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Your "X" marks the spot with a digital signature.
2007-03-13 00:00:00
By Greg Perry Just like in the old west, we can now sign our contracts with our mark. Yes, a new era has arrived. We're now using digital signatures. At our office meeting last week, we had a representative from...
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The Forsythia are blooming!
2007-03-12 00:00:00
by Greg Perry It's mid-March and the forsythia are right on time. In the Pacific NW, the earliest of the spring flowering shrubs are forsythia and flowering plums. The forsythia are my spring alarm clock.....they wake my gardening urges. When...
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Housing Activity Rejuvenating
2007-03-11 00:00:00
News from NW Multiple Listing Service Download February Recaps.pdf Download Snohomish County Breakouts.pdf Download February King County Breakouts.pdf Housing Activity Rejuvenating Around Western Washington KIRKLAND, Wash. (Mar. 7, 2007) ? February housing activity began to show signs of a rejuvenating...
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Shift happens
2007-03-09 15:21:02
by Greg Perry I saw an amazing video today.  I'm wondering what it has to do with Eastside real estate.  Shift happens.  My space as world?s 11th largest country?  I'm embarrassed....I'm not on my space.... yet.  My newest grandson will be born next month.  What will My Space look like when he?s 17? 6 weeks ago, Brian and I started 425realty.com.  I'm trying to make sense of new ways to market.  I have discovered that we can provide value to our clients via a weblog or (blog).  I think the word blog first hit my consciousness sometime last year when I realized that my son and his wife, Brian and Jennie were "blogging" their adventures in life on something called www.blogger.com.  All my kids, nieces and nephews have created a community on www.myspace.com and they all stay in touch with each other.  I recently discovered that I can find a video about anything on www.youtube.com.  I attached a video to one...
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No closing cost? Is this really a free lunch?
2007-03-09 15:21:02
by Ryan Jensen The answer my friends, is the old adage holds true. There are NO free lunches. Lender?s advertising ?No closing cost? or ?Low closing cost? loans don?t advertise the whole story. ANY lender can offer you a no closing cost loan, you just have to pay for it in the form of higher rates. Lenders can drop their fees, but third parties in a purchase or refinance, like the title, escrow and appraisal companies, still prefer to be paid for their work. The lender has no ability to drop their fees. So how can they pay those fees for you without charging points? Let me give you a quick description of how this game is played. Like all things, different rates have a price associated with them. The very lowest rates will cost you more money to lock and higher rates can cost nothing at all. In fact lenders get a larger commission when they sell higher rates. When a lender tells a client he/she will do their loan with no closing costs, they are simply raising the rate high enough s...
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Friday's Did You Know?
2007-03-09 15:21:02
The city of Kirkland was almost "the Pittsburg of the West". Kirkland was originally developed to be a community of Steel Mill workers.  Englishman Peter Kirk, in a partnership with the Seattle P.I. owner Leigh S. J. Hunt purchased thousands of acres of land on Lake Washingtons east shore and platted homes streets in anticipation of making Kirks mill.  Logistical problems, lack of rail from the Cascades and the economic crash of 1893 kept the "Pittsburg of the West" from becoming a reality.  Can you imagine all those millworkers mingling in the art galleries with their Tripple Grande Mocha's? Todays quiz:  After his dream vanished and his land was parceled off, where did Peter Kirk go? The first person to answer correctly in the comments section will win!  The winner will recieve a $5.00 Starbucks gift card!  (you can only win once per month, and family members do not qualify for the prize...sorry wife and mom)
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The World's Ugliest Mall?
2007-03-08 03:20:02
By Greg Perry The award for the world's ugliest mall, just might go to Kirkland's Totem Lake Mall .  In fact, there are 2 malls, the upper mall and lower mall.  Come to think of it, they're both just plain ugly....and the lower mall may qualify as the region leader in empty square footage for a retail center. There may be good news on the horizon.  in 2004, new owners Developer Diversified Realty (DDR), and the City of Kirkland started the Totem Lake Mall redesign plan.   Here's the conceptual plan approved by the city's Design Review Board of what the area will look like when completed: Totem Lake Mall redevelopment.pdf On January 17, 2006, the City Council approved a development agreement with Coventry /DDR to redevelop Totem Lake Mall by committing $15 million towards the purchase of right-of-way for a new plaza/boulevard, 120th Avenue NE street improvements, and a portion of the parking structure. I believe that this will be a huge step in th...
