It appears to me, and it has for quite some time, that the health of the real estate market, no matter where we are in the nation, is really based on the ability of first time buyers to invest in thier first home. Everyone has to start somewhere. And I have found myself wondering how first time b
...
08/09/2006
Every year, the International District Housing Alliance has sponsored a Multi-lingual Homeownership Fair. The fair is intended to educate and provide homeownership resources with the multi-lingual community. This year, the event will be on August 12, 2006.This fair is free to the public and will
...
08/03/2006
•1. Tax breaks. For the time being, the U.S. Tax Code lets you deduct the interest you pay on your mortgage, property taxes you pay, and some of the costs involved in buying your home.•2. Gains. Between 1998 and 2002, national home prices increased at an average of 5.4 per
...
08/03/2006
I teach a first time homebuyer seminar every month. During the seminar, one of the topics that we spend time discussing is the importance of Homeowners Insurance. Since you cannot purchase a home without having it, future homebuyers need to understand why and how it is really a tool for the homeb
...
08/02/2006
During a recent transaction, I had my first run in with the Tacoma PUD. Being that I work most often in the Seattle & Snohomish County area most often, this was my first experience with this Utility district...but MAN! They are very "wierd"...for lack of a better word.My client closed on her home
...
08/02/2006
I often see the Bubblehead vs HousingHead argument on blogs all over the internet. So why am I posting more info to fuel the debate? Simply because I came across a startling piece of information...So now, I share! Don't shoot the messenger!!! Please!Bank of America has recently tallied a detailed
...
07/20/2006
I have been teaching and volunteering within the community over the last 12 months now. Over the last few weeks, however, I have really come to realize how important this has become to my students...both past and present.As a hombuyer educator, my primary motivator is to provide the basic buildin
...
07/20/2006
Recently, the Washington State Housing Finance Commission raised rates for the HouseKey State Bond Mortgage program. As of July 10, 2006, the new rates are as follows:5.625% fixed interest rate for 30 years /maximum 2.00 points5.875% fixed interest rate for 30 years /maximum 1.00 point6.125% fixe
...
07/14/2006
5 Common First-Time Homebuyer Mistakes TThey don't ask enough questions of their Lender and miss out on the best deal. Many don't even think about a lender until they have found the "home of their dreams".They don't act quickly enough to make a decision and someone else buys the house.They don't
...
07/14/2006
You've probably thought to yourself, "How hard can selling houses really be?" Depending on where you live, you can probably get a real estate license for $500 or so, and top agents can easily make six figures. If you are making the national average of $35,000 or so, you may want to look into the
...
07/13/2006
