Jamie Carroll ~ S&B Real Estate Team ~ Vancouver, WA ~ Clark County

Will prices go down further? That's a question I am asked nearly every day. The answer is, nobody knows. The only way to know when the market bottoms out is in hindsight, when prices have started to climb again. There are great deals to be had right now because some sellers are motivated and need to sell today. However, there are several factors that point to prices remaining fairly steady in this area:

1. Washington's economy is extremely strong with unemployment below 5%! The Washington State Office of Financial Management predicts the state will add another 2 million residents within the next 12 years. All those people will need a place to live and you remember the rule of supply and demand, don't you?
2. We have fewer "distress sales", foreclosures, and subprime loans in danger of foreclosure. The rampant foreclosure rates you hear about on the news are happening in relativlely few areas. But we all know bad news sells better, right?
3. Interest rates are still at historic lows and first-time buyers are eligible for an $8000 tax credit. This has been pulling some long-time renters into the world of homeownership. As these people enter the market demand goes up and supply goes down. We're back to that law of supply and demand - and back to the days of rising home prices!

Are you thinking of buying a home or just curious about the market today? Give us a call! The S&B Real Estate Team assists people in buying and selling real estate throughout Southwest Washington. We are proud members of Keller Williams Realty - Premier Partners in downtown Vancouver. Our local expertise covers: Vancouver, Battle Ground, Camas, Washougal, Brush Prairie, Hockinson, Ridgefield, Woodland and La Center. If you or someone you know is considering living or investing in Clark County, please contact us. Jamie Carroll can be reached at 360-609-6775 or via the "Contact Us" page at www.MyRealtorIsJamie.com. Steve Borwieck can be reached at 360-241-7305 or via the "Contact Us" page at www.sbreteam.com. We are here to help!

1. Thou shalt not change jobs, become self-employed or quit your job. Longer employment time shows stability and a reduced likelyhood of default.

2. Thou shalt not buy a car, truck or van (or you may be

living in it)! This will increase your debt to income ratio.

3. Thou shalt not use charge cards excessively or let your

accounts fall behind. This shows poor money management and an increased risk of default.

4. Thou shalt not spend money you have set aside for closing. It costs money to borrow money - make sure you have enough.

5. Thou shalt not omit debts or liabilities from your loan

application. This is tantamount to fraud - never a good thing!

6. Thou shalt not buy furniture or other big ticket item on credit. Like buying a car, this increases your debt to income ratio.

7, Thou shalt not originate any inquiries into your credit. The algorhythm is a secret but you'll get dinged a few points for most inquiries.

8. Thou shalt not make large deposits without first checking

with your loan officer. Money needs to "season" in your bank account, typically for 60 or more days.

9. Thou shalt not change bank accounts. A strong banking history, like a strong employment history, shows stability.

10. Thou shalt not co-sign a loan for anyone. Like buying cars or furniture, this increases your debt to income ratio.

The S&B Real Estate Team assists people in buying and selling real estate throughout Southwest Washington. We are proud members of Keller Williams Realty - Premier Partners in downtown Vancouver. Our local expertise covers: Vancouver, Battle Ground, Camas, Washougal, Brush Prairie, Hockinson, Ridgefield, Woodland and La Center. If you or someone you know is considering living or investing in Clark County, please contact us. Jamie Carroll can be reached at 360-609-6775 or via the "Contact Us" page at www.MyRealtorIsJamie.com. Steve Borwieck can be reached at 360-241-7305 or via the "Contact Us" page at www.sbreteam.com. We are here to help!

Some people really like renting. They love white walls they can't paint, waiting for the landlord to fix a leaky faucet at his convenience, annual rent increases, and sending in a rent check each month with nothing to show for it when they move. If you're like them don't read this post! If, however, you're tired of the rental hamster wheel, read on...

Reason #1: Interest rates are still at historical lows - as low as 5.25%! Not too shabby considering the average interest rate over the past 30 years is more than double that!

Reason #2: Homes are being offered at outstanding prices and motivated sellers are willing to negotiate! I've seen move-in ready homes in the Vancouver, WA area as low as $150k; and condos and "fixer" homes closer to $100k or less!

Reason #3: You may qualify for an $8000 tax credit! The government is offering this credit to first time home buyers on their 2009 taxes - and they define a "first time" buyer as someone who has not owned a home in three years!

