Tips from The Cascade Team Agents

Public Display of Agent Commissions Begins now on www.TheCascadeTeam.com 

Read More: Conversations On Real Estate Commissions
  

In an attempt to get ahead of looming outside forces, broker-owned multiple listing service Northwest MLS is changing its rules to allow the public display of buyer broker commissions, starting October 1.

The rule changes will allow the NWMLS’s 30,000 agent and broker members to publish the amount of commission the seller is offering a buyer’s broker on the subscribers’ websites along with other listing details.

“Making this information readily available to consumers will allow for complete transparency with regard to buyers’ broker’s compensation and provide consumers with additional information at the outset of…

3741 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

It’s not Malibu, Beverly Hills, or The Hamptons, but Sammamish that tops the 2018 census list of the richest city in the United States. While many people look at the median income in Seattle topping $93,000 and feel staggered by that number  it was Sammamish, which had a median household income last year of a whopping $183,000, that ranks No. 1 among all the 630 cities for which the Census Bureau produced 2018 income data. It also marks the first time that a Washington city has come out on top for household income.

And not to be left behind, three additional eastside cities: (Redmond, Kirkland and Bellevue) also top Seattle!

See the income chart provided by The Seattle Times below:

 

Gene Balk / FYI Guy: gbalk@seattletimes.com

The…

7169 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

What is the market like for fall real estate?

While it’s true that housing inventory (the number of homes on the market) is lower in the fall than in the spring and summer, it’s also true that buyers who are shopping in the fall are likely to be serious about buying. Fall buyers may be moving because of a job relocation or change in family situation, so they’re often eager to close a deal. And, the hotter your local real estate market, the less significant a role seasonality plays.

What months are in the fall?

To clarify the part of the year we’re talking about, fall includes dates between September 1 and November 30. In most of the country, this time of year is marked by cooler weather, shorter days, and falling leaves — think picking…

6122 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

After last week’s post we had several great comments. I’ll address one from “B” here, which really went to the heart of why this change is being made…. That being that the public in general really doesn’t understand who pay’s buyer’s agents’ commissions and how they affect the over-all purchase price of a home.

B Day wrote: Why would a salesman list or try and sell a house with no commission? If a person can sell it by their selves, I say let them but to not have a set commission across the board seems pretty self-defeating.

SEE: Conversations On Real Estate Commissions Part 1

  • Cary W Porter wrote: Thanks for the question…. It really gets to the heart of why the change was made and the surrounding confusion on real estate commissions.

    …

4501 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

  • New listings dropped nearly 13% system-wide and 18.5% in King County.
  • Pending sales rose nearly 6.6% in the Puget Sound region
  • June and July were also lackluster this year with regard to listings

KIRKLAND, Washington (September 9, 2019) – Depleted inventory continues to frustrate would-be buyers in Western Washington. Many of these potential homeowners are expanding their search beyond the major job centers in King County, according to market watchers who commented on the latest statistics from Northwest Multiple Listing Service.

The MLS report summarizing August activity shows less than two months of supply system-wide, and only about 1.6 months of supply in the four-county Puget Sound region. The sparse selection is pushing up…

5473 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

Transparency in Commissions

Fact: Real estate brokers’ commission rates are not regulated in any state and are ALWAYS 100% negotiable.

When you decide to sell your house, if you are like most people, you will want to hire — or at least consider hiring — a real estate agent to handle the process.

Surprisingly, many people think that real estate brokerage commission rates are “set” in their area and they have to pay a specific percentage of the sales price to the agent in order to get their services. This is absolutely not the case.  In fact, you can pay whatever you and the agent have agreed upon.

What is a “Fair” amount to pay for real estate commission?

Many people hear the word “discount” company instead of a “traditional” company but…

4534 Views, 2 Comments

Read Full Post

Recession fears are growing, and that may prompt some Americans—who are still haunted by the last one—to get skittish about the housing market. Don’t expect another “real estate fire sale” if the economy heads into another recession, economists say.

“This is going to be a much shorter recession than the last one,” George Ratiu, senior economist with realtor.com®, notes in a recent article at the site. “I don’t think the next recession will be a repeat of 2008. … The housing market is in a better position.”

Just 2% of economists, strategists, academics, and policymakers surveyed believe a recession will occur this year, based on a survey of more than 200 members of the National Association for Business Economics. Thirty-eight percent believe a…

4291 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

By Janet Wickell

Nearly all home buyers hire a professional home inspector to take a close look at their new house before closing. You can speed things along by analyzing the condition of your home and making necessary repairs now before the house is under contract. Whole-home inspections cover numerous systems within the house, but there are a handful of hot-spots that concern buyers the most.

Mold and Mildew at the Home Inspection

Mildew stains and odors scare buyers, especially because toxic black mold is such a hot topic. You likely won't even get an acceptable offer if mold and mildew are present. Even if the mold in your house is the normal variety, treat it and address the source of the problem.

NOTE: If it comes up in…

6197 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

MLS director John Deely, principal managing broker at Coldwell Banker Bain in Seattle, described King County’s residential market as “balanced on a fulcrum between growth, stagnation, and decline.” New listings of single family homes (excluding condos) in King County dropped year-over-year and when compared to last month, he noted. Total active listings and pending sales both improved from a year ago, but slipped from June’s totals.

  • Median price dropped 2.7%.
  • Increased listing inventory from prior months put pressure on pricing,”
  • Home Prices declined about 2.9% from June.

 The Cascade Team Real Estate is a 2019 Neighborhood Favorite on NextDoor! 

Northwest MLS brokers report mixed activity during July, as volume of closed sales…

4255 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

We are very happy to announce that The Cascade Team Real Estate has been named the Best Real Estate Brokerage on NextDoor for 2 years in a row! The Cascade Team can be found in 617 different neighborhoods collectively representing 133,586 Home Owners. We are very proud to be a part of the neighborhoods we represent and are very proud in the trust you place in all of our amazing agents and neighbors!

Congratulations, you're a 2019 Neighborhood Favorite! It’s official - you’re a winner and neighbors love you! Only 1% of all businesses win this award, and The Cascade Team Real Estate is one of them!

The votes have been tallied and the winners are in. We're pleased to announce the businesses Nextdoor voted as 2019's Neighborhood Favorites!

…

4738 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post