Real Estate Tips

Seattle’s commercial real estate scene is more competitive than ever, and a number of trends and technological developments are impacting the majority of companies in every industry. Population growth in Seattle continues to remain far above the national average due to expanding native businesses and others relocating to the area.

The competitiveness of the commercial real estate market is due, in part, to the ongoing war for talent that involves recruiting and retaining young professionals. These young professionals, oftentimes referred to as millennials,...

Homeowners interested in selling a primary residence may want to know more about the capital gains tax and applicable exclusions to avoid handing over a chunk of the profits to Uncle Sam. Whether a seller is able to qualify for a full or partial exclusion, either translates to less money given to the IRS.

Learn more about capital gains tax and full and partial exemptions on the sale of a home today.

What is Capital Gains Tax?

This is a tax on the profit from the sale of a home or other major asset. If a homeowner has owned their home for over one year, any profit would be a “long term” capital gains and the rate of taxation would depend on the seller's tax bracket. Significant exemptions exist for...

Green energy is the way of the future: now more than ever, homeowners are becoming conscious of the environment and what they can do to reduce their carbon footprint. Here are different strategies homeowners can use to help make their home environmentally friendly and use less energy.

Use LED Lightbulbs

Light Emitting Diode (LED) lightbulbs have been around for a while now, but they are a tried and true method for making a home just a little bit greener. Not only do LED bulbs use less energy than their CFL counterparts, but they also have a smaller impact on the environment when they’ve been disposed of. LED...

Even brand new homes should undergo a home inspection. After all, a home is the one of the largest financial (and emotional) investments a person will make. Therefore, home inspections are necessary, and it's wise to have a professional home inspector do the job.

What Does a Home Inspection Include?

Generally, home inspections are included as part of the buyer's contingency requests to protect them from buying a home with hidden issues. Depending upon the agreement, sellers are responsible for having the requisite inspection completed ...

The Seattle real estate market continues to top the charts nationwide as one of the hottest in the country. This is good news for many people, including home sellers who want to earn a significant return on their real estate investment and property owners who feel confident that their values will continue to rise.

However, many Millennials are finding this to be a frustrating market. They can't seem to make offers fast enough before the houses are sold out from underneath them. With each passing month, sales prices continue to increase, while their income remains the same. There's little inventory on the market, and many of them are faced with the startling reality that they will need to commit at least half of their total income to their mortgage payment in order to secure a home in this growing city with a strong economy. 

The...

Though they are no longer the largest generational population, the Boomers – who are heading into their sunset years – will continue to possess the most wealth. That is until they pass their assets onto either their Gen X children or Millennial and Gen Z grandchildren. According to a report by Deloitte, $24 trillion in bequests will be transferred over the next 15 years.

Enter the probate real estate market. Due to many factors that will be discussed below, probate real estate is a virtually untapped real estate space. Due to the conditions under which sellers are motivated to market the legacy property, navigating the emotional and tangible process has several definitive pros and cons.

What is Probate Real Estate?...

Every home buyer is unique in their own way, and some are looking for more than a "standard" home in a neighborhood in Seattle or in a subdivision just outside of the city limits. For those that are most interested in alternative housing types, Seattle has plenty to offer. In fact, there's several floating homes on the Seattle housing market right now, according to Curbed Seattle.

What's a Floating Home? 

A floating home is most simply defined as a home that is only semi-permanently fixed to the land. They are literally built on the water, offering homeowners the most spectacular waterfront views in the city. There are several types of floating homes for buyers to consider:

• Nautical houseboats — These most resemble an...

The Seattle market is currently defined by its record-low inventory levels and increasingly high demand for homes in the city and throughout the suburbs, including East King County. However, this isn't a challenge that is being faced by the Emerald City alone. In fact, cities and metropolitan areas across the country are staring at startling statistics that continue to show depleting inventory levels, despite the fact that buyer demand typically heats up in the summer months. 

Redfin, a real estate firm based in Seattle, shows some concern regarding this trend. Recently, CEO Glenn Kelman told CNBC that low inventory levels are impacting business, and the firm is finding that more homeowners are upgrading to new properties...

For first-time buyers, dipping their toes into an unimaginably competitive seller's market is quite intimidating. Every interested home buyer in Seattle realizes that the odds are stacked against them to some degree. You can't scroll through your news feed or walk by a TV without hearing about the record-setting Seattle housing market. 

In fact, Seattle was recently ranked by Zillow as the 9th toughest market for first-time home buyers, according to an article published by the K5 news station. To determine which markets were most competitive and challenging throughout the country, the study considered the following five factors: median home value, forecasted value appreciation, current inventory levels, listings that...

In many respects, the Seattle housing market has never been hotter. Inventory levels are at record lows, which has home values skyrocketing in the city and throughout the surrounding suburbs. For real estate investors, these seem to be idyllic conditions. They can list a property that they have purchased for an investment, and likely have it sold within a matter of hours to a buyer who is willing to pay above their asking price.

And the bonus? Most buyers who are getting homes in Seattle are paying with cash.

If you look at the data, it may seem like now is the best time to get into the house flipping business in Seattle. But according to King 5, the market is saturated with real estate investors hoping to cash in on these incredible...

Currently, opinions on the Seattle housing market are quite divided. Mention the market to someone who recently sold their property or who is planning to list, and they likely will gush about what a great time it is to get involved in real estate. Mention it to someone who is simply looking for an affordable and comfortable place to call home, and you may be met with a groan.

To call the market is hot is an understatement. There's a significant lack of inventory coupled with a plethora of motivated and interested buyers, and it's made for an incredibly competitive market in the city and the surrounding suburbs. In fact, a recent report dubbed Seattle as one of the most competitive markets in the entire country. 

According to Curbed Seattle, ...

For sellers, the Seattle-area market is rife with possibility!

Throughout 2016, home prices increased significantly — in fact, it made headlines as the most expensive year for Seattle real estate in history. Those who had real estate investments to list on the market were sure to enjoy significant returns, but the fact of the matter is, most people weren't selling their property... often-times because there's no place for them to move to (and they would also be paying top-dollar).

According to an article published in the Seattle Times, housing inventory hit all-time lows in Seattle, which is the primary reason for the price increase. Meanwhile, there was also an influx of buyers who were interested in purchasing real estate in Seattle and throughout King County....

It seems there are Tiny Homes popping up everywhere. Magazines, websites, and reality TV shows all praise the space-saving miniature houses that typically range between 180 and 400 square feet in size. Is it a practical lifestyle choice? Is it truly possible to live comfortably with another person in such a tiny space? Do people still enjoy living in tiny homes after the first year? How much do they cost? These are questions you need to ask before you consider purchasing a tiny home.

What Does A Tiny Home Cost?