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Gary McNinch Realtor Renton WA Real Estate

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Fed Lowering Interest Rates to 4.5% -- Well Not Exactly -- But Close.

12-11-08
Gary McNinch Realtor Renton WA Real Estate
The news is buzzing with talk about the Fed lowering interest rates to 4.5% in an effort to increase home purchases. (Please keep in mind that this low rate is just talk...no banks are offering 4.5%). This idea is similiar to the recent Tarp bailout plan to purchase $500 billion in mortgage-backed securities from Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac, along with the options to buy out another $100 billion in low performing mortgage debt.

This news of the Government's help has caused bond prices to spike, forcing lower interest rates. It is important to remember that the Federal Government does not directly dictate home loan rates....they simply have the ability to influence buyer sentiments and investors by fueling cash in the market. Rates are determined by the price movements of Mortgage Backed Securities, which compete for investor funds in the market. With the governments fueling cash in our market rates are being held down superficially.

The truth of the matter is that we don't know what the negative effects of this potential bailout is going to have on interest rates or how our government will function in the future. What we do know is that current rates are 5%! A historical low for the last 48 years. This coupled with home prices down by upwards of 10%......Why isn't every first time homebuyer taking up this unique opportunity to purchase a home?

So the Gary McNinch Team is asking all our potential buyers "What are you waiting for?" We have the lowest rates in 48 years, the advantage of a recent home price reduction of up to 10%, and lots of first time homebuyer programs. Give us a call, visit our website www.RentonHomeFinder.com and search for homes.

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Please Protect Your Family, Check for Abnormally High Levels of Carbon Monoxide in Your Renton Home.

12-10-08
Gary McNinch Realtor Renton WA Real Estate

Please, Protect Your Family, Check For Abnormally High Levels Of Carbon Monoxide in your Renton Home.

As the weather turns cooler and home heating systems get fired, it's important to safeguard your home from carbon monoxide gas. Often called the "silent killer", the odorless and colorless gas accidentally poisons about 170 Americans each year. And tragically, last winter we lost a family in Kent.

The video above with Harry Smith from CBS News tells the story of 2 such deaths.

Throughout the 5-minute piece (and after the commercial), note the mother talking about headaches, fatigue and nausea. Because carbon monoxide poisoning shows similar symptoms to the flu, many people confuse the two -- sometimes with fatal consequences.

Experts and every good home inspector says to outfit each room in your home with a carbon monoxide monitor. The recommended monitor from the video is available at Amazon.com for $10 off. If you need more info or are interested in talking about buying or selling a Renton home give us a call. And MOST IMPORTANTLY please keep your family safe this winter.

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From the Minds of Keller Williams International -- The Shift Comic Book

12-03-08
Gary McNinch Realtor Renton WA Real Estate

Well here is the latest from the creative minds of Keller Williams International. Last year at the Keller Williams Convention called Family Reunion, Gary Keller rolled out a series of 12 books to help us handle the real estate market shift that was starting in many areas. That training put most KW agents ahead of the competition.

Now the book "Shift" has sold over one million copies and is being used by realtors all over the world to stay ahead of the market and better help our clients. Plus Keller Williams International has sent Gary Keller, Dave Jenks and Tony DiCello out across the continent to put on training classes and present the 12 strategies.

Gary Keller has stated, "Keller Williams is a world class training company disguised as a real estate business." Well besides the Shiftbook and the shift tour, now comes the shift comic. Because everyone learn differently, plus I will admit to learning to read on mostly comic books. Take a look and enjoy this SHIFT COMIC book.

For all your real estate needs whether buying or selling a Renton home call the Gary McNinch Team, we have fun and we have shifted ahead of the market to better serve our great clients.

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Listing I Didn't Know Our Team Had ??!!?? What??? Internet Lead Generation Success??

11-03-08
Gary McNinch Realtor Renton WA Real Estate

We get great phone calls from people looking to buy or sell their Renton or Kent homes. So a few minutes ago the phone rings and the lady says "are you selling my house?" Of course I didn't recognize the voice or phone number so I thought no. But then I asked her name and address. She is not one of our great clients which we know and love and the address is kind of familiar (I know the neighborhood in Kent) but not one of my listings.

So I offer to look it up in the MLS. It shows an archived sold property in 2005 and running the tax record attached I find her name. So I explain that to her that no real estate company has it listed. She said that was good because she was living there and didn't intend to ever sell it. I asked if a sign had appeared in her yard and she said no.

Now my old investigative skills from my days in the State Patrol are kicking in. I inquire, "what made you think I was selling your house?". She said that when she was looking at real estate on google she found my site and then found her house listed by me. I googled her house number and street and nothing came up. Odd, to say the least. I googled my name and her house number same result. She then volunteered, "well maybe my son is trying to sell it." I got his name googled it with the house number and found nothing.

I told her I would for sure call her if I found out any info and wished her a good day. Now I'm wondering if sometime this week when I am close to her neighborhood, should I knock on her door and introduce myself. Yep, I probably will.

This is a first for me, since I started in this business in 2001. One of many interesting phone calls to the office of the Gary McNinch Team Renton Wa Realtor. Any other wonderful stories like this??

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The Obvious Truth About King County Housing Price Predictions!!!

10-17-08
Gary McNinch Realtor Renton WA Real Estate
Well everyone is wondering, talking, considering, opinionating about housing prices. (and stock market prices and on and on.) Well here is the Obvious Truth About King County Housing Prices Predictions.

Predicting the future has always been an inexact science but that doesn't stop the experts from tryingAs the stock market dips then jumps then dips again, it's important to remember that markets are unpredictable and nobody knows what will happen tomorrow.

Unfortunately, that doesn't stop the analysts from trying.

An obvious example comes from May of this year. As the price of oil crossed $120 per barrel on its way to an all-time high of $147, a Goldman Sachs analyst was quoted as saying that $200 oil was "likely".

It seemed like a logical conclusion at the time.

Today, though, just five months after the prediction, the analyst's "likely" scenario looks downright laughable. Oil is off by more than 40 percent since that day. And there's hundreds of examples just like this, all around us. Yes the expert was way wrong!!!

Every day, economic experts and analysts are on television, (commonly laughed at as "the TALKING HEADS,") telling us what's going to happen in the future:

  • They tell us when housing prices will reach a bottom
  • They tell us when stock markets will rebound for good
  • They tell us what the economy will do over the next 12 months

But none of them operate with the proverbial crystal ball -- it's all on "gut".

Another example is from yesterday's CNNMoney.com. In the wake of the government's banking response, a mortgage analyst predicts 7 percent interest rates over the next six months This would represent a 1.5 percent from the recent lows.

The rate prediction may be accurate, or it may not. We won't know for another six months. But what we know today, though, is that mortgage rates are all over the place -- just like the stock market. One day up, another day down. And nobody knows what they'll do tomorrow.

Predicting the future has always been an inexact science but that won't stop the experts from trying. And the experts are wrong as often as anybody else. The best advice from the Gary McNinch Team (we are great at helping you buy and sell Renton houses and condos, not experts at inexact sciences) is to let us connect you with one of our veteran lenders or financial planners. The have experience and knowledge and insight and you can bet on a solid answer for your particular situation. Good information about current rate and loan type options, precise current rates and figures will allow you to make the informed decision that is best for you and your family. And up and down the stock markets go!!!

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