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Elegant St. Moritz Condo, Mill Creek
2007-03-06 09:17:01
This Mill Creek golf course community condo is in a word...GORGEOUS!  You'll enjoy the grand piano sized living room and separate den/hobby room.  this beautiful home is ready for you to move in to.  Secure building with elevator.  Look at all the amenities. 2 bedroom 1.75 bath, 1518 square feet. Lovely kitchen with upgraded appliances Grand piano sized living room Decorator paint and upgraded carpets. Cozy marble wood burning fireplace with lovely mantel. Master suite with full bath. Just steps to Mill Creek Country Club and close to the Community of Mill Creek. For a private viewing of this condo please contact Brian Perry: brianperry@working-for-you.com
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Eastside real estate sales ratios
2007-03-05 21:16:01
Here are the East side real estate market stats for the last 7 weeks. Eastside real estate sales ratios 11707_to_22807residential_500600.pdf These market numbers are for areas 500 (South of I-90 corridor and Issaquah), 510 (Mercer Island), 520 (West Bellevue), 530 (Wast Bellevue), 540 (Sammamish), 550 (Redmond/Carnation), 560 (Kirkland/Rose HIll), and 600 (No. Kirkland/Bothell/Woodinville to Snohomish County Line).  Each area is broken out by price range. 
More About: Estate , Real Estate , Sales , Sale

The Five Critical Areas to Sqeeze Out The Last Dollar -- Part 4
2007-02-25 03:12:01
Critical Area #4  --   Easy Access By Greg Perry Top-Selling agents will not show your house if it's hard to get in to.  They don't have time to run around picking up and dropping off keys.  Your house has to have an available key!  We use a secure lockbox that is issued through the MLS.  Access is controlled and we have computer records of everyone who enters your house. through the lockbox.  Try to be as flexible as you can to allow as many showings as possible. When your house is being shown, leave!  Sellers often think that they need to hang around to "sell" the features on their homes.  The Buyer's agent wants to sell homes, and knows how to work with their Buyers when they're showing.  If the Buyer show high interest, the Buyer's agent will contact the Listing agent to get answers for their questions.    Buyer's will emotionally bond to a home more quickly when they are at ease. During the sho...
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Eastside Neighborhood Profile -- Bridle Trails
2007-02-24 09:10:01
Located in the heart of where Redmond, Bellevue and Kirkland meet is the community of Bridle Trails.  In its heart is an East side gem, Bridle Trails State Park. Not generally well known outside of the Bridle Trails community, this one of a kind 500 acre park boasts over 28 miles of equestrian/pedestrian trails in a deeply forested urban setting.   Close by Bridle Trails residences have a unique rural feel in the heart of the Eastside suburbia.   Most lots are at least an acre in size and many of the properties support a horse or two with a barn.    Bridle Trails State Park, however is facing some challenges.  It?s designated a State Park, but it?s not financially self sufficient.  The State Legislature has steadily decreased funding for Parks over the past 20 years and Bridle Trails State Park is on the State?s list of the next 10 parks to close. Concerned citizens have created a foundation called the Bridle Trails Park F...
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Renting vs. Buying
2007-02-23 15:08:02
By Ryan Jensen I had a client a couple years ago who had been renting for many years (by that I mean decades). She was an athletic instructor and made good money. As a professional athlete in her younger years, she was often on the road and saw little use for buying a home. So she always rented. Now in her later years and traveling less, her friends referred her to me to inquire about buying a home near her work. She got really excited and picked out a beautiful home she absolutely adored. After all those years of renting, she wanted to get a mortgage payment close to what her rent payments had been. I explained we would do our best, but moving from renting an apartment with only 1 bedroom to a 3 bedroom home would require a larger housing payment. We found an interest-only loan would do the trick, but this caused her some concern. She felt that if she couldn?t afford to pay the interest and principal on the loan, then she would not but anything at all and keep renting. I?m ...
