Aging in Place in Washington: Homeowners Have Options

senior citizen homes washingtonEditor’s note: This post was inspired by a recent HousingWire interview with Cameron Carter, CEO of Rosarium Health, on why aging in place is shifting from a lifestyle preference to a financial necessity. You can read the full interview here.

Aging in Place Is Becoming a Financial Necessity, Not Just a Preference

For years, “aging in place” has been talked about as a lifestyle choice — the version where you simply prefer your own kitchen to a facility dining room. That framing is changing. In a recent HousingWire interview, Cameron Carter, founder of health-tech startup Rosarium Health, made the case that aging in place is increasingly driven by cost and capacity, not preference: skilled nursing and assisted living have gotten more expensive, and in some states the wait list to get into preferred institutional care runs two to three years. People aren’t just choosing to stay home — in many cases, they’re staying home because there’s nowhere else to go yet. [Read more…]

The Pre-Retirement Mortgage Checkup

preretirement mortgage checkup for washington homeownersIf you’re 5 to 10 years from retirement and you haven’t taken a hard look at your mortgage lately, now is the time. Not because anything is wrong — but because the decisions you make in this window can significantly change what your financial picture looks like when you stop working.

Most people review their investment accounts regularly. Far fewer give the same attention to their mortgage and home equity, even though for many homeowners in Washington State, equity is the largest single asset they own.

Here’s what I look at when a client comes to me in this season of life.

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Mortgage Porter Weekly – Week of May 25, 2026 | Interest Rates, Iran and Home Equity Loans for Seniors

We were off yesterday for Memorial Day — hope you had a great long weekend! Here’s your mortgage and housing market update for the week of May 25th, 2026.

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Your Mortgage and Home Equity should be part of your Financial Planning

Your Mortgage and Financial Planning for Retirement

A recent MarketWatch article featured a reader question that probably sounds familiar to a lot of people approaching retirement. Here’s the situation as the reader described it:

“I’m 57, single, have $300,000 in a 401(k) and about $12,000 in savings in different accounts. I owe $93,000 on a house and have $20,000 in credit card debt. I make about $100,000 per year. Should I consolidate my savings? Should I pay off my credit card with the savings and then rebuild my account? I am working on paying off the credit card but I have terrible spending habits. I really don’t want to work until I’m 67. What advice do you have? Should I hire a financial planner to help me?”

— MarketWatch reader question

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A First Time Home Buyer’s Story

I’m so excited for some clients I helped buy their first home a couple of years ago. I thought I’d share their story – at least the Readers Digest version! 🙂

This couple attended a home buyers class that I was teaching back in 2014. They purchased their first home in Seattle in 2014 using a down payment assistance program we offer through the Washington State Housing Finance Commission. [Read more…]