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· Deck the halls, but don’t go overboard
· Hire a reliable real estate broker
· Seek out motivated buyers
· Price it to sell
· Make curb appeal a top priority
· Take top-notch real estate photos
· Create a video tour online
· Give house hunters a place to escape from the cold
· Offer holiday cheer in the form of financing
· Relax – the new year is just around the corner
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Here's a great moving checklist that I got from NW Journal - Greater Seattle Area Guide.
When you are ready to move, planning carefully can save you hours of stress in the long run. When you know the date of your move, start planning! The following tips can help make your move to Seattle, Bellevue, Tacoma, Everett, Olympia or any of the surrounding neighborhoods a breeze!
Two Months Ahead:
 Research whether & where to buy or rent
Research communities & school districts
Contact a realtor or rental agent
Research personal, family and pet travel plans
Research Mover: check business license, check insurance certificate, get a cost estimate, cost for packing unpacking, travel time for possessions, payment requirements, and get employer’s commitment to any financial contribution
Create inventory list of the things being moved
Plan disposal of things not being moved
Create list of people and businesses to be notified of your move
One Month Ahead:
Make personal, family and pet travel plans
Reserve mover
Organize & secure documents and records for: wills, power of attorney, living trust, banking, vehicles, investments, insurance, real estate, loans, passports, births, marriage, divorce, immunizations, medical, dentist, pharmacy, pets and others
Notifications: Post Office (mail change of address cards), newspaper, creditors, insurance companies, physicians, dentist, pharmacy, accountant, utility companies and police (re: vacant house).
Schools: transcripts, immunizations, standardized testing results
Pickup any dry cleaning or items being repaired
Two Weeks Ahead:
Confirm moving date, time and payment details with mover
Begin packing things used infrequently
Confirm utilities shut off date
Extend property insurance coverage to new address and travel
Transfer bank accounts to new branch
Order new checks with new address
Cancel newspapers and other deliveries
Confirm personal, family and pet travel plans
Get auto serviced
Have a garage sale
Donate or discard any unwanted items
One Week Ahead:
Place documents staying at old address in one location
Have all utility meters read this week
Clean appliances and prepare for moving
Drain fuel from lawn mower and other tools
Two Days Ahead:
Make hotel reservations for night before moving day
Remove and pack curtains and other fixtures to be moved
Defrost refrigerator and freezer
One Day Ahead:
Check all drawers, cabinets, attic, garage, crawlspace and closets
Finish any light cleaning
Give your travel schedule to family & friends
Moving Day:
Confirm mover arrival time
Work with movers to tag furniture
Tag furniture with room location at new home
Sign and retain a copy of the bill
Check closets, drawers, etc again
Turn off lights, close & lock windows & doors
Leave keys as appropriate
Leave after the mover has driven away
Arrive New Home:
Check that all utilities are on
Check that all possessions are there
Check for damage before movers leave
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“Summer Stage” Duvall’s summer concert series runs July – August Wednesday nights from 6:30-8pm at McCormack Park in downtown Duvall.
Coldwell Banker Bain's
2010 Summer Stage Line Up
July 7th - Show! Brazil
The high energy performance will send spicy Brazilian rhythms reverberating through the park as this internationally acclaimed band covers the best of Brazilian Carnival music.
July 14th - Handful of Luvin'
A return performance from this SummerStage 2008 favorite that had the crowd dancing to their energetic folk rock. Voted third Best Local Band of Western Washington by King 5 Evening Magazine for 2009. www.handfulofluvin.com
July 21 - Craicmore
Contemporary traditional Celtic music with deep roots in Scotland and Ireland. Driving rhythms from guitar, bass, and Bohdran drum along with high spirited flutes and whistles and rumbling didgeridoo lay the path for Nancy Johnston’s rich contralto voice.
July 28th - Bernadette Bascom with special guest Darrius Willrich
Bernadette is a blues, soul, and gospel singer whose career includes a Las Vegas show for 15 years and touring with Sonny Turner of the original Platters. Performing with jazz fusion & R&B artsist Darrius Willrich, Bernadette will be singing contemporary R&B, jazz and classic Motown covers and original songs. Bernadette is also the founder and Creative Director of The Music Project working with at risk teens.
