The Seattle City Council recently passed a ban on evictions during winter months in Seattle. I’m all for protecting people when the weather is hazardous, however winter in Seattle is often quite mild. I’m actually very concerned about this legislation and how it may impact the rental market. I’m betting we will see more people decide to sell their Seattle investment property and move to other cities that are friendlier to landlords. Especially once you factor that Seattle laws prevent landlords from being able to screen potential tenants (it’s first come/first serve despite criminal history) and that landlords can only collect up to 1 month’s rent (plus 25% of one months rent if they accept pets) which can be paid over six months. Landlords are really in a risky position if the property is under Seattle’s regulations. [Read more…]
How Much Home Can You Buy with $97K Income with a Low Down Payment
2020 FHA Loan Limits for homes in Washington State
Here is a complete list of FHA loan limits for all counties in Washington for 2020. The new loan limits go into effect on FHA case numbers issued January 1, 2020 and after. [Read more…]
Breaking News: 2020 Loan Limits Announced from HUD
HUD has released the FHA loan limits for 2020.
Seattle – King County, Tacoma – Pierce County and Everett – Snohomish County all have higher loan limits at $741,750 for a single family home. Homes located in King, Snohomish and Pierce Counties qualify for a higher loan amount as the counties are considered “high cost”.
FHA mortgage loans are not limited to first time home buyers and do not have income limits. Loan limits do vary by the county the home is located in. Here is a complete list of 2020 FHA loan limits for in Washington State.
If you’re interested in buying or refinancing a home located anywhere in Washington state, I’m happy to help!
When should you refi a low FHA mortgage rate?
Many homeowners are hanging onto very low mortgage rates when they should perhaps consider refinancing the mortgage for a higher rate. What??? [Read more…]
2019 FHA Loan Limits for Washington State
HUD had just announced the FHA loan limits for 2019. Homes in the greater Seattle area, including King, Pierce and Snohomish counties, will have a higher loan limit, often referred to as an FHA jumbo. Not all counties received higher loan limits for 2019. Clark, Island, King, Kitsap, Pierce, Skagit, Skamania, Snohomish, Thurston and Whatcom counties have increased loan limits for 2019.
Here is a complete list of FHA loan limits for all counties in Washington. [Read more…]
BREAKING NEWS: 2019 FHA Loan Limits for Greater Seattle
HUD had just announced the FHA loan limits for 2019. Homes in the greater Seattle area, including King, Pierce and Snohomish counties, will have a higher loan limit, often referred to as an FHA jumbo. The FHA loan limits match those of conforming high balance loan amounts in these counties.
The 2019 FHA Loan Limits for homes located in King County, Snohomish County and Pierce County are:
- One Unit: $726,525
- Two Unit: $930,300
- Three Unit: $1,234,475
- Four Unit: $1,397,400
Stay tuned for a follow up post which will include all counties in Washington state.
Common Misconceptions about FHA and Conventional Mortgages
I just received a newsletter from a local real estate agent which had an article about whether buyers should opt for a conventional or FHA loan. I’m pretty certain the real estate agent didn’t write the article, however the author, whoever they are, got a lot of things wrong regarding these two mortgage programs. Many of the items that were wrong are what I think are fairly common misconceptions with these two popular mortgage programs. So I thought this was a grand opportunity to write a post to correct them…I’ll skip the fine hairs 😉 [Read more…]
Stop paying rent: Mortgages with Low Down Payment Options
Recently I wrote about neighbors in West Seattle who were looking for a new place to rent because they have two cats and a dog, limiting their options. I’ve pets my entire life, this is my cat Rocko at his typical hang-out where he can view everything on our stairs.
In my last post, I shared Fannie Mae’s Home Ready mortgage program which offers a low down payment with improved pricing on rates and mortgage insurance. [Read more…]
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