Patrick's Blog

New Bellingham Wa. Condo Townhome Listing!

Patrick Johnson (Windermere) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 13:19:43 -0600

Just Bring Your Cloths!This beautiful Townhome condo in Bellingham's Cordata district comes fully furnished with over $7500 of newer top end furniture + New fridge/HW tank! Fantastic floorplan with living area and 1/2 bath on main floor, two beds and full bath (along with W/D) upstairs makes this home perfect for anyone as a first home or a downsize house! Private patio, storage and reserved parking add to this superb home that is just minutes from shopping, I-5 and BCC! Don't Wait!

Photo Gallery: http://www.windermere.com/tid273904

SOLD! Telegraph Ridge Condo in Bellingham Wa.!

Patrick Johnson (Windermere) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:46:54 -0600

Congrats to Brian L. who closed on his Telegraph Ridge Condo home at the end of last week!

This photo gallery shows what a great deal these units are (and there are only 3 left!)!

http://www.windermere.com/tid265429

Way to go Brian, and congratulations!

Bellingham Washington Real Estate Stats

Patrick Johnson (Windermere) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 19:58:32 -0500

The Bellingham Washington real estate market is seeing a fair amount of movement This month. Since the beginning of October 2009, the following stats are what I found on the MLS data base for homes priced between $250,000 and $350,000. I picked this price range as it reflects the "meat" of the market for 1st time home buyers and slight"move up" market prices.

Between October 1, 2009 and October 26th, 2009 there were 70 transactions:

1) 30 new listings priced between $250k-$350k

2) 16 "pending" transactions between $250k-$350k

3) 24 "Sold" transactions between $250k-$350k.

The same period in 2008 had 21 sold homes, so there was a slight increase in traffic. A few interesting facts about the two different sold groups are that the price per sq. ft. hasn't changed very much ($176 per last year and $175 this year) but the "Days on Market" went from a 172 day average last year to only 83 this year!

Lets see how this compares in the coming months as I will do more comparisons soon!

Patrick Johnson, ABR E-pro

Windermere RE, Bellingham Washington.

Tips for being THE buyer that gets the home!

Patrick Johnson (Windermere) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 13:21:09 -0500

While I am not a lender, part of my job as your Real Estate agent is making the home buying process as easy and trouble free as possible.

Nothing is more important for a home buyer than finding out how much you can spend, and just as important, how much you WANT to spend when you start your search for your new home.

The local Real Estate market here in Bellingham Washington has leveled out in terms of buyer/seller leverage. It has been a buyers market for some time, and still seems to be at the high end of the market. But at the entry level price point, and the mid level price point, there is lots of activity and it is very important to make sure all your "ducks" are in a row when you find that house you love!

Here are a few tips:

1) Its very important to start with a reputable lender! Ask friends or co workers you trust who they recommend. Then do your own research!

2) Definitely shop around. After you have found a few lenders you feel you can work with, it will be simple to get their interest rates off web sites or a quick phone call. It will take just a short conversation to find out how much you will be qualified for. And they should be able to guarantee closing costs and closing dates also.

3) Be ready to provide paperwork the lender will need to qualify you after you have chosen who you want work with. This will usually include things like your last two W-2 forms, a couple recent pay stubs and bank statements. Remember that the bank will run a credit check on you, so ask them if it will hurt your rating when they do check.

4) Get pre-approved! The lender should be able to get you your pre approval amount within a day after they receive all your paperwork. Ask them how long the pre-approval will be good for too!

5) Remember to keep on top of them regarding deadlines like appraisals, loan documents etc.

Remember, this will help you stay ahead of the game if you are competing against another buyer for the same home! If you want to be THE buyer instead of the OTHER buyer, be prepared.

It is my job to help you be as prepared as possible. If it comes to financing or inspections or negotiation on price!

Patrick Johnson, ABR E-pro

Windermere RE

Bellingham Washington

Home Seller Nightmares, Concerns and Answers....

Patrick Johnson (Windermere) — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 12:54:28 -0500

Does this look like you or your seller customers??

This is the last look we want our sellers to display! And sellers definitely don't want to be frustrated as they go through one of the biggest financial transactions of their life!

My question to all of you is this. When you are listing a home, or if you are a home seller, what are your major concerns when it comes to selling your home? And what situations have you found yourself in?

Is it something along the normal lines of "what happens if the buyer backs out at the last minute"?.

Or how about "What do I do about my privacy/documents/medicine while my house is on the market?

