Vancouver WA Real Estate | Market Report for: Cascade Park, Fishers Landing, and Union High School Areas - April 2007 Homes for Sale in Vancouver Washington and the Cascade Park, Fishers Landing and Union HS neighborhoods represent some of the best values today in the greater Clark County WA Real Estate scene. This report is a simple tabulation of homes in the real estate data base, separated into price ranges, and: Active, Pending and Sold categories. In our opinion we are currently seeing new listings that are priced correctly selling much faster than the existing listings that have been incorrectly priced too high (and waiting for the market to "catch-up" to them) -- even for the higher-priced homes. Thanks for your time. As your Friendly Brokers with REMAX Vancouver Washington we l... 05/25/2007

Vancouver WA Real Estate | Market Report for: Felida, Hazel Dell and Salmon Creek Areas - April 2007 Homes for Sale in Vancouver Washington and the Felida, Hazel Dell and Salmon Creek neighborhoods represent some of the best values today in the greater Clark County WA Real Estate scene. This report is a simple tabulation of homes in the real estate data base, separated into price ranges, and: Active, Pending and Sold categories. In our opinion we are currently seeing new listings that are priced correctly selling much faster than the existing listings that have been incorrectly priced too high (and waiting for the market to "catch-up" to them) -- even for the higher-priced homes. Thanks for your time. As your Friendly Agents with REMAX Vancouver Washington we look forward to working wi... 05/24/2007

VANCOUVER WASHINGTON HOME SHOPPING TOOL THAT SAVES YOU TIME AND GAS!!!If you aren't using the same Home Search tool that savvy home shoppers are using to SAVE both Time and GAS, then now is the time to give that tool a try. We have worked hard at the Alexander - Slocum Team to set up our LOCAL real estate website to make it easier for you to find the type of property you want, whether it is a One Level Home, Condominium, River front Home or Acreage Home; or, the Neighborhood you want such as Salmon Creek Neighborhood, Hazel Dell Neighborhood or the Felida Neighborhood. Once on our website, and you've narrowed down the type of home and neighborhood, if you haven't done so already, we highly recommend you set up a free account.  With your Free confidential account with us you'll be able f... 05/23/2007

Great curb appeal goes a long way toward attracting buyers to a home that is for sale. Many of our sales have been generated by a "For Sale" sign in front of a home that is beautifully landscaped. Prospective buyers who admire a home's exterior often prove to be among the most interested in the property.An investment in attractive landscaping can help your home sell more quickly. If you have a moderately green thumb, you can get a lot of free advice from local nurseries. They can give you tips on what will look good in your yard, considering the time of year, the available light, and the type of plants that do well in the area. You will probably be able to choose from many attractive low-maintenance plants that will add color and vitality to your yard. Whatever the season, a few dollars... 05/16/2007

When you buy an investment property, finding and keeping a tenant is very important. It's been said that a little caution during the screening process can save a lot of headaches later on.You can rely on an intuitive sense of how a prospect feels to you. While this is an important aspect of a landlord's decision-making process, following up on your intuition by checking on the facts is definitely worthwhile. Have prospective tenants fill out an application giving employment references and the names and addresses of previous landlords. The application should also include written permission for you to run a credit check. In most areas, it is difficult and expensive to evict someone who turns out to be less than a model tenant. Only after you check their references and credit history shoul... 05/15/2007

The beginning of negotiations is usually the end of many months of hard work for the buyer or seller. The work ahead requires skill in order to maintain a strong position.Sellers can lose their advantage if they do not counter an offer that a buyer has made. Even if the opening offer is beneath what the seller feels is reasonable, it is advisable for the seller to respond with a slight reduction from the asking price. The most important component in negotiating is good communication.The best way to handle a low offer is to counter it with definite terms that are favorable to the seller. A counter offer has two advantages: 1) it keeps the buyer interested, and 2) it moves the negotiation forward and gives the buyer the opportunity to submit another offer that the seller is more likely to... 05/15/2007

