Welcome to my Sammamish and Eastside Blog

Sammamish Home for Sale in Trossachs, New Listing!

Dan Tabit (Northstone Real Estate Inc.) — Sat, 18 May 2013 00:34:58 -0700

Sammamish Home for Sale in Trossachs, New Listing!

Open House scheduled for Saturday 12-3 & Sunday 1-4.

$529,900 , 3 bedrooms, 2 full baths, 1 half baths, 2,430 square feet

Dan & Elsie Tabit | Northstone Real Estate inc. | (206) 310-8629

910 274th Pl SE, Sammamish, WA

Buchan resale in Trossachs on a quiet cul-de-sac. Upgrades galore
throughout the house.

3BR/2+1BA Single Family House

offered at $529,900

Year Built	2004
Sq Footage	2,430
Bedrooms	3
Bathrooms	2 full, 1 partial
Floors	Unspecified
Parking	Unspecified
Lot Size	5,227 sqft
HOA/Maint	$49 per month

DESCRIPTION

Buchan resale in Trossachs on a quiet cul-de-sac. Upgrades galore throughout the house. Soaring ceilings in the entry, arched doorways, upstairs loft/office, granite counters, stainless steel appliances with double oven, central A/C. 5 piece master bath w/heated floors and expanded closet. Fully fenced backyard with dog run & fire pit. This home will be fantastic with your final touches. Short sale to be professionally negotiated by law firm.

Sammamish

see additional photos below

PROPERTY FEATURES

- Attic	- Dining room	- Family room
- Laundry room	- Living room	- Master bath
- Walk-in closet	- Dishwasher	- Garbage disposal
- Microwave	- Stainless steel appliances	- Fenced yard
- Lawn	- Central A/C	- Central heat
- Double pane windows	- Cable-ready	- Covered parking
- Garage - Attached	- Fireplace	- Granite countertop
- Hardwood floor	- High/Vaulted ceiling	- Tile floor

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

Front	Living Room
Living Room	Dining Room
Kitchen	Kitchen
Family Room	Powder Room
Master Bedoom	Master bath
Master bath	Expanded Closet
Back Yard

Contact info:

Dan & Elsie Tabit

Northstone Real Estate inc.

(206) 310-8629

For sale by agent/broker

Posted: May 17, 2013, 8:37pm PDT

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Dan Tabit 206-310-8629 425-868-SOLD(7653) DanTabit@Northstone.net

One stop Real Estate & Mortgage Services Serving Sammamish, Issaquah, Redmond, Bellevue, Mercer Island and the greater Seattle area.

Sammamish Home For Sale, Deerfield! New Listing.

Dan Tabit (Northstone Real Estate Inc.) — Fri, 10 May 2013 13:03:08 -0700

Sammamish Home For Sale, Deerfield! New Listing. 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath, 2210 square feet in the Lake Washington School District. New carpets, granite counters, beautifully landscaped yard, 50 year Presidential Roof, vaulted & coved ceilings. This home is located across from the Deerfield Park & Sports Field.

To schedule a private showing, call me today! 425-868-SOLD

$499,000 , 4 bedrooms, 2 full baths, 1 half baths, 2,210 square feet

Dan & Elsie Tabit | Northstone Real Estate inc. | (206) 310-8629

1806 229th Ave NE, Sammamish, WA

Move in ready. New carpet, granite counters, landscaped fully fenced yard, 5 piece master bath are just a few features.

4BR/2+1BA Single Family House

offered at $499,000

Year Built	1990
Sq Footage	2,210
Bedrooms	4
Bathrooms	2 full, 1 partial
Floors	2
Parking	Unspecified
Lot Size	8,309 sqft
HOA/Maint	$17 per month

DESCRIPTION

Move in ready. Coved ceilings & extra touches take this traditional 2 story up a notch. Granite counter tops, bright breakfast nook just off the Family room with a brick fireplace. Large windows along the back of the house look out over the professionally landscaped terraced yard. Upstairs the spacious master bedroom has his & hers closets, & a 5 piece master bath. Three more bedrooms are roomy, one with a walk in closet. The garage is perfect with space for 3 cars, work bench & storage.

Sammamish

see additional photos below

PROPERTY FEATURES

- Attic	- Dining room	- Family room
- Laundry room	- Living room	- Master bath
- Walk-in closet	- Balcony, Deck, or Patio	- Fenced yard
- Garden	- Lawn	- Yard
- Central heat	- Double pane windows	- High-speed internet
- Covered parking	- Garage - Attached	- Fireplace
- Granite countertop	- Hardwood floor	- High/Vaulted ceiling
- Jetted tub	- Skylights	- Tile floor

COMMUNITY FEATURES

- Playground

- Sports court

- Covered parking

OTHER SPECIAL FEATURES

- 3 car garage with storage loft

- New wall to wall carpet.

- New 50 year Composition Roof, 5 years ago.

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

Photo 4	Kitchen w/Granite Counter
Kitchen w/Eating Space	Dining Room
Living Room	Powder Room
Master Bedroom	Master Bath w/Dual Vaniti
Master Bath Soaking Tup &	Guest Bedroom
Guest Bedroom	Guest Bath
Back Yard, Patio	Backyard
Deerfield Sports Field	Deerfield Park
The Villages/Deerfield Entrance

Contact info:

Dan & Elsie Tabit

Northstone Real Estate inc.

