One of the most common concerns I hear from buyers and homeowners in Washington State is that today’s mortgage rates feel high. And compared to where rates were in 2020 and 2021, they are. But compared to the full history of mortgage rates in the United States, the picture looks quite different.
Understanding where today’s rates sit in historical context is one of the most useful things a buyer or homeowner can know — and it often changes how people think about waiting versus acting. [Read more…]
Twenty years ago, 
If your paycheck includes more than just a base salary — a year-end bonus, regular overtime, or commission — you may have more mortgage qualifying power than you realize. Variable income is usable for mortgage qualifying, but the rules around how lenders calculate it trip up a lot of buyers at the preapproval stage.
In late January, my husband and I packed up our Ford Lightning and headed south on an impromptu road trip with two goals: travel as much of the coast as possible, and make it to Palm Desert in time to watch the Seahawks win the Super Bowl. (Mission accomplished on both counts.)
