Category Archives: Money saving tips

Short and Sweet Mortgage & Real Estate News you can use~ for the Puget Sound Region

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Thanks to one of the wonderful Title and Escrow companies I use here are some great tips and articles I wanted to forward to all my readers. Great information!

MORTGAGE & FINANCE news

Tips for preparing your 2013 taxes:

Top 10 Mortgage Tips for 2014:

King County home prices rise 10.5% for 2013:

REAL ESTATE news

Why 2014 is a good year to buy a home:

Dont forget I am here when you are ready to buy or sell!

Tips for downsizing:

LOCAL news

Steady job growth in 2014

Have a wonderful Wednessday! Half way through the week already…… and GO HAWKS! 

www.snohomishcountyhomes4u.com

Mortgage rates drop to lowest level since June

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This is really Great news!

One of my clients just locked in last week at 4.18. In August and September I was seeing 4.6 and 4.75%. I love to see them this low and it gives buyers more purchase power and keeps their payments lower. I know they will come up in the Spring but hoping it will stay this way for the winter months. That combined with home prices stabilizing its a great time to buy!

Rates on 30-year fixed-rate mortgages dropped to their lowest level since the end of June, amid speculation that the Fed would delay winding down its stimulus program.

“Mortgage rates slid this week as the partial government shutdown led to market speculation that the Federal Reserve will not alter its bond purchases this year,” said Frank Nothaft, vice president and chief economist at Freddie Mac. “The weak employment report for September added to this expectation.”

“The economy added just 148,000 jobs, which was below the market consensus forecast and less than the 193,000 jobs increase in August,” he added.

Rates on 30-year fixed-rate mortgages averaged 4.13 percent with an average point of 0.8 for the week ending Oct. 24, down from 4.28 percent last week but up from 3.41 percent a year ago, according to Freddie Mac’s latest Primary Mortgage Market Survey.

Rates on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages, five-year Treasury-indexed hybrid adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) loans and one-year Treasury-indexed ARMs also all fell.

Source: Freddie Mac

 
http://www.snohomishcountyhomes4u.com

Fall Into Autumn With Easy Home Maintenance Tips

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No matter where we live, seasonal changes in temperature and moisture levels require maintenance. Check out these fall maintenance tasks to help maintain your house in good condition.

  • Change the batteries in your smoke detector. Fire experts suggest changing the batteries twice a year. An easy way to remember- change your batteries at the beginning and end of daylight saving Time.
  • Drain a gallon or two of water from your water heater to extend its life expectancy.
  • Clear your roof gutters of leaves and other debris.
  • Trim shrubs and trees so that they clear the foundation, exterior walls, and roof of the house. Shrubbery that’s too close to the house can promote the growth of mildew, mold and algae, particularly during warmer weather. Root growth can damage foundations. Limbs can scrape paint on siding and trim.
  • Inspect the exterior walls and foundation for evidence of damage, cracking or movement. Watch for bird nests or other vermin or insect activity.
  • Clean windows and test their operation. Improve caulking and weather stripping as necessary. Watch for evidence of rot in wood window frames. Paint and repair windowsills and frames as necessary.
  • Test the overhead garage door opener to ensure that the auto-reverse mechanism is responding property. Clean and lubricate hinges, rollers and tracks on overhead doors.
  • Replace or clean exhaust hood filters.

Now is also a good time to change that air filter in your furnace. Did you know you should change them every few months? I recently had an inspection done for a buyer of mine and the seller had not changed the filter for 2 years! You can imagine what that looked like. Would you like to be breathing that air? Especially when were inside so much in the coming months. So breath clean and fresh and change those filters!

http://www.snohomishcountyhomes4u.com

Short and Sweet Real Estate News.

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Mortgage rates fall to 2-month low after Fed announcement

  

Rates on 30-year fixed-rate mortgages dropped to a two-month low this week following a recent announcement from the Fed that it would not begin to wind down its bond-buying program.
Rates on 30-year fixed-rate loans averaged 4.32 percent with an average point of 0.7 percent for the week ending Sept. 26, down from 4.5 percent last week but up from 3.4 percent a year ago, according to Freddie Mac’s latest Primary Mortgage Market Survey.

“Mortgage rates fell following the Federal Reserve announcement that it will maintain its bond-buying stimulus,” said Frank Nothaft, Freddie Mac’s vice president and chief economist, in a statement. “These low rates should somewhat offset the house price gains seen the last number of months and keep housing affordability elevated.”

Rates on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages, five-year Treasury-indexed hybrid adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) loans and one-year Treasury-indexed ARMs also fell.

