Jacquie Cliff's Real Estate Blog

Listed price to sale price in Lake Stevens area among the top 10 in the country

Jacquie Cliff (Champions Real Estate Services) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 16:55:00 -0500

The UPI is reporting today that the Lake Stevens area outside of Everett is one of the top ten areas in the country when comparing the list price of a home to the actual selling price. Not a bad thing for sellers in the area!

The question that my researcher had for me was ‘why?’. The answer is partly because people are still buying homes in the Seattle area, and second is the availability of 0% down payment home loans. What? You thought those had all died out? Nope, two still exist! The USDA Rural Home Loan and of course VA loans. Both obviously come with their own set of conditions and restrictions.

It is my professional opinion that people are willing to pay a premium for homes in the Lake Stevens area because they qualify for no down payment home loans. Additionally, there are many new home developments in that area that qualify for the USDA loans. This means that buyers can get into a home with very little money AND don’t have to deal with the head aches and delays associated with buying a home going through a short sale.

If you take those two factors into consideration, it is no surprise that the Lake Stevens area is getting a lot of interest lately! If you are looking for a home in an area that might qualify for the USDA 0% down payment home loan and have questions or need help finding a property that qualifies, give me a call at 425-773-3149. I have helped several clients find great homes that qualified for zero down loans and I can help you too!

Make connections with me on any of these sites!

Jacqueline Cliff - The Amazon Real Estate Agent
425-773-3149
Jacquie@JacquieCliff.com

If you have questions about Real Estate, Home Loans or Real Estate Investing, I am the one to call!

"Let me lead you through the real estate jungle!"

Seattle - Bellevue - Edmonds - Kirland - Lynnwood - Everett - Marysville - Bothell - Mill Creek - Redmond - Mountlake Terrace

More Pumpkin fun out in Snohomish this weekend!

Jacquie Cliff (Champions Real Estate Services) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 11:46:07 -0500

Are you wondering what to do this weekend? Why not head out to Snohomish for the continuation of the 2009 Festival of Pumpkins! A month long event, it started out with Pumpkin hurling and is wrapping up this weekend in downtown Snohomish with a full day of Pumpkin related activities.

October and the Snohomish Festival of Pumpkins are the perfect time to enjoy the beauty of the Snohomish County countryside and the bounty from our local farms. Search for the perfect pumpkin, enjoy an "a-maze-ing" experience in one of our local cornfields, see farm animals, and delight in a variety of activities for kids of all ages. Visit all five farms and see new and different activities at each farm.

On Satuday, October 24, Downtown Snohomish will host a series of fun events such as pumpkin pie eating contest, pumpkin carving, great Pumpkin River Race (win $300 for a $5 investment) , costume parade and many more childrens games.

If you haven't gotten your Pumpkins for Halloween yet, take a run out to Snohomish, pick one up from one of the participating farms and take part in some of the fun going on downtown. You will be glad you did!

Make connections with me on any of these sites!

Jacqueline Cliff - The Amazon Real Estate Agent
425-773-3149
Jacquie@JacquieCliff.com

If you have questions about Real Estate, Home Loans or Real Estate Investing, I am the one to call!

"Let me lead you through the real estate jungle!"

Seattle - Bellevue - Edmonds - Kirland - Lynnwood - Everett - Marysville - Bothell - Mill Creek - Redmond - Mountlake Terrace

Bank of America to implement new systems for short sale processing?

Jacquie Cliff (Champions Real Estate Services) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 10:37:32 -0500

I could hardly believe the news that I am reading about Bank of America signing up with Equator to use their software to process short sales. This is flat out amazing!

For anyone that is in the business of selling homes, Bank of America has become a pariah because of their long wait times to get short sales processed and the amount of red tape that had to be dug through. Many real estate agents wouldn't even do a short sale with BofA.

This has some promise however. I am still not a fan of Bank of America, but if they can prove that they are turning their short sales in a reasonable amount of time, it will go a long way towards getting homes off their books.

Of course it will not eliminate the stupid requirements they hand down, or stop them from denying deals based on price.

Only time will tell if Bank of America has decided to play ball and make some deals happen or if this is just some sugar candy they are teasing us with.

Make connections with me on any of these sites!

Jacqueline Cliff - The Amazon Real Estate Agent
425-773-3149
Jacquie@JacquieCliff.com

If you have questions about Real Estate, Home Loans or Real Estate Investing, I am the one to call!

"Let me lead you through the real estate jungle!"

Seattle - Bellevue - Edmonds - Kirland - Lynnwood - Everett - Marysville - Bothell - Mill Creek - Redmond - Mountlake Terrace

Kirkland townhouse that needs to sell fast! Make and offer!

Jacquie Cliff (Champions Real Estate Services) — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 09:57:13 -0500

Have you been looking for a deal on a townhouse in the Kirkland area? Here is a short sale property that needs on offer soon to keep it from going back to the bank. So it is time to sell and sell fast! Make an offer on this Kirlkand property and it could be yours at a very affordable price!

Jacquie Cliff | Champions Real Estate Services | 425-773-3149

13150 102nd Place NE #5, Kirkland, WA

Comfortable townhouse with private deck that needs to sell FAST!

2BR/1.5BA Townhouse

offered at $199,950

Year Built	Unspecified
Sq Footage	Unspecified
Bedrooms	2
Bathrooms	1 full, 2 partial
Floors	2
Parking	2 Covered spaces
Lot Size	Unspecified
HOA/Maint	$259 per month

DESCRIPTION

Remodeled townhouse that is in need of a new owner soon! Clean and move in ready, this property is set for you. Both bedrooms have attached baths and ample closet space!

see additional photos below

PROPERTY FEATURES

- Hardwood floor	- Dishwasher	- Refrigerator
- Stove/Oven	- Microwave	- Granite countertop
- Washer	- Dryer	- Balcony, Deck, or Patio

COMMUNITY FEATURES

- Covered parking

OTHER SPECIAL FEATURES

- Garbage, Water & Sewer included in HOD

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

Photo 1	Photo 2
Photo 3	Photo 4
Photo 5

Contact info:

Jacquie Cliff

Champions Real Estate Services

425-773-3149

For sale by agent/broker

Equal Opportunity Housing

Posted: Oct 17, 2009, 6:38am PDT

Make connections with me on any of these sites!