If you are an agent, what scenarios have sellers asked you about during your listing presentation?

Are they frustrated at the time it takes to sell in this market?

I DO NOT want to see my sellers to look like this!

What are your stories, and more importantly, solutions to big problems you have encountered in your listings?

Now ^THIS^ is what we want our sellers to feel like during the selling process!

Share your stories and solutions to help others keep their full head of hair!

Patrick Johnson, ABR E-pro

Windermere RE, Bellingham Wa.

Does The $15,000 Tax Credit for home buyers have a chance?

Patrick Johnson (Windermere) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 16:09:40 -0500

I have been doing some reading/researching on the issue of a proposed extension/increase of the current $8000 1st time home buyer tax credit bill issued by Sen. Isakson (R) Georgia.

After being first introduced earlier this summer, the bill seemed to to fade away as other bills took over importance. The bill also had co-sponsors from both political parties including Chris Dodd (D).

The bill sounds like it has been reintroduced with even more support from both sides of the isle and has several changes included that will help even more people their current home buying situation.

These changes include:

1. Removal of the income cap that had been limited to $75k ($150k jointly).

2. Opens up the program to include ALL buyers, not just first time home buyers.

3. Most importantly, changes the tax credit from $8000 to $15000!

4. Would be able to spread tax credit over a two year period.

While I did like the current tax credit program, it did not do as much as I had hoped it would. There were a couple of reasons for that. One reason was that our market the last four or five years was so active that most people had already got into the market for the first time. With the rule that you had to have not owned a home for the last three years, it didn't affect as many people as it could have in other markets. The other reason is that while the tax credit was great, you still had to have lenders actually lend you the money on homes that first time home buyers could afford. In our market, that included a large percentage of Condos. Lenders have been to reluctant to loan money on condos without large down payments, so that hurt a lot of people also.

I am hopefull that this new bill will be passed into law and open up opportunities for more people to get the market moving again as it is a giant part of our economic recovery!

Bellingham Washington Pre-Forclosure needs Landscaping to SHINE!!

Patrick Johnson (Windermere) — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 19:32:32 -0500

Don't miss this outstanding value!! Completely remodeled f/studs up in beautiful contemporary style. Unbelievable upgraded material used throughout, Bamboo floor/Kitchen cabinets. Island, stunning granite countertops! 3rd bedroom/media room, large Master suite w/large walk-in closet and stunning master bath! Driveway has gated entry, home features 2 stainless fireplaces, vaulted ceilings and lots of natural light. You must see inside this home! Imagine full landscaping and appliances, stunning!

PHOTO GALLERY: http://www.windermere.com/tid247107

Patrick Johnson, ABR E-pro

Windermere RE Bellingham wa.

Looking for ALOT of room with ALOT of Bedrooms?

Patrick Johnson (Windermere) — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 19:21:39 -0500

Can you say bang for your buck?. Almost new 4200sq. ft. home on 1.21 private acres!

This great home features 5+ beds and 4.75 baths. Another great feature of this home is a 2+bed/2full bath Mother-in-law suite with separate huge Kitchen!

The main living area has 20' vaulted ceilings, an upstairs bonus room with large bathroom, sep. formal + living areas, a HUGE kitchen w/granite counter tops and tile floors, plus dining bar, 8' sliding door with transom windows for light that leads to Massive entertaining deck outside. The extra large Master suite w/bay window has a walk in closet and double vanity in the master bath.

The outside features a large fenced play area on the backside of the home with peagravel for year round play! There is tons of parking and a couple of small outbuildings for storage.

The builder/seller is ready for offers should you want to take advantage of massive square footage and convenient location of this lovely home on acreage!

Just 15 minutes to the Canadian border and 45 minutes to beautiful downtown Vancouver B.C Canada, while close enough to Bellingham Wa. that it takes only 15 minutes to travel there also!

Contact me for more info! Photo Gallery: http://www.windermere.com/tid248031

Patrick Johnson, ABR E-pro

Windermere RE, Bellingham Wa.

Fantastic Condos in Bellingham Washington!

Patrick Johnson (Windermere) — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 13:15:40 -0500

Hi everyone, I wanted to show these new condos to any agents/customers who are looking to buy in Bellingham Washington.

