FTC Offers Home Buyers Advice on Choosing Real Estate ServicesHome buyers today have a wide variety of choices when it comes to real estate services. The Federal Trade Commission has tips for considering a real estate professional and using the Internet as a new source of information, and explains why new sales models for buying and selling a home mean more choices for consumers.The new publication, "Buying a Home: It's a Big Deal," lists questions to ask when a consumer is considering a real estate professional. It prompts home buyers to determine who the agent works for, and the type of business relationship that they will have with the agent. It also says that consumers need to know whether their agent has made the required disclosures and whether their agent plans to show them homes... 12/30/2007

Florida Has The Second Highest Foreclosure Rate In The Country.RD House Real Estate report by Ricky DMIAMI BEACH (CBS4) - Ahhhh - the ever changing South Florida skyline. This is very Close to the Seattle Market or its it ! Today the Seattle Times talked about a condominium owner that has had his property up for sale sense September 2007 with not one bite on his property, he has drop the price from 625,000 to under 600,000  Will Seattle fill the BUST,  I will be traveling to Florida Mid January to talk with property manager and builder about their forecast Huge cranes, huge towers and huge developments seem to re-shape the landscape daily. But as CBS4 Consumer Reporter Al Sunshine reports if you look a little closer, you may find it is not business as usual. Real estate agents say price... 12/30/2007

Shelley Schwartz (Bankrate.com) wrote an interesting piece in December, regarding 6 signs that, if present in a local area, may point to a housing recovery.  Taking her points at a local level, one can get an general idea of the Seattle market health.First sign- decreasing inventory.  If sales inventory is growing, more houses are competing for the same buyers, and prices will be stable or decreasing.  If inventory is shrinking, demand and prices will start increasing- providing a strong market.  Currently, Seattle continues to have a higher inventory of homes for sale, so this may point to an ongoing cooling of the market.Second sign- job growth is another important factor affecting home values, since new jobs and employment drive demand for housing.  Seattle continues to have solid jo... 12/30/2007

Display the NARPM® Code of Ethics in Your Office Let your owners, tenants and staff know how committed your company is to the high ethical standards adopted by NARPM® by displaying the Code of Ethics in your office. PROPERTY CONDITIONThe Property Manager shall manage all properties in accordance with safety and habitability requirements of the local jurisdiction.STANDARDS OF PROFESSIONALISM5-1 The Property Manager shall not manage properties for Clients who refuse or are unable to maintain their property in accordance with safety and habitability requirements of the local jurisdiction.Article 6PROTECTION OF FUNDSThe Property Manager shall hold all funds received on behalf of others in compliance with state law with full disclosure to the Client and must never commingle the firm's or per... 12/30/2007

The Property Manager shall treat all Tenants professionally when applying for, living in, and vacating a managed residence.  The Property Manager shall hold a high regard for the safety and health of those lawfully at a managed property.STANDARDS OF PROFESSIONALISM4-1 The Property Manager shall offer all Applicants a written application.4-2 The Property Managers shall provide all Tenants with a copy of the signed rental agreement with all addenda.4-3 The Property Manager shall make all disclosures as required by state and local laws and provide the Tenant an opportunity to complete a written condition report at the time of moving in.4-4 The Property Manager shall respond promptly to requests for repairs.4-5 Within the time prescribed by law, a written deposit refund determination shall ... 12/30/2007

DUTY TO PROTECT THE PUBLICIt is the duty of the Property Manager to protect the public against fraud, misrepresentation, and unethical practices in property management.STANDARDS OF PROFESSIONALISM1-1 The Property Manager shall endeavor to eliminate in the community, through the normal course of business, any practices which could be damaging to the public or bring discredit to the profession.1-2 The Property Managers shall assist the governmental agency charged with regulating the practices of property Managers.1-3 The Property Manager shall comply with all local and state ordinances regarding real estate law, licensing, insurance, and banking.1-4 The Property Manager shall not knowingly, during or following the relationship of their professional relationships with their clients or thei... 12/30/2007

NARPM® offers an effective, professional learning environment Mission is to support the professional and ethical practices of rental homemanagement through networking, education, and designation. We are an association designed for real estate professionals who know first-hand the unique problems and challenges of managing single-family and small residential properties. NARPM® offers an effective, professional learning environment for owners of property management companies, property managers and their office staff.Valuable Professional Education from NARPM Education is a key component of the mission statement of NARPM and our organization deliver educational courses that are essential to your professional performance and advancement. 12/30/2007