(206) 310-8629

For sale by agent/broker

Posted: May 9, 2013, 10:49pm PDT

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Dan Tabit 206-310-8629 425-868-SOLD(7653) DanTabit@Northstone.net

One stop Real Estate & Mortgage Services Serving Sammamish, Issaquah, Redmond, Bellevue, Mercer Island and the greater Seattle area.

The Villages and Deerfield Neighborhoods, Sammamish WA

Dan Tabit (Northstone Real Estate Inc.) — Wed, 08 May 2013 16:47:27 -0700

The Villages and Deerfield Neighborhoods, Sammamish WA

The Villages and Deerfield Neighborhoods in Sammamish WA are several great neighborhoods on the north end of Sammamish. These neighborhoods are made up of nice single family homes and have a great park with a youth soccer field.

The neighborhood is served by the Lake Washington School District and most students would attend Samantha Smith Elementary, Inglewood Middle School and Eastlake High School.

Homes in the Villages and Deerfield Neighborhoods are typically good quality and generally range from the low $400’s to the mid $600’s.

For a search of all the homes currently on the market in the Villages and Deerfield neighborhoods as well as 98074 please search here.

View Larger Map

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Dan Tabit 206-310-8629 425-868-SOLD(7653) DanTabit@Northstone.net

One stop Real Estate & Mortgage Services Serving Sammamish, Issaquah, Redmond, Bellevue, Mercer Island and the greater Seattle area.

For Sale Soon in Sammamish 98074

Dan Tabit (Northstone Real Estate Inc.) — Tue, 07 May 2013 11:14:57 -0700

For Sale Soon in Sammamish 98074

For Sale Soon in Sammamish, 98074. A home in Sammamish 98074 is being prepared for you right now. This home features 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths and will be move in ready soon. The back yard is a gardener’s delight, but the patio has room for barbeques and just enjoying the beauty of it all.

I will update this post as the date, price range and more details become available. No showings or sneak peeks before it's listed, but contact me if you wish to schedule a showing once we're on the market.

This home will come on Northwest Multiple Listing Service tomorrow morning.

Did you like this post? Do you know someone else who might? Do you know anyone who might benefit from our services? Please pass this along to family or friends or contact us, we love to help.

Dan Tabit 206-310-8629 425-868-SOLD(7653) DanTabit@Northstone.net

One stop Real Estate & Mortgage Services Serving Sammamish, Issaquah, Redmond, Bellevue, Mercer Island and the greater Seattle area.

No, No, No. Please Do Not Do These Things While You Are In Escrow

Dan Tabit (Northstone Real Estate Inc.) — Sat, 04 May 2013 23:33:38 -0700

Sometimes an innocent act can create major unforeseen consequences, like helping a friend by co-signing a loan or consolidating credit cards. Most of the time, this is fine, but while you are in escrow on a home purchase, you don't want to do anything that will create a problem with this.

Here's a great list of things NOT to do while you are planning to buy a home.

Via Kevin Kueneke (Carlsbad CA Mortgage Banker):

As part of Fannie Mae's Loan Quality Initiative (LQI), lenders are required to monitor a borrower's credit throughout the loan process. This can include a "soft" credit pull immediately prior to funding to look for new accounts and inquiries.

Here are ten things that a homebuyer should avoid while in escrow:

•1.     Don't do anything that will cause a red flag to be raised by the scoring system. This would include adding new accounts, co-signing on a loan, changing your name or address with the credit reporting agencies. The less activity on your reports during the loan process, the better.

•2.     Don't apply for new credit of any kind. Including those "you have been pre-approved" credit card invitations that you receive in the mail or online. A new inquiry can potentially lower your credit score.

•3.     Don't pay off collections or charge offs. Unless you can negotiate a delete letter, paying collections will decrease the credit score immediately due to the date of last activity becoming recent. However, in some cases, collections or charge offs must be satisfied as a condition of loan approval, but your lender will most likely only need to update that particular account with a credit supplement vs. a new credit report.

•4.     Don't max out or over charge on your credit card accounts. This is the fastest way to bring your scores down. Try to keep your credit card balances below 30% of their available limit at ALL times during the loan process. If you decide to pay down balances, do it across the board. Meaning, pay balances to bring your balance to limit ratio to the same level on each card (i.e. all to 30% of the limit, or all to 40%, etc.).

•5.     Don't consolidate your debt onto 1 or 2 credit cards. It seems like it would be the smart thing to do, however, when you consolidate all of your debt onto one card, it appears that you are maxed out on that card, and the system will penalize you as mentioned above in 4. If you want to save money on credit card interest rates, wait until after closing.

•6.     Don't close credit card accounts. If you close a credit card account you will lose available credit, and it will appear to the FICO that your debt load has increased. Also, closing a card will affect other factors in the score, such as length of credit history. If you HAVE to close a credit card account, do it after closing.

•7.     Don't pay late. Stay current on existing accounts. Under the new FICO scoring model, one 30-day late can cost you anywhere from 50-100 points, and points lost for late pays take several months if not years to recover.

•8.     Don't allow accounts to run past-due - Even one day! Most cards offer a grace period, however, what they don't tell you is that once the due date passes, that account will show a past due amount on your credit report. Past due balances can also drop scores by 50+ points.

•9.     Don't dispute anything on your credit report. When you send a letter of dispute to the credit reporting agencies, a note is put onto your credit report, and when your lender notices items in dispute they will not process the loan until the note is removed and new credit scores are pulled. Why? Because credit scoring software will not consider items in dispute in the credit score -giving false date to the lender. Disputed accounts are a no-no.

