Sandy's Blog

If You Don't Buy a House Now, You're Stupid or Broke

Sandy Noll (Realtor @ Keller Williams Realty Kirkland) — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 00:56:51 -0600

Via Michele Reneau, Realtor, CRS, ABR, GRI ~ Charleston, SC Relocation Experts Team (Certified Staging Professional (CSP) Elite Instructor):

Have you read this article yet? It was featured in Business Week. My first thought, wow! what a blunt and harsh statement! But the writer, Mark Roth, uses this headturning title to get your attention to make excellent points for those who are on the fence. Namely that interest rates are at an all time low, in fact, the lowest in 40 years. He noted that in the late 70s, rates hit a high of 18%! Can you even imagine buying a house at 18%? I personally can't fathom it as I bought my first house with an FHA loan while I was in college for 7% in 2001. In the 80s, when rates dropped from 12% to 9%, my parents practically danced their way to the 1^st refinance of their home. Generation X'ers probably would never dream of purchasing a home above 7% given all we have ever known are super low rates hovering between 5-6%. Mr. Roth points out the history of previous interest rates as well as the impact of rates on one's purchasing power. I happen to agree with his prediction that as the economy becomes more stable, interest rates WILL rise to hedge inflation. My prediction has been that by this time next year, rates will have risen 1-2% at a minimum.

In Charleston, the average sale is $250,000. Assuming a 5% down payment at 5% interest on a 30 year fixed, your monthly principal and interest payment would be $1275. If rates rise to 7%, your payment increases to $1580/month. Some buyers may be on the fence because they fear prices may drop further. Consider this. If there is a 10% decrease in price and the $250,000 falls to $225,000 in one year, but you wait to purchase and the interest rate rises to 7%, your payment will be $1422. You spend more money per month plus at the higher interest rate, you pay more interest over the life of the loan. Real estate appreciation is always a cycle and as the economy stabilizes, values will level out. Steve Harney is already analyzing data this is happening in many markets and that this will occur by 2014 in many states. Making a home purchase is still a decision that should be weight carefully and is not for everyone. One important consideration will depend on how long you plan to stay in the home.

Mark Roth summed up the article, "What I'm trying to impress upon everyone is that if you are planning on being a homeowner now and/or in the foreseeable future, or if you are looking to move your family into a bigger home, then pay more attention to the interest rates than the price of the home. If you have a steady job, good credit, and the down payment, then you really are being offered the gift of a lifetime."

The Charleston Relocation Experts team specializes in helping families make good decisions. We do NOT think you are stupid or broke if you don't buy a house right now. But if you are considering purchasing a home and would like a FREE consultation, we'd love to sit down with you and help you weigh your options and direct you to a qualified, caring mortgage professional that will help you with the numbers.

Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CRETeam

We are approved by Boeing 3^rd party relocation company as Charleston Boeing Relocation Specialists with Carolina One Real Estate in Charleston, SC. Visit us at www.CharlestonRelocationExperts.com. Contact Top Real Estate Agents, North Charleston, SC Relocation Experts, Licensed Realtors® in South Carolina at 843-849-5217 or info@CharlestonRelocationExperts.com to list your home for sale or to purchase a home in Charleston, Goose Creek, Summerville, North Charleston, Hanahan, Mount Pleasant and the surrounding areas in Charleston County, Berkeley County or Dorchester County. The Charleston Relocation Experts Team specializes in relocations, first time homebuyers and creating marketing exposure to sell your home in the Charleston SC Real Estate market.

Michele Reneau, ABR, GRI, CRS

www.CharlestonRelocationExperts.com

Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CRETeam

Sandy Noll
Realtor
Keller Williams Realty Kirkland
425-890-0878
sandy@sandynoll.com
www.letsachieveyourgoals.com
http://sandynolls.eastsidepowersearch.com/
www.sandynollskirklandupdates.com
Kirkland, Woodinville and the Greater Eastside

Hijacking Our Professional Image

Sandy Noll (Realtor @ Keller Williams Realty Kirkland) — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 12:14:05 -0600

This is a great post by Dorie with reminders that there is far more than what meets the eye when "Realtor" is our chosen profession! Thanks Dorie.

Via Dorie Dillard: Canyon Creek & NW Austin Living (Coldwell Banker United):

We are always told the rating of a Real Estate Agent is equal or a step below a used car salesman! How can this be? It pains me as I work hard to maintain a professional image and perceive myself as a professional. I guess perception is always in the eye of the beholder. Why does the consumer view our profession in such low esteem and why do we feel our image has been hijacked??

1. Consumers view our job as easy; we drive around and show property in nice cars all day and just look at homes. They fail to realize the time we spend in weeding out homes from extensive talks with our buyers concerning their criteria, planning the tour, phoning for appointments and obtaining as much information about each selected property. This is just the initial work undertaken.

2. Many do not recognize the value of the service we provide (maybe because we do not communicate well our worth).

3. Everywhere we turn from the baggage handlers at the airport to our hairdresser we hear they are getting or just got their real estate license and are going to make a killing in real estate (really adds credibility to our profession).

4. When consumers call or email no one calls them back! This is a major problem for the public and sets the tone for their perception of agents.

5. In some transactions there are agents in need or are so eager to make a deal they make deep concessions which affect their credibility as a professional.

6. "Barking Marketing" turns consumers off - they don't care that you are number one in your office, they want to know what you can do for them.

We need to work to improve our professional image. The recent blogs on transparancy have been excellent. A first step is to be conscious of our reputation and image. We want to reveal our personalities to the public but need to remember our role as business manager for one of the consumer's largest assets.





Dorie in   Austin

Holiday Events In Bellevue, Kirkland, Bothell and Woodinville You Don't Want To Miss

Sandy Noll (Realtor @ Keller Williams Realty Kirkland) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 01:25:09 -0600

With the holidays just around the corner there are many events you will want to plan to attend to get into the spirit of the season.

Woodinville's Light Festival at Carol Edwards Center & Molbaks with free shuttle between locations is a wonder to behold. Mark you calendars and plan to attend December 4th from 5:30-9pm.

A must see is Snowflake Lane in Bellevue. Live toy soldiers will dazzle you as snow falls and a spectacular light show will entertain you. Nightly from November 27-December 24 at 7pm. There are other festivities to take in as well including ice skating at the Group Health Arena!

Ever wonder what a display would look like with over 500,000 twinkling lights? Be sure to visit Garden d'Lights at the Bellevue Botanical Gardens.

And you'll definitely want to stop by Bothell's Country Village to feed the chickens, have cookies with Mrs. Claus and have your Santa photo's taken. Santa even flys in, in his sleigh!

The City of Bothell is sponsoring Winterfest on December 2nd. Beginning at 5:30pm there are children's hay rides followed by the tree lighting and Santa's arrival at 6:30pm. Join in the fun at Bothell Landing.

Head to Kirkland December 1st for the Argosy Christmas Ship season opener and tree lighting at Marina Park at 6:30pm. Carolers on hand to bring you into the Christmas spirit.

Happy Holidays to All!!

Flyers or No Flyers?

Sandy Noll (Realtor @ Keller Williams Realty Kirkland) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:43:27 -0600

I think this is a great idea, think I'll give it a try and see what happens!

