Team Reba Real Estate

Ok, I’ll admit that when I first learned about ActiveRain I had some healthy skepticism for it. With so many programs within the REALTOR(R) Association where a designation gave you access to a pool of agents nationally, or a broker affiliation might provide it, or some kind of combination thereof - I thought, “what does this site have to offer me?”  Or, as it used to be put when I was in corporate work - the WIIFM factor - “what’s in it for me?”

So, I finally decided after having a relatively bare agent profile on the site for several months to go ahead and start networking on it.  I’ll say right now that so far I am relatively pleased with the results.  It seems a lot of people do read the stuff that gets written on there and now I must say my competitive side of me is kicking in and I want to be number one in the Seattle spot.  I’m pretty sure if I converted my location to Renton (where my home office is) I’d be number one at this point based on the scoring system they use.

Anyhow, another *sort of* benefit is that a new business opportunity listing we’re co-brokering with another agent in our office (Robin Tomazic) got picked up by a local blogger for the area where it is located - Georgetown. You can see the blog post here.  Hey, buddy, thanks for helping us advertise!  We’d like to find a wonderful new owner for the restaurant and bar who will be as supportive of the community as you are.

This fantastic Chancellor home has incredible space for the price. With 3220 sqft of space encompassing 5+ bedrooms, an office, bonus room, and extra finished room you’ll love it.  Thoughtful built-ins help maximize the space you get and keep clutter at bay. Easy access to transit and commuting options make this a fantastic place to call home. (Metro buses 236 to downtown Kirkland and 257 to downtown Seattle come by within a half block.) 

Relax in the large back yard on the deck, or shoot some hoops and then ease your muscles in the hottub. You can’t go wrong with this home!  To make it even more relaxing, there is a 1-year basic American Home Shield home warranty that is available to the buyer at closing to help cover the appliances and systems in the home.

A slideshow of all the photos is available here.  A total of 17 photos to be exact showing all the rooms of the house except for the garage interior and laundry room.  There is an eat-in kitchen with space for a couple of barstools and/or a kitchen table for more informal dining.

The home is located near Totem Lake, where Evergreen Hospital is growing by leaps and bounds and it is also near one of the first Trader Joe’s in Washington.  Lots of local amenities and there is a community pool you’ll have access to as well.  Better get busy before Labor Day weekend if you want to enjoy it this year!  Local park & ride nearby makes the possibilities of reducing your carbon footprint easier.  Easy access to Eastside companies and employment centers(Bothell, Bellevue, Redmond) such as Microsoft, Expedia, and Overlake Hospital.

We’ve even got a great offering from Eric Aasness (one of our co-contributors) that if you use his office for the financing portion, they’ll offer 1% of the loan amount toward your closing costs!  With 10% down, the loan amount will still be under the new, temporary increased level of conforming loan limits - which is $567,500.

Come swing by and take a look for yourself!

A local mortgage professional who we sometimes work with sent out a notice today.  See the comments below in Italics. 

Most of you are aware that Down Payment Assistance programs like Nehemiah, etc. are history effective October 1st. Lenders are requiring that loans using DPA’s fund by September 30th. Therefore, some lenders are requiring locking and submissions by August 15th and others by September 12th.  

If you have any clients that need this program, now is the time to do it. While there is a movement to get the programs reinstated, it’s anybody’s guess as to how that will turn out. Let me know if I can help you in any way. 

Jerry Rutherford 

Professional Mortgage, Inc.
22659 Pacific Hwy So Suite 101
Des Moines, WA 98198
Phone: (206) 870-5050 Cell: (206) 356-1711
Toll Free: 1-800 764-5626
Email: jrutherford@pmiloans.com
www.pmiloans.com
WA Lic. # 510-LO-35158

I’d been receiving some other industry requests asking for feedback to be sent to legislative members who were responsible for voting.  It seems that even with support from the NAR and mortgage professionals who see the daily need for programs like Nehemiah, the folks in government decided to act rashly anyway.  I guess it’s typical politics as usual because government frequently seem like a massive pendulum going to extremes and only after protracted battles and lawsuits will it go to the center and make sense.

A new pamphlet has been started for licensees within WA State to receive semi-annual updates of legislation affecting our industry.  I’m a fan of it so far and the very first story on the front page of the pamphlet tells us about the new licensing law for RCW18.85 coming into effect on July 1, 2010.

