Loading images...
Buying a home in maple valley | Maple Valley WA

Posts Tagged ‘ Buying a home in maple valley ’

Maple Valley Bank Owned Homes | Listing Activity

Whether you’re an investor or looking for your next place to call home, bank owned properties (also known as REO’s) can often be a great deal for the right person. Here’s a snapshot of what’s going on in this segment of the market, for single family bank owned homes within the Tahoma School District: Active Listings: # Currently Available:  34    Highest Price: $799,000  Lowest Price: $59,900 Pending  # Pending Inspection: 11            Highest Price: $334,900         Lowest Price: $164,900 # Pending  Close of Escrow:  12    Highest Price: $494,010 Lowest Price: $179,900 SOLD # Closed (180 days) :  38   Highest Price: $552,000  Lowest Price: $126,000 You can search Bank owned homes for sale within the Tahoma School District here

Read more »

Real Estate and Pregnancy

Real Estate and Pregnancy

Waiting is hard! I’m not a patient person. When I want something, I usually want it now. So I am especially sympathetic to clients during the closing process who are waiting for “the big day”. The day of closing when their purchase or sale is final and they can settle in, or get their money and move on with their lives. Unfortunately, closing dates are a bit like a pregnancy due date…subject to change. Sometimes we’re lucky and we can close early. Most times we hit the date without any problems. But more and more lately it seems as if closing dates have become even more indeterminate than ever before. Today we are dealing with stricter underwriting guidelines. New HVCC rules are causing appraisals to come in low or triggering field reviews (which have panned out to be a big waste of time and money in my experience). And over-worked loan processors and escrow closers are burning the candle at both ends, trying to do more with less people. I have very patient clients right now who have been waiting to move into their home for more than a week. At first it looked as if we could close early.

Read more »

Maple Valley 1st Time Home Buyer’s Tax Credit Info

I’m fortunate to know and work with some of the best lenders in the industry. Michelle Coolidge, of Cobalt Mortgage forwarded this summary of the First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit and I wanted to share it with those who have questions. Both Michelle and I are happy to answer any questions you may have about becoming a first time homeowner. There’s definitely a great selection of  homes to choose from in the area! FIRST-TIME HOMEBUYER TAX CREDIT As Modified in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Major Modifications Italicized February 2009 FEATURE CREDIT AS CREATED JULY 2008 APPLIES TO ALL QUALIFIED PURCHASES ON OR AFTER APRIL 9, 2008 REVISED CREDIT – EFFECTIVE FOR PURCHASES ON OR AFTER JANUARY 1, 2009 AND BEFORE DECEMBER 1, 2009 Amount of Credit Lesser of 10 percent of cost of home or $7500 Maximum credit amount increased to $8000 Eligible Property Any single family residence (including condos, co-ops, townhouses) that will be used as a principal residence. No change All principal residences eligible. Refundable Yes. Reduces (or can eliminate) income tax liability for the year of purchase. Any unused amount of tax credit refunded to purchaser. No change Purchasers will continue to receive refund

Read more »

The Definition of “Quirky”

The Definition of “Quirky”

The loose definition of “quirk” is having a “peculiar trait”….according to Merriam-Webster’s online definition at least.   This was the word of the day this past weekend while I was showing homes in the Maple Valley area. No matter which home we went to, there was, inevitably, an odd quirk to the property.  Be it poor condition, a bizarre floorplan or an unusual property trait, we seemed destined to find something quirky about every single home we viewed. Many had great amenities, ”except for”.  The longer we looked, the more we began to expect ( even look forward to identifying )the quirk in the next house. We weren’t disappointed. Every home we viewed had “something odd” about it. Quirky. Odd can be good and odd can be bad. But if there is something quirky about a home, the price needs to reflect that oddity or “quirk”. Otherwise, it will just become topic for conversation and the buyers will say “next”. There is a buyer for every home. But not at any price. Unless you’re willing to wait a really long time.   Colleen Fischesser is the Broker/Owner of RE/MAX Select in Maple Valley, WA. She has been successfully selling and marketing properties all over South King

Read more »

Buying a Brand New Home in Maple Valley

Buying a Brand New Home in Maple Valley

Once the decision to make a real estate purchase has been made, clients will begin to sift through additional options…here or there, acreage or subdivision, new or resale? The list can be long and often exhausting to whittle down, however through the process of education and elimination the buyer will begin to get a more concise picture of exactly what’s important to them. Often the attractiveness of a “new” home outweighs other factors they might consider when buying a “used” (we don’t typically use this term in the industry for obvious reasons). And in today’s market, builders who tend to have deeper pockets are often able to offer more concessions and incentives than the average home seller. If you’re thinking of buying a new home in Maple Valley, you have a good selection of inventory from which to choose. Here’s a market snapshot of New Construction in the greater Maple Valley area: Currently Available Homes on the Market: 118 Average LIst Price: $463, 148 Currently in Escrow: Number of Pending Sales: 49 Average List Price: $358,025 Sold Properties: Number sold since January: 23 Average List Price: $371,368

Read more »