Woodinville, WA

Market reports need to be relevant to where you live!
Often what you read and hear about is not relevant to our market on the Eastside, or more specifically, Woodinville. I post periodic updates on my website Here is a sample of the December post that shows data through the end of November 2008. If you would like information that is tailored to your specific home or property type, please contact me and I would be happy to create a report that is tailored to you.

Woodinville Monthly Charts
All Residential listings for sale, pending, or sold over the last 15 months in Woodinville
(excludes condos, multi-family, commercial, vacant land)

Months of Inventory

Sellers Market: 0-3 months inventory
Balanced Market: 3-6 months inventory
Buyers Market: 6+ months inventory)

Average Price of Home Listed for Sale and Sold

Data Source:Northwest Multiple Listing System as aggregated by Trendgraphix, Inc.

by Michelle Blue
Your Guide to Woodinville Real Estate, Community & Neighborhoods!
www.WoodinvilleGuide.com

Congratulations to Woodinville High School staff & students for being one of 12 schools in Washington to receive the Silver ranking in the recent US News & World Report's annual rankings of the top performing high schools in the country!

The Gold & Silver met the following three distinctions:

• Students perform better overall than statistically expected

• Disadvantaged students perform better than statewide averages

• One of the select schools that perform best at producing college-leve achievement for the greatest percentage of students - as measured by (a) Breadth of access (significant number of students taking and passing AP test), and (b) Depth of access (significant number of students taking and passing multiple AP tests).

12 High Schools in Washington received the Silver honor: Bainbridge High School, Garfield High School, Interlake Senior High School, Mercer Island High School, Orcas Island High School, Redmond High School, Roosevelt High School, Sehome High School, Vancouver School of Arts & Academics, and Woodinville High School.

4 High Schools in Washington received the Gold honor which put them in the top 100 schools across the country: Bellevue High School, International Community School, International School, and Newport Senior High School.

By Michelle Blue
Your Guide to Woodinville Real Estate, Neighborhood & Community
www.MichelleBlue.com

If you were sitting on the fence about refinancing your current loan or getting into a new loan and a new home.... here are some great charts that will help you see how fabulous rates are right now.

Would you like to print this out (or need bigger print) ? Click here => historical-rates.pdf

This information and great charts are provided by my favorite Woodinville lender!

Hank Stecker
Branch Manager/Mortgage Consultant 425-488-3979
hstecker@windermere.com | www.WindermereMortgageServices.com/hstecker
(If you call Hank, tell him Michelle Blue sent you !)

by Michelle Blue
Your Guide to Woodinville Real Estate, Neighborhoods & Community
www.MichelleBlue.com

Have you seen these signs along Avondale?

Have you wondered what it is all about?

This is a fabulous example of a people coming together for a common cause and working to make a difference! Their goals are to improve the safety and decrease the noise along Avondale. Since May they have successfully launched a website, conducted meetings that have been attended by - regional politicians and Avondale is now on the project lists for several departments.

So what are the goals?
Increase Safety & Reduce Noise - specifically by

• Getting the road repaved with Asphalt Rubber which is quieter and safer.
  
• Slow the road traffic down to the speed limit - which increases safety and reduces noise.
  

The Results?

• Last Summer there were temporary radar signs along Avondale - it worked
  
• Early 2009 there will be two permanent radar speed signs installed along Avondale
  Read the announcements
  
• Avondale is on the "Radar" of key government officials - Linda Dougherty (KC Roads Division Director), Harold Taniguchi (KC Transportation), Kathy Lambert (King County Council Member), Ron Sims (King County Executive), Roger Goodman(State REpresentative) and more.

Want to learn more - want to get involved? Please go to the www.ABetterAvondale.org website and sign up for the Email Feedblitz and keep up todate on what is happening and what you can do to help!

by Michelle Blue
Your Guide to Woodinville Real Estate, Neighborhoods, & Community
A Proud Member of A Better Avondale
www.MichelleBlue.com

Here are the rates that my lender sent me today - they change daily...

If you are thinking about buying, now is the time to do it while the rates are low and housing inventory is high!

30 Year fixed FHA / VA: 5.5%
30 Year fixed Jumbo FHA: 6.5%
30 Year fixed conventional conforming: 5.25%
Conventional conforming 7 year balloon: 5.25%
30 Year fixed conventional conforming jumbo: 5.375%
30 Year fixed conventional non-conforming jumbo: 7.875%
3/1 ARM: 6.0% - conforming 6.875% - jumbo (+ .75% in fee)
5/1 ARM: 6.375% - conforming, 7.375% - jumbo
7/1 ARM: 6.5% - conforming, 7.625% - jumbo

* All rates quoted with a 1% origination fee

And contrary to the general belief out there - there is MONEY Available for lending! Let me know if you need a lender referral. Or help finding a home!

Current loan limits:
FHA <= $362,790
Jumbo FHA <= $567,500 (Need to fund this by the end of December. New loan limits as of January 1st, 2009 will be $506,000)
VA <= $700,000 (Max loan amount for Jan 1st, 2009 has not been announced)
Conventional Conforming <= $417,000
Conventional Conforming Jumbo <= $567,500 (Need to fund this by Dec. 12th. New loan limits as of December 1st, 2009 will be $506,000)
Conventional Non-Conforming Jumbo <= $1,000,000 (Higher amounts available)

by Michelle Blue
Your Guide to Woodinville Real Estate, Neighborhoods, & Community
www.Michelleblue.com