Not only will there be higher initial education standards for new agents, but there will be other fun updates to the requirements such as fingerprinting and background checks with WSP and FBI.  This is not new for other states such as Kansas (where my mom, Myrna Haas, does business) as they’ve implemented this kind of procedure as well.  And, I for one, am happy to see it happen.  Hopefully we’ll be able to better monitor the quality of those getting into the industry and hold higher standards overall.

Want another reason for those kinds of background checks to be done?  One of the noted disciplinary actions in the document revealed that an agent had a level II sex offender background and he’d failed to register and provide that information to the department. There are others who may have convictions in drugs, theft, larceny or fraud that the public might want to have screened out from the business as well.

Oh, and one other thing.  The titles of agents will change too.  People who are currently labeled Sales Associates, Real Estate Agents, or some similar name will become “brokers”.  And those folks that had broker licenses before will become “managing brokers”.  Happy licensing……

So, the other day I’m posting yet another of our client listings to Zillow when I get an email telling me that I have become a Zillow All-Star.  I think to myself, “what the heck is that?”  So, in looking it up I find out that, according the notice posted on their site:

It’s kind of funny, really.  When Zillow first came onto the scene a lot of agents saw them as a horrible new type of competition.  We’ve never felt that way although we did make sure to try and understand what the online service was, and wasn’t, so that we could help educate our clients and the public on this new tool.  Being that the firm is locally based, I’d like to see them do well because it helps bring jobs to our local economy and I think the services they offer are valid.  There’s nothing wrong with wanting to get a bit of an idea of what your home value might be without having to get an agent involved, or to hire an appraiser.  If it’s just curiosity you’re dealing with and not a sale or a refinance, then checking this site out is not a bad thing.  It also helps people understand where their neighborhood values may be going too.

We’ve even gone so far as to include it in our marketing of properties when we have listings.  One of the tools I like on the site is the “claim my home” because we can do that and update the information on the site if there have been changes to a house. Frequently the info that Zillow is working from is incorrect or out of date - so this is a way to make the data that is publicly available match what we’ll have in our listing packages. It’s a good tool overall since we know a large number of people look here to compare Zestimates(R) with listing prices.

What is a Zestimate(R)?  Again, from the site:

“ Zestimate

A Zestimate home valuation is Zillow’s estimated market value. It is not an appraisal. Use it as a starting point to determine a home’s value.
Learn more

The Value Range is the high and low estimated market value for which Zillow values a home. The more information, the smaller the range, and the more accurate the Zestimate. See data coverage and accuracy table “

For people who are relocating to a new area, Zillow helps an out-of-town buyer understand neighborhood price points and values with this information available once they go home after a whirlwind trip into a new town to look for a home.

Anyhow, I guess it feels good to be an “All-Star!”

To get all the details you need with regard to septic systems and what’s necessary for you to do when selling your home, go to this handy website set up by King County and their Wastewater Management and Public Health Services Dept.  There is also a section that will provide details on how to use and care for a septic system as well. 

As a seller, you have responsibilities and paperwork that is required.  As a buyer, you should be prepared to look for these details during your inspection process.

Agents should be familiar with this process as well, and if you (Mr. or Ms. Agent) aren’t, then you should do a little reading too. 

Most septic (aka onsite sewage) systems are found in outlying areas of Puget Sound or in County controlled areas.  If you aren’t in King County then you should check with your local county government website or contact the local county office for the info you need for your area.

While sending out a note to a friend of mine, David LeClaire, a local sommelier who is now running SeattleUncorked wine club, I stumbled up a new restaurant find in the (Le) Renton area. 

The new place is called Blossom Asian Bistro and, oddly enough, they were recommended on the Red House Beer and Wine website (this was the place I was recommending to David initially).  Perhaps there is an ownership interest there?  It doesn’t really say. 

(update: it IS co-owned by some folks from Red House and the restaurant group involved)

One of the great things I found out on the Blossom website is that nothing on their menu is over $10.  That’s pretty amazing if you ask me!  Come on down to “Le Renton” and check out yet another lovely addition to our downtown restaurant community.

They even have a 4-6pm Happy Hour as well where all the food bites are under $4 and certain adult beverages range from $2-5.  Sounds pretty “happy” to me…

OK, an update!  We did make it down to Blossom recently and it was AWESOME!!!! Here’s a fun photo of some of “the goods”!!!!

