Issaquah, WA

March roars in like a lion with early snow and home sales at a fast pace but prices continue their slow decline. Home sales have been exceeding new inventory for several weeks now which is leading to shorter market times. Since this is a Buyer's market, prices are not yet moving higher as excess inventory is consumed. However, if the supply and demand trend continues, the market will move towards balance and we will likely to see upward pressure on pricing.

Part of the move to a more balanced market is buyers realizing how great a time it is to buy. Right now with rates continuing at historic lows, home are extremely affordable. For many buyers the mortgage payment is less expensive then renting a comparable home.

Many home owners are refinancing to take advantage of these extremely low rates. One of the measures I use to help a borrower determine if a refinance makes sense is to calculate the "recapture" of the refinance expense. This is simply a matter of dividing the cost of obtaining the refi with the monthly savings. The refinances I am doing for my clients at Northstone Mortgage average 10 months for recapture so if you are staying in your home for 10 months or more the refinance probably makes sense.

If you would like a detailed analysis of the benefits of a refinance check out my refi calculator by clicking here.

Search homes for sale in Issaquah by clicking here.　

This blog was written by

Brian Leavitt, Designated Broker of Northstone Real Estate Inc, and Northstone Mortgage.

Brian serves clients within the Northwest Multiple Listing Service. And specializes in residential re sale homes, condo’s and land, and is uniquely qualified as a short sale negotiator holding both real estate and mortgage licenses.

You can contact Brian directly by phone at 800-806-3145 or by email at

brian@northstone.net. Click here to view his client newsletter.

Brian is licensed with the

Washington State Department of Licensing and the Washington State Department of Financial Institutions License number MLO-114864 and is a member of the Seattle King County Association of Realtors and Northwest Multiple Listing Service.

One owner home well maintained with recently upgraded Roof, Windows and insulation package.

Dan & Elsie Tabit | Northstone Real Estate inc. | (206) 310-8629 24415 SE 46th Ct, Issaquah, WA One owner home with 50 year roof, new windows, carpet and cute as can be. Located on a cul-de-sac with a community park. 4BR/2+1BA Single Family House offered at $458,800 Year Built 1988 Sq Footage 2,150 Bedrooms 4 Bathrooms 2 full, 1 partial Floors 2 Parking 2 Car garage Lot Size 6,533 sqft HOA/Maint $15 per month DESCRIPTION One owner home lovingly maintained in desirable Hunters Ridge. New carpet, windows, 50 year roof & located on a cul-de-sac with the neighborhood park just steps away. 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, fenced backyard with patio and water feature. The Expensive upgrades are done; move in ready waiting for your personal taste & style to complete this wonderful home. see additional photos below PROPERTY FEATURES - Central heat - Fireplace - High/Vaulted ceiling - Walk-in closet - Hardwood floor - Family room - Living room - Dining room - Breakfast nook - Dishwasher - Refrigerator - Stove/Oven - Microwave - Attic - Laundry area - inside - Balcony, Deck, or Patio - Yard COMMUNITY FEATURES - Garage parking - Playground ADDITIONAL PHOTOS Front Family Room Kitchen with eating space Parlor Style Living room Powder Room Dining Room Main Floor bedroom/office Master Bedoom Master Bath Bedroom Bedroom Water Feature in backyard Back Yard Hunter's Ridge Park in the cul-de-sac Park Contact info: Dan & Elsie Tabit Northstone Real Estate inc. (206) 310-8629 For sale by agent/broker Equal Opportunity Housing Posted: Feb 23, 2012, 10:23pm PST

Declutter in Issaquah Washington. Do you find that you have things piling up in your home, but you just don’t want to take the time to declutter your home?

We all feel that way sometimes. And why is it that buying things and putting them into our homes is so much more enticing than taking things out of our homes? Can’t donating be as fulfilling?

Yes, it can!

I want to share one donating experience that knocked my socks off. My company, Moving Forward, helps people declutter in Issaquah, Washington. My client realized she wasn’t likely to ever move back to Washington. However, she still had all the furnishings for a 1-bedroom apartment in storage in Issaquah. She just wanted us to ship a few items back to her on the East Coast and get rid the rest, so she didn’t have to pay storage fees anymore.

I knew the perfect charity. The Sophia Way puts homeless women through an eight-week program to help them get back on their feet and then it outfits a whole 1-bedroom apartment for them.

www.sophiaway.org

When I told my client about the charity, she was thrilled. Instead of feeling sad, she was suddenly excited and filled with the motivation to declutter in Issaquah, Washington. After the charity volunteers had made their pickup, I found a few more things that I thought the Sophia Way graduate might enjoy. So I swung by their office on my way home.

As fate would have it, the Sophia Way recipient (I’ll call her Patricia) was there at the office when I arrived, and she was beside herself! She had a new job. She had a new apartment. She had complete matching sets of furniture and nice dishes.

When I asked Patricia if she would like to have the additional things I had brought – some dish towels, a hibachi and a frilly, pink lamp; she was so overwhelmed she burst into tears! Her emotion swept over me like a tsunami, and I ended up crying too.

Patricia hugged me and told me her whole long story and how much all of this meant to her. How blessed she felt at having this fresh start and how deeply grateful she was to all the people who had made this possible. And she swore to me that, on her honor, she would pay it forward.

I wish my client on the East Coast had been there to experience that moment firsthand, because it isn’t something I will ever forget. I relayed as much as I could to my client so she, too, could share in the joy of giving to this woman she would never meet.

Next time you need some motivation to declutter in Issaquah, Washington, or whatever town you live in; I hope you will think of this story and this woman. We may never know the effect of a donation we make to charity, but I can assure you the ramifications can be profound. Declutter in Issaquah Washington.

2011 Market Report Condos for Issaquah, Washington

2011 Market Report Condos for Issaquah, Washington

Issaquah real estate and politics were on a lot of peoples minds this last year. Now that the year is over we can report activity, averages and trends.

Issaquah real estate activity was slow but picking up last year, based on the available information and experience of the Phil Leng Team. We have sold many homes this past year, with an average market time of 49 days.

However the overall statistics for Issaquah are sobering. Which of these two categories do you want to be in? The red category, or the green category? If you use The Phil Leng Team to sell your property this year, we will help you get into the sold category. Let's go Green!



The trend of median sold prices in Issaquah is dropping according to this next graph. The median price appears to have fluctuated somewhat through 2011.


Perhaps the good news in Issaquah is that the number of new properties going for sale every month has been dropping over the last year. It looks like the trend of new listings every month is down 11%.


The average Days on Market in Issaquah appears to have been going down dramatically, perhaps because sellers are awaiting a more favorable change in the market and remove the prospect of selling from the table.


If you are a serious seller and need to sell, there is some good news. The Months supply of inventory in Issaquah, Washington has gone down. The graph shows 39% over the year, however it will not actually be by that much once the properties come on the market this spring.


Conclusion: If you are a serious seller and need to sell this next year in Issaquah, hire the Phil Leng Team. We have the experience and the track record to help you reach your real estate goals this year.

All data for this 2011 Market Report for Issaquah, Washington is from the NWMLS and is their property. Accuracy has not been independently verified.

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