Category Archives: home sales and appreciation

Has the Seattle Housing Market Gone Nuts? Yes! But why?


The market sure has heated up. Prices are going up and multiple buyers are competing for the few houses available.
So what’s going on?
– Seattle Unemployment is Low:
In February the Seattle area’s unemployment rate hit its lowest level since September 2008 at 5.1%.
– Consumer Confidence is High:
Confidence is now at a new post-Financial Crisis high.
– Mortgage Rates are Still Attractive:
Current interest rates are roughly on par with where they were in August 2011 and still two points below the 6.41% average rate during the height of the housing bubble through 2006
– Limited Supply of Homes Available for Sale:
There is about a 1.8 month supply of homes for sale in King County. A 4-6 month supply is needed for a balanced market between home buyers and sellers. We are NOT in a balanced market – we have a strong seller’s market.

Brooks & Heinze Real Estate Team – Fall Newsletter 2013 (mailed 10/18/13) – State of the Market, Winterizing your Home, When to Short Sell, and more


Dear Clients and Friends,  What an exciting year 2013 has been for real estate so far.  I am sure you have heard the buzz of multiple offers returning to the market place.  Homes selling in a few days.  Home prices soaring.  But is that the whole story?  What does it all mean? Please read our newsletterContinue reading “Brooks & Heinze Real Estate Team – Fall Newsletter 2013 (mailed 10/18/13) – State of the Market, Winterizing your Home, When to Short Sell, and more”

Competition is Fierce – Hot Seattle Housing Market


Multiple offers – Rising Property Prices – Rising Interest Rates – Low Inventory – Preinspections – Cash Offers, …. this is what my clients are dealing with everyday now. Yes the market is hot. It’s exciting and exhausting. The video below, recently aired on King 5, describes what buyers are going through well. CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO WorkingContinue reading “Competition is Fierce – Hot Seattle Housing Market”

Brooks & Heinze Real Estate Team – First Quarter Newsletter 2013


As we are well into 2013, we are thankful for all of our past clients, current clients and the opportunities we have living in this wonderful area.  Now to the market update… State of the Market and Home Values: After years of grave losses, home values finally started to increase in the latter part ofContinue reading “Brooks & Heinze Real Estate Team – First Quarter Newsletter 2013”

Housing Recovery? Not so fast?


I received some feedback and questions about one of our July blog entries regarding signs of a recovery in the housing market. The entry was entitled: Housing Market is Showing Signs of Recovery. Some of my clients wanted to know if this meant they will stop “losing money” and that their property prices would goContinue reading “Housing Recovery? Not so fast?”

Have we seen the bottom yet in Seattle?


Have we seen the bottom yet in Seattle? Maybe, maybe not. It depends what neighborhoods and price ranges you are talking about. The suburbs are still struggling and many properties that have sat on the market for a long time in these areas continue to sit. Condos are tough to sell, as well, largely becauseContinue reading “Have we seen the bottom yet in Seattle?”

What’s going on in the Seattle housing market?


So, what’s going on in the Seattle market? If you live in Seattle but listen to the national news, all you hear is about how the housing market is in the toilet. Yes, the housing market has slowed in Seattle over the last year but not as much as the national average (not by aContinue reading “What’s going on in the Seattle housing market?”

Stable Existing-Home Sales Expected in Early 2008


Repost of an article posted on the National Association of Realtors Homepage talking about nationwide existing-home sales and appreciation in 2008: http://www.realtor.org/press_room/news_releases/2008/pshi_jan08_stable_existing_home_sales.html Stable Existing-Home Sales Expected in Early 2008, then Gradual Rise WASHINGTON, January 08, 2008 –Over the next few months, existing-home sales are expected to hold fairly steady as indicated by pending sales activity,Continue reading “Stable Existing-Home Sales Expected in Early 2008”