Only 9 left! Brand new Condominums! Telegraph Ridge is located within walking distance of Shopping (Belis Fair Mall), Dining and Work! These Luxury condos are Bellingham's best buy! 9 ft. ceilings, Granite Kitchen and Bathroom counters, tile and high end flooring, Stainless Kitchen Appliances. Front load Washer and Dryer included, Wood Blinds, and much more! All floor plans have oversized Living Rooms. All have Master Bathrooms excluding #102 which is wheel chair accessable and has one large bathroom. For a limited time, Seller pays closing costs & includes 40 flat screen TV!

Beautifully done homes built to the highest standards by Arrow constriction. This new 12 unit complex located in a super convenient location features a NW contemporary look on the outside combined with modern brilliance inside!

If you have any customers looking in the Whatcom County area (or more specificly Bellingham Washington) and they want top quality at a great price, you have found your home!

Offering a free Forclosure List, what's your thoughts Bellingham?

Patrick Johnson (Windermere) — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 21:06:32 -0500

I was wondering what people thought about giving free foreclosure lists to the public. I would love to get some feedback from agents and the public in general.

My office offers a packet to get basic information/instruction out to the general population, and I have noticed a lot of people really appreciate it.

I think we as agents, lose site of the fact that most people are not focusing on all the ins and outs of the real estate market. When I start to have conversations with people, I keep assuming that people know what a short sale is, or what a foreclosure is. But the truth is, most people are not aware of exactly what the term short sale is, and if it is different than a foreclosure.

In that respect, I can see how it would be helpful. But usually the homes are already listed, and you will no doubt have to go through some extra steps to purchase a home that is a "short sale". So is it something that you should just bring up if the customer wants to look at a specific home that happens to be a short sale, or should you market the short sale homes ahead of time?

My guess is it is a different scenario for each customer depending on their situation. What do you think? All feedback is appreciated!

Patrick Johnson, ABR E-pro

Windermere RE

Bellingham Wa.

A quick Condo guide for buyer financing!

Patrick Johnson (Windermere) — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 14:48:06 -0600

I have been doing open houses for a new Condo complex here in Bellingham Washington called"Telegraph Ridge".

I wanted to quickly answer some questions that frequently come up regarding financing of new condo projects. I am not a lender or in the banking industry, but as a real estate agent, I feel I should have some basic answers for potential customers who are looking to buy.

When you are talking financing for "New Condos" as opposed to resale condos, your lender will probably ask you what exactly you are trying to finance.

For conventional financing, each lender must approve each condo project they lend in.

There are two types, "New" or "Existing".

New condos are where the homeowners have not taken over control of the association, the project is still under construction (phases), there are more than 10% of the units still for sale (any of the above criteria makes it new ((at least in Whatcom County Washington )).

Existing condos:

1. Full project approval requires obtaining:

A. Current budget B. Association Declarations C. Articles of Incorporation D. Bylaws E. Evidence of Insurance F. Use for Investment must have 51% owner Occupancy.

There are many factors in getting financing on condos, but this is just a quick guideline for buyers to follow when they do decide to make the exciting leap into home ownership!

Patrick Johnson, ABR E -pro

Windermere RE

360-220-0281

Do you ever feel like Britney Spears?

Patrick Johnson (Windermere) — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 01:09:59 -0600

Well, as far as Real Estate and the economy goes?

As an American citizen ( who am I kidding, everyone on planet earth ) not living under a rock for the last couple of years, you have no doubt heard about all the ups and downs of Britney Spears regarding custody battles, music award show mishaps, and questionable behavior right? Do you ever look at things around you, like the economy, taxes, consumer confidence reports and of course, our real estate market and think "ya know, maybe Britney was on to something by just wigging out"?

It seems like one day, everything seems to be turning a corner. You start getting more calls on your listings, The war in Iraq looks like it is really quieting down violence wise, President Elect Obama makes a cabinet pick you like......ya, things are looking...ok!

Then BOOM, oil prices go up, Russia turns off gas to the Ukraine, Israel and the Gaza situation.....(Is it time to shave my head yet?)

But wait, interest rates are how low???? 4.65 percent!! Our local mortgage lenders are actually having conversations with real people again!! That has got to be good news, people will refinance, or better yet, get off the fence and buy homes again!!....(Maybe that trip to Mexico with Mel Gibson was a good omen)

Lets just say I am not a big fan of Mrs. Spears, before or after her life went from teenage popstar to slightly less than stable Mrs. Kevin Federline and a mother of two. But she seems to have righted the ship and got things back on track, I just hope the ups and downs of the American economy can do the same thing.... and quick. (What, MTV wants her BACK ON the awards show!?!)

