Refinancing Your Seattle Area “High Balance” Mortgage Over $506,000

UPDATE: Please visit our complete mortgage guides for updated loan limits for homes located in Washington state.

If you obtained a high balance mortgage over the current limit ($506,000 in King, Pierce and Snohomish Counties) and missed the opportunity to refinance before the loan amounts were reduced, you may still have some options worth checking out. Especially with Fannie Mae hinting that loan limits may be reduced further in just a few months, effective January 1, 2012. FHA loan limits may be further reduced in 2012 as well. We typically learn what 2012 limits will be in November.  The gap between yesterday’s higher loan limits and conforming/FHA loan limits may actually widen in a few months making most of these scenarios tougher to obtain in 2012. [Read more…]

How Much Can a Seller Pay Towards Buyer’s Closing Costs?

Seller Contributions for home buyersHow Much Can a Seller Pay Toward a Buyer’s Closing Costs? (Updated for 2026)

One of the most common questions I’m asked by homebuyers — especially first-time buyers — is:

“Can the seller help pay my closing costs?”

The short answer is yes — but how much depends on the type of loan and the terms of the purchase contract.

[Read more…]