A recent survey shows that buying a home is high on the wish list for today's college grads. Follow this link for the full article.
http://www.nwmls.com/discover/nwreporter.cfm?SectionListsID=25&PageID=4177
Single adults face unique challenges when buying and selling a home. I know because I've done it myself, & a significant portion of my clients are single. This blog provides news & information you need to help you achieve your real estate goals. Alice Kuder, REALTOR®, Green. Prudential Northwest Realty Associates, Seattle, WA
Friday, January 11, 2008
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Personal emissions calculator
Wondering what more you can do to reduce greenhouse gas emissions? Here is some information directly off the Environmental Protection Agency website that should provide some answers for you.
"The EPA has developed tools to help individuals (and households) reduce greenhouse gas emissions and take action. Businesses and organizations interested in educating their employees and members about what they can do at home to help protect our climate can also use these tools.
Use this online calculator to obtain an estimate of your personal greenhouse gas emissions or your family’s greenhouse gas emissions. Then move on to the next section of the calculator to explore actions you and/or your family can take to lower your emissions while reducing your energy and waste disposal costs. For each action you choose to take, the calculator displays the amount of emissions you could avoid and how that amount relates to your total emissions."
Follow this link for instructions on how to use and access the calculator:
http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/wycd/calculator/ind_calculator.html
Related LinksGreenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator
"The EPA has developed tools to help individuals (and households) reduce greenhouse gas emissions and take action. Businesses and organizations interested in educating their employees and members about what they can do at home to help protect our climate can also use these tools.
Use this online calculator to obtain an estimate of your personal greenhouse gas emissions or your family’s greenhouse gas emissions. Then move on to the next section of the calculator to explore actions you and/or your family can take to lower your emissions while reducing your energy and waste disposal costs. For each action you choose to take, the calculator displays the amount of emissions you could avoid and how that amount relates to your total emissions."
Follow this link for instructions on how to use and access the calculator:
http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/wycd/calculator/ind_calculator.html
Related LinksGreenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator
More good news for buyers
Yesterday's P-I reported recent sales figures showing that Seattle-area home prices are declining somewhat. http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/346385_housing08.html
Whether you see this as a positive or a negative probably depends upon whether you are attempting to sell your home or buy a home. If you have a home to sell AND intend to buy another, then it's pretty much a wash anyway. You aren't going to make a killing on your current home, but shouldn't get soaked on a new one, either.
If you are thinking of buying your first home, you are probably wondering if you should wait? How low the prices are going to go? If you find anyone who can accurately predict that, I guarantee you s/he is already a very wealthy person! The only way to know when the market has bottomed out is when it starts to go back up. As the saying goes, hindsight is 20/20.
So when is the best time to buy a home? That depends on your own individual situation. Life events, financial circumstances and even your emotional state all play important roles in determining the best timing for you. Beyond that, only time will tell whether you happen to have purchased at the top, bottom or middle of the market. But if you are happily sitting in your own home, does it really matter?
Whether you see this as a positive or a negative probably depends upon whether you are attempting to sell your home or buy a home. If you have a home to sell AND intend to buy another, then it's pretty much a wash anyway. You aren't going to make a killing on your current home, but shouldn't get soaked on a new one, either.
If you are thinking of buying your first home, you are probably wondering if you should wait? How low the prices are going to go? If you find anyone who can accurately predict that, I guarantee you s/he is already a very wealthy person! The only way to know when the market has bottomed out is when it starts to go back up. As the saying goes, hindsight is 20/20.
So when is the best time to buy a home? That depends on your own individual situation. Life events, financial circumstances and even your emotional state all play important roles in determining the best timing for you. Beyond that, only time will tell whether you happen to have purchased at the top, bottom or middle of the market. But if you are happily sitting in your own home, does it really matter?
Friday, January 4, 2008
Another weekend, another Open House!
Looking for something (free) to do this weekend? Come visit me at my Open House, Sat. 10-1 and Sun. 1-4. This week I will be at 4941 SW Forney St. in the Genesee area near Schmitz Park. It's a beautiful, newer (built in 1994) 4 bedroom, 2.75 bath home. I am a buyer's agent in this case (i.e. it isn't my listing). The asking price is $649,000 with a $5000 buyer's bonus offered at closing.
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Uncertainty? Anxiety? What's new?
I apologize for not addressing Sunday's Seattle Times/P-I headline article sooner. I confess that I let the holiday get in the way. Nevertheless, here is my take on the article. http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/home/index.html
The gist of the article (it can't really be called a "story" since there is no event to report) seems to be that the housing market and the economy are uncertain, therefore anxiety is an appropriate reaction. My question is: When has the housing market and/or the economy EVER been certain? When will it be? And, does increasing our collective or individual feeling of anxiety benefit anyone?
Buying a home is a stressful event for most people simply because of the size of the investment. Whether you buy at the top of the market or at the bottom, it is a decision that affects many aspects of your life. Since no one can accurately predict the future, all we can do is trust our judgement to make the best possible decision given the information available to us at the time.
The gist of the article (it can't really be called a "story" since there is no event to report) seems to be that the housing market and the economy are uncertain, therefore anxiety is an appropriate reaction. My question is: When has the housing market and/or the economy EVER been certain? When will it be? And, does increasing our collective or individual feeling of anxiety benefit anyone?
Buying a home is a stressful event for most people simply because of the size of the investment. Whether you buy at the top of the market or at the bottom, it is a decision that affects many aspects of your life. Since no one can accurately predict the future, all we can do is trust our judgement to make the best possible decision given the information available to us at the time.
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