The Dangers of Empty House Vandalism In Seattle And How You Can Prevent It

There are certainly times when you may need to leave your home empty when it is for sale but you will have to do everything you can to prevent empty house vandalism in Seattle. Here are a few things you can do to make sure that your house stays safe and sound when you're not around to look after it.

Talk to your real estate agent and asked for suggestions. He has had to deal with a lot of empty houses that have been put on the market and can let you know what the most successful ways are to deal with empty house vandalism in Seattle. He probably knows some property managers that can look in on your house while you are gone if you don't have any friends or relatives that are willing to do so.

You'll also have to call your homeowners insurance company to find out whether your home will be insured if it is left empty. Sometimes there is a certain amount of days at a Seattle home can be left empty before the insurance becomes ineffective. You can also ask them what they would require to keep it insured.

Another thing that needs to be addressed is the water and heating system if you are going to be leaving the home during the winter months. One frozen pipe can absolutely destroy a home. You'll need to keep the heat running while you are away and ask someone to step into the home and turn on the hot water taps from time to time to help keep the pipes warm. You'll also have to turn off any water that runs to the taps outside.

It is best to always make your house look like it is still occupied to prevent empty house vandalism. You can purchase light timers to have the lights go on at certain times and also have someone walk into the home on a daily basis to turn on the lights and do a general walk-around.

While your home is definitely going to be more vulnerable if left empty, there are a lot of things you can do to prevent empty house vandalism in Seattle. Give me a call if you have a house that you need to put on the market but have to leave empty. I'll give you some suggestions you can use to help keep your home safe.

This blog is courtesy of Adrian Willanger at Coldwell Banker Danforth & Associates 206 909-7536 helping people buy and sale homes in the Greater Seattle area.

Ok, What are the real cost of buying a house in Seattle

When all is said and done, all of the costs of purchasing a home in Seattle need to be added up for a total figure. Until you do this, you cannot really estimate how much house you can afford. It is something that a lot of people don't do until the last minute, which can result in some sad moments. You certainly don't want to end up falling in love with a home only to find out that the total cost puts it completely out of your price range.

Here are the costs that you're going to have to tally up before deciding on how much you can realistically spend for a home in Seattle.

1. Getting an appraisal

In most cases you will be responsible for paying for the appraisal fee. The lender will arrange for this appraisal to be done but it will be added onto the final cost.

2. Insurance costs

If you need to get a mortgage with a high ratio you may have to pay mortgage insurance. Also, since your home in Seattle will act as a form of security on your mortgage, your lender will expect you to get fire and vandalism insurance as well.

3. Broker fee

If you have any type of credit issue or problem proving your income, you may have to work through a mortgage broker to set up a special home loan. Because there is more work involved, you'll have to pay a separate higher fee for the application processing.

4. Getting a land survey

Your lender will ask for a land survey in most cases to make sure that your neighbor’s property or assets are not encroaching on the land. A land survey establishes the boundaries of the Seattle property you intend to buy.

5. Legal costs

You'll need to get a lawyer to help you make the purchase legal and advise you on any of the legal implications. A title search will need to be done and the mortgage will need to be prepared and registered.

6. Taxes

Needless to say, you'll also have to factor in getting the utilities set up, the cost of the move itself and whether or not you want to have the house professionally cleaned before you move in.

Taking all of these things into account, you'll have to go through each one separately when you are purchasing a home in Seattle. Your agent can walk you through each one so that you can have a pretty good estimate of how much in total it will cost you to buy the house.

This blog is courtesy of Adrian Willanger at Coldwell Banker Danforth & Associates 206 909-7536 helping people buy and sale homes in the Greater Seattle area.

Related posts:

1. Take A Look At Home Security Before Purchasing A Bothell Home (8.7)
2. Seattle Mortgage Terms – A Few Basic Mortgage Words You Should Understand (8.4)
3. Common Mistakes Made When Purchasing Bothell Real Estate (8.1)
4. Factors Affecting Seattle Real Estate Pricing (6.9)
5. Buying A Home in Bothell That Needs Demolition Work (6.5)

New Northgate Park

Another welcome change to the Northgate neighborhood: Construction began last Fall, turning a Park & Ride into a new park. The name "Hubbard Homestead Park" came from early homesteader, Harry Hubbard who lived on the lot from 1913 - 1968.

Located north of Target, 3.74 acres is being transformed into an entry plaza, play grove, multi-purpose lawn, skateboard area, wet meadows (to collect rainfall and run off from future nearby construction), and a source stone (the home of an original spring).

There was once a rare historical spring which was paved over in the 1970's when the Park & Ride was created. It sounds like the plan to restore the spring has changed, possibly due to finances .. instead, a large stone will be set within a quiet, wooded area to provide an experience that carries a "sense of mystery and evokes the ideas of beginnings and origins".

Rumor has it that without the spring, the Hubbard family is requesting their name be removed from the park ... I guess we'll find out soon. Park completion is expected this summer (2010).

I received and email here at my DiscoverNorthSeattle.com blog from Katie Pope, of Northwest Hospital. She wanted to let me know that Northwest Hospital was ranked "Best in Region" for cardiac surgery.

Katie wants people in North Seattle and the surrounding areas to know that you don't need to go downtown to receive world class cardiac services, and she's right. According to the hospital's press release,

"Northwest Hospital & Medical Center announced today that HealthGrades, the leading independent healthcare ratings organization, has named the hospital's cardiac surgery program the best in Seattle, Bellevue and Tacoma for 2010. The recognition is based HealthGrades' twelfth annual Hospital Quality in America study, released on October 13. The study also gave Northwest Hospital five-star ratings in stroke, heart valve replacement, pneumonia care and appendectomy."

I've lived in North Seattle for about 25 years and have yet to use the services at Northwest Hospital, but it's good to know we have such talent and dedication to excellence in our own back yard. Thanks for the head's-up, Katie!

Northwest Hospital's main campus is located at:

1550 N. 115th Street
Seattle, WA 98133-9733

They also have an Outpatient Medical Center located across from Northgate Mall at:

10330 Meridian Ave. North
Seattle, WA 98133-9733

Here's a map for all of us visual-type people:

- Jay