If you've always dreamed of living on the water in Maple Valley, your options for the most part are one of several Lakes, the Cedar River, Taylor Creek or a private pond. There are two properties that I know of in the Hobart area which have large "ponds" (small lakes if you live anywhere but the Northwest) but the majority of available waterfront inventory is on Lakefront or Riverfront. Here is a breakdown of what's going on with Maple Valley area waterfront:
7 Active Listings
Average List Price $1,599250
1 SOLD w/in last 6 months
Average Sales Price: $800,000
3 Active Listings:
Average List Price: $413.333
2 Pending Sales:
Average List Prce: $377,250
Zero Sold Last 6 monts
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Colleen Fischesser is the Broker/Owner of RE/MAX Select in Maple Valley, WA. She has been successfully selling and marketing properties all over South King & North Pierce counties since 1990 but specializes in the Maple Valley Washington area. She may be contacted directly at: 425-432-5400
Donald Trump and I share a birth date, but that's about the only thing we have in common. Unlike the Donald, I rarely fire people and unlike the Donald I don't have a board room. I do however have a conference room, which has become my favorite place to spend time lately. It's where I meet with my clients to write and present offers and these days I'm hanging out there a lot.
There's a strong amount of skepticism in the public these days when good news about the real estate market is published. Last week I read an article in the Seattle Times (or PI, can't recall exactly) about pending sales being up and the comments were beyond cynical; accusing the reporter of being paid by the National Association of Realtors among other ludicrous claims.
Whether the cynics like it or not, there are signs of local market recovery in King County. We can analyze stats until we're cross eyed (and I often do) but those of us in the trenches every day; showing, listing and writing contracts, know true signs of market improvement when we see it.
I may not be putting together multi-billion dollar deals like "the Donald" but I definitely win in the hair category.
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Colleen Fischesser is the Broker/Owner of RE/MAX Select in Maple Valley, WA. She has been successfully selling and marketing properties all over South King & North Pierce counties since 1990 but specializes in the Maple Valley Washington area. She may be contacted directly at: 425-432-5400
Many first time buyers already know about the first time home buyer tax credit for purchases made this year. But since most zero down-payment programs have been eliminated, many buyers are still unable to purchase because they don't yet have their 3.5% downpayment saved. Although the credit was meant to stimulate home sales, there's a bit of a logistical problem.... in order to get the credit, buyers have to purchase a house, but in order to purchase a house, they need the tax credit to help with their downpayment.
Here in Washington State, the legislature is looking into a creative alternative to help would-be buyers take advantage of this very affordable market. The State recently passed a budget which provides 25 million dollars to be used as advances against the tax credit. They are calling it the TAX CREDIT ADVANCE PROGRAM
The details have not yet been worked out, but hopefully this will be a viable option for local buyers in the very near future!
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Colleen Fischesser is the Broker/Owner of RE/MAX Select in Maple Valley, WA. She has been successfully selling and marketing properties all over South King & North Pierce counties since 1990 but specializes in the Maple Valley Washington area. She may be contacted directly at: 425-432-5400
The phones are ringing. Showings have increased on listings. Flyers are disappearing more quickly from brochure boxes. All signs pointing to increased buyer interest in the Maple Valley area.
A year to date market snapshot reveals we have had 74 single family homes close (per NWMLS stats) since the first of the year. Certainly not a boost of confidence for a market looking to recover. However given that Escrow closing time frames are typically 30-45 days, and many of our existing pending sales are Short Sales, where closing may take as long as 90-120 days, it’s too soon to tell whether 2009 is shaping up to better, worse or equal to the market of 2008. (Which I think everyone I know in real estate would rather forget!)
So let’s take a look at the first 3 months of 2009 compared to that of 2008 for single family homes in the Maple Valley market:
|
2009 |
2008 |
% change |
|
# Closed Sales |
74 |
104 |
28% |
Average Sales Price |
$333,824 |
$407,807 |
18.2% |
It will be interesting to see, give the increase in March pending sales as well as the increase in buyer interest, where we’ll be in approximately 60-90 days.
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Colleen Fischesser is the Broker/Owner of RE/MAX Select in Maple Valley, WA. She has been successfully selling and marketing properties all over South King & North Pierce counties since 1990 but specializes in the Maple Valley Washington area. She may be contacted directly at: 425-432-5400
When sales begin to increase in the Spring we often attribute it to an improvement in weather...but we can't really use that excuse given the snow and heavy rains we've had this month.