More About: Buying , Renting , Rent

Lock Bumping
2007-02-23 15:08:02
By Greg Perry It's called lock bumping and it's all over the internet.  I saw this video on Theresa Boardman's www.stpaulrealestateblog.com site while reading real estate blogs the other evening and wanted to make sure you knew about this risk to your home.  You won't believe what you're about to see. Security is a serious issue.  Here are some steps to consider to make your home safer against unauthorized entry: A dog. Good exterior lighting. Change out your locks to bump proof locks.  (Medeco is a manufacturer of bump proof locks) Install an alarm system. Jennifer De Boer with Brinks Home Security is a Working-for-you trusted Service Provider.  If you would like to inquire about a secure home security system, give Jennifer a call at 425-691-8323 and tell her Greg sent you. Be safe!
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Home Improvement Cost vs. Value (pt3)
2007-02-22 21:06:02
Additions. Here is the third installment of the cost vs. value series.  Today we take a look at expansion...the good kind, not the belt kind.  Adding on to a home can add value to it when it's done where it makes sense.  These two home improvement projects are quite the undertaking so most of you will hire out contractors.  If you are a DYI'er these projects could net you some SWEET tools if you negotiate with your wife properly (email me for tips).  Part tres of our series covers Family room and Master Suite additions.  These numbers are compiled by Remodel Magazine from projects done to homes in the Seattle area.  Resale estimates are based on a sale scenario a year after project completion.  To check out part 1 Kitchens click here, or for part 2 Bathrooms click here. Family Room Addition Project Description: In a style and location appropriate to the house, add a 16-by-25-foot room on a crawlspace foundation with wood siding and fiber...
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Rental Scam!
2007-02-22 03:04:02
By Greg Perry Here's an article from our local MLS.  It seems a scammer has figured out how to profit on the rental market!  Internet exposure may be a double edged sword.  Yes the exposure is great, but there is no limit to the creative imagination of scammers!  Could a variation of this be used on a FSBO, or even an agent representing a Seller?  Be careful out there! From NWMLS:  A member was contacted a couple of weeks ago about a rental he had listed on the Internet in Dash Point. He received an email from "Rena Luna" who was being transferred here from Scotland by his company and he wanted the rental sight unseen. His company would send a check for the deposits ($3600.00) plus an additional amount for a decorator to furnish the place. Emails went on for about two weeks when he received a cashier?s check for $8500.00. The "renter" then decided he wanted the "decorator" fee -- $5,000 back -- he would decorate it himse...
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The Five Critical Areas to Squeeze Out the Last Dollar Part 3
2007-02-21 09:02:03
Critical Area #3        Paint and Floors By Greg Perry If you want your biggest bang for your money, paint!  Nothing tells the Buyer that a home as been well cared for better than new paint.  It freshens the environment both to the eye....and the Buyer thinks it smells clean.  You don't want your home on the market with chipped paint, exposed wood or faded and dirty walls.  Be aware of consumer trends in colors and paint for the next Buyer's taste, not yours!  We can assist you with colors to sell! Floors are another big area that Buyers rate your home on.  Replace worn, dirty, dated or unusually colored carpets and vinyl.  Don't try to sell your house with broken tiles or hardwoods that are in a worn, sorry state.  Speaking of hardwood floors, homeowners are pulling carpets and installing hardwoods at record rates.  A huge draw for a buyer is expansive hardwood floors.  If you are lucky enough to hav...
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The March of the Penguins
2007-02-20 15:00:04
Buffini & Company 2007 Turning Point Retreat The Emperor penguin is a small bird with short wings exclusively used for swimming, 4? legs and a body shaped like a bowling pin.  Every year the emperor penguin walks 70 miles in 7 days to their breeding grounds over some of the most inhospitable land in the world?What in the heck does that have to do with real estate?  Many things were covered in day one of the 2007 Buffini Turning Point retreat, but of them all, I came away with a renewed confidence that we are doing business the right way.  We do things that set us apart from the average agent, though sometimes it?s at the cost of instant gratification.  ?You can?t have the fruits without planting the roots?.  The Turning Point retreat is not about teaching agents how to overcome buyer or seller objections, or anything as shallow.  It's about teaching how to service your clients in a real estate transaction at such a high leve...
