Puget Sound Real Estate and Community Blog

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This blog is provided by David J Edwards to provide visitors and members with information about books that can foster professional and/or personal development. Renton Real Estate and Community Blog disclaims responsibility for any of the content or opinions expressed on this blog, including, but not limited to content or opinions regarding any products or service mentioned on the blog. Renton Real Estate and Community Blog disclaims liability for any damages or losses, direct or indirect, that may result from use of or reliance on information contained in the blog. This blog may contain links to other Web sites operated by third parties. These links are provided as a convenience to access the information contained therein. Renton Real Estate and Community Blog has not reviewed all of the information on other sites and disclaims any responsibility for the content of any other sites or the products or services that may be offered on or through those sites. Inclusion of a link to another site does not indicate any endorsement or approval of the site or its content. Renton Real Estate and Community Blog reserves the right to edit, remove or deny access to individuals or content that it determines to be unacceptable, including, but not limited to, any abusive, profane, rude, defamatory, or anonymous comments.

About Me

There are many qualities and skills that go into being an excellent real estate professional - integrity, in-depth community and market knowledge, marketing savvy, effective negotiation skills and a high-quality professional network, all of which are hallmarks of how I work. That said, in my experience as a Renton and Newcastle real estate professional, I've also found that providing the very best service is essentially about putting my clients first. This means keeping myself accessible, being a good listener as well as a good communicator, and responding quickly to your needs. This "client first" philosophy has always been my approach and it requires me to continually improve my skills and ways of doing business. In addition, I've found that the latest technologies are enabling me to do everything I've always done, only much more quickly and efficiently. They've also helped me to extend the range of services I provide to my clients. How am I different from other real estate agents? I am wholly qualified to competently handle your real estate transaction. I will deliver superior customer service and give you professional advice to walk you through this life-changing event. My real estate experience and personal history make me uniquely competent for this job. I am a full time real estate agent and REALTOR® specializing in Residential Real Estate for sellers like yourself. Being a full time agent allows me to preview homes on a daily basis to stay in tune with local market conditions, it also allows me to continue my ongoing education and be responsive to your needs to ensure deadlines are not missed. Team - When you work with me, you have the benefit of working with my entire team. -Elise Yaplee manages the front desk and ensures I am notified of any calls, faxes and deliveries. Whenever necessary, we can all rely on Elise to act as our intermediary. -Roger Berger is my Associate Broker. Roger reviews all of my transactions to ensure nothing gets missed. He has over 25 years of experience in the Mortgage Lending Industry with Magellan Mortgage. -Gary McNinch is my mentor and a leading agent within my office. Because I am a customer service professional, I go to Gary whenever I am presented with a question I cannot answer. -Pamela Spring is a mortgage associate at Wells Fargo Home Mortgage. She has nine years of experience in the mortgage banking industry and she can help us review the legitimacy of offers with financing contingencies presented by potential buyers. -Sheila Finley is my escrow coordinator. From the simplest to the most complex real estate transactions, Sheila will show you why I continually turn to her for the reliability, responsiveness and security you need to get transactions closed. The Keller Williams Culture It comes down to training. My affiliation with Keller Williams Realty provides you with an agent who has access to the training needed to continually grow into an ever more qualified real estate professional. Keller Williams is a profit sharing company. The benefit to you is that every agent in my office is trying to help me sell your house. Technology According to the National Association of REALTORS, 80% of consumers begin their search for a home online. When you work with me, you will benefit from the efficiency, transparency and reach afforded by my use of the latest in real estate technology. I started my real estate business after spending nine years in the real estate technology industry. I worked with companies including REALTOR.com, iPIX and Fidelity National Financial to name just a few. I apply my first hand experience and familiarity with technology tools into my business to effectively market your home and increase the efficiency of our relationship all the way to the closing table. Communicati on Communication is the backbone of any successful relationship. I make it my top priority to be accessible to you and to manage your expectations concerning times when I won't be available. I maintain one phone number so you always know how to reach me. I can pickup my e-mail on my phone so that every message is reviewed without delay. You will be given your own website so that you can review the tasks I execute on your behalf. Clients for Life Earning your satisfaction is my primary business objective. Everything else follows. My Commitment to You I'm a professional. I know what I know and I know what I don't know and I know the difference between the two. When I know the answer to a question, I'll tell you. When I don't know, I'll go find out. My top Priority is that you always get the right answer. So when you decide that you'd like to buy or sell a home in the Renton, Newcastle or South Bellevue area, please contact me.