Jacqueline Cliff - The Amazon Real Estate Agent
425-773-3149
Jacquie@JacquieCliff.com

If you have questions about Real Estate, Home Loans or Real Estate Investing, I am the one to call!

"Let me lead you through the real estate jungle!"

Seattle - Bellevue - Edmonds - Kirland - Lynnwood - Everett - Marysville - Bothell - Mill Creek - Redmond - Mountlake Terrace

Evergreen State Fair Reports Poor Attendance

Jacquie Cliff (Champions Real Estate Services) — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 09:23:02 -0500

I dug this out of the file of articles to read, and honestly it doesn't surprise me. They blame poor attendance at the Evergreen State Fair on the weather, but I have my doubts.

Final attendance for the 2009 Evergreen State Fair was down 6.2 percent in 2009 compared with 2008, event organizers said.

The 12-day Monroe event from Aug. 27 through Sept. 7 attracted 714,756 visitors this year, and attendance would have been higher if the weather cooperated, organizers said.

“Were it not for poor weather, we would have seen more visitors this year,” said Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon, in a statement.

Next year’s Evergreen State Fair runs from Aug. 26 to Sept. 6 in Monroe.
Puget Sound Business Journal

Did anyone see any concerted effort to promote the fair this year? It would seem like a logical thing to really promote a local activity in what has been a rough year, when people are looking for things to do close to home. I must admit that I didn't make it out this year because I was very busy (which is a good thing) but I did make it last year and it was exactly as you would expect from a fair.

My question is what can the administrators for the fair do to bring the Evergreen State Fair up to speed and promote it for next year. Both this and the Puyallup really look more like a carnival with a whole lot of booths of junk and services people are trying to sell. I think they really need to take a hard look at what they can do to involve and engage more people in 2010.

After all, people really do want more than a few rides and some food on a stick!

Make connections with me on any of these sites!

Jacqueline Cliff - The Amazon Real Estate Agent
425-773-3149
Jacquie@JacquieCliff.com

If you have questions about Real Estate, Home Loans or Real Estate Investing, I am the one to call!

"Let me lead you through the real estate jungle!"

Seattle - Bellevue - Edmonds - Kirland - Lynnwood - Everett - Marysville - Bothell - Mill Creek - Redmond - Mountlake Terrace

Evergreen State Fair Reports Poor Attendance

Jacquie Cliff (Champions Real Estate Services) — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 08:55:32 -0500

I dug this out of the file of articles to read, and honestly it doesn't surprise me. They blame poor attendance at the Evergreen State Fair on the weather, but I have my doubts.

Final attendance for the 2009 Evergreen State Fair was down 6.2 percent in 2009 compared with 2008, event organizers said.

The 12-day Monroe event from Aug. 27 through Sept. 7 attracted 714,756 visitors this year, and attendance would have been higher if the weather cooperated, organizers said.

“Were it not for poor weather, we would have seen more visitors this year,” said Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon, in a statement.

Next year’s Evergreen State Fair runs from Aug. 26 to Sept. 6 in Monroe.
Puget Sound Business Journal

After all, people really do want more than a few rides and some food on a stick!

Make connections with me on any of these sites!

Jacqueline Cliff - The Amazon Real Estate Agent
425-773-3149
Jacquie@JacquieCliff.com

If you have questions about Real Estate, Home Loans or Real Estate Investing, I am the one to call!

"Let me lead you through the real estate jungle!"

Seattle - Bellevue - Edmonds - Kirland - Lynnwood - Everett - Marysville - Bothell - Mill Creek - Redmond - Mountlake Terrace

Edmonds Tri-Level that you are going to love!

Jacquie Cliff (Champions Real Estate Services) — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 10:18:45 -0500

Jacquie Cliff | Champions Real Estate Services | 425-773-3149

7707 171st Street SW, Edmonds, WA

Unique Edmonds Area Home

3BR/1.5BA Single Family House

offered at $399,950

Year Built	1949
Sq Footage	2,050
Bedrooms	3
Bathrooms	1 full, 1 partial
Floors	2
Parking	4+ Uncovered spaces
Lot Size	9,583 sqft
HOA/Maint	$0 per month

DESCRIPTION

This Edmonds Tri-level has been beautifully remodeled and has gourmet kitchen, low maintenance tile floors, new carpet, new electrical and new plumbing. Multiple patio areas make this a great home to entertain in, and ample parking is just a bonus!

see additional photos below

PROPERTY FEATURES

- Central heat	- Fireplace	- Walk-in closet
- Tile floor	- Dishwasher	- Refrigerator
- Stove/Oven	- Washer	- Dryer
- Laundry area - inside	- Balcony, Deck, or Patio	- Yard

OTHER SPECIAL FEATURES

- Walk in Pantry

- RV Parking

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

Photo 1	Photo 2
Photo 3	Photo 4

Contact info:

Jacquie Cliff

Champions Real Estate Services

425-773-3149

For sale by agent/broker

Equal Opportunity Housing

Posted: Sep 20, 2009, 6:15am PDT

Make connections with me on any of these sites!

Jacqueline Cliff - The Amazon Real Estate Agent
425-773-3149
Jacquie@JacquieCliff.com

If you have questions about Real Estate, Home Loans or Real Estate Investing, I am the one to call!

"Let me lead you through the real estate jungle!"

