Selling Your Vancouver WA Home: Successfully Competing Against Distressed Properties (Short-Sales, REO's, Bankruptcies). Our local Vancouver and Camas market areas have always had some number of home owners in financial distress. The current changes in the Mortgage market has created an even larger group of home sellers in Vancouver WA that are desperate to get their home sold prior to foreclosure or before some other dire financial consequence befalls them. Setting The Scene: Who Are These Desperate Sellers You are Competing Against? The most common problem we encounter on an almost daily basis is where the homeowner either has an adjustable rate mortgage that has adjusted upward and now blown the budget. They've fallen behind in their payments and their lender has been relentless in t... 07/24/2008

Vancouver Washington Day Trips:  Our trip to the Seattle WA Aquarium July 2008   One of the benefits of living in Vancouver Washington (which is just north of Portland Oregon) is the easy access to vacation destinations in the Pacific Northwest, the USA and the rest of the world!  One of our family’s favorite day trips is to Seattle Washington, at about 3 hours away by private automobile on I-5 (about 3.5 hours by Amtrak Cascades).  With our in-town and work calendar reasonably clear we set out on a sunny summer weekend morning to see the Seattle Aquarium, Elliot Bay waterfront dining and other sights. Starting out we follow the Columbia River until Longview / Kelso, where the Columbia turns West again on towards the Pacific.  This is also the point in the journey where we first encount... 07/21/2008

Sadly, I have to report that it is barely moving at all. I am one of only ten agents in all of Washington to be certified by Earth Advantage as a "Green Realtor." There are several hundred certified agents working in the Portland market. We are certainly being overshadowed by our Oregon cousins but all is not lost.  The Building Industry Association of Clark County has been embracing green building ideas for more than a year now.  This year's Parade of Homes in Vancouver, Washington's Felida neighborhood will feature a special tent dedicated to green building techniques. While the homes that are in the parade this year are all entirely too large to be truly considered green (Can you imagine the energy it takes to heat a 4,500 sq. foot home?) the association is making efforts to educate ... 07/17/2008

You may be renting endlessly not realizing that you can afford a home. Just a tip, on the average home prices in Clark County are down 25% which means you are buying a home on sale, finally!  You may not realize that there are programs currently that offer downpayment assistance and this is a great opportunity to get into a home now! There is talk of these programs going away soon making it very diffucult for first time buyers to afford getting into a home. Whatever rent you are paying now multiply it by 12 months and then 5.  This will give you an idea of how much of your hard earned money you are giving away (in 5 years) to someone else and you will never see again.  This was my turning point when I made a commitment to purchase my first home! In 5 years when I sold my first home I wa... 07/17/2008

A week or so back, I wrote about some clients who purchased a haunted house. http://www.activerain.com/blogsview/577956/Should-I-Charge-a  At the prompting of some of our ActiveRain members, I followed up with them this morning. I am happy to report that they are still alive. When asked about any paranormal activity, Mr.s Buyer shared that the kids have made claims of hearing voices but nothing has been confirmed by an adult. At least not a "living" adult. However, she did tell me about a questionable experience that happened the second night in the house: The family was airing out the house as it had sat vacant for over 2 years. They had almost every window open and they were enjoying the fresh evening air when two doors were similtaneouslhey and violently thrust open. They flew open w... 07/13/2008

Swimming in Vancouver WA...a True StoryMy Adventures on the Concrete Beach Yesterday after much pressure from my son and husband I donned a one-piece "cover everything up and suck it in" bathing suit (complete with a cover up that is more fabric than an average dress) and made my way onto our local athletic club's concrete beach. It was about 88 degrees.The pool area is nice with salt water, diving board, large curved slide and even a little kids pool. The south side of the pool is jammed with lounging chairs, four rows deep; chairs strewn with towels, clothing articles, books and even baking bodies. The aroma of coconut is strong in the air. Kids squealing loudly as they hit the water from the slide, diving board and enjoying splashing in the water. I find my spot, the last one, in th... 07/12/2008

Given that in Washington state alone, in which you now have to obtain licensing to originate loans if you are a mortgage broker, nearly 60% of the originators in 2007 did not renew for 2008.   Being a former mortgage broker, I saw the writing on the wall last fall and began searching for a "safer" place to continue my career.  I first went to Washington Mutual Home Loans.  Bad mistake.  After four turbulent months there, and multiple program changes there with NO FHA or VA, they closed down all the Home Loan Centers at the end of April.  I luckily have gotten on board with Wells Fargo and enjoy working for Wells Fargo. This is a much safer place for me(and I would say anyone) to be in the mortgage business right now. I work for the largest retail mortgage originator in the country, not ... 07/09/2008

