About Kitsap County, WA

Okay, got your attention, didn't I ? It's not really free - Donation to the wonderful organization, the Salvation Army.

"The Sally" is forever near and dear to my heart because thanks to their long-term drug and alcohol recovery program in Stocton, CA , my brother is alive and fluorishing today! So come join us for Olive Garden lunch and make your donation! They have a very friendly staff and warm environment. Cheers!

The following article was published in the Kitsap Peninsula Business Journal. www.kpbj.com :

As part of the observance of National Hunger and Homelessness Week, a spaghetti feed has been organized for the community at the Salvation Army, located at 832 6^th Street in Bremerton, from noon to 2pm on Nov. 21 (Saturday)

It is a fundraiser to support the Salvation Army by the Silverdale Olive Garden. Donations of any amount will be accepted.

It's that time of year again! Razor Clamming out on the Washington State coastline! The WA Dept. of Fish & Wildlife allows selected weekends during the Fall and Spring to harvest Razor Clams along specified State beaches. For more information, access their website WDFW.

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Rich Jacobson is a licensed real estate professional providing knowledgeable empowerment and relentless representation for his clients of residential properties and vacant land throughout all of Kitsap County WA and portions of Pierce, Mason, and Jefferson Counties. You can also find him at KitsapLife.com, SOUNDBITEBLOG, Crabbing in the Hood, Facebook, Twitter, or e-mail: kitsapagent@gmail.com

Today was a great reminder why I love this business so much!...

Today we closed on a home I had listed out in Lofall WA.

It was a nicely maintained Cedar-sided Ranch on acreage.

The owners had been trying to sell their home for nearly a year.

The first agent had the home listed for 6 months.

The second agent for 5 months.

I was fortunate to be Agent No. 3.

The owners were really great folks. But they were discouraged and frustrated.

They just wanted to achieve their retirement plans of moving to South Florida.

I assured them that I would do my best.

I had it under contract in 20 days.

But that's not Why I Love Being a Real Estate Professional in Kitsap County WA.

Implementing my marketing skills and succeeding where others have failed is simply icing on the cake.

The Buyers were represented by a part-time agent who lived on the far Eastern side of the State.

Between his day job and the remote nature of his location, his involvement and assistance in the transaction was a tad bit lacking.

The Buyer's Lender (an out-of-state Internet Lender) ended up contacting me directly in order to obtain information and documentation from the Buyers.

The Buyers called me on several occasions when things got a little stressful and they needed reassurance.

Today, after the transaction funded and recorded, I delivered the keys to the new owners.

I wish you could've seen the excitement and joy on their faces! The husband was smiling ear-to-ear. The wife was giddy as a child on Christmas morning!

As I drove away, the lump filled my throat.

That exact moment. That deep, abiding sense of joy and satisfaction.

That's Why I Love Being a Real Estate Professional in Kitsap County WA.

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Rich Jacobson is a licensed real estate professional providing knowledgeable empowerment and relentless representation for his clients of residential properties and vacant land throughout all of Kitsap County WA and portions of Pierce, Mason, and Jefferson Counties. You can also find him at KitsapLife.com, SOUNDBITEBLOG and Crabbing in the Hood, or e-mail: kitsapagent@gmail.com

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) officially announced that all loan limits for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in effect for 2009 will remain in place for all areas of the United States. FHA loan limits will also remain the same.

The loan limits set the maximum original loan amounts allowed on single-family conventional and FHA mortgages.

In Kitsap County, the limit is $417,000 for a "standard" conforming Fannie/Freddie or "standard" FHA loan. The "high-cost loan limits" that were put in place earlier this year creating a "Jumbo" FHA and conforming loan category will also remain in place for 2010, which is up to $475,000 for Kitsap County. These "Jumbos" -- from $417,001 to $475,000 -- have been averaging about 1/4 percent higher interest rate than standard conforming loans up to $417,000.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have once again begun offering "Premium Pricing," which is a way for a lender to charge you a higher interest rate but pay for some or literally all of your closing costs.

For many months the "no cost" refi (a misnomer because the "cost" is a higher interest rate) disappeared as Fannie and Freddie offered no extra fee for a loan with a higher interest rate. But with declining loan volumes, the secondary agencies are clearly trying to attract new volume by bringing back this option.

How it works: if rates are 5.00% with 1 point, and you have a loan amount of at least $300,000 (higher loan amounts are needed for most no cost loans as the premium is paid to the lender as a percentage of the loan amount), you are likely to be able to get a "no cost" option for about 5.50%.

At Golf, over 60% of our total loans closed in October were purchase loans, as refi volume overall has decreased even though rates stay at or below 5.00%.