Whats going to happen next?

Patrick Johnson (Windermere) — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 15:49:01 -0500

Ok, this is kind of an open ended, can of worms question, so bear with me and tell me what you think. I have been doing alot of thinking the last year or so in regards to what direction our industry is taking. Everytime I think I have a grasp on what people will be doing in 10 or even 5 years, things seem to change.

Are we, as agents or brokers, going to be around? With more and more "discount" offices or online only offices, are we going the way of the dinasour?

What should we be doing to position ourselves for a big change in the way the industry is set up. I know its all about internet marketing right now, but what ideas do you have to seperate yourself from everyone else online? As other biz. models that charge small amounts to advertise online, or FSBO sellers using places like craigslist and Zillow to advertise, what are your best reasons to tell sellers to continue to use us?

Any thoughts you have are greatly appreciated!

Earth Friendly Home Improvements

Patrick Johnson (Windermere) — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 20:42:13 -0500

I ran across a few home improvement ideas that you can incorporate when you are updating your home. The list is made up of small but helpful ideas that you can incorporate to help you save energy and also make a smaller impact on resources.

1: If you are re-roofing your home, you can always put in some skylights that will allow you to use less electricity by using natural sunlight.

2: Use reclaimed or sustainably harvested materials like bamboo or cork, and avoid wood composites that contain glue or formaldehyde.

3: Try to use products that are manufactured within 500 miles of your home to cut down on fuel costs for transportation.

4: Choose paints low in volatile organic compounds instead of latex-based enamel.

5: When it is time to replace any appliances, install energy efficient ones. Stats show that if one in ten households bought energy star rated heating and cooling equipment, it would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by the same amount as taking 1.5 million cars off the road!

6: Of course, by replacing old light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs, yu can trim 5 percent from your electrical bill.

There are several other ways to cut down on energy use, thereby lowering your house hold bills. Try google and see what other ideas you can come up with to help reduce your monthly bill and maybe save some resources along the way.

Pound for Pound

Patrick Johnson (Windermere) — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 17:06:17 -0500

Best MMA Fighter???

The picture of who is the best pound for pound MMA fighter just got a bit more blurry!

There seems to be an agreement who are the top fighters in different weight classes, but when you start saying who is the best overall, the opinions........well, lets just say they vary!

I personally think Fedor is the best pound per pound fighter in the world. He doesn't look the part, but he just goes about his biz of demolishing everyone in a different manner each time. He can knock anyone out, can be next to impossible to take down, and if you do get him down on the ground, your usually about three moves from being submitted.

After the UFC 87 fight though, a great argument can be made for George St. Pierre being the best PFP fighter. He dismantled a very good Jon Fitch on every level!

Anderson Silva is one fighter that makes it all look so easy, it lookes like he is just fighting hacks! He can strike with the best in the world and has CRAZY clinch skills ( ask Rich Franklin ).

Who is your PFP best in the world? I say Fedor, but there is a good argument for Silva, GSP, and even BJ Penn.

Let me know

Best MMA Fighter!

Patrick Johnson (Windermere) — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 16:54:16 -0500

Best MMA Fighter???

The picture of who is the best pound for pound MMA fighter just got a bit more blurry!

There seems to be an agreement who are the top fighters in different weight classes, but when you start saying who is the best overall, the opinions........well, lets just say they vary!

After the UFC 87 fight though, a great argument can be made for George St. Pierre being the best PFP fighter. He dismantled a very good Jon Fitch on every level!

Anderson Silva is one fighter that makes it all look so easy, it lookes like he is just fighting hacks! He can strike with the best in the world and has CRAZY clinch skills ( ask Rich Franklin ).

Who is your PFP best in the world? I say Fedor, but there is a good argument for Silva, GSP, and even BJ Penn.

Let me know

Seattle growing.....really growing!

Patrick Johnson (Windermere) — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 13:07:09 -0500

There is a great article in the Seattle times today about the growth of the Pacific Northwest, specifically the greater Seattle area.

Astonishing is the fact that in the last 3 years, the area has already HALF WAY to its 20 year growth projections!

I know in Bellingham, we get lots of coverage about being a great place to retire and raise families etc., but Seattle is usually ranked right up there as well, but even with the publicity from around the country, this growth is CRAZY!

"And a few sections of town — Ballard, Eastlake, the Central Area, Greenlake, Lower Queen Anne and downtown — already have exceeded their 20-year targets"

The article also states that the "targeted growth" is just a method that planners use to decide where and when to accomidate growth.