Seattle - Bellevue - Edmonds - Kirland - Lynnwood - Everett - Marysville - Bothell - Mill Creek - Redmond - Mountlake Terrace

3 Bedroom Greenlake area townhome, priced to sell!

Jacquie Cliff (Champions Real Estate Services) — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 10:05:59 -0500

Jacquie Cliff | Champions Real Estate Services | 425-773-3149

8811 Midvale Ave N; Unit A, Seattle, WA

End unit townhouse convenient to GreenLake or for commuting into Seattle!

3BR/2.5BA Townhouse

offered at $329,950

Year Built	2007
Sq Footage	1,430
Bedrooms	3
Bathrooms	2 full, 1 partial
Floors	3
Parking	1 Car garage
Lot Size	1,295 sqft
HOA/Maint	$0 per month

DESCRIPTION

Zero lot line townhouse located between I-5 and Hwy 99 (Aurora) that is convenient for heading into Seattle or down to Greenlake. Fabulous cook's kitchen features granite tile countertops and stainless steel appliances.

see additional photos below

PROPERTY FEATURES

- Central heat	- Fireplace	- Walk-in closet
- Hardwood floor	- Tile floor	- Office/Den
- Dishwasher	- Refrigerator	- Stove/Oven
- Microwave	- Stainless steel appliances	- Washer
- Dryer	- Laundry area - inside

COMMUNITY FEATURES

- Garage parking

OTHER SPECIAL FEATURES

- Security system

- Skylights

- No home owner dues!

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

Photo 1	Photo 2
Photo 3	Photo 4
Photo 5

Contact info:

Jacquie Cliff

Champions Real Estate Services

425-773-3149

For sale by agent/broker

Equal Opportunity Housing

Posted: Sep 20, 2009, 6:26am PDT

Make connections with me on any of these sites!

Jacqueline Cliff - The Amazon Real Estate Agent
425-773-3149
Jacquie@JacquieCliff.com

If you have questions about Real Estate, Home Loans or Real Estate Investing, I am the one to call!

"Let me lead you through the real estate jungle!"

Seattle - Bellevue - Edmonds - Kirland - Lynnwood - Everett - Marysville - Bothell - Mill Creek - Redmond - Mountlake Terrace

Move in ready Lynnwood Townhome close to shopping and great for commuting!

Jacquie Cliff (Champions Real Estate Services) — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 08:45:23 -0500

Jacquie Cliff | Champions Real Estate Services | 425-773-3149

15323 14th Place W, Lynnwood, WA

Awesome townhome in absolutely fantastic shape, great for commuters!

3BR/2.5BA Townhouse

offered at $289,950

Year Built	2005
Sq Footage	1,841
Bedrooms	3
Bathrooms	2 full, 1 partial
Floors	Unspecified
Parking	2 Car garage
Lot Size	1,500 sqft
HOA/Maint	$66 per month

DESCRIPTION

This townhome looks barely lived in and is ready for new owners. Conveniently located off of 164th it is close to two Park & Rides as well as I-5 and I-405. Alderwood mall is just a short jaunt away for your shopping needs as well as a WalMart and a Fred Meyers that will be opening up soon!

see additional photos below

PROPERTY FEATURES

- Central heat	- Fireplace	- High/Vaulted ceiling
- Walk-in closet	- Tile floor	- Family room
- Living room	- Breakfast nook	- Dishwasher
- Refrigerator	- Stove/Oven	- Microwave
- Washer	- Dryer	- Laundry area - inside
- Balcony, Deck, or Patio	- Yard

COMMUNITY FEATURES

- Garage parking

- Guest parking

- Playground

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

Photo 1	Photo 2
Photo 3	Photo 4
Photo 5	Photo 6

Contact info:

Jacquie Cliff

Champions Real Estate Services

425-773-3149

For sale by agent/broker

Equal Opportunity Housing

Posted: Sep 5, 2009, 10:15am PDT

Make connections with me on any of these sites!

Jacqueline Cliff - The Amazon Real Estate Agent
425-773-3149
Jacquie@JacquieCliff.com

If you have questions about Real Estate, Home Loans or Real Estate Investing, I am the one to call!

"Let me lead you through the real estate jungle!"

Seattle - Bellevue - Edmonds - Kirland - Lynnwood - Everett - Marysville - Bothell - Mill Creek - Redmond - Mountlake Terrace

$149,950 in Woodinville! Can you say affordable housing?

Jacquie Cliff (Champions Real Estate Services) — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 08:03:20 -0500

This is a hot price on this home in Woodinville! An older manufactured home, but exquisitely maintained and tucked away on a large corner lot, this is a great home for someone that is looking for a place to call home, without blowing the budget!

2 Bedrooms
2 Full Baths
Fireplace
Ceiling fans
Turn around driveway
RV parking

Make connections with me on any of these sites!

Jacqueline Cliff - The Amazon Real Estate Agent
425-773-3149
Jacquie@JacquieCliff.com

If you have questions about Real Estate, Home Loans or Real Estate Investing, I am the one to call!

"Let me lead you through the real estate jungle!"

Seattle - Bellevue - Edmonds - Kirland - Lynnwood - Everett - Marysville - Bothell - Mill Creek - Redmond - Mountlake Terrace

The Rock Wood Fired Pizza in Lynnwood - I love it and think you will too!

Jacquie Cliff (Champions Real Estate Services) — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 09:39:46 -0500

The Rock Wood Fired Pizza and Spirits located on 196 Avenue in Lynnwood is truly a destination for pizza lovers. One of 10 restaurants in the local chain, The Rock features handmade artisan pizzas with names like 'Bad to the Bone', 'Meaty beaty Big and Bouncy' and 'Yellow Brick Road'. All the pizzas are of course handmade on fresh dough, using ingredients the likes of which you will never find at one of the national pizza shops. It also goes without saying, that their pizzas get a little extra flavor from not being cooked in a standard commercial pizza oven, but a real pizza oven that gives their crust flavor that is hard to beat.