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The Five Critical Areas to Squeeze Out The Last Dollar Part 2
2007-02-20 02:59:02
Critical Area #2     Clean and Clutter by Greg Perry Once you get your Buyer into your house, they can be turned off be even the smallest amount odor or uncleanliness.  You'll be able to net hundreds, if not thousands of dollars more if your house is squeaky clean!    Eliminate the clutter.  You're going to move anyway so why not move out the excess now to open up your spaces so your house looks larger?  Many Sellers will arrange temporary storage for their excess.  Eliminate just about everything from your kitchen and bath counters.  Excess also means furniture.  Most people live with too many furniture items which tends to make rooms look smaller.  Remember you want your closets to look spacious, so remove the unnecessary and organize them.  Remove about 3/4 of those knick knacks you love and completely remove collections, ie. doll collections, train collections, etc.  We offer staging advice to our client...
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Seattle and Eastside area utilities page
2007-02-20 02:59:02
Hot off the press...the new Utilities page is up and running.  Click on the "utilities" button on the right hand side of the page to find all of the numbers you'll ever want for your Western Washington utilities needs.  It is broken down by East side area utilities, Seat tle area utilities and Other area utilities.  We'll get you to the people that will hook you up....just don't blame us for the bills! Click here to check it out!
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The January Eastside Real Estate Condo Statistics
2007-02-20 02:59:02
By Greg Perry Here's the January numbers for East side condos.  Touch these charts and you may pull your finger back with a burn!  Condo s continue to maintain their hot pace in the market as they represent the entry level price for Eastside real estate.  For the last few years, entry level condos have achieved a a higher rate of appreciation than any sector in the Eastside real estate market.  Recently I sold a No. Kirkland 1 bedroom condo that a client purchased in 2005 for $100,000.  After just under $10,000 in improvements, sold it for $180,000 after 14 months of ownership! There just isn't enough of them!  Look at the 3 year slide in number of units available.  Like the residential graph, Eastside condo inventory did swell some, and like  residential inventory, dropped dramatically as the 2006 turned into 2007.    You will notice a noticeable drop in the median price of the the Pending inventory.  We'll need to watc...
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The Five Critical Areas to Squeeze Out The Last Dollar
2007-02-20 02:59:02
By Greg Perry    Your best opportunity for selling your property is within the first seven weeks.  There are many studies that show that the longer a property remains on the market, the less the Seller will net.  Here are 5 CRITICAL AREAS to look at to accomplish the goal. CRITICAL AREA #1     CURB APPEAL If a Buyer doesn't like what they see on the outside, they will not go inside.  Clean away all clutter.  Trim overgrown trees bushes away from the house, and especially open up the windows!  Walkways, driveways and sidewalks should be pressure washed.  People love their yards, so make sure the grass is mowed and edged.  Clean away all debris and remove parked cars.  Paint your front door.  Put on new door hardware if it's old and worn and lay out a new "welcome" mat!  The icing on the cake is clean flower beds free of weeds, with a fresh layer of bark or compost, and beautiful blooming...
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Good Credit Tips
2007-02-20 02:59:02
written by Ryan Jensen If I could pick one complaint about what high schools are not teaching teenagers, it?s understanding how one?s credit works. I graduated from high school with about as much understanding of credit scores as I did nuclear physics. Having good credit is so vital in the world we live in today that it is something everyone should have a good working knowledge of. Here are a few basic tips for anyone looking to improve their credit or maintain the high scores they already have. 1)      Despite what people may have told you, credit cards are not evil. They are actually one of the great building blocks towards establishing good credit. I?ve seen many young people who make good money, but can?t get a good mortgage because they have no credit history. It?s a good idea to carry 2 to 3 credit cards that are at least 2 years old. This allows the credit bureaus and lenders to see your ability to make payments over time and how responsible you are wi...
