Last week, I was talking to a young couple I know that was about to close on their first home. They were riding the wild rollercoaster of current mortgage rate swings and were not happy about the mortgage process overall. Yet, when the conversation shifted to finally living in a home that they own, their disposition changed dramatically.   A smile came across their faces as they talked about decorating their son’s bedroom and how much he will enjoy the backyard. They talked about inviting friends over for dinner and their family over for the holidays. The more they talked, the more excited they became.   I asked them if many of their friends were also buying. I was shocked to find out that they weren’t. Why not? Their friends believed that homeownership was financially unobtainable ... 12/11/2014

    West Bellevue’s real estate prices up inventory levels trending lower  This Week: The median list price this week in West Bellevue is $2,180,000 is up slightly from  last week’s $1,998,000.  Inventory has been lightening lately and the Market Action Index  (MAI see chart below) has been trending up.  Though days-on-market is increasing, these are mildly positive indications for the market.   Supply and Demand While the Market Action Index shows some strengthening in the last few weeks, prices have settled in a bit of a plateau.  We’re currently in a Seller’s market so prices will likely resume their climb should this trend persist.    Price We continue to see prices in west Bellevue bouncing around this plateau.  Look for a persistent up-shift in the  Market Action Index before we s... 11/24/2014

  West Bellevue’s real estate inventory lightening, market times increasing  This Week: The median list price this week in West Bellevue is $1,998,000 is up slightly from  last week’s $1,988,000.  Inventory has been decreasing lately but the Market Action Index  (MAI see chart below) is falling also.  With days-on-market climbing, these are relatively negative implications for the market.  Supply and Demand The west Bellevue real estate market has been cooling  over time and prices have recently flattened.  Despite the consistent decrease in Market Action  Index, we’re in a Seller’s Market.  If the MAI begins to climb, prices will likely follow suit.  If the MAI drops consistently or falls into the Buyer’s zone, watch for downward pressure on prices.  Price We continue to see prices in ... 11/17/2014

We Want To Buy You A House In Bellevue   Sounds outrageous, right? But its true. We want to buy you a house, and it will be free and clear.   The Timing Is Right Prices in our area went up 12% in 2012, 13% in 2013 and roughly 11% so far in 2014. Looking ahead, we think prices are going to continue to go up over the next 5 years. This would not have worked in the period from 2007 to 2011, and it may not be favorable to do this in the future, but we think the timing is great right now.   We Want To Buy a High Quality House We have preselected high quality houses in high quality neighborhoods. You can choose any of the houses from those we have already chosen. Some neighborhoods are likely to continue to go up in value. We would like to own a house there because we would like to have price... 11/11/2014

  West Bellevue’s real estate inventory has been lightening  This Week: The median list price this week in West Bellevue is $1,988,000 is down  from  last week’s $1,998,000.  Inventory has been lightening lately and the  Market Action Index  (MAI see chart below) has been trending up.  Though days-on-market is increasing, these are mildly positive indications for the market.  Supply and Demand In the last few weeks, the west Bellevue real estate market has been at a stasis point in terms of sales to inventory.  However, inventory is sufficiently low to keep us in the Seller’s Market zone so watch changes in the MAI.  If the market heats up, prices are likely to resume an upward climb.  Price We continue to see prices in west Bellevue bouncing around this plateau.  Look for a persistent ... 11/02/2014

Flawed Business Plans are the result of some common fatal characteristics.   That’s not what you want for your business!   You have toiled all year to take your business to the next level.  It’s enough to make you give up on planning all together.    Business plans, like a series of gears, have many parts and need to be aligned. Just listing a bunch of good ideas does not a business plan make! Sign up today 10/29/2014

  The price of any item (including residential real estate) is determined by ‘supply and demand’.  If the supply of an item is larger than the amount of people looking to purchase that item, the price will decrease. According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), historically there is a natural decline in buyers looking to purchase a home (also known as foot traffic) as the winter months approach. Shown in the graph below:     NAR goes a step further to say that there is a direct correlation between “foot traffic” and “pending contracts/closed sales one to two months later”. Bottom Line The real estate market has done well to recover from the slow start we experienced due in part to the inclement weather at the beginning of 2014.  But with those winter months right around the c... 10/21/2014