If that weren't enough, The Rock also serves up its own line of micro brewed beer to wash its pizza down with. How can you go wrong when you pair any of their scrumptious pizzas with a cold glass of beer such as their Rock Steady Red, Sledge Hammer IPA, or our favorite the Suicide Blonde Pilsner. Of course if something stiffer is what you're wanting to drink, they have a full bar at your disposal and you may wish to order up A Bucket, limit two per person please!

If you haven't deduced by now, The Rock has a definite Rock And Roll theme. The decor is best described as 'old industrial', featuring worn brick walls and metal. Guitars, posters of album covers and other rock 'n roll paraphernalia round things out, giving The Rock a very distinct and relaxed feel.

One last very important thing to mention about the rock is that it has an all you can eat lunch buffet! For one low price you can have a drink, salad and as much of their unparalleled pizza is you can pack away. This is a great way to try The Rock out and test out a variety of their pizzas. If you're in Lynnwood and looking for a place to have lunch I highly suggest you drop in!

Want more input on The Rock? Check out reviews of The Rock Wood Fired Pizza on Yelp!

Make connections with me on any of these sites!

Jacqueline Cliff - The Amazon Real Estate Agent
425-773-3149
Jacquie@JacquieCliff.com

If you have questions about Real Estate, Home Loans or Real Estate Investing, I am the one to call!

"Let me lead you through the real estate jungle!"

Seattle - Bellevue - Edmonds - Kirland - Lynnwood - Everett - Marysville - Bothell - Mill Creek - Redmond - Mountlake Terrace

Another big wholesale lender bites the dust. Will we have any left?

Jacquie Cliff (Champions Real Estate Services) — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 23:21:48 -0500

Anyone want to start playing ‘Another One Bites the Dust’

It came across my desk this morning that Taylor, Bean & Whitaker Mortgage Company, one of the major players in residential home mortgages has bit the dust. Apparently FHA has barred them from doing loans for them, and that was the rock to the side of the head that brought this Goliath down.

Taylor, Bean & Whitaker Mortgage Corp., one of the largest independent home-loan providers, closed its mortgage-lending operation Wednesday, an event that further consolidates an industry increasingly dominated by a few big banks.

The failure of the privately held Taylor Bean, based in Ocala, Fla., came a day after the Federal Housing Administration barred it from making loans insured by the government agency. Taylor Bean was the nation's 12th-largest home-mortgage lender for the first half of the year, and the third-largest originator of FHA loans in June, according to Inside Mortgage Finance, a trade publication.

Taylor Bean said Wednesday that it wouldn't be able to complete or fund any mortgage loans in its pipeline of unfinished mortgages. Mortgage analysts said the failure of Taylor Bean could be a blow to hundreds of small banks and brokers that sold their loans to Taylor Bean and now will have to scramble to find new partners. That would lead to fewer choices for consumers. Source: WSJ

I can only imagine the pain that is going through agents hearts today as they have to tell their buyers that their deals are shot to hell because their lender is dead. Big companies going under like this have a huge ripple through the market, and I expect there will be a lot of tears and broken hearts out there this week as buyers try to come to terms with not having loans.

This comes after a raid on Taylor Bean’s Ocala offices on Monday by Federal agents.

"I can confirm for you that our office, the Office of the Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program (SIGTARP), has executed two search warrants today in the state of Florida," said Kristine Belisle, communications director. "It's our investigation. It's our agents that have executed search warrants." Source: Ocala.com

My heart goes out to the 5000 or so people that were fired with no notice from Taylor, Bean & Whitaker as well as buyers all across the country, that are now left in Limbo with transactions scheduled to close but have no loan to do it with!

Make connections with me on any of these sites!

Jacqueline Cliff - The Amazon Real Estate Agent
425-773-3149
Jacquie@JacquieCliff.com

If you have questions about Real Estate, Home Loans or Real Estate Investing, I am the one to call!

"Let me lead you through the real estate jungle!"

Seattle - Bellevue - Edmonds - Kirland - Lynnwood - Everett - Marysville - Bothell - Mill Creek - Redmond - Mountlake Terrace

Remodeled rambler in Ballard (with a HUGE lot!) - SOLD!

Jacquie Cliff (Champions Real Estate Services) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 07:50:31 -0500

UPDATE!
This home is sold!

After a fast and furious 39 days on the market we had a buyer for this great Ballard area house. The sellers were very excited (as were the buyers) If you are needing to get a house SOLD, give me a call at 425-773-3149. I can do it for you too!

Jacquie Cliff | Champions Real Estate Services | 425-773-3149

6034 7th Ave NW, Seattle, WA

Newly updated with a massive lot!

2BR/1.5BA Single Family House

offered at $419,950

Year Built	1948
Sq Footage	1,640
Bedrooms	2
Bathrooms	1 full, 1 partial
Floors	2
Parking	Unspecified
Lot Size	7,500 sqft
HOA/Maint	$0 per month

DESCRIPTION

Wonderful remodel in the heart of Ballard featuring new hardwood flooring, new carpet, new paint, new roof, new patio, fully remodeled kitchen and baths, new lighting and much much more. All of this in a fabulous location just minutes from I-5 and a few steps from Ballard shopping. Call for an appointment to come and view this move-in ready home.

see additional photos below

PROPERTY FEATURES

- Fireplace	- Hardwood floor	- Family room
- Dishwasher	- Refrigerator	- Stove/Oven
- Stainless steel appliances	- Basement	- Laundry area - inside

OTHER SPECIAL FEATURES

- Huge 7500 sq. foot lot!