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Archive for the Renton Category

title	comments	date
Sold Listing at 10922 Lundstrom Dr Southwest	0	Feb 08, 2010
The Government Calls for Increased Lending from Banks	0	Feb 04, 2010
Making Home Maintenance Routine	0	Feb 01, 2010
Sold Listing at 712 2nd Ave North	0	Jan 29, 2010
Fannie & Freddie Get Unconditional Federal Support	0	Jan 26, 2010
FHA Makes Changes	0	Jan 25, 2010
Cash for Clunky Appliances	0	Jan 21, 2010
Residential Retrofit Program	0	Jan 20, 2010
Mortgage Rates Beginning to Rise	0	Jan 18, 2010
Low Home Prices Boost Sales	0	Jan 15, 2010

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6-10 >

Feb

Sold Listing at 10922 Lundstrom Dr Southwest

Posted by David Edwards under For Buyers, Listings, Renton

I’ve just sold a Resale - single family property at 10922 Lundstrom Dr Southwest in Lakewood. Come and visit my site to see other properties in that area. If you are interested in looking for or selling your home, please Contact Me.

Comments (0)

Feb

The Government Calls for Increased Lending from Banks

Posted by David Edwards under For Buyers, For Sellers, Marketing Reports, Renton, Mortgage Market Updates, Loans, Ask a REALTOR

According to the FDIC, lending has fallen for five consecutive quarters – even though banks have become profitable again and have started to repay government loans. Banks lent $600 billion less from September 2008 to September 2009, representing a 7 percent decline. Banks site a lack of qualified borrowers as the primary reason and point to the trend of decreased borrowing during recessions.

The goals of banks and the government appear to be in line now with each bank representative talking about getting aggressive with small business lending over the next year. Goals for 2010 small business lending include $5 billion for Bank of America and $4 billion for Chase.

As banks continue to be profitable, they can be expected to use the proceeds to repay the government as well as increase their efforts to make good loans. Small business owners should expect an increase in the amount of loans available during 2010 compared to 2009. Holding true to the trend in 2009, a good credit score and steady employment will likely continue to be important conditions of obtaining a mortgage.

Sources - The Washington Post & FDIC

Best Regards,

David J Edwards
Real Estate Agent & REALTOR
Edwards Real Estate Group
Keller Williams Realty Southeast Sound
Phone: 425-636-0296
Fax: 425-902-1899
E-Mail: David@EdwardsRealEstateGroup.com
Website: http://www.EdwardsRealEstateGroup.com
Blogsite: http://www.davidjedwards.com/real-estate-blog.asp
Mobile Site: http://davidjedwards.mofuse.mobi
Community Reports: http://www.topmarketer.net/CSR/CSReport.aspx?CV4GU5KAYOEF
View This Week’s Market Conditions Around Your Home: http://www.homeinsight.com/Widget/default.asp?BFBMVVHW4HZT

The Edwards Real Estate Group specializes in Residential Real Estate for buyers and sellers.

Comments (0)

Feb

Making Home Maintenance Routine

Posted by David Edwards under For Buyers, For Sellers, Marketing Reports, Renton, Mortgage Market Updates

Home ownership has its wonderful benefits, and as one of the single biggest financial assets many people own, preparing, planning, and making home maintenance a routine are important.

Personal finance experts recommend setting aside at least 1 percent of your home price each year in a separate account for maintenance and repair costs.

Automatically deducting the funds from your paycheck or automatically transferring it between accounts each month can make this easy. Some years homeowners will have less than 1 percent in maintenance costs or repairs and some years they will have more. When something big and unexpected happens; for example it’s finally time to replace the roof; this will provide the financial cushion to take care of it and the peace of mind knowing one of their biggest assets is well taken care of.

Source - MSN Money

Best Regards,

The Edwards Real Estate Group specializes in Residential Real Estate for buyers and sellers.

Comments (0)

Jan

Sold Listing at 712 2nd Ave North

Posted by David Edwards under For Buyers, Listings, Renton

I’ve just sold a Resale - single family property at 712 2nd Ave North in Kent. Come and visit my site to see other properties in that area. If you are interested in looking for or selling your home, please Contact Me.

Comments (0)

Jan

Fannie & Freddie Get Unconditional Federal Support

Posted by David Edwards under For Buyers, For Sellers, Regional - West, Marketing Reports, Renton, Mortgage Market Updates

On December 24, the government announced it will provide unconditional financial support to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. This will expire in 2012, after which the firms will have approximately $290 billion allocated to them.
-September 2008: Bush administration took over Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac at the height of the financial crisis and promised $200 billion to keep them afloat.
- Earlier in 2009: Obama doubled the $200 billion to $400 billion.
- December 24, 2009: The president announces the government will provide unconditional financial support to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac for 2010-2012.
- December 29, 2009: Analysts predict that Fannie and Freddie will begin purchasing delinquent loans.

These two institutions play an integral role in both the housing and lending industries. When a bank makes a conventional mortgage loan, it will then sell that loan to Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac. This frees up the bank to then make more loans and repeat the process.

When Fannie and Freddie stop buying mortgages from the banks, mortgage credit freezes, banks stop lending, and houses can’t sell. Such was the case last year at the height of the credit crisis. Confidence in these firms is a key component to the flow of credit and this unconditional financial support intends to bolster that confidence.

Despite the short-term unconditional federal support, experts say it is critical for the real estate industry, the lending industry, and the economy that these companies keep their long-term vitality in mind over the next three years.

