Jul 30

3 Reasons to Buy that House NOW!

house-keysHere are three important reasons to consider buying a home today instead of waiting.

1) Prices Will Continue to Rise

The Home Price Expectation Survey polls a distinguished panel of over 100 economists, investment strategists, and housing market analysts. Their most recent report released last week projects appreciation in home values over the next five years to be between 12.3% (most pessimistic) and 32.8% (most optimistic).

The bottom in home prices has come and gone. Home values will continue to appreciate for years. Waiting no longer makes any sense.

2) Mortgage Interest Rates Are Increasing

As reported by Freddie Mac, interest rates for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages have risen about one full percentage point over recent historic lows.

The National Association of Realtors, the Mortgage Bankers Association, Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, in their July forecasts, have all projected 30-year-fixed mortgage interest rates to be between 4.8 and 5.1% by this time next year.

An increase in rates will impact YOUR monthly mortgage payment. Whether you are moving up or moving down, your housing expense will be more a year from now if a mortgage is necessary to purchase your next home.

3) It’s Time to Move On with Your Life

The ‘cost’ of a home is determined by two major components: the price of the home and the current mortgage rate. It appears that both are on the rise. But, what if they were not? Would you wait?

Look at the actual reason you are buying and decide whether it is worth waiting. Whether you want to have a great place for your children to grow up, you want your family to be safer or you just want to have control over renovations, maybe it is time to buy.

If the right thing for you and your family is to purchase a home this year, buying sooner rather than later could lead to substantial savings.

 

 

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Jul 26

Bellevue Library Connection closing temporarily July 22nd

39345bellevuelibrary2The Library Connection at Crossroads will close temporarily beginning July 22 for interior upgrades. The renovation is expected to last eight weeks, with a planned re-opening in the fall.

Crossroads library busiest in Bellevue

Opened in 2002, the Library Connection at Crossroads has the highest circulation per square foot of any branch in Bellevue, including the main location at 1111 110th Ave. NE. The Crossroads location circulates approximately 571,000 items annually.

Improvements

Improvements being made at Crossroads will include new paint, furniture and carpet. The renovated location also will feature a new Automated Materials Handling Machine, which will allow patrons to return materials to the location 24 hours a day.

Read more.
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Jul 26

Free Boys & Girls Club summer camp needs donations

UNDER THE SEA CAMP

Hidden Valley Boys and Girls Club, 14508 SE 24th, will host a free ‘Under the Sea’ camp for girls August 5 - 9, 9:30 - 4:30 pm. The free event is sponsored by Girl Start.

Junior campers worked as forensic scientists at a previous camp, pictured above. With a new case to solve each day, they used their detective and engineering skills to help the toy shop.

Donations for free lunches needed

While camp is free, donations for the free lunches provided are needed. Lunch for one girl is $12.50 a day. Contributions are welcome at 425-454-6162, Yvonne, [email protected].

More information: Boys&GirlsCamp

 

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Jul 24

Buying a Home? Don’t Let Fear Get in Your Way

family-houseA story about a young couple just buying their first home…

Recently I heard a story about a young couple who were about to close on their first home. They were riding the wild roller coaster of current mortgage rate swings and were not happy about the mortgage process overall. Yet, when the conversation shifted to finally living in a home that they own, their disposition changed dramatically.

A smile would come across their faces as they talked about decorating their son’s bedroom and how much he will enjoy the backyard. They talked about inviting friends over for dinner and their family over for the holidays. The more they talked, the more excited they became.

Many friends buying their first home?

When asked if many of their friends were also buying, the answer was that they were not. Why not? Their friends believed that home ownership was financially unobtainable right now. Many wanted to own, but thought they couldn’t afford the monthly mortgage payment.

Their friends had decided to rent instead.

Afraid…

It was pointed out that, with interest rates and prices where they are today, owning a home might not be any more expensive than renting one.

The couple had agreed but said their friends were afraid; afraid they might not qualify for a loan, afraid to handle negotiations with a seller, afraid of the home buying process itself.

Wow!

People should not make decisions out of fear!

I’m not saying that every young person should own a home. I am saying that anyone that is qualified and wants to buy should not be afraid of the process. I realize the process may seem daunting but realize over 10,000 homes sell every day in this country!

