About Snohomish County, WA

For those of us that grew up here in Snohomish know the Ingalls family. I knew both Brett and sister Kim back in those days and those were the days....in the 70's ...those days.

I am not going to be sappy but I am happy for Brett and how cool is this? Our community has produced some top shelf talent in many different capacities over the years and Brett is another in that long line. I have attached a link about the coaching staff.

GO SAINTS!

http://www.sdnn.com/sandiego/2010-02-07/sports/hacksaw-san-diego-super-bowl-connections

WHO DAT? 24 - 21 Saints.

I wish us all well.

FHA loans really won't cost that much more!

Lots of buzz this week about the Federal Housing Administration raising the costs of FHA loans, how they're raising the "up front" mortgage insurance premium; the annual premium, the down payment requirement for the scores and scores AND SCORES of people who are financing through FHA with <580 credit score, and reducing the max seller concession from 6% to 3%, and apparently these changes are apparently going to catapult us back in to recession.

Wow. Will you allow me to clarify a few things?

On a $250,000 purchase price, here's how these changes translate:

1) The "up front" mortgage insurance premium is financed in to the loan 99.99999% of the time (in all fairness, the actual percentage probably has less decimal places). The fee is going up 1/2%, so if they choose to finance in this fee as most do, it will raise their payment by about $6.50/month. Probably not a reason to decide NOT to buy a home;

2) Let's say the annual (paid monthly) premium goes up 10% for SOME borrowers (haven't release which borrowers this will affect or how much, so I'm guessing), that is equivalent to about $20/month. Again, probably not a reason to decide not to buy a home.

In all fairness, these two changes mean that in terms of monthly payment, the buyers are paying about $5,000 more for the home than they were before. In other words, if the home sold for $245K instead of $250K, it would effectively be a wash. I know a lot of sellers who would be willing to take a 2% price reduction if it meant selling their home...

3) For borrowers with less than 580 credit scores, a 10% down payment will be required. This impact is actually minimal, because most lenders have their own requirement for a minimum credit score of 620! One of the reasons they have this is because FHA doesn't have a minimum score, so the lender sets their own. My employer is one of the few lenders that follow the FHA guidelines and don't have a minimum score.

If anything, a minimum credit score of 620 for the lowest down payment option of 3.5% may help more people qualify for an FHA loan!

4) changing the max financing concession from 6% to 3%. Also very low negative impact, because most transactions don't carry more than 3% in closing costs.

Bottom line is this -- don't panic! These are needed changes in order to keep the FHA program self-sustaining, which it has maintained since 1934. So let them shore up a bit, we'll be fine!

Thanks for reading -- James Wirth

	9532 25th Dr. SE Everett, Wa 98208 Better Then New Home In Everett
Home   Photo Gallery   Virtual Tour   Property Map   Payment Info   Request Showing   Contact Me   Isaac Real Estate Team Office: 425-483-6849 Mobile: 206-841-9976 Website: Visit Website	Price : $349,921 Bedrooms : 3 Bathrooms : 2.5 Square Foot : 2,341 Lot Size : 3,920 Community : Everett County : Snohomish Property Type : Detached Year Built : 2008 MLS Number : 13612 click for more information and pictures Property Description This is a better then new home with a lot of special landscaping in the private back yard looking back to a greenbelt. Features include beautiful hardwood floors throughout most of the first floor, a great bonus room on the 2nd floor, a soaking tub and a separate shower in the master bath, a security system, solid granite counters in kitchen, granite counters, stainless steel appliances, high tech wiring, hardi plank siding, and the upgrades go on and on. Features List Bath off Master Ceiling Fan(s Dinning Room Dble Pane/Strm Windw French Doors High Tech Cabling Security System Walk- in -Closet Walk in Pantry Hardwood Floors Forced Air Natural Gas Level Cul-de-Sac Paved Street Sidewalk Cable TV Fenced-Fully Patio Bonus Room Granite Counters
Equal Housing Opportunity.	Century 21 Real Estate Center : 19720 44th Ave W, Suite T - Lynnwood WA 98036 : 425-483-6849

This amazing 2 Story Home for Sale near Silver Lake, Everett, WA

is a better then new with a lot of special landscaping in the private back yard which backs to a greenbelt.  With a great location close to shopping, Costco, & with easy access to I-5 & Everett Mall this home will be just right for your family.

Interior features of this 2 story home for sale near Silver Lake include beautiful hardwood floors throughout most of the first floor, a great bonus room on the 2^nd floor, a large soaking tub & a separate shower in the master bath, a security system, solid Granite Counters in the kitchen, Cherry Cabinets, stainless steel appliances, high tech wiring, hardi plank siding, and the upgrades go on and on.  

This 2 story home near Silver Lake was purchased 18 months ago for $420,000 and was well worth the cost at the time.  Sellers made it their special home spending thousands of dollars on the backyard landscaping, curtains, blinds, etc.  Their loss is your gain.  Take advantage of this short sale today!

I found that my contact at Bank of America does have options available and they're offering up to a 6-month loan rate lock. I'm curious if anyone has seen anything else out there. My clients and I are talking to a new construction project that is investor funded and the 17 lots platted already have 4 houses up, including the model, with one of them a property they'll consider - or they'll choose another lot and put the house they want on it with a couple of modifications that will work better for them.

Rates are awesome so getting them into a loan soon would be good but I am concerned that the builder says only 90 days for construction once they break ground because most new construction I've seen takes up to 6 months, easy, since up here building is affected by weather.

I have to say that the Whisper Woods development in Snohomish is pretty nice and I'd recommend anyone looking out that way to go check it out. Compared to a lot of the resale properties in that area, it's a pretty darn good value.

Isn't counting the number of homeless people in Snohomish county a bit like counting cats? They run when they see you coming and never stay in the same place from day to day?

Volunteers spent the day and early evening gathering data on Snohomish County's homeless population. This year's total still incomplete shows 2,291 individuals in 1,279 households without a permanent place to stay.

I wonder if they know about all the homeless camps like the one at the intersection of I-5 and 164th there south of the Park & Ride? Hell, they even take shifts panhandling for money at the off ramp.

What is really a problem is the number of unsecured properties across the county. They offer refuge and a place for transients and criminals to hang out. If you have a vacant home or property, I urge you to make sure that it is secure. A homeless person theoretically cooking food set fire to the garage of an abandoned house on Ash Way no too long ago. Don't let that happen to your property!

You know that if a trespasser or homeless person got hurt because your property wasn't secure, it would be you and your insurance that would have to pay!