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A Message From Our Mortgage Partner: Cody Touchette!
December 18, 2015 /The Fed, Mortgage Rates, and Rent The Fed has recently raised interest rates from a range of 0% - .25% to a range of .25% - .5%. Predictably, this decision has lead many to wonder whether higher rates will mean a slowdown of the generally recovered housing market. The fact that buyers have recently recovered their confidence after slogging through the recession makes answering this question particularly important. Luckily, it’s unlikely that the Fed’s decision to raise interest rates will significantly slow the housing market’s recovery. Indeed, according to a recent NPR article, most of the nation’s homebuilders do not believe that the housing market’s recovery is going to slow following the Fed’s decision to raise interest rates. The primary reason for this opinion is that the raise in rates has been modest and will take place gradually. Additionally, mortgage rates have already been slowly inching upwards in anticipation of the Fed’s decision, further softening the impact of the increase. Finally, it’s unlikely that dramatic spikes in interest rates will be occurring any time soon. As of now, interest rates are expected raise about one percent over the next several years. Additionally, it’s important to realize that, as of now,…Read more
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Buying and Selling a Home During the Holidays
December 11, 2015 /Some people consider the holidays as a real estate no-man’s land, a time of year when everyone is too busy donning tacky sweaters, huddling around festive fires, and drinking egg-nog to either buy or sell a home. This perception, however, is misleading, While it’s true that the real estate market may slow down a bit during November, December, and January, it’s a great time to take action as a buyer or seller. In fact, there are benefits to buying or selling at this time of year. Read on to learn about how buying or selling a holiday home can work toward your advantage Buying your home during the holidays The biggest benefit to buying a home during the holidays is that, more often than not, sellers are going to be more eager to sell. Perhaps your seller unexpectedly got a new job on the East Coast, for instance, and she needs to sell her home pronto and move before the New Year. The American adult’s life is more mobile than ever, so situations such as these are becoming more and more common. In any case, someone selling his home during the holidays most likely needs to move the property sooner…Read more
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Edmonds, WA: ever thought of moving to Edmonds?
December 4, 2015 /Edmonds is a beautiful city located just 15 miles north of Seattle and 18 miles south of Everett. A historic community, the Snohomish tribe used the land around Edmonds as a harvesting ground for mussels and clams long before the arrival of white settlers. The city of Edmonds was first officially recognized in 1890 under the leadership of the entrepreneurial George Brackett. Since then, Edmonds has become a cherished part of the greater Seattle community, and it’s easy to see why. The city enjoys enviable views of the Puget Sound and the dramatically mustered peak of the Olympic Mountains. Additionally, Edmonds has access to no less than four beaches and plenty of waterfront parks, providing plenty of robust and healthy saltwater breezes for lovers of a barnacle-clad maritime lifestyle. For example, the Edmonds Marine Sanctuary and Underwater Dive Park is the perfect place for aficionados of scuba diving to explore the Sound’s unique underwater ecosystem. While access to water is certainly beneficial for recreational purposes, Edmonds’ location on the Sound has practical purposes, too. For example, Edmonds is also home to the Edmonds-Kingston Ferry, which carries the highest number of vehicles and second highest number of passengers for all state…Read more