Sit down and discuss your goals with professionals from both the real estate and mortgage industries. Get the facts. Make an informed decision.

Don’t let the fear of the unknown prevent you from living the life of your dreams.

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Jul 20

Chinese investors flock to Bellevue

54213bellevueBusiness-and-Arts-ReceptionBellevue, a global city

Bellevue’s growing role as a global city is evidenced by the speed at which foreign – in particular Chinese – investors are flocking to the Eastside, purchasing real estate, developing commercial plots and expanding their companies. Though Bellevue has been cultivating relations with Asia for some time, the rate of investment is accelerating.

Changing business climate

Bellevue’s record sale of a downtown site for $31 million to Chinese investors; stories of real estate being snatched for lump sums of cash and a bilingual site launched by the city of Bellevue last year all suggest the changing business climate.

Planned Bellevue projects

A pipeline of 20 projects are projected for downtown, spearheaded largely by Chinese investors. One potential investor hopes to buy the commercial zoning along light rail and Bel-Red Road. A several decades-long development that could reach from 120th to 140th, the investor has plans also to build residential neighborhoods catering to Chinese nationals. In Newcastle a 125-unit Asian retirement community expected to break ground in 2014.

Cash real estate purchases

Whereas Vancouver, British Columbia, and San Francisco used to be magnets for Asian investors, now Bellevue has become a destination. Fifty percent of the real estate recovery on the Eastside is due to cash buyers. When Chinese travel they spend an average of $6,000 per person, the highest of any nationality while abroad.

Why Bellevue?

Bellevue’s obvious role as a tech hub and a platform for prominent Asian-American figures like Mayor Conrad Lee offer one reason for the attraction. But other factors, like the Eastside’s low crime rate, ethnic diversity, top-ranked schools and recovering economy also contribute. China’s own real estate value has risen as financial policy tightens, and many want a safe place to invest their fortunes.

Multi-cultural diversity is an important reason.. Read more.

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Jul 18

New ‘Timber’ music festival July 26-27

timberlogo2013

Coming July 26-27, Timber! is the new outdoor Music Festival from Artist Home Presents! Billed as a full immersion in nature and music.

Combining music, community and the beautiful natural environment of the Pacific Northwest, the festival is set near Carnation, Washington, at the Tolt-McDonald Park near the confluence of the Tolt and Snoqualmie rivers.

The inaugural Timber! Outdoor Music Festival, to be held near Carnation will include four stages:

  • Main stage
  • Campfire stage, located in a mini-amphitheater built by the Boy Scouts
  • Indoor stage at Pete’s, a honky-tonk spot located in Carnation
  • And, a stage inside a barn on the park grounds.

And the talent? You’ll find sets from the Helio Sequence, Fruit Bats, Quasi, Noah Gundersen, Lemolo, Bryan John Appleby and Kithkin, among others. Here’s the playlist.

In addition, the festival will boast a variety of outdoor activities, including star talks with local astronomy clubs, mountain biking excursions with the Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance, and tons of delicious food from some of the Northwest’s best food trucks.

And, of course, beer gardens – and root beer gardens – will abound.

 

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Jul 18

House Sale Price: List It Right from the Beginning

House-Price-See-Saw

The Research

Are there any negative effects from changing the listing price of a property? The question that haunts Brokers/Agents as well as sellers of property was investigated by John R. Knight. Unfortunately, few know the results of Professor Knight’s research.

In Knight, the impact of changing a property’s listing price is investigated. Additionally, the types of property that are most likely to experience a price change are also estimated. The findings from this research indicate that, on average:

  • Properties which experience a listing price change take longer to sell and suffer a price discount greater than similar properties.
  • Bigger price changes are found to experience even longer marketing times and greater price discounts.
  • The greater the initial markup, the higher the likelihood that any given property will experience a listing price change.

Implications for Practice

Sellers should therefore be aware of the critical necessity of getting the price correct from the start. Sellers wanting to over price will ultimately take longer to sell and will sell their property for less, on average, according to Knight. Brokers/Agents’ desire to take a listing and get the price right later are not doing their sellers any favors. Thus, an initial and detailed analysis of the proper price is much more critical than many originally thought.

