There are a few nice homes on the market in Kent, Wa in the $250,000 range. I doubt there is anything for that price available in Beverly Hills, Ca, but there is a nice home you can rent in that town for $250,000 a month. Real estate investor/mogul Jeff Greene has put his 25 acre estate in Beverly Hills up for lease. Mr Greene purchased the property for $35 million in 2006 and has spent an additional $15 million on renovations. The 43,000 square foot main house enjoys 11 bedrooms, 14 bathrooms, a 6,000 square foot ballroom and a 24 car garage. The surrounding vineyard produces over 400 cases of wine a year. I doubt renters will be lining up but this would make a nice west coast second home for another investor/mogul. Call me if you're interested and I will put you in touch with Mr. Gree... 10/24/2009

Not too many of us are familiar with IRS Form 4506-T, but we should be. I was just reading an article about the use and misuse of this form over the years. As real estate agents, we need to stay informed so that we can advise our clients on important matters. IRS Form 4506-T authorizes  loan officers to get electronic transcripts from the Internal Revenue Service covering multiple years of your clients Federal income tax filings. At one time this form was used mainly for self-employed individuals or those with unusual incomes. But now, Fannie Mae recently directed lenders to obtain two sets of electronic transcripts for all borrowers, regardless of income sources- a 4506-T up front and another at closing. This new rule was implemented to help spot fraudulent income claims and limit loan... 10/23/2009

As I left for an appointment this morning I was hit with these bright colorful leaves. What a remarkable time of the year. Color is everywhere as the leaves turn yellow, orange, red and all hues in between. We enjoyed a long warm summer in the Kent, Wa area this year, and this colorful display is a nice transition to the cooler weather surly to arrive soon. As I drove from my home in Kent to downtown Seattle it was difficult to stay focused on the road ahead with all the colorful distractions. Rain crept in a little later pummeling the trees and thinning the leaves while the wind scattered them in all directions. Natures beauty never ceases to impress.   10/21/2009

It wasn't the normal recycling day, but the truck arrived anyway. This visit was special and the truck was here to help celebrate this 4 year olds birthday. On most trash and recycling days this boy, along with his younger brother and accompanied by their mother, watch with fascination as the trucks perform their routine task, it's become a regularly weekly event.The boys mother thought it would be fun to ask the company to send a truck to celebrate her sons birthday, and the company agreed. Ten children were in attendance when the enormous truck arrived and demonstrated it's capabilities. The kids were also shown a video about staying safe around large trucks. Each child was also invited to visit the cab and pull the horn cable in celebration.I was impressed with the company and was lu... 10/14/2009

Townhome for sale in Kent, Washington - The Meadows at Riverview MLS# 29125395 - $242,950 Larry Lamb - John L Scott Real Estate - KMS For more information on this listing ring my cell, 206.841.4041 and visit my website!       The popular Riverview community is minutes to a variety of local conveniences, Kent Station, Southcenter, major commutes and more.  This fresh and stylish townhome for sale features true open concept living areas on the main floor - an outstanding kitchen with hardwood floors and bistro eating area, formal dining room plus a beautiful living room with access to your private patio.  The main floor also has a convenient half bathroom.  On the upper level you'll find two spacious bedrooms, each equipped with their own private bathroom.  Laundry facilities are thoughtf... 10/14/2009

Kent real estate- the least and most expensive home on the market today is an interesting study in contrast. As you might expect the least expensive home is bank -owned and has been on the market for almost two months. The expensive home is still waiting for it's first owner and has been on the market since January. The first home is part of a Kent tri-plex and is listed for $127,100. The second home is listed for $3,200,000. With this range in pricing there is something for almost any buyer in the city of Kent. If you're still looking for your dream home in Kent, Wa contact me, I know where they are. Bargain home 1 Bedroom, 1 bathroom in 720 square feet of living spaceApproximately $ 176. per square foot Expensive home 3 Bedrooms, 5 bathrooms in 6500 square feet of living spaceApproxim... 10/13/2009

