Tips for Buyers and Sellers of Real Estate

BN Real Estate offers significant and measurable advantages!

Tips for home buyers:

Tip #1. Most home buyers wonder how to start and what the process might look like. We recommend that you follow this 9-point system:

Figure out your finances and get an underwriter’s loan approval before you start searching for a home.
Decide on the neighborhood you want to live in and research all of its relevant aspects.
Hire a real estate professional who will take the time to understand your needs, and you feel confident they will represent you with care.
Meticulously plan out your major financial purchase and then stick to your plan.
Utilize all the search tools that you can to locate your home. Cross-reference your information with other sources.
Fully understand every aspect of an offer to purchase before you make it – your real estate broker is obligated to help you do that.
Handle your money with care and write checks only to those who are authorized to receive it.
Ask questions. Ask more questions of your broker, your lender, your home inspector, your escrow closer. Make sure you fully understand the answers.
Always get a home inspection and always do a final walk-through before closing.

Tips for home Sellers:

Tip #1. When determining the list price for your home, ask yourself this important question: “Would I pay this amount for this house in its current condition if I were the buyer?”

When selling a home, it is essential to price it correctly. Setting the right price is crucial; it should not be too high or too low. We will provide you with thorough research and relevant data to help you arrive at the right price that makes sense to you and aligns with market conditions. Additionally, we will share strategies to help you make necessary adjustments at the appropriate time.

We listed a few ideas above to help you get started on achieving a successful home sale. We specialize in understanding what today’s buyers are looking for and can offer additional ideas that will enhance your home’s appeal to real estate buyers. Remember, a few simple and inexpensive improvements can yield significant returns on your investment.

A real estate transaction typically involves five different industries:

1. Real Estate
2. Lender
3. Title
4. Escrow
5. Home Inspection

Navigating this process can be daunting. It’s advisable to hire a licensed professional. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or require further information.

First impressions are always crucial, especially when presenting your home for sale to prospective homebuyers. Homebuyers begin judging your home the moment they see it. Most people prefer homes that are well-maintained, clean and clutter-free; homes they can picture themselves living in. That is why home improvements, particularly if they address the anticipated needs of home buyers, can boost your home’s appeal and allow you to get more money for it.

Below are a few tips to help you prepare your home for sale. Preparing The Exterior

Mow and rake the lawn, trim hedges, weed and edge gardens
Sweep sidewalks and driveway, pick up any litter
Repair gutters and eaves, touch up exterior paint
Plant extra flowers for color, or place potted plants beside the front door
Clean or paint the front door, polish the front door hardware, and ensure the doorbell works

Preparing The Interior

Clean and tidy the home entrance; clear stairs, halls and store all excess furniture
Brighten interiors with fresh, light-toned paint
Brighten rooms by installing high-wattage light bulbs and turning them on
Shampoo carpets, clean and wax floors
Organize kitchen countertops, removing appliances if necessary, to make it look spacious
Clean and freshen bathrooms, put out clean towels, and minimize clutter
Clean mirrors and windows so they sparkle
Organize and clean the garage and the basement
Perform necessary minor repairs and touch-ups on walls, windows, fixtures, and other areas as needed.

Tips For Home Showings

Be absent so buyers feel more comfortable making comments
Light the fireplace, open the drapes, and play quiet background music
Keep pets outdoors

Tips for mortgages and lenders:

January 30, 2026

Mortgage rate averages are near three-year lows for the third consecutive week. According to mortgage giant Freddie Mac, the 30-year fixed-rate averaged 6.10%. It’s just one-hundredth of a percentage point higher than last week’s average, and it’s down from the year-ago average of 6.95%.

Though averages have risen weekly over the past two weeks, the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage is still hovering near its lowest level in roughly three years.

As winter storms swept across the United States recently, they froze more than just sidewalks — they brought a chill to the mortgage market, too.

Mortgage applications fell 8.9% in the week ended January 30 compared to a week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association released on Wednesday. It’s the second consecutive week that demand has weakened, at least in part due to the weather. Much of the country was snowed in, hampering homebuying activity. This week’s decline in mortgage demand comes as borrowing costs have remained in a narrow range — even as possible disruptions in the broader market have unfurled.

