S&P Case Shiller: Seattle home prices on the rise

July 30, 2013 by Leave a Comment

SP_CS_postThis morning the S&P/Case Shiller Home Prices Index was released revealing gains across the board for the 20 city index.

The report states that Seattle had their largest monthly gain to home prices since April 1990 of 3.15% from April to May.

Year over year, Seattle boasted double digit gains of 11.9% for May.

This can be good news for people in the greater Seattle area who are considering selling their home and for those who have been waiting for home values to improve so they can refinance.

Mortgage interest rates are off their record lows. However, they are still what would be considered historically low.

If you’re interested in getting preapproved to buy a home or refinancing your existing home located in Washington State, I’m happy to help you!

Filed Under: Economy, Real Estate, Residential Purchase, Seattle Tagged With: , ,

I’m not just a Blogger, I’m also a Licensed Mortgage Originator

April 7, 2013 by 3 Comments

This morning my husband and I enjoyed a tasty brunch at West 5 in West Seattle. I love their breakfast hash! When our waitress brought us our check she asked me if I was “that mortgage blogger”.  Yep… that’s me. She then went on to say how much she and her husband enjoyed my blog and that it was a great resource for when the refinanced. 

A bittersweet compliment. Of course I would have loved to help them with their refinance. I thanked her for her compliments.

My husband couldn’t resist calling her back when she walked by to ask why she didn’t contact me for her refi. She had asked for a referral from a trusted friend. I applaud this. That’s much better than calling a mortgage originator who has had to resort to mailing to strangers or clicking on some flashy ad on the internet (that’s probably just a lead generator).

With that said, I thought it wouldn’t hurt to take this opportunity to remind my readers that I’m not just a mortgage blogger, what pays my bills is successfully closing mortgage loans on homes located in Washington state. I’m happy to provide you with a detailed mortgage rate quote or help you with your home purchase or refinance.

My commercial break is over 🙂 stay tuned… tomorrow I’ll be posting this week’s scheduled economic indicators. 

Filed Under: Seattle Tagged With:

Sunday Drive to Washington Arboretum Park

November 11, 2012 by Leave a Comment

One of the best things about having a new puppy in our family has been taking him out on walks to various parks around the area. Yesterday, my husband and I took Scupper, a Flat Coated Retriever,to Washington Arboretum Park. 

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Scupper in search of ducks

This was my first time visiting this park I’ve probably driven over thousands of times. It’s located under parts of the off-ramps to 520 bridge by University of Washington and the Seattle neighborhood of Washington Park along the shores of Lake Washington.

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520 Bridge

On this visit, we walked around Foster Island and Marsh Island. We are saving the Arboretum gardens for next time.

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Hubby and Scupper

The park is over 230 acres and has botanical gardens that are managed by the University of Washington.

You can check out more of photos from our walk to Washington Arboretum Park by clicking here.

Filed Under: Seattle, Sunday Drive - Neighborhood Tours Tagged With: , , , ,

Fall in West Seattle’s Lincoln Park

October 14, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Yesterday we took our six month old puppy to Lincoln Park in West Seattle for a walk. I thought I’d share some of the spectacular fall colors from my one of my favorite parks. 

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Scupper and Rob at Lincoln Park

Fall leaves mix with kelp on the wet Puget Sound shore.

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Ferry at Fauntleroy

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Lincoln Park

Filed Under: Just for Fun, Seattle, Sunday Drive - Neighborhood Tours Tagged With:

I’m going to have a painting on exhibit at Bumbershoot!

August 12, 2012 by Leave a Comment

You may or may not know that I started painting earlier this year for a new hobby. Most of my paintings have been on black velvet. I was thrilled when I was asked by Marlow Harris if I would contribute an Elvis painting to the Elvistravaganza! exhibit at Seattle Center. 

My painting of Elvis getting ready to enjoy a peanut butter, bacon, banana sandwich is not quite finished yet. I just thought I’d share where I’m at with him right now. I’ll post an update when I’m finished with him.

This event takes place during Bumbershoot, Labor Day weekend, at the Seattle Center. Elvistravaganza celebrates the 50th anniversary of when Elvis filmed “It Happened at the Worlds Fair”.

Come check out the exhibit during Bumbershoot. You’ll find a whole lot of Elvis at the Seattle Center Pavilion. 

Filed Under: Events, Just for Fun, Seattle Tagged With: ,

King County Home Prices are up 7% from last year

August 8, 2012 by Leave a Comment

The Seattle Times reports that home prices for King County have jumped up 7.2% from July last year. This pencils out to $25,250 with the median sales price of $375,250. The article also notes that closings are up 26% YOY which is great news for the housing industry. It doesn’t matter how low mortgage rates or home prices are unless transactions can actually close.With less inventory, many buyers are finding themselves in bidding wars or having a property in contract before they can get their offer together. From the article:

“Another recurring theme is the dramatic drop in the number of homes for sale. Home listings have been sliding for a full year; in July the number of home listed for sale was down 38 percent year-over-year…

…distressed home listings — bank-owned properties and short sales — are down 60 percent from last year. This also contributes to the small number of listings and brings up home prices.”