Kent homes and condos market report. The two graphs below show the sales figures for both single family homes and condominiums in Kent, Wa. through the month of September. The Kent homes chart indicates an increase of homes on the market over the previous few months with an increase in pending sales and a decrease in total sales. The Kent condos chart also shows an increase in pending sales with lower total sale than the previous three months. Increasing inventory and softer home sales indicate it's still a buyer's market. Interest rates will eventually climb but for now, it's a great buying opportunity. If you are interested in a new Kent home or condo contact me today, I know where the best deals are located. Graph copyright Trendgraphix, Inc.   The top chart is for Condos  and the bo... 10/10/2009

Kent homeowners can save money this year by replacing some of their old appliances. Our neighbors here in the Riverview community in Kent remodeled their kitchen recently and were able to take advantage of the government and manufacturer's rebate programs. These incentives are great if you're planning to upgrade this year. You can check on which appliances qualify and get more information on their website ENERGYSTAR. Even if you're not replacing appliances this year, you can still save money. Along with my energy bill PSE sent some conservation tips that I can share with you. They say early fall is the best time to prepare for cooler weather and by following these simple steps and taking advantage of rebates and federal tax credits you can save up to 15 percent in your heating costs. Ch... 10/05/2009

Kent Wa residential home sales statistics through August 2009. This final chart shows months of inventory or the absorption rate as it is known. These figures illustrate the number of months it will take to sell the current inventory at the present rate of sales. You can see a considerable drop from 19.5 months in February to a much more comfortable level in August of 6.6 months. If you are planning to sell your home in Kent Wa in the near future, pricing your property correctly to reflect the current market conditions is critical. I know Kent property values well, call me if you have questions. Greg Saffell  (206) 617-2247  REMAX Performance Plus  Information About Kent WA Real Estate  gregsaffell@comcast.net Kent Wa Residential Home Sales Statistics through August 2 09/29/2009

Kent Wa residential home sales statistics through August 2009. This chart shows the average number of days that homes were on the market and the percentage of sold vs. listing price. In Kent Wa, days on market have improved to an average of 68 from a high of 105. Chart copyright Trendgraphix Inc. Greg Saffell  (206) 617-2247  REMAX Performance Plus  Information About Kent WA Real Estate  gregsaffell@comcast.net Kent Wa Residential Home Sales Statistics through August 2009 09/28/2009

Kent Wa residential home sales statistics through August 2009. This chart shows the price per square foot based on sales from June 2008 to August 2009. From the high of 164 in August 2008 we dipped to 130 in January 2009 and back up to an average of 136 in August 2009. August 2008 also had the highest number of residential home sales at 769 as compared to 500 in August 2009. Chart copyright Trendgraphix, inc. Greg Saffell  (206) 617-2247  REMAX Performance Plus  Information About Kent WA Real Estate  gregsaffell@comcast.net Kent Wa Residential Home Sales Statistics through August 2009 09/25/2009

Kent Wa residential home sales statistics through August 2009. This chart shows the number of homes listed for sale, the number of sold and pended properties in Kent from June 2008 through August 2009. The number of listed properties seem to have leveled off somewhat from April 2009 with the pending and sold trending down from previous months. These charts are copyrighted by Trendgraphix inc. Greg Saffell  (206) 617-2247  REMAX Performance Plus  Information About Kent WA Real Estate  gregsaffell@comcast.net Kent Wa Residential Home Sales Statistics through August 2009 09/24/2009

I held an open house last weekend in the nearby community of Renton. Three hours spent on a nice riverfront property wasn't bad duty. The day was not particularly warm and sunny but I did have about a half dozen visitors during the three-hour open. You never know how many visitors you will have during an open house, but it's great when you're busy greeting and showing the home to prospective buyers. Even if I hadn't had any guests that day I would have enjoyed myself. There is something very comforting about watching a river run past. This was the Cedar River which flows into Lake Washington and eventually into the Puget Sound and Pacific Ocean. As I watched the river I was thinking of how much value this added to the property. I know this home would have been priced much lower off the ... 09/22/2009

