Valerie's Belfair WA Real Estate Blog: Washington: Belfair

Soooo you will need to go back to the previous blog to get the beginning of this story cuz I am trying to make it a short story (I tend to be long winded and this IS a long story....) and get to the utter frustration on my part and the sellers part..... Here's the link for the previous blog that starts it off.

Now that you've caught up and we're at the point where I can't get into the house because the short sale lender in their infinite wisdom has literally locked myself and everyone out.  Great way to sell a house- NOT!

The seller and I and lender have been in constant communication working diligently on getting his home sold and getting a short sale approval.

I worked diligently everyday trying to find someone to get me a new key. We were trying to avoid the cost and hassle of again re-keying the home.   My short sale lender contact was working as well on this.

I had an Excellent short sale lender  contact - except it turns out, her management department did not have excellent contact with her apparantly, as you will see as the story goes along....

Two days ago the owner received his accepted short sale approval package from the short sale lender!  YAYYY!!!! AWESOME!!!  We are SOOO excited!!  We adjusted the price accordingly and get our game plan together.  NOW we are getting somewhere - right???  You'd think so........right. up. until.........

The next day, I get an email from a real estate company out of the area.  They were sorry to tell me this, but the  lender I have been working with  has sold the loan to a different servicer/lender and and the new servicer/lender's Management company  has REASSIGNED THE LISTING to them; therefore they went to the house, REKEYED THE HOUSE (again), took my sign down and wanted to let me know they would be taking over the listing and oh by the way "they also have no idea where my lockbox is!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"    

ARE YOU KIDDING ME???????????      I was actually not sure at that moment WHO to be more upset with!  The "Reassigned" Broker, the new servicer/lender, the new management company,or the original servicer/lender!

(A NEW Asset Management company that was thrown into the mix here as well during all of this! I and the original lender had NO IDEA who they were or how they became involved ).

After 4 hours of phone calls and emails between myself, the owner, the original asset manager, the new asset manager, the new lender and the other real estate company- the story comes down to this....

1) The original lender unbeknownst to the OWNER or the lenders asset manager, SOLD the LOAN to a NEW LENDER; The asset manager had NO IDEA until she went to management with my very terse phone call and email that the loan had been sold off!!!

2) The original lender had issued an acceptance of a short sale price to the owner during the process of selling the loan off. 

3) The NEW managemt company for the new servicer/lender re-keyed the house and then sent a letter to another Real Estate Brokerage reassigning the listing and telling them as well to rekey the house!

4) The Reassigned listing company pulls up my  MLS information, sees that it is ACTIVELY listed with me and without a simple little phone call or email, or investigation of the facts, pulls my sign, rekeys the house (for the 3rd time) and gets it ready to list without the real OWNERS permission or knowledge!

5) Literally ONE HOUR during all of the phone calls and emails  and this happening - the owner receives a Fed Ex package from the NEW servicer/lender that his loan has been sold! So he is standing there with a short sale approval in one hand from the original lender and Fed ex package of his note being sold in the other hand with a totally new lender!

OMG. How can this get so screwed up?????   What is going on with these banks???  Why is NO ONE HELD accountable for DELAYING an owner from selling his property and making such a mess out of this???  How can they issue an approval and sell it at the same time? How can they NOT TELL their OWN asset Manager what is going on??

How can the banks get away with this??  Now I have a seller who has an accepted short sale letter that means ABSOLUTELY NOTHING and will the NEW lender honor it or are we starting ALL OVER AGAIN?????  Plus the extra costs and frustrations the owner is now going to incur awaiting a NEW SHORT SALE APPROVAL????!!!!!!

Not to mention I STILL CAN'T GET INTO THE HOUSE - no one can, so it cannot be shown! And WHO has my lockbox and WHO is going to put my sign back up and WHO is going to get me the key???

The Reassigned Real Estate Company finally emails back with huge apologies left and right ; they should not have touched the listing without looking into the facts and contacting me and tells me that if the owner wants go ahead and re-key the house they will pay for it and they are so sorry blah blah blah blah and their field manager will go out as well and re-hang my sign.  Do ya think?????  

AAAAGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!

I was quite flabbergasted that this poor seller who has jumped through all of these hoops to get his short sale approved and sell the home doing the right thing is being dooped because the lenders seem to have no responsibility for the DELAYS they cause in sales, the sellers loss of buyers and money. The amount of money spent on all of this is ridiculous and extremely wasteful! 

I was equally flabbergasted that someone would just pull my sign and go ahead and spend money and re-key a home because they received a letter from a bank saying to do it.

Crazy. Crazy. Crazy.

Summer is here and with it brings many explorers, tourists, part time residents and more to the shores of the Hood Canal and Puget Sound. 

Some already own waterfront homes and are coming to enjoy the many amenities that the Hood Canal and Puget Sound bring to the table - oysters, clams from the beaches; water fun - kayaking, water-skiing, fishing - so much to do and enjoy! 

And here's your chance to own a gorgeous waterfront home on the North Shore of Hood Canal and enjoy all the bounty at a great price!!! 

I love spending time at this Hood Canal waterfront home and love showing this home along the North Shore of Hood Canal!  Meticulously maintained, even on a dreary day, this home will brighten your spirits and soothe the soul!

Approximately one hundred feet of bulk-headed Hood Canal waterfront, it is a pleasure to lounge along the shores of this home.  So relaxing and peaceful, you can feel the stress of the day melt away or awaken to a glorious sunrise and serenity. 

Spit shined and ready to go, I love walking through the door to the open concept and the magnificent view! And to know that the pristine beach at your feet is yours! Okay I am jealous of this one! 

Tile counters, hardwood floors, vaulted tongue and groove ceilings, and a complete remodel show off the light and bright finished project that screams with ambiance of a seaside home!

Step out onto the over-sized deck with plenty of room for entertaining or wander over to the fire-pit and lounge area taking in the ever-changing marine scenery. 

Separate guest quarters offer privacy for all with its own large bedroom, sliding door to the Hood Canal waterfront gravel patio and a half bath for convenience.  Be careful your guests may never want to leave! 

An added bonus- acreage across the street that goes with the home!  Lots of room for extra parking with an area already cleared and ready to go or the perfect spot to wander further and travel the trail on up to a quiet spot along the stream.  A total of 2.78 acres comes with the package!  

Ohhhhh you have got to see this place!  It is awesome and you will fall in love with it at first sight!  Check it out at www.valspaulding.mywindermere.com! 

Located approximately 8 miles from the center of town, its convenience to areas beyond, town, schools, shopping and other amenities makes this a favorable location as well.

Know when to Hold them........and Know when to ........   What?

Someone asked me the other day how my son, Sean, was doing in his new chiropractor business in Westport, WA. I was extremely happy and proud to tell them that not only has he been very successful with his business, but he is also in the process of buying his first home!!

They were very happy to hear that he is doing so well and said to me - "so where did you find him a house?"

I smiled and said "I didn't. I referred him to another realtor!"  They looked at me with wide eyes and amazement and the question "Aren't you a real estate agent? Why would you refer him to another agent?" they asked.

"Yes, yes I am and a very successful, knowledgeable and professional Realtor -  and that is one of the reasons I referred him to another agent."

What made me make this decision? Well for one,  he is not purchasing in my market area.  I felt and feel that it is in his best interests to work with a realtor who knows the area and the values and market  like the back of his hand in the area that my son is considering buying a home.

I also did not want our relationship to interfere with the process of making the best choices and decisions for him. 

Buying a home is an emotional decision for a Buyer but should also be looked at in a business manner when doing so. I did not want my opinions or wants as a "mom" to interfere with his decisions. Such as - I wanted him to buy a condo and he really wanted a single family house with a garage. Now maybe it was because the condo he is living in is on the ocean and I was soooooo looking forward to spending some time at the ocean!  Now that was definitely not in his best interest!

