REALTORS(R) Nationwide Open House event is this weekend, April 28th and 29th! This open house showcase invites house hunters to obtain information about home ownership from expert REALTORS(R) in local neighborhoods. Several hundred homes that are currently listed for sale will be available for viewing Saturday and Sunday! Balloons are available at each of our offices for pick up.
Coldwell Banker Danforth is so excited to be able to work with East King County Habitat for Humanity and be a foundation sponsor for their La Fortuna project in Renton. We also sent a team out there for a build day. We are continuing our sponsorship again this year and we will once again be sending a team to the La Fortuna site on Wednesday, May 30th from 8:45am – 4:30pm.
Here’s a great article from the Veteran’s United Realty Blog
Let’s face it: Every listing isn’t going to be a gorgeous manor on a picturesque hillside.
That’s where a good feature real estate photo can make a big difference. By following a few basic tips, you can enhance any home’s strong suits and minimize weaknesses.
Make sure to avoid the following errors with your feature listing photos:
http://www.veteransunited.com/realestate/9-real-estate-photo-errors-to-avoid/
Let’s face it: Every listing isn’t going to be a gorgeous manor on a picturesque hillside.
National news sources have speculated that the worst of the housing marketing recession may be over. The recovering job market, historic low interest rates, and a shortage of home inventories are actually creating a seller’s market.
Last week Coldwell Banker Danforth put a historical record of new pending homes into escrow. Coldwell Banker Danforth had also experienced record sales last month. Their previous best February was 2006 at the height of the last upswing. In February of 2012, Coldwell Banker Danforth had beat their 2006 gross sales by 50%, reaching a new record for pending sales since the company began 20 years ago.
“Last week was our busiest week ever at CBD with 80 new purchase and sale agreements!!” says David Danforth President and Designated Broker of Coldwell Banker Danforth.
“If you’ve been waiting for the real estate to heat up before you jump into the Puget Sound real estate market, now is a good time to make your move”, stated Danforth, “many buyers are pre-approved and we are seeing multiple offers on homes in many neighborhoods. It is an outstanding time to buy if you are looking to upgrade from your current home, if you are a first time buyer or if you are an investor looking to diversify out of the stock market. Interest rates are still very low and prices haven’t been this good for years.”
About Coldwell Banker Danforth
Founded in October 1993, Coldwell Banker Danforth’s mission is to promote a culture for recruiting and retaining quality real estate agents by offering the industry’s best value proposition with a focus on technology and broker support. Coldwell Banker Danforth’s unique 100% commission sales platform allows their broker’s to leverage a well-known brand name and high tech tools allowing them to concentrate on giving their customers a higher level of customer service. Total broker support is our goal. Coldwell Banker Danforth is ranked in the top 20 of 3200 Coldwell Banker real estate franchises in North America. Coldwell Banker Danforth is a privately held company and has brokers that service the entire Puget Sound Region.
###
If you’d like more information about this topic, or to schedule an interview with Dave Danforth, please call Dave Danforth (206) 212-2200 at or email him at davedanforth@cbdanforth.com.
The latest statistics are saying that this is the time to buy AND the time to sell a home. With interest rates still low and home prices going up. The inventory is limited but there are still really good deals out there.
New numbers are reported every day based on a job market that seems to be picking up, and new programs added by the federal government. What is happening in the Seattle area housing market or what is going on in your neighborhood isn’t a reflection of what is going on in the rest of the country.
In the Seattle area the recent consistencies in the housing market are making a positive pattern. Both buyers and sellers should be aware that this is a good time to make a move. The actual numbers of homes sold or listed in the Multiple Listing Service shows the statistics that are calculated over a significant period of time.
Great news for Seattle home sellers. Last year the housing market was balanced market (there weren’t any new homes listed and 3-6 months was a typical period for inventory to sell). That number has fallen below the three-month level making this a seller’s market for homes in most of the Puget Sound area. Multiple offers are becoming prevalent.
According to a report by the MLS published on March 5, …”within King County, pending sales were particularly robust in the Lake Forest Park/Kenmore neighborhoods (up 73 percent), Kent (up 61 percent), Burien/Normandy Park (up 58 percent) and central Seattle (up 56 percent). The northeast portion of Snohomish County also experienced strong sales (up 63 percent from a year ago).”
It doesn’t matter if you’re in Seattle, Tacoma, Graham or Everett. I think we can all agree with this latest chart from Coldwell Banker on what makes a house a home.
Source: coldwellbanker.com via Coldwell on Pinterest
Need some easy in expensive ways to spruce up your home for spring?
Sun in Seattle is sometimes rare this time of year, but when it does appear home owners are looking for ways to see their home in a new light! If you’re looking to sell your home you may not want to spend a lot of extra cash but you want potential buyers to look at your home in the most positive light.
Here are ten ways you can Puget Sound residents can spruce up their homes for springtime, whether you’re selling your home or staying there.
Removing old fluorescent lights and replacing them with pendants or a more contemporary fixture also has a big impact.
Don’t wait until you can renovate to give your kitchen a new look. Sometimes changing only one facet can refocus the entire space. New hardware and light fixtures are quick and inexpensive. Don’t forget refacing or painting cabinets if new is beyond your budget. If the countertops are in good shape, consider tiling the backsplash. Reorganize cabinets so the space works better. Add new accessories or update countertop appliances so they coordinate.
Increasing curb appeal is traditional advice for anyone selling their home. But nothing is more akin to applying lipstick than revamping the entry. Replace a worn front door if the budget permits. Otherwise give the old door a new look with paint. Seasonal plants, new house numbers, a new doormat and trimmed walkway will make you feel like you are coming to a new house.
Shop thrift and consignment stores for some unique finds; then polish and paint. Also think about creating your own artwork in colors that will make a room pop. You will save a bundle and possibly discover an inner artist you didn’t know existed.
Looking to spruce up your home to make future buyers feel welcome? Or possibly you just moved in and you are a little tight on funds and you’d like to do something different. How about painting your front door red?
Red doors mean welcome. Here are some historical facts about painting the door to your home red.
There are several meanings behind a red door.
In Feng Shui, a red front door means “welcome.” Feng Shui is a Chinese philosophy in which the arrangement and color of objects in a room relates to the flow of energy. The front door is known as the “Mouth of Chi” where energy enters. If you believe in or follow Feng Shui, painting your front door red would create welcoming energy.
A red door means “welcome” in an old early American tradition. If a family had a red front door tired travelers traveling by horse and buggy would know that a home was a welcoming place to rest. They would be able to spend the night there.
A red door provides protection. In Biblical times, the Hebrew slaves were instructed to smear blood of a lamb on their front doors to protect their first born from the angel of death. In old Catholicism churches painted the doors of the church red to represent the blood of Christ. Passing through the door would mean that you were on holy ground. Some believe a red door protects the occupants from evil.
A red front door means mortgage-free. In Scotland, homeowners would paint their front door red to signify that they had paid off their mortgage.
