 | Budgeting, Closing Costs, Commissions, Credit, Down Payment, Equity, Finance, Home Buying, Home Ownership, Home Search, Home Selling, Interest Rates, John L. Scott, Listings, Making an Offer, Misc., Mortgage, Offer, PMI, Pre-Approval, Real Estate, Refinancing, Taxes
. . . and why PMI in the first place? PMI or Private Mortgage Insurance, is the lender’s protection in case you default on your mortgage and your home goes into foreclosure. Homebuyers unable to come up with a 20% down payment typically are considered to be at a...
by Marti Reeder | Sep 25, 2019 | Budgeting, Closing Costs, Commissions, Credit, Down Payment, Equity, Finance, Home Buying, Home Ownership, Home Search, Home Selling, Interest Rates, John L. Scott, Listings, Making an Offer, Misc., Mortgage, Offer, PMI, Pre-Approval, Real Estate, Refinancing, Taxes
SEVEN WAYS THE NEW TAX LAWS AFFECT HOMEOWNERS With new tax changes having come into effect in the past year, it’s a great time to revisit how some of those changes might affect homeowners. While everyone’s situation differs, there are six elements of the tax law that...
by Marti Reeder | Sep 5, 2019 | Budgeting, Closing Costs, Commissions, Credit, Down Payment, Equity, Finance, Home Buying, Home Ownership, Home Search, Home Selling, Interest Rates, John L. Scott, Listings, Making an Offer, Misc., Mortgage, Offer, PMI, Pre-Approval, Real Estate, Refinancing, Taxes
I recently wrote about upgrades that are WORTH THE SPLURGE? , which got me to thinking about remodeling, refreshing, and rearranging your home. In the good old days, homeowners had few options when it came to “test driving” potential purchases and/or changes to their...