Even though he is my son, I wanted him to be represented by the best person possible and it would have been me IF I worked the market area is he in, but I am not. 

Oh,I have been following the transaction and looked at the paperwork and given a tip or two here and there (once a mom - always a mom and it IS my privilege as his mom), but it was also nice to say to him -

"You know what? That is a better question for your local agent!  I do not know the Westport market enough to give you solid good information and I also don't know their county rules and regulations either." 

It is always best to ask the local expert!

I always look out for the best interests of my clients, family, friends, relatives, loved ones and those in between!

 And in this case and any case that is out of my market area - I would prefer to refer them to the local Windermere expert or best local expert for the area if Windermere is not located there.

Now I get to sit back and watch my son grow and learn, with a different perspective rather than playing that MOM and Agent game......  knowing he is in very capable hands with his local Windermere expert. 

Know when to hold them and know when a referral is in their and your best interest!

If you have family, friends, or clients that are looking to buy or sell in my real estate market area of Mason County (Belfair, Allyn, Grapeview, South Shore and North Shore of Hood Canal), or Kitsap County (Bremerton, Port Orchard, Silverdale, or Manchester, give me a call or drop me a line.  I promise, they will have the best service possible just as I would want for my son!  

South Shore Hood Canal Waterfront home for sale! PRICE REDUCED!!!! 

Along the South Shores of Hood Canal this waterfront home for sale has just been reduced to $525,000 from $595,000!  AWESOME PRICE! 

$198 per square foot for a waterfront home -gets you a lot of house (4 PLUS bedrooms)for full time living or summertime fun!  how can you beat that??

A very deep lot keeps the street noise away so you can focus on having fun on the beach! It also offers a lot of off street parking for guests along with a 3 car detached garage. 

Dig clams and pick oysters from your own beach. Cook them up in one of the two kitchens in the house!

4 bedrooms and a fully finished bonus room - and 2 -1/2 baths. A new septic system and new windows have already been taken care of as well. 

There's even a fireplace in the master bedroom!

Come on out and take a look!

For more photos and information visit www.valspaulding.mywindermere.com

Mount Rainier View~Belfair Home for Sale~Under $250k!

Seems hard to believe doesn't it? Well you will find some very good homes for sale and some very good prices here in Mason County. 

Offered for sale at $229,900, this three bedroom home is located in the Community of View Ridge Heights in Belfair and offers a recently remodeled home with a fantastic view of Mount Rainer and the Hood canal.

1608 Square feet, three bedrooms and 2.25 baths make this not too big and not too small..... just right with all the hard work already done on the remodel!

• New windows
• New roof
• New Siding
• Remodeled and updated kitchen with new cupboards and counters
• Remodeled and updated Master bath

A french door leads out to the back covered deck and fenced yard.  A great setting to take in the Mount Rainier View!

Large over-sized kitchen with a 1/2 bath off the dining area has lots of cupboards and counter space and new appliances. A lrge view window over the kitchen sink takes in the Mount Rainier View as well as the backyard area.

One level living, Mount Rainier and Hood Canal View, Recently remodeled, and under $250,000!! 

Hood Canal & Puget Sound Waterfront Homes for Sale~Market Report for January 2010 through March 25, 2010

It is definitely nice to say goodby to winter and hello to spring and summer all around!

It was an interesting winter along the  Hood Canal & Puget Sound! Things are starting to come to life along the waterfront as spring blossoms.  Buyers are starting to peak their heads out and into some of the homes for sale along the North Shore, South Shore of Hood Canal as well as Case Inlet/Puget Sound, summer is surely around the corner!

A drive along the South Shore of Hood Canal, the North Shore of Hood Canal and Case Inlet/Puget Sound will refresh your memory of the beauty and pristine waters and homes for sale along the water along with the ever-changing scenery that goes along with the change of the tides. 

Let's take a look at what has been happening since the beginning of 2010 with homes for sale along the Hood Canal and Puget Sound Waterfront.