Via Scott Taylor, P.A. (Taylor Group Realty International):

Years ago I decided to try taking off all my tubes and flyers off my yard arm signs on my listings to see if I could get more calls. I decided that since I wasn't getting many calls that I'd try it. I had about 20 listings at the time and it was a chore refilling all the tubes but more than that it was about the lack of calls. I had a feeling that it might be because of the flyers. Was I giving them too much information?

At first, I thought I'd just take out some pertinant information, like the price. The phones were ringing much more when I did that but the buyers generally were upset that there was no price on there. I realized it was probably better to have no flyer at all then to have one with limited information that only made buyers mad. I certainly couldn't get too many appointments with buyers who were angry.

So I decided to remove all the tube flyers and the phones rang like crazy. The buyers had no information so they had to call. I got many more appointments and many more sales.

Occasionally, I'll have a seller who insists on a flyer tube on the sign and of course I get no calls on their listing. I tell them about my personal flyer tube survey but some sellers think they know more, even though you're the expert?

I think that if you give them all the info they won't call. I believe that the home buying process is done by process of elimination. If they stop and grab your flyer, they read it and see that it's a 3 bedroom. They want 4 so they keep driving until they call on a sign with no flyer and the agent gets them an appointment to show them other listings. I've been selling residential real estate full time in my area of Orlando, Florida for 17 years. I think that I can say that I believe in my little survey because I could see the difference in the amount of calls and ultimately the increased amount of appointments and sales for me.

Does anyone agree with me on this, or do you have a different opinion if so, tell me why.

Tax Credit for Current Homeowners

Sandy Noll (Realtor @ Keller Williams Realty Kirkland) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 23:10:26 -0600

Yesterday when talking with a new buyer client who is selling his home to purchase a new home, I mentioned to him that he now qualifies for the extended and enhanced tax credit of $6500. He had no idea what I was talking about! Yes it is true, if you currently own a home that you sell to purchase another, you can receive up to a $6500 tax credit!

All of the the guidelines to qualify for the tax credits are explained at IRS.gov but here are the specifics for current homeowners:

"For the first time, long-time homeowners who buy a replacement principal residence may also claim a homebuyer credit of up to $6,500 (up to $3,250 for a married individual filing separately). They must have lived in the same principal residence for any five-consecutive year period during the eight-year period that ended on the date the replacement home is purchased."

Also included in the tax credit extension were income limit increases:

"People with higher incomes can now qualify for the credit. The new law raises the income limits for homes purchased after Nov. 6, 2009. The credit phases out for individual taxpayers with modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) between $125,000 and $145,000 or between $225,000 and $245,000 for joint filers. The existing MAGI phase-outs of $75,000 to $95,000 or $150,000 to $170,000 for joint filers still apply to purchases on or before Nov. 6, 2009."

So if you have owned your home for 5 of the past 8 years and want your share of the tax credit, call your Realtor today, to get your current home sold so you can purchase a new home before this extension expires. It's doubtful there will be another extension made by the White House.

The Forgotten Children's Fund Needs Your Help

Sandy Noll (Realtor @ Keller Williams Realty Kirkland) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:29:53 -0600

One of my favorite charitable organizations is the Forgotten Children's Fund and it's that time of year again.

The North Pole is gearing up and The Forgotten Children's Fund North Pole is no exception and needs as many Elves as possible to help brighten the day for hundreds of children and their families.

Here's how it all began:

I had the opportunity to volunteer a few years ago at the North Pole wrapping and preparing gifts. Then on Christmas Eve, I along with Santa and 5 other Elves delivered food and gifts to several families. I can tell you this was a very moving experience. To arrive at someones home with boxes of food and coats and toys delivered by none other then Santa himself, put a smile on EVERY child's face. Tears flowed easily that day for everyone. Tears of joy at knowing we had just made a difference in the life of a child who might have received nothing!

I remember at our last stop, a single mother of three, couldn't thank us enough for having brought her son a bike. Many of these families do not live in the safest of neighborhoods and her son's bike had been stolen and that was all he had. She could not afford to buy him a new one so he just sat and stared out the window hoping his bike would be found. It was a heart warming feeling to know we brought a little hope to their lives.

My request for you is that you reach out and help this organization. I know times are tough and money is tight for everyone, but look deep into your heart and I believe you will find a way to support this extraordinary organization. Everything they provide is done so with donations from people just like you. Be it a monetary donation, time spent wrapping and preparing gifts, volunteering at the food or bike drives or delivering gifts on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, it's all important and you are needed. When the day is done, you can take comfort in knowing you just made life a little better for a child who really is having a tough time for one reason or another!

For information on how you can help, visit the Forgotten Children's Fund website. Once on the website click on events.

I promise, you will not be disappointed you helped in any way. There is no greater joy then bringing a smile to a child's face!

My Blog Got Me Google Juice!

Sandy Noll (Realtor @ Keller Williams Realty Kirkland) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:38:14 -0600

A little over two years ago I read an article in an NAR magazine that talked about how your blog could get you google juice. I had no idea what a blog was, not even sure I had heard the word or what google juice was! The article said the best place for a Real Estate Professional to network and blog was on ActiveRain. Decided I better check it out since the web is where the consumers are.

I dove right in and spent countless hours reading, commenting and finally posting my own content. Low and behold 73 days in the rain I got an email from a woman looking for an agent to list her home and she'd found me searching for an agent in Bothell on google. I went on the listing appointment and left with a signed listing agreement. And that wasn't the only email or call I received due to someone finding me on google as a result of coming across my blog!

Now Bob Stewart might argue that some people are just lucky and that success might not come so quickly for everyone, but the message was loud and clear, I needed to continue posting good relevant content to gain exposure to potential clients.

I consistently posted here on ActiveRain for a year, then I hit a block AND my kids seemed to get busier with sports. I know, all excuses why we stray. I had been away for over a year and guess what? Yep, my phone wasn't ringing anymore.

Last week I got a wake up call when a KW agent from Anchorage contacted me about a client he had who needed to sell their home in Woodinville. He googled Woodinville and found me, again because of my ActiveRain blog. That same day a few hours later a gal called looking for an agent to help her and her husband begin their home search. Again having found me on google!

As a result this post is my return to posting consistently on ActiveRain! Not only is this a great site for networking and creating relationships all across the county, but it really can generate business for you, BUT you have to be consistent.

So if you're reading this and not sure where you'll find the time to blog, make the time. It really does pay off in the end. I know of many people here on ActiveRain who's blogging has taken their business to another level!

How To Use Your Active Rain Blog To Get Listings!

Sandy Noll (Realtor @ Keller Williams Realty Kirkland) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 13:24:50 -0500

As always Katerina has GREAT information to share with us! Thanks!

Via Nestor & Katerina Gasset Realtors® Wellington Florida Luxury Homes (International Properties and Investments, Inc.):

How To Use Your Active Rain Blog To Get Listings!

There are many ways in which agents use their Active Rain blogs for buyers, like in relocation packages and email alerts. Since our focus is on getting listings and Bob Stewart has this contest going on about how we share our Active Rain blog to build existing relationships I thought that I would share how we incorporate our Active Rain blog on a listing presentation over the phone or in person.

We also use our Active Rain blog information with our existing sellers.

