Now is the time to take photos of your yard

If you were a buyer......





....which yard would you rather have?


The pink flowers of the plum trees are already gone. Some tulips are still here. The rhodies are about to pop. Don't miss out on the rest of the spring flowers. Take photos of your yard and garden as the season progresses. These great photos can be used whenever you sell your home, even if it is during our darkest and dreariest months.

Buyers will be buying a home and a lifestyle, not just a house. You should use the best photos of your home when selling and include great spring photos. Emotional selling, marketing the benefits and beauty of your home, is so important. With great spring photos you can let potential buyers know how great your home looks, even if you decide to sell in November!

What were the chances of selling a home in West Redmond in March, 2007?

The chances of selling a home in West Redmond in March of 2007? 58% of the homes listed received offers and went pending!

West Redmond/East Bellevue, you are smoking! You beat out all the other Eastside areas for having the most number of homes sell as compared to the inventory. Fifty-eight percent of the homes for sale received offers. This area has had some of the lowest amount of homes available for sale anywhere. No wonder there’s been a lot of multiple offers. There were 119 homes offered for sale, up from 96 in February of 2006 and up from the 98 homes available this February. Homes receiving offers this month jumped up from 57 homes in February to 70 homes sold in March. Even though last year 80% of the homes sold during the month, still some pretty incredible numbers this year!

What does this mean for sellers? Now is a great time to sell your home. If your home stands out, you can often sell for more money and with multiple offers. If a home is on the open market and exposed to all buyers, a seller's chances of receiving multiple offers and the top price will be increased dramatically. The homes with the multiple offers are staged, professionally photographed, and priced competitively. A knowledgeable Realtor will know the nuances of the neighborhood and each of the available homes to put you in the best pricing position. A strong Realtor will be your advocate, negotiate these offers, and help you make the most money.

Please look at my post on http://www.eastsiderealestatebuzz.com to find out about other areas of the Eastside. You will see that none of the other areas come close to Redmond in the number of sales to listings.

For this month's latest statistics, please check the link below to my website,
http://debrasinick.com/docs/2007_Year_to_Date.pdf

Let's All Lose a Little Weight and Celebrate Earth Day!

As everyone knows, tomorrow, the 22nd of April, is Earth Day. It seems as if for a lot of years people ignored Earth Day. I remember it being quite a big deal when Earth Day began in the 1970's. Now there is a renewed interest and awareness which seems to have begun with Al Gore's Inconvenient Truth. The awarenenss level with global warming, pollution, etc. has increased dramatically.

I came across this website called http://www.41pounds.org. Apparently, the average junk mail we each receive every year comes out to 41 pounds. Imagine the amount of waste that is created! Even if the junk mail is recycled, there is energy used to create the paper, print the mailings, send the mail, and to recycle this junk.


So if 100 of us contact this website and asked to be removed from "junk" mail lists, we could potentially save 4100 lbs of mail! Over two tons of junk!

Anyone up to the challenge?

We Are Going to the Dogs!

I just finished a post about the condo market and had mentioned dog parks were one of the new hot buttons. I opened the latest Broker Agent News and read about the new neighborhood "must have", the dog park. Looks like this is a hot topic!

We are very lucky to have Marymoor Park with its huge off leash area right nearby. A good friend of mine refers to the dog park as "Doggy Disneyland"!

The only other dog park I found on line that was even close to the Eastside was in Luther Burbank Park on Mercer Island.

http://www.nwsource.com/ae/scr/edb_vd.cfm?c=&ven=3336&s=nws

http://www.brokeragentnews.com/news/residential/2007_4/4_13_2007_lv_1176507626.html

What's happening on the other side of the pond, condos, and other things

As part of my monthly networking group Forum XXII, I was fortunate enough to hear Michael Miller, the president of Miller Condominium Marketing. Michael's company develops condominium projects all over Puget Sound. He has developed many projects in downtown Seattle. His company is developing the old Queen Anne High School and the Cosmopolitan in Seattle and did the Boulevard in Kirkland. The company has about 20 projects planned in the next couple of years, so I would say he knows the condo market well!

He presented a lot of good information about condos and I have included some of the highlights of his talk below.

Who has been buying the Seattle condos?

38% are local Seattlites who come from other parts of the city.
33% are boomers
18% are from out of state.
Multiple family members are buying units in the same building. Because of these new condos there has been a 20% increase in downtown Seattle's population

There are 10,000 new condo units projected to be built in Seattle. Right now there are only 3000 units that have obtained financing. So the question is, will all of these projects get built?