Between all three shores, South Shore Hood Canal, North Shore Hood Canal and the Puget Sound/Case Inlet area,  there are a total of 37 homes for sale along the Hood Canal & Puget Sound/Case Inlet.  This will more than likely start to increase as we move full swing into spring and summer - our waterfront season. There are some really good values on Hood Canal & Puget Sound Waterfront homes for sale.

Homes currently for sale along the Hood Canal and Puget Sound as active listings :  37 -This stayed a fairly consistent number throughout the winter months.

• The average price of these homes  : $763,199 (there are so many choices in so many price ranges this number is high because of (3) million $ plus homes for sale) and one home that was listed at $849,000 sold as well). There are 16 waterfront homes for sale under $500,000 and the rest vary on up to $5,995,000.00
• Average dollars per square foot : $364.48
• Average Days on the market : 380

So as you can see there are a lot of choices in a lot of price ranges!

Homes for sale that are currently Pending along the Hood Canal and Puget Sound : 3-not a strong number but I suppose not bad considering the economy, the market and it being winter.

These are waterfront homes that currently have offers on them and are going through the closing process. 

• The average price for the pending waterfront homes for sale is : $484,333 with an
• Average dollar per square foot of $405.32
• Average days on the market : 194

Waterfront Homes for sale that sold from January 1, 2010 through March 25, 2010 = three (3); two along the North Shore and one on Case Inlet/Puget Sound.  

• Average price: $533,300
• Average Days on the market : 322 ( wow almost a year n the market;although the one on Case Inlet/Puget Sound definitely beat that number  at 104; it definitely pays to be priced right!
• Average dollars per square foot : $392.34
• Selling Price % to List Price : 88.94   (Representative of a buyers market and seller concessions).

That's it for now! We're looking forwardto keeping a steady pace of homes for sale along as spring moseys along at a hopefully steady clip.  Tis the season - to get ready for SUMMERTIME FUN!!There are some great homes for sale along the shores of Hood Canal and Puget Sound/Case Inlet!!

Previous months' market reports for the Hood Canal and Puget Sound/Case Inlet area.

Hood Canal & Puget Sound Waterfront Homes for Sale~How was the year in review?

2009 was a very tough year all around - the economy overall and the housing market in general, so what went on with Hood Canal & Puget Sound Waterfront Home Sales?  Surprisingly enough there were 23 homes sold along the shores of Hood Canal and Puget Sound in 2009.  I decided to take a look at 2009 and compare it to 2008, 2007 and 2006 to see how much of a difference there was in price, homes sold, and the time on the market. 

Waterfront homes as a general rule, tend to be more for recreational, part-time summer use, but there has been an increase in the number of waterfront homes that are lived in full time along the Shores of Hood Canal and Puget Sound. 

When reviewing Puget Sound Waterfront homes for sale, I am reviewing the statistics for my market area of Puget Sound which consists of Victor, Allyn, and Grapeview -all along the shores of Case Inlet & North Bay.  Shelton is also in my market area but there does tend to be a slight difference in marketing and values so I did not include that area in the statistics but will be reviewing it in another blog.

The statistics I am looking at regarding the homes for sale and sold on the Hood Canal are along theSouth Shore and North Shore of the Hood Canal in my market area which includes the towns of Belfair, Union and Tahuya in  Mason County. 

We carried quite a large inventory of waterfront homes for sale throughout the year of 2009. The end of the year we did see some come off the market which did lighten the inventory some.  We also saw an increase in the showings of waterfront homes for sale  above the $500,000 price range during the month of December and into the new year.  A lot of these buyers are also cash buyers-possibly taking advantage of the great homes for sale with great prices and values as opposed to placing their hard earned dollars elsewhere... 

So here's the wrap up:

2009 there were a total of 23 waterfront homes sold along the Hood Canal & Puget Sound in Mason County.

• (9) were sold along the South Shore of Hood Canal
• (5) were sold along the North Shore of Hood Canal
• (9) were sold along the shores of Puget Sound - North Bay and Case Inlet.
• The average sale price wasas $391,283
• The average market time was 235 days
• The average dollars per square foot was $338.63

2008 there were a total of 23 waterfront homes sold along the Hood Canal & Puget Sound in Mason County.

