While growing up, we were taught by our parents and grandparents that owning a home is a financially savvy move. They explained how a mortgage is like a “forced savings plan.” When you pay rent, that money is lost forever. When you make a mortgage payment, much of that money accumulates as equity in the

The only thing more scary than paying too high of a commission to sell your home… Is realizing that you don’t have too while getting even more service and support than most brokerages offer at a higher fee! Shannon Woodcock and Dafna Shalev Provides Full Service. We are a real estate company like no other,

The average person living in the United States will buy three to four homes during their lifetime, living an average of 13 years in each home. This makes sense when you consider a first-time home buyer may move after six or seven years, whereas a last-home buyer may live in the home for decades. The

Mortgage rates are edging noticeably higher this week, and would-be home buyers and refinancing homeowners may have missed out on a chance to lock in a lower rate. The average contract rate on the 30-year fixed will likely end the day as high as 4.875 percent for the highest creditworthy borrowers and 5 percent for

Home purchasers seeking to stand out in competitive housing markets should consider a mortgage professional based in the area. Don’t discount the benefits of shopping local—even for a mortgage professional. In tight housing markets where bidding wars are common, buyers who need financing can strengthen their offers by working with a locally based mortgage broker or loan officer,

A basic beginner’s explanation for our soaring home prices in King County: There are a lot more people searching for homes, and far fewer homes available for them to buy. There just aren’t enough homes for sale. The number of homes on the market is at a low point for records that date back to

In Seattle — home appreciation exceeded the median household income over the past year. Home values in Seattle have been appreciating more than 3.5 times faster per working hour than the cities’ minimum wage workers earn. In Seattle, the typical homeowner is gaining $54.24 of equity in their home every hour they’re at the office.