Learn about local real estate and housing market trends from The Cascade Team Real Estate.

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NEW YORK (Reuters) – Single-family home prices dropped into double-dip territory in March as the housing market remained bogged down by inventory and weak demand, a closely watched survey said on Tuesday.

The S&P/Case Shiller composite index of 20 metropolitan areas declined 0.2 percent in March from February on a seasonally adjusted basis, in line with economists' expectations.

The price index was below the low seen in April 2009 during the financial crisis. The glut of houses for sale, foreclosures, tight credit and weak demand have kept the housing market on the ropes even as other areas of the economy start to recover.

The 20-city composite index was at 138.16, falling below the 2009 low of 139.26.

"This…

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Homes are more affordable to more families, according to the latest index for the first quarter of 2011 that shows affordability reaching its highest level in more than 20 years.

See current rates here

Nearly 75 percent of all new and existing homes sold in the first quarter of 2011 were affordable to families earning the national median income of $64,400, according to the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Opportunity Index. The previous high was set in the fourth quarter of 2010 with 73.9 percent.

"With interest rates remaining at historically low levels, today's report indicates that home ownership is within reach of more households than it has been for more than two decades," says Bob Nielsen, chairman of the National…

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Written by Matt Granite

As a  real estate Broker I will tell you that upgrading to stone countertops in your kitchen or bathroom can add as much as 10 percent to the value of your home.

Today, I'm pleased to pass this research along to you as a granite alternative for all of us who can't afford the real deal.

And yes, I mean "super-cheap" in relative terms considering what else is out there and by how much value you can add to your home.

Marble and granite are stunning and if you can afford it, that's wonderful. In the real world, there are surface materials where even a skilled eye can't detect the difference that still allow you to transform your home, while taking it easy on your wallet.

You may have heard of Corian, but today I want to…

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As of May 15th, 2011, the median price in Carlsbad for a single family detached home for sale was $725,700.  With inventory trending up and market action trending down, things seem to be weakening a bit in the real estate market.  Days on market is continuing to trend down, but the real estate market action index was esentially flat, and although there doesn't appear to be a strong pull in either direction, again it does appear to be weakening.  Recently home prices have been ticking down, as evidenced by the median list price in the chart below, but still remains in an uptrend from the absolute lows, however it still appears a little weak.  Local real estate conditions are currently quite strong in favor of home buyers.  Based on the current home selling…

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Some Sellers Offer Financing to Get Deals Closed


Buyers who have a foreclosure or bankruptcy in their credit past wouldn't be a likely candidate to secure financing from a bank anytime soon for a home purchase. As a result, some sellers are stepping in to offer seller financing to get a home sold.

Seller financing, once popular in the 1980s when mortgage rates spiked to 18 percent, is making a comeback in areas flooded by foreclosures and where tight lending standards are keeping some buyers on the sidelines, reports Bloomberg News.

"The market is locked up because there's no financing," says Gordon Albrecht, executive vice president of FCI Lender Services Inc. "This is moving houses."

Last year, 52,991 U.S. homes were purchased with various…

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Here are some of the gems you may find at your local farmers markets:

  • Fresh fruit and vegetables, fresh-picked

  • Beautiful flowers ready for a vase or gift

  • Handmade soaps and lotions

  • Handmade quilts and afghans

  • Unique handmade jewelry

  • Plants to put in your own garden

  • Delicious food concoctions

  • Live music and entertainment

  • Milk and milk products from your local dairies

Market                                                     Day          Hours             Market Dates   Location     
Auburn International Farmers Market   Sundays   9 am - 2 pm   6/12 to 9/25   Auburn +23 A Street SW

Ballard Farmers Market   Sundays, year round   10 am - 3 pm   1/1 to 12/31   Seattle +Ballard Avenue NW between…

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under_water_house_120By Zillow Zillow – 1 hr 38 mins ago

Believe it or not, an estimated 11 million people are underwater on their mortgage. That means they owe more to the lender than their home is worth. Because of this, many people are considering a strategic default, or what is known as "walking away from a mortgage." If you feel this way, you are not alone. As a matter of fact, even the most credit-worthy consumers are considering walking away from their mortgage.

"Walking away from a mortgage," or what's known as a strategic default, usually results in either a short sale or foreclosure and many people in this position are asking one simple question: "What would happen if I walked away?"

Consequences of Walking Away from a Mortgage

Before you walk away, you…

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By Zillow Zillow – 1 hr 42 mins ago

It's baffling that people spend more time researching a vacation or a car purchase than they do shopping for a mortgage, but they do. A recent mortgage survey conducted by Zillow Mortgage Marketplace concluded that nearly half of prospective home buyers don't understand essential mortgage information. If you need a mortgage and don't like throwing away your hard-earned money, learn from these common mistakes below.

[See the best personal finance stories from around the Web at the U.S. News My Money blog.]

1. Misunderstanding Mortgage Discount Points

Here's an astounding data point: Nearly half (45 percent) of those surveyed in the Zillow poll believe they should always buy discount points when obtaining a…

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 By Robert J. Samuelson

 WASHINGTON -- If you're a 20-something or even younger, your economic future is at best clouded. Your taxes will almost certainly be higher than today's; your public services (schools, police, sanitation, defense, scientific research) will almost certainly be lower. Paying for old people, covering rising health costs, repairing dilapidated roads and servicing government pensions and the huge federal debt will squeeze take-home pay. Is there any hope for economic gains?

 Well, yes -- and from a surprising source. Housing. Say what?

 Almost everyone considers the housing collapse a disaster, and it is. Since 2007, roughly 8 million homes have gone into foreclosure. Housing prices, according to the widely cited Case-Shiller index,…

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