Real Estate Weekly September 10, 2021

INSIDE

This Issue

FIRST-TIME BUYERS ARE EAGER TO PURCHASE BUT MAY LACK CONFIDENCE: HERE’S WHY PAGE 5 SENIORS FIXING TO STAY PUT NEED THE RIGHT FIXES PAGE 7 CLASSIFIEDS PAGE 7

SEPT. 10-16, 2021

TABLE OF CONTENTS First-time buyers are eager to purchase but may lack confidence: Here’s why................P5

INSIDE PAGE

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Q&A Ask Our Broker.......................................................................P6

Seniors Fixing to Stay Put Need the Right Fixes.....................................................P7 Classifieds............................................................................P7

RE-Weekly To advertise in RE-Weekly or other Skagit Publishing publications, Call: 360.416.2180 or Email: ads@skagitads.com ©2021 by Skagit Publishing | All rights reserved.

All real estate advertised in Real Estate Weekly is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act, which makes it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation, or discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin, or intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.” We will not knowingly accept any advertising which is in violation of the law. All persons are hereby informed

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own the local real estate market expand your reach when you combine the power of our digital audience and premium print ads in the re weekly ask your multimedia account executive for details.

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September 10, 2021

STAT Existing Home Sales by Region As of the end of July 2021, existing home sales in the United States are made up of 44% in the South, 23% in the Midwest, 21% in the West, and 12% in the Northeast.

Source: National Association of Realtors

525 East College Way, Ste. J

Mount Vernon, WA 98273

360) 416-4902

www.npsar.realtor

Devastatingly effective wire fraud scams are becoming more and more common in real estate transactions. Sophisticated hackers are monitoring client and/or broker email accounts and waiting for a window to steal monies from clients.

The scammers convincingly impersonate the broker or escrow agent, and then send messages urging the clients to wire funds to fake accounts set up by the scammers. The clients are left with no recourse to recover the stolen funds.

Are you prepared to protect yourself?

Washington REALTORS® in cooperation with the NWMLS, the Department of Licensing, Department of Financial Institutions and the Office of the Insurance Commissioner have created several resources to educate our members and consumers about this widespread but preventable fraud.

 

Obtain the phone number of your real estate broker and your escrow agent at your first meeting.

Call the known phone number to speak directly with your broker or escrow officer to confirm wire instructions PRIOR to wiring.

Mission Statement: The Nor th Puget Sound Association of Realtor s advocates for Realtor s and their clients, and promotes the protection of property rights.

September 10, 2021

FeAtUReD ReALtY:

Meet DANYA WOLF

Skagit tradition Realty LLC 3780 e. College Way Mount Vernon, WA 360-424-0300 www.skagittraditionrealty.com

Danya Wolf was born and raised in the Skagit Valley and graduated from MVHS in 1973 (class of ’74). She graduated from The University of Puget Sound in 1976 Magna Cum Laude with her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics and Asian Studies. Danya completed the Law Clerk program in 1996 and has been a Realtor since 1976.

Danya has studied Spanish, French, German, Japanese and Mandarin-Chinese languages and she has also traveled to China, Japan and Korea. She was a student of Soo Bahk Do for 12 years and loves hiking, eagle watching, and camping with her husband Don. Together they have four great adult children and a cat,“Chopper”.

Danya has enjoyed 40+ years serving our valley with their real estate needs and looks forward to assisting you with any of your questions.

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Danya Wolf 360-708-8294 131461-1

NORTH PUGET SOUND ASSOCIATION of REALTORS®

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Now could be the time to sell a new home and earn a slice of the real estate pie.

Record-low interest rates and record-low housing prices are renewing interest in the floundering housing market for many people.

“When sellers are interviewing real estate agents to market their homes, their primary focus is usually on the advertising that the agent will offer them,” says Jessica Goodbody of Weichert Realtors.

Let us help you meet your marketing goals by advertising your listings in Real Estate Weekly.

Call 360.416.2180 Today!

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RealEstate weekly In print and online goskagit.com ads@skagitads.com

September 10, 2021

a c w a t b t k b t d p i t

First-time buyers are eager to purchase but may lack confidence: Here’s why

By Erik J. Martin ncertainty can lead to hesitancy, which can result in regret and remorse. For proof, consider the plight of many would-be homebuyers who are itching to get their foot in the door of their first home but either lack the funds to do so or the conviction/ know-how to go forward – or both. Consider that kicking that homeownership can down the road may mean paying more later and missing out on the opportunity to capitalize on historic low

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September 10, 2021

mortgage interest rates.

You may be surprised to learn that only one-in-four first-time buyers polled by Chase felt they had strong confidence that they would be financially prepared to buy a home in the first half of 2021. Interestingly, this lack of confidence didn’t prevent them from making improvement plans: 7 in 10 respondents adopted lifestyle changes to help achieve their homeownership dreams, including 66% who had already set monthly budgets and hustled to increase their

credit scores; 77% of those polled are actively saving for a down payment, too.

