Agents....Show Off Your Best Staging Moment - 02/27/09 10:14 AM
Realtor Magazine has launched a new design blog, Styled, Staged & Sold. They are currently looking for photo submissions from Real Estate practioners (it doesn't mention stagers).
Send in your best before & after photos along with the following information:
Which room you selected What was wrong with the room What you did to improve it.   If selected your photo will be featured in an online slide show on Realtor Magazine online. Wouldn't that be a cool addition to your listing presentation?
 
 
 
  Colleen Fischesser is the Broker/Owner of RE/MAX Select in Maple Valley, WA. She has been … (6 comments)

What Do Homes Rent for in Maple Valley? - 02/26/09 10:23 PM
There's one area of the real estate market which is booming in Maple Valley and it's the Rental Market! Inventory is very low and demand remains high. Currently there are only 5 Active Rental listings within the Tahoma School District. This listings have an average rental asking price of $1979/month.
In the last 6 months, 29 homes have been rented with an average per month price of $1797. The majority of these listings are for 12 month lease terms.
If you're a Maple Valley homeowner who would like to find out more about the leasing process and property management services on … (2 comments)

The Maple Valley "Sold Club" - 02/26/09 09:44 PM
Q: Are homes selling in Maple Valley? 
A: Yep.
Q: Are many homes selliing in Maple Valley?
A: It depends on your definition of "many".
All kidding aside, if you're thinking of selling now or in the near future, your chances of success are much greater if your home falls within the "popular" price range.
Read more on Moving Maple Valley
 
Get More Info on Short Sales & Foreclosure Help in Maple Valley
 Find out what your Maple Valley home is worth.
Find My Maple Valley Dream Home!
SouthEast King County Bank Owned Featured Listings
 
  Colleen Fischesser is the … (3 comments)

9+ Acres in Maple Valley 3 Tax Parcel $499,950 - 02/26/09 01:58 PM
This property is being offered at $499,950….significantly below King County’s assessed value of approximately $820,000! Included is a 1968 split-level home with 3 Bedrooms, 2.25 baths and approximately 2020 sq. feet of living space*, a one car attached garage as well as an oversized 2 car detached garage. The home sits on one acre and is served by an on-site septic system and an individual well.
That’s Parcel #1
Parcel #2 is approximately 2.45 acres, has an existing septic design which hasn’t yet been submitted to the County for Health Department approval. A preliminary meeting was held with the County and … (0 comments)

Maple Ridge 3000+ w/ Rainier View for Lease Now! - 02/24/09 05:47 PM
… (2 comments)

Please Don't Tell Me How To Run My Business - 02/21/09 03:13 PM
I received a call a few weeks ago from an agent who was leaving another RE/MAX office.  This person wanted to know if I would cut them "a deal". As much as I dislike talking fees over the phone (whenever a conversation begins this way, it's usually not one I want to spend much time or effort on) I told the agent that I don't "cut deals" and explained the 3 desk fee plans I offer to Associates.
This agent then went on to try to educate me about the changing industry and asked if I was aware what other brokers … (109 comments)

What Maple Valley Owners Need to Know About Foreclosures - 02/21/09 11:31 AM
There are many misconceptions about home owners who are facing foreclosure, one of the biggest being the idea that the process is inevitable. There are steps you can take which may help you to avoid foreclosure altogether.
If you’ve fallen behind on payments, you’ll likely begin to receive calls and letters from your mortgage holder(s). Do not ignore them! It is imperative to contact your lender to begin a dialog with your bank. You will hopefully be able to find out whether and how they will work with you.
Educating yourself is the first step.
Here is a link to Washington … (1 comments)

At Least I'm Not A Builder! - 02/20/09 10:45 PM
For a brief time during the “run up” my husband and I considered buying a lot and building a spec home. We had recently had a successful investment experience and were feeling sassy and confident (ok that was me, my husband was willing to appease me) in the effort to create our own reality.
Of course we didn’t know that the run-up would be shut down by such a stomach flipping (think roller coaster) drop which  happened (in my area anyway) at the end of July 2007.
Yes. I know the month. Exactly.
It was as if someone threw a switch. … (8 comments)

Like A Shiny New Penny...Freshly Painted AND Reduced in Valley Meadows! - 02/20/09 10:03 PM
… (6 comments)

Maple Valley Homes on Acreage-Market Report - 02/19/09 04:28 PM
Rural Maple Valley presents various opportunities for buyers looking to s-p-r-e-a-d out. Whether you're looking for a detached shop to store the boat and "toys", outbuildings and pasture for horses or have a dream of living in a gated community where you have the best of both worlds; neighbors but elbow room.....we've got it! (And if it's not available for sale now, we'll try our best to find it for you)  There's even a home available now with it's own lake!
Whether you own a home on acreage or would like to, here's the Market report for Single family homes on 1+ … (3 comments)

Ready to Buy Your First Home in Maple Valley? - 02/19/09 09:54 AM
February has historically been a month when home buyers can make a great deal. Much of the existing inventory has languished on the market over the holidays and owners who were hopeful January would bring them an interested buyer, have been disappointed. By February, many of these discourged owners are looking for an offer....any offer!
"WHY DON'T THEY JUST MAKE ME AN OFFER?!" (I've heard this a time or two from sellers)
Of course this doesn't mean they will take any offer,but getting the dialog going and working with an experienced professional negotiating on your behalf can often mean the difference … (7 comments)