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More January Eastside real estate stats
2007-02-20 02:59:02
By Greg Perry In January , the numbers for East side real estate were revealing.  These charts show the history for the Eastside, starting in January 2003. These numbers are for residential Eatside real estate only (no condos).  The first graph charts the median price of the PENDING inventory and the available ACTIVE inventory:  (click on graphs to expand) You should notice a general down trend in available inventory over the years, however, the the middle months in 2006 starting in April, started to swell some in inventory.  Inventory dropped in Oct/Nov/Dec.  Look what happens every year at the end of December, first of January. The next Eastside real estate graph charts the Pending sales and the market absorption rate measured in months of inventory.  You'll notice that the we had more ACTIVE inventory and fewer PENDINGS, so the months of inventory rose as the year went on (adding an additional 2 months supply of inventory which means longer mark...
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The Renton Sonics?
2007-02-20 02:59:02
Yesterday, new Sonic s owner Clay Bennet announced that his first choice for a proposed $500,000,000 arena is a piece of land in Rent on, currently owned by Boeing.   How fitting is that?  The Sonics orginal name was the Seattle Supersonics, in honor of the Boeing influence in the Region.  Actually 2 locations were considered; the other location was in Bellevue, site of the Safeway distribution center. There's a lot to be done before a pro basketball hits a floor in Renton.  Politics and the will of the people may insure it never happens.  But what if it does?  Are we seeing a shifting of the Seattle "power base"?  What will it mean to the residents and City of Renton?  How will Renton real estate values be affected?  Will the Seattle Center rebound and rebuild?....or continue it's decaying decline?  One thing is certain, as I see it anyway, is that there is more room for growth on the Eastside.  What will the Ea...

Do you know the way to San Jose?
2007-02-20 02:59:02
Written by Greg Perry Shortly after starting my real estate career, I hired a Business Coach through the largest real estate coaching company in America, Buffini and Company.  I saw the value of working within a proven system of developing powerful and profitable real estate businesses.  Buffini and Company referrs to their members as "ClubNet" because they teach real estate agents and lenders how to focus on "net" profit.  My business model is referral based.  In traditional real estate, up to 70% of a Realtor?s time is spent prospecting for new clients.  Because my clients refer virtually all my business, I have the time and resources to give my clients a ?first class? experience.     In 2006, I was selected by Buffini and Company to be their Regional Leader for Washington and Oregon.  Presently, I lead seminars for up to 300 Real Estate Agents and Lenders, teaching them the referral process. Last month, I was a...
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Home Improvement...Cost vs. Value (pt.1)
2007-02-20 02:59:02
If you?re like Jennie and I (Jennie's the wife), you are always looking for home improvement opportunities.  While we both enjoy the value it adds to our humble abode, we each have ulterior motives.  You see, she enjoys the comfort and better living the home improvement provides in the end, and I love any excuse for a new tool!  My rationale is always that if we include the tools in the cost of the improvements that upon resale the tools will be virtually FREE! HAHA yes! Now I have data to back up my thinking.  Check out the cost vs. value survey done in the Seattle area by Remodeling Magazine.  The survey compares the 11 most common home improvement projects and is based on a resale scenario a year after the project completion.  Please keep in mind that the location of your house plays the most important consideration of appreciation despite what you do to the shack! Here is part one:  Kitchens. Minor Kitchen Remodel Project Description: ...
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Home Improvement Cost vs. Value (pt2)
2007-02-20 02:59:02
Earlier we looked at the home improvement cost vs. value for kitchens.  Now lets take a look at bathrooms.  Oh, the bathroom...the little room that could, and should!  A bathroom should be a place of comfort, pleasure.  A place to read, meditate or just get away from your significant other...among other things.  Being serious now? lets take a look at what kind of return you can expect when you pimp out the box with the porcelain throne.  These numbers were compiled by Remodel Magazine on projects done in the Seattle area.  Figures are based on a resale scenario one year after project completion. Bathroom Addition  Project Description: Add a full 6-by-8-foot bathroom to a house with one or one-and-a-half baths. Locate it within the house's footprint. Include cultured-marble vanity top, molded sink, tub/shower with ceramic tile surround, low-profile toilet, general and spot lighting, mirrored medicine cabinet, linen storage, vinyl wallpaper,...
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