Here is the play by play:

1. We take all of our short sale information posts and post them on our website under its' own URL: short-sales-Florida.com. Whenever a person, attorney, prospect, neighbor, buyers agents, whomever has a question about short sales we send them a link to our page that contains all our Active Rain short sale posts all in one place so they don't have to figure out how to use, 'search' or 'tags'. This way they can read at their leisure, book mark the page of even print out the articles to read later on. This is probably our most successful and effective marketing strategy in using our Active Rain blog.

2. Go Google Me! You see, every agent has some sort of website, most are buried in the google sand box never having been indexed so that gives us a huge advantage. We have Active Rain screen shots that we use in our slide show presentation showing us as the point leader for Florida and a slide that shows the most subscribed to blogs on Active Rain. Since we are in the top 4- that is something we can use in our listing tool box! Now I know a lot of people will say so what about the points. Well, I am here to tell you that our sellers know it is a big deal because they read our blog. Not only that, people who don't know us will say to us: I don't know what those points mean but they must be important to be up there like that. Why would I want to market that we are one of the most popular blogs out of 160,000 agents plus? More exposure for their listings of course! Success breeds success.

3. On existing listings we take screen shots of our Active Rain statistics page along with our Clustermap screen shot to show them how many views their listing got from being posted on Active Rain. I love this feature because it is the proof in the pudding. Like Nestor says, "My favorite license plate is the Missouri, show me state." Show me what is going on with my listing! The sellers love this. We also use this same feature for listing prospects. We will take one of the existing listings and then show this same information to let them know what Nestor and Katerina can do for their property.

4. Problem short sales: We take a post we write such as Freddie Mac- Does Anyone There Know How To Read- and post it, then ask for reblogs, then take the post along with all the comments and send it to all our Senators and Congressmen, media outlets, etc, to get some action. You can makes these types of posts very viral if they contain a good cause. People like to help with causes. The seller was in tears as she read each of the comments because it meant so much to her that there was support for her.

5. Spreading the word: You know I write a lot of posts from my heart, political, natural health, homeschool, etc. We have our 'subscribe by email' set up through feedburner. You do not need to be an AR member to subscribe to our blog this way. Many of our local moms, families, consumers and agents who are not members of AR follow our blog. Like kind attracts like kind. So we have a lot of readers who follow our blog not because of real estate but because of what we believe and that in turn, turns into referrals from those who know, like and trust us. We have bookmarks and business cards that are just about our Active Rain blog. We pass those out everywhere we go.

6. Surprise: I am working on some fantastic marketing tools to highlight our Active Rain blog and more. Since I got my new mac I have discovered the endless marketing possibilities with the tools that mac has to offer. Already I have cut my time by one third in how long it takes to put a post together now. As I master these tools- I will share them with you but also wait til you see the stuff I am cooking up! Subscribe to our blog so you don't miss out.

If you are using Active Rain as your blogging platform you should look into ways in which to promote your blog to your existing data base, your existing clients and prospects in your community and on line. You can increase your readership, your email subscribers and develop the relationships that will lead you to listings and closed sales as well as making some great contacts along the way.

How To Use Your Active Rain Blog To Get Listings! by Coach Katerina Gasset is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License

By TwitterButton

Shouldn't Realtors be fighting this bill?

Sandy Noll (Realtor @ Keller Williams Realty Kirkland) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:35:12 -0500

I rarely get in on political discussions, but this seemed like it needed to be reblogged to make others aware of whats being proposed. Thanks Norm for sharing with us. Imagine the affect a bill like this, if passed, would have on the Real Estate Industry and on the American Dream of owning a home.

Via Norm Werner (Real Estate One):

I have been seeing alarmist ads of TV about the American Clean Energy & Security Act of 2009 for some time now, but it took an email from one of my past customers to get me to look into it a bit further. I certainly had no idea that it may have such a dramatic impact on housing and the ability for owners to sell their homes as it appears that it may. A part of the problem is that very few people anywhere, including the Congress, have any real idea of what is hidden in this bill and what impact it might have on everyday life.

The name of the bill is innocuous enough. I mean who can argue that we don't need cleaner energy and that saving on energy use and costs wouldn't somehow make us all more secure. But in this nice sounding bill, as in many things in life, the devil is in the details. The bill, as it was passed by the House of Representatives and sent to the Senate, is 1427 pages long. It has 835 Sections dealing with all sorts of rules regulations and programs. The bill was sponsored primarily by Representative Henry Waxman of California, which in itself explains a lot.

When I received the email from my past client, he passed on some comments that he had received from someone who apparently took the time to read through the bill and highlight the areas that should be of concern to homeowners. Below, in parentheses are a few of his comments. The author has obviously reached his own strong opinions about the bill, so take these with a grain of salt. Since this Arthur has interspersed so much of his personal opinion into the content below, you may wish to go read the bill yourself, which you can do at http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h111-2454 . I have also put a complete PDF version on my Web site at http://www.themilfordteam.com/PDF/HR2454_Bill.PDF

Beginning 1 year after enactment of the Act, you won't be able to sell your home unless you retrofit it to comply with the energy and water efficiency standards of this Act.

    H.R. 2454, the "Cap & Trade" bill passed by the House of Representatives, if also passed by the Senate, will be the largest tax increase any of us has ever experienced. The Congressional Budget Office (supposedly non-partisan) estimates that in just a few years the average cost to every family of four will be $6,800 per year. No one is excluded. However, once the lower classes feel the pinch in their wallets, these voters may get a tax refund (even if they pay no taxes at all) to offset this new cost. Thus you, Mr. and Mrs. Middle Class America, will have to pay even more since additional tax dollars will be needed to bail out everyone else.

    But wait. This awful bill (that very few or no one in Congress has actually read) has many more surprises in it. Probably the worst one is this: A year from now you won't be able to sell your house.

    Yes, you read that right. The caveat is (there always is a caveat) that if you have enough money to make required major upgrades to your home, then you can sell it. But, if not, then forget it. Even pre-fabricated homes ("mobile homes") are included. In effect, this bill prevents you from selling your home without the permission of the EPA administrator.

    To get this permission, you will have to have the energy efficiency of your home measured. Then the government will tell you what your new energy efficiency requirement is and you will be forced to make modifications to your home under the retrofit provisions of this Act to comply with the new energy and water efficiency requirements. Then you will have to get your home measured again and get a license (called a "label" in the Act) that must be posted on your property to show what your efficiency rating is; sort of like the Energy Star efficiency rating label on your refrigerator or air conditioner If you don't get a high enough rating, you can't sell. And, the EPA administrator is authorized to raise the standards every year, even above the automatic energy efficiency increases built into the Act.

Sect. 202:
    Building Retrofit Program mandates a national retrofit program to increase the energy efficiency of all existing homes across America .

    Beginning 1 year after enactment of the Act, you won't be able to sell your home unless you retrofit it to comply with the energy and water efficiency standards of this Act. You had better sell soon, because the standards will be raised each year and will be really hard (i.e., ex$pen$ive) to meet in a few years. The Act allows the government to give you a grant of several thousand dollars to comply with the retrofit program requirements if you meet certain energy efficiency levels. But, wait, the State can set additional requirements on who qualifies to receive the grants. You should expect requirements such as "can't have an income of more than $50K per year", "home selling price can't be more than $125K,.