Now this article has people up in arms over what is going to happen to their neighborhoods!

If you get a chance, read the entire article.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008003405_growth18m.html

New Rules for Washington agents

Patrick Johnson (Windermere) — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 15:10:21 -0500

This is a quick blog update of the New Washington State "Distressed Home Owner" law that comes into effect today, June 12th 2008.

I will be updating the blog later and getting in to much more detail of this new law.

I went to a class this morning regarding "Distressed" homes in the either for sale now, or on their way to being put on the market.

There are several new rules that we as agents need to be updated on. We of course have several new forms that we must include in both listing homes of someone who is or "might" become a "distressed" Home owner!

Who qualifies as a "distressed" seller? Pretty much everyone! If you have missed a mortgage payment, or THINK you might miss a mortgage payment in the next three to four months, you are a "distressed" home owner.

At that point, any agent who helps you list or sell your home could be qualified as a "distressed home consultant" , which opens you up to lotsssssss of litigation.

The new law is there to protect home owners from scams that have risen by people who realize you are in trouble, come in to help you keep your home, and then turn around and not keep their word and victimize the home owner all over again.

Agents have been sucked into the mix by the nature of our business of helping buy and sell homes.

Stay tuned for updates and details...........

Capitalism Working under our nose

Patrick Johnson (Windermere) — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 12:05:54 -0500

While we all discuss what we think should and shouldn't be done by big brother to control what private industry does, or how much money it makes, something is brewing in the private sector. Imagine my suprise when I read a little story in the news about T. boone Pickens ( a evil big oil billionaire ) who is going to spend $10 BILLION on the worlds biggest wind farm!

Imagine that, a private sector business person who can see where the market is heading and investing money to promote and build something that is good for the earth and his company. I wonder if we will get the same whining and complaining from the left if he starts to make tooooo much money? Or will the same people complain about the environmental impact of putting up wind mills? Of course they will, they have already started. Blogs that I see already are insulting the man, personal insults etc. name calling. One blog writer was even complaining about how big the "wind turbines" were.

This is a great example of how the market will take care of itself without having Big Brother dictate what can and can't be done.

God is Working from Bellingham to the rest of the World!

Patrick Johnson (Windermere) — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 21:09:55 -0500

I have to tell you, god works in not so mysterious ways sometimes!

The church I attend here in Bellingham Wa.( Cornwall Church) is a very active church that continually reaches out to many parts of the world through missions and volunteer work. We have lots of trips through out the world including Honduras, Mexico, Africa and other parts of the world where humanitarian work is needed.

A few weeks ago, during the Easter weekend services ( our church is about 4000 members strong and we have 3 services between sat./sunday) our pastor decided it was a great time to try out an idea. He decided that when it came time to contribute to the church or "pass the plate", every single penny was going to be given away to charitable causes.

Now, this being one of the biggest and most attended services of the year, Pastor Marvel was really hoping to collect close to $75,000 to give to charity. People attending were able to go online and pick from several needs that they wanted the money to go to. Some of the most voted for causes were AIDS in Africa, as well as simple things like drilling wells in Africa to supply villages with running water. There was also a few shelters here in the area that were popular causes voted on by the congregation.

As we learned a couple weeks ago what happened to the money, I am convinced that god doesn't just work in mysterious ways at all, he works in up front obvious ways just as well!

Pastor Marvel stated that during the service, he would go ahead and extend the time to contribute for the entire week, up until Thursday. He told us that the finance person told him monday that we had raised $87,000! Sounds good right? Well they remembered that they had given us until Thursday to contribute, on Wednesday, the finance person called the pastor and says they are up to $99,230. Our pastor joked that maybe someone could sell a kid or something to get to the magical $100,000 mark, LOL. So Thursday the mail comes and she called the pastor again and gives him the news..........$115,507.93!!!! They gave $44000 to programs for Aids and well in Africa and gave $44000 to local foodbank/women shelters here in Bellingham. The rest, they sealed single bills ( $1, $5, $10, $50) in individual envelopes and passed BACK to the congregation and said they could do what ever they wanted with the money, give it to charity, give it to the homeless etc.

Please pray for Pastor Bob Marvel and give thanks that he is teaching all of us that we can make a differance in so many lives through god!

Do they still make stated income loans????

