Localism: Seattle, WA

Seattle Real Estate: Environmental Real Estate Concerns For Buyers: Lead Based Paint

Sat, 29 Nov 2008 17:19:53 -0600

If you are thinking about getting off your fence and purchasing Seattle real estate, now is a great time to buy with the amazing interest rates and great choices out there! Make sure that you are well informed on the environmental issues concerning real estate!

Lead based paint has always had a large part in our real estate contracts - sellers have been required to disclose what they know and buyers have been required to acknowledge the potential risks. Both the listing and selling agents/brokers have been required to sign their names on the forms as well. Lead based paint is a biggie and well documented in the Washington real estate transaction if the property was built prior to January 1st, 1978.

Here is the lead based paint EPA handout:

http://www.epa.gov/lead/pubs/leadpdfe.pdf

And some more literature in case you want to learn more:

http://www.epa.gov/lead/pubs/broch32e.pdf

http://www.epa.gov/lead/pubs/leadtest.pdf

This one in particular address concerns when you are remodeling:

http://www.epa.gov/lead/pubs/rrpamph.pdf

That is a great place to start so that you can be well informed when it comes to buying a home that was built prior to 1978. Additionally, I would also take precautions for homes that were completed slightly after that date, too, personally.

If you are interested in Seattle real estate, please feel free to get a hold of me!

Moving to Seattle - Understand the Mindset

Sat, 29 Nov 2008 15:08:07 -0600

Below is a fabulous video used as a Commercial for the Washington State Lottery. In other areas you might expect to see someone buying a big expensive house and car. Not in Washington. While I think the commercial is about the person winning the lottery being "able to fly" as a result of having more money, I choose to interpret it as someone winning the lottery might use the money in this way. To help a penguin or a chicken experience flying for the first time, and for once in their life.

If you are thinking about moving to Seattle, I think you will be pleasantly surprised by the caring nature of Seattle's Citizenry. You would be hard pressed to find another area where you can meet so many caring neighbors. It's an excellent quality of life if you reach out and get involved.

Enjoy the video. I LOVE it and just wanted to share it with as many people as possible.

The tag line "whose world could you change?" speaks volumes about the mindset of people here. Less selfish. More helpful to others...and yes, you can change the World from Seattle, one person at a time.

Happy Thanksgiving Seattle!

Thu, 27 Nov 2008 13:22:33 -0600

Happy Thanksgiving!

I have a lot to be thankful for this year! Cooper Jacobs Real Estate Services had a had a successful year even with the challenges that were thrown this way! Seattle real estate in 2008 has been anything but easy - that is for sure, but I have been successful at helping my clients do what they wanted to do and I am thankful for it.

Rates have dropped seriously this week and I wanted to pass on that as of yesterday the 30 year fixed rate was around 5.43%!!!!! This is incredible and definitely worth being thankful for if you want to do a refinance or purchase real estate. Let me know if you need a lender to talk to - I am also in town if you decide you want to go peek at any property!

Thanks so much, Seattle, for making it a great year! Happy Thanksgiving!

Courtney Cooper, Designated Broker, Cooper Jacobs Real Estate Services, Seattle real estate

I DON'T need to know the area to be your Real Estate Agent!

Wed, 26 Nov 2008 10:19:09 -0600

After my last post here is a comment I received from a Realtor.

I like to think that it's less about the area that I know but the fact that I know negotiation and contracts very well. On top of it, my clients are usually tech savvy and want someone that communicates in the way that they do. Having come from a technology background I am able to do just that. The majority of my business is in King County, but I also work in north Pierce County and south Snohomish.

This is EXACTLY what I have been talking about, the average real estate agent specializes in making the commission not serving their clients. Every real estate agent had better know the contracts and how to negotiate, that is a given. But to say that you don't need to know the area to best serve your clients is false.

I often hear that the value of a home (or any asset for that matter) is whatever a buyer is willing to pay for it. Real Estate Agents often use this to rationalize not knowing the area they are working in.

"If my buyers are willing to pay X for this property then that is what it is worth." NO, that is how the listing agent is supposed to think, Not the agent representing the buyer. A Salesperson has this definition of value, not an agent. And agent is someone who represents the interests of their principle, not a salesperson.

Are appraisers supposed to set the value of a home at whatever price an individual will pay for it? No, just because someone is willing to pay 500k for a 200k home doesn't mean that appraiser will value the home at 500k. Ok, sure there are appraisers who are just as unscrupulous as some realtors and lenders, but let's stick to what they are supposed to do. The value is what the home will sell for in a specific market not to a specific individual.

How can a real estate agent who hasn't walked the last 20 similar homes that have sold recently know what the value is? They can't! Sure they can come up with lots of great rational why they can: look at the MLS history, tax assessed value ratio, neighborhood analysis, Zillow, experience, technology, and of course the best "It is worth whatever their buyer is willing to pay."

Agents like this are a part(just a part) of the reason we are in the financial trouble we are in right now. They don't represent their clients, they just sell them what ever they can and for whatever price they will pay.

I refer people to agents who specialize in an area. Sure they may work with people outside of that area, but that is the exception not the norm. Buyers and Sellers need agents who know the local market and have walked the homes that have sold. It is the only way they can really understand the value of a home.

I know and work with local agents who specialize in an area and act like an agent is supposed to, they represent their principle YOU! If you are looking to buy or sell a home in Western Washington, let me help you find the right agent for you and the area you are looking in. Guide to Seattle Real Estate.

Mike Santoro - Awesome Seattle Photos

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 20:00:31 -0600

Mike Santoro, my daughter Tina and my grand daughter Xochitl are in town from L.A. for Thanksgiving, and Mike is getting some absolutely awesome photos from my Master Bedroom Balcony.

The below shot shows the space needle to the left in the horizon. These photos are taken across Lake Washington from 10th Avenue in Kirkland.