Do you or someone you know want to learn more about the home buying process? If so, you might consider attending my next Home Buyer Class that I will be teaching with Jim Reppond of Coldwell Banker Danforth. This class is sponsored by the Washington State Housing Finance Commission and participants are eligible for down payment assistance, programs like Home Advantage or Home Possible and/or mortgage credit certificates (MCC).
WSHFC now offers reduced mortgage rates with no DPA
March 31, 2014 by Leave a Comment
The Washington State Housing Finance Commission offers several mortgage programs with various types of down payment assistance for home buyers. In order to qualify for the program, home buyers need to have household income of $97,000 or lower and attend a WSHFC sponsored home buyers class.
What may impact mortgage rates this week: March 31, 2014
March 31, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Mortgage interest rates bounced around last week more than they have in a while. This week could prove to be turbulent with the Jobs Report being released on Friday. Remember, mortgage rates are based on bonds (mortgage backed securities) and they often move the opposite direction of stocks. This is because traders tend to seek the safety of bonds when the stock market is being hit. The reverse is also true. We may also see mortgage rates trend higher when data reveals signs of inflation. Here are some of the economic indicators scheduled to be released this week:
Seattle RE Chat: What’s going on in the Seattle real estate market?
March 29, 2014 by Leave a Comment
In this episode of Seattle RE Chat, Jim Reppond of Coldwell Banker Danforth and I discuss what’s going on in the Seattle real estate market, including the lack of inventory.
Side note: if you have been considering selling your home, today’s lack of inventory could make this a prime time for you to sell your home.
Seattle RE Chat is a Google Hangout that takes place on Tuesdays at 10am Seattle-time. You can follow us on Twitter at @Seattlerechat or #seattlerechat
It shouldn’t be a hassle to get a mortgage rate quote
March 27, 2014 by 2 Comments
I did a little experiment on Tuesday. One of my Seattle home buyers asked why there’s a difference between the rates I’ve provided and those you can find posted online. I explained to him that the rates posted online are often not available and typically those sites are used for “lead generation” purposes. When consumers enter their email addresses and phone numbers, they may start to feel very popular by being inundated with phone calls and emails by mortgage lenders. When someone fills out a form requesting mortgage information or a rate quote online, they are considered a “hot lead” and their contact info is worth money and may be sold and re-sold.