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

Street View	The Back Patio
The Huge Back Yard	Living Room
Updated Kitchen

Contact info:

Jacquie Cliff

Champions Real Estate Services

425-773-3149

For sale by agent/broker

Equal Opportunity Housing

Posted: Aug 6, 2009, 8:21pm PDT

Make connections with me on any of these sites!

Jacqueline Cliff - The Amazon Real Estate Agent
425-773-3149
Jacquie@JacquieCliff.com

If you have questions about Real Estate, Home Loans or Real Estate Investing, I am the one to call!

"Let me lead you through the real estate jungle!"

Seattle - Bellevue - Edmonds - Kirland - Lynnwood - Everett - Marysville - Bothell - Mill Creek - Redmond - Mountlake Terrace

West Seattle Farmers Market May 24 for Live Local Day

Jacquie Cliff (Champions Real Estate Services) — Sun, 24 May 2009 05:44:06 -0500

This comes straight from the Neighborhood Farmers Market website, and I thought everyone should know about it!

When	May 24, 2009 from 10:00 am to 02:00 pm
Where	West Seattle Farmers Market

Celebrate one of West Seattle's best local traditions at the Junction's Live Local Day! The Farmers Market will host free mule wagon rides around the Junction, free sweetpea plant starts for kids (courtesy of Langley Fine Gardens Farm on Vashon), a cooking demo at 10 am, and live music from Clallam County from noon to 2 pm. Plus, you can shop the market 10am to 2pm: delicious farm-fresh vegetables, seafood, meats and dairy, all grown and produced by our hard-working local family farmers. To see what's in season NOW in the Pacific Northwest, check out our Ripe and Ready pages!

Make connections with me on any of these sites!

Jacqueline Cliff - The Amazon Real Estate Agent
425-773-3149
Jacquie@JacquieCliff.com

If you have questions about Real Estate, Home Loans or Real Estate Investing, I am the one to call!

"Let me lead you through the real estate jungle!"

Seattle - Bellevue - Edmonds - Kirland - Lynnwood - Everett - Marysville - Bothell - Mill Creek - Redmond - Mountlake Terrace

The attack of the golf balls at the Port of Everett has ended. For now!

Jacquie Cliff (Champions Real Estate Services) — Sun, 24 May 2009 04:57:55 -0500

It seems that the Port of Everett is safe once again, as the rain of terror from falling golf balls seems to have ended. Whether it is because the Port of Everett turned its security camera around to watch the hills, or if the person doing it simply realized they were actually hitting something we may never know!

Seattle Pi article on Everett's mysterious golf ball terrorist.

Make connections with me on any of these sites!

Jacqueline Cliff - The Amazon Real Estate Agent
425-773-3149
Jacquie@JacquieCliff.com

If you have questions about Real Estate, Home Loans or Real Estate Investing, I am the one to call!

"Let me lead you through the real estate jungle!"

Seattle - Bellevue - Edmonds - Kirland - Lynnwood - Everett - Marysville - Bothell - Mill Creek - Redmond - Mountlake Terrace

The fight over Bothell's garbage

Jacquie Cliff (Champions Real Estate Services) — Wed, 20 May 2009 08:08:11 -0500

I have to go with the pun that there is a big stink over who gets Bothell's garbage. (Sorry couldn't help it!) Of all the things in the world to fight over, it seems that King and Snohomish Counties are fighting over who gets to pick up Bothell's trash.

BOTHELL -- A cross-county fight over who gets Bothell's trash might derail the city's efforts to annex 22,000 new residents.

The Snohomish County Council voted 4-0 on Monday to oppose the annexation, unless Snohomish County continues to handle trash from the area in question. King County officials say an agreement with Bothell from the late 1980s entitles it to all the city's waste.
From: Herald.net

The problem is of course revenue. Both counties want the revenue generated by picking up garbage. Yes Virginia, it seems that your county is making money on hauling away your trash.

Personally I find the whole thing sort of amazing. I understand every county is strapped for money, but this just seems too funny!

Make connections with me on any of these sites!

Jacqueline Cliff - The Amazon Real Estate Agent
425-773-3149
Jacquie@JacquieCliff.com

If you have questions about Real Estate, Home Loans or Real Estate Investing, I am the one to call!

"Let me lead you through the real estate jungle!"

Seattle - Bellevue - Edmonds - Kirland - Lynnwood - Everett - Marysville - Bothell - Mill Creek - Redmond - Mountlake Terrace

Want to attend a great financial literacy class in Bellevue May 2nd for FREE?

Jacquie Cliff (Champions Real Estate Services) — Fri, 01 May 2009 07:19:14 -0500

It isn't too far of a drive from up here in Lynnwood and Everett to get to this free financial literacy class in Bellevue this weekend. I am really excited to go and learn some new skills to help keep our household budget in shape and keep us on the path to financial freedom. While I really do love selling real estate, it will be exciting when the day comes that I can do it purely for the joy of it and not worry about paying the bills!

Jim Piccolo, founder of Nouveau Riche (the best real estate education program in the country in my opinion) along with Craig Cottrell, the creator of the first college credited course on financial literacy will be doing the speaking, and it should be fantastic. This is an all day seminar, so my brain may be a bit melted down with information and ideas by Saturday night.

This is a deal that you have to register for, so if you are interested in improving your household's financial literacy, give me a call at 425-773-3149 and I will get you a seat! As I have said, this is a free seminar, and I know from past seminars with these guys, that you will walk away with more than a few ideas that can transform your life!

CALL ME NOW AT 425-773-3149 TODAY TO RESERVE YOUR SPOT FOR THIS FREE FINANCIAL LITERACY WORKSHOP!

Make connections with me on any of these sites!

Jacqueline Cliff - The Amazon Real Estate Agent
425-773-3149
Jacquie@JacquieCliff.com

If you have questions about Real Estate, Home Loans or Real Estate Investing, I am the one to call!