August 4th - Roger Fisher Band
Roger Fisher, real-life Guitar Hero and the founding lead guitarist of rock group Heart, has been writing, performing, and recording since leaving the group in 1979. One of the Northwests' most respected rock guitarists, Roger will be performing at SummerStage with local musicians and will feature music from a new project as well as some favorites.
August 11th - Laura Love Band
The singer/songwriter/bassist and her band performs roots, gospel, soul, and bluegrass. Laura Love has been called “startlingly original” by Billboard magazine. On stage, Laura’s voice soars while her band mates back her up with harmonies by Orville Johnson, an acknowledged master of country slide and picked guitar. What a sweet summer night!
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MARKET RESEARCH – Washington
(From the May/June 2010 Edition of Washington Association of Realtors)
- 2.1% Percent of Washington residential mortgages in foreclosure at year-end 2009 (24,900).
- 7.65% Percent of Washington residential mortgages past dues but not yet in foreclosure (90,800).
- 15 Number of states with lower serious delinquency/foreclosure rates than Washington.
- 3.92 National serious delinquency rate on multifamily/commercial mortgages at banks and thrifts (2.3 percentage points higher than a year ago).
- 223,793 Number of Washington residential mortgages currently “underwater”.
- 8.5% Decline in statewide median home price (4th quarter 2009).
- 107,270 Washington home sales in 4th quarter 2009, up 46.2% from year earlier (seasonally adjusted annual rate).
- 40,049 Number of statewide MLS listings at year-end 2009 (down 12.3% from year earlier).
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Farrel-McWhirter Farm Park in Redmond, WA
This past weekend a friend and I went to Farrel-McWhirter Farm Park in Redmond, WA. We trailer our horses for what I would call a kindergarten ride. I needed a kindergarten ride because I have some back problems and my horse hasn’t been ridden in a while.
This great facility has a separate entrance for horse trailers, large arena, round pen and riding trails. The loop around the park takes approx 30 mins. and includes wooden bridges, one area of steep terrain.
I would highly recommend taking a young horse or one with too much time off to Farrel-McWhirter Farm Park.
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Duvall – Country View
The City of Duvall is still a best kept secret. Microsoft’s shuttle bus “The Connector” is located in the heart of Duvall making this a desirable city for the techy mid-30’s age group. McCormack Park and the Snoqualmie Valley Trail are just a few of the great features of Duvall. But this spotlight isn't just on Duvall, it is on the wonderful community events such as Summer Stage a weekly summer concert series, the Duvall Farmers Market held May – October weekly on Thursday afternoons, and the annual Duvall Day’s event which ends with a fireworks show!
Country View is made up of homes on 5+/- acres, with a few on smaller plots of land, most of these homes are setup for privacy but some are equine properties and hobby farms. These homes do not come on the market much and when they do they are snatched up. You can find homesowners walking the Tolt Pipeline, nature viewing, fishing, bird watching and gardening. The homes range in size and since Duvall is located in the Cascade Foothill, the properties range in usability; from flat to rolling to steep sloped.
If you would like more information on buying a home in Country View or have additional questions please do not hesitate to contact us.
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Earth day. No...Earth Week!
Last Thursday was Earth Day; I’ve been making quite a week of it. I spent one day starting my vegetable garden, another day at a King Conservation District Event “Baxter Barn: Eco-Tourism” and finally I spent yesterday working as a Greenhorn on a Dairy Farm.
Last year, I was a bit side tracked during the planting season because my father was checked-in to the hospital for a staph infection. My goal this year is to have a phenomenal vegetable garden. I’ve already planted radish, carrots, onions, and broccoli; and soon I’ll be planting, tomatoes, green beans, cucumbers, and most likely bell peppers. I have yet to master the bell peppers, I’m not sure that our climate is hot enough for them but I’ll just keep on trying.
I got a lot of great ideas from the Baxter Barn tour. The new owners partnered with neighbors, King Conservation District and King County, and transformed the 2.5 acres into a working farm and educational facility that preserves history while helping salmon, birds and other wildlife. I’ll be putting some of their techniques to good use this year in the pastures and with the compost bins.
Yesterday working as a Greenhorn on a Dairy Farm was the high and low for the year so far. It was wonderful being out of the farm and trying something new. But when trying new things, you feel a bit ignorant. If we were keeping score, I may have won for asking the most stupid questions. I’m not sure if all my question asking was more of a nuisance than my help… or just shear entertainment. I grew up with horses NOT cows. It was quite an eye opener when I realized how different the anatomy of a cow is.
