Still Benefits to Owning a Home

Owning a Home is Still the American Dream!

Now may be the best time in the past 20 years to buy or invest in Real Estate. House sales in many areas have stabilized, mortgage interest rates are down, inventory has declined over the last 2 months nationally, and housing affordability has improved.   

The National Association of Realtor recently posted the following facts from a Real Estate Survey:

• Home ownership is an investment in your future. Owning a home helps build wealth over the long term, and it provides significant social benefits.
• On average, owners who purchased their home six years ago have seen the value of their home rise 24.3 percent during that time, despite recent price declines.
• In a recent survey of economists, 8 out of 10 believed home prices will be higher in 5 years than they are today.
• First-time home buyers can now get $7,500 tax credit for qualified home purchases from April 9, 2009 to June 30, 2009, thanks to recently passed housing stimulus legislation. Details of the $7,000 tax credit
• An overwhelming majority of economists surveyed – by a better than 5-to-1-ratio – agreed with the statement, “A person can increase their long-term wealth by purchasing a house rather than renting.”

*Baylor University Keller Center for Research

Consult your local Realtor for Real Estate opportunities in your area.

Read more about the $7,500 Tax Credit for Home Buyers

Is the Real Estate Market Tide Turning?

Seattle Real Estate Market Best for Speedy Rebound

——————————————————————

FREE Seller Resources

Tips to Sell Your Home

Get the Highest Price Selling Your Home

Tips to Stage Your Home to Sell

—————————————————————–

Search for Homes for Sale 

> Pierce County Washington Real Estate <

Search Pierce County Homes for Sale

Search Pierce County Foreclosures

 > Thurston County Washington Real Estate <

Search Thurston County Homes for Sale

Search Thurston County Foreclosures

 > King County Washington Real Estate <

Search King County Homes for Sale

Search King County Foreclosures

 

The Trey Affolter Team always welcomes comments and is available to answer questions about Tacoma Real Estate and the surrounding cities within Pierce County Real Estate, South King County Real Estate, and North Thurston County Real Estate. 

253-222-6000

http://www.TreySellsHouses.com

Seattle Real Estate Market Best for Speedy Rebound

Good news!!! If you are a homeowner in the Seattle – Tacoma area, the Seattle real estate market was awarded the #1 city most likely to rebound.

In a recent article from Forbes.com, “Real Estate Markets Most Likely to Rebound,” they cited a survey of real estate professionals including, private developers, real estate agents, and real estate investment executives identifying Seattle as the top city to have the best chance for a speedy recovery.  The survey was completed by The Urban Land Institute.

The article writes:

Seattle is “a diversified market, has a good base of business and is becoming a 24-hour city,” says Stephen Blank, senior resident fellow, finance, at the Urban Land Institute. “It’s going to be in a good position to come back.”  

These traits landed Seattle the NO. 1 spot on the list.

According to the survey, the 5 cities most likely to rebound:

1. Seattle
2. San Francisco
3. Washington D.C.
4. New York
5. Los Angeles

Positive news for owners of King County Real Estate and Pierce County Real Estate.  Another good read is, Is the Washington State Real Estate Market Tide Turning?

Read the complete article,  http://www.forbes.com/2008/10/29/foreclosure-recession-cities-forbeslife-cx_dp_1029realestate.html

 

——————- Additional Featured Articles —————–

Is the Washington State Real Estate Market Tide Turning?

Home Buyers CAN Find Loans – The Right News!

——————————————————————

FREE Seller Resources

Tips to Sell Your Home

Get the Highest Price Selling Your Home

Tips to Stage Your Home to Sell

—————————————————————–

Search for Homes for Sale 

> Pierce County Washington Real Estate <

Search Pierce County Homes for Sale

Search Pierce County Foreclosures

 > Thurston County Washington Real Estate <

Search Thurston County Homes for Sale

Search Thurston County Foreclosures

 > King County Washington Real Estate <

Search King County Homes for Sale

Search King County Foreclosures

 

The Trey Affolter Team always welcomes comments and is available to answer questions about Tacoma Real Estate and the surrounding cities within Pierce County Real Estate, South King County Real Estate, and North Thurston County Real Estate. 

253-222-6000

http://www.TreySellsHouses.com

Mortgage Prepayment Fees can Sting!

Mortgage Prepayment Fees can STING!

How they swarm: You may need to sell your home sooner than expected, or you may have received an inheritance that you would like to use to pay off your mortgage. If your home mortgage has a prepayment penalty clause, you may owe the lender a fee equal to up to six months of interest just to get out of the loan.

How not to get stung: The best practice upfront is to avoid mortgages that carry these prepayment penalty clauses. If you need to sell your home and you have a prepayment penalty, you are probably out of luck.