Team Reba presents a new listing of a classic 1950’s style home in the Seward Park neighborhood of Seattle.  It’s modern neighbor was featured in this past week’s Pacific Northwest Magazine in the Seattle Times which was built on land formerly a part of this dwelling’s land parcel.

Our listing has many sought after, yet hard to find, features such as: Two (2) Master bedrooms, Universal Design features, 2 kitchens (actually what could be 2 full living quarters and was previously used in this fashion), expansive views of Lake Washington in a serene setting, large lot, and environmentally conscious features such as broad overhangs for passive cooling, ceramic tile roof, and large windows for wonderful natural lighting.  In addition to these features you’ll find numerous outdoor sitting areas, ample parking space besides a 2-car garage, and an elevator between the 2 floors.

See some of photos of this wonderful property below or check out all the photos at our slideshow:

Front of home with circular driveway which supplies excellent additional parking for guests. Here you can see the tile roof which is original to the structure.  Roof products of this kind typically require a substantial structure to support their weight - this is a very solid home!

This view from the northeast corner of the home shows the layout of the walk-out daylight basement - the slope of the site allows for a very open and bright lower living area along with providing fantastic views of Lake Washington and Seward Park from both levels of the home.  It also represents the true size of the home with its 4410 square feet of space.

Gleaming oak hardwoods flow throughout the main level spaces including the dining area, sunken living room, office, family room, kitchen, hall and the 3/4 bath. Deck and patio areas off each level allow for many entertaining opportunities.

Wood cabinetry, stainless appliances including double wall Viking ovens, 2 Miele dishwashers (for the serious entertainer) and tile countertop with a new cooktop in the main level kitchen. The large stainless refrigerator is just out of view to the left of the photo. Space is available for an eat-in kitchen and there are bountiful cabinets and pantry spaces. Note the glass case ahead for displaying favorite art pieces. Upper halogen lighting casts a beautiful glow on glass artworks.

The family room adjacent to the kitchen area enjoys the same magical views as the rest of the living areas and provides secondary access to the deck. This is also the area for entry to the 2-car garage. An alternate staircase passes between the garage and the lower level of the home to provide covered parking for each living space, if necessary.

To see the two master bedrooms, 2nd kitchen and other spaces of the home, please visit the slideshow which will have additional details about the house and its amenities.

Proudly offered at $1,410,000

Serious inquiries by pre-approved or qualified buyers only.  NWMLS# 28131238.

This is a coverage that has become near and dear to my heart as I am now a newly minted condo owner (Thank you Rebecca Haas and Eric Aasness).  As an insurance agent I have always been amazed at how people would take all of this time, money and effort to buy the condo of their dreams and expect someone else to protect (i.e. the Master Policy) it.  Let’s face it, the Master Policy’s the last thing you’d want to read.  It’s boring and full of insurance misto-babel.  Some master policies cover more than others but in a nut shell it is designed to protect the building and common areas and its purpose is to make sure the structure and common areas can and will be rebuilt in the event of a loss. 

There is no coverage for your personal property such as your clothes, flat screen TV or the new sofa you just purchased.  So everything from the walls in are your responsibility.  Items like fixtures, cabinets or appliances maybe covered by the master policy but often are not especially if you’ve remodeled your place in any way. 

This is where I, your friendly insurance agent, enter the picture and ask you if you feel safe knowing your neighbor has a candle fetish and another can’t even boil water to make tea.  I believe condo insurance should be thought of the same as  home insurance.  All too often it has been looked at like renters insurance and considered optional and it also doesn’t help that it is not a required condition for closing your loan.  Thankfully, the new construction condo I just purchased DID require proof of individual unit coverage prior to closing any sales.

To get an idea of what condo coverage costs I always recommend you start where you have your auto insurance coverage.  Most companies give a discount for having more than one policy with the same company.  I also think this might be the right time to review all of your insurance coverage and make sure you are maximizing discounts and coverage. 

Thanks for listening to your favorite online and blogging insurance agent.  Feel free to call or email me with any questions about this or any other type of coverage.  I wanted to share some of my thoughts about condo coverage in the hope that it might help all of us condo owners out here.  Take care and be well.