All in all, it’s been a great week. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for the rest of the year!
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Here’s some information that I received years ago from Lawyers Title.
What Affects your Credit Score?
The importance of Your Credit Score
Credit Scores are an important factor in mortgage loans but many consumers are unsure about what causes them to receive that score.
How Your Credit Score is Determined
The typical score model for mortgages are FICO Scores. They are determined by five main categories:
- 35% is based on your payment history.(including all accounts)
- 30% is based on the amount you owe creditors (especially revolving accounts with high balances)
- 15% is based on how long you have been using credit. (the longer you have a good payment history, the better)
- 10% is based on your applications for new credit (if you are loading up on credit it may damage your score)
- 10% is based on your ‘mix’ of credit (numerous finance company accounts may lower your score)
How Your Credit Score is Compiled
The data used to compile credit scores is based on information reported by the creditors to Equifax, Experian, and Transunion. It does not include information about income, race, sex, or religion.
Maintaining a Good Credit Score
There are key factors to maintaining a good FICO Score:
- Pay your bills on time (even one late in the past 12 months can do significant damage)
- Keep balances low on revolving accounts (accounts with balances over 30% of the credit limit may lower your score)
- Don’t ‘credit surf’ (frequent credit application or balance transfers may lower your score)
- Review your credit file at least once a year (this enables you to determine any errors or fraud)
How to Correct an Error on Your Credit
If you feel there is an error on your file, contact the creditor in question and request an investigation. You may also dispute the item with the bureaus at the addresses below:
Equifax: PO Box 105873 Atlanta GA 30348
Transunion: PO Box 100 Chester, PA 19022
Experian: PO Box 2104 Allen, TX 75013
Follow these tips and you should be on your way to maintaining a good credit score!
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Here is some great information that I recently read in the City of Duvall’s newsletter, from the Police Department. Its information that a lot of us may know but could use a friendly reminder.
SPRING FEVER SAFETY
We all get “the bug” as the days now begin to get longer and the average temperatures head up rather than down. But during this promise of spring, don’t let your common sense get “infected” – here are some tips for enjoying the season while protecting yourself:
- Don’t leave windows open at night or while away from your house – this is an invitation to a prowler.
- If you have a home security system – use it! It can also help ensure your doors and windows are secured!
- If you live on a larger piece of property where certain sides of your house do not face other properties, even if you’re at home, don’t leave doors or windows on that side of the house open.
- Be wary of the comings and goings in your neighborhood – we’ve had several reports of somewhat aggressive door-to-door salespeople. If your front door is open, they might even just walk in…or, worse, go around to the back of your house and just “appear” unannounced. This can be very frightening. If you want to leave a door open on warm days or evenings, be sure you have installed a locking screen door and use it!
- Walking and biking our beautiful trails – take a cell phone with you at all times. If you lock your valuables in your vehicle while hiking or biking, be sure they are NOT visible through the vehicle’s windows. We’ve heard many reports from the County that car prowls are occurring in broad daylight in the various parking lots along the Valley trails.
- Walking or biking on a nice evening – always wear some reflective clothing – there is nothing smarter you could do! Often, as a biker or pedestrian, you are not visible to a driver until that vehicle is upon you! We see many people walking and biking after dark along Highway 203 – this is very dangerous – but particularly so without reflective attire.
- Pet safety – while it’s tempting and fun – as long as you are within the City’s limits you are expected to keep your pets leashed and to clean up after them!
HAPPY SPRING!
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King Conservation District "Holistic Approach to Manure Management"
Yesterday's "manure management" class was fab! Half the time was spent talking about composting and the other half was spent talking with Dr. Hank about parasites, yuck! It was well worth my time and I'd suggest everyone with horses to attend any of the classes offered by King Constervation District. Here's their website. http://kingcd.org/ and here's the descrption of the class:
 "Learn the latest on manure management and horse health. Hear from equine veterinarian Hank Greenwald and Horses for Clean Water's Alayne Blickle about a holistic approach to parasite control and manure management. Learn how to compost horse manure, off-site options for dealing with stall waste & view the latest techniques for reducing stall wast e in the barn. Hear about parasite control, resistance to dewormers, use/overuse of dewormers and techniques to target parasite control. Learn what "natural" options are out there and how they safely cut back on deworming. Save money, keep your horse healthy AND keep the environment helthy, too!"
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