Isn't it strange how much we take technology for granted? Today we had a black out in my neighborhood. (Vancouver, Washington) I was surprised when it happened but then I gathered my thoughts and figured that I would push on through. I mean man has lived on the earth for many centuries without electricity. Right? Right! But those men weren't realtors. And those men didn't have cordless phones or computers with email, or air conditioners, or fax machines, or... I am sure that you get it by now. I am a big baby! Even babies can learn and here are a few things that I learned today. Cordless phones don't work without power. The old one that plug directly into a phone jack do work. I need to get one. Maybe I can find one at a yard sale. Cell phones do work when the power goes out in your nei... 07/09/2008

Patty completed her SRES® (Seniors Real Estate Specialist) designation today.  By earning her SRES® designation, Patty has demonstrated necessary knowledge and expertise to counsel clients age 50-plus through major financial and lifestyle transitions invovled in relocating, refinancing, or selling the family home. As an SRES®, Patty brings: A customized approach to home selling for the 50+ market, including how their current living situation fits into their overall plan Expertise and patience without condescention An awareness of options and solid, reliable referrals for specific situations to explore those options A variety of choices to reduce out-of-pocket expenses, gain cash, or create or defer income streams to either stay independent or finance assistance If you or anyone you know... 07/08/2008

If you or a family member have a military background you have the ability when purchasing a home to participate in the USAA Mover's Advantage Program! This Program directly benefits those who have served or family members of those who have served in not only a financial benefit when buying or selling a home, but knowing that you are working with an agent that has been specifically trained and hand selected to ensure quality service.  After all, USAA strives for excellence! Your benefit when buying or selling a home is based on a graduated scale on the purchase price or sales price of the home and can either be a check back to you after closing or applied to closing costs for your loan! Call me Today for details on the program, I would be happy to go over the benefits for you!   Travis N... 07/07/2008

  Waiting to Buy a New Home May be the Wrong Strategy   The biggest risk for today’s home buyers is interest rates not price depreciation. Yes, home prices are under pressure and there is inventory in the market, but waiting to define a “bottom” in a real estate downturn that is 24 months old and where prices have already adjusted, is very difficult.   The bigger issue and real risk to buyers are interest rates. A sudden rise in interest rates can easily erase the benefit of finding a home at a “bargain”. Long term interest rates are directly impacted by the health of our economy and inflation. If the economy if struggling or if there are rising expectations of inflation, long term interest rates will rise. Both of these factors are at work in the market.   Why are rising interest rates... 07/06/2008

Not much time to write this morning. I am headed out the door to meet some new leads. I think that today will be a good day for real estate in Vancouver, Washington. It is the Fourth of July and forecasts show that it should be bright and sunny. Most folks have the day off. Generally, people are in a good mood on days like today. Scooting around town, planning picnics and barbeques.  There are already people out walking the neighborhood and riding bikes. It should be a great open house day. People are wandering the neighborhood without very much to do. Ashley Manor will be a great place to meet new prospects and get leads. If I could carry my signs with me, I would ride my bike to the model. Wish me luck! 07/04/2008

Should I Charge a Premium for Selling Haunted Houses?  O.K. I have to admit it. I saw a blog by Angela Byrne regarding haunted houses and it reminded me of a deal that Janice and I just closed two weeks ago. I can't believe that I haven't blogged about it before!  Our buyer's agent, Shawna, had been helping a friend of hers find a fairly unusual home for our current Vancouver, Washington market. She was looking for a 5 to 6 bedroom house 3 to 4 bathrooms with a sensible floor plan. Size was not a huge concern but a home with that many beds and baths would probably 3,000 square feet or better. The budget was a little on the tight side but still very doable. We knew that, with a little bit of patience, we would be able to find the right house and negotiate a deal.  The first few weeks of... 07/03/2008

Vancouver WA Real Estate | Fircrest, Orchards, Maplecrest Market Report for June 2008 This Vancouver WA Real Estate market report is a simple matrix of the RMLS North East-areas homes in the real estate data base, separated into price ranges, and: Active, Pending and Sold categories, for the historical month of May, 2008. Owing to certain limitations in the Vancouver MLS real estate reporting system, last month we split the Vancouver East areas into the North East (east of Andresen and north of Mill Plain); and the South East (east of Andresen & South of Mill Plain). Of the Vancouver Washington real estate areas, this set has the largest number of homes for sale. With Summer now here, the month of June has seen an increase in listings AND a slight decrease in homes going pending. This m... 07/02/2008