•10. Don't lose contact with your mortgage and real estate professionals! Don't do anything without the ok of both professionals in the transaction, until you have your keys.

These might seem obvious, but better safe than sorry.

Kevin Kueneke, NMLS # 284800
San Diego County Mortgage Specialist
FHA Mortgage Loan Specialist/VA Mortgage Loan Specialist
Direct Lender, Mortgage Banker
Phone 760-500-1919 | Fax 619-419-2324

Visit My Website

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Dan Tabit 206-310-8629 425-868-SOLD(7653) DanTabit@Northstone.net

One stop Real Estate & Mortgage Services Serving Sammamish, Issaquah, Redmond, Bellevue, Mercer Island and the greater Seattle area.

A Few Secrets To Successful Short Sales.

Dan Tabit (Northstone Real Estate Inc.) — Sat, 04 May 2013 22:35:55 -0700

Lenn is an agent of many years of successful experience. Her counsel here is very good and worth considering if you are contemplating buying or selling a home as a short sale. These transactions have been the bane of many agents experience, but there are some who have worked out some kinks and know how to improve the odds of success.

Via Lenn Harley, Real Estate Broker, Virginia & Maryland (Lenn Harley, Homefinders.com, MD & VA Homes and Real Estate):

A Few Secrets To Successful Short Sales.

FACT: There are no regulations for Short Sales. Each financial institution has their own procedures.

FACT: Short Sales are NOT equal in market value to equity sales, despite lender's attempt to treat them equally.

OPINION: Banks do not want to approve Short Sales.

OPINION: Short Sales are the scourge of the real estate industry.

THINGS TO REMEMBER ABOUT SHORT SALES?

1. The listing agent MUST be knowledgeable and communicate well.

2. The buyer MUST be patient and willing to walk away.

3. The buyer's agent must be patient, knowledgeable and willing to walk away.

4. The lender MUST communicate loan details with the agent to avoid unrealistic time frames for locks, etc.

5. There MUST be a trusting relationship between the buyer and the buyer's agent.

6. The seller's agent MUST communicate with the buyer's agent with status on a frequent basis.

7. The seller's agent cannot dictate terms and conditions to the buyer.

8. When the listing agent says "The bank MUST HAVE", they are merely quoting what the bank has told them.

9. Short Sales are far more difficult for listing agents than for buyer's agents.

10. It ain't over till it's over.

ONE THING IS CERTAIN. Buyers Agents MUST "vet" the listing agent's understanding of the Short Sale process.   I don't mean the number of Short Sales they have closed. An agent who understands the Short Sale process may have just taken his/her first Short Sale listing. However, if they are knowledgeable, the likelihood of that listing agent's management of the Short Sale listing and closing is high.

BEFORE WRITING THE OFFER, contact the listing agent and determine the status of the owner/seller. What is the hardship?

DON'T BE AFRAID OF SELLING SHORT SALE LISTINGS. JUST MAKE SURE THAT THE LISTING AGENT IS KNOWLEDGEABLE AND THE BUYER IS PATIENT.

TO SEE ALL SHORT SALE LISTING IN LOUDOUN COUNTY VA TODAY, Click the following URL to see the listings:
http://mrislistings.mris.com/DE.asp?ID=52211266218

Courtesy, Lenn Harley, Broker, Homefinders.com, 800-711-7988. Serving home buyers in Loudoun County, VA.

                                                             *************************************

WHEN EXPERIENCE COUNTS, home buyers will enjoy our many years of serving home buyers in Northern Virginia.
For over 25 years, we've provided home buyers in Loudoun County with . . .

* Comprehensive home searches,
* Personal tours of homes for sale,
* Competitive Market Analysis (CMA) for homes under consideration,
* Experienced financial analysis to help you understand different home loan opportunities,
* Personally manage home inspections, termite inspections, settlement meetings,

AND MUCH, MUCH MORE.



Lenn Harley, Broker, Realtor, Homefinders.com, 800-711-7988

HOMEFINDERS VIDEO

For a tour of homes in your location of choice in Loudoun County, contact Homefinders.com. We'll arrange a wonderful tour and you can get to know the county, shopping, recreation, the real estate market and the hardest working Buyer's Agent in the area.

Lovettsville Homes and real estate
Loudoun County Homes and Real Estate
New Homes Loudoun County VA
Leesburg Real Estate
About real estate in MD and Northern Virginia

http://www.youtube.com/user/HomefindersRealtors

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Want to learn more about Loudoun County, VA? Join Loudoun County, VA on Facebook!

Did you like this post? Do you know someone else who might? Do you know anyone who might benefit from our services? Please pass this along to family or friends or contact us, we love to help.

Dan Tabit 206-310-8629 425-868-SOLD(7653) DanTabit@Northstone.net

One stop Real Estate & Mortgage Services Serving Sammamish, Issaquah, Redmond, Bellevue, Mercer Island and the greater Seattle area.

Jazz Cabaret Night in Sammamish

Dan Tabit (Northstone Real Estate Inc.) — Wed, 01 May 2013 22:08:35 -0700

Jazz Cabaret Night in Sammamish

We recently had the chance to enjoy a night of Jazz music performed by various jazz bands in the Lake Washington School District. Of particular interest to us were Inglewood Middle School where one of our boys is a drummer and Eastlake High School where another plays bass.

This is an annual event and fundraiser for the music programs ranging from Elementary to High School. Desserts and beverages were served and everyone had a great time listening and some even danced. I hope to see you next year when we do it again.