  West Bellevue’s real estate market showing some signs of weakening  This Week: The median list price this week in West Bellevue is $1,988,000 is down from  last week’s $1,998,995.  Inventory has been decreasing lately but the  Market Action Index  (MAI see chart below) is falling also.  With days-on-market climbing these are relatively negative implications for the market.   Supply and Demand While the  Market Action Index shows some strengthening in the last few weeks, prices have settled in a bit of a plateau.  We’re currently in a Seller’s market so prices will likely resume their climb should this trend persist.    Price We continue to see prices in west Bellevue bouncing around this plateau.  Look for a persistent up-shift in the Market Action Index before we see prices move form... 10/20/2014

      514 142nd Ave #100, Bellevue 98007   Welcome home to Riverstone. Enjoy a quiet community on 5-acres just minutes away from I-90, I-405, and downtown Bellevue. Previous model unit, extra spacious layout! Formal hallway extends into open concept floorplan with warm hardwood flooring. Upgraded kitchen boasts granite counters, stainless steel appliances, and designer fixtures. Fenced outdoor patio creates additional privacy for entertaining guests. Laundry in-unit. Pet friendly!   Daniel Burton(206) 858-6800   Keller Williams Downtown Sea     1300 Dexter Avenue N, Ste 500     Seattle WA 98109       10/17/2014

      Buying Beats Renting By 38% In America's 100 Largest Cities http://www.forbes.com/sites/erincarlyle/2014/10/15/buying-beats-renting-by-38-in-americas-100-largest-cities-unless-youre-a-restless-millennial/ 10/16/2014

  14223 SE 14th St, Bellevue 98007   Beautiful light-filled Mid-Century Modern Lake Hills home. Great bones, newer upgrades thru-out. Very well maintained w/upgraded electrical & plumbing. Huge office/bonus rm. Tile entrance & double fireplace w/wine racks & insert. French doors. Energy efficient blinds. New paint. Storage shed & fire pit, easy to maintain landscaping. Around the corner from Lake Hills Elementary. Quick commute to 1-90, Microsoft, or Downtown. Perfect starter home or investment. Don't wait on this one.     Denise Owen   (206) 858-6800   Keller Williams Downtown Sea   1300 Dexter Avenue N, Ste 500 Seattle, WA 98109 10/14/2014

    West Bellevue’s real estate market times increasing  This Week: The median list price this week in West Bellevue is $1,998,995 is up from  last week’s $1,998,000.  Inventory has been lightening lately and the  Market Action Index  (MAI see chart below) has been trending up.  Though days-on-market is increasing, these are mildly positive indications for the market.  Supply and Demand In the last few weeks, the Market Action Index has resumed a climb.  Despite the fact that we’re in a Seller’s market, prices have not yet resumed upward momentum.  However, it is likely that given these conditions, prices will at least level off very soon.  If the increasing trend continues, expect that prices could shift higher quickly.  Price Prices in west Bellevue have been on a downward trend recen... 10/12/2014

  Hi there Dan Edwards with The Eastside Real Estate Team here giving you a market update for 98006 zip code on the Eastside. That zip code comprises the neighborhoods of Lakemont, Factoria, Eastgate, and Sommerset. You can see the map in the video, what area it covers. As you can see, our average days on the market right now are 63 days and it's showing you average days per sale is going up.  Also notice over the last 90 days, asking versus selling price, here in this bar graph has leveled off, but you could see here the back end in August of last year homes were selling above the asking price. Most likely going forward you are going to continue to see prices pretty close to asking price. The median, sold price for this area is $ 850,000. Available homes for sale, is down 36% over the ... 10/08/2014

  West Bellevue’s real estate prices remain flat This Week: The median list price this week in West Bellevue is $1,998,000 is down  from  last week’s $1,999,994.  Inventory has been lightening lately and the  Market Action Index  (MAI see chart below) has been trending up.  These are mildly positive indications for the market.  Supply and Demand In the last few weeks, the west Bellevue real estate market has been at a stasis point in terms of sales to inventory.  However, prices seem to continue to fall a bit.  Technically supply  levels indicate this is a Seller’s market so it is likely that the downward pricing pressure will be light or variable,  Watch for an up-shift in the MAI before prices stability is achieved.  Price Prices in west Bellevue have been on a downward trend recentl... 10/05/2014