Sect. 204:
    Building Energy Performance Labeling Program establishes a labeling program that for each individual residence will identify the achieved energy efficiency performance for "at least 90 percent of the residential market within 5 years after the date of the enactment of this Act." This means that within five years, 90% of all residential homes in the U.S. must be measured and labeled. The EPA administrator will get $50M each year to enforce the labeling program. The Secretary of the Department of Energy will get an additional $20M each year to help enforce the labeling program.

Sect. 304:
    Greater Energy Efficiency in Building Codes establishes new energy efficiency guidelines for the National Building Code and mandates at 304(d) that 1 year after enactment of this Act, all state and local jurisdictions must adopt the National Building Code energy efficiency provisions or must obtain a certification from the federal government that their state and/or local codes have been brought into full compliance with the National Building Code energy efficiency standards.

I'm generally not a fan of alarmist rants by people with a particular ax to grind and the author of the comments above may have misinterpreted some things however, this bill appears to have lots and lots and lots of things buried in it that will cost everyone lots of money to comply with in the future. It deserves to be exposed too much more scrutiny than it has received and hopefully the Senate in its deliberate style will find and remove or modify some of the more onerous provisions that the House bill contains. I'm generally in favor of doing things to decrease our use of energy in all aspects of life; however, having the government come into my home and tell me that I must do this or that to improve it's energy efficiency before I can sell it feels more like a home invasion than a helpful program.

The American Clean Energy and Security Act appears to be another misguided attempt by our so-called leaders to save us from ourselves. I think they should stick to passing legislation that lawn mowers need labels that say that one shouldn't stick their hand under the mower while it running. That's still stupid, but at least it didn't cost us much.

I checked to see if this topic has been posted here before and it has, but with surprisingly little follow-up comment. It would seem to me that anyone not already living in California would be at least a little alarmed by the provisions of this bill as they apply to homeowners, especially the need to meet some ill-defined set of energy standards before one is allowed to sell. It will be too late to get up-in-arms after the fact, if this bill passes as it is currently written.

Finn Hill Kirkland Home - $443,000

Sandy Noll (Realtor @ Keller Williams Realty Kirkland) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 18:41:54 -0500

Photo Gallery

Formal Dining Room	Eating Space Off Kitchen	Formal Living Room
Great Open Kitchen	Master Bedroom	Downstairs Bathroom
One Half Of The Recroom	Other Half Of The Recroom and door to the den/office

Description

There Is Still Time To Get The $8000 TAX CREDIT!! Welcome to this wonderful home in sought after Finn Hill community close to all amenities! Offering 3 bedrooms, 1.75baths, kitchen w/eating space & formal living & dining rooms on main floor. Downstairs there is a fourth bedroom, 3/4 bath, rec-room which is wired for multimedia center & plumbed for 2nd kitchen, den/office & utility room w/access to the two car garage. This home has an electronic air filter system & A/C for those scorchers! RV parking too!

Features

Bedrooms:	4
Bathrooms:	2.75
Year Built:	1991
Subdivision:	Oak Meadow
Lot Size:	6972
Garage Size:	2
School District:	Lake Washington
Square Footage:	2350
Agent Name:	Sandy Noll
Broker:	Keller Wiliams Realty Kirkland
MLS #:	29120430

Location

12903 86th Ave NE Kirkland WA 98034

vFlyer Id: 2728669

Eastside Agent Panel Event

Sandy Noll (Realtor @ Keller Williams Realty Kirkland) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 19:40:29 -0500

It's not to late to reserve your seat for the Eastside Agent Panel Event. Last year this event sold out and was standing room only and it's even better this year! All proceeds go to Habitat For Humanity, so register today it's coming up quick! Friday October 30th at the Westin Bellevue.

Wonderful Finn Hill Home in Kirkland

Sandy Noll (Realtor @ Keller Williams Realty Kirkland) — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 19:45:54 -0500

Photo Gallery

Formal Dining Room	Eating Space Off Kitchen	Formal Living Room
Great Open Kitchen	Master Bedroom	Downstairs Bathroom
One Half Of The Recroom	Other Half Of The Recroom and door to the den/office

Description

Features

Bedrooms:	4
Bathrooms:	2.75
Year Built:	1991
Subdivision:	Oak Meadow
Lot Size:	6972
Garage Size:	2
School District:	Lake Washington
Square Footage:	2350
Agent Name:	Sandy Noll
Broker:	Keller Wiliams Realty Kirkland
MLS #:	29120430

Location

12903 86th Ave NE Kirkland WA 98034

vFlyer Id: 2728669

How will the Holiday Season and Furlough dates impact you?

Sandy Noll (Realtor @ Keller Williams Realty Kirkland) — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 19:33:57 -0500

Via Heather Burns (Wells Fargo Home Mortgage):

How will the Holiday Season and Furlough dates impact YOU?

In lieu of departmental lay-offs of valuable employees, the counties of King and Snohomish opted to take ten mandatory days unpaid through the end of 2009. Due to these furloughs, recordings and other title and escrow functions cannot take place on the following dates:

Upcoming Furlough Dates:

October 12 Columbus Day

November 11 Veteran's Day

November 26 - 27 Thanksgiving

Holiday County Closures Dates:

October 12 Columbus Day

November 26 - 27 Thanksgiving

As of September 25, 2009 only 61 days remain before the first time home buyer credit of $8000 program comes to a close. This coupled with the above mentioned furlough dates means that you only have 57 days left to close your purchase transaction and still take advantage of this credit. While 57 days may seem like a long time, if you factor in the time it takes to get pre-approved, find a property, and go through the loan process, you could be stretching yourself thin on the time it will take to close your loan.

Remember - you must close no later than November 30, 2009 to take full advantage of this program and my fear is that many first time home buyers are waiting for rates, or purchase values to come down. In our present economic state, do not gamble $8,000 and be certain to work alongside a mortgage professional that you can trust, that can offer a guarantee that your purchase will close on time.

Through Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, I can offer you not only a buy on time guarantee but also back that by a one-time mortgage payment refund. With my vast knowledge of industry knowledge and mortgage products and services, I can assure you that I will see your first time home buyer purchase through to its close and beyond.



Heather Burns

Home Mortgage Consultant

Wells Fargo Home Mortgage

10900 NE 8th St Suite 1430

Bellevue, WA 98004

(425) 468-8645 Tel

(206) 714-3522 Cell

(866) 496-5671 Fax

Heather.S.Burns@wellsfargo.com

Website: www.wfhm.com/heather-burns2

Wonderful Home In Finn Hill Community

Sandy Noll (Realtor @ Keller Williams Realty Kirkland) — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 15:00:40 -0500

Photo Gallery

Formal Dining Room	Eating Space Off Kitchen	Formal Living Room
Great Open Kitchen	Master Bedroom	Downstairs Bathroom
One Half Of The Recroom	Other Half Of The Recroom and door to the den/office

Description

Features

Bedrooms:	4
Bathrooms:	2.75
Year Built:	1991
Subdivision:	Oak Meadow
Lot Size:	6972
Garage Size:	2
School District:	Lake Washington
Square Footage:	2350
Agent Name:	Sandy Noll
Broker:	Keller Wiliams Realty Kirkland
MLS #:	29120430

Location

12903 86th Ave NE Kirkland WA 98034

vFlyer Id: 2728669

I Have No Time to Blog - Here are Some Suggestions to Conguer That Excuse

Sandy Noll (Realtor @ Keller Williams Realty Kirkland) — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 01:30:48 -0500

OK, so I am famous for coming up with excuses! Yes, I even gave Bob Stewart my excuses last week!! Perhaps Jeff' Dowlers tips will help me get back on track to being a better blogger! Thanks Jeff!