Pending Home Sales, down 1.6% for August. Observers said rising interest rates were partially to blame for the dip in this measure of contracts signed but not yet closed on existing homes. But national average mortgage rates have dropped the last two weeks with the Fed’s announcement it would continue buying mortgage bonds, which should boost bond prices and keep rates low. Also helping us persevere is the fact Pending Home Sales are still up 5.8% for the year.

Further encouragement came from single-family New Home Sales, up 7.9% in August and 12.6% year-over-year. They’re now at a 421,000 annual rate, not where they need to be, but rebounding strongly. There were also signs of continued success for home prices. The S&P/Case-Shiller 20-city home price index was up 0.62% in July, its 18th consecutive monthly gain, with all 20 metros ahead. Its 12.39% annual gain was its biggest since early 2006. The FHFA price index of homes financed with conforming loans was up 1% in July, also gaining 18 months in a row, and up 8.8% annually.

Source: Freddie Mac

http://www.snohomishcountyhomes4u.com

September is here with some Fall Maintenance Tips

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Stuff the Bus Snohomish County!

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I am a proud mom of 3 boys, 2 of which attend the Everett School District. I support my boys school and my district. 

Lets help all kids start out the school year with the supplies they need!

 
Stuff the Bus Aug. 16-18

Each summer, the Everett Public Schools Foundation conducts a massive school supply drive to fill backpacks for students needing that support to succeed in school.

Last year, the Foundation gave more than 1,700 stuffed backpacks to our students. Be sure to watch for blue bins in businesses around the community throughout August — and big yellow buses outside select locations from Aug. 16-18 to help Stuff the Bus for kids!

Stuff the Bus for Kids!!
Every donation helps! Our goal this year is to provide 1,650 stuffed backpacks for our students throughout the 26 schools in the Everett School District. 

 
Big yellow buses will be staged on August 16th, 17th and 18th to drop off donations:
 

  • QFC at 2615 Broadway Ave., Everett

  • QFC at 4919 Evergreen Way, Everett

  • Safeway at 5802 134th Place S.E., Everett

  • Fred Meyer at 12906 Bothell-Everett Hwy, Everett

  • Central Market at 15605 Main Street, Mill Creek

 
Donations accepted during business hours in August at: Northwest Plus Credit Union, 2821 Hewitt, Everett

 

Here is a list to help you if your not sure what to buy or donate.


Anything will be greatly appreciated!

Stuff the Bus for Kids bin locations – 2013
  • Coastal Community Bank – 10520 19th Ave SE, Everett, WA  98208
  • Coastal Community Bank – 2817 Colby Ave., Everett, WA  98201
  • Everett School District office – 4730 Colby Ave., Everett, WA  98203
  • Everett School District – Human Resources – 3715 Oakes Ave., Suite 202, Everett WA  98201
  • Everett AquaSox – 3802 Broadway, Everett, WA  98201
  • Everett Public Library – 2702 Hoyt Ave., Everett, WA  98201
  • Evergreen Branch Library – 9512 Evergreen Way, Everett, WA  98203
  • Frontier Communications – 1800 41st St., Everett, WA  98201
  • Lovsted-Worthington Insurance – 18704 Bothell Way NE, #200, Bothell, WA  98021
  • Marysville/Anderson Insurance – 901 State Ave., Marysville, WA  98270
  • McClain Insurance – 10410 19th Ave SE, #100, Everett, WA  98208
  • Molina Healthcare – 21540 – 30th Dr. SE, Suite 400, Bothell, WA  98021
  • Mosaic Insurance Alliance – 2122 – 164th St. SW, Suite 301, Lynnwood, WA  98087
  • Olympic Physical Therapy – 4220 Hoyt Ave., Everett, WA  98201
  • Port Gardner Winery – 2802 Rockefeller, Everett, WA  98201
  • Robert D. Gregg & Sons Inc. – 1133 – 164th St. SW, Suite 3103, Lynnwood, WA  98087
  • Snohomish County Assessor’s Office – 3000 Rockefeller Ave., 3rd floor Admin. East, Everett, WA
  • Structural Design Associates – 2802 Rockefeller, Everett, WA  98201
  • Whitfield United  – Leavitt – 3425 Broadway, Everett, WA  98201
So please if you can pick up something for the kids. Anything will help and drop it off at any of the numerous locations! Have a wonderful weekend everyone. 
www.snohomishcountyhomes4u.com
 

          http://www.snohomishcountyhomes4u.com

          Cool Tips Your Way

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          What a great and sunny day in the Northwest!!!  

          Today is a day to send some Cool Tips Your Way!
          Keep Your Cold Food Cold. 
          After all we don’t want the milk curdling and the Ice cream too soft do we?  

