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KIRKLAND, Wash. (April 6, 2011) – Last month‟s pending sales fell below year-ago totals in Western Washington, but brokers say the market is faring quite well, considering last year‟s activity was boosted by federal tax credits.The latest report from Northwest Multiple Listing Service shows 7,570 pending sales of single family homes and condominiums during March. That‟s down about 12 percent from a year ago when members reported 8,605 pending transactions (mutually accepted offers) across the 21 counties in the Northwest MLS service area.

"The market is doing surprisingly well without a stimulus," observed Northwest MLS director OB Jacobi, president of Windermere Real Estate Company. "Considering that this time last year there was a rush of…

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By Kelly Campbell Kelly Campbell –

Clients often ask if they should pay off their mortgage with their savings or take that nest egg and put it to work in the market. My answer: It depends, but in today's interest rate and market environment, I would likely suggest investing.

Yes, your house is an appreciating asset, but it is not appreciating as quickly as it once did, which may be true for a long time. The credit markets are generally dried up and it takes free flowing credit for the real estate market to boom, a phenomenon that may not happen again in our lifetimes.

Let's examine the question more closely assuming the following:

--You have a $500,000 home.

--Interest rate on your mortgage is 5 percent.

--Return on investment is 8…

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Some Americans who owe more than what their house is currently worth are opting to walk away from their mortgage. But a new survey finds Americans don’t agree with home owners who make that choice.

Sixty-percent of Americans say it is “never OK” for home owners to stop making payments on their mortgage, according to a new survey of 1,000 American adults by FindLaw.com, a legal information Web site. However, 34 percent say it’s OK for home owners to walk away from their mortgage if they are no longer able to make their monthly payments.

Only 3 percent of those surveyed said home owners should be able to walk away from their mortgage anytime they want.

"Many home owners are currently facing very difficult and complicated situations involving their home…

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