Add these three reasons together and you could be paying the same - or less - on your own home as you are renting! Say buh-bye to boring white walls, buh-bye to your landlord, and hello HOME!

The S&B Real Estate Team assists people in buying and selling real estate throughout Southwest Washington. We are proud members of Keller Williams Realty - Premier Partners in downtown Vancouver. Our local expertise covers: Vancouver, Battle Ground, Camas, Washougal, Brush Prairie, Hockinson, Ridgefield, Woodland and La Center. If you or someone you know is considering living or investing in Clark County, please contact us. Jamie Carroll can be reached at 360-609-6775 or via the "Contact Us" page at www.MyRealtorIsJamie.com. Steve Borwieck can be reached at 360-241-7305 or via the "Contact Us" page at www.sbreteam.com. We are here to help!

For months my husband and I have been saying we need to trade out some of our incandescent bulbs to CFL's(compact fourescent lights). It's one of those things we only seem to think about when we're at the eating bar in the kitchen where there are five bulbs burning at once. We never seem to remember when we're actually at the store. That finally changed last Saturday!

I was at Fred Meyer, my favorite we-sell-everything store, picking up buy-one-get-one-free flip-flops and cream cheese. On my way to the checkout a lightbulb went off in my brain: lightbulbs! I trotted off to the home improvement section and score! CFL's were on sale, buy-two-get-one-free! I loaded up by basket with six packages, a total of twelve bulbs for only $16!

When I got home we changed out our most frequently used bulbs: kitchen, eating bar, hallway, bathrooms and living room lamps. Those little swirly bulbs were only 15 watts each yet each room was brighter! My son wondered aloud about how much energy we were saving. I asked him to add up all the wattages from the old bulbs laying on the counter and figure it out. The result? 400 watts fewer were now being used in our household! He then proceeded to determine that (according to the package) we'll save $432 in energy costs over the life of the bulbs! ($36 each with a five year life)

This really is one of the easiest changes you can do to make ANY home more energy efficient. CFL's are initially more expensive than incandescents but you'll save in the long run. Just start with your most used rooms first - typically the kitchen, living room and bedrooms - then change out the rest as the existing bulbs burn out.

The S&B Real Estate Team assists people in buying and selling real estate throughout Southwest Washington. We are proud members of Keller Williams Realty - Premier Partners in downtown Vancouver. Our local expertise covers: Vancouver, Battle Ground, Camas, Washougal, Brush Prairie, Hockinson, Ridgefield, Woodland and La Center. If you or someone you know is considering living or investing in Clark County, please contact us. Jamie Carroll can be reached at 360-609-6775 or via the "Contact Us" page at www.MyRealtorIsJamie.com. Steve Borwieck can be reached at 360-241-7305 or via the "Contact Us" page at www.SteveBSellsHomes.net. We are here to help!

You wouldn't chop your head off when all you needed was a haircut, would you?

Tree topping involves the removal of large amounts of leaves and branches from a tree's crown. Did you know this common practice actually hurts trees, creates unsafe conditions and shortens the life of the tree? Before doing any pruning consider the location of electric lines and, for safety's sake, hire a certified arborist. While prudent pruning can enhance the life and beauty of trees "topping" should be avoided for the following reasons:

• It doesn't work! A topped tree grows back quickly as it attempts to replace missing leaves.
• It's dangerous! Topping can cause columns of rotten, weakened wood in the core of the tree. A sickly tree can drop heavy branches on people and property.
• It's expensive! Once you top a tree you must do it again and again every few years.
• It starves the tree! Remember third-grade science? Leaves manufacture the food trees need for survival. Removing its food source will literally starve the tree over time.
• It's ugly! Trees naturally grow in beautiful, majestic forms. Their natural beauty can be destroyed forever by topping and improper pruning.

The S&B Real Estate Team assists people in buying and selling real estate throughout Southwest Washington. We are proud members of Keller Williams Realty - Premier Partners in downtown Vancouver. Our local expertise covers: Vancouver, Battle Ground, Camas, Washougal, Brush Prairie, Hockinson, Ridgefield, Woodland and La Center. If you or someone you know is considering living or investing in Clark County, please contact us. Jamie Carroll can be reached at 360-609-6775 or via the "Contact Us" page at www.MyRealtorIsJamie.com. Steve Borwieck can be reached at 360-241-7305 or via the "Contact Us" page at www.SteveBSellsHomes.net. We are here to help!