Washington State Mortgages, Made Clear. Buying or Refinancing? Let's find the right loan together.
A few weeks ago, I shared that we’re remodeling our kitchen. Boy-oh-boy what a chore it is…we started the process months ago and are just starting to see light at the end of the tunnel. As I’m going through this first hand, I thought I’d share tidbits of things we’re learning along the way. Today, I’ll share the story of our kitchen counters.
Let’s start by discussing what we had on our “old” kitchen (photo above). [Read more…]
We’re getting ready to remodel our kitchen and recently discovered Second Use. Second Use is locations in Seattle and Tacoma. They sell second-hand items for your home from furniture to all types of fixtures. [Read more…]
A Step-by-Step Guide for Washington Homebuyers (Updated for 2026)If you’ve found a home that needs work — outdated kitchen, worn roof, cosmetic issues, or more significant repairs — you may be wondering:
“Can I finance the purchase and the renovation together?”
In many cases, the answer is yes — through an FHA 203(k) rehabilitation loan, a program insured by the Federal Housing Administration.
An FHA 203(k) loan allows you to purchase (or refinance) a home and finance eligible repairs into one mortgage.
But where do you actually start?
Here’s a clear, practical breakdown. [Read more…]
The other night, I actually watched something on the local news that did my heart 
some good! A local man noticed that a beautiful old Seattle home was destined to be torn down. He contacted the owners, bought it and moved it to a vacant lot until the foundation can be poured. What a great alternative to demolishing a wonderful Seattle home. In my neighborhood of West Seattle, over 25% of the homes were built before 1930 and it seems as though every day I notice a nice Tudor being tagged to be torn down only to have a townhouse, multifamily or single family monstrosity replace it. Our property values have outgrown our historic values. [Read more…]