Here are a couple of tunes from that night. Please forgive the shaky video.

Inglewood Middle School Jazz Band Rebecca "Taps" Markov Directing

Eastlake High School Jazz Band Chelsee Nieldfelt Directing

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Dan Tabit 206-310-8629 425-868-SOLD(7653) DanTabit@Northstone.net

One stop Real Estate & Mortgage Services Serving Sammamish, Issaquah, Redmond, Bellevue, Mercer Island and the greater Seattle area.

It May be Listed, but its Not Really For Sale

Dan Tabit (Northstone Real Estate Inc.) — Wed, 01 May 2013 13:04:49 -0700

It May be Listed, but its Not Really For Sale. I had a buyer very excited to see a home last night. It was priced well, in a good neighborhood and met this buyer’s requirements. It wasn’t perfect, it needed a little TLC and the pictures indicated that the house was over furnished and pretty messy.

As I read the remarks in the listing I noted that there were Tenants in the home. This makes for a more complicated showing as they may require 24 hours notice. In my experience, some will allow a showing sooner but not all, tenants do have rights.

I called the “Phone to Show” which usually reaches the tenants. The listing agent answered. I then learned the “Occupants” would require 48 hours notice for showings and the request must be by email or text and we could only proceed if we received confirmation. I began to explain that the Washington State Landlord Tenant Act limited the tenant’s notice to 24 hours, but was abruptly cut off. “Freddie Mac rules are that we are to give them 48 hours….” I asked if the current “occupants” were the previous owners. “Freddie Mac says I’m not allowed to ask that, I can only tell you the rules state….”

My translation; this was probably the previous owners who have stayed past the foreclosure date. They declined an offer of cash for keys and are staying put until they are forcibly evicted. Chances are good that if showings are going to be a challenge, arranging for inspections and appraisals would be even more complicated. My mind was finally made up when the listing agent told me, “Freddie Mac will not guarantee the home would be vacant at the time of closing.” My clients are first time buyers just trying to find a nice affordable home for their young family. They don’t want to be landlords, learn about evictions or be part of pushing another family out of a house they have lost.

So, the home may be listed, but it’s not really for sale.

Did you like this post? Do you know someone else who might? Do you know anyone who might benefit from our services? Please pass this along to family or friends or contact us, we love to help.

Dan Tabit 206-310-8629 425-868-SOLD(7653) DanTabit@Northstone.net

One stop Real Estate & Mortgage Services Serving Sammamish, Issaquah, Redmond, Bellevue, Mercer Island and the greater Seattle area.

The Trossachs Neighborhood, Sammamish WA

Dan Tabit (Northstone Real Estate Inc.) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 19:04:40 -0700

The Trossachs Neighborhood, Sammamish WA

Trossachs is a wonderful neighborhood located on the south east side of Sammamish. The Trossachs neighborhood is served by the award winning Issaquah School District and students there would attend Cascade Ridge Elementary, Beaver Lake Middle School and Skyline High School. (Please confirm specific schools, this may be subject to change over time)

Views into and around Trossachs are amazing. The Cascade Mountains are just beyond your reach, but on a clear day provide a spectacular backdrop. The parks throughout the neighborhood provide great places for neighbors to gather for play dates, both planned and spontaneous.

For a bigger adventure, wander back through Soaring Eagle Park or check out the BMX trails in Duthie Hill Park nearby.

Commutes from Trossachs aren’t what you might expect. The Issaquah Highlands Park & Ride is just 11-12 minutes away with direct lines to downtown Bellevue and Seattle. The Microsoft Main Campus in Redmond is about 25-30 minutes away by car and the Microsoft Commuter stops nearby too.

Home prices in Trossachs are on the rise. The few condos listed in Sterling Park have been selling very quickly and regular checks for homes show few available and the ones that come on the market are sold in just a few days.

For a "peak" at what’s available right now click on Homes for Sale in Trossachs.

View Larger Map

Did you like this post? Do you know someone else who might? Do you know anyone who might benefit from our services? Please pass this along to family or friends or contact us, we love to help.

Dan Tabit 206-310-8629 425-868-SOLD(7653) DanTabit@Northstone.net

One stop Real Estate & Mortgage Services Serving Sammamish, Issaquah, Redmond, Bellevue, Mercer Island and the greater Seattle area.

Silent Sunday, Look UP near Poo Poo Point in Issaquah WA

Dan Tabit (Northstone Real Estate Inc.) — Sun, 28 Apr 2013 23:30:18 -0700

Silent Sunday, Look UP near Poo Poo Point in Issaquah WA

Driving south through Issaquah Front Street becomes the Issaquah Hobart Road. Between Squak Mountain and Tiger Mountain there is a place called Poo Poo Point. It’s a high hill with a bald spot you can see from a distance. If you look closely around the top of the hill you notice something in the air. Actually on a clear sunny day you can see many something’s buzzing around this hill. While driving by, look up and you’ll see anywhere from one to thirty brave souls flying through the air on silk wings.

Did you like this post? Do you know someone else who might? Do you know anyone who might benefit from our services? Please pass this along to family or friends or contact us, we love to help.

Dan Tabit 206-310-8629 425-868-SOLD(7653) DanTabit@Northstone.net

One stop Real Estate & Mortgage Services Serving Sammamish, Issaquah, Redmond, Bellevue, Mercer Island and the greater Seattle area.