If you inherited the money or want to use a tax refund, you may opt to make a large payment on the mortgage loan to avoid the penalty. Make sure to be specific and instruct the lender to apply the extra payment towards the principal only. Although all mortgages are unique, read your loan papers carefully, but you should be able to make an additional large payment of up to $20,000 per year with no incurred fees.

—————————-

The Trey Affolter Team always welcomes comments and is available to answer questions about Tacoma Real Estate and the surrounding cities within Pierce County Real Estate, South King County Real Estate, and North Thurston County Real Estate.

253-222-6000

http://www.TreySellsHouses.com

Go get your $7,500 15-year interest free loan from the government

ACT NOW!  $7,500 Tax Credit available… 

Tax benefits of buying a home

 

Tax credit offered to new homebuyers

Expires June 30, 2009!

 

 

1.       Who is eligible?

·         First-time homebuyers or any homebuyers who have not owned a principal residence in the last three years.

2.       Who does it work?

·         Eligible purchasers can claim the $7,500 credit on their annual tax return form.

·   Amount of credit: 10% of cost of home or a maximum of $7,500.

3.       Repayment:

·         Two years after the credit is claimed, the homebuyer will have to start paying it back.

·         15 equal annual installments will have to be paid back to the IRS every year.

·   6.67% of the borrowed amount or a maximum of $502.

·         If home is sold before 15 years, the remainder of the loan will have to be repaid to the IRS upon sale.

·   Part of the liability can be forgiven if the gain on the sale is less than the amount of the loan.

4.       Restrictions:

·         Home purchase time limit:

·   Homes purchased on or after April 9, 2008 and before July 1, 2009.

·         Home must be a single family residence (including condos, coops) that will be used as a principal residence.

·         Home must be located in the United States.

·         Home cannot be financed through mortgage revenue bonds.

·         Income restriction:

·   To qualify for a full $7,500 credit, the taxpayer must make no more than

a.       $75,000 for single returns

b.      $150,000 for joint returns

·   To still qualify for credit but at a lesser amount, the following income caps apply

a.       $95,000 for single returns

b.      $170,000 for joint returns

 

  

 

For more information on the tax credit:

http://www.realtor.org/gapublic.nsf/files/hbtaxcreditqa2008.pdf/$FILE/hbtaxcreditqa2008.pdf

http://www.federalhousingtaxcredit.com/faq.php

  

 

                              

Call The Trey Affolter Team @ 253-222-6000

to take advantage of the tax credit

before it expires June 30, 2009!

 

 

——————- Additional Featured Articles —————–

 

Need Down Payment Assistance to Buy a Home?

 

Home Buyers Can Find Home Loans – The Right News!

 

———————————————————————

 

 ———> FREE HOMEBUYER RESOURCES <———

 

———————————————————————-

 

 Search for Homes for Sale 

> Pierce County Washington Real Estate <

Search Pierce County Homes for Sale

Search Pierce County Foreclosures

 > Thurston County Washington Real Estate <

Search Thurston County Homes for Sale

Search Thurston County Foreclosures

 > King County Washington Real Estate <

Search King County Homes for Sale

Search King County Foreclosures

 

The Trey Affolter Team always welcomes comments and is available to answer questions about Tacoma Real Estate and the surrounding cities within Pierce County Real Estate, South King County Real Estate, and North Thurston County Real Estate. 

253-222-6000

http://www.TreySellsHouses.com

Need Downpayment Assistance to Buy a Home?

Thinking of Buying a home?

Worried about the downpayment?

Do you know where your home purchase downpayment can come from?

According to the Federal Housing Administration(FHA) your downpayment can come from any one of the following:

• Relative
• Employer
• Labor Union
• Charitable Organization
• A governmental agency or public entity

As defined by Federal Housing Administration (FHA):

Federal Housing Administration (FHA) approved mortgagees that seek FHA mortgage insurance on loans secured by single family houses, on which downpayment assistance has been provided to the borrower in the form of gifts, are required to determine that the gifts are from sources acceptable to FHA.

Paragraph 2-10 C of handbook HUD-4155.1 REV-5 provides that the donor of any such gift must be the borrower’s relative, the borrower’s employer or labor union, a charitable organization, a governmental agency or public entity that has a program to provide homeownership assistance to low- and moderate-income families or first-time homebuyers, or a close friend with a clearly defined and documented interest in the borrower. For FHA, charitable organizations are those nonprofits that are exempt from income taxation under section 501(a) of the Internal Revenue Service Code (IRC) of 1986 pursuant to section 501(c)(3) of the IRC.

So, don’t let the challenge of the downpayment limit your ability to invest in a home, check your options. 

Be sure to consult with a Mortgage Lender for further details.

