Seattle Shoreline Edmonds Real Estate Information Archive

After months of robust and seemingly unsustainable annual home value appreciation, the housing market is showing signs of moderation in the first quarter, according to data from Zillow.

The Zillow  ($58.60 -1.19%) home value index increased 5.1% year-over-year to $157,600 as of the end of the first quarter.

March marked the 16^th consecutive month that U.S. home values rose, although last month marked the second straight month of slowing annual appreciation. Additionally, home values appreciation was 0.5% in the first quarter, compared to 2.1% in the fourth quarter of 2012.

Typically annual home values appreciate roughly 3%, according to research done by Zillow. The Zillow Home Value Forecast anticipates national home values will rise 3.2% through March 2014, indicating an appreciation more in line with historic norms.

However, in some local markets, home values continue to rise at a rapid pace. According to Zillow, five markets it covers saw a year-over-year appreciation of more than 20%: Phoenix (up 24%), Las Vegas (up 22.3%), San Jose (up 22.1%), San Francisco (up 21.4%) and Sacramento (up 20.1%).

"The national housing market has rebounded strongly over the past year. But the sometimes dramatic home value run-ups experienced during these months were never expected to be sustainable, and recent slowdowns are indicative of a market that is slowly finding its natural level," said Zillow Chief Economist Dr. Stan Humphries.

"Looking forward, we expect annual home value appreciation to continue to slow, as more inventory comes up for sale," Humphries added. "But pockets of very rapid appreciation will remain, a troubling sign of volatility and a potential future headache as affordability is compromised and homes begin to look much more expensive to average buyers."

Surprisingly, seven of the top 30 metro markets that Zillow covers experienced a home value decline in the first quarter. New York metro’s home value dropped 0.3% after three consecutive quarter of positive appreciation. Chicago saw the largest depreciation as values fell 1.4% in the first quarter after falling flat in 2012’s fourth quarter.

*Information obtained from an article written by: Megan Hopkins for Zillow.com on 4/24/13

Okay...this is cool!

Here are 10 ways you can use that ubiquitous brown bottle of 3% hydrogen peroxide to your home’s advantage: Best part? One bottle only costs you $1.00

In your kitchen

1. Clean your cutting board and countertop. Hydrogen peroxide bubbles away any bacteria left after preparing meat or fish for dinner. Add hydrogen peroxide to an opaque spray bottle — exposure to light kills its effectiveness — and spray on your surfaces. Let everything bubble for a few minutes, then scrub and rinse clean.

2. Wipe out your refrigerator and dishwasher. Because it’s non-toxic, hydrogen peroxide is great for cleaning places that store food and dishes. Just spray the appliance outside and in, let the solution sit for a few minutes, then wipe clean.

3. Clean your sponges. Soak them for 10 minutes in a 50/50 mixture of hydrogen peroxide and warm water in a shallow dish. Rinse the sponges thoroughly afterward.

4. Remove baked-on crud from pots and pans. Combine hydrogen peroxide with enough baking soda to make a paste, then rub onto the dirty pan and let it sit for a while. Come back later with a scrubby sponge and some warm water, and the baked-on stains will lift right off.

In your bathroom

5. Whiten bathtub grout. If excess moisture has left your tub grout dingy, first dry the tub thoroughly, then spray it liberally with hydrogen peroxide. Let it sit — it may bubble slightly — for a little while, then come back and scrub the grout with an old toothbrush. You may have to repeat the process a few times, depending on how much mildew you have, but eventually your grout will be white again.

6. Clean the toilet bowl. Pour half a cup of hydrogen peroxide into the toilet bowl, let stand for 20 minutes, then scrub clean.

In your laundry room

7. Remove stains from clothing, curtains, and tablecloths. Hydrogen peroxide can be used as a pre-treater for stains — just soak the stain for a little while in 3% hydrogen peroxide before tossing into the laundry. You can also add a cup of peroxide to a regular load of whites to boost brightness. It’s a green alternative to bleach, and works just as well.

Anywhere in your house

8. Brighten dingy floors. Combine half a cup of hydrogen peroxide with one gallon of hot water, then go to town on your flooring. Because it’s so mild, it’s safe for any floor type, and there’s no need to rinse.

9. Clean kids’ toys and play areas. Hydrogen peroxide is a safe cleaner to use around kids, or anyone with respiratory problems, because it’s not a lung irritant. Fill an opaque spray bottle with hydrogen peroxide and spray toys, toy boxes, doorknobs, and anything else your kids touch on a regular basis. You could also soak a rag in peroxide to make a wipe.