Part of the reason for the low inventory, per Seattle real estate economist Matthew Gardner, is that many people are not able to sell because they are underwater with their mortgages and don’t want to go through a short sale.

If you’re considering selling and your property is non-distressed (you have enough equity to sell), this could be a great time with more buyers than sellers.

If you’re underwater with your home and would like to sell once you have equity, you might consider a HARP 2.0 refinance (if your last conforming mortgage closed prior to June 2009) or an FHA streamlined refi (if your existing mortgage is FHA). While you wait for home values to continue to trend higher, why not save on your monthly mortgage payments?

If you’re a home buyer, I cannot stress enough how important it is to be fully preapproved BEFORE you start shopping for a home. If you’re considering buying or refinancing a home in Seattle, King County or anywhere in Washington state, I’m happy to help you!

Filed Under: Economy, Residential Purchase, Seattle Tagged With: , ,

Thank You, JP

July 22, 2012 by Leave a Comment

 I learned tonight of the passing of my childhood hero, JP Patches. If you didn’t grow up in the greater Seattle area in the late 70’s, you my not have had the privilege of knowing how wonderful JP Patches is. Some of my earliest childhood memories are of starting our morning off in our Renton home first (having to) watch Zoom until JP Patches came on. I was so excited just to hear the theme song start of the early morning coo-coo clock sounds. JP Patches made my day. I loved his funny skits and that he was always kind and seemed to know what was going on. He provided normalcy while my parents were going through a divorce and trying to work things out with their relationship  He played my favorite cartoons and I would wait on the edge of my seat with ever other kid within KIRO’s viewing area, hoping he would mention my name when he peered at us through the ICU2TV. I remember being absolutely honored in kindergarten when the photographer for our class photo called me Getrude because of my dress that my Mom made me. (I love that dress, by the way).

He is my childhood hero.

When my husband and I were making plans for our wedding. We actually had hired Chris Wedes (JP) to perform our ceremony. He said he had never officiated a wedding before, which we were fine with. We had planned on doing the ceremony with JP at our home.

The home wedding plans wound up being not what wanted to do. When we decided not to have him perform our ceremony, he was gracious and I promised him a bottle a wine. He was so gracious.

Much to my surprise, my husband surprised me on my birthday with…my most favorite clown…the best present ever! I’m wearing a t-shirt that I had bought years ago and proudly wore all the time. Of course, JP autographed it for me.

Not only was I thrilled to have JP as a guest in our home, and my birthday guest were all equally thrilled. He has the ability to make everyone feel like a child again.

I love JP. This year, when I decided to try painting on black velvet, I wanted to have my first painting to be of JP.

J.P. is so loved and will be very missed. I can’t help but feel grateful that he has been a part of my life. Than you, Chris Wedes for J.P. Patches.

Here are some of my photos of JP.

Filed Under: Current Affairs, Seattle Tagged With: ,

Mortgage Scenarios for a West Seattle Townhome – OPEN TODAY!

April 28, 2012 by Leave a Comment

It's National Openhouse Weekend and I'm promoting a new listing for of one of my West Seattle clients. This townhome is conveniently located in Highland Park at 7705 11th Avenue SW, Seattle and will be open today, Saturday, April 28, 2012 from 11:00 am – 3:00 pm by Wendy Hughes-Jelen of Mountain to Sound Realty. For photos and more information about this property, click here: MLS#349459.

Here are a few financing options based on the list price of $219,950.  Rates quoted are as of April 27, 2012 and are based on credit scores of 720 – 739 with closing towards the end of May, just in time to move in for Memorial Day.  Home owners insurance is estimated at $50 per month.  This is not a condo, so there are no Homeowner Association Dues.

FHA 30 Year with a minimum down payment of 3.5%.

3.750% has a total estimated payment of $1437.04 with funds due at closing in the amount of $8963 including net closing cost, prepaids and reserves (apr 4.728).

Here is a detailed video review of the above quote:

Conventional financing with 10% down payment using private mortgage insurance with debt to income ratios under 45%.

3.875% (apr 4.397) using monthly private mortgage insurance with a total estimated monthly payment (including estimated insurance and taxes) of $1,259.02 and estimated funds due at closing in the amount of $28,478.26.

or…

4.125% (apr 4.465) using split premium mortgage insurance. Similar to FHA, a portion is paid upfront which reduces the monthly premium. I'm pricing this rate slightly higher to create rebate credit to help reduce net closing cost for the buyer of this West Seattle townhome. Total estimated monthly payment is $1,223.22 with funds due at closing estimated in the amount of $27,671.44.

Here is a video where I review both of the 10% down scenarios with private mortgage insurance quoted above:

This is just a small sample of possible mortgage programs for this home.  In addition to conventional and FHA financing, the sellers will accept VA and cash.

If you would like me to prepare a personal rate quote based on your scenario on this or any home located anywhere in Washington, please click here.

UPDATE:  There will be a Brokers Open (public welcome) this Wednesday, May 9, 2012 from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm at this home.

Filed Under: Residential Purchase, Seattle
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