Vancouver WA Real Estate | Cascade Park; Fishers Landing, Evergreen Highway Market Report for June 2008 This report on Vancouver WA Homes For Sale is a simple matrix of MLS South East-area's homes in the real estate data base, separated into price ranges, and: Active, Pending and Sold categories, for the Historical month of June, 2008. Owing to certain limitations in the MLS real estate reporting system, last month we split the Vancouver East areas into the North East (east of Andresen and north of Mill Plain); and the South East (east of Andresen & South of Mill Plain). This South-East area includes: Cascade Park, Fishers Landing, and the East Heights and Evergreen Highway Neighborhoods. With Summer now here, the month of June has seen a slight decrease in listings available AND an inc... 07/02/2008

Vancouver WA Real Estate For Sale | West Area Market Report for June 2008 This month has 30 more Vancouver WA homes for sale in the active category, and the average days on the market has decreased five days to 99 days. For the listings that are agreeing to offers the average time on the market has decreased six days to 93 days. For the listings that are agreeing to offers the average time on the market is now 59 days -- 33 days fewer than the prior month. It is our observation and opinion that all price ranges in these areas are still in a Buyer's Market but heating up! There are more homes being sold, at the same time a few more homes have come on the market. For May 2008 year-to-date the Vancouver MLS data is showing the Average home Selling Price for these Vancouver areas ranging fr... 07/02/2008

The 2008 Clark County WA Parade of Homes in Felida Washington is shaping up to be another good one! ... $2 Off General Admission COUPON August 22nd -through- September 7th 10am -- 8pm Meet the Builder: Saturdays Senior Days: Tuesday Color & Design Tour: Thursdays Green Living Education: Saturdays & Sundays 2008 Parade of Homes Archives: 2007 Parade of Homes 2006 Parade of Homes 2005 Parade of Homes 2004 Parade of Homes 2003 Parade of Homes 2008 Parade of Homes in Felida Washington by Kathryn On Friday, Feb. 29th at 10:00 a.m. I joined fellow BIA members, and the community to kick-off the 31st year of the Clark County Parade of Homes. BIA and the 2008 Parade builders broke ground at the Moongate subdivision in Felida Washington. Parade of Homes Committee Chair Morall Olson of M.J. Olson ... 07/01/2008

Vancouver WA Real Estate For Sale | Salmon Creek, Felida and Hazel Dell Market Report for June 2008 This month has 12 fewer Homes For Sale in Vancouver WA in the active category, and the average days on the market has remained at 117 days for the active listings. For the listings that are agreeing to offers the average time on the market is now about 115 days -- 47 days more than last month. This month we have 54 homes Pending -- 8 fewer than last month. All prices ranges in these MLS areas continue to be a "Buyer's Market." For May year-to-date the Vancouver MLS real estate data is showing the Average home Selling Price for the Felida, Salmon Creek & Salmon Creek areas ranging from: $268,200 to $388,700; and the Median Selling Price ranging from: $262,000 to $364,500. The Clark County ... 07/01/2008

Whether you are buying or selling property in Vancouver, Orchards, Battle Ground, Washougal, Camas, Fisherslanding or any where in Clark County, I help you have a stress free transaction. I am a native to Clark County and know the area well. whether you are looking for a home in the city or the wilderness I can help you find the right area for your family. I grew up in the construction business. My father was a carpenter and I spent my summers helping him on the job site. Whether it was handing him nails or building a wall. I love to see the smiles on peoples face when a job is complete, the keys are in their hands and they know the home is theirs. 06/28/2008

    “What Every Investor Needs to Know About Short Sale Investing During the Summer of 2008”   With the number of foreclosures and short sales on the rise, investors are doing more and more short sales out of need more than desire. The days of numerous sellers with loads of equity seem to be few. As we continue to invest through this declining market cycle, we must pull out our short sale tools, sharpen them and get to work creating equity.   In answering student questions, we find that so many hit the same roadblocks. In this special report, you will learn tips to avoid some of the common pitfalls short sale investors fall into. As you work on short sale transactions, keep your focus on the overall picture – getting to closing. Surround yourself with industry leaders that are educated ... 06/26/2008