"Let me lead you through the real estate jungle!"

Seattle - Bellevue - Edmonds - Kirland - Lynnwood - Everett - Marysville - Bothell - Mill Creek - Redmond - Mountlake Terrace

Mill Creek Voted One of the Best Suburbs in the Nation

Jacquie Cliff (Champions Real Estate Services) — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 09:38:37 -0600

According to T he Herald, Mill Creek has been voted as the second best suburb in the country according to Business Week Magazine.

The community of Mill Creek has been named the second-best affordable suburb in the United States by BusinessWeek magazine The magazine rated cities within 25 miles of a major community, looking at such aspects as the length of commute, pollution, green space, education, test scores, crime, job growth, median household income and weather.

I have to agree, Mill Creek is a very nice community with a great shopping at the Mill Creek Town Center, easy access to Hwy9, I-5 and I-405. The area is still developing and growing and The Martha Lake Airport Park is going in now with a new 18 acre park with soccer and baseball fields on the west side (technically it is just over the border in Lynnwood.)

There isn't much that you can't find either in, or close to Mill Creek. Big shopping trips can be had at the Alderwood Mall or Everett Mall. With a short drive there is access to Puget Sound or a variety of lakes. All in all it is a great community with an excellent location!

Make connections with me on any of these sites!

Jacqueline Cliff - The Amazon Real Estate Agent
425-773-3149
Jacquie@JacquieCliff.com

If you have questions about Real Estate, Home Loans or Real Estate Investing, I am the one to call!

"Let me lead you through the real estate jungle!"

Seattle - Bellevue - Edmonds - Kirland - Lynnwood - Everett - Marysville - Bothell - Mill Creek - Redmond - Mountlake Terrace

Everett Building Permits Get Extension

Jacquie Cliff (Champions Real Estate Services) — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 06:24:01 -0600

Today the Herald is reporting that there is a push to give Everett city building permits an extension, owing to the fact that many projects are on hold, probably for several years. I will agree, it seems a bit redundant to force builders to pay city staff for re-approving plans when building is ready to commence on these projects.

The industry group is asking local governments to relax a number of building rules to help create a local "housing stimulus package."

The requested changes include reducing parking requirements, shrinking building setbacks and extending the duration of building permits, which are issued after land-use permits are secured.

Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon this week proposed extending preliminary permit approvals for residential subdivisions and slashing the cost of resubmitting preliminary permit applications.

While I can agree with the extention on existing permits, I am not so sure about the relaxing of setbacks and parking requirements. I can understand why builders want concessions there, because it will often allow them to build extra units on the same amount of space, making them more money. If they can sell them of course...

What is the consensus out there? Should we relax the rules to encourage more building or leave things they way they are since we have a glut of existing new homes as it is?

Make connections with me on any of these sites!

Jacqueline Cliff - The Amazon Real Estate Agent
425-773-3149
Jacquie@JacquieCliff.com

If you have questions about Real Estate, Home Loans or Real Estate Investing, I am the one to call!

"Let me lead you through the real estate jungle!"

Seattle - Bellevue - Edmonds - Kirland - Lynnwood - Everett - Marysville - Bothell - Mill Creek - Redmond - Mountlake Terrace

Fannie Mae Announces a Hold on Foreclosures!

Jacquie Cliff (Champions Real Estate Services) — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 21:09:16 -0600

OK, this is breaking news from the Fannie Mae News Releases:

Fannie Mae Suspends Foreclosure Sales Pending Administration Announcement
WASHINGTON, DC -- Fannie Mae (FNM/NYSE) today announced it is suspending all foreclosure sales and evictions of occupied properties through March 6 in anticipation of the Administration's national foreclosure prevention and loan modification program.
The company had previously put in place a suspension of foreclosure sales through January and had previously suspended all evictions through the end of February. In addition, the company adopted a national Real Estate Owned (REO) Rental Policy that allows renters in Fannie Mae-owned foreclosed properties to remain in their homes or receive transitional financial assistance should they choose to seek new housing.

I see this as a huge step forward in getting our markets back to normal. The constant flow of short sale properties with owners selling just to avoid giving the house back to the bank, is a significant drag on the economy.

Here in the Seattle area, I would say that the endless flow of distressed home sales is what is still brining prices down. If we can slow or stop the flow of homes coming on to the market in 'must sell or else' positions, I think our local market will rebound substantially.

Of course at this time, this only affects those people with Fannie Mae owned loans, but hopefully all the other lenders will follow suit, or at the very least we will get some solid legislation that will actually do something to prevent the cascade of pre-foreclosure listings we are seeing all across the country.

For those of you that are headed down that road, and have the bank biting at your heels, here is a government web site where you can find some resources to help keep you in your home and find a solution for your present mortgage issues.

FORECLOSURE PREVENTION

If you are in a painful position with your home loan, I definitely encourage you to check out these resources before you give up and let your home go back to the bank. If you get to a point where you HAVE to sell, I will definitely do my best to get your home sold before the bank gets it back. But I want you to stay in you home if possible! There are plenty of other homes out there for me to sell, and I would rather keep you in your home until the market recovers and then help you out. I will be watching for any more up dates, and if you have any questions or need any help call me at 425-773-3149 or send me an email at Jacquie@JacquieCliff.com

Make connections with me on any of these sites!

Jacqueline Cliff - The Amazon Real Estate Agent
425-773-3149
Jacquie@JacquieCliff.com

If you have questions about Real Estate, Home Loans or Real Estate Investing, I am the one to call!

"Let me lead you through the real estate jungle!"

Seattle - Bellevue - Edmonds - Kirland - Lynnwood - Everett - Marysville - Bothell - Mill Creek - Redmond - Mountlake Terrace

New price on Edmonds rambler! - $294,950

Jacquie Cliff (Champions Real Estate Services) — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 12:14:40 -0600

Jacquie Cliff | Re/Max Champions | jacquie@jacquiecliff.com | 425-773-3149

20916 78th Ave W, Edmonds, WA

Updated rambler at a fantastic price, well worth taking a look at!