Via Jeff Dowler ~ Carlsbad Real Estate ~ 760-840-1360 (RE/MAX Associates (DRE# 01490977)):

I have often heard, from experienced and new bloggers, that they have no time to blog.

Some use it as a reason to not get started

Others fade into the sunset soon after beginning

And those of us at it for awhile often find it hard to take the time when other things are flying at us faster than we care to think about

So how to do you conquer that excuse that you have no time to blog?

In some cases I think it is a commitment issue. Those who truly understand the value and the power of blogging find the time - it's part of their marketing plan, and they make it work because of the ROI and ROE (that's return on effort, or perhaps ROT, return on time). And it may take the place of those marketing efforts that cost money and yield little or nothing. Get rid of those and you will have the time. I'm preaching to the choir here.

But time management is always a struggle, and with the unpredictability that can come in our business, even when expectations are set, time is precious.

Here are some ideas that may help:

Set aside time to write when you can. Often the excuse of no time is due to lack of scheduling. But not always. However if you do some planning (it IS part of your marketing PLAN, is it not?) it will work. Time has a way of getting filled by other stuff that may be less important. Drinking the morning coffee and writing can be a time saver, provide you are awake enough. And if you make it planful, instead of an afterthought, you will find the time.

Use down time, such as a slow open house, to write - I can bat out 2-3 articles (or at least drafts) if I am not over-run with buyers and looky loos. Then I have a few days of articles almost ready to go.

Keep a list or a file of ideas. Sometimes it's hard to come up with an idea on the spot - why waste time thinking about it if you have a file folder with newspaper clippings, post-its and notes of all your terrific blog ideas.

Use existing marketing pieces, with some editing (no plagiarizing) for an article or a series. Why recreate something that already exists? What's in your pre-listing kit? Your buyer counseling file?

Keep in mind the standard questions that buyers and sellers ask and answer them in a post. You get a great article and you can send the link to folks who will be interested. Look at all the emails you write with answers to questions - there's a wealth of topics in those emails.

Use guest bloggers - how about asking vendors your work with to write articles for your blog. You can write a brief intro, then paste in their article (with the appropriate credit and links to their site) and presto it's done. Not only do you save time but you foster a relationship, readers get a new viewpoint and learn something, and you both may get some SEO advantage or a lead or two. I used a mold company owner I know for 3-4 articles, and a friend who is an organizing consultant for at least 4 articles.

Use technology - I use Voice Cloud (which transcribes my voice mail to text in an email) to record short posts, or several voice mails. Once I get the email I copy and paste the text, edit it, and I'm done. Of course this works best for short articles, and you have to record a voice mail that is somewhat coherent. But for some topics this can work work. Or use JOTT in the same way.

Share videos and photos with a small amount of text. It's quick and visually interesting to readers. Just don't do it all the time. I suggest taking as many photos as you can, too. You won't have to search for photos for your posts, and some of them will generate terrific article with almost no thought.

Use the re-blog feature on ActiveRain. This does NOT mean re-blogging everything in sight with no commentary of your own. Any idiot can do that, so what is the value? But now and then there are great posts worth re-blogging on your blog, with your own thoughts as an introduction. Just don't over do it.

Personally, I do NOT advocate using a ghost writer as a time savings. But that's just me. If you want someone to write YOUR stuff once you give them the ideas, that's your decision. I'm not going to debate the issue here. I don't like it and I don't do it. Your choice. I want readers to know ME, not Casper.

And it you are in the mood for some tongue-in cheek humor, read 10 Reasons Why I Hate Blogging

Well, gotta go. I ran out of time, and it's on to the next thing

Northshore School District And Others Help Provide Backpacks For Kids

Sandy Noll (Realtor @ Keller Williams Realty Kirkland) — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 18:47:46 -0500

The tenth annual Backpacks for Kids campaign has begun. This campaign is amied to benefit local families who are unable to send their children to school with necessary school supplies. During this tougher economy, many families have become the working poor, and need help providing the necessities for their families.

To meet this growing need, the Northshore School District, the Woodinvile Chamber Education Committee and the Northshore Kiwanis are coordinating a community-wide drive to collect back-to-school supplies and backpacks.

This year's campaign will run through August 10th. Local businesses and churches are volunteering to be collection sites, several local banks are collecting monetary donations, and civic and youth groups are volunteering to help assemble backpacks. At the end of the campaign over 700 filled backpacks will be distributed to families in need.

For more information on where you can drop off suppies or to make a monetary donation, visit
Backpacks for Kids. Also if you are a famliy in need, you will find information on how to contact someone for assistance.

Sandy Noll
Realtor
Keller Williams Realty Kirkland
425-890-0878
sandy@sandynoll.com
www.letsachieveyourgoals.com
http://positiverealestateprofessionals.com/sandynollrealestateandmore/
Your Residential Real Estate Specialist

Gorgeous Home Waiting For You......Seattle, WA

Sandy Noll (Realtor @ Keller Williams Realty Kirkland) — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 12:47:00 -0500

Links

Seattle Metropolitan Magazine

Photo Gallery

Description

Amazing home for the price! Nearly $200k for remodel & addition! Gorgeously done this home is your private sanctuary. The exquisite remodel inside is complimented outside w/the Trex deck w/built in gas BBQ & hot tub/gazebo. Nothing has been overlooked & includes slab granite counters in kitchen & baths, private master suite upstairs w/5 piece bath including a jetted tub. A dream kitchen with pot filler over the gas cook top & walk in pantry! Practically new construction!

Features

Bedrooms:	4
Bathrooms:	2
Year Built:	1927
Subdivision:	Cedar Park
Lot Size:	10400
Garage Size:	2 Car
School District:	Seattle
Square Footage:	2530
Agent Name:	Sandy Noll
Broker:	Keller Williams Realty Kirkland
MLS #:	28180640

Location

12557 39th Ave NE Seattle WA 98125

vFlyer Id: 2254160

Seattle Metropolitan Magazine Says Its a Screaming Deal!!

Sandy Noll (Realtor @ Keller Williams Realty Kirkland) — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 01:18:14 -0500

Links

Seattle Metropolitan Magazine

Photo Gallery

Description

Features

Bedrooms:	4
Bathrooms:	2
Year Built:	1927
Subdivision:	Cedar Park
Lot Size:	10400
Garage Size:	2 Car
School District:	Seattle
Square Footage:	2530
Agent Name:	Sandy Noll
Broker:	Keller Williams Realty Kirkland
MLS #:	28180640

Location

12557 39th Ave NE Seattle WA 98125

vFlyer Id: 2254160

Using First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credits for the Downpayment - It's GONE !!!! - The story of the $8,000 tax credit

Sandy Noll (Realtor @ Keller Williams Realty Kirkland) — Tue, 19 May 2009 00:07:38 -0500

More great advice regarding the $8000 tax credit from Uncle Sam

Via Jeff Belonger -- The FHA Expert.com -- FHA Loans -- FHA mortgages - USDA loans (Infinity Home Mortgage Company, Inc):

The $8,000 first time homebuyers TAX CREDIT - HUD has saved the day. Well, okay, it saved it for a day. It's gone now, recinded, at least for now. Everything that you have been reading about yesterday, about FHA/HUD putting out mortgagee letter 2009-15, it's no longer there. Tom Burris had noticed this yesterday and I just got off the phone this morning with the HUD office. For reasons unknown, this letter, ML 09-15, has been taken off the self. Besides, I have my reasons to this and also felt that many of the blogs posted yesterday were incorrect. Here is why....