          Refrigeration

          • Like other appliances that heat and cool, refrigerators are big energy users. If your refrigerator door does not shut tightly, check the door seal to see if it needs to be cleaned or replaced. A door leak allows cool air to escape, forcing your refrigerator to use more energy to keep food cold.
          • Cleaning the condenser coils found in the back or bottom of the refrigerator will maximize its efficiency. A brush or vacuum can be used. Be sure to unplug the refrigerator before you start cleaning.
          • When purchasing a new refrigerator consider a high efficiency model. Compare yellow Energy Guide labels and choose the unit that uses the least amount of electricity.
          • A freezer’s efficiency is increased by keeping its compartment full. Be careful not to block the fan that allows cold air to circulate.

          Check your refrigerator’s temperature settings for the most efficient appliance operation. Refrigerator temperature should be 36-38 degrees and freezer temperature should be 0-5 degrees.

           
           

          When your all done checking the Fridge and Freezer how about making some Ice Cream?  

          Celebrate National Ice Cream Month!!

          NO-COOK STRAWBERRY ICE CREAM

          Ingredients
          1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
          1 (5-ounce) can evaporated milk
          2 tablespoons sugar
          1 1/2 cups whole milk
          1 (16-ounce) container fresh strawberries or 1 (16-ounce) package thawed frozen strawberries
          2 tablespoons lemon juice
          1/4 teaspoon salt

          Preparation
          Whisk first 4 ingredients in a 2-quart pitcher or large bowl until blended. Cover and chill 30 minutes. Process strawberries, lemon juice, and salt in a blender or food processor until smooth. Stir into milk mixture.
          Pour milk mixture into freezer container of a 1-quart electric ice-cream maker, and freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions. (Instructions and times will vary.)
          Remove container with ice cream from ice-cream maker, and place in freezer 15 minutes. Transfer to an airtight container; freeze until firm, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

          Note: For testing purposes only, we used a Rival 4-quart Durable Plastic Bucket Ice Cream Maker and a Cuisinart Automatic Frozen Yogurt-Ice Cream & Sorbet Maker
          Southern Living April 2009

          http://www.snohomishcountyhomes4u.com

          200 Year Historical Rates on 30-Year Mortgage

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          Click Here for the 30 Year FHLMC Rates On 30-Year Fixed-Rate Mortgage Chart

          Click Here for the 200 Year Historical Rates On 30-Year Fixed-Rate Mortgage Chart

          WOW!

          Leap Day Deals- Leap now!

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          Today is a gift! A bonus 24 hours. So, how will you spend your extra day? To commemorate Leap Day 2012, here is a bit of history, some fun facts, suggestions on how to spend your extra day, and some last minute freebies.

          Why Do We Need Leap Day?
          It takes the Earth 365 days, 5 hours, 49 minutes and 16 seconds to cycle around the sun and through the seasons. Therefore, our year is not exactly 365 days. Over time, the extra quarter of a day adds up, and without Leap Day, the calendar would be one day out of sync with the seasons. After 30 years, it would be about a week off, and after 100 years, it would be nearly a month off. Without leap year, if you lived to be 90 years old, your birthday would have drifted by three weeks.

          The History of Leap Year:
          According to Yahoo.com, Leap Year has been around for 2,000 years, since Julius Caesar created the 365-day calendar. However, Caesar’s astronomer, Sosigenes, gets credit for adding an extra day in February every four years. The Egyptians were the first people to add a leap day every four years, but the Romans were the first to choose February 29th as the official date.

          Ten Fun Facts about Leap Day:
          The following fun facts about leap year were collected from Leapyearday.com and Womens-Place.com:

          1. Your chances of being born on a leap day are approximately 1 in 1500.
          2. There are about 187,000 people in the US and 4 million people in the world who were born on Leap Day.
          3. People born on Leap Day are called leaplings.
          4. In most states, leaplings must wait until March 1st to be eligible for any age-specific privileges (ages 16, 18, 21).
          5. Every now and then we have to skip a regularly scheduled leap year. This happens during specific century years.
          6. Century years are not leap years unless they can be evenly divided by 400. The years 1700, 1800 and 1900 were not leap years, but 1600 and 2000 were.
          7. When 2/29 is entered into a majority of websites it comes up as an invalid birth date.
          8. US Presidential elections and Summer Olympic Games are both held every four years and occur during leap years.
          9. In Greece, people believe it is bad luck to get married in a leap year. On the other hand, in Ireland, women can propose to a man.
          10. The next February 29th will come around again in 1,460 day
          Now for some Leap Year Deals for today only!
          Pagliacci Pizza flash back to 1984. Remember your hair well how about the prices for pizza? Today only slices of the pie start at .90 cents.

          Denny’s 29% offyour entire check.