3BR/1BA Single Family House

offered at $294,950

Year Built	1957
Sq Footage	1,304
Bedrooms	3
Bathrooms	1 full, 0 partial
Floors	1
Parking	3
Lot Size	8,276 sqft
HOA/Maint	$0 per month

DESCRIPTION

An amazing value for this lovely updated rambler featuring granite counter tops, stainless appliances, slate flooring and custom cabinets w/ a ton of storage. And lets not forget the remodeled bathroom, updated electrical & plumbing, fresh paint inside and out, vinyl windows, newer roof & huge fully fenced back yard. Of course, there is also a bonus room with new french doors & decks front & back. All of this in a cul-de-sac location within minutes of the freeway and access to all amenities.

see additional photos below

PROPERTY FEATURES

Central heat	Fireplace	Tile floor
Living room	Bonus/Rec room	Breakfast nook
Dishwasher	Refrigerator	Stove/Oven
Microwave	Granite countertop	Stainless steel appliances
Washer	Dryer	Laundry area - inside
Balcony, Deck, or Patio	Yard

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

Seller contact info:

Jacquie Cliff

Re/Max Champions

jacquie@jacquiecliff.com

425-773-3149

For sale by agent/broker

Equal Opportunity Housing

Posted: Feb 4, 2009, 10:04am PST

Make connections with me on any of these sites!

Jacqueline Cliff - The Amazon Real Estate Agent
425-773-3149
Jacquie@JacquieCliff.com

If you have questions about Real Estate, Home Loans or Real Estate Investing, I am the one to call!

"Let me lead you through the real estate jungle!"

Seattle - Bellevue - Edmonds - Kirland - Lynnwood - Everett - Marysville - Bothell - Mill Creek - Redmond - Mountlake Terrace

What would Lao Tzu say about how you are living?

Jacquie Cliff (Champions Real Estate Services) — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 06:28:44 -0600

During the course of my week, I talk to a lot of people that are working to achieve different goals and quite a few that seem to just be wandering through life with no direction in mind. It is a bit of a study to stop and look at the different people you know, and analyze if they have a direction in their life and if they love what they are doing and where they are going.

"At the center of your being you have the answer; you know who you are and you know what you want." - Lao Tzu

This all started out because my husband Chris had found the above quote, and we had started talking about it. We then started talking about how most people don't really know who they are and what they really want.

In thinking about my clients, friends and people I work with, there definitely is a divide between those who are successful and happy, and those that seem to always have success and happiness just out of reach. One of the primary differences I see, is that the happy successful people that I know, are enjoying what they do for a living. Personally, I love being in the real estate business, even if the market is very rough right now. If I didn't, I don't think I would be as successful as I am. I truly enjoy helping my clients, and love helping them get homes bought and sold. There is definitely some satisfaction for me as well in negotiating with another agent or bank and getting them to do what is best for my client. This happiness shows in my work, and the energy and enthusiasm that I have!

Are you really aware of who you are and what you want? I submit this challenge to you. Print this e-mail and leave for work a half hour earlier tomorrow. Stop somewhere you can sit down with something to drink and ponder the question "who are you really and what do you want?" If you feel uncomfortable asking yourself that , or immediately draw a blank, that should be a big warning sign for you. To steal an exercise from Jack Canfield, turn your printout of this post over and spend at least five minutes writing out the statement "I want ________ " filling everything that comes to mind no matter how big or how small. If you need more than five minutes, then take it! If you need to be late to work you can use the excuse "I was consulting with my real estate agent". I will cover for you.

This is the really scary part! Once you have an idea of what you really want, look and see if where you're going is going to take you to where you want to be. So often we get caught up in our lives, living from day to day, paycheck to paycheck or from one trauma to another that we don't see where we are really headed. If that is the case, and you are realizing that who you are isn't who you want to be, then Lao Tzu has thought that would apply.

"When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be."

The hardest part of breaking out of a rut and taking charge of where our lives are going, is simply overcoming the fear of change. As soon as we start to deviate from our current path we are hit with a barrage of "what if" fears.

What if I can't do it?
What will my friends think?
What if I fail?
What if I get laughed at?
What if I get fired?

What are you "what if" fears? These nagging fears are probably the main reason that most people keep doing what they're doing even if they hate it. Again, back to Lao Tzu and his wisdom.

"If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading."

By now you probably really have to be heading for work. But starting today, try not turning on the radio in your car on the way to work. Instead, go back over what you've written down and think about where you are in relationship to where you want to be. If you let go of your 'what if' fears, what would you be doing right now? Most of us don't have the luxury of dropping our entire lives to change course in a day. What we can do is start letting go of our fears and changing the direction our lives are going so that they will take us where we really want to be. One last time, Lao Tzu has the appropriate quote for us.

"The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step."

Now, you probably have an idea of where you want to be going, so make a plan to get there. Many of our goals are not something we can achieve over the course of a day, a week or even a year. However, if we make an effort, and take at least one step toward achieving our goals everyday we can reach them. Even in our busy lives where there never seems to be a moment of free time, there is room to take that one step. The important part is to not say that you are "going to start tomorrow" or at some arbitrary point in the future. We all know deep down that 'someday' never comes, and if you really want something to happen you have to start now!

I know this is a long post, but I hope it sparked something inside of you. Please, post your thoughts and if there's anything I can do to help you achieve your goals just let me know!

Make connections with me on any of these sites!

Jacqueline Cliff - The Amazon Real Estate Agent
425-773-3149
Jacquie@JacquieCliff.com

If you have questions about Real Estate, Home Loans or Real Estate Investing, I am the one to call!