Think you're done with the madness  Well, you have one more task: getting rid of that Christmas tree.There are several ways to recycle your tree, depending on where you live. The best thing to do is call your local waste or recycling company, but here's some other information to get you started:If you're a Seattle resident, you can compost your tree along with regular yard waste. The city asks that you trim it to 6 feet or under and trim branches to 4 feet or under. Bundle the tree with string or twine.Or you can drop off up to three trees per vehicle for free at Seattle Public Utility's North and South Recycling and Disposal stations through Jan. 15. (1350 N. 34th St. or 8105 Fifth Ave. S.).The trees must be cut to 8 feet or shorter and have a trunk no bigger than 4 inches in diameter.... 12/30/2007

Circus Contraption's Klezmer-fueled "dark cabaret" never fails to make us smile, and the Aerialistas have a way with the rope and trapeze that goes way over our heads in the best possible way. The troupes perform at Seattle Center as part of the Winterfest revels, and the shows are free. Center House Theatre (Seattle Center) 305 Harrison St. Seattle, WA 98109 Maps & directions Sunday, December 30: 6:30 p.m.; performance So go have some fun! 12/30/2007

Back on October 24th 2007, Arina Hanciulescu had a post "A Christmas tradition..."  It is about her family taking her every year since she was four years old to see the Nutcracker Ballet.  She gave all the dates that the Nevada Ballet Theater would be presenting it.On Friday, one of my cousins had extra tickets to the Pacific Northwest Ballet in Seattle, so I went.  I had gone to the Nutcracker many years ago but this time I noticed how many little girls were there--dressed up in their finest!  They loved it-during intermission you would see them spinning and trying to do ballet steps.  You would also see fathers that had taken their daughters--I was very impressed by that.So far, I have two young grandsons and do not know if they would be interested.  I know my daughter would like to g... 12/30/2007

Surviving the Rainy Season in Seattle!I am a nerd and read through my new AAA "journey" magazine cover to cover!  I was impressed with the advertisement the city of Bothell put in this latest issue, and amazed at the picture of a 1930's  stucco milk jug shaped building in Spokane, but also very excited to see some of the cool Seattle events coming up!  I highly recommend AAA to anyone with a car for obvious reasons, but their magazine is a definite perk!Here are some of the events highlighted in this latest issue: January Events:2nd-6th Tacoma RV Show at the Tacoma Dome - I have only been to the Tacoma Dome twice - once for some ice skating event I took my daughter to and then this year to see Tim McGraw and Faith Hill (I took my 7 yr old daughter - We had front row seats and those two ... 12/29/2007

Last Sunday, December 23, 2007,  The Seattle Times had on the front page an interesting article on the economic outlook for 2008 in the Greater Seattle area and Washington State in general. The article; "Region likely to dodge economic doldrums" lists four economic points, and gives examples that show that while there may be some downturns for much of the U.S., our local area will hold up better:*  Housing -  Still better than elsewhere*  Business spending - Expected to grow more slowly  [than in 2007]*  Exports - Weak dollar bolsters exports*  Crop prices - A boon for much of the stateWells Fargo Senior Economist Scott Anderson states that while: "There's a lot of doom and gloom dominating the national headlines, but the Seattle market continues to prosper....Seattle continues to lay t... 12/28/2007

Seattle Suburbs are so unique and each one has its own special features and "personality", but what about getting around from the various Seattle suburbs?Some general geographical Seattle info:  aka..Getting around in Seattle and Seattle Suburbs... The first thing you need to know  about Seattle Relocation is that Seattle in general is pretty small when compared to other cities.  We are a close knit city and each of the suburbs are easily accessible.  A Seattle resident might work in downtown Seattle, Everett, Bellevue, or elsewhere, but still choose to live in one of the many Seattle suburbs for the quick commute.  And it really is a quick commute relatively speaking.  Many of us complain all day long about the traffic in Seattle, but the simple truth is this:  it is not that bad!!!!  ... 12/28/2007

Seattle houses:  a Seattle real estate bubble?You decide!As prices nationwide have decreased, only three cities show an upward trend according to Standard & Poor's Case-Shiller report for October 2007.  The report details year over year performance for the nation's cities and Seattle real estate is highlighted!According to the Case-Shiller report, only three cities nationwide had a year over year gain - Seattle, Portland, and Charlotte!  Seattle real estate is a strong investment!  I have long said that Seattle and Portland are the most undervalued cities on the West Coast.  While inventory may be up right now, it is an excellent time to buy while there are good house choices and amazing buyer bonuses.  The market time is longer and sellers are willing to negotiate with ready and willin... 12/28/2007