Outside

10. Help out your plants. To ward off fungus, add a little hydrogen peroxide to your spray bottle the next time you’re spritzing plants. Use this helpful chart to determine the ratio of hydrogen peroxide to water for your types of plants.

Whether you plan to buy or sell, there are some real estate resolutions that buyers and sellers can — and should — make. Here are five to get you started.

Buyers: Resolve to get your financial house in order

Planning a home purchase takes time and effort, so you should consider meeting with a mortgage professional early in the year. Know your credit score and understand what your financial situation looks like from a lender‘s perspective. If you have credit issues, identify what they are and the necessary steps to correct them. Sometimes, it can take six months to see your FICO score move up the much-needed 20 points to get you a better mortgage rate. A good real estate agent can recommend an experienced, local mortgage processional. Local is always important, because many real estate deals are made on relationships, and being able to meet face-to-face with your mortgage professional can be a big plus.

Sellers: Resolve to think of your home as a product

When it comes time to sell, your home becomes another product on the market. Buyers will compare it and its price to competing properties. You must put your best foot forward, because the properties that are priced right and show well sell the quickest. Pricing will get worked out once you’re ready to list, but showing well can start way in advance. A home that shows well is free of clutter, clean and as up-to-date as possible.

Start clearing out old stuff now. If there are things deep in your closets that you don’t think you’ll use between January and the time you move, consider a storage locker or making space in the garage. Does your real estate agent suggest that the basement needs a paint job? Get some painting bids now. Have you always hated how the bathroom vanity takes up so much space? Consider changing it now so buyers will perceive your bathroom as bigger. This will also help you spread out the costs of home repairs and changes over several months.

Buyers: Resolve to start feeling out the market early

You may think you only need to go to open houses once you’re ready to buy. But in reality, a buyer needs a couple of months learning the marketing, understanding home values, the prices per neighborhood and the market in general. Going to open houses in the neighborhoods where you want to buy will allow you to start feeling out the market. It may also be the best way to meet your future real estate agent. Many agent/buyer relationships are forged at open houses.

Once you engage an agent, you may make several offers before you get into your dream home. Having your agent along for the ride will allow you to compare and contrast homes you’ve visited to the home you eventually buy. The homes you see and your experience feeling out the market will serve as the building blocks toward becoming an informed buyer and making your best offer.

Sellers: Resolve to understand your timing and exit strategy

One of the biggest stresses on a seller is trying to plan a purchase and a sale at the same time. Can you afford to close on the new home before selling? If so, for how long? Do you need to sell the property first? If so, will the potential sale price support a home purchase in the neighborhood you want to be in? If not, what other areas should you be looking in? Selling and buying at the same time brings up all kinds of financial, emotional and physical stress.

Uprooting yourself from your home is not easy. What if you have to go into short-term housing? How will you get that set up and how long would you need to commit for? If you can afford to purchase and then sell, do they need to happen quickly? Are there things you can be doing in your current home so that once your new home closes, you’ll be ready to list? It’s a lot to think about and plan for, and it helps to have a strategy in place well before you have to take action.

Buyers and sellers: Resolve to engage a real estate agent now

Planning a home purchase or sale takes time. Engaging a real estate agent early in the process will allow you to have an expert on hand as you start to put the pieces together. A good real estate agent doesn’t just show and sell homes: They can be your strategic adviser, even well in advance of any actual transaction.

On the seller side, if you pulled a permit to install some new windows or replace some dry rot in 2005, likely the contractor issued a permit. But did he close it out? A good agent will figure that out and clean it up before it becomes a transaction issue. You should use your agent to literally get your house and listing in order.

For buyers, having an agent with you from the start is like having an experienced, second set of eyes and ears. Having so many transactions under the belt and years of market knowledge in their head, a real estate agent’s opinions, thoughts and ideas can save you a lot of time and money. What’s more, they can keep you on the right path toward identifying the best home, and they’ll see you through the process all the way to the closing.

With natural gas and oil prices on the rise, U.S. home owners are expected to pay a lot more to heat their homes this winter. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, homes that use natural gas will see a 15% increase in heating bills this winter, adding an estimated $89 more to gas bills each month. Homes that rely on heating oil will see an 11% increase adding an estimated $407 more to the monthly bill.

“We can’t control factors like fuel costs or the weather, but we can be smart about how we prepare our homes for winter,” said Sean Murphy, Build.com DIY specialist. A few basic repairs and one or two simple changes can add up to big savings in your December and January heating bills.

