Author Archive

I am on an email notice list with Puget Sound Clean Air Agency and they’ve sent out a notice that the first burn ban of the year has been put into effect in Pierce County. Here is their release in its entirety: Message from the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency Stage 1 burn ban called for... »

With temperatures dropping into ranges we aren’t accustomed to around here it’s time to review what should be done when it gets below freezing: If you can, turn the main water supply to the house off and drain the  system from the lowest point and flush the toilets. Leave the cabinet doors open on any... »

This recently discovered (by me) video on YouTube hits a nerve when it comes to how many are affected by the current market dynamics around the country.  I found this a bit funny, if not unnerving, considering how many people I’ve been talking to lately that are in short sale position.  The discussions are because I’m... »

As one of the presenters put it, last night Zillow took a page from real estate agent’s marketing tools and conducted an “open house.”  A certain number of agents were invited to attend, some mortgage professionals, and there were even invites out to buyers and sellers that frequently are on the site. Part of... »

As a bit of a follow up to Ardell’s post below about lease purchase options, another option may be seller financing or a seller carryback.  But, if you choose to go this route how will you handle payments?  One of the best ways to make this less of a burden for the seller is to bring... »

I’ve been keeping an eye on some of the daily trends in the MLS and have noticed for several weeks now that price reductions have now outnumbered new listings on an almost daily basis.  In past years, when almost all houses were selling fairly quickly, we noticed that a small percentage of houses required... »

A client of mine is planning on selling a property soon and he’s trying to get his proverbial “ducks in a row” before going on market.  He asked me about what his responsibilities are with regard to his septic system and he also wanted to know if he needed to do an inspection or... »