 Real Estate Market reports show Seattle has a balanced real estate market! Are you looking to invest? Give us a call.  Don't wait until it's too late...rates are great and inventory is plentiful.  Happy Holidays from the KariAndJoe.com Team in Seattle, WA - Your Home Selling SystemPosted by Kari Collins under For Buyers, For Realty Professionals, For Sellers, Marketing Reports, Washington, Real Estate Statistics, Homes for Sale in Seattle, WA, Market Reports - What's going on in the Seattle Real Estate Market? Serving South Seattle Lake Washington Real Estate sellers, buyers and investors with updated, current Market Statistics so you can make informed decisions.  The KariAndJoe.com Team, your Real Estate Consultant for Seattle homes, condos and Multi-family investments.Inventory absor... 12/27/2007

Metro closed the tunnel Dec. 17, reopened it Dec. 18, then closed it again Dec. 19. It has remained closed.The computer system, installed this year, is designed to let operators control signals, ventilation, elevators, security cameras and lights from a control center near Safeco Field in an emergency.Workers found suspected flaws in some of the circuit boards.Sound Transit spokeswoman Linda Robson said Monday that the circuit boards have been replaced, and workers will monitor the tunnel and run simulations.  She said there is a "high level of confidence" the problem has been fixed.  There still has been no word of reopen.  Learn more at http://www.seattletunnel.org/.  12/26/2007

Seattle real estate and Seattle suburb real estate is extremely attractive right now and especially so for those home buyers looking to trade up to a new house!  Some Seattle buyers are looking for new construction and all the builder perks that come with Seattle or Seattle suburb new construction.  Some Seattle buyers might be looking to move up from a condo to a town home or from a townhome to a house.  Maybe a view of Puget Sound or a lake? Acreage for a horse? Waterfront on Mercer Island or in Lake Forest Park?  Larger square footage or a pool?  No matter what house you are looking for in the Seattle real estate market, you can find a better deal right now if you want to trade up.  So, how do you trade up and take advantage of today's prices and buyer bonuses and offload the house y... 12/25/2007

I recently saw this question on the internet: "What is a nice area Suburb near Seattle WA to move to?"I love this question and thought maybe it deserved a post - I love Seattle real estate and the real estate in all of the Seattle Suburbs, but I think that you really have to look at dividing the Seattle Suburbs up into different categories: North Seattle SuburbsREALLY North Seattle SuburbsEastsideFurther expanding EastsideSouthendFerry Suburbs Each Seattle Suburb is very unique and special and if you want to learn more about Seattle Suburbs, check out RainCityHouses.com for more info.Courtney Cooper ....For all your Seattle Washington Real Estate Needs! Seattle Area Real Estate Agent: Associate Broker and Realtor serving North King & South Snohomish County - Experienced and with a backg... 12/24/2007

Yesterday evening a friend and I went in search of Christmas Lights in Seattle.  This year we decided to follow KOMO TV's (channel 4) Parade of Lights suggestions for seeing spectacular Christmas Lights.  The weather was great on this first full day of winter, the skies cleared from rain during the day, and the almost full moon made an appearance.  We picked up Eggnog Shakes at Tully's to add to the Christmas Cheer, yum!We used the list I had made from KOMO TV's online list to cover the key homes with wonderful Christmas Lights, and while driving to each destination we discovered many other beautiful displays.  We covered a wide area beginning in Normandy Park then over to West Seattle,up to Queen Anne, across the bridge to Wallingford (Santa was on the porch at this house!) and then ac... 12/23/2007

Seattle renting vs. buying... The rental market is strong right now in Seattle and its suburbs, but which side of it do you want to be on? Some benefits of renting: Flexible - nothing to tie you down Less out of pocket in the short term (although in some cases, a mortgage is the same or less than your rent) No home maintenance to deal with Seattle real estate and its surrounding suburbs are the best investments you can make! Despite a bit of a slow down due to the current lending environment, we are still one of the most undervalued real estate markets on the West Coast! Even in this cooler market, Seattle houses are appreciating! Seattle real estate is one of the best ways to build wealth today. Not convinced? Let me give you just a few more good reasons why you need to buy Seattle rea... 12/22/2007