Wordless Wednesday, Look Up; There are Tulips in the Trees

Dan Tabit (Northstone Real Estate Inc.) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 16:34:21 -0700

Wordless Wednesday, Look Up; There are Tulips in the Trees

Look up; there are Tulips in the trees! Last week when we toured the Tulip Fields of RoozenGaarde, I couldn’t help but notice these tulips in the trees. Today I’m posting just the one picture. If you care to see the other recent Tulip and Daffodil blogs, you can see Silent Sunday, Tell a Tale of Tulips Game, Wordless Wednesday, Tulips 2013 and Wordless Wednesday, Daffodils?

Did you like this post? Do you know someone else who might? Do you know anyone who might benefit from our services? Please pass this along to family or friends or contact us, we love to help.

Dan Tabit 206-310-8629 425-868-SOLD(7653) DanTabit@Northstone.net

One stop Real Estate & Mortgage Services Serving Sammamish, Issaquah, Redmond, Bellevue, Mercer Island and the greater Seattle area.

Silent Sunday, Tell a Tale of Tulips Game

Dan Tabit (Northstone Real Estate Inc.) — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 00:46:37 -0700

Silent Sunday, Tell a Tale of Tulips Game

Last week while visiting the show gardens of RoozenGaarde in the Skagit Valley, about 90 minutes from Sammamish, we noticed the great names of many of the flowers. In my Wordless Wednesday Tulips 2013 post, I highlighted many groups of flowers throughout the grounds. I will focus on individual Tulips in this post and I have a challenge for you. Can you tell a brief story using some or all of the names of flowers below? It could be fun.

Here are several tulips in alphabetical order.

Aperitif

Ballerina

Barcelona

Cash

Double Price

Fabio

Kung Fu

Magic Price

Money Maker

Outbreak

Princess Irene

Purple Dream

Queen of the Night

Seattle

So, can you tell a brief story using the names of these Tulips? I look forward to your creative results and will reward one of these with a Seattle Gift of a $5.00 Starbucks card. Have fun!

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Dan Tabit 206-310-8629 425-868-SOLD(7653) DanTabit@Northstone.net

One stop Real Estate & Mortgage Services Serving Sammamish, Issaquah, Redmond, Bellevue, Mercer Island and the greater Seattle area.

Wordless Wednesday, Tulips 2013

Dan Tabit (Northstone Real Estate Inc.) — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 23:10:36 -0700

Wordless Wednesday, Tulips 2013

Yesterday was our day to take in the tulips of the Skagit Valley. I’ve heard that outside of Holland, the Skagit Valley produces more Tulip bulbs than anywhere else in the world.

We visited the display gardens of RoozenGaarde this year. My pictures below do not do them justice.

The Tulip Festival runs through April every year.

To see a few more, see my next post, Silent Sunday, Tell a Tale of Tulips.

Did you like this post? Do you know someone else who might? Do you know anyone who might benefit from our services? Please pass this along to family or friends or contact us, we love to help.

Dan Tabit 206-310-8629 425-868-SOLD(7653) DanTabit@Northstone.net

One stop Real Estate & Mortgage Services Serving Sammamish, Issaquah, Redmond, Bellevue, Mercer Island and the greater Seattle area.

Eastlake Sammamish Park, Silent Sunday

Dan Tabit (Northstone Real Estate Inc.) — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 20:29:18 -0700

Eastlake Sammamish Park, Silent Sunday

Eastlake Sammamish Park, (aka ESP) is a place to play, party & picnic. Located at the on the northern side of Sammamish is Eastlake Sammamish Park. The covered area can be reserved for group events.

The ball fields are busy this time of year with Eastlake Little League almost every night.

The play structures are rarely this quiet, but it was a cool school day when I took these.

View Larger Map

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Dan Tabit 206-310-8629 425-868-SOLD(7653) DanTabit@Northstone.net

One stop Real Estate & Mortgage Services Serving Sammamish, Issaquah, Redmond, Bellevue, Mercer Island and the greater Seattle area.

On Nights Like This, I Miss the Kingdome

Dan Tabit (Northstone Real Estate Inc.) — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 01:00:51 -0700

On Nights Like This, I Miss the Kingdome

On nights like this, I miss the Kingdome. I purchased tickets for tonight’s Mariners game against the Texas Rangers a few weeks back for a fundraiser. Normally, on 50 degree days and colder nights, if I’m going to watch my Mariners play, it’s from the comfort of my Lazy-Boy.

The drive in across I-90 was through several downpours of rain. My wipers went from intermittent, to low to high to “where’s the road now” and back again. We found reasonable parking not too far away and waited out a rain squall in the car. I have an app on my droid called Raindar, which shows the storms over a map. We waited until we saw it lighten up and made our dash to Safeco.

Once inside, we were under the retractable roof, a compromise between the concrete lid of the Kingdome and an open air field. The roof though does not stop the wind. The Kingdome was a comfortable 70 degrees year round. I attended numerous events there in the winter, mostly Seahawk games and it was not uncommon that you dressed warm for the walk there, but were overdressed once inside. Safeco was in the mid 40’s when we arrived. Hail was falling all around the Northwest. My Facebook was suddenly full of pictures that looked like winter as friends posted their suddenly white surroundings.

The only thing white we saw inside were a few baseballs hit our way during batting practice. Standing in dead centerfield while the teams warmed up, it was fun to track the balls and imagine catching one in my bare hands.

The game eventually started and we sat near the clouds, ok the roof since the clouds were technically outside. One row higher and we would have been as high as the stadium gets. I didn’t pick our seats; they were bought as a fundraiser for a friend’s son. The game itself was typical Mariner baseball. Get an early lead, leave a lot of runners on base and lose late in the game.