In regards to FHA loans, a borrower can only obtain monies for their actual downpayment of 3.5% by the following :

Their own funds

up to 100% of a gift from a relative/family member

From the Federal, state, and local governmental agencies and nonprofit instrumentalities of government

FHA approved non-profits

monies from their employer in a form of employee contribution

monies from secured borrowed funds... IE. borrowing equity from your home to buy another home or borrowing against your car that is free and clear or borrowing from your 401-k, etc, etc

Here is the major confusion that was put out yesterday both HUD, NAR, and many realtors and loan officers that wrote about this. In the body of the mortgagee letter, ML 09-15, at the bottom, it stated :

The Tax Credit: Short-Term Loan:

Entities that can offer the tax credit advance with short-term loans:

Federal, state, and local governmental agencies and nonprofit instrumentalities of government, FHA-approved nonprofits, and FHA-approved mortgagees may provide short-term or "bridge loans" secured only by the anticipated tax credit due the homebuyer as collateral.

The confusion : It states, As collateral and not as a secured lien against the home, but as a secured loan against the collateral. Which in this case would be the $8,000 tax credit, which would be secured against.

Because of this, HUD does not allow for monies to be borrowed or given to in any form that I did not mention above, to be used for the down payment. The reality of it all, basically everything that was stated in the mortgagee letter, that has been revoked for now, is old school FHA. When it comes to FHA loans / FHA mortgages, you could get monies for your down payment from the items that mentioned above, which is mentioned in the mortgagee letter. Well, was mentioned... One caveat to all of this is that HUD was going to allow for lenders to secure a short term loan or bridge loan against the $8,000 to be used to purchase a home. But again, that can't be used for the actual down payment, because it goes against the basic FHA guidelines of downpayment monies of 3.5%. Now, unless HUD changed this, it does not clearly state this in the mortgagee letter, even though that letter is no longer valid.

Summary : When I read the ML 09-15 the other day, all of this jumped into my head. But I didn't have time to dissect all of this, yet I wanted to get this out to the public. After seeing many blogs written with inaccurate information, because NAR stated certain things from a HUD spokesperson, it was never clear, in which this gave me large goose bumps. My advice, consult an FHA Expert, even if you hear it from others that are high up, such as the NAR. And be careful on those that call themselves Experts also. I personally think that this was immature of several agencies for putting this information out there without verifying it's accuracy and intentions. And I would have to assume that HUD feels the same way since they took this mortgagee letter off their site and off the HUD clips site. Thanks

EXTREMELY IMPORTANT REMINDER : Just because HUD or any other source puts information out there, doesn't mean it will happen. Keep in mind that most lenders have overlays and can add to certain rules and or guidelines.

And just for the fact that HUD says it's fraud to obtain the tax credit prior to closing. This question has been asked to HUD by many of us and their response is FRAUD. Why? You are receiving the monies before you are buying the house. Yes, you can give the IRS the address prior and a potential closing date. But I smell shit hitting the fan very soon, since a lot of this is still new. And remember those lender overlays? I know some lenders and underwriters that won't allow this type of loan to go to closing.

Ken Cook wrote a very short and brief blog about all of this. It's very clear. FALSE info flying around about the first time tax credit used as a downpayment.

For real, updated information on the First time Homebuyer's Tax Credit, please read : $8,000 first time homebuyers tax credit.

TAX FRAUD - Are you getting your tax credit before you go to settlement, and it's not from a non-profit agency or from a Federal, State, or Local agency? Then you might be committing FRAUD. Please read : The $8,000 first time homebuyers tax credit - FRAUD ALERT

05/15/09 - 11:59 pm UPDATE : Hey everyone – Please read this comment by Gerry Suarez – It’s very important -

http://activerain.com/blogsview/1075899/using-first-time-homebuyer-tax-credits-for-the-downpayment-it-s-gone-the-story-of-the-8-000-tax-credit#4663332

My Series on the First time homebuyers $8,000 tax credit - Everything you need to now, from start to finish - What's allowed and what's not allowed :

The $8,000 tax credit for first time home buyers - The basics - What to know about it - Understanding what the tax credit is all about.

Use a 6 month gift from a relative to buy a home, thanks to the Tax Credit - How to get creative in using the tax credit and some FHA mortgage guidelines in helping you use this tax credit to your advantage.

Using First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credits for the Downpayment - It's GONE !!!! - The story of the $8,000 tax credit - The bottom line, you can't use the actual tax credit as your downpayment.. for your downpayment, unless you get it from other sources prior to buying the house and receiving the tax credit.

FRAUD ALERT - Advice on the $8,000 first time homebuyers Tax Credit - Do you chance it??? - This explains to you that it's fraud if you directly obtain the money from the IRS before you actually purchase the house. Even HUD and many lenders/investors acknowledge this also.

The $8,000 tax credit for First Time Homebuyers - How & when to get it legally - So how can the tax credit be received legally for your downpayment? Just be careful of those that promise other ways not mentioned. I talk about what is illegal in the previous blog above. Please click the link.

- FHA Loans - USDA Loans - VA Loans -

- Energy Efficient Mortgages -

- Conventional Loans - 203 k loans -

- Mortgages -

Experience & Knowledge at its BEST !!!

_________________________________________________________________________________________

For more information on FHA loans, please go to this link. The FHA Expert

For more information about the 2009 Tax Credit for First Time Homebuyers : 2009 Tax Credit

For important mortgage insight to watch for, please read : Consumers need to be aware of these Red Flags !!!!

Copyright © 2009 by Jeff Belonger

Gorgeous Home Waiting For You......Seattle, WA

Sandy Noll (Realtor @ Keller Williams Realty Kirkland) — Sat, 16 May 2009 18:54:13 -0500

Sandy Noll | Keller Williams Realty | sandy@sandynoll.com | 425.890.0878

12557 39th Ave NE, Seattle, WA

Amazing Remodel In Wonderful Cedar Park Neighborhood.