If your home has been listed for a number of weeks and you have only seen it featured in one newspaper ad, you may start feeling anxious. Although your house is being shown regularly, you wonder if the agent is doing enough.Home sellers often equate effective marketing with classified ads in the weekend Sunday real estate section. However, the most skilled real estate agents know the market well enough to be aware of where the prospective buyers for your home are likely to come from. They will look for the best ways to reach those people through direct mail, telephone contact or specialized ads in neighborhood publications. They will also work to get their colleagues excited about your house, especially agents who have many listings or sales in your neighborhood. And remember--it is imp... 05/13/2007

When you are buying a new home or refinancing your present one, it is wise to do some comparison shopping among lenders. A low interest rate isn't the only criterion by which to evaluate a loan. You should also consider the terms of the mortgage, what your closing costs will be and the reputation of the lender.Real estate agents are a good source of information about loans and lenders, whether you are buying a home or just refinancing your present home. We routinely assist buyers when they need a mortgage in order to purchase a home. We know what loan packages are available and the qualifying requirements. The companies with the lowest rates sometimes have very conservative underwriting guidelines, and may not be willing to make loans on certain types of property or to buyers who are ma... 05/13/2007

Are you planning to build your dream home? Once you are pre-approved for a loan and have found a professional real estate agent you trust, you are ready to start looking for the perfect lot. Compare the qualities of several target neighborhoods by looking at schools, shopping, recreation and zoning. Make sure that the zoning regulations allow you to build the size and height of the home you want. Find out if there are use restrictions that would prevent you from developing your property as you intend. A visit to the local planning department will clarify your options for building. Consider what type of home would best suit your lifestyle. Create a checklist to itemize the "must-have" interior and exterior features of a house that you feel are absolute requirements. Make notations about ... 05/13/2007

When you consider what price you should accept when selling your home, there are two important factors that will influence your decision. The first factor is the basic sales price. The second, and more important, is the amount you will actually receive from the proceeds at the closing.Your real estate agent will prepare a seller's "net sheet" showing what your expenses will be. This will aid you in determining who pays what and when. It can help you to focus on the details of the sale.A seller's expenses will include brokerage fees, real estate settlement fees, title insurance fees and special assessments. In some cases the buyer may ask you to pay some of the loan fees. Local real estate taxes will be pro-rated for you and the buyer, and you may be asked to place funds in escrow for pa... 05/13/2007

When starting out as a real estate investor, you can choose either the conservative approach of holding a property until it increases in value or the riskier approach of "flipping" - reselling very soon after making some improvements that add value. If you plan on taking the safer approach, keep the following factors in mind when searching for the right investment property.Look for a house or apartment unit that is close to where you live, so inspecting the property and overseeing maintenance will be easier. Choose an area where there is clear potential for future development, and you will benefit from the inevitable increase in property values. If you have the choice of either buying a newly built or recently remodeled home or a less expensive house in the same neighborhood that needs ... 05/13/2007

Sometimes a real estate agent will walk into a home that is basically attractive, yet communicates the feeling that something is lacking. Then the agent notices that all of the drapes are closed, interior lights are off and there is a lot of overgrown shrubbery blocking the sunlight that might otherwise pour through the windows.A dark house is not as appealing to most buyers as one that is flooded with light. As a part of your preparations to market your home, try to maximize the light in your home. Make sure that all the windows are clean and the drapes are open when the house is being shown. A fresh coat of light paint can do a lot to brighten up the interior. If your house has very dark paneling, and you do not wish to repaint the walls, you may want to consider adding additional lam... 05/13/2007

Does it cost the homebuyer more to be represented by a buyer's agent who serves their interests exclusively? No, because the listing agent splits the sales commission, which is customarily paid by the seller of the home, with the buyer's agent. The sales commission split is usually 50-50, but the listing agent and buyer's agent will sometimes make another agreement and split the commission unequally. There is one very unusual circumstance in which the homebuyer might pay a commission to their buyer's agent. The real estate agent might show the buyer a local "for sale by owner" (FSBO) home which the client decides to purchase. In most cases, the FSBO seller who is presented with a qualified buyer is glad to pay the buyer's agent a reduced fee of about 3 percent, or half of a normal sales... 05/13/2007

