For Sellers

The Skinny on Maple Valley Homes for Sale | A Seller’s Market?

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The Skinny on Maple Valley Homes for Sale | A Seller’s Market?

The skinny on available homes for sale in Maple Valley (and outlying areas served by the Tahoma School District) is just that….skinny! Currently there are only 75 single family homes actively listed for sale through NWMLS. Eliminate new construction (which often includes  pre-sale inventory ) and you’re down to 54. Far greater than slim-pickins…this is flat out SKINNY pickins! Going back 12 months,  Inventory peaked in August (not unusual as this typically is a slower time of year for sales) however it’s obvious March is the lowest point over this time period. Let’s go back even more…. Again, highest peak was August but more than 3x the inventory we have available today. So what’s a buyer hoping to land the elusive Maple Valley home for sale? Here are some tips: Be prepared to move quickly. And I mean QUICKLY! It’s helpful to work with a Buyer’s Agent who specializes only in working with buyers. (Like our wonderful team member Patty!) An experienced Buyer’s agent has systems in place to notify you as soon as properties become available. Forget trying to “get a deal”. Those days are done. Today’s “great deal” is being the winner in a multiple offer situation. Put

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Maple Valley Home Sellers Have Field of Dreams Opportunity in 2013

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Maple Valley Home Sellers Have Field of Dreams Opportunity in 2013

Home buyers looking to settle within the Tahoma School District boundaries have not been intimidated by heavy rains or Seasonal distractions. Low inventory, rising rents and unbelievably low mortgage rates are factors bringing both owner-occupants and investors to the table….often with boxing gloves on. (Cash usually wins but not in the case of Bank Owned “first look” initiatives) A year over year comparison of Single Family Homes listings within the Tahoma School District shows inventory at it’s highest in 2011 during the month of November, a historically slow month for buyer activity and offers. However look what happened this year. With very slight exceptions, inventory continued to dwindle to it’s lowest point of the year in December.  This is ACTIVE inventory, as in what’s on the shelf for anyone shopping in the market. Slim pickings to be sure. As a buyer, be prepared to make a strong, compelling offer. The days of gouging are done.  As a Seller, it’s important to understand what this means. Buyers and investors are looking for right-priced properties, and are not interested in wasting time looking at anything with an over-inflated value. Price it right and they will come beat a path to your door

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What’s Ahead for the Maple Valley Real Estate Market?

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What’s Ahead for the Maple Valley Real Estate Market?

While the numbers may show 2012 to have been “the bottom” of the market and the beginning of a housing recovery, if I had to sum up the year in one word it would be… “Difficult”. Short sales? Nope. I’m talking financing. Who would have thought getting short sale approval could be easier than the next step…getting the buyer’s loan approved? Or, as this year has testified, having approved buyers elbow their way into the top slot after a multiple offer negotiation, only to find they have miles of hoops to jump through before crossing the finish line? Welcome to my world. (as it was last year anyway, I am an optimist after all) The best explanation I’ve seen to date about this has been this article in Forbes magazine.  But that was then (as in 4 days ago) and this is now. So what’s ahead for the Maple Valley Real Estate Market in 2013? Keeping in my real estate is local (and in our case, hyper-local), I offer my prognostications as viewed through my still cloudy crystal ball: 1. Inventory will remain low. Many owners will be encouraged by news headlines of recovery and will decide to stay put

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Maple Valley Distressed Home Market Report | Foreclosure & Short Sales 2012

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Maple Valley Distressed Home Market Report | Foreclosure & Short Sales 2012

While the year is not quite finished, (2 more recording days at the County), I think we have a decent representative sample of closed sales here in the Tahoma School district to make a call regarding distressed home sales activity. Year to date (this post being written on December 27), there have been 106 single family Bank or Asset Company owned sales closed. This represents a 41% increase in Bank owned homes over the same time period in 2010. Short sales (properties where the owner controls the sale and marketing but the bank must approve the “less than owed” price) numbered 121 this year, compared to 61 in the same time period of 2010….just a chin hair shy of a 100% increase in two years. The jump in short sale closings is a good sign in my opinion. It is indicative of sellers looking for alternatives to foreclosure, agents  and buyers getting more savvy to the negotiation process and banks recognizing the need for organized, streamlined processes. However given the drop in prices from our peak in 2006, the steep equity loss will continue to drive the distressed market here and throughout South King County…most likely for several years to

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Cherokee Bay Sold Homes Report

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Cherokee Bay Sold Homes Report

Homes Sales in Cherokee Bay over the past 120 days, like much of the Maple Valley real estate market, were skinny in number. This is primarily due to 2 factors. General lack of inventory and the lengthy escrow time required of Short Sales. There were 10 single family homes sold and closed within the last 4 months in Cherokee Bay. The highest priced listing sold was $222, 800 and the lowest priced sale was $135,000. Of interesting note, is the average days on market…just 19. Here are the sales with more detail: Search for your new home in Maple Valley here or find out what your Cherokee Bay property, or Maple Valley home is worth online, FREE, here.  

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Maple Valley Real Estate Trends | October 2012

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Maple Valley Real Estate Trends | October 2012

Year to date home sales numbers and trends for single family homes in Maple Valley, WA

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Is It Time for An Equity Check Up?

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Is It Time for An Equity Check Up?

Updated: With all the ups and downs in our local real estate market the last few years, you may be wondering how much, if any, equity you have in your home right now? And if you have no interest in moving, should you even care? The answer is YES! Webster’s defines equity as it pertains to real estate as : “… the difference between the current market value of the property and the amount the owner still owes on the mortgage. Thus, it is the amount, if any, the owner would receive after selling a property and paying off the mortgage” Even if you have no interest in moving or need to sell there are a few very good reasons why your home’s equity value is something you should evaluate every year: 1. Life happens. Could you sell right now if you had to? If you lost your job or got sick? Information is power! Although the market will continue to adjust, the big drop has happened (Some are calling the bottom at November 2011, I personally call it as February 2011) your value can and will continue to fluctuate due to uncertainty and confidence in the market. We check

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Random Recent Sales Trivia

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Random Recent Sales Trivia

Let’s face it…more than likely the only people who really care about sales statistics are those who are either actively in the market to buy or sell, or those who are actively in the market because it’s how they earn a living. I fall into the second group. However even for me…statistics and trends and market reports can get a little (yawn) stale. So today I decided to take a look at recent sales for the past 60 days in a different way. These numbers represent single family homes which are located within the Tahoma School District, and have closed within the past two months. These properties are those which most likely went under contract in July or August of this year. Drumroll please………. Ready? Deep breath, 117 homes sold 20 Short Sales 5 Bank Owned 15 on 1 or more Acre 21 were New Construction 59 had exactly 4 Bedrooms 26 were larger than 3000 square feet 50 were under 2000 square feet 4 had only one bathroom 1 had 4 bathrooms 47 had a 3 car garage 2 had a 5 car garage 2 were on a Lake 1 had an in-ground pool For now…none had an outhouse   but

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All information is current as of published date. Listings for sale or rent, are avaialable as of the date published, however price and availability are subject to change.