While mortgage rates have been fairly steady over the last few weeks, they've risen quite a bit since the start of the year. During the first week of January 2018, the average rate for a 30-year fixed mortgage loan was…
Over the past few months, there have been numerous reports and statistics that point to a cooling trend within the Seattle-area real estate market. More inventory has come onto the market. Price reductions have become more common. And home prices…
In a previous blog post, we covered what is arguably the biggest benefit of VA loans in Washington State -- the zero down payment option. But that's not the only advantage this military-oriented program has to offer. It can also…
According to a new forecast from the property valuation company Veros, several cities in Washington State could lead the nation in terms of home-price appreciation. Bremerton, Bellingham and Olympia were all ranked within the top-five strongest housing markets. This particular forecast…
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) home loan program is an important benefit for military members and veterans in the U.S. It's also arguably the best way to finance a home purchase, for those who qualify for the program. Today…
Mortgage rates have risen since the start of 2018, and that has reduced the benefits of a mortgage refinance for some homeowners. But there are still plenty of homeowners across Washington State who could potentially save money by refinancing their…
An October 2018 report by the property analytics company CoreLogic revealed that mortgage underwriting criteria in Washington State and nationwide have eased in recent years. The report looked at a variety of underwriting items, including debt-to-income and loan-to-value ratios, and…
A new housing-industry report published on Halloween brought not spooky but spectacular news to Seattle-area home buyers their real estate agents. According to that report, the Seattle metropolitan-area housing market is one of the top larger markets in the country…
A recent housing report showed that most first-time home buyers in Washington State and nationwide shop for a mortgage loan before shopping for a home. There are several advantages to taking this preliminary step prior to house hunting. First-Time Buyers…
In a previous blog post, we noted how home prices in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue metro area have risen at a much faster pace than household incomes. This trend could cause more and more Seattle-area home buyers to use down payment gifts…