“According to our study, 40% of respondents are likely to purchase a home in the next 12 months, yet less than half feel knowledgeable and comfortable with the homebuying process,” says Sean Grzebin, head of Consumer Originations for Chase Home Lending. “On a positive note, many have reported having made lifestyle changes to prepare for homebuying success, including reducing non-essential

expenditures and monitoring debt and credit fluctuations.”

Aaron Hendon, a managing broker for eXp in Seattle, isn’t surprised that many first-timer purchasers don’t feel financially ready.

“Skyrocketing housing prices have put what used to be considered first-time entry-level homes out of reach for many,” says Hendon. “Much of what stops people today is also the lack of education about first-time buyer assistance. Many states have down payment assistance programs, for example,

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but they are not widely promoted.”

In today’s market, when bidding wars are common, it’s also easy to get frustrated when multiple offers have gone unaccepted, further eroding buyer confidence.

“For those in this situation, now is the time to ensure you have everything in order – such as a prequalification letter, down payment, and closing cost reserves, so that when an offer is accepted, you’ll be ready to move forward,” suggests Grzebin.

Glen Pizzolorusso, a licensed associate real estate broker with Compass in Fairfield County, Connecticut, strongly recommends getting preapproved for a mortgage loan as soon as possible.

“Many believe this is a hard and time-consuming process, but most loan officers can do this in a few hours,” he says. “The next most important thing to do is save up for a sufficient down payment.”

Consider that some lenders and loan programs require 10 to 20 percent down.

Fortunately, there are more affordable options, including an FHA loan available for as little as 3.5% down, if you qualify.

“Problem is, FHA loans have restrictive loan limits, and many sellers are wary of accepting an FHA-finance offer to purchase, especially when they are entertaining multiple offers on their home,” Pizzolorusso adds.

Your best bet is to consult closely with an experienced mortgage broker, lending professional, or banker who can walk you through different loan programs and down

payment assistance programs available for first-time buyers, suggests Gil Corber, a real estate broker with Los Angeles-headquartered Proper Nation.

“Review your credit reports for inaccuracies, work on improving your credit score, maintain a low debtto-income ratio, and aim to get in the housing market while interest rates remain low,” Corber recommends.

Work diligently at creating and sticking to a monthly budget, as well.

“For first-time buyers especially, the transition to becoming a homeowner can be more expensive than they realize. Along with mortgage payments, homeowners are also responsible for maintaining, repairing, and insuring the property,” says Grzebin.

That’s why it’s crucial to emphasize salting away extra money.

“It’s important to have some reserves left in the bank after you purchase a home. If you have six months of mortgage payment saved after you close, you’ll have more confidence that you won’t miss a payment if something goes wrong,” notes Aaron Graf, CEO of LG Fairmont, a New York City-based boutique real estate brokerage.

Remember: It’s more important to have the financial means in place than it is to have buyer confidence, so prioritize the former and the latter will follow.

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Will homes with offices be popular for much longer?

Question:

Right now, there’s a huge interest in home offices. But -- once people increasingly go back to work -- won’t the attraction of homes with one or two offices fade?

Answer:

There are several reasons to believe that an end to the pandemic will have little impact on the home office trend.

A “home office” is simply dedicated space, no different from a bedroom. There’s no need for special alterations; instead, owners have decided to use a given area for one purpose or another. If the property is sold or rented, the new occupants can elect to use the space differently without expensive renovations.

We don’t know what the “new normal” will look like once the pandemic ends, but there is every reason to believe that home offices will be more common than they were in 2019 before the pandemic struck. Here’s why.

Before the era of smartphones and home computers, the idea of a central office setting

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was well established because formal offices were seen as highly productive. However, in many cases today, the equipment available to workers at work and at home is largely the same. Whether your computer is located in a downtown office tower or a spare bedroom doesn’t much matter, as long as you can connect to the Internet. In fact, with laptops, many employees use the exact same work computer at home and at the office.

The reality is that working from home (WFH) was well-established before the pandemic.

The 2019 American Time Use Survey from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) found that “24 percent of employed persons did some or all of their work at home on days they worked.”

Microsoft -- with more than 160,000 employees worldwide -- says “flexible work is here to stay, and the talent landscape has fundamentally shifted. Remote work has created new job opportunities for some, offered more family time, and provided options for whether or when to commute. But there are also challenges ahead. Teams have become more siloed

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Q&A

ASK OUR BROKER

By Peter G. Miller

this year and digital exhaustion is a real and unsustainable threat.”

While working from home has its attractions, it also has drawbacks. Not everyone can successfully work by themselves. The social interactions available in a formal office setting are missing from home offices. The ability to mingle with managers and executives -- often a key to advancement -- is reduced.