To reduce winter heating bills, consider the following money-saving suggestions from Build.com:

1. Winter-proof the windows: Windows can be a homes most attractive feature. They provide views, lighting, ventilation, and most importantly, a natural source of heat during the frigid winter months. Unfortunately, they can also account for 10% to 25% of a homes total heating bill by allowing heat to escape. This winter, make sure all windows are properly sealed. Replace weather stripping, and recaulk windows to ensure even the smallest leaks are plugged. When the project is done, be sure to seal the caulking tube properly so it can be reused for future projects.

Think of window coverings as a homes blanket. Close curtains, shades, and blinds to keep the warm air in. When the sun does decide to come out, keep coverings open to allow it to naturally heat the room. In addition to cutting energy costs, some window coverings qualify for energy-efficiency tax credits. Though tax credits vary by state, the average home owner can save up to $1,000 with qualifying rebates.

2. Keep tabs on the thermostat: Dialing back the thermostat by 7 to 10 degrees will save 10% a year on heating and cooling costs. As a general rule of thumb, a home should be kept at, or below, 68 degrees for maximum cost efficiency.

Homes with programmable thermostats should set the heater to turn on 30 minutes before someone arrives, and turn off 30 minutes before everyone heads to bed. Programmable thermostats are a great winter investment, saving the average home owner about $180 in energy costs every year when using pre-programmed settings, and can be easily installed by the home owner.

3. Give the water heater a boost: A hot shower is an even hotter commodity during the dreary winter months, so make sure the hot water heater is bundled up this winter. Water heater blankets help insulate the tank and allow the water to stay warmer longer. This cuts down on energy costs and makes the water tank system more efficient, saving home owners $30 a year on their bill.

Originally posted by World Special Publications

Read more: http://www.houselogic.com/home-advice/fireplaces-chimneys/wood-burning-fireplace-inserts-save-energy/#ixzz24D0RD1Gl

When replacing siding, you’ll often recoup a significant amount of your investment, but there are tradeoffs in maintenance, price, and sustainability.

Perhaps no other building material plays such as key role in your home as siding. It protects your house against the harshest elements and is a factor in your home’s appearance, architectural character, and value. A vinyl siding replacement, for instance, recoups almost 70% of its initial cost at resale, according to Remodeling magazine’s 2011-12 Cost vs. Value Report. Fiber-cement siding returns 78% — the highest national average value in the report. Here’s our guide to common siding replacement options based on your budget, maintenance tolerance, and green priorities.

Vinyl

Vinyl is the most popular choice for home siding on new homes in the U.S., according to 2008 U.S. Census Bureau data. It is tough, durable, and widely available in many styles and colors. Color permeates the material and won’t reveal nicks and scratches.

Today’s standards ensure that vinyl siding will maintain its shape in extreme temperatures, provide resistance to high winds, retain its color, and meet or exceed other manufacturer claims. Labeling should indicate if it conforms to the American Society for Testing and Materials‘ standard, expressed as ASTM D3679. Or ask you contractor to confirm.

Benefits: Light weight makes for speedy installation; can be retrofit over existing siding; little maintenance; top-quality brands offer transferable lifetime guarantees to subsequent buyers.

Drawbacks: Seams will show where the ends of standard 12-foot panels overlap. Extra-long panels virtually eliminate seams for an additional cost of about 30%.

Green factor: Vinyl has a long replacement cycle of 30 to 50 years, but the same ingredient that makes it durable—polyvinyl chloride or PVC—doesn’t degrade in landfills. Byproducts of PVC production may include dioxin and other toxins.

Cost: Material per sq. ft., installed: $2-$6

Average two-story, 2,300 sq. ft. house, including building wrap and insulating backer board: $7,000-$14,000

Metal

The popularity—and availability—of steel and aluminum siding is waning because vinyl has evolved as the better low-cost option. Metal siding comes in many pre-finished colors and features styles that mimic wood. Modern metal sidings are dent-resistant, insect- and fire-proof, and require little maintenance. With proper care, steel and aluminum siding will last more than 50 years.

Benefits: Light weight speeds installation; baked-on paint enamel finishes won’t need periodic repainting.

Drawbacks: Not readily available in all areas; dents are permanent; scratches should be touched up with a quality, color-matched house paint.

Green factor: Aluminum siding products may contain up to 30% recycled content.