Banks Giving Lip Service to Distressed Owners - 02/16/09 07:28 PM
I guess in a way I'm reblogging myself here. But I think this topic is too important to be ignored. We, as an industry need to step up and let everyone we know aware of what's going on with Short Sales and the log-jam they are creating in the marketplace. This was posted yesterday on my outside blog.
________________
In a recent article by Mark Calvey of the San Francisco Business Times, a Wells Fargo spokesman is quoted in support for customers facing foreclosure. After acknowledging that many of the loans Wells Fargo services are owned by other companies and investors, … (15 comments)

Field of Dreams.....Ignore The Voices - 02/14/09 07:46 PM
Remember those whispers that plagued Kevin Costner's character, Ray Kinsella,  in the movie Field of Dreams...."If you build it...they will come"; softly muted, carried on the wind through rustling corn stalks? They made him wonder if he was crazy until he decided to do what the stinking voices told him to do.
I wonder how many of us heard those same voices prior to this market decline?  "Buy it and the money will come".  I know many in the real estate industry did, and certainly Home Builders heard their own version:  "If you build it, they will buy!".
Year to Date … (7 comments)

Smell Trumps Sound - 02/14/09 05:00 PM
Remember the game “Rock, Paper, Scissors”? Two people make a fist, count to three and then reveal their hand to show they’ve chosen Rock (the fist), paper (open palm) or scissors (”v” made with the index and middle fingers). Rock beat scissors, scissors beat paper, paper beat rock…..

This game came to mind a few weeks ago when I was showing nearby homes. We went into one “funky” house, and while funky isn’t always a bad thing, this one was not only funky, but it smelled really bad. It was a smell I couldn’t associate with anything (which frankly concerned … (14 comments)

Thursday plans....Bloodhound What? - 02/11/09 08:41 PM
So tomorrow's the big day....Bloodhound Unchained "preview" in Seattle at Zillow headquarters.
I'm a little intimidated if the truth be known, and am not entirely sure what to expect. But it's in Seattle and an opportunity to learn more from some of the best internet marketer/bloggers in the Country. 
Thanks (I think) to Scott Cowan for putting this together and inviting me. I'm looking forward to learning from Brian Brady. I've heard  Greg Swann will be debating Redfin CEO Glenn Kelman, and I may have to smuggle my FLIP for that....
Again, not sure exactly what to expect, but am looking forward … (13 comments)

Available South East King County Inventory Report - 02/10/09 09:15 PM
Talk of a 10% (up to $15,000) tax credit has the phones ringing and buyers sitting up and taking notice. There is still a good selection of inventory available throughout King County. Here is a price comparison of available homes in our corner of the County. These numbers reflect single family residential properties listed through NWMLS as of today's date.

Kent/Easthill Area:
566 Homes Available wth an average list price of $388,317. The Median price is $320,763
Maple Valley/Covington/Black Diamond Area:
455 Homes Available with an average list price of $455,411. The Median price is $320,763
Auburn/Auburn Easthill Area:
294 … (1 comments)

Cherokee Bay February Market Snapshot - 02/04/09 02:50 PM

The sun is out and I know many who live in Cherokee Bay are counting the days until they can once again head to the lake to sun & swim at the Community lakefront park on Pipe Lake.
Whether you live in Cherokee Bay now or are looking to move to the Maple Valley area you can get more information on the Cherokee Bay community here or other discover other Maple Valley neighborhoods.
Here's what's going on in Cherokee Bay as far as real estate goes:
Currently there are 14 homes on the market with an average List price of $264,361. Five of … (6 comments)

Donut Hole Project Approved by King County Council....No Surprise There! - 02/03/09 09:53 AM
According to a recent article in The Seattle Times, the sale of the property locally known as the Donut Hole has finally been approved by the King County Council. The 156 acres which is County owned but is surrounded completely by the City of Maple Valley has been the topic of controversy for several years now. It even made it onto Jay Leno's  Tonight Show.
The City of Maple Valley initially was given no input as to the density of development, and yet the City and School District would feel the burden of providing emergency services, maintaining roads under the increased traffic and taking on additional students in … (8 comments)

Maple Valley Market Snapshot - 02/02/09 06:27 PM
Inventory is definitely declining in the Maple Valley market which is a good sign towards stabilization. Some owners have pulled their properties from the market; leasing rather than selling at a lower price or willing to wait for values to increase, but the inventory is also being absorbed by buyers sensing this is the time to jump in...whether first timers or investors.
 
Here's a snapshot of what the Maple Valley inventory currently looks like:
ACTIVE LISTINGS:
There are currently 287 Active Listings on the market with the highest price $4,875,000 and the lowest price $119,900. The median price is $494,827. These listings average 144 days on market.  
… (1 comments)

 
Cfar Rainmaker_large

NW Real Estate |Colleen Fischesser & CO Seattle to Tacoma|Short Sale Specialist!

Maple Valley, WA

More about me…

RE/MAX Select R.E | Designated Broker/Owner

Address: 1002 Park Ave N Suite A, Renton, WA, 98057

Office Phone: (425) 432-5400

Cell Phone: (206) 491-3819

Email Me

The Real Estate Scoop as it pertains to the Pacific Northwest, primarily South East King County where you can get more for your money but are within driving distance of the Seattle Waterfront or Cascade Mountain Ranges. I love to keep on top of what is going on it the local market and with new technology in the industry. Feel free to email or post a comment or question anytime!

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