Sandra White: April 2009

Course Schedule: Click here to view the 2009 WA Real Estate Practices flyer

Course Overview:
This course provides an overview of real estate relationships and processes as practiced in the state of Washington. The following overview describes the basic content of the 30 clock hour course.

Agency Relationships: Participants will learn about a variety of agency relationships, how agency relationships are formed, requirements and regulations associated with agency relationships, and principles of ethical behavior.

Listing Agreements: Participants will explore listing agreements and proper completion of the documents, issues of title, listing requirements and regulations, Fair Housing laws, the Residential Seller Property Condition Disclosure in Washington, and commissions.

Evaluating and Pricing Property: Participants will be able to accurately create a CMA, understand a variety of factors that impact the market value of a property, and know the difference between cost, value and price.

Negotiation and Sales Techniques: Participants will learn the elements of structuring an offer to represent the client's best interest and make it appealing to the other party, the opportunities and challenges presented by multiple offer situations, when to consult their broker, and successful sales techniques and their relationship to consumer protection.

Purchase and Sale Agreements with Earnest Money Provisions: Participants will investigate the Purchase and Sale Agreement and various addenda, five common types of contracts, when to consult their broker, when to seek legal assistance, special circumstances, when an offer becomes a contract, and requirements and regulations.

Residential Financing and the Closing Process: Participants will look at guidelines and techniques for qualifying the purchaser, the differences between qualification, prequalification, and approval, comparisons between various means of financing, the events and sequence of the closing process, taxes, insurance and Regulation Z, and how to accurately estimate a seller's proceeds.

Wow, just in time for Easter we are having lots of blossoms and new growth in Port Townsend...After spending most of my life in Southern CA I have learned to love the change of the seasons.  (Only possible to love it here because all of our seasons are very mild.)  The Northwest has an abundance of trees, flowers and wildlife, all of which was not part of the landscape where I came from.  This is truly a gardner's paradise.  So it is a good trade off for the constant warm weather and never ending sunshine where I came from, not to mention the advantages to your complexion. 

 Today a lot of our citizens will be going to the festivities at Fort Worden, and most will be attending a church service at one of the many churches in our little town.  All denominations to choose from, truly an amazing number for such a small town. 

With daily news stories about the housing market, you may be wondering what your home is worth. Or maybe you are considering one of the following:

•·         Downsizing
·          Relocating
•·         Moving up to accommodate your growing family
•·         Appealing a property tax assessment

Whatever the case may be, I can help you assess your home's value. We'll start by creating a CMA, or Comparative Market Analysis.

A CMA is a comparison of recently sold or listed homes that are similar to yours in terms of square footage, number of rooms, location, style, and amenities. From this comparison, we'll be able to determine a price at which we could expect to sell your home in a reasonable amount of time. This price is called the Fair Market Value.

The first step is cleaning up. Rake dead leaves and remove other winter debris. Remove any perennials that didn't survive the winter and cut back dead foliage on living plants. Compost the trimmings.

It's never too early to start weeding. Weeds that appear in the early spring have shorter roots and are therefore easier to pull and will prevent more substantial weeding later in the season.

Once your garden is cleaned up, it's time to work on your soil. When the weather is warm enough that your soil breaks up easily, i.e. it's not still frozen or dormant, use mulch or manure to amend. If your soil needs lime, allow two weeks for it to spread and distribute before planting anything in it.

When your soil is ready, and the weather allows, you can start planting spring flowers and vegetables.

http://www.porttownsendrealestatesearch.net/

If you are thinking of purchasing a new home or refinancing soon, your credit score will play a large role in not only whether or not you qualify but also how high your payments will be. Credit awareness is your first step.

To review your credit report, visit www.annualcreditreport.com. If you find any errors, work to fix them as soon as you can.

Your credit score is determined by several factors: Do you pay on time? Do you owe money on your credit cards? Have you used credit recently? Are you applying for numerous new cards? What kinds of credit have you used?

Essentially, lenders are looking for a consistent pattern of on-time payments. If you don't already pay all your bills on time, now is the time to start.

 Your score is also affected by your debt to income ratio. So you can work to raise your income or you can work to decrease your debt. Whichever path you choose, paying down maxed out cards is a good place to start.

http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects/sr104hoodcanalbridgeeast/

WSDOT-Ferry Division (WSF) will provide an evening sailing from Edmonds to Port Townsend Sundays through Thursdays during the closure to accommodate commercial vehicles and passenger vehicles needing to get to or from the Olympic Peninsula. 

The sailings will begin Sunday, May 3. The crossing time is approximately 1 hour, 45 minutes: 

  Sunday-Thursday
Crossing time: 105 minutes

EDMONDS/PORT TOWNSEND

Advanced vehicle reservations are required for all commercial vehicles traveling on this route. Commercial reservations must be made at least 24 hours in advance of the sailing. The ferry has capacity for up to six 82 foot tractor trailer trucks and 86 passenger- vehicles. Fares on this route will be charged the central sound price which is the same as Edmonds/Kingston.

Passenger vehicle reservations are recommended but not required. Customers may make reservations up to one week in advance of travel. Walk-on passengers do not need a reservation for this sailing.

Make a reservation
Reservations for this route are available by phone only from 7 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. daily.

To make a reservation, please call Customer Service at:  1-877-595-4222, 5-1-1  

In today's credit market, getting the best mortgage for your needs seems like a daunting process. But there are steps you can take now to make your search for the right mortgage easier.

The first step is to answer a few of questions. How long will you be in this house? Is it a starter home or some kind of transitional residence? Or is this a home you plan to stay in for a long time?

You also need to determine what type of payment you can afford, factoring in all of the costs associated with owning a home: insurance, property taxes, maintenance costs, etc. Be realistic about what you'd do if something needed repair, i.e. can you afford a new roof if necessary?

Gather all the necessary paperwork: social security card; paystubs and W2s; bank, investment, and retirement statements; credit card account information; vehicle make and resale value, and any outstanding auto loans; and current mortgage and home equity information.