          Ace Hardware: Use this coupon to take 29% off any item priced at $30 or less.
          Android Market Music: On February 29, 29 albums can be purchased for $2.99 each, featuring artists like Taylor Swift, Mary J. Blige, Lady Antebellum, Bob Marley, The Rolling Stones, and Pink Floyd.
          (MORE: Leap Day Birthdays: Famous (and Infamous) Feb. 29 Births)
          Banana Republic: 29% off full-priced items with the use of the promo code BRLEAPYEAR; sister retailers Old Navy (code: ONSPRING) and Gap (code: GAPGIFT) also have discounts available on February 29—but they’re only knocking off 15%.
          The Body Shop: 29% off all merchandise purchased online; used the code LEAPYEAR.
          McDonald’s: Promotions vary based on location, but franchises in many parts of the country are offering special Leap Day discounts; for instance, Sausage Egg McMuffins and Big Macs are being sold on a buy one, get one free basis. Some offering 29¢ 10-piece chicken nuggets with the purchase of one full-price 10-piece nuggets. Other McDonald’s are selling 49¢ hamburgers and 69¢ cheeseburgers.
          Subway: Get a free cookie with any purchase on February 29.

          Find your new house with a click of a mouse!

          Leap Day Deals- Leap now!

          Posted on by


          Today is a gift! A bonus 24 hours. So, how will you spend your extra day? To commemorate Leap Day 2012, here is a bit of history, some fun facts, suggestions on how to spend your extra day, and some last minute freebies.

          Why Do We Need Leap Day?
          It takes the Earth 365 days, 5 hours, 49 minutes and 16 seconds to cycle around the sun and through the seasons. Therefore, our year is not exactly 365 days. Over time, the extra quarter of a day adds up, and without Leap Day, the calendar would be one day out of sync with the seasons. After 30 years, it would be about a week off, and after 100 years, it would be nearly a month off. Without leap year, if you lived to be 90 years old, your birthday would have drifted by three weeks.

          The History of Leap Year:
          According to Yahoo.com, Leap Year has been around for 2,000 years, since Julius Caesar created the 365-day calendar. However, Caesar’s astronomer, Sosigenes, gets credit for adding an extra day in February every four years. The Egyptians were the first people to add a leap day every four years, but the Romans were the first to choose February 29th as the official date.

          Ten Fun Facts about Leap Day:
          The following fun facts about leap year were collected from Leapyearday.com and Womens-Place.com:

          1. Your chances of being born on a leap day are approximately 1 in 1500.
          2. There are about 187,000 people in the US and 4 million people in the world who were born on Leap Day.
          3. People born on Leap Day are called leaplings.
          4. In most states, leaplings must wait until March 1st to be eligible for any age-specific privileges (ages 16, 18, 21).
          5. Every now and then we have to skip a regularly scheduled leap year. This happens during specific century years.
          6. Century years are not leap years unless they can be evenly divided by 400. The years 1700, 1800 and 1900 were not leap years, but 1600 and 2000 were.
          7. When 2/29 is entered into a majority of websites it comes up as an invalid birth date.
          8. US Presidential elections and Summer Olympic Games are both held every four years and occur during leap years.
          9. In Greece, people believe it is bad luck to get married in a leap year. On the other hand, in Ireland, women can propose to a man.
          10. The next February 29th will come around again in 1,460 day
          Now for some Leap Year Deals for today only!
          Pagliacci Pizza flash back to 1984. Remember your hair well how about the prices for pizza? Today only slices of the pie start at .90 cents.

          Denny’s 29% offyour entire check.

          Ace Hardware: Use this coupon to take 29% off any item priced at $30 or less.
          Android Market Music: On February 29, 29 albums can be purchased for $2.99 each, featuring artists like Taylor Swift, Mary J. Blige, Lady Antebellum, Bob Marley, The Rolling Stones, and Pink Floyd.
          (MORE: Leap Day Birthdays: Famous (and Infamous) Feb. 29 Births)
          Banana Republic: 29% off full-priced items with the use of the promo code BRLEAPYEAR; sister retailers Old Navy (code: ONSPRING) and Gap (code: GAPGIFT) also have discounts available on February 29—but they’re only knocking off 15%.
          The Body Shop: 29% off all merchandise purchased online; used the code LEAPYEAR.
          McDonald’s: Promotions vary based on location, but franchises in many parts of the country are offering special Leap Day discounts; for instance, Sausage Egg McMuffins and Big Macs are being sold on a buy one, get one free basis. Some offering 29¢ 10-piece chicken nuggets with the purchase of one full-price 10-piece nuggets. Other McDonald’s are selling 49¢ hamburgers and 69¢ cheeseburgers.
          Subway: Get a free cookie with any purchase on February 29.

          http://www.snohomishcountyhomes4u.com