  “How’s the market?” is one of the most popular questions that real estate professionals are asked. Nationally, home prices are still considered affordable, homes are on the market for less time, interest rates are still low and more than two-thirds of Americans say that now is a good time to buy.1 Here’s an overview of national housing market trends. If you want to know more about the local market, contact me! I’m happy to give you the scoop about the Eastside housing market. 40% of Americans say that now is a good time to sell. 70% say it's a good time to buy. 64.8% is the homeownership rate in Q1 of 2014 48% feel that home prices will go up in the next 12 months 3.5 million US properties rose out of negative equity from 2013 to 2014 due to rising home prices. Home Prices are up. Med... 10/01/2014

Working with online consumers can be as and even sometimes more frustrating than dating!  I do believe both have some similarities that we can learn from.  For instance, think about how nervous you are or were before the actual first date.  It's a combination of excitement and nervous all at once!  At times as we generate leads we can get this same rush.  Now fast forward a bit...it's towards the end of the date and you had a great time.  In fact, you have decided that this is the person you want to be with.  Would you ask that person to marry you at the end of the night?  I am guessing your answer is NO WAY!  If I am right about your answer then I want you to think a minute about why that's your answer.  Chances are you are thinking to yourself that it would be too much too soon.   The... 09/26/2014

  The word is out, Bellevue, WA was recently Ranked 2nd best City to live in by 24/7 Wall St.    We have know what makes Bellevue great for years.  A strong economy, low crime and great schools.  You can see here the critera that made Bellevue #2. 2. Bellevue, Washington > Median household income: $91,449> Unemployment rate, 2013: 4.70%> Median home value: $507,600> Violent crime per 100,000 residents: 127.8> Average commuter travel time: 22.6 minutes Located across Lake Washington from Seattle, Bellevue has a very well educated population. More than 64% of adult residents had a college degree, among the highest rates in the nation. Younger residents also benefit from excellent schools that scored extremely well in math. Bellevue is also economically vibrant, with 5% employment growth b... 09/25/2014

  A beautiful sunny day in Bellevue…..So you wanna go outside and play?  If you find yourself in the Wilburton area of Bellevue, be sure to stop by the Wilburton Hill Park- 12400 Main St-Bellevue!  It offers extensive trails for hiking and dog walking, baseball fields and an artificial turf covered play field for soccer and lacrosse  teams to battle it out.  Bring a picnic and enjoy your lunch at the picnic area that sits high atop a hill with a fabulous view of the park.   With a population of 3,966, Wilburton makes up 3 percent of the total population of the City of Bellevue.  Originally platted in 1904 as the hub for the Hewitt-Lea Logging Company, the historic  neighborhood of Wilburton is a thriving community of single family and multifamily housing.  When the white settlers arrive... 09/23/2014

  West Bellevue’s real estate displaying some mixed signals This Week: The median list price this week in West Bellevue is $1,999,994 is up  from  last week’s $1,975,000.  Inventory and days-on-market are both trending higher recently.  However, the improving  Market Action Index  (MAI see chart below) implies some increased demand will temper the negative trends.  Supply and Demand The  West Bellevue real estate market has been cooling off a bit in recent weeks, as more homes are available and demand is less.  We’re already seeing prices move lower as a result.  Expect this trend to continue especially if the index falls to the Buyer’s zone.   Watch for a persistent up-turn in Market Action Index to signal prices rising again.  Price Again this week we see a slight upward notch for pr... 09/18/2014

  Demand for West Bellevue real estate down slightly from August This Week: The median list price this week in West Bellevue is $1,975,000 is down from  last week’s $1,999,990.  The Market Action Index  (MAI see chart below) has been trending down lately, while inventory and days-on-market are climbing.  The trends imply a weakening market.  Supply and Demand The  West Bellevue real estate market has been cooling off a bit in recent weeks, as more homes are available and demand is less.  We’re already seeing prices move lower as a result.  Expect this trend to continue especially if the index falls to the Buyer’s zone.   Watch for a persistent up-turn in Market Action Index to signal prices rising again. Price Again this week we see a downward notch for prices in west Bellevue.  We cont... 09/13/2014