For many employees, the new work pattern will likely be a hybrid model where they work in an official office part-time -- say three or four days a week -- and work from home one or two days per week. One attraction of this approach is that it will substantially reduce the commuting volume in major cities.

As to real estate considerations, home offices are not going away. They’re a bonus for people who need them, extra space for those who don’t, and an asset in either case.

Email your real estate questions to Mr. Miller at peter@ctwfeatures.com.

September 10, 2021

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CLASSIFIEDS REAL ESTATE FOR SALE Land, Acreage, Lots

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Seniors Fixing to Stay Put Need the Right Fixes

By Marilyn Kennedy Melia

C

omfortable in their home, many seniors never want to move.

About one-half get their wish and can stay home until they die, according to Boston College’s Center for Retirement Research {CRR}.

But a fall or illness that makes living in their home unmanageable forces others out.

Sometimes small fixes, like installing grab bars in a bathroom, are all that’s needed to keep residents safely staying put. However, major remodeling projects

September 10, 2021

like adding a first-floor bath and bedroom might be necessary.

That leaves aging homeowners with a conundrum: How to plan to remain home without investing large sums unnecessarily on improvements that might not be needed?

Enter the “certified aging-inplace specialist” (CAPS) who’s completed training from the AARP and the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) on improving homes for longterm living, but not necessarily all at once.

A CAPS holder is trained in “needs assessment,” says Dan

Bawden, of Legal Eagle Contractors, Houston, and CAPS designee.

He starts by asking owners to show him how they’re functioning now: Is it easy to turn the faucets on and off, or is the toilet so low standing is a struggle?

Designing the current improvements needed now with an eye to retrofitting later is key. For instance, if someone may someday need an elevator, and the current remodeling job involves rooms underneath each other, “I’ll try to stack closets on top of each other so an elevator later installed,” Bawden

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explains.

Owners might hire a CAP specialist to review plans and make assessments without performing actual construction work, says an NAHB spokesperson. Most CAP specialists are remodelers, but designers, architects, and occupational therapists also hold this certification. Currently, 9,000 professionals have completed this certification.

“Physical needs change over time,” says Bawden. A beloved home might be changed slowly and affordably to match its owners’ needs.

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1564 H ST RD., BLAINE

$1,200,000 118 E ORANGE AVE, BURLINGTON

Eighty (80) acres with development potential of multiple building tracts. Mostly woods including Western Red Cedar and Douglas Fir, Cottonwood; Alder; and Birch; with one large pond great for duck hunting toward the northerly portion of the 80 acres, some meadows, one small beaver pond, plenty of walking trails or bring your ATV; and an old dug well near the old home site by the southerly edge of the property to the east of the gate.

Future home site/pasture land along the southwesterly edge of the property. Shown by appointment.

Danya Wolf MLS# 1568051 360-708-8294

$399,990

NEW PRICE!!! Great opportunity for a small business. Includes commercial kitchen & other restaurant equipment. Great space out back for outdoor dining/drive-thru. There is parking and storage. It’s located just one door from one of the busiest corners in Burlington; E Orange Ave & Burlington Blvd. Upstairs there is 1BR/.75BA and den. The possibilities are endless in this fast growing community.

MLS# 1780005 Carla Fischer

360-982-0010

Sherry Ruderman

360-540-1552

24329 WICKER ROAD, SEDRO-WOOLLEY $250,000

2XXX URBAN AVENUE, MOUNT VERNON $600,000

Cozy home with 1 bed and ¾ bath on a 1/3 acre lot.

A work in progress- there has been some updating and remodeling. Roof new in 2017. Foundation new in 2009. Extended foundation on front of home is ready for your expansion plans. Tankless water heater. Gas free-standing stove, gas range. Original Fir floors, some newer laminate flooring in kitchen. The ½ bath in outbuilding opens possibilities for guest cottage or hobby room. Carla Fischer 360-982-0010 MLS#1828933

Prime commercial property with utilities in street, including P.U.D. water, Puget Sound Energy electricity; Cascade Natural Gas, fiber optics; cable; and sewer. Subject To survey and short plat. Property is located between Chicago Title Company easterly parking lot and Max Dale Restaurant’s south easterly parking area.

MLS# 1649968

41546 SOUTH SKAGIT HIGHWAY, FINNEY CREEK

WATERFRONT Beautiful 1.71 acres of amazing recreational waterfront property.

Enjoy swimming, walking on the beach or just watching the wildlife.