4BR/2BA Single Family House

offered at $569,500

Year Built	1927
Sq Footage	2,530
Bedrooms	4
Bathrooms	2 full, 0 partial
Floors	3
Parking	2 Car garage
Lot Size	10,400 sqft
HOA/Maint	$0 per month

DESCRIPTION

This is an amazing home for the price!!! Don't miss out!! Nearly $200k remodel & addition! This home is your private sanctuary. The exquisite and gorgeous remodel inside is complimented outside w/the Trex deck w/built in gas BBQ & hot tub/gazebo. Nothing has been overlooked & includes slab granite counters in kitchen & baths, private master suite upstairs w/5 piece bath including a jetted tub. A dream kitchen with pot filler over the gas cook top & walk in pantry! Practically new construction!

see additional photos below

PROPERTY FEATURES

Central heat	Fireplace	Walk-in closet
Hardwood floor	Tile floor	Living room
Dining room	Dishwasher	Refrigerator
Stove/Oven	Microwave	Granite countertop
Stainless steel appliances	Basement	Washer
Dryer	Laundry area - inside	Yard

COMMUNITY FEATURES

Garage parking

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

Photo 1	Photo 2
Photo 3	Master Bath
Utility Room	Photo 5

Contact info:

Sandy Noll

Keller Williams Realty

sandy@sandynoll.com

425.890.0878

For sale by agent/broker

Equal Opportunity Housing

Posted: May 16, 2009, 3:42pm PDT

FRAUD ALERT - Advice on the $8,000 first time homebuyers Tax Credit - Do you chance it???

Sandy Noll (Realtor @ Keller Williams Realty Kirkland) — Sat, 16 May 2009 13:30:35 -0500

Jeff great information, thanks for getting the RIGHT word out!

Via Jeff Belonger -- The FHA Expert.com -- FHA Loans -- FHA mortgages - USDA loans (Infinity Home Mortgage Company, Inc):

Clarification before you read : Yes, you can use the tax credit as part of your downpayment. I have stated this before. If it comes from non-profit organizations or Federal, local, or state agencies. I mentioned this in my other blog, in the bullet points . But just from the few comments and some on facebook, you are missing the POINT. It’s fraud to apply for this tax credit through the IRS, prior to actually buying your home, if you receive the monies from the IRS DIRECTLY. Please stop reading into HUD, downpayments, etc, etc and understand what is considered FRAUD by HUD and many lenders.

Do you take the plunge, possibly jeopardizing your career? If a loan officer told you to jump off a bridge, would you? You'll see my point below.

Who do you listen to? Where do you get your information from? It's worse now than ever before. I once was able to tell a borrower or a realtor, if you didn't believe me, go call up 5 other loan officers. I would say this, because you would think that you would get at least 3 to 4 people giving you the same answer. PEOPLE.... this is not true anymore. I had two separate examples that took place that 3 out of 4 loan officers gave the same information that was 110% incorrect. Rut row... there goes my theory out the door.

What about all of this hype over the $8,000 first time homebuyers tax credit? It's gotten way out of hand. I wrote this blog, Tax Credit for downpayment, it's GONE, the story of the $8,000 tax credit. You need to read many of the comments. Here is a great example of what I am talking about.

Here are 2 examples from comments that I received by a realtor. Keeping in mind, I am not trying to throw them under the bus, but to help educate and bring awareness. How else do we learn and possibly not make mistakes that could be so costly.

Example 1 -

"From my understanding from 2 CPA's and mortgage lender that it CAN be done by applying for the credit prior to the closing with an accepted contract. There are risks like not closing before November 30th. But this can happen."

OUCH - No, double ouch. Okay, so she was able to talk to 2 CPA's and a loan officer that both confirmed this. Okay, so it might be legal from their standpoint. But what about HUD's standpoint and from many lenders and underwriters. Don't they actually have the final say in all of this? YES, they do !!!

Example 2 -

"I just wrote up an offer and the loan officer told me that my buyer would be using some of the tax credit for the down payment. So I'm not rescinding my blog post just yet."

My question to this realtor... What about your fiduciary responsibility to the buyer? I received an e-mail from this person after asking the same question. Their response? They know the letter was taken down, but they are looking for an official statement. Huh? You think HUD or the NAR is going to say, "we screwed up." ??? Why not call HUD yourself, be proactive.

In any case, let's study what the IRS says. Here is Form 5405 - The first time homebuyers tax credit form

As you can see, letter be asks for the date aquired, but tells you to read the instructions. So let's go to that part of the instructions.

Wow... enter the date that you acquired the home. Acquired? Wouldn't that mean when you bought it and not when you are going to buy it? It states this right under the first sentence. So why are some CPA's, accountants, and loan officers stating that you can get the money before you buy, while still submitting this form. ??? Inquiring minds want to know.

Here is my opinion and some facts. And you can ask such loan officers as Tom Burris and Gerry Suarez, because they have checked also with HUD and with several underwriters with different lenders. Who says what....

HUD says that it's illegal and they recognize this. But wait, some lenders have allowed this and my buyer has already closed. Keep in mind that HUD still has to insure these loans, so maybe the "shit" will hit the fan in 6 months or so, since this is all still new.

Underwriters - Gerry and myself have spoken to several underwriters at major lending institutions that have said they will not do this type of loan, if the buyer had received the monies from the IRS, if prior to closing on the home. Not unless it falls into another category. Those categories I have listed in the middle of this blog. Tax Credit - what is allowed prior to closing - Please go to my bullet points in this blog. This is what is legal and how.

We need to stop the bad press. As you can see, this has gotten out of hand and everyone seems to be an expert. Yet, nobody is speaking to the correct experts. Be proactive. If not sure, call HUD yourself. Call a trusted loan officer/expert and not one that claims to be.

Lesson of the Day : When you hear real estate related news stories, maybe you should check the sources and double check the stories. I could give you 10 examples of this just from what I have read in the last 5 months. As we say, "Buyer Beware".... how about we say, Realtor/loan officer Beware !!!

- FHA Loans - USDA Loans - VA Loans -

- Energy Efficient Mortgages -

- Conventional Loans - 203 k loans -

- Mortgages -

Experience & Knowledge at its BEST !!!

_________________________________________________________________________________________

For more information on FHA loans, please go to this link. The FHA Expert

For more information about the 2009 Tax Credit for First Time Homebuyers : 2009 Tax Credit

For important mortgage insight to watch for, please read : Consumers need to be aware of these Red Flags !!!!

Copyright © 2009 by Jeff Belonger

Beautifully Remodeled And Waiting For You

Sandy Noll (Realtor @ Keller Williams Realty Kirkland) — Sat, 02 May 2009 11:57:13 -0500

Sandy Noll | Keller Williams Realty | sandy@sandynoll.com | 425.890.0878

12557 39th Ave NE, Seattle, WA

Amazing Remodel In Wonderful Cedar Park Neighborhood.

4BR/2BA Single Family House

offered at $574,500

Year Built	1927
Sq Footage	2,530
Bedrooms	4
Bathrooms	2 full, 0 partial
Floors	3
Parking	2 Car garage
Lot Size	10,400 sqft
HOA/Maint	$0 per month

DESCRIPTION

see additional photos below

PROPERTY FEATURES

Central heat	Fireplace	Walk-in closet
Hardwood floor	Tile floor	Living room
Dining room	Dishwasher	Refrigerator
Stove/Oven	Microwave	Granite countertop
Stainless steel appliances	Basement	Washer
Dryer	Laundry area - inside	Yard

COMMUNITY FEATURES

Garage parking

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

Photo 1	Photo 2
Photo 3	Master Bath
Utility Room	Photo 5

Contact info:

Sandy Noll

Keller Williams Realty

sandy@sandynoll.com

425.890.0878

For sale by agent/broker

Equal Opportunity Housing

Posted: May 2, 2009, 8:29am PDT

Prayers for Duane Ranstrom's Family

Sandy Noll (Realtor @ Keller Williams Realty Kirkland) — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 14:43:08 -0500

Last year I wrote a post, Prayers for Duane Ranstrom asking for everyone to pray for healing for Duane who's heart stopped and he was in a coma. Those prayers were answered and Duane did come out of his coma and his family got him back. It's been a long tough battle, which you can read on CaringBridge in Duane's journal.