His predictions:

Condo complexes will be created in the suburbs that will mirror a small urban village. These new villages will be similar to urban neighborhoods with restaurants, shopping, and amenities all on site. A new village themed project is coming into downtown Burien with 300 units and a retail core. In a 600 unit complex in downtown Woodinville, there will shops, wineries, restaurants, even a spa!

What will be hot: dog parks, pea patches, and car wash areas.

What will not: media rooms, business areas, and conference centers.


Other thoughts:

There have been 7000 rental units lost to condo conversions over the last few years, so the apartment market is tight.

Condos are booming in Snohomish county, too. The condo market there appreciated 25% in 2006.
---------------------------------------
On a similar note, the April issue of Seattle Metropolitan magazine has a whole section called Condo Mania. There is a great checklist of things to look for when buying a condo, information about upcoming projects, and a condo shopping guide. I thought the questions to ask when looking at condos were great questions. A couple of questions raised here were ones many buyers do not think about. When you look at a condo conversion, ask whether the condo has been brought up to current building codes, including standards for earthquakes and fires. It is important to know what you are buying so you can make an educated buying decision.

The Myth about 3 of the 5 Myths of Real Estate in Parade magazine

Did you see the article in Parade magazine last week? (see the link below) I was quite surprised by many of the myths the writer proposed. I didn't see many facts to support her statements about the myths of real estate.

As a Realtor for the past 20 years who has worked in all kinds of markets, I feel qualified to comment on myth #1, #2, and #5.

My take on myth #1 -Only a licensed Realtor should sell your home.

The writer states a home owner knows more about their home which is very true. However, the home owner doesn't know all the details involved in the sales process. Selling a home and obtaining the highest possible price is a result of many factors, a multi-staged process, and the result of a successful partnership between a good Realtor and a home owner.

A good Realtor knows the competition inside and out. I showed a home today that has a great view of the mountains and the lake. You couldn’t see any rooftops or other houses. Something like this is priceless and not something you find from the internet. Do internet evaluations know these subtle, but very valuable differences? Positioning the home properly against the competition is often the key to making the most money for a home owner.

A good Realtor knows the current absorption rate, how many homes are available and how many are selling. Even in my local market, the eastside of Seattle, there are “mini” markets that demand different pricing structures.

A good Realtor minimizes the stress of a home sale. A home is not a commodity, like a car or boat. It is a measure of one's personal taste and lifestyle. Having strangers/buyers come into your home is stressful enough, without having to deal directly with the buyer.

A good Realtor is your advocate and will negotiate from a position of strength and experience and is able to evaluate all the terms and conditions of an offer. Offers can run between 10-15 pages.

A good Realtor is a strong negotiator in a multiple offer situation. This can be tough for even the most experienced Realtors, let alone a home owner who has never done any negotiation.

A good Realtor knows the sale of a home is a three stage process:
-Assisting the home owner with presentation, staging, pricing, and top notch marketing
-Marketing the home to Realtors and buyers
-Following the transaction through the inspection, appraisal, financing all the way to a successful close.

My take on myth #2- Your broker does not want you to get the highest price for your home.

There is no data in the article to support or explain this statement.

Home owners should know the answers to the following questions before reviewing an offer:

Are you selling in a fast or slow market?
How many showings have there been?
Has anyone come back to your home for multiple showings?
How many hits have there been on various internet sites?
Are any of the agents calling to ask questions about the house?
What is the buyer/agent response after viewing your home?
What is the average market time for a home in your local area?

Working with a knowledgeable, reputable Realtor, home owners will have the answers to these questions. The home owner can then make an informed decision about the offer price. Maybe the price is too low and should be countered. Maybe it should be accepted because it’s what the market will bear.

My take on myth #5-your home must be turned into a showplace before it is listed.

A home should be a showplace when selling. The homes in mint condition sell for the most money. Since agents are hired to help home owners make the most money, agents should be advising them to make their home a showplace.

A good Realtor should recommend the most cost effective improvements to bring the home to show condition. Realtors should use their contacts to help home owners do inexpensive fixes. New carpet, paint, and lawn maintenance will bring home owners more money. If some of these things are not done, it can cost a home owner dearly in the sales price of the home. Buyers always think it costs more to do these things and can choose to buy another home that is more market ready.

Remember buying and selling is an emotional process for both parties, the home owner and the buyer. Presenting a home for sale that is maintained well, staged beautifully and photographed by a professional will create the warm ambiance a buyer is looking for when purchasing a home, not just a house. A good Realtor will position your home so that its best qualities will shine and excite buyers. The home will be priced so you get what you deserve, a great price and a stress-free transaction!


Any thoughts about this article?


http://www.parade.com/articles/editions/2007/edition_04-08-2007/5_Real_Estate_Myths

You Can Be Superman and See Through Walls!

