Ann Kritsonis

Maybe I'm just stupid but I know for sure I'm frustrated.....

Banks made loans to people who couldn't afford them so houses were selling like hotcakes which drove the prices up.

Then people are losing their homes and short saling their homes because they can't afford the mortgage payments.

Banks are saying no to short sales because they want more money. They're not getting any offers because they won't loan money to anyone (well, almost).

Houses are being foreclosed on and sent to auctions. Banks have reserves on them, they don't sell because the reserves aren't met.

Now the banks put the houses on the market to sell and the prices are finally down so they get multiple offers.

The banks are the reason property values are down. People are wanting to buy the houses but where are the banks now? Still holding out for more money!!??

Buyers want to buy, the banks are holding up sales. Why? Years ago the banks tried to get in to the real estate market. They're in now but in my opinion they're not doing a very good job protecting anybody's interests but their own.

I'm frustrated and so are my clients! What's your opinion?

In our Team Meeting this morning we crunched some numbers for mortgages. Our average sales price of a home here in King County WA is around $325,000. To buy a home for that abount of money you have to make around $6000 a month or $72K a year.

Now I know of 3 homes for sale on the same street. One is priced at $450K, one is priced at $399K and the 3rd is priced at $379K. Which one would you buy? They're all around the same square footage (give or take 200), they were all built at the same time. I think its obvious without even seeing the inside.

Sellers, if you want your home to sell quickly you must know the market. In today's world your home must be the best priced and in the best condition....period. Now you could price a little high and see what the market does (ITS GOING DOWN....) and take less money. The prices are not going up. So to get the best price for your home TODAY you must price it right.

In our area the average income per household is around $75K a year. What kind of house would this family be looking for? Something around $325K-$350. We're not looking too bad...

Its the 4th of July, its the weekend (this will be one of the very few sunny & dry 4ths we've had since I moved here in 1968). I don't like the fireworks, I'm a transplant from Canada born of English parents. Loud sudden noises scare the you know what out of me. I'd rather be working.

This is one of the slowest times of the year for real estate here in Washington State. Everyone is having a party of some kind. I think we need to celebrate a little. We've all been scrimping, saving, worrying...time to let loose and have some fun. I'd rather be working.

Independence Day, the colonies have separated from England! What does independence mean? No one is every 100% independent. We all depend on something for our survival. Even the brave people who moved to this country in the beginning depended on the locals and the land for their survival so I'd rather be working.

I enjoy a good party, relaxing with friends and family! I help people buy and sell real estate in South King County of Washington State. I depend on this activity for my survival that's why I'd rather be working.

Showing homes in Des Moines can be exciting! First of all there are a lot of airplanes to watch and I've never experienced the rush of air that follows a jet. It sounds like a phantom jet!

Well that might be strange but even stranger was when I was in a home that had some great windows in it and when I turned around, my jaw dropped because this is what I saw....

Yes, that is a big barking dog in a tree....he apparantly goes up there all the time!

Meridian Valley Golf & Country Club's course was full of dads yesterday. There were a lot of moms, sons and daughters also. Even the rain didn't stop them. What we do for our dads.....

After watching the parade of golfers trying to sink a putt on the 11th hole I announced from my deck that "that hole is broken". No one was having an easy time there, it must have been broken, but no one came to repair it.

My husband's offspring came over to honor him yesterday. Some of them are golfers but they were more interested in watching the golf on TV and watching the horse races on TV.

There were a couple of younguns who took various riding vehicles down the golf course path much to the annoyance of the people trying to play with that broken 11th hole. Do you know how loud a toddlers push car is when a 12 year old boy coasts it down the asphalt path?

So much for Fathers Day on a Kent Golf Course.....it was noisy, chaotic and broken.