Interestingly, the direction (up or down) of the listing price change does not matter. A listing price increase and decrease both lead to similar results found in Knight’s work – longer marketing times and lower prices. Therefore, get the price right from the beginning. It is best for all.

Endnotes


[1] Knight, John, R. (2002). Listing Price, Time on Market, and Ultimate Selling Price: Causes and Effects of Listing Price Changes. Real Estate Economics. 30:2, 213-237.

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Jul 04

Leadership & Courage Gave Birth To This Nation

… and the same will keep us free. Happy Fourth of July!

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Jun 18

June Events Calendar at Crossroads

What’s Happening at Crossroads

Today
Monday, June 17, 2013
10:00a 1/2 Salad & Soup or Full Salad $5.55 Crossroads Cafe
10:00a Hindi, Bengali & Urdu Translator Mini City Hall
10:00a Public Health Information & Assistance Mini City Hall
2:00p Story Time WiggleWorks
5:00p Pokemon League Uncle’s Games
7:00p Happy Hour @ WiggleWorks WiggleWorks
7:00p Parent Mindfullness Group Community Room
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
10:00a Hindi, Bengali & Urdu Translator Mini City Hall
10:00a Spanish Translator Mini City Hall
10:00a Wrap Day - Any Wrap & French Fries $5.55 Crossroads Cafe
11:00a Cultural Navigators Advisory Board Community Room
12:00p Farmers Market @ Crossroads Bellevue South Parking Lot
12:00p Kindering Meeting Community Room
1:00p Crossroads Farmers Market Presents Pickled Okra Farmers Market
6:30p Bellevue Community Band Market Stage
7:00p Advanced Sahaja Meditation Community Room
7:00p Happy Hour @ WiggleWorks WiggleWorks
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
8:30a Merchant Meetings Community Room
10:00a Burger/French Fries Day $5.55 Crossroads Cafe
10:00a Chinese Translator Mini City Hall
10:00a No Play & Learn Today - Back on 6/26 Market Stage
11:30a TMG Discussion Group Community Room
1:00p Happy Hour Special Pzazz Hair Design & Beauty Supply
2:00p Story Time WiggleWorks
3:00p Barnes & Noble Story Time Barnes & Noble
4:30p Yu-Gi-Oh Uncle’s Games
6:30p Bulgarian Cultural and Heritage Center of Seattle Community Room
6:45p Dungeons & Dragons Encounters Uncle’s Games
7:00p Happy Hour @ WiggleWorks WiggleWorks
Thursday, June 20, 2013
8:00a Old Navy Community Room
10:00a Melt/French Fries Day $5.55 Crossroads Cafe
10:00a Russian Translator Mini City Hall
1:00p Happy Hour Special Pzazz Hair Design & Beauty Supply
6:00p War Machine Uncle’s Games
6:00p Yarn Arts Group Outside the Library Connection
6:30p Summer Januaries Crossroads Stage
7:00p Free Sahaja Meditation Workshop Community Room
7:00p Happy Hour @ WiggleWorks WiggleWorks
Friday, June 21, 2013
10:00a Fish & Chips $7.99 Crossroads Cafe
10:00a Korean Translator Mini City Hall
12:00p Chinese Translator Mini City Hall
6:00p Night Magic: The Gathering Uncle’s Games
6:00p TGIF - Creatively Yours Creatively Yours Ceramic Studio
7:00p Jim Basnight Market Stage
Saturday, June 22, 2013
7:00a Eggs Benedict $8.99 Crossroads Cafe
9:30a EGS Computer Interest Group Community Room
10:00a Music Recital Market Stage
11:00a Dog & Cat Adoptions Petco
12:00p Net Runner Regional Uncle’s Games
12:30p Magic: The Gathering, Draft Uncle’s Games
1:00p Goddard School Community Room
5:00p Board Game Night Uncle’s Games
7:00p Eric Miller Market Stage
Sunday, June 23, 2013
7:00a Eggs Benedict $7.99 Crossroads Cafe
11:00a Family Board Games Uncle’s Games17-23
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Jun 18

Farmers Market at Crossroads… sooo good!

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