February 11, 2026

According to an article in Home.com, loan applications declined for the second straight week A greater number of borrowers are opting for FHA loans, and ARMs as mortgage market stagnates There three key takeaways from this article:

Mortgage demand dipped for a second straight week. Total applications down 0.3%, purchase applications down 2%, and refinancing up 1% for the week ended February 6.
As affordability pressures persist, more borrowers are turning to lower-cost options, such as FHA loans and adjustable-rate mortgages.
Rate differences are driving those choices, with a 30-year FHA loan at 5.69% versus 6.11% for a 30-year fixed mortgage as of Tuesday afternoon.

Recent Stats. Western Washington Real Estate Market:

January 30, 2026

Stats for the counties covered by the Northwest Multiple Listing Service showed that, generally speaking, inventory was up substantially. Overall, inventory increased by more than 20% from a year ago and by almost 6% from the previous month. Closed sales fell by 7%, and prices dropped by an aggregate of 3%.

Here is what these numbers tell us. Before I get into that, a reminder. All real estate is local, meaning that what is happening in one neighborhood does not necessarily reflect what is happening just a few miles away. For example, in certain Seattle neighborhoods, prices have dropped by up to 15%. In certain neighborhoods of Bellevue, prices are up 15% over the same period. Generally speaking, more homes are on the market, and prices have dropped a little.

Closed sale is a lagging indicator. It takes at least thirty days, and in some case much longer for a sale to close after the home buyer and the home seller have agreed to the terms of the sale. The January closed-sale number reflects sales activity in December 2025 or earlier.

February 12, 2026

According to the National Association of Realtors, as quoted in a Homes.com article, sales of existing single-family houses and condos fell 8.4% in January, despite improving affordability for potential buyers. It was the largest one-month decline in existing home sales in nearly four years.

Key takeaways:

Existing home sales fell 8.4% in January — the sharpest monthly drop in nearly four years — as buyers navigated economic concerns, severe winter weather and limited housing supply.
Despite improving affordability, including a drop in the income needed to buy a median‑priced home from $103,000 to $94,000, sales fell across all major U.S. regions.
Housing inventory slipped to 1.22 million homes, equal to a 3.7‑month supply, and properties stayed on the market longer, with the median time rising to 46 days compared with 41 days a year earlier.

March 4, 2026

According to the press release by NWMLS,

Nearly all NWMLS counties experienced year-over-year inventory growth, with 19 of 27 counties posting double-digit increases. The total number of properties listed for sale increased by nearly 28% year over year, to 13,341 active listings at the end of February 2026.

Key takeaways:

Closed sales decreased 3% year over year, with 4,139 transactions in February 2026 compared to 4,268 in February 2025. Month over month, sales increased 19.5%, up from 3,465 in January 2026.
The median sales price for residential homes and condominiums sold in February 2026 was $620,000, a 1.6% decrease from February 2025. Month over month, the median price increased 4.2% from $595,000 in January 2026. The counties with the highest median sales prices were King ($840,000), San Juan ($732,500), and Snohomish ($720,000), while the lowest median prices were recorded in Pacific ($300,000), Columbia ($247,000), and Ferry ($215,000).
Most industry experts consider a balanced market to last 4 to 6 months. At the current rate of sales, it would take a little less than three and a half months (3.22) to sell every home that is currently active in the NWMLS inventory. The five counties with the lowest months of inventory in February 2026 were Kitsap (2.14), Snohomish (2.36), Island (2.43), Thurston (2.59), and Pierce (2.6).

March 13, 2026

For several years now, the Real Estate market has been very active. After these extremes, the housing market has started to regain its balance. The recent monthly data showed that the housing market rose only 0.2% in February 2026. This underscores a market that is settling into a more normal pattern, with prices holding close to where they were a year ago.

Always bear in mind that the real estate market is local. It varies from neighborhood to neighborhood.

Key takeaways:

National home prices were flat in February, with the median price at $375,885, up 0.2% year over year.
This is a clear signal that the housing market has started to normalize after several years of extreme fluctuations.
The above is a national average. Local trends varied significantly, with markets like St. Louis up 8.2% and Denver down 4%. Experts say this is a sign of balance, not weakness.