June 22nd free workshop for small businesses with fleet vehicles to learn how to go Green to save some green! - 05/28/11 01:13 PM
As small business owners, we real estate agents understand that it's necessary to regularly be looking at our expenses and figuring out how we can keep our businesses lean and mean in today's economy.  That includes considering how we spend our time on the road.  I know that with gas prices having gone up again to the $4/gallon levels that I try and consolidate as many trips as possible so I don't waste gas and add to pollution.
Alas, I only have my one vehicle and I save a lot of time on the road by not commuting to an outside … (2 comments)

I'm feeling a little green-eyed..... Are you working this Memorial Weekend? - 05/28/11 01:04 PM
I have to admit that this holiday snuck right up on me.  Before I knew it, people were asking me if I had plans for the weekend and when I realized why, it dawned on me.... I've been working too hard lately.  Several of my non-REALTOR friends are gone for the long weekend. The people I know who work for the government are all relaxing somewhere else.  I, on the other hand, am sitting around my house this morning trying to determine if I want to work more or if I should blow it off and go take care of personal errands … (5 comments)

Phinney Neighborhood Association annual Home & Garden tour needs volunteers! June 12, 2011 - 05/27/11 05:02 PM
For any of you who are curious about some of the best gardens in the Phinney Ridge neighborhood, you may want to volunteer and then also get a free chance to check out this event!  See notes below for details and how to contact the folks at Phinney Neighborhood Center:
We are looking for volunteers for the PNA Home & Garden Tour on Sunday, June 12. Volunteer shifts are 10:45 am-1:30 pm and 1:15-4:00 pm. Volunteers check tickets and direct tour goers through homes and gardens and receive a free ticket to the tour. This is a fun event to volunteer … (0 comments)

How does a bank determine if a loan modification or a short sale is better than foreclosure? - 05/24/11 11:48 AM
Many people are in the dilemma of being behind on their mortgage today and of the vast majority I speak to each week, there is not a strong understanding of how the banks look at these situations. Now, there is a tool put out by the Treasury Department that will help assist homeowners in knowing more about the financial due diligence that lenders go through to determine if a loan modification or a short sale will be a better choice for them over foreclosure.
 https://checkmynpv.com/
This is a great tool when going over your options when on the phone with a loan servicer … (0 comments)

You know you've got some miles on you when..... - 05/24/11 11:32 AM
Your ActiveRain points level are at nearly the exact same number as the miles on your odometer. I just had noted last night in my car that I'm only a couple of hundred miles from turning over 100,000 miles on my odometer for my Honda S2000.  As I logged into AR today, I noted that I'm about to hit the 100,000 mark for points on here too.  Synchronicity at work!  I love noticing odd little things like this....
I'm pretty sure I'll pass that odometer mark within a couple of days because of the meetings and appointments I've got set up … (5 comments)

What are your blog posts really saying about you and real estate? Pro or socialite? - 05/23/11 07:49 PM
I've noticed that some of the people who post on real estate blogs here on AR and beyond aren't really talking about real estate most of the time. It's one thing to put up information about a neighborhood and some of the things that go on there - we all need to connect with the public and our clients. But, when you go beyond that level to nearly daily posts of stuff completely unrelated to real estate doesn't it change the perception of what your job really is about?
Example: an agent who posts mostly about art and local art museums and galleries. 
When … (6 comments)

More credit tips for home buyers... and anyone for that matter - 05/21/11 01:55 PM
When checking your credit report each year (you do that, right?) make sure to look for incorrect addresses, phone numbers, incorrectly spelled names, jobs, etc because all of this can affect how your credit is viewed. Most people don't know this information.
Also, if you're finding issues, don't make your complaint online - send it in via US Mail!  The only way you have a way to keep your legal rights is to put it in writing.
Want to learn more about credit issues?  Check out www.lcapublishing.com. They've got great info!
… (2 comments)

Tips on Credit for home buyers - 05/21/11 01:41 PM
Did you know that in today's market it's considered best to have 3 open lines of credit? This can be a mix of trade lines such as the following examples:
2 credit cards, a car loan home loan, car loan, a credit card 3 credit cards (not debit) student loan, car loan, store card These are but just a few examples, but you should always look at your credit report anywhere from 60-90 days ahead of applying for a home loan.  Know what's on your report!  Go to www.annualcreditreport.com to get a free report each year from all 3 credit reporting … (1 comments)

Referrals for helping a senior client in foreclosure in south Seattle - 05/19/11 03:30 PM
Hi all,
asking for some help in looking for senior advocacy resources in the South Seattle area. I've been talking to a 81 year old man in the past 1.5 weeks about his situation being in foreclosure and him working on a loan modification. After getting a chance to review a bunch of his documents the other day, we referred him to an attorney to look at possible bankruptcy as an option to help stall an auction that's currently scheduled for June 3rd. Neither of the senior adults in the home is physically capable of handling the packing and moving that … (3 comments)

Is Seattle metro area really a declining market? - 05/12/11 04:30 PM
So, I've been working with buyers lately in a wide swath of price points.  And I mean wide... One of the buyer's price points ($40k) looks like the rounding error on another's (up to $1.4 Million).  Along with this, my team's listing activity is picking up and we're talking to even more people about their need for traditional and short sales, so we're seeing homes in all price ranges from $135k to $1.2M. 
What was interesting is that as we look at each individual market area in our tri-county area, there are pockets where it seems that market forces are stabilizing a … (0 comments)

Do you feel the momentum? - 05/11/11 08:22 PM
A lot of people I've been talking to lately in the Seattle/Bellevue metro area of Washington have mixed feelings about the marketplace. We're still seeing price declines in many areas and several lenders we've talked to have stated that we've been placed on the "declining market" list for financial institutions. However, me and my team are noting that our business has really been picking up.
At the very beginning of the year (2011) we noticed that the energy was changing.  Then we started noting that client activity and interest was picking up.  Now we're seeing more offers actually emerging and more … (1 comments)

Seattle metro area becomes a place where it's more affordable to buy than rent - 05/03/11 08:26 PM
One of the many websites that tracks real estate activity across the nation, Trulia, recently released a report comparing the virtues of buying versus renting a home which was picked up by Inman News.  The report states that if a city is ranked 1 to 15, then it is cheaper to buy versus renting.  If a city is ranked 16 to 20, then it's likely that buying a house is cheaper but it will depend on individual circumstances of the buyer, and anything above 20 is an area where renting is still cheaper overall.
You can access the full article via … (0 comments)

No Fluff Savvy Home Buyer's Seminar this Saturday, May 7th, 2011 930am-1130am in Tacoma - 05/03/11 08:23 PM
Our real estate team has always been focused on educating the public about real estate, lending and more.  Even if you aren't personally considering a move in real estate today, maybe someone you know could benefit from the information.
If you've been wondering what the state of the real estate market is like in the Pierce and King county areas, now is your chance to get a No Fluff reality check.  We'll have Team Reba real estate brokers, a local mortgage lender  (Gerry Rutherford, The Legacy Group) and a credit repair specialist (Roger Cruise from LCA Publishing) on hand to help you learn how … (0 comments)

 
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Reba Haas and Team Reba, CDPE

Bellevue, WA

More about me…

Team Reba of RE/MAX Metro Eastside www.TeamReba.com

Address: 2312 Eastlake Ave E, Seattle, WA, 98102

Office Phone: (425) 970-3697

Cell Phone: (206) 910-3429

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This is the blog site for Team Reba. Team Reba is a network of professionals dedicated to improving the experience of buying and selling residential and investment properties in the Greater Seattle and Bellevue metro areas.


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