Kenmore, WA

Home Loans in Kenmore, WA - pre- approval

It is getting harder and harder to get a Home Loan Approval these days. We have never really seen this level of necessary paperwork ever. As a loan originator and a real estate agent, I prepare my clients from day one to be ready for everything they can imagine to be asked for and then some. But every time there is a new deal, I am surprised at what problems can arise in getting a Home Loan Approval. I just had an FHA loan denied, after we already had a Home Loan Approval from the lender pending results from a 4506T response from the IRS. That form is used to verify that they indeed did file tax returns.

It turns out, however, that my client had not filed her 2007 Tax returns. She owned no money, we had the necessary W2 forms. Not only did they deny the loan, but they would not even put the Home Loan Approval process on hold until she filed the tax returns the next day and wait to send out another 4506T. We had to start the loan all over again at a different lender and she may need to go look for a different home . These lenders are getting more black and white in how they see everything with less and less exceptions possible.

And, by the way, we had to wait over 5 months for the short sale approval from the 2 different banks so we could buy this home and get the Home Loan Approval in the first place. Now, after she gets the Home Loan Approval all over again, we have to hope that the 2 lenders will give us an extension so she can still buy the same home.

So, I learned again, not to assume anything when getting a Home Loan Approval. I assumed because we had W2's that she had filed a tax return. It just goes to show you that we have to ask questions no matter how obvious we think the answers are when we are going for a Home Loan Approval.

Signing a Buyers Agency Agreement - in Kenmore, Washington Homes for Sale is not about the paper itself. I would never hold someone (including myself as the agent) to working together if we no longer wanted to. The reason for the agreement is simply to make a mutual commitment to each other. If anyone wants out, it is best to end the relationship as quickly as possible and I have done this several times from both sides in the past 10 years or so.

1. Signing a Buyers Agency Agreement - in Kenmore, Washington Homes for Sale

As I see it, as an agent, I can see myself as a salesperson, or a consultant. If I am a salesperson, then I would not want an agreement and I would just meet anyone at any time and try to sell them a house. This is not how I want to run my business.

No matter how I connect with a potential client, I always want to meet them and educate them about the home buying process if they are a first time buyer, and if not, at least share with them how I run my business. This first meeting may come soon after making contact, or several months down the road. Basically it comes when they get serious, and always before I go show them homes. I may have had lots of conversation with them before we meet and I may have sent them listings as well, depending on their needs.

The first thing I do when they are ready to start looking is arrange a meeting for educational purposes. I then ask them if they are pre-approved and if not, see if I can help them do that. Once that ball is rolling and prior to the meeting, I email them the important purchase and sale forms, State of Washington Agency Law Pamphlet, a buyer's guide, a Buyers Agenccy Agreement form, and a plug about why they might want to work with me with some testimonials included. And that is why they many want to be Signing a Buyers Agency Agreement - in Kenmore, Washington Homes for Sale. They can also learn more about me at my website: Looking4SeattleHomes.com

I will not even meet with them until they have at least looked over what I have sent them and know that they are pre-approved to buy a home. If they have not been pre-approved, I send them to my loan brokerage site: Metropolitan Mortgage Group

By the time we get together, they have seen all the work that I have done and either like what I have done or think something else about me. The initial meeting will take 1-3 hours depending on whether they are first time buyers or not. If they are, I will go through the buying process from start to finish so that they understand and are comfortable proceeding with a purchase. I have never had a first time buyer get nervous and back out of a purchase as a lot of agents have done as a result of educating them.

With all buyers, I go over how I run my business, talk about my Fiduciary duty and that I take it seriously, how I will never try and sell them a house, and in fact will tell them some general things I see wrong with every house we see so that they are sure they are buying the right house. I help them understand that they are actually hiring me to represent them the same as if they hired an attorney, except that I will get paid by the seller and isn't that wonderful? I share with them that because I know that I will get paid at the end of the day, that I will not rush them, ever. I talk with them about the incredible level of service that I will provide them and they that they can expect, and that that is the only way I can expect referrals from them. And that this is the only way I can work. If we have a commitment to each other, then I can provide that level of service, and if not, I cannot and they will have to find an agent that is more of a salesperson to show them houses if that is what they want because I do not do that. Any agent can open doors for them or send them listings.

By the time we are finished with our meeting, they are either more then ready to be Signing a Buyers Agency Agreement - in Kenmore, Washington Homes for Sale based on how they feel and the work that I have already done, or not and that is fine with me as well because then I can stop wasting my time with them and help the ones who signed an agreement with me.

If, at any point down the road, either one of us is uncomfortable working with each other, we cancel the agreement in writing. After all, you only want to work with clients that are happy to work with you and you enjoy being around. And that, ultimately, is what a is all about.

Kenmore Wa topped the list in the number one spot for best neighborhoods in Seattle, but it is actually a Seattle suburb. Seattle Magazine took suburbs and Seattle neighborhoods and compared them all together to come up with the best places to live based on a point system. Kenmore came in at #1!

Affordable homes in the Suburbs!

On RainCityHouses.com I just wrote a post on Seattle suburbs with homes under $300k for first time home buyers trying to take advantage of some low prices and the tax credit before the deadline in Novemebr. Kenmore was on my list with 10 homes available for iunder $300k.

Come check out this cool city and see what the buzz is about: Kenmore real estate Done't forget to peek at Lake Washingotn - you might see the Evening Magazine seaplane taing off - there are also some great waterfront properties here on the Sammamish Slough which flows right into Lake Washington!

Nearby Seattle suburbs? Lake Forest Park real estate and Brier real estate are good ones to check out!

I moved my family from Shoreline 7 years ago to Kenmore even though Shoreline was a wonderful place. I had heard great things about the schools here and the sense of community because of the size of the city, which at that time was only 3 years old. I have not been . It feels really wonderful here most all the time. I will be blogging about this town and why it feels so wonderful to me as often as I get a chance, time being the way it is. This week, in the Kenmore Reporter there was an article that confirmed that I was not alone in feeling that this was such a great place.

The magazine, Family Circle, apparently looked at cities across the country using the criteria of affordable housing, good neighborhoods, green spaces, and A+ public schools. they chose Kenmore as one of the 10 best towns and cities in the whole US for families!! In fact, there was only one other town west of the rocky Mountains that made the cut! To read the full article go to www.kenmorereporter.com.

I have to go now, but as I said, I will attempting to tell you as much about this great place as time affords. One thing that I have to mention right away is the Kenmore Concert series Thursday nights from 6-8pm at St Edward State Park. Come join my family, and hundreds of others for this free concert in the park every week. There is some food available, but most families pack a lunch, throw down a blanket, and have a picnic as they listen to music and visit with family and friends. On July 23 we get to hear the Yogoman Burning Band, Positive & vibrant dance music. For more information and a complete summer schedule visit www.cityofkenmore.com/events.

For home buyers looking for Lake Washington waterfront homes without the traffic of Seattle or Bellevue, Kenmore is a nice option. At the North end of Lake Washington, prices are a bit less, and Kenmore has a more suburban feel to it.

There are a handful of homes on Lake Washington in Kenmore currently for sale, and one such home is under $1 million. It's likely that we'll see a few more of these homes in the next year or two, and in the near future they'll be just a memory. Lake Washington waterfront homes are scarce enough and in high enough demand that the real estate prices will eventually leave $1 million in the dust.

Kenmore waterfront real estate, Lake Washington homes