Thursday, November 29, 2007

Washington Real Estate Market Trends Report

Temporary problems in the mortgage market are expected to free some pent-up demand, but disrupted existing-home sales and distorted prices on sales closed in September, according to the National Association of Realtors®. Even so, prices continued to rise in some area. Because of this and other factors, total existing home sales fell 8% and are 19% below the level that they were in September 2006.

Lawrence Yun, NAR senior economist, said the decline is understandable. “Mortgage problems were peaking back in August when many of the September closings were being negotiated . . . the good news is that mortgage availability has markedly improved in recent weeks . . .”

Let’s take a look at the King and Snohomish County October sales statistics to see if this trend held true:

Active listings in King County increased dramatically by 31% in October 2007 - 14,240 homes were on the market compared to 9,871 in October 2006. Although there are more homes on the market, the number of those homes selling continues to decrease, from 3,148 in October 2006 to 2,359 - a 25% decrease. The increase in inventory has also caused market time to increase 28% this October.

King County continues to experience rising prices overall, with the average sales price 8% higher in 2007 than 2006, bringing the average year-to-date sales price to $500,800.


Snohomish County continued to experience similar market activity to King County in October 2007. The number of active listings was up 34%, but closed sales decreased 34% in October 2007 compared to October 2006. Like in King County, the rise in inventory in Snohomish County caused the market times to increase from 50 days this time last year toto 75 days this October.

The average sales price increased 5% in October 2007 from October 2006, and year to date they have increased 9%.

This is a great time to consider buying or selling a home in Snohomish or King County WA. For more information about Snohomish County real estate, please visit KarensVillas.com or call me at 425-308-3669. To begin searching Snohomish County WA homes, please use my complimentary MLS search.

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Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Happy Thanksgiving, Snohomish County!

May your Thanksgiving be blessed with the bounty of the season and the love of family and friends!

We’ll be back next week with more of the latest Snohomish County WA real estate news and information! In the meantime, please feel free to contact me at 425-308-3669 or visit KarensVillas.com.

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Thursday, November 15, 2007

Maintenance Tips for Hardwood Floors

The rich look of wood floors can add class and beauty to any room. The natural beauty of a wood floor never goes out of style and is very easy to incorporate in redecorating. But keep in mind that after much wear and tear, wood floors can look dull and worn and may need repairing.

Luckily, it is not always necessary to sand down the damaged part of your wood floor to give it a newer look. By filling cracks and gouges, your floor can look new again and it won't cost you a lot of time, effort and money. With these helpful wood floor repair tips courtesy of
Rinehart Inspections Services, you won't have to cover scratches or gouges with pieces of furniture or area rugs.

Fixing a Scratch on a Natural Finish
Tools and Materials You Need:
· Polyurethane or urethane finish (small amount) · Artist's paintbrush · Dry rag
Apply the Finish: Get a small can of wood floor finish, usually polyurethane, urethane or varnish (If you are not sure, use polyurethane.) The sheen of your floor may be satin, semi-gloss, gloss, or high-gloss. Try to match the new finish to the finish on your floor so it blends well. These types of finish cover the scratch best on a floor that has been finished naturally, or with no coat of stain. Apply the polyurethane or other finishing material to the scratch with an artist's paintbrush or any tiny paintbrush. The porous part of the scratched wood will absorb the finish and cover the scratch.
Buff the Scratch: Wipe away the excess polyurethane finish before it dries. If excess finish is not wiped away, it will be noticeable when the light shines on that spot. Buff with a rag to help the scratch to disappear.

Fixing a Scratch on a Stained Finish
Tools and Materials You Need: · Stain or furniture touch-up marker (similar color to your floor's stain) · Polyurethane or urethane finish (small amount) · Artist's paintbrush · Dry rag
Apply the Stain and Finish: If your floor was stained before it was finished, you must stain the scratch before applying the polyurethane or other type of finish. Use an artist's paintbrush or any tiny brush and apply stain to the scratch using a similar color to that on the floor. You can also cover the scratch with furniture marker in place of stain. Let the stain dry for at least 24 hours and then apply the polyurethane using the same brush.
Buff the Scratch: Wipe off the excess polyurethane that is not absorbed into the scratch before it dries so it does not leave a mark. Buff the scratch lightly with a dry rag to help it disappear.

Fixing Gouges
Tools and Materials You Need: · Latex wood filler · Putty knife · Sandpaper · Artist's paintbrush · Stain (if needed) · Polyurethane, urethane or varnish (small amount) · Dry rag
Fill the Damaged Area: Fill the gouge with latex wood filler and smooth it over using a putty knife, removing the excess filler. Let the area dry completely and smooth it with sandpaper.
Stain the Latex Wood Filler: If the filled gauge is very noticeable, it can be stained even if it is a natural finished floor. Use an artist's paintbrush or any tiny brush to apply stain to the dried latex wood filler. Let the stain dry for at least 24 hours. Use a stain that matches the color of your floor as closely as possible.
Apply the Finish: Using an artist's paintbrush, apply polyurethane or any other finish to the area once it is dry. Wipe away excess finish before it dries and buff the area with a dry rag.

To learn more about Snohomish County WA real estate, please visit
KarensVillas.com, or call me at 425-308-3669. To begin searching for Snohomish County WA homes, please use my complimentary MLS search.

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Friday, November 09, 2007

Get Your Washington Real Estate Facts Straight!

Have you heard the new ad campaign for the Washington Association of Realtors? The message is "Get Your Facts Straight!"

I couldn't agree more. Especially with the current real estate market in other parts of the country generating such negative publicity, this is a great time to take a look at what is going on here in Washington and realize how different our market is.

Check out this brochure, published by the Washington Association of Realtors, and get your facts straight!

If you are interested in learning more about Snohomish County WA real estate, please call me at 425-308-3669, or visit KarensVillas.com.

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Thursday, November 08, 2007

How to Avoid Foreclosure in Snohomish County WA

Thanks to this past summer’s increasingly tightening credit standards and rising interest rates, there has been a lot of buzz about the startling increase in foreclosure rates across America.

Many homeowners think it can or will not happen to them, but what would you do if you were actually faced with the prospect of foreclosure? It is important to know the “lingo” of lenders and understand what the options are so that you can make an informed decision on the best way to move forward in a stressful situation such as foreclosure.

This article from FreddieMac.com is a good resource that defines the terms associated with foreclosure and walks through the steps to take if you think you may soon be unable to pay your mortgage. Among the topics covered in this helpful article:
- What to do if you can not pay your mortgage
- What if you can no longer afford to keep your home
- Beware of scam artists

I would like to add to the list of steps to take when facing foreclosure – contact an experienced Realtor! Along with a reputable lender, an experienced Realtor can help explain your options and guide you through whichever choice you decide to make.

For more information about Snohomish County WA real estate, please call mes today at 425-308-3669 or visit
KarensVillas.com, I would be happy to help you. To receive automated emails of new listings that match your criteria, please visit WashingtonMLSSearch.net.

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