Cost: Material per sq. ft., installed: $3-$5

Average two-story, 2,300 sq. ft. house including building wrap, insulating backer board, and aluminum trim: $9,000-$14,000

Fiber-cement

Fiber-cement siding is made from a mixture of wood fibers, Portland cement, clay, and sand. It’s slowly gaining market share as consumers become more aware of its rugged durability, low maintenance, and weather-resistance. Because it’s made from a liquid cementitious mixture, it can be molded to closely resemble painted wood, stucco, or masonry. It’s also termite-proof, fire-resistant, and doesn’t rot. A 30-year warranty is standard. Most home improvement stores carry samples.

Benefits: Pre-finished fiber-cement siding eliminates the need for painting after installation, yet the material accepts repainting easily when you want to change colors. It resists thermal expansion and contraction, so paint and caulk hold up well; in some areas, fiber-cement is considered to be masonry and may qualify you for lower home insurance premiums—check with your agent.

Drawbacks: Fiber cement materials are heavy. Installation requires specialty tools and techniques, adding to labor costs (about 50% more than vinyl). Search for bids and find an installer who’s familiar with the product. Check contractor services, such as HomeBlue or ServiceMagic. Retrofits require a complete tear-off of the old siding, a job that requires one or two days for a 2,300 square-foot house and adds about 5% to the total cost of the project.

Green factor: The production of Portland cement is associated with CO2 emissions, which are probably offset by the material’s extreme longevity. However, because fiber-cement is relatively new, that longevity has yet to bear out.

Cost: Fiber-cement horizontal board siding per sq. ft., installed: $5-$9

Average two-story, 2,300 sq. ft. house including building wrap, wood trim, primer and paint: $14,000-$21,500

Wood

Wood siding comes in many species and grades, and what you select—and pay—depends on how you plan to finish the material. If you want the natural beauty of wood to show through a clear or semi-transparent stain, you’ll need to opt for more expensive grades with fewer knots and other defects.

If you plan to paint or use an opaque stain, you can select less expensive grades of wood. Lumber yards and home improvement centers may stock only one or two examples, so view styles and compare prices at an online store.

Benefits: Easy-to-shape-and-cut material requires few specialized skills for installation, reducing labor costs; with proper care, wood will last 100 years or more—longer than synthetic materials; superior aesthetics.

Drawbacks: Can be expensive; requires repainting every 5 years, re-staining every 3 years, or applying a clear finish every 2 years, for which a professional painter will charge thousands; retrofitting with wood means a complete tear-off of existing materials; non-moisture-resistant species, such as pine and fir, are susceptible to rot.

Green factor: Wood siding biodegrades in landfills; the finest grades come from old-growth timber. Ease logging pressure on diminishing old-growth forests by selecting re-purposed material or wood certified by the Forest Service Council. FSC-certified wood comes from sustainable forests.

Cost: Wood clapboard (associated with fine homebuilding) per sq. ft., installed: $6-$9

Average two-story, 2,300 sq. ft. house including building wrap, wood trim, primer and paint: $15,000-$22,500

Wood shingles (prized for cottage-style appearance) per sq. ft., installed: $3-$6

Average two-story, 2,300 sq. ft. house including building wrap, wood trim, primer and paint: $10,500-$15,000

With so many options and variables to consider, spend some time researching various materials in regards to your budget. A good starting place is a list of siding manufacturers who attend Builder Shows.

Read more: http://www.houselogic.com/home-advice/kitchens/refacing-kitchen-cabinets/#ixzz1kQUO8Jgt

Listing Representation:

Following is a map of all the SOLD properties where Chuck Cady and Associates represented the Seller (1/1/2011 - 12/7/2011):

Of our SOLD Listings in 2011 we have averaged nearly a 99% Sales Price versus List Price. 

Purchase Representation:

Following is a map of all the SOLD properties where Chuck Cady and Associates represented the Purchaser (1/1/2011 - 12/7/2011):

On average for the above transactions we saved our Buyer's $10,000.00 on their purchase!

The following Cities and Neighborhoods were served:

There are only a few more days left in the month to take advantage of tax credits for energy efficiency home improvements!  Tax credits up to $500 are available for home owner’s to claim until the end of the year, but they better hurry. Congress has yet to renew the tax credits for 2012.

You can read the full article by Melissa Dittmann Tracey, by clicking here. 

You can get further information regarding the tax credit by reading the General Instructions for Form 5695 - Residential Energy Credits from IRS.gov.

Attention home buyers, sellers and curious neighbors alike - get out there and take a look!  Simply click on the link below for the complete list of all the open houses taking place this weekend in the North Seattle and Shoreline neighborhoods.

North Seattle and Shoreline Open Houses