Patrick Johnson (Windermere) — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 12:17:34 -0500

I have a customer who is looking at a $1million + home and is looking for a stated income loan/jumbo type loan. He has excellent credit and great income. I just can't seem to find him the program he needs/wants. Anyone who is in this biz have any info on this?

Anyone have any similar stories they would like to discuss?

Condi Rice in 08' that would be great!

Patrick Johnson (Windermere) — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 13:53:26 -0500

After getting really enthusiastic yesterday for the first time since McCain got the nomination, I was so disappointed today to see reports that Condi is NOT after the VP job this year. According to the AP today:

'Condoleezza Rice has plans to head West after her time as secretary of State—not plans to be vice president.'

Uhggg, could you imagine what she would bring to the ticket!? Unlike the continued "35 years of experience" that you know who claims to bring to the table, you would have a powerful, time tested, tough person who is actually talking to the heads of countries we are dealing with, who knows the real game being played by our enemies, and has stood her ground against all would be critics foreign and domestic.

I have been a big fan of hers for quite some time and would love to see her on the ticket.

New York Times Equity Article...Uhgghh

Patrick Johnson (Windermere) — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 13:12:23 -0500

I read this article yesterday in the New York Times regarding the latest lender problems we are facing as a profession. While I usually can write off these tactics of the media trying to scare the public into thinking the sky is falling, this one IS pretty scarey because you are dealing with huge corporations that don't care what your buyer/seller story is. I will say that if you look at some of the stats they use( "In December, 5.7 percent of home equity lines of credit were delinquent or in default, up from 4.5 percent in 2006, according to Moody's Economy.com.") it might not be as bad as they are making it out to be because what I don't see is what 'normal' rates of delinquincy are. As I remember, 2006 was great for your market and our industry as a whole.

You can click on the link belowe to go directly to the New York Times website for the article.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/27/business/27loan.html?ei=5065&en=9f7a9c9b8785d2ff&ex=1207281600&partner=MYWAY&pagewanted=print

Are there any lenders out there who have any stats they can provide for comparison?

Bellingham Wa. Market Update

Patrick Johnson (Windermere) — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 12:49:37 -0500

In Today's Bellingham Herald newspaper. The article shows that while they reported the values had still went UP approx. 5 percent in 2007 in an earlier article, the number of transactions were down.

According to the article in the Bellingham Herald :

Several Whatcom County communities are behind last year's pace when it comes to home sales, according to data released on Monday.

In January and February, 189 homes sold in Bellingham, down from 203 for the same period last year, according to information compiled by First American Title of Bellingham. The title company tracks all home sales, including those for sale by owner.

Bellingham is slightly ahead of last year's pace with condominiums. In the first two months of 2008, 79 units sold, compared to 76 for the same period last year.

In Ferndale, Lynden and Blaine 111 homes sold in January and February, down from 183 for the same period last year. The three communities have sold 25 condominiums for that period, down from 26 units for the same period last year.

I feel that as we get into the spring month, as usual, the market will pick up. We have noticed a lot more action in the last few weeks. It seems with the proposed bail out by the powers that be, more people are getting used to the credit/market and that it shouldn't effect them in our stable market.

Thanks to First American Title and the Bellingham Herald for the info!

Captain obvious tips from MSN

Patrick Johnson (Windermere) — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 16:09:58 -0500

Well well well, I guess our days of providing insider tips and expertise on the issue of buying and selling real estate to our customers is just about over! Our days are numbered when I read articles from the likes of MSN on important tips for selling your home!

Agents, write these down and memorize them. But be careful, mere mortals may find it hard to comprehend the ingenuity and stratergery that the real experts have come up with.

The brilliance is as follows:

1. 'Repair sagging screen doors.' -Um, ya think?

2. 'Spiff up roof' -..see comment above!

3. 'clear & caulk gutter' -Well I usually like the look of overrun/leaking gutters.

4.' Get rid of Smokers and pets' -No comment

5. 'patch holes and repaint' -oww my head hurts!

6.' replace vinyl flooring tears' -how do you get rid of tears?

7.' reseal toilet' -If its not leaking, why would you change it?

8. 'stop dripping faucet'- ok, that one might escape some people.

9. 'renew dinged baseboards' - Its not the dinged baseboards people don't like, it the baseboards themselves!

10.'repair cabinets'- If they are bad enough to fix, the home is a fixer and it won't matter.

Ok, I am being a little facetious. Some of these are ok tips for people who don't know what they are doing. Do any of you have any other silly tips that can be included in the Captain obvious hall of fame?