But do we really need to attribute the nearly 32% increase in pending sales this month over last to anything other than incredibly low, bargain basement pricing, amazing (think 5 or just under) interest rates and very motivated sellers?
Pending sales (those with mutually accepted contracts) have risen by 32% in the Maple Valley market this month over last.
Of these sales however, the median price has fallen from $326,250 to $299,950-most likely reflecting the high percentage of short sales and bank owned homes.
Over 65% of the pending sales in our area are properties priced under $350,000.
If you're selling in the higher price ranges....hang in there! Eventually there will be a trickle up but it's going to be a slow process.
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Find out what your Maple Valley home is worth.
Find My Maple Valley Dream Home!
Colleen Fischesser is the Broker/Owner of RE/MAX Select in Maple Valley, WA. She has been successfully selling and marketing properties all over South King & North Pierce counties since 1990 but specializes in the Maple Valley Washington area. She may be contacted directly at: 425-432-5400
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Broker, Owner, Wife, Mom, Friend & generally Fun Person(if I do say so myself) Serving South King & North Pierce Counties. Specializing in Single Family Residential marketing & sales since 1990!
Almost 18 years ago I decided to enter the Real Estate Industry because I loved the house hunting process and was excited about the opportunities and challenges presented by being self-employed.
I was bitten by the "house-hunting bug" as a young girl when I would go through the Sunday papers with my parents, looking for open houses. My father, Mike McCormack was an NFL football coach and we had moved several times throughout my childhood before finally settling in the NW when he took a job with the Seattle Seahawks. I came to view house hunting and the moving process as an adventure, and although it can sometimes be stressful and inconvenient, I love the process as much today as I did back then!
More than anything, I believe my role is to serve as a real estate advisor for my clients...to offer advice and options in order for them to make informed, educated decisions. I specialize in the greater Maple Valley market which is defined by the Tahoma School District boundaries.
Nestled beside the picturesque Cascade Foothill Mountain Range, approximately 20 miles Southeast of Seattle, Maple Valley Washington is a growing community rich in History and recreational opportunity. Skiing and hiking are only a 45 minute drive away at,Crystal Mountain, or Snoqualmie Summit. Boating and jet-skiing on Lake Sawyer, or swimming at Lake Wilderness are some favorite warm weather activities.
The greater Maple Valley area is defined by the Tahoma School District boundaries and also includes Hobart, Ravensdale & part of Renton. The City of Maple Valley, which incorporated in 1997, is where you'll find traditional subdivisions and retail shops. The rural portion of Maple Valley falls within unincorporated King County and is comprised mostly of homes on acreage. Population is approximately 29,600 (City of Maple Valley approximately 17,000). Median age is 33 and median income is $74,781.
View Complete Maple Valley Demographics.
The Maple Valley housing market is comprised predominantly of single family homes in a variety of settings...homes in traditional neighborhoods, homes on acreage, equestrian properties, lakefront homes and new construction. View information on Maple Valley neighborhoods.
If you're moving to the Seattle area, you may want to learn a little more about Maple Valley. Many area residents, priced out of the Bellevue, Issaquah and Remond Housing Market, moved a little farther South and found an area with a variety of homes ranging from Waterfront to Acreage to New Construction which were more affordable PLUS a School District with the highest test scores in South King County.
What Colleen's Clients Say....
"We wanted to express our gratitude to you for a completely worry-free purchase and sale. From the no-pressure sale, to the very effective marketing of our home, your attention to detail made the entire process pain-free! You anticipated each element with precision, accuracy and, most importantly, caring. We felt as though we were going through this overwhelming process with a friend at our side, and theat eased stress levels considerably."
The Forman's, Maple Valley WA
"Not only did I appreciate knowledge of the market and the area, I really appreciated your warm personality and strategic thinking..."
R. Asay, Auburn WA
"We chose you as our agent because of a personal recommendation from our friends who had seen your work before and they were right...you handled everything in a very professional manner but with a down-to-earth approach and a nice personal touch that we really enjoyed. We felt confident in your guidance and honesty.. So thanks for going the extra mile and for everything you did...
G & L Malmrose, Kent WA
"Colleen really knows the area inside and out, from builders to schools. She is also very knowledgeable when it comes to all the details of buying and selling. Our house sold in under a week for full price...due in part to her marketing skills....There is no doubt we would use Colleen again "
The Marottas, Maple Valley WA
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