How to get your house ready to sell for the top dollars that the market will support?
If you pay any attention to the housing market news, you know that we are currently amidst one of the strongest sellers’ markets. It has slowed down a bit in recent weeks. It is difficult to determine if it is the usual summer slowdown or if the market has run out of steam. This article […]
What is my home worth?
Live graphs give you current data What is my home worth? This question is the first step when people start to think about selling their house. Having the most current and up-to-date data about recent activity is crucial to answering this question. This blog post is unique. It includes live graphs that show you the […]
It is True! Real Estate Market on Eastside is WILD
I originally wrote this blog post about buying real estate on Eastside in March 2017 – exactly four years ago today. There was a general feeling back then that the market will slow down. About a year ago, when Covid19 hit us like a tsunami, there was a great deal of uncertainty about what was […]
Home Buyers and Home Sellers square off!
Our Real Estate market is vibrant, complex, and nuanced. Savvy buyers and sellers know that our real estate market is vibrant, complex, and nuanced. At BN Real Estate, we follow a nine-point home-buying system to serve our “buyer clients.” You can learn more specifics about this extremely effective approach here. For an in-depth understanding of […]
Buying a home in 2021
Buying a home The current sentiment that the real estate market is crazy is the aptest description. Buying a home in 2021 has become a very different experience. It does not serve homebuyers very well, who feel helpless as the market demands compel them to give up their legal protections. There is no way to predict when […]
Challenges for home sellers
Challenges for home sellers in a seller’s market The real estate market is currently considered a seller’s market almost throughout the country – especially in Washington State. Seller’s markets create additional demands on homebuyers in general and first-time homebuyers in particular. Most people don’t realize that it also creates unique challenges for home sellers.
Greater Seattle 2020 year-end synopsis
December 2020 stats The demand for homes remains on the rise. There was a substantial 39.3% increase in new homes coming on the market during December 2020, compared to the same month a year ago, for the entire NWMLS system. King County had more than a 60% increase in new listings compared to a year […]
Pre-Approval is better than pre-qualification!
Prequalifying for a mortgage loan is pretty easy. Yet, It’s practically purposeless. Having a pre-qualification letter just indicates that you discussed your financial situation with someone at the mortgage lender’s office. It indicates that you did not provide any documentation. And the lender didn’t verify any of the verbal information that you gave them. It […]
COVID19 Impact on Real Estate for 2020-21
Real Estate and COVID-19 COVID-19, the 100-year flu Pandemic, continues to severely impact our daily lives and economies around the Globe. Several clients and friends have asked about how it might affect the residential real estate market in months to come. In this article, I will provide my best understanding of what is likely to […]
Real Estate Rule Number 1 | BN Real Estate
In today’s competitive world of highly sophisticated consumers who have quick and easy access to as much information as they can soak up, most professionals in general and real estate salespeople and mortgage brokers in particular, face increased challenges. They must keep up with evolving technology, ever-changing consumption trends, and the rapidly altering preferences […]
The housing market has shifted a little!
Sellers are embracing the concept of moderation when setting prices! According to Northwest Multiple Listing Service (NWMLS), Homebuyers around Washington state are making their way back to the market. They are hoping to take advantage of improving inventory, attractive interest rates, and more approachable sellers. Moderating sales prices of homes in Washington State are caused […]
5 ways to add interest to your walls
You can add interest, architectural detail, or drama to your walls to create a more unique and personalized space. Whether you opt for the DIY methods or hire a professional to help you achieve your look, I want to see your results! These methods will be helpful, whether you want to update or prepare to […]
Market Realities and What to Expect in 2018
Seller’s market Market Realities and What to Expect in 2018: Our fast-paced seller’s market is leaving everyone unhappy. None of the parties engaged in a real estate transaction, like the current market. Not the home sellers, not the home buyers, and probably not real estate brokers. Each has its very own valid reasons. Most home […]
How to research the best comparable properties?
Research Comparable homes Everyone involved in buying and selling a home has an agenda. Let’s say a home is for sale in Bellevue for $700,000. The seller is hoping to get the highest possible price. The buyer is hoping to get the lowest possible price. The Real Estate agents are depending on the commission from […]
Simple, powerful and efficient way to search for your new home.
HomeSpotter is the best way to search for your new home. The real estate market in the Greater Seattle Area is one of the best in the country. It is vibrant, competitive, and complex. Recent stats indicate that it is also enjoying substantial gains that are well above the national average. Things have improved […]
Buyer anxiety keeps rising
High Demand and Low Inventory Buyer anxiety keeps rising: This article about high buyer demand and low inventory was originally published on April 6, 2015. Two years later, buyer demand is higher, inventory is lower and prices have climbed more than 20%. KIRKLAND, Washington – Buyer anxiety is rising as the pace of home sales […]
Five Reasons Why You Still Need A Real Estate Broker
How Does Your Credit Score Impact Your Home Buying Experience?
Mortgage lenders want to have a complete picture of your history of repaying debts. They do this by obtaining your credit reports from each of the three major credit bureaus. The credit report that the mortgage lenders use is called a tri-merge report. It is also known as Residential Mortgage Credit Report (RMCR). It is […]
Factors That Impact Your Ability To Borrow
How Ability to Repay is Calculated I wrote this blog many years ago. While there has been some improvement in simplifying the information that consumers get to better understand the process, there continues to be confusion about how lenders make their decisions. I felt it would be useful to repost it. Lenders take two critical […]
December 2015 market Report
“Intense” Holiday Market Latest News Release By NWMLS KIRKLAND, Washington (December 4, 2015) – Inventory remains “critically low,” but there are fewer house-hunters in the hunt during this holiday season so motivated sellers and buyers are seeing success, according to brokers with Northwest Multiple Listing Service. Its just-released statistics for November show year-over-year gains […]
Mortgage Broker Ping Pong – It’s the Interest Rate Game – Do You Know How to Play to Sell?
As a mortgage broker, you are guaranteed to enter into the ping-pong interest rate game. Are you prepared so you reduce your risk of losing the sale, without losing your commission at the same time? Let’s make sure by looking at the all-too-familiar scenario. A mortgage broker quotes a potential borrower the best rate available […]
Streamlining the Mortgage Application Process Improves Loan Closure Rate
This blog post was originally converted from an article that I wrote during the time when I owned a mortgage bank. Your ability to borrow money is the single most important factor whether you plan to buy a home on the Eastside or anywhere else in WA. These requirements have not changed significantly, thus I […]
Mortgage Broker vs Real Estate Agent | What’s the Difference?
Real Estate and Mortgage Professionals Have A Symbiotic Relationship Smooth, on-time, and hassle-free closings are critical to growing a business as a realtor. In fact to your very survival in the industry! If you are a good real estate broker, you work very hard to get a planned transaction to the contract stage. Once your […]
Millennials and home ownership
Path to homeownership: Millennials’ attitude towards housing and their path to homeownership has been a hot topic for some time. Several theories have been floating around as to what is their attitude towards homeownership, what is the rationale behind their thinking that way, and how is it going to impact the housing market, and […]
Pending Sales Surge 13% in Sept
Closed Sales up Nearly 5% Prices increase by 2.5% ($12,500 on a $500,000 home!) KIRKLAND, Washington (Oct. 6, 2014) – Pending sales of homes around Western Washington surged more than 13 percent in September compared to a year ago, and listing activity picked up slightly, fueling both broker optimism and words of advice for sellers. […]