____________________________________________________________________________

Featured Article on Washington State Real Estate: 

Is the Washington State Real Estate Market Tide Turning?

____________________________________________________________________________

FREE Buyer Resources to help with your home purchase.

FREE Seller Resources to help sell for the highest amount.

____________________________________________________________________________

Search for Homes for Sale 

> Pierce County Washington Real Estate <

Search Pierce County Homes for Sale

Search Pierce County Foreclosures

 > Thurston County Washington Real Estate <

Search Thurston County Homes for Sale

Search Thurston County Foreclosures

 > King County Washington Real Estate <

Search King County Homes for Sale

Search King County Foreclosures

 

The Trey Affolter Team always welcomes comments and is available to answer questions about Tacoma Real Estate and the surrounding cities within Pierce County Real Estate, South King County Real Estate, and North Thurston County Real Estate. 

253-222-6000

http://www.TreySellsHouses.com

Take Advantage of the Pierce, Thurston & King County, WA Real Estate Market

Residential Homes Real Estate Market…The Truth

for Pierce, Thurston and King Counties, Washington.

If you pay attention to the news media, you may be discouraged by all the Real Estate talk.

News media knows…

– Good news does not sell –

The truth is, our local Real Estate market shouldn’t be compared on the same level to the national market.  Like the “brain child” in school who brings up the grading curve on tests, Washington State is the shining star in the national Real Estate economy.

“Home Prices are projected to increase 3-6 percent in 2009,” according to Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist for the National Association of Realtors.

If you are considering selling, buying, downsizing, moving up…now may be the perfect time.

Don’t let the media scare you. You can rely on Trey’s understanding of the local market to professionally and effectively manage your Real Estate needs.

Consider The Trey Affolter Team your local Real Estate resource.

– Trey knows Local Real Estate –

Full Time Realtor®
10+ Years Experience
100% Committed to his clients

– Trey Values Your Investment –

Trey’s listings average 44 Days on the Market vs. 94 Days market average.

That’s 50 days on average less.

Trey’s listings sell for 99.5% of list price vs. 97% market average.

$$$$$     THAT’S $6,250 MORE ON A $250,000 HOME!!!     $$$$$

– Trey appreciates your referrals –

Personal
Family
Friends
Co-Workers
Anyone you know thinking of selling or buying.

____________________________________________

To better understand how to take advantage of our current market, call Trey @ 253-222-6000 or visit www.treysellshouses.com.

 

————— Sellers —————

FREE Home Valuation

Get the Highest Price

Improvements That Pay

How to Sell Your Home Video

 

————— Buyers —————

Find A Home

9 Steps to Owning Video

9 Steps to Home Ownership

 Free Buyer & Seller Resources

The Trey Affolter Team always welcomes comments and is available for Real Estate questions for Tacoma, Washington and surrounding areas of Pierce, North Thurston, and South King Counties.

Call The Trey Affolter Team

at 253-222-6000.

Five Rights to Successfully Selling Your Home!

Your Five Rights…

 

What Are Your Rights?

 

To sell your home in the shortest amount of time and for the highest price, you need to make sure you exercise the following five rights: house right, yard right, price right, marketing right, and using the right Realtor®.

 

1.  House Right

 

It is important to prepare your house for sale by making sure your house is in ideal condition before putting it on the market.

 

Preparing your House for Sale

Staging Your Home Video

 

 

2.  Yard Right

 

Does your house have curb appeal? Can we give it a little more pizazz to draw the buyer in? Curb appeal is important towards getting the highest possible price.

 

Curb Appeal List

  

3.  Price Right

 

In today’s market environment, price is more critical that ever for your success. An overpriced home is likely to sit and miss the key window of opportunity as a new listing. Underpricing may lead to even lower initial offers. The right price from the beginning can make all the difference.

 

Setting the Sale Price

How to Get the Highest Price

Free Highest Price Analysis

 

 

4.  Marketing Right

 

The Multiple Listing Service (MLS) will be a major marketing tool your Realtor® will use, but make sure they have an additional marketing plan to successfully sell you home for the highest price. If they can’t show you a plan, you may want to interview other Realtors.

 

Free Home Seller Resources

 

 

5.  The Right Realtor®

 

Your agent should be a designated Realtor®, which means they are a member of the National Association of Realtors® and are bound to a strong code of ethics and have extensive, continuous training.

 

Meet the Team

Ethics In Real Estate

 

 

The Trey Affolter Team, welcomes comments and questions regarding Real Estate in Tacoma, Washington and the surrounding cities within Pierce County Real Estate, North Thurston County Real Estate, and South King County Real Estate.  

 

 

253-222-6000

http://www.TreySellsHouses.com

 

 

 

 

Washington State Foreclosure Rate Fairs Better Than Most.

