Home buyers in Oregon tend to have a lot of questions about the local real estate market and how it relates to the purchase of a home. One of the most common questions is: Does it make sense to buy…
First-time home buyers in Washington State tend to have a lot of questions about the home buying process. While much of this information already exists on our website, we thought it would be helpful to create a checklist for first-time…
Recent mortgage rate trends have captured the attention of home buyers and mortgage shoppers across Washington State. During the first two months of 2018, average mortgage rates rose by nearly half a percentage. Will borrowing costs continue to rise in…
The latest forecasts for the Seattle real estate market suggest that home prices in the area could rise more slowly in 2018 than they did over the last couple of years. But prices will most likely continue climbing between now…
Summary: Under current HUD guidelines, sellers can pay money toward a home buyer's closing costs, when an FHA loan is being used. These seller contributions are typically limited to 6% of the purchase price. FHA loans are a popular mortgage…
According to a report published last year, a lot of millennials in Washington State and nationwide feel that their student loan debt is preventing them from buying a home. But in many cases, this is only a perceived obstacle. This…
First-time home buyers in Washington tend to have a lot of questions about mortgage insurance. Common questions include: Do all first-time buyers have to pay for mortgage insurance? What kinds of mortgage loans require it? And how much do these…
Traditionally, the home equity loan has been one of the primary strategies for Washington homeowners wanting to convert some of their equity into cash. But with the recent changes to the tax code, enacted in 2018, more and more homeowners…
According to a recently published housing report, it is unlikely that home prices in Washington State will decline any time soon. And that's not surprising, given the current state of the real estate market. Report: Home-Price Declines Unlikely in Washington…
Title insurance is a common requirement for mortgage loans in Washington State. This unique type of insurance protects homeowners and lenders from costs relating to title claims or disputes. In Washington, as in many states, it is usually the seller…