Every year Salmon swim up various rivers in the Puget Sound region to their Spawning grounds. These fish were swimming up the Green River in Kent, Wa. today. The migration was much heavier last week but it still continues today. The Green River is green, but I exercised my artistic license to enhance the image. 09/18/2009

The idea of forming the Kent Historical Society began with a brief discussion in 1992 among long-time residents. A committee was formed and began to meet regularly establishing the goal of collecting information and artifacts on the City of Kent WA. As interest grew more space was needed and the society obtained temporary space at 209 W Meeker St. About five years later the society, along with the City of Kent, purchased an historic house on Smith Street for their permanent home. Built in 1908 by Emil Bereiter, the house provides over 3,500 square feet of space for displays, office space and workrooms. When built, the home was considered one of the grandest in Kent. The home enjoys extensive woodwork and a grand portico facing Smith Street. The home and outbuildings were renovated in 19... 09/16/2009

If you play golf or just enjoy the game, a Kent golf course home may be just right for you. I've noticed that golf courses seem to be located in all the right places, and the homes located on the course benefit by that fact. The community of homes that enjoy this feature benefit in other ways as well, like trees and rolling fields of well-manicured green grass. There is usually a nice clubhouse that may have restaurants, swimming pools, tennis courts and other amenities. The Kent golf course homes I will be featuring here are located within the Meridian Valley Country Club in Kent WA.   This is home is located on a cul-de-sac within the gated community of the Meridian Valley Country Club. The  home enjoys 235 feet fronting the golf course with lake and Mount Rainier views. A stunning lo... 09/10/2009

Luxury properties in some parts of King County Wa are selling quite well, no first-time buyers in this price range. It is somewhat surprising considering the state of the economy, but since prices have receded, interest has increased. Single family home sales in Queen Anne and Magnolia (both Seattle neighborhoods ) were up 74 percent in August 2009 (54 homes ) as compared to August 2008 (31 homes ). Across Lake Washington in West/Bellevue and Medina the increase was 169 percent with 35 sales vs. 13 last year. These select areas are highly desirable and expensive neighborhoods and therefore are not indicative of the county as a whole. Many of the luxury homes in Kent and surrounding towns have remained on the market. The most expensive home on the market today in Kent Wa is listed for $3... 09/05/2009

All Kent WA car buffs should motor on down to the Des Moines marina this Sunday for the 17th annual " Italian Concours d' Elegance " car show. This year's event will again feature some great cars including Ferrari, Maserati, Lamborghini, Lotus, Fiat and more. There may even be a few stray Porsche's hidden among the Italians. Last years show also included motorcycles. There will be booths set up displaying car related merchandise for sale. This exotic car show will be set against the backdrop of the Puget Sound, right on the pier at the marina. The Des Moines marina is located at 22307 Dock Ave, Des Moines,WA. The " Italian Concours d' Elegance " is this Sunday and runs from 11am -4pm. 09/03/2009

Kent WA condos are great for first-time buyers because they are normally priced below Kent single family homes. They are popular with older buyers too, because of the amenities and conveniences. But condominium ownership isn't for everyone. There is an element of conformity associated with condominium living that some people may not appreciate. All condominiums are governed by CC&R's which stands for Declarations of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions. This document outlines the rules that residents agree to live by when they purchase their home. A copy of his voluminous document should be provided to each buyer before the purchase agreement is signed, and most importantly, should be carefully read and understood. These documents can vary greatly from one condominium development to t... 08/31/2009

Residents of Kent Washington have the opportunity to enjoy many cultural activities throughout the year. I just received the fall program guide listing all the programs and events the city will offer this year. There's 40 pages of information describing the classes, programs and events for all Kent residents. The mayor's message on the first page says " It's hard to believe summer is almost gone and we are reading the fall brochure. The wide variety of recreational, educational and service opportunities our Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department offers can help you be happy and healthy. There is no need to fight traffic, pay for parking or pay big city ticket prices when you can enjoy an array of quality performances right in your own city" Being a resident of Kent Washingt... 08/29/2009