• (8) were sold along the South Shore of Hood Canal
• (6) were sold along the North Shore of Hood Canal
• (9) were sold along the shores of Puget Sound - North Bay and Case Inlet
• The average sale price was $604,158
• The average market time was 152 days
• The average dollars per square foot was $337.95.

It is interesting to see the difference in the market times and the fact that 2009 the buyers were focused on homes under $500,00 for the most part.  It is also interesting to see that the dollars per square foot for both these years stayed fairly consistent.

2007 there were a total of 27 waterfront homes sold along the Hood Canal & Puget Sound in North Mason County.

• (9) were sold along the South Shore of Hood Canal
• (5) were sold along the North Shore of Hood Canal
• (12) were sold along the shores of Puget Sound - North Bay and case Inlet.
• The average sale price was $584,815 (3 of the homes sold for over a million dollars)
• The average market time for these homes was 119 days
• The average dollars per square foot were $379.49 - roughly a 12% difference from 2008 and 2009.

One more year to take a look at - 2006 - I think it is safe to say that 2007 was the peak of the market but let's see how it compared to 2006.

2006 there were a total of 42 homes sold along the Hood Canal & Puget Sound in North Mason County.

• (12 ) were sold along the South Shore of Hood Canal
• (16) were sold along the North Shore of Hood Canal
• (14) were sold along the Puget Sound - Case Inlet and North Bay
• The average sale price was $$480,970 (the highest sale was one at $1.06 million. 
• The average market time for these homes was 129 days
• The average dollars per square foot was $330.34

Interesting..... the average dollars per square foot was higher in 2007, but there were more Hood Canal and Puget Sound Waterfront  homes sold in 2006.  Good numbers to take a look at.

So in a nutshell would you agree 2007 was the peak of the north Mason County waterfront home sales along the Hood Canal and Case Inlet/North Bay-Puget Sound as far as values go?  Overall the average dollars per square foot has stayed consistent as well as the number of sales for the last few years.  Even in 2008 and 2009 the average dollars per square foot was higher than in 2006. 

Got to say, that it is nice to see that the waterfront homes for sale have pretty much held their value!

I hope this information was helpful. If you would like more detailed information or a market specific report for your waterfront home, I would love to help you out with that.  Drop me a line, give me a call or stop on in!

As 2009 winds down, we are all looking forward to a Successful, Happy, Healthy and prosperous New Year! 

With that said, which kind of driver are you when it comes to driving your business?

Are you focusing on the rear-view mirror more than you are focusing on looking forward through the windshield?

"Focus on looking forward through the windshield to achieve your goals; use the rear-view mirror to reflect upon what is behind you" is something one of my friends is always telling me.

He is always reminding me that we need to "see" where we are going all the while using the rear-view mirror for an occasional look at where we have been and what could be creeping up on us; Knowing that we can't change that part, but use the past as knowledge and experience.

Our true attention needs to remain focused on looking forward through the windshield to see where we are going.

We can't change where we have been but we can learn from it as well as take direction from it while looking through the windshield to the future.

The rear-view mirror shows us places we have been and things that are done. Gone. Can't change. But we can use them to our advantage while facing forward and focusing on what is to come.

Granted there are more than likely going to be a few curves thrown in front of us that we weren't anticipating but it's all in how we use our (rear-view) past experience to successfully navigate and help us through it.

Knowledge gained from our rear-view mirror experiences will make us better drivers facing forward looking through the windshield.

Which are you going to do? Are you going to drive your career and goals focusing on what has happened in the rear-view mirror or look forward to new experiences and better roads to come through the windshield in front of you?

Here's to everyone a wish for a very successful, happy, healthy and PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR!!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Short, simple and sweet, courtesy of the Washington Association of Realtors, the following  short video is an explanation in a nutshell. I just learned something new as well - did you know that you might be able to qualify for the expansion credit part (up to $6500.00 tax credit) if you lease your current primary residence and purchase a new one?? Yep - Listen.......