Source - The Washington Post

Best Regards,

Comments (0)

Jan

FHA Makes Changes

Posted by David Edwards under For Buyers, For Sellers, Regional - West, Marketing Reports, Renton, Mortgage Market Updates

FHA loans are very popular right now so it is important that we keep an eye on what they are up to. Here is an update on some of the changes we can expect from the FHA this year.

The FHA is going to increase the up-front mortgage insurance premium from 1.75% to 2.25%. This will apply to all purchases and refinances, including streamlines. The annual premiums will not change at this time.

The 90 day rule preventing property flipping will be waived for sales meeting certain conditions in February. It will be limited to sales meeting certain conditions. The transactions must take place between a buyer and seller who have no prior relationship. If the sales price exceeds the seller’s acquisition cost by 20% the waiver will only apply if the increase in value is justified (i.e. a second appraisal is obtained, documented renovation of the property, etc.). A property inspection must be obtained and given to the purchaser in these cases.

The FHA will also be reducing the amount of allowable seller concessions from 6% to 3% sometime this summer.

If you are planning to purchase a home with an FHA loan in the future, please feel free to contact me to discuss how these changes might have an impact on you.

Best Regards,

The Edwards Real Estate Group specializes in Residential Real Estate for buyers and sellers.

Comments (0)

Jan

Cash for Clunky Appliances

Posted by David Edwards under For Buyers, For Sellers, Regional - West, Marketing Reports, Renton, Mortgage Market Updates

In efforts to vamp up energy efficiency, the federal government is implementing a rebate program for appliances. People can swap in their old “clunky” appliances for new energy-efficient ones, saving electricity and saving on monthly bills.

A 20-year-old fridge can use three times as much energy as a new Energy Star-approved fridge. The age of your appliances impact your actual savings, so check into it before purchasing.

Important things to know:
Plans vary by state. Check out energysavers.gov for details.
Buy before it ends. Like the car rebate program Cash for Clunkers, this program has a set amount of federal money allocated to it. Once the $300 million is gone, the program will likely end. It is expected to run out quickly.

Source - The Associated Press

Best Regards,

The Edwards Real Estate Group specializes in Residential Real Estate for buyers and sellers.

Comments (0)

Jan

Residential Retrofit Program

Posted by David Edwards under For Buyers, For Sellers, Regional - West, Marketing Reports, Renton, Mortgage Market Updates, Ask a REALTOR

Vice President Biden recently announced a program called “Recovery Through Retrofit.” In addition to creating energy performance labels, it will create national energy performance measures for existing homes.

It will provide the following:

Access to home energy retrofit information
Access to financing for retrofits
Access to trained professionals to perform the retrofit

The goal of the initative is to create more energy efficiency in homes to benefit the country’s energy consumption. Retrofits include but are not limited to energy efficient heating, cooling, and water systems, insulation, roofing, flooring, windows, and solar panels.

More information will follow as the program is rolled out.

Source - National Association of Realtors

Best Regards,

The Edwards Real Estate Group specializes in Residential Real Estate for buyers and sellers.

Comments (0)

Jan

Mortgage Rates Beginning to Rise

Posted by David Edwards under For Buyers, For Sellers, Marketing Reports, Renton, Mortgage Market Updates, Ask a REALTOR

Mortgage rates have begun to inch back up as government support runs its course and interest rates rise. On December 24, the average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage was 5.05 percent, the first time it has gone above 5 percent since the end of October. According to Amy Crews Cutts, deputy chief economist at Freddie Mac, “Extraordinary resources have been put into keeping the rates down and supporting the mortgage market, and it’s hard to imagine that the rates can go much lower than they are.”
Source - Freddie Mac

Best Regards,

The Edwards Real Estate Group specializes in Residential Real Estate for buyers and sellers.

Comments (0)

Jan

Low Home Prices Boost Sales

Posted by David Edwards under For Buyers, For Sellers, Marketing Reports, Renton, Mortgage Market Updates

Low home prices continue to add the extra boost to home sales. The national median existing-home sale price was $172,600 in November, 5 percent higher from its low in January. While still 4.3 percent down from a year ago, it is the smallest decline in two years. Distressed properties, which accounted for 33 percent of all transactions in November, continue to hold down the median home price, as they typically sell for 15 to 20 percent less than traditional homes.

Latest Data Release: December 22, 2009 - National Association of Realtors

Best Regards,

The Edwards Real Estate Group specializes in Residential Real Estate for buyers and sellers.

Comments (0)

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6-10 >

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About Me

Sold Listing at 10922 Lundstrom Dr Southwest

The Government Calls for Increased Lending from Banks

Making Home Maintenance Routine

Sold Listing at 712 2nd Ave North

Fannie & Freddie Get Unconditional Federal Support

FHA Makes Changes

Cash for Clunky Appliances

Residential Retrofit Program

Mortgage Rates Beginning to Rise

Low Home Prices Boost Sales