There are two schools of thought about whether it is better to show a house empty or with the furnishings in it. An empty house is like a blank canvas, and prospective buyers can more easily imagine what their things would look like in it. But buyers could take the fact that the house is vacant as a sign that the sellers are very anxious to sell and, therefore, might entertain a low offer.Our recommendations are usually based on how the house would look. Personal taste is highly subjective. Unless your furniture looks really wonderful and is neutral in color and conservative in style, it could distract buyers from the most attractive qualities of your home. The fact that your home is vacant could give it a competitive edge when they make their final selection. Will it attract low offers... 05/11/2007

Real estate transactions can be tricky. The widespread myth that selling real estate is easy has lured many home sellers into making expensive mistakes by trying (and failing) to sell their own home.Many people assume that all you need is a sales contract, a classified ad and a "For Sale" sign. But even the most basic step -- setting the correct sale price -- depends on a number of factors. The location, size and condition of your home, the relationship between the local supply of homes and the number of qualified buyers, and the recent selling prices of comparable homes in your neighborhood all affect the market value of your property. Homeowners who sell without a professional realtor often misread the local market and overprice the home. Sellers might also mishandle contingencies, ho... 05/11/2007

Your real estate agent's job is to find you the perfect home, in the right location, with all the amenities you want--and at the right price. It is the home inspector's job to find any skeletons in the closet -- or in the plumbing, wiring, roof, basement and beams.The inspector won't pass or fail a home based on what he or she finds, but will go over the house thoroughly to help you understand the condition of the property you are buying. If there are any serious problems, your inspector can give you a realistic idea of how much the repairs will cost. If there are material defects that were not reflected in the asking price, you will have the opportunity to re-open negotiations with your sellers before you commit to the purchase. A good inspector will also explain the operation of the b... 05/10/2007

Even with the changes in tax laws over recent years, you may be able to deduct some of the expenses of a move that is the result of a change in your job.You will probably be able to deduct the costs of your move if your new work location means more than an additional 50-mile commute, if you move within a year of taking the job at the new location, and if you work full-time for at least 39 weeks (the total is 78 weeks if you are self-employed). You should keep meticulous records of all of your expenses and consult a tax expert to make sure that you take all the lawful tax deductions allowed by the IRS criteria for expenses related to selling your old home or buying your new one. The IRS publication No. 521 entitled "Tax Information on Moving Expenses" makes good reading before you make a... 05/10/2007

After many months of searching, you have found your ideal house. You are a little older and a little wiser now, so you want to give the impression that you are serious without appearing to be too eager. What should you do? In the marketplace, "money talks."There is no absolute rule about how much "good-faith" deposit you should put down--but it is a tool to make your point with the seller. The typical $1,000 will hold many homes for you, except in larger-home markets where it may be critical for you to show that you are an especially serious and able buyer. You don't want to make a deposit that is too large in case there is a problem getting your money back, but if your offer is substantially below the asking price, a larger deposit--$5,000 or $10,000--might influence the seller. If you... 05/09/2007

Nationwide surveys indicate that a large number of potential home buyers count themselves out of the market because of widely-held myths about home financing. Some of the most prevalent myths include: 1) home buyers need large down payments (more than is actually the case); 2) the loan process works against people under age 35; 3) owning a home is more expensive than renting; and 4) minorities have no chance of getting a mortgage.The surveys found that many people view the mortgage process as "difficult, stressful, and incomprehensible." Many qualified first-time buyers are unaware of special programs designed to make home ownership affordable to them. The home loan industry is always looking for new ways to dispel these myths because lenders want more business, not less. The alternativ... 05/09/2007

There are situations in which you as a homebuyer may be in need of protection: here is one example. You have finally found the home that is right for you, but you have some questions about the structure and condition of the home. A home inspection is the best place to get answers that will help protect your interests as a buyer. There are companies that specialize in inspecting new and used homes. Most sellers allow a reasonable amount of time to have the property inspected after the purchase agreement is agreed upon and prior to closing. It is wise to have a home inspection, even if the house is new or everything appears to be in perfect condition.The inspector can provide important information about the house. Where are the gas and water shut-off valves? How do the circuit breakers op... 05/09/2007