Good morning! Today is cloudy, cool, and rainy; typical Pacific Northwest Fall weather. Have you carved your pumpkin yet?

I wanted to give you an update on Southeast King County and what I'm seeing. This is where I live. I actually work in Bellevue but have noticed some encouraging trends in the cities of Maple Valley, Kent, and Auburn.

I've started to see builders finishing their developments. For over a year, there were just vacant lots. Now, I'm seeing houses being finished which is a very good sign. With prices dropping by as much as $100,000 even on affordable homes (think $250,000-300,000 price range now) and the first-time homebuyer tax credit still in play, I'm hearing reports of increased closings.

All this needs to be tempered with the fact that banks are in serious trouble up here (there are several on the FDIC's watch list who can't lend money right now) and there are still over 1,000 homes scheduled for auction every week.

Are we out of the woods yet here in Southeast King County and other parts of Puget Sound. I think its too early to tell but, again, I'm encouraged by the return to commerce of the builders. I'll keep you posted! Have a great day!