OK, bad lyrics by the B-52s but this WSJ article is a good overview of the various types of roofing available to today’s homeowner. Anyone in Seattle with a metal roof? I’ve always been interested in what it sounds like during a heavy rain.
OK, stupid title. An ounce of prevention equals a pound of cure. Check out these tips for keeping your gutters in good condition. If you need a gutter cleaning service referral call or email me. I’ve got a couple great services I can recommend.
Remodeling Magazine just released their 2007 Cost vs Value Report which provides data on the return on typical home remodeling investments. If you have an interest in the Seattle market data please call or email me and I’d be glad to provide your a copy of the report.
While the best home seller return on investment is simple and relatively inexpensive things such as new paint, flooring and updated fixtures (not to mention fixing any obvious defects, removing clutter and a great cleaning), there are more ambitious projects worth considering. In general you should always approach remodeling from the perspective of how much value you will receive from the project while you live in the house and not necessarily from how much you can expect to recoup when you sell your home.
This report is great from the perspective of deciding between a couple projects you are considering. Note that what a home ultimately sells for is a function of not how much you’ve put into it or need to clear from the sale but is based entirely on how the market values the home relative to similar homes in the area. Your Seattle Realtor can provide you comparables in the area to help you set the best price for your home. If you’re not working with Seattle real estate agent I’d be glad to assist you.
Why would a home seller list their home and not do everything they can to ensure it actually sells? Check out these tips to avoid.
The Wallingford, Green Lake, Phinney and Fremont market is trending the same (overall mixed bag) as Seattle and King County as a whole. Buyers have more options with prices flattening and in some neighborhoods dropping.
For October 07 relative to October 06, total Active inventory (homes currently available) is up 43% while Pending inventory (homes under contract but yet to close) is down 31%. Pending DOM (Days on Market) is up significantly from 45 days on average for October 07 compared to 34 days for October 06. While Sold homes for October is down 19% compared to the same time last year, Median Sale Prices are up just 1/2% year over year from $485,000 in October 06 to $487,250 October 07.
I’m glad to provide analysis of other markets of interest. Please contact me with your needs.
Want to know if your current or next home is close to a favorite coffeeshop, park, school or dry cleaner? Check out walkscore.com to find out. "Thanks" to Reba Haas for pointing out this great site.
The Wallingford, Green Lake, Phinney and Fremont market is trending the same (overall mixed bag) as Seattle and King County as a whole. Buyers have more options with prices are still heading up though slowing.
For August 07 relative to August 06, total Active inventory (homes currently available) is up 25% while Pending inventory (homes under contract but yet to close) is down 33%. Pending DOM (Days on Market) is up only slightly from 33 days on average for August 07 compared to 30 days for August 06. While Sold homes for August is down 14% compared to the same time last year, median prices are up 9.8% year over year.
I’m glad to provide analysis of other markets of interest. Please contact me with your needs.
Fun and interesting article from the Wall Street Journal on the value of a well landscaped and appealing, especially mature, yard when selling your home. A good rule of thumb is that unless your yard is already in great shape, plan on spending b/w 1-3% of your homes value on landscaping. If you plan on selling your home err on the lower side but on the higher end if you plan to enjoy it for many years to come. Simple and inexpensive updates.
For the Wallingford, Green Lake, Phinney and Fremont area, single- family home sales (non condo and new construction) for July are down by 1.8% compared to July of 2006 (202 homes sold last month vs. 206 the year before). While Average Sale Prices are up 2.65% ($539,044 for July 2007 vs. $525,110 for July 2006) and Median Sale Prices are up 5.4% ($487,975 for July 2007 vs $463,000 for July 2006), appreciation is slowing and the Average Days on Market continues to be up year-over-year - 30 days for July 2007 vs 23 days for July 2006 , a 15.3% increase. Call or email me for details on other Seattle neighborhoods as well as Active and Pending listings.
The strength of the Seattle real estate market is a relative thing. While appreciation is slowing and inventory is up significantly year-over-year, the broader job outlook (which is a key factor in housing demand) remains very positive. Regarding overdue home loan payments, the Seattle area is seeing a rate of only 1.9% vs. the nationwide average of 3.3%. To be determined whether Seattle will continue to trend with the national real estate market when it comes to home prices but, for the immediate term, our region continues to remain relatively strong. Check out this Wall Street Journal article on the top 28 markets.
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