360-982-0010 MLS# 1800415 Carla Fischer

819 N 18TH, MOUNT VERNON $549,900 44867 KLA-HA-NIE TRAIL # 2A23, LAKE TYEE $69,000 64233LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN LOOP#1-179,MARBLEMOUNT $55,000 4968 KULLAH TRAIL #2D-15, LAKE TYEE $179,000 64193 E CASCADE DRIVE, MARBLEMOUNT Home on the hill, close to shopping, schools and medical. This home features 6 bedrooms and 2 baths with 2 additional bonus bedrooms in the garage (easily convert back to a 2-car garage). Plenty of parking, nice size yard with mature landscaping.

M L S # Danya Wolf 1811049 360-708-8294

1203 E SECTION ST,

Very clean and well maintained 1 bed park model located in Lake Tyee. This unit comes furnished with a covered deck and a dog run in the back. The lot is a 2 minute walk to the lake and a few minutes more to swimming pools, hot tubs, mini-golf and tennis courts. This is a great place for your family getaway, serenity from the city or part of your retirement plan. Turn key so don’t wait ! Recreational for any 210days/year and dues $162/mo.

Sherry Ruderman Carla Fischer 360-982-0010 360-540-1552 MLS#1834745

MT VERNON

$599,900

Contemporary 2 story home offers 7 bedrooms plus a bonus room!

Open floor plan, spacious kitchen, 3.5 baths, recessed lighting and skylights. Spacious covered porch for relaxing before, after or instead of work. Located in a desirable neighborhood, close to schools, shopping, medical and easy commute to I-5.

Danya Wolf MLS# 1810956 360-708-8294

JoAnn Boudreau (360) 391-0746

Patricia Box Office Manager/Broker O: (360) 424-0300 C: (360) 941-9186

Juanita Bunch 360-941-5530

Carla Fischer (360) 982-0010

Elva Hunter (360) 202-3086

Partial off grid cabin in Cascade River Park. Recreational lot or Full Time living! It’s really 2 cabins you can use or make it one! Water, Septic, Propane ready, Inverter setup, bring your batteries.

2 small extra outbuildings, one for generator other for whatever. Also, 3rd large tall log framed lean to structure for your ORVs, wood for the wood stove in the cabin. Other cabin is set up for propane.

Huge front porch and large fire pit when it’s safe again! Room for large garden!

Best, most beautiful hiking around and White water kayak or rafting! Worth every penny and then some.

MLS#1829367 Carla Fischer Sherry Ruderman 360-982-0010

45249 NESIKA TRAIL #2D33, LAKE TYEE

360-540-1552

$59,500

Peace and tranquility is what you will experience at this location. With views of the mountains, hillsides and the lake, you’ll never want to be anywhere else. The huge covered deck is where you’ll want to be when you have your morning cup of coffee, overlooking these gorgeous views.

Come and get away at this quiet and serene spot or bring your family and friends to enjoy and make lasting memories at Lake Tyee.

Monthly dues $162/mo with 210 days/year Carla Fischer Sherry Ruderman 360-982-0010 360-540-1552 use. MLS#1836833

Suzanne Jenkins (360) 941-2983

360.424.0300

$179,000

Peace and serenity await you at this location in Cascade River Park. Be soothed by the sounds of the river and breathe in deeply the fresh forest air. P/T or F/T living at this spot. There’s plenty of room for friends or family to bring their trailer to the covered lot behind the wellmaintained 1 bedroom manufactured home.

Outbuildings, septic, solar; all you need to experience comfort in the gorgeous setting Carla Fischer Sherry Ruderman of the Cascades. MLS#1836792 360-982-0010

360-540-1552

60102 STATE ROUTE 20, MARBLEMOUNT $777,000 Mondo is a well-established and well-loved Korean and American family restaurant at the foot of the Cascade Mountain Range. Locals and travelers make this part of their Hwy 20 and North Cascade National Park trip. Major arterial choice to Newhalem and continue on to Winthrop; or cross Skagit River bridge and continue up to Cascade Pass and hiking to Stehekin. Restaurant is warm and inviting, with incredible fare. Very spacious dining area. Some outside seating available. Small gift shop area. Kitchen is beautifully remodeled.

Danya Wolf Sherry Ruderman MLS# 1757641 360-708-8294 360-540-1552

Fantastic location in the foothills of the North Cascades! This great location and fantastic park model at LakeTyee is ready for you. Enjoy hiking, fishing, and other amenities in the resort or cozy up with hot chocolate while you relax in your pj’s away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

This is the perfect spot to get away. Monthly dues $162 includes water, septic and garbage. Set up your appointment today.

MLS# 1813269 Call Sherry with any Carla Fischer Sherry Ruderman 360-982-0010 360-540-1552 questions.

John Hunter (360) 202-3086

$80,000

Phil LaMay (360) 840-3086

Russ Lanker (360) 708-1117

Kim Schlimmer (360) 661-7670

Brett Tacker (360) 840-7931

Danya Wolf Designated Broker/ Owner (360) 708-8294

3780 E. College Way, Mount Vernon

www.skagittraditionrealty.com 131450-1

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