Working this weekend? Of course I am!

Yes, I will take some time to enjoy the holiday weekend, but I will also be holding an Open House both Saturday and Sunday from 1-4PM. This week I will be at 5617 SW Winthrop, which is just a block north of Admiral Way off 57th Av SW. Listed by Prudential agent extraordinaire, Carle Trotter, this is a well-built, 3 bedroom view home in need of a lot of updating. So if you are looking for a fixer with a view, this might be the place for you. The listing price is $669,950 It would likely qualify for a rehab loan, which means you could finance the cost of the repairs as well as the purchase price in the same loan package. I hope you will stop by for a visit.

Find a list of Foreclosure properties

If you're looking for easy access to a list of foreclosure properties, here it is! Just go to my Prudential website, www.alicekuder.pnwrealty.com , and click on the "Properties" tab at the top of the home page. Then click on "Search Homes for Sale". Next click the "Foreclosures" tab. You can specify a particular zip code or address if you like. Let me know how you like this new service.

April home sales statistics

Here are the latest available statistics for area home sales, as published by the Northwest Multiple Listing Service.

Number of Homes & Condos Available for Sale:
King County: April 2007 -> 9870 April 2008 -> 15,359
West Seattle: April 2007 -> 489 April 2008 -> 730

Average Days on Market (Sold Properties):
King County: April 2007 -> 51 April 2008 -> 73
West Seattle: April 2007 -> 45 April 2008 -> 63

Average Sales Price:
King County: April 2007 -> $496,358 April 2008 -> $498,861
West Seattle: April 2007 -> $456,926 April 2008 -> $415,926

Number of Sales, Year-to-Date:
King County: 2007 -> 10,519 2008 -> 6975
West Seattle: 2007 -> 654 2008 -> 462

FHA is back

Have you noticed that FHA loans, which seemed to disappear for a decade or so, are now back in the news? Here's why. Before the sub-prime meltdown, lenders were bending over backwards giving loans to practically anyone who asked, despite their income or credit scores. Since that strategy blew up in their faces, lenders are nervous about losing more money by making more bad loans. Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loans are backed by the Federal government, so they are considered to be less risky than non-insured loans.

Although they can take longer to close and may involve additional fees, FHA loans can be a valuable and viable option for financing a home, particularly if you have been turned down by traditional lenders. For more information, click on the following link or copy the address into your favorite browser. www.fha.com/about_us.cfm