About Cowlitz County, WA

Find us at our new location.

It finally happened!! Windermere have moved!! It has been about 3 long years since the announcement that we were moving to a new location was made and it finally happen last weekend. So, I want to let everybody know that we no longer can be found on 842 Washington Way, our new location address is 209 West Main St. Suite 200 Kelso, WA 98626. Everyone is welcome to visit us and take a tour of the great new building.

Directions: Going from Longview to Kelso, just before crossing the small (newer) bridge on the left hand side, corner of West Main and 2^nd Ave. Same great service just different location!!

Venancio Gonzalez - GRI, e-PRO Realtor® with Windermere Real Estate Allen & Associates, serving Longview, Kelso and surrounding Cowlitz County real estate markets. gonzalezq@windermere.com or (360) 751 4001.W

Loan Modification Castle Rock, Silverlake, Toledo, Washington

Castle Rock, Silverlake, and Toledo, Washington homeowners have been forced to watch the value of their homes dwindle to less than what they owe on their mortgage loan. Adding to the problem, the average income has shrunk away to make mortgage payments impossible to afford for millions of borrowers. Interest rates are exploding because of adjustable rates jumping up to high fixed rates, and home values continue to plummet, making refinancing no longer an option for most homeowners. Distressed homeowners are desperately looking to avoid foreclosure and save their homes with a loan modification.

Right now, the majority of Washington homeowners now qualify for hundreds of dollars in monthly savings with a loan modification. Under the HAMP program, a homeowner’s mortgage payment cannot exceed 31% of their gross income. Due to the fact that most home loans exceed 31%, the vast majority of borrowers are technically eligible for HAMP assistance.

Homeowners can immediately determine what your current mortgage debt-to-income is and how much your monthly payment may be reduced if you qualify for Obama's Loan Modification Program.

A Loan Modification:

• Lowers the homeowner's monthly payments;
• Lowers the loan's interest rate;
• Swaps a rising adjustable rate for an affordable fixed rate;
• Reduces the principle balance of the property;
• Corrects payment delinquencies and defaults;
• Adjusts the length of the loan terms

As a result, Loan modification has captured the attention of thousands of Washington homeowners looking to save their homes from foreclosure. Unfortunately, many borrowers who gave up and let their homes go into foreclosure are now regretting it.

Homeowners are eagerly looking to avoid foreclosure with the help of a modified home loan. A home loan modification allows you to lower your monthly payments, lower your interest, lower your principal, adjust the term of the loan, or any combination of these. Your home is the greatest financial commitment you are going to make in your life, and acquiring secure and successful mortgage mitigation.

Eligible Castle Rock, Silverlake, and Toledo, WA borrowers suffering through financial hardships like credit card debts, loss in income, unemployment, a bad mortgage, or other financial circumstances, can get approved for a 4% mortgage refinancing and modification plan under President Obama’s “Making Home Affordable” plan.

Lowered interest rates can prevent you from being foreclosed on, help those in the foreclosure process, and prevent mortgage defaults by saving hundreds of dollars per month on your home loan payments.

Castle Rock, Silverlake, and Toledo, Washington homeowners will be able to save millions by getting a home loan modification or mortgage refinance using President Obama’s “Making Home Affordable” plan. Even borrowers who have been denied a refinancing or loan modify in the past have been having success with Obama’s mortgage refinance bailout plan.

Cowlitz County real estate market report for June 2008.

Here are the numbers for the real estate market in Cowlitz County for the month of June. This report will give you an insight of how the Cowlitz County real estate market is doing. It will give an inside look at average and medium prices, average days on the market and what price range is more competitive and what price range is moving (selling) faster.