"Let me lead you through the real estate jungle!"

Seattle - Bellevue - Edmonds - Kirland - Lynnwood - Everett - Marysville - Bothell - Mill Creek - Redmond - Mountlake Terrace

Why aren't you more involved with YOUR credit scores?

Jacquie Cliff (Champions Real Estate Services) — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 06:34:04 -0600

John Cannata out of Texas made a great point in his post about getting your free annual credit report. There are a lot of sites out there offering what they claim is a 'free credit report' but the majority of them are just trying to get you to purchase something. There is only one official place to get all three of your credit reports in one stop.

BE SURE TO READ THIS!

Via John Cannata (Reliant Mortgage Ltd):

It's no secret that your credit score plays a major role in being approved or denied for a loan. Over the past 2 weeks, I have spoken with about 6 customers that are looking to purchase or refinance due to the great mortgage rates. In most of the cases, the customer has no clue what their credit scores are. I tend to ask a LOT of questions to get an idea of someone's score without pulling the credit. If you have no clue and have not purchased anything in quite some time, it makes it harder for someone like me to guestimate your scores and provide an accurate Good Faith Estimate.

Don't get me wrong, I understand when someone does not know the exact score. I am referring to anyone who has never looked or taken an interest until the day they decide to refinance or purchase a home. Not just a home, but any major purchase where financing may be needed. Back in October, I wrote a few posts about Credit Scores, what to look for, and how to improve them. Within those posts, I talked about what to look for and how to address issues, but I never really talked about who you could contact for a free credit report. Below should help with your research.

Ultimately, if you are thinking about making a large purchase, you may need to be eligible for a loan. The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) was amended to require each credit reporting agency (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) to provide a credit report to you each year, at your request, completely free of charge.

How do you get the free credit report? The three credit reporting agencies have set up one central website, toll-free telephone number, and mailing address through which you can order your free annual report.

One the web: www.annualcreditreport.com

Telephone: 877-322-8228

Mail in the Annual Credit Report Request Form to:

Annual Credit Report Request Service

P.O. Box 105281

Atlanta, GA 30348-5281

Once you receive your report, call a local Credit Counselor to review it with you and offer assistance. You may also be able to have a local Loan Officer review the report with you and offer suggestions. Please note that Loan Officers review credit reports in detail and can offer suggestions, but they are not the experts. For serious delinquencies, contact a Credit Counselor because they are familiar with credit laws & guidelines. Somethings can be removed where as others need specific attention.

I hope that you have found this information useful. Feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns and I'll be happy to assist and/or direct you to a Professional Credit Counselor.

Make connections with me on any of these sites!

Jacqueline Cliff - The Amazon Real Estate Agent
425-773-3149
Jacquie@JacquieCliff.com

If you have questions about Real Estate, Home Loans or Real Estate Investing, I am the one to call!

"Let me lead you through the real estate jungle!"

Seattle - Bellevue - Edmonds - Kirland - Lynnwood - Everett - Marysville - Bothell - Mill Creek - Redmond - Mountlake Terrace

Lion's Park Gets Impovements!

Jacquie Cliff (Champions Real Estate Services) — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 23:17:32 -0600

Despite a slow economy, the city of Everett voted to go ahead with improvements to Lion's Park. The 3.3 acre park is getting a pretty good going over, with hills being leveled, treed removed to increase parking and even a watering station for pooches!

Last week, the Everett City Council voted to boost its budget for Lions Park improvements to $1.2 million, from an initial $436,000.

In a related vote, the council selected Faber Brothers Construction of Lynden as the project contractor. The firm is expected to begin work in early February and finish this spring. Full Article in the Herald

Improvements to the park are a welcome announcement, and will help make the neighborhood a better place!

Map to Lion's Park in Everett

Make connections with me on any of these sites!

Jacqueline Cliff - The Amazon Real Estate Agent
425-773-3149
Jacquie@JacquieCliff.com

If you have questions about Real Estate, Home Loans or Real Estate Investing, I am the one to call!

"Let me lead you through the real estate jungle!"

Seattle - Bellevue - Edmonds - Kirland - Lynnwood - Everett - Marysville - Bothell - Mill Creek - Redmond - Mountlake Terrace

Unocal Oil Pier in Edmonds is Being Removed

Jacquie Cliff (Champions Real Estate Services) — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 12:00:06 -0600

I just read the blog post at Edmonds Undressed about the Unocal pier being torn down. This was news to me, and after reading the Enterprise article about it, I understand why.

The $2 million project is necessary, said Joy Goldenburg, with Washington State Ferries. The agency is paying for the work as part of early environmental mitigation for future improvements to Edmonds' ferry terminal.
The pier's creosote-treated timber pilings are rotting, and the pier is starting to fall apart.
That poses both environmental and safety hazards.
As work progresses, the pilings are broken down and transported to a landfill in Oregon, said Shawn Devine, a spokesman with WSF. Full Article

Sort of a bummer to be losing a good dive site, and it won't look the same down there, but it makes sense that they need to pull it down. As I commented over on the Edmonds Undressed blog, I hope someone takes up the cause of adding in a replacement reef or other underwater structure out there.

If you know of anyone that is going to do something like that or have a comment on the removal of the Unocal Oil dock in Edmonds, post it and let the world know what you think and please, if you think other people should know about this post, share it on Digg, Stumble and so on!

Make connections with me on any of these sites!

Jacqueline Cliff - The Amazon Real Estate Agent
425-773-3149
Jacquie@JacquieCliff.com

If you have questions about Real Estate, Home Loans or Real Estate Investing, I am the one to call!

"Let me lead you through the real estate jungle!"

Seattle - Bellevue - Edmonds - Kirland - Lynnwood - Everett - Marysville - Bothell - Mill Creek - Redmond - Mountlake Terrace