http://www.raincityguide.com Looking to buy, sell, or refinance in a tough Seattle real estate market? Get advice from Seattle real estate experts on Rain City Guide Fri, 09 May 2008 05:32:02 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en At the beginning of every law, there’s a preamble and then a set of definitions. Many of you know this: A mortgage broker is not a lender. A lender is defined by federal law, RESPA, as an entity that makes loans.  This means the entity has the money to fund the ... http://www.raincityguide.com/2008/05/07/a-mortgage-broker-is-not-a-lender/ If you've ever watched a show like the Sopranos you know that there is a term out there called wiseguy that has a potentially dangerous undertone.  Well, yesterday, for one of my new listings I was thrilled to know a wiseguy, or rather a Wise Locksmith, Chris Weissman. While driving from ... http://www.raincityguide.com/2008/05/07/when-its-good-to-know-a-wiseguy/ My daughter Jacquie just called, the middle child, she and Peter are going to have a baby!  This will be my second grandchild.  See Jacquie below at the 7 Eleven at Denny and 5th. http://www.raincityguide.com/2008/05/06/just-got-the-news-another-grandchild-on-the-way/ There's a Washington State Mortgage Broker Commission meeting tomorrow, May 7th at the Renton Community Center to discuss the impact of State Senate Bill 6471. This legislation ammends the Consumer Loan Act and Mortgage Broker Practices Act requiring all lenders to become licensed under the Consumer Loan Act (except ... http://www.raincityguide.com/2008/05/06/mortgage-broker-commission-meeting-tomorrow/ Did you ever work so hard in a week, that you just needed to lay down for 20 minutes after dinner and didn't wake up until the next morning!?  Sure you did.  It happens to all of us.  Well, that's what happened to me last night after my Open House ... http://www.raincityguide.com/2008/05/05/sunday-night-stats-on-monday-morning/ Conforming Mortgage Rates (loan amounts up to $417,000 for 1-unit properties).  The conforming rate quote below is based on owner occupied, "full doc" purchase with a sales price of $500,000 and a loan amount of $400,000.  This scenario includes reserves (taxes & insurance) not being waived.   Rates quoted are priced ... http://www.raincityguide.com/2008/05/02/fridays-rates-13/ Our development company has been a certified Built Green builder for several years, and we're always trying to find economically feasible ways to add "green" features to our new construction.  "Economically feasible" to me means that while we're willing to pay more to build in a more sustainable fashion, we'd ... http://www.raincityguide.com/2008/05/02/free-flushes/ {seesmic_video:{"url_thumbnail":{"value":"http://t.seesmic.com/thumbnail/O1T7ZsyW04_th1.jpg"}"title":{"value":"RCG Flashback to gHomes "}"videoUri":{"value":"http://www.seesmic.com/video/2UixONwd03"}}} Links from the Video: Sellsius: Linkbait Flashback gHomes — Seattle Area MLS on Google Maps http://www.raincityguide.com/2008/05/01/rcg-flashback-to-ghomes/ I just live in it." That was the line in CSI: NY last night, where Microsoft's Photosynth was used to reconstruct the events prior to and during a crime at a high school prom. They loaded up all of the photos taken on every student's cell phone ( a big box of ... http://www.raincityguide.com/2008/05/01/its-microsofts-world-kid/ It's May Day today in Seattle and hopefully we are now finally into Spring and warmer weather.  To celebrate the return (not to mention the return of the Neighborhood Round Up after its unscheduled winter hibernation) are a few Seattle Neighborhood Blog postings on Spring....   Happy May Day Seattle!  Alki  marks the time for Tulips at Pike Place Market, and ... http://www.raincityguide.com/2008/05/01/may-day-seattle-neighborhood-round-up/