Well almost! With InfraredThermal Imaging you can actually see the temperature measurement differentials given off by all the materials behind your walls. You can then locate areas where water instrusion is occurring, areas where there is energy loss due to improper insulation, and you can also view the electrical and plumbing in your home.Why do I know this?Because I have had a water leak in my house and needed to get to the source of the problem. This one spot has leaked in my kitchen whenever we have wind and rain. Usually a couple of times a season, we end up with a leak. Every year we have people out to fix the problem. But each year, the leak is back in the same spot. We really thought we had our leak fixed in 2005 as our entire roof and some skywall windows were replaced. Then in October of 2005, the rains began and the leak was still there. The roofer repaired the leak. The rains came again in October of 2006 and along with it came our friendly leak, like an old friend (or enemy?) Drastic action was necessary. We cut a whole in our ceiling and have chosen not to close it up until we felt we had licked the leak problem. The roofers came out again (for the third fix) and "fixed" the problem. Then came our infamous wind/rain storm last winter. During that storm, I was dealing with an indoor waterfall, not a leak. I needed buckets to catch the rain for that one. Fortunately, the inch downpour only lasted about an hour that day.I contacted Cascade Thermal Imaging. The company has an Infrared camera that can detect temperature differentials of all materials in walls, ceilings, roofs, etc. They have been out to my home twice now to do testing. It's really fascinating to see. Their camera detects the amount of infrared energy given off by an object. You can then see the differences in moisture and heat. They found evidence of moisture in the wall and also in other spots we never knew might be wet. These images were shown to the roofer and they are investigating further. They are doing some invasive procedures to confirm the imaging photos, but it looks as if there is now some great information that will help solve our leak problem. The roofers may now know where to look for our leak!I will keep you posted on the saga of the leak and let you know whether the thermal imaging was able to identify the problem areas. I may not fully know the results until we get through another winter as that is the only time I have ever had a leak in my home. We are getting closer to feeling like we can close up the hole in our ceiling.The thermal imaging process is a new resource that will help identify problems more clearly in ways we have been unable to do before. I see Thermal Imaging being used if you have a problem, such as a leak, and are unable to track the source. I also see buyers using this process as part of a building inspection if there is a concern about a leak, a roof problem, electrical and plumbing systems, and overall energy efficiency of the home.http://www.Cascadethermal.com

Protect your personal and financial information

Today when you apply for a new loan or refinance, credit bureaus can sell your entire credit report to competing financial institutions. This means that anyone in those institutions will have access to your personal information. They will have your social security number, your contact information, and your credit card information. In addition, you also can receive unwanted emails, phone calls and junk mail from random lenders trying to solicit your business.

This is completely legal and the only way to stop it from happening to you is to log onto www.optoutprescreen.com and request your information not be shared with anyone for 5 years. It has to be done at least 5 days prior to letting anyone pull your credit report since it takes that long for it to take be processed.

If you choose to shop for a mortgage, make sure you are only giving your information to reputable lenders that have been referred to you or have a known track record of solid performance. Do not just let your personal information out to anyone and everyone!
www.optoutprescreen.com

How can older homes compete with newer construction

It seems like everyone wants to live "close in" today. We all know everyone is tired of the commutes on the Eastside. So the older homes that attract the most buyers and sell for the most money are the homes that have been updated. These homes keep the best features of the existing home, but incorporate some of the attractive features of newer homes.


Want some creative ideas for remodeling that older home? Everyone knows kitchens and baths are the "no-brainer" remodels that will earn home owners the most bang for their buck, but in this article a few more great ideas were presented. Here are some suggestions from the article you can link to below:

Raise the roof! What a great idea. When I show buyers homes I constantly hear about the desire for an open floor plan with high ceilings. This is one of the major attractions of newer homes and is a great way for older homes to compete in the marketplace.

Tear down walls- another great way to create openess. Older homes often have small rooms. Why not open the kitchen to the dining room or family room?

Paint the interior with fabulous colors. No longer is beige, beige, beige in demand. People love personality and color. Go for it and show your style.

Add a bath or hardwood floors. Again, great features that excite buyers.

Check out new construction for what is popular and then adapt the features to your own remodel.


I have seen some really cool midentry and rambler homes built in the 60's and 70's that had open floor plans. These open living areas were created by knocking down walls. When these homes have been on the market, they have attracted top dollar for the sellers. The older homes with the open floor plans, plus the remodeled kitchens and baths, are the most in demand.


http://www.brokeragentnews.com/news/residential/2007_3/3_20_2007_yw_1174443301.html


Call me if you have questions about remodeling and I would be happy to tell you what is selling in today's market.