Sadly on April 27, 2009 Duane passed away. While it is a very sad time it is also, a great thing for Duane, he was freed from the pain and medications needed to simply sustain.

I ask now that you add Duane's family to your prayers as they will greatly miss their husband, dad and grandpa.

3-2-1- LIFTOFF! Prevent Failure to Launch: Help Your Kid Buy A House This Year

Sandy Noll (Realtor @ Keller Williams Realty Kirkland) — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 00:44:22 -0500

This article is filled with GREAT advice for those 20 something kids to seriously consider. I truly believe there will never be a better time than right now to buy and it really can be very easy and you'll be glad you did a few years down the road when prices and interest rates have risen!

Thanks for the awesome post Janet!

Via Janet Guilbault California Mortgage Banker/Broker:

It wasn't THAT long ago that we Baby Boomers worried a lot about our kids.

You know, those irrepressible Generation Y kids who were on the Internet at age 4 and who grew up clicking (my son says I grew up turning dials and that is why his generation is superior different).

Sitting on our own fat bubble- enhanced, low taxed properties, we watched prices spiral out of control here in the San Francisco Bay Area. We believed our children would either:

Never be able to afford a house

Move away forever

Move back in with us (eek!)

But post meltdown, all of that has changed. And in the wake of economic disaster lies a once in a lifetime opportunity to get junior into his very own house or condo.

This is the year to help your kid become a first time buyer. You snooze, you lose.

No, I cannot promise son will become a handyman or daughter will turn into Martha Stewart. But I can promise you that everyone in the family will look back someday (sooner than you think) and thank their lucky stars you took advantage of a 24 karat golden real estate opportunity to give your child financial stability.

Why this year? Here are 3 reasons that point directly to the stars being lined up perfectly:

Cheap properties (prices being driven down by foreclosures)

Low fixed rates on old fashioned 30 year mortgages

FHA financing finally has limits high enough to buy in California

As if that isn't ENOUGH, here is your amazing limited time BONUS OFFER: First Time Homebuyer Tax Credit of $8000 is good through the end of the year.

The strategy:

GIFT your child the down minimum payment (3.5% of selling price)

ASK the seller to pay the closing costs in your offer, so your kid needs NO cash at all

SNAG a cheap property in the best location your kid can afford

Be prepared for this:

MULTIPLE OFFERS on lender foreclosed properties for sale

SELLERS insisting on an approval with a LENDER (not just a letter from the mortgage person)

A LONGER time line than you are expecting

10 things not to worry about:

Rates will go lower. FHA loans have the ability to be easily re-written if rates drop (streamline refinance)

Real estate will be cheaper. So what? Think long term.

Your kid isn't "ready". Most first time buyers do not have the perspective to understand the benefit of the tax credit, or the silver lining of economic downturns. Come to think of it, you probably weren't "ready" when he was born.

Going on the loan with your kid. If your kid has no job now, or just can't afford to buy, you can co-sign.

Finding the "perfect" house/condo. It is a starter house, for crying out loud. Do not expect lender foreclosures to be pretty

FHA closing costs are "too high". Yep, FHA will have slightly higher closing costs than conventional. Seller may not pay closing costs. You can gift your kid closing costs, too.

What if my kid loses his job? "What if's" are the biggest reason for missed opportunities!

The real estate market is just too confusing! That is why you should find a great real estate agent

Getting a loan is a big hassle! Get preapproved first with a great mortgage person

Where will I get the cash to help my kid? How about an equity line or retirement account? Maybe Grandma has the money?

Get your kid set and maybe you could move in with him someday. (double eek!)

Maybe not.

Written by Janet Guilbault, Mortgage Banker/Broker Based Out of the San Francisco Bay Area

10 Reasons That You Should Wait to Buy in this Market

Sandy Noll (Realtor @ Keller Williams Realty Kirkland) — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 22:22:32 -0500

This is a GREAT post!

Via JL Boney, III Columbia, SC Real Estate (Russell and Jeffcoat):

With all the posts out there about how now is the best time in history to run out and buy a home, I thought it only fair to show you the reasons that you should not do so. The last thing this economy needs is for consumers to start spending money, that would actually cause the great deals to go away. Mainly due to the fact that it would cause the economy and the real estate market to recover, and at this point that's the last thing we need.

10- Rent is fun to pay. I mean it's not at all like having to pay your own mortgage, why do that when you can pay a mortgage for someone else. If you went out and bought a home, there would be one less investor out there getting a free house with your money.

9- The amount of homes for sale on the market. There is no need to running out there when you have a ton of homes for sale at your disposal. You should certainly wait for the numbers to dwindle so you will have less of a choice you decide to buy. This will keep you from having to be so picky.

8- The great deals will be the first to go. This will be your indicator that you are getting close to time to start looking. All the good homes will be taken and then you can go sift through the left overs for what you can salvage.

7- Low Interest rates. Low interest rates will cause your mortgage payments to be lower, and this may make you feel like you are not doing your fair share. You should definitely wait around for those rates to rise so you can make a higher monthly payment. Then you won't have to deal with the guilt of saving money.

6- The price of homes for sale. Currently many homes for sale are on the market at very competitive lower prices. If you can manage to hang in there a little longer without buying a home, then you can catch market during or after a recovery. This means that you will get to pay more for the home than you would today.

5- With today's rates and prices, mortgages on many homes for sale are actually cheaper than rent on the same homes. Again this would possibly save you money, and that's not what you want to do. You need to wait for the prices to rise so you're not getting as good of a deal.

4- A 10% of the sales price tax credit up to $8,000. If you were to buy a home now,and you are a first time home buyer, then you would receive this tax credit. If you can hold out until next year, then you will be able to avoid this tax credit all together. This will save you the aggravation of trying to decide what to do with the extra money on next year's tax return.

3-Builder incentives. At present, in addition to the competitive prices, many builders are offering other incentives on new homes. Incentives like a percentage of of the home for sale depending on your employment and reduced pricing on upgrades. Some are even offering free upgrades and tossing in little extras that they normally do not offer in order to sweeten the pot. This would mean that you could get a great deal on a brand new home in your area, and that's the last thing you want. Wait for these deals to be snatched up other buyers before you even consider looking for your new home.

2- Lack of competition for you. Right now with many would be buyers sitting on the fence trying to make a decision, you would have your pick of the litter as far as the homes currently available are concerned. You need to wait until many more buyers are on the search, that way you can possibly end up in multiple offer situations and have to fight another buyer over the home you really want.

1- The pride of home ownership. There is no reason to come home to a home that actually belongs to you. Why not constantly come home to a house that you are buying for someone else.

I hope that in some way this has helped anyone reading to figure out why you should stay on that fence. There are really too many great deals and incentives out there to subject yourself to making a decision as to which one you want. So hang in there and stay on those sidelines. With a little discipline and a little luck you'll be able to avoid all the great deals that this current market has to offer. Best of luck to you.

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