I would be more than happy to answer questions you might have about our local Belfair, Allyn, Hood Canal and Puget Sound Real Estate Market, as well as area information. Remember, all real estate is local so it is important to talk with an agent who KNOWS your market area!

If you would like more information about selling or buying a home in Belfair, Allyn, Hood Canal, Grapeview or the surrounding area, give me call, drop me a line, or stop on by....

I believe people come first and building lifelong relationships with my clients...

Valerie

Associate Broker Windermere Peninsula Properties

360-710-5622

 My web page: www.valspaulding.mywindermere.com

My Belfair Blog : www.BelfairWARealEstate.com

 My Email : vlsallyn@windermere.com

 My Address : 30 NE Romance Hill Rdm Suite 102, Belfair, WA 98528

RED SHIRT FRIDAY.....

This came to me in an email.  I do not know who the originator is so I can't give credit where credit is due other thanking the person who sent it to me... Brian McLellan thank you for serving and forwarding this on to me.

Whoever the originator is and this "man" thank you for the story and sharing it....

Also - it came in a very nice format, but I have no idea how to change the font and stuff so here it is in its raw format...

   
If the red shirt thing is new to you, read below a man's story and how it went for him.

RED SHIRT

"Last week, while traveling to Chicago on business, I noticed a Marine sergeant traveling with a folded flag, but did not put two and two together. 

After we boarded our flight, I turned to the sergeant, who'd been invited to sit in First Class (across from me), and inquired if he was heading home.

No, he responded.
Heading out I asked? 

No.  I'm escorting a soldier home.

Going to pick him up?

No. He is with me right now.  He was killed in Iraq ; I'm taking him home to his family. 

The realization of what he had been asked to do hit me like a punch to the gut. It was an honor for him. He told me that, although he didn't know the soldier, he had delivered the news of his passing to the soldier's family and felt as if he knew them after many conversations in so few days.  

I turned back to him, extended my hand, and said, Thank you Thank you for doing what you do so my family and I can do what we do.  

Upon landing in Chicago the pilot stopped short of the gate and made the following announcement over the intercom. 

"Ladies  and gentlemen, I would like to note that we have  had the honor of having Sergeant Steeley of the  United States Marine Corps join us on this flight He is escorting a fallen comrade back  home to his family. I ask that you please remain in your seats when we open the forward door to allow Sergeant Steeley to deplane and receive his fellow soldier. We will then turn off the seat belt sign."

Without a sound, all went as requested. I noticed the sergeant saluting the casket as it was brought off the plane, and his action made me realize that I am proud to be an American. "

So here's a public Thank You to our military Men and Women for what you do so we can live the way we do.

Red Fridays.

Very soon, you will see a great many people wearing Red every Friday. The reason? Americans who support our troops used to be called the "silent majority."  We are no longer silent, and are voicing our love for God, country and home in record breaking numbers. We are not organized, boisterous or overbearing. 

Many Americans, like you, me and all our friends, simply want to recognize that the vast majority of America supports our troops. Our idea of  showing solidarity and support for our troops  with dignity and respect starts this Friday --  and continues each and every Friday until the  troops all come home, sending a deafening  message that .... Every red-blooded American who supports our men and women a far will wear something red. 

By word of mouth, press, TV -- let's make the United States on every Friday a sea of red much like a homecoming football game in the bleachers. If every one of us who loves this country will share this with acquaintances, coworkers, friends, and family, it will not be long before the USA is covered in RED and it will let our troops know the once "silent" majority is on their side more than  ever, certainly more than the media lets  on.

The first thing a soldier says when asked "What can we do to make things better for you?" is. "We need your support and your prayers." Let's get the word out and lead with class and dignity, by example, and wear something red every Friday.

IF YOU AGREE -- THEN SEND THIS ON.Reblog. Email it.

IF  YOU COULDN'T CARE LESS -- THEN DO NOTHING.