Cowlitz County real estate numbers for Single Family Residential homes for June 2009

Cowlitz County homes - Current Active Listings at the end of June 2009

Number - 634

Medium Price - $270,824

Average Price - $237,250

Average Days on Market - 181

Cowlitz County Homes - Under Contract (Pending) at the end of June 2009

Number - 70

Medium Price - $174,950

Average Price - $187,847

Average Days on Market - 113

Cowlitz County Homes - Sold on the month of June 2009

Number - 64

Medium Price - $158,750

Average Price - $175,000

Average Day on Market - 113

Most Competitive Price Range - $200,000 thru $249,999

Active Listings at this price range - 105

Most Active Price Range - $160,000 thru $179,999

Pending - 14

Sold - 6

Venancio Gonzalez - GRI, e-PRO Realtor® with Windermere Real Estate Allen & Associates, serving Longview, Kelso and surrounding Cowlitz County real estate markets. gonzalezq@windermere.com or (360) 751 4001.

Cowlitz County - Windermere's Community Service Day, 2009

Our job here at Windermere is not about selling real estate is about helping people, we do more than just sell houses, we are a dedicated group of individuals determined to make a difference in the lives of our clients and all those around us. Part of every commissions goes to the Windermere Foundation which help support many local none profit organization and gives out scholarships. Also, each year we choose couple less fortunate families to help out with Winter PUD bills, Christmas presents and we always trying to get involve in improving the quality of live in the communities and neighborhoods we served by helping to improve and maintain them.

Community Service Day is one of the projects among the many things we do to help and maintain the communities our clients called home. The Community Service Day is a yearly event that has been taking place since 1984, is a day during the year that all Windermere offices close their doors to let agents participate in many projects around local communities. We participate in painting, cleaning and repairing schools, playgrounds, parks, shelters, community buildings among others.

We understand the importance of giving back to the very own communities who make us who we are. So, this year mark your calendar for Friday June 19^th, our office will be close all day but you may still see us around your neighborhood working along some of you. If you know some one who needs a helping hand or a community project that may need some help, feel free to contact Windermere or my self, we may be able to help.

Venancio Gonzalez - GRI, e-PRO Realtor® with Windermere Real Estate Allen & Associates, serving Longview, Kelso and surrounding Cowlitz County real estate markets. gonzalezq@windermere.com or (360) 751 4001.

Cowlitz Home Owners - What You Should Know About Short Sales

Short Sale - have you heard of this term before? I know here in Cowlitz County we don't have that big of a problem (yet) pertaining short sales but you may heard of it from the media since it seem that they make it a big deal daily event. I will pin point some of the most important information you need to know before you enter in to the selling or buying short sale venture.

What is a short sale? A short sale is a real estate transaction in which a lender or lenders are willing to take a loss and allows the home to be sold for less the amount a home owner owed on the mortgage. An example would be; if home owner have a loan on his home for $300,000 but in today's market buyers are only willing to pay $250,000 base on recently homes sales in the same neighborhood. In this case the home owner (seller) have to ask the lender if he is willing to take less than what is owned on the home, if the lender agrees than is a short sale.

Why would a lender agree to a short sale if they are losing money? Well, taking a loss on a short sale sometimes is way less expensive than foreclosing on a home. The foreclosing process can get pretty expensive with court cost and attorney fees as well as time consuming, some home owners can keep lenders from foreclosing on their homes for months. This is why some times lenders feel it is better to accept a short sale than foreclose on a property.

What is the process of a short sale? A short sale process can get pretty complicated and time consuming, especially if you have more than one lien holder (first mortgage, second mortgage) and if a mortgage insurance is involved in the matter, the sale have to be approve by all institutions. All services will review the home owner's financial situation to determine the ability or inability to repay the debt, they will also determine the value of property and weigh that against amount owed and compare what will make them more money a foreclosure or a short sale.

How will I know if I qualify for a short sale in here in Cowlitz County? Not every home owner qualifies for a short sale, you have to fall in to a lenders guide lines to be consider and every lender have their own formula or guide lines to use when considering a short sale. Qualifying for a short sale is like qualifying for a loan but in reverse, you have to provide the same kind of information to prove that you are unable to make your monthly payments.

Venancio Gonzalez - GRI, e-PRO Realtor® with Windermere Real Estate Allen & Associates, serving Longview, Kelso and surrounding Cowlitz County real estate markets. gonzalezq@windermere.com or (360) 751 4001.