Don’t misunderstand, I love baseball. Safeco is as good a stadium as any in the league, a combination of old school style and modern convenience. Tonight was my first look at our huge video screen, the largest in baseball, it was great. I have many happy memories of my Mariners, but it’s been a while since they were competitive and I’d sure like to see some meaningful baseball being played in the fall.

I’ll be back for more as the season goes on; when it’s been warm and sunny and I can watch the sunset over the Olympic mountains out the west side of the stadium, but on nights like this, I miss the warmth of The Kingdome.

Did you like this post? Do you know someone else who might? Do you know anyone who might benefit from our services? Please pass this along to family or friends or contact us, we love to help.

Dan Tabit 206-310-8629 425-868-SOLD(7653) DanTabit@Northstone.net

One stop Real Estate & Mortgage Services Serving Sammamish, Issaquah, Redmond, Bellevue, Mercer Island and the greater Seattle area.

Wordless Wednesday, Cherry Blossoms in Sammamish

Dan Tabit (Northstone Real Estate Inc.) — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 23:24:47 -0700

Wordless Wednesday, Cherry Blossoms in Sammamish

Cherry Blossoms are busting out all over the Northwest. These white blossoms are set against some pink, making a nice color contrast. Our daffodils are blooming and the Tulip Festival in La Conner has started. I’ll be making my annual trip there after the taxes are done.

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Dan Tabit 206-310-8629 425-868-SOLD(7653) DanTabit@Northstone.net

One stop Real Estate & Mortgage Services Serving Sammamish, Issaquah, Redmond, Bellevue, Mercer Island and the greater Seattle area.

What’s a Neighborhood Review, aka a Gladys Kravitz Clause?

Dan Tabit (Northstone Real Estate Inc.) — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 22:48:01 -0700

What’s a Neighborhood Review, aka a Gladys Kravitz Clause?

What’s a neighborhood review, also known as a Gladys Kravitz Clause? Gladys Kravitz was a character in the 1960’s show “Bewitched.” She was forever staring out her window seeing the Stevens’ household in some unique set of circumstances and catching Samantha, her mother Endora, father Maurice, daughter Tabitha, Aunt Clara, Uncle Arthur or some other character using witchcraft.

She is the neighborhood busy body that knows what’s going on even if no one believes her. During a neighborhood review, I encourage my buyers to meet their potential new neighbors, especially the local Gladys Kravitz. If there is anything going on that is uncomfortable or unfortunate, the time to find out is before you are fully obligated.

I often explain it this way. If the Hatfield’s are living on your right and the McCoy’s are living on your left and your back yard is the shooting gallery, let’s find another home.

Now the standard contracts I use in Washington have a neighborhood review option for me to complete, but I don’t recommend we use it. By checking the box on the Inspection Contingency we are telling the seller, we are looking for a way out. The default Neighborhood review period is 3 days. During the inspection period, commonly up to 10 days, we have the right to rescind our offer if the home does not meet our “subjective approval.”

So, some people are now confused. Don’t check the box? Yes, leave the box unchecked. DO meet your potential neighbors. Find out now if this is a safe, happy neighborhood that meets your expectations.

One last note, while every neighborhood may have a Gladys Kravitz, most neighborhoods has a neighborhood grump too. If you only meet Mr. Grump, plan another trip back before making up your mind. Chances are the wonderful neighbors you’re looking for were out having fun and just didn’t invite Mr. Grump.

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Dan Tabit 206-310-8629 425-868-SOLD(7653) DanTabit@Northstone.net

One stop Real Estate & Mortgage Services Serving Sammamish, Issaquah, Redmond, Bellevue, Mercer Island and the greater Seattle area.

What's the cost per SF for that home for sale?

Dan Tabit (Northstone Real Estate Inc.) — Sun, 31 Mar 2013 21:25:49 -0700

Juli has done a great job breaking down one of my pet peeves. $perSqFt or Dollars per square foot is like comparing tomatoes. Roma tomatoes are often the least expensive while ripened on the vine tomatoes are more expensive and heirloom tomatoes are usually the most expensive, but they are all tomatoes right? One may be two to three times the the price of the other.

While this is one measure, it is not the be all end all when evaluating values.

Via Juli Vosmik - Scottsdale/Cave Creek, AZ real estate 480-710-0739, AZ license: SA582226000 (Dominion Real Estate Partners, LLC, Scottsdale, AZ):

What's the cost per SF for that home for sale?

I hear this question often as some people get fixated on the cost per SF when looking to buy or sell a home. The fallacy with relying SOLELY on the cost per SF is that it doesn't take other factors into place: lot size, pool, garage count, updating/upgrading, and overall condition being just some of the other factors to consider.

Recently, a buyer stated, "That home is the second highest priced home per SF and it's obviously priced too high." So, I did some further searching. The home he was interested in is UPGRADED with new flooring, cabinets, countertops, plumbing fixtures, and freshly painted inside and out. It has a pool, a 3 car garage and is on a corner lot with views of the area mountains.

The other comps in the subdivision to which he was comparing the cost per SF had only a 2 car garage, some had no pools, most had homes on all sides and immediately behind, most were not updated/upgraded.

While the cost per SF at first glance did appear high, there are so many other factors to consider when deciding if the cost per SF is out of line. Don't just look at the numbers - look at ALL factors. Have your knowledgeable Realtor® spend a few minutes with you deciphering all of the factors in home pricing.

