Home ownership is not typically a quick turn to profits, it is a place to call HOME, a place to LIVE, a place to RAISE A FAMILY! 

Although,from an investment perspective, you will find that the old maxim “location, location, location” is certainly true when cosing your real estate, your HOME. You will find that various neighborhoods of Seattle like Beacon Hill, Mt. Baker, Rainier Beach, Rainier Valley and Seward Park and Renton, WA real estate all have locational reasons to appreciate at different rates. Demand in each area creates pockets of higher priced homes and more affordable real estate.

Our fathers bought their homes and enjoyed the day when they could burn their mortgage papers. Home ownership was the foundation of a solid long term financial plan. The plan was simple “Buy and hold", oddly enough - Me, being a father did just that, I have lived in my Rainier Beach Lake Washington view home for over 33 years. With everything that has gone on over the past 3-4 years:

1. Mortgages which amounted to free money

   Read more »

   
   
   

Being a First Time Home buyer in Seattle presents new challenges

The current malaise in the Seattle home buying market creates opportunity, interestingly is is frequently said that the Chinese word for “crisis” is the same as that for “opportunity. Can this really be so?  In the current Seattle home slowdown there is opportunity of Seattle home seller anxiety, which creates your opportunity.  Did you know that “the average homeowner today has 36 times the wealth of the average renter” according to the Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances.

It may just depend on you.

It is really difficult to get to the point of being a first time home owner in Seattle WA. It means that you have to plan on becoming a home owner. You have to effectively manage your debt, watch your credit and bill paying habits. Lenders are looking for home buyers with excellent credit histories.

Being a first time home owner means that you probably won’t end up in your parents home, you will likely have to compromise with something smaller, more affordable. Something that doesn’t strain your budget and make you a slave to your home, something that you can comfortably afford.

Read more »

Seattle WA housing affordability gradually improving

This is the first in a series of educational articles being provided in an effort to help you understand what is really happening in the Seattle WA real estate market. This understanding may help you make sound home buying and selling decisions. The focus will be on Seattle WA housing affordability (including Bellevue WA, Renton WA, Kent WA, Burien WA, Tukwila WA and Seattle neighborhoods like Mount Baker Seattle, Beacon Hill Seattle, Seward Park Seattle and Rainier Valley Seattle just to name a few).

The starting place I have chosen has to do with housing affordability in Seattle WA. Sources will be cited, quoted, linked to and explained. It is my hope that you will go away from these articles with an understanding of how you might want to perceive your Mount Baker WA or Seward Park WA home buying potential. A lot of the time we just look at the “Honey, I think it is time to buy a home!” syndrome. And, by the way, you might be right. So this should just flesh in the bones for you.  You should find this CNN article of interest: Housing affordability back to pre-bubble levels

So, what is this housing affordability issue all about? How does it affect my existence? Simply put, housing affordability tells us a lot about the state of our home construction and home selling economics. Its about, does the cop who protects us, or the teacher of our children have what it takes to buy a home in the neighborhoods where they work? Do you? Below is a list of items which help us interpret Seattle WA community statistics.

Read more »

UpFront mortgage brokerage represents Seattle home buyers better

I am an UpFront mortgage broker.  Always have been.  Always will be.  I have been practicing a personal philosophy for over 20 years,one which represents my clients best interest in their Seattle home buying and mortgage decisions.  As it relates to my clients mortgage there has always been the requirement to educate the client as much as they wanted, to act as if they were educated consumers and to provide the best financial advise for each individuals situation and requirements.  To do no harm.  Always represent the best interest of the client.  Wouldn’t you?

By the way, recent changes in Washington State laws have required that mortgage loan originators become licensed in order to provide their mortgage services.  At the end of 2007 there were something like 15,000 full and “part time” (read opportunists with little or no mortgage, client knowledge) and only about 6,500 people bothered to get licensed to originate Washington state mortgages.

I and my mortgage associates, provide mortgages statewide in Washington State

How fortunate I am to do business with my son, Tyler Todhunter 206-575-7495 ext. 302  and a good friend in Fernando Rodriguez 206-575-7495 Se Habla Expanol.  Both of these mortgage loan originators meet my requirements and expectations in looking out for the best interest of their Washington state mortgage clients needs.  They have a vast mortgage product knowledge and you will enjoy their style.  Of course you can always call me, Dick Todhunter, at 206-898-3776 any time.

Or Contact Us

Representing the best interest of others has always felt good.

Read more »

Columbia City Seattle leads the revitalization charge

Columbia City Seattle is nestled in the Rainier Valley Seattle neighborhood of Seattle WA.  Rainier Valley is located in the SE Seattle quadrant of Seattle WA and is bounded by I-90 to the North, Beacon Hill to the West, Rainier Beach to the South and a long hill of communities to the East, which includes Mount Baker Seattle, Lakewood Seattle, Seward Park Seattle, Pritchard Beach.

Tired of commuting to your job in Seattle WA?  Check out the Columbia City neighborhood.  It is located just minutes from downtown Seattle Wa and the I-90 bridge leading to the East side of Lake Washington city of Bellevue WA.  With gas prices and traffic congestion affecting peoples quality of life there is an increasing demand for inner city housing.  Columbia City provides the solution, as does much of Rainier Valley WA.

There are 1,075 single family homes in Columbia City Seattle and an increasing number of condo’s and town homes.  The average home in Columbia City was built in 1935.

Take a drive down Rainier Avenue South through Rainier Valley and Columbia City Seattle and you will see that Columbia City is the premier neighborhood for a community with character.  Many of the buildings date back to the turn of the century and have been revitalized over the past 25 years.  This revitalization follows the lows of the 1970’s and has brought back a community pride which is easy to see.  You can get a great idea of history by looking at Columbia City’s Story.

Factors which affected Columbia City Seattle WA

Read more »