The number of home foreclosures in Washington State is lower than many.  In the most recent edition of Washington Realtor News, they report:

 

“According to the Mortgage Bankers Association the current foreclosure rate for Washington State is 1.04%, whereas nationally it is 2.75%.  Washington ranked 45 in delinquencies and 44 in foreclosures started.  This means Washington is currently performing 62% better than the national rate.”

 

“Our foreclosure numbers are below our rates from late 2001-early 2003 when the hit to the tech industry had a great impact on our local economy”

           –Washington Realtor News Nov/Dec 2008

 

 

 

Help me to Avoid Foreclosure – Foreclosure Prevention Tips

 

I want to buy Foreclosure Homes

 

Search Foreclosures Listings in Pierce County Washington

 

Search Foreclosures Listings in King County Washington

 

Search Foreclosures Listings in Thurston County Washington

 

 

 

 

The Trey Affolter Team, welcomes comments and questions regarding Real Estate in Tacoma, Washington and the surrounding cities within Pierce County Real Estate, North Thurston County Real Estate, and South King County Real Estate.

 

 

call 253-222-6000

 

http://www.TreySellsHouses.com

 

 

 

Is the Washington State Real Estate Market Tide Turning?

Tacoma & Pierce County Washington Real Estate show signs…

Sales of existing homes shot upward in September, as buyers took advantage of price reductions, according to the National Association of REALTORS®.

 

Sales of existing homes rose 5.5 percent in September to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.18 million units, and up from 4.91 million units in August. September 2008 sales figures are 1.4 percent higher than the 5.11 million units sold in September 2007.

 

Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, said more markets are seeing year-over-year gains. “The sales turnaround which began in California several months ago is broadening now to Colorado, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri and Rhode Island,” he said.

 

Also encouraging are the recent declines in inventory. Total housing inventory at the end of September fell 1.6 percent to 4.27 million existing homes available for sale, which represents a 9.9-month supply at the current sales pace.  This is a decrease from a 10.6-month supply in August, and marks two consecutive monthly declines since inventories peaked in July of 2008.

 

To read the entire NAR release, click here.

The Trey Affolter Team, welcomes comments and questions regarding Real Estate in Tacoma, Washington and the surrounding cities within Pierce County Real Estate, North Thurston County Real Estate, and South King County Real Estate.

 

 

 Contact The Trey Affolter Team for local Real Estate in Washington statistics and information.

253-222-6000

 

http://www.TreySellsHouses.com

Home Buyers CAN Find Loans – The RIGHT News!

Need a Loan to buy a Home?

Here’s the truth…

Contrary to what you may have heard, there is money available for home buyers who qualify and can prove they can afford the loan. So, if you are considering investing in a home in Tacoma Washington, or the surrounding cities of Pierce County, North Thurston County, or South King County, don’t let the media discourage you.

Brian Everstine and C.R. Roberst recently wrote the following article for the Tacoma News Tribune on the same topic. Here is a bit of what they wrote:

____________________________________________________________________________

Home, auto buyers can still borrow money

No matter what you might have heard, it’s not impossible to get a loan. But you need a good credit score and a steady income.

BRIAN EVERSTINE AND C.R. ROBERTS; brian.everstine@thenewstribune.com c.r.roberts@thenewstribune.com

Published: November 1st, 2008 11:10 PM | Updated: November 2nd, 2008 12:09 AM

We’ve heard a lot about trying to borrow money recently: There’s none available. Banks are holding onto their funds. The requirements are so high no one can get a mortgage or buy a car.

But what if you do want to buy a house – you need more space or you have to relocate for work? What if your 12-year-old minivan died on the freeway, and you need a way to get to work?

We talked to bankers, loan officers, mortgage brokers and car dealers in the South Sound to find out what’s going on.

The bottom line? There’s money out there, but you have to be able to prove you can afford a loan and you probably will need a down payment.

HOME LOANS

Don’t listen to all the bad news, there are still loans out there for home buyers – if they can qualify.

Read the full article

____________________________________________________________________________

Another Featured Article on Washington State Real Estate: 

Is the Washington State Real Estate Market Tide Turning?

____________________________________________________________________________

Search for Homes for Sale 

> Pierce County Washington Real Estate <

Search Pierce County Homes for Sale

Search Pierce County Foreclosures

 > Thurston County Washington Real Estate <

Search Thurston County Homes for Sale

Search Thurston County Foreclosures

 > King County Washington Real Estate <

Search King County Homes for Sale

Search King County Foreclosures

 

The Trey Affolter Team always welcomes comments and is available to answer questions Pierce County Real Estate, South King County Real Estate, and North Thurston County Real Estate. 

253-222-6000

http://www.TreySellsHouses.com