When you know all of the facts, the cost per SF may have little meaning when deciding whether a home is priced correctly.

Scottsdale and Cave Creek Real Estate

Juli Vosmik

Dominion Real Estate Partners, LLC

480-710-0739

Helping you make informed decisions whether buying or selling homes in Scottsdale, Cave Creek and north Phoenix Arizona. I know the area - I live here.

A portion of all sales is donated to the various animal rescue and humane societies.

AZ license SA582226000

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Dan Tabit 206-310-8629 425-868-SOLD(7653) DanTabit@Northstone.net

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If Christ Has Not Been Raised, Your Faith is Futile

Dan Tabit (Northstone Real Estate Inc.) — Sun, 31 Mar 2013 09:29:12 -0700

If Christ Has Not Been Raised, Your Faith is Futile

If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile...we are of all people most to be pitied. 1 Cor 15:17-19

Easter is not about bunnies, chocolates or peeps. These are fine and I enjoy them too, but if not for this singular moment in history, all of our lives would be different. Has the resurrected Savior impacted you beyond our date system and our common holidays?

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Dan Tabit 206-310-8629 425-868-SOLD(7653) DanTabit@Northstone.net

One stop Real Estate & Mortgage Services Serving Sammamish, Issaquah, Redmond, Bellevue, Mercer Island and the greater Seattle area.

What is a clean offer, when buying a home?

Dan Tabit (Northstone Real Estate Inc.) — Sat, 30 Mar 2013 22:11:04 -0700

What is a Clean Offer when Buying a Home? A clean offer is one with few if any contingencies that could snag or cause a sale to fail.

When writing an offer to buy a home, I try to write as clean an offer as possible in order to make the terms acceptable to the seller. There are no limits to the contingencies a buyer can add to their offer. Some are fairly standard and easily accepted most of the time, but with each additional contingency a seller has a reason to say no.

Some common ones are Pending Sale, Neighborhood Review, Home Owners Association Review, Septic Inspection, Well Contingency, Title Review, General Inspection, Financing Contingency, Appraisal Contingency, Feasibility Contingency, Lead Based Paint just to name a few.

With each “escape hatch“ built into a contract a seller worries that the buyer really isn’t committed to completing the purchase. With less commitment from the buyer, the seller may hold out on price to make the risk palatable.

Now don’t get me wrong, each of these has a specific purpose and may be reasonable or even necessary to include in a given circumstance, but some may overlap and be redundant. Why add a neighborhood review which generally has a 3 day limit when you have a 7 day inspection period? Inspect the neighborhood on your own during the inspection period and use the inspection contingency if you find unacceptable information, like a meth house in the neighborhood.

Each contingency in a contract has a deadline attached to it. Exercising due diligence early on and using a contract with the least number of contingencies necessary will present a clean offer to a seller. They are more likely to accept this type of offer and may give you some price consideration as well.

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Dan Tabit 206-310-8629 425-868-SOLD(7653) DanTabit@Northstone.net

One stop Real Estate & Mortgage Services Serving Sammamish, Issaquah, Redmond, Bellevue, Mercer Island and the greater Seattle area.

When is my Earnest Money at Risk?

Dan Tabit (Northstone Real Estate Inc.) — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 20:26:45 -0700

When is my Earnest Money at Risk?

You’ve looked long and hard for just the right house. You found one that is worth not only your money, but the life and memories you intend to spend in it, but it’s still a huge investment. We write an offer and I ask the question, “How much shall we put down for earnest money”?

Earnest money is a good faith deposit telling the seller, “If you accept my offer and take your house off the market, I’ll put something at risk to secure our deal.” The earnest money check is cashed upon mutual acceptance of the terms of the offer and typically held in a trust account.

How much earnest money we decide to put down is part of our offer strategy. There is no “standard” or “required” amount. The money you elect to put at risk will depend on your available funds, your level of commitment and the potential of other competing offers.

When is the earnest money at risk? Your contract will contain the specific answer to this question. In general terms however, the earnest money is at risk if you break the terms of the contract. There will be contingencies built into the contract which will allow you terminate your offer for a specific reason, within a set timeframe. For example, every contract I prepare has an inspection contingency. If during the inspection contingency period, you elect to not complete the purchase, we can give notice and you would be entitled to your earnest money back. Other common contingencies would be reviewing the Home Owners Association rules and regulations, a well or septic inspection and of course financing.

The key to keeping your earnest money safe is to maintain the terms and timelines contained in your contract.

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Dan Tabit 206-310-8629 425-868-SOLD(7653) DanTabit@Northstone.net

One stop Real Estate & Mortgage Services Serving Sammamish, Issaquah, Redmond, Bellevue, Mercer Island and the greater Seattle area.

What do I do When the Buyer Walks Away?

Dan Tabit (Northstone Real Estate Inc.) — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 22:14:47 -0700

What do I do When the Buyer Walks Away?

So you listed your home for sale and had a huge turnout at the open house. Your agent was flooded with phone calls and interest and you had several offers to choose from. Sound great, a seller’s paradise compared to not that long ago.

Along comes the inspection and low and behold some issues are uncovered and the buyer walks away. WHAT??? Yes, a buyer can walk away after the inspection. The Washington Inspection Contingency is conditioned upon the Buyer’s “Subjective Satisfaction.” This means the buyer may elect to rescind their offer without giving a reason or allowing a seller to resolve the issues.

So, you as the seller are back on the market and hopefully aware of some issues with the house. Now, with knowledge of the inspection issues you have a new obligation to disclose what you know. Back when you first listed your home for sale you were to complete a Seller’s Disclosure form. This form is where you disclose any known issues with the home, even if they have been addressed and you believe they are resolved. Now that you are aware of the inspection results you need to update this form with the new information.

By keeping this information up to date, your next buyer will see you are an honest proactive seller and you will stay out of trouble. You'll soon go from no sale to $OLD!

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Dan Tabit 206-310-8629 425-868-SOLD(7653) DanTabit@Northstone.net

One stop Real Estate & Mortgage Services Serving Sammamish, Issaquah, Redmond, Bellevue, Mercer Island and the greater Seattle area.

Wordless Wednesday, Daffodils?

Dan Tabit (Northstone Real Estate Inc.) — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 10:18:59 -0700

Wordless Wednesday, Daffodils?

Spring is taking hold across the Northwest. Local Daffodils are sprouting up in bunches, but if you want to see all you can, a short drive up I-5 to the La Conner area will take your breath away. This field of yellow spreads as far as you can see. Acres and Acres greet you about an hour north of Sammamish. The Skagit Valley Tulip Festival starts April 1st. I'll be posting some pictures from there again soon.

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Dan Tabit 206-310-8629 425-868-SOLD(7653) DanTabit@Northstone.net

One stop Real Estate & Mortgage Services Serving Sammamish, Issaquah, Redmond, Bellevue, Mercer Island and the greater Seattle area.

Home Buyers & Home Brewers around Sammamish & the Eastside

Dan Tabit (Northstone Real Estate Inc.) — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 20:01:57 -0700

Home Buyers & Home Brewers around Sammamish & the Eastside.

I enjoy a good craft beer. I’d rather drink one quality ale than any amount of the more popular beers, and one is usually all I have. With this in mind, when I turned 30 my wife and best friend bought me my first Home Brewing Kit. It came complete with the ingredients and instructions for a simple Amber Ale. The most difficult part of making my first batch was waiting for the wort (pronounced wert) to ferment. The wort is the mix of grain extracts, water and hops.

After boiling the grain extract, hops and water this mixture is put into a fermenting chamber where the yeast is added and is then sealed with an airlock. During the fermentation process Co2 air bubbles are released as the tiny microorganisms convert the sugars in the grain extract into alcohol. The greater the sugar content of the grains the higher potential alcohol content of the beer.

Over the years my equipment has developed and improved, but it has also been very dormant for a long time. Home Brewing is a fun hobby if you have the time, the space and a patient spouse.

Locally there are several places that supply the home brewer. My first and favorite source is Larry’s Brewing Supply in Kent, Washington. Larry supplied my wife and friend with my first set up over 20 years ago. He’s beyond knowledgeable and helpful. Beyond beer, he sells wine and even soda making supplies.

Mountain Homebrew & Wine Supply in Kirkland is much closer to me. They offer everything from brewing and wine making starter kits to cheese making supplies.

How does this relate to home buying? Well, the process can also take a while, it needs the proper mixture of ingredients to come out with a tasteful result. You need a “sterile” process to avoid contamination both from stay molds and yeasts as well as well intended but uninformed helpers. In both cases a Master Brewer or Experienced Broker can make the difference in something wonderful to something you’ll regret.

For the past 10 years or more my brewing time has just about evaporated, but my Broker experience has expanded greatly. Need help buying, selling or with a beer recipe? Let’s talk!

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Dan Tabit 206-310-8629 425-868-SOLD(7653) DanTabit@Northstone.net

One stop Real Estate & Mortgage Services Serving Sammamish, Issaquah, Redmond, Bellevue, Mercer Island and the greater Seattle area.

From Sammamish in 30 Minutes or Less; Shopping Malls

Dan Tabit (Northstone Real Estate Inc.) — Sun, 24 Mar 2013 16:43:33 -0700

From Sammamish in 30 Minutes or Less; Shopping Malls

From Sammamish in 30 minutes or less; Shopping Malls. Shopping, whether for clothes, outdoor gear, tools or electronics is something we all get to do. Some people call it Retail Therapy. If you live in Sammamish, have a car and want a little retail therapy in a mall setting where can you go in 30 minutes or less?

Redmond Town Center, The Market Place at Factoria, Crossroads Mall, North Bend Premium Outlet Mall, and of course the grand daddy of all local malls, Bellevue Square. This is by no means a comprehensive list of all the smaller quaint shopping centers around. Gilman Village in Issaquah is a great spot, but hardly a mall.

Depending on traffic, weather and where in Sammamish you start, any of these locations can be arrived at in 30 minutes or less most of the time. Don’t have a car? Metro Transit can get you there too.

The maps below will highlight the locations of each of these area malls where you can walk comfortably from store to store and stay out of any weather for the most part while you shop until you drop.

View Larger MapRedmond Town Center, Redmond

View Larger MapThe Market Place at Factoria, Bellevue

View Larger MapCrossroads Mall, Bellevue

View Larger MapNorth Bend Premium Outlet Mall

View Larger MapBellevue Square Mall, The Bellevue Collection

View Larger MapGillman Village, Issaquah WA

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Dan Tabit 206-310-8629 425-868-SOLD(7653) DanTabit@Northstone.net

One stop Real Estate & Mortgage Services Serving Sammamish, Issaquah, Redmond, Bellevue, Mercer Island and the greater Seattle area.