Real Estate Weekly: February 10, 2023

CREATING A MUSTHAVE LIST FOR YOUR NEXT HOME

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LISTEN TO THIS: BUYERS PROVIDE SELLING TIPS

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CLASSIFIEDS PAGE 7

FEBRUARY 10, 2023

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

that all dwellings advertised are available on an equal opportunity basis.

For further information call HUD Toll Free at 1-800-669-9777.

All Houses subject to prior changes without notice. Neither advertisers nor Skagit Publishing are responsible for any errors in the ad copy. Skagit Publishing reserves the right to refuse any advertising, which we deem unsuitable for our publication.

Unless otherwise noted, all photographs, artwork and ad designs printed are the sole property of Skagit Publishing and may not be duplicated or reprinted without express written permission.

Skagit Publishing is not responsible for typographical or production errors or the accuracy of information provided by advertisers.

Real Estate Stat -34%

December existing home sales were down an impressive 34% in 2022 compared to 2021.

Source: National Association of REALTORS ®, 2022.

Proper t y is beautifully unique; there is no close comparison. Spec tacular views from most ever y room in this unique Dan Estabrook built custom 4,000 sq.ft. home: amazing attributes throughout; outstanding kitchen features Thermador Professional range w/ex tra burners and griddle; oak cabinetr y; generously sized closets. 4 bedrooms, den plus amazing, spacious office separate from the main par t of the home. Air conditioning. High-speed internet.

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

Record-low interest rates is renewing interest in the 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.

Creating a must-have list for your next home

By Erik J. Martin CTW Features

They say that when you write down your goals, you stand a much better chance of achieving them. The same can be true of buying a home. Common sense dictates that creating a list of home inclusions you can’t live without is a worthy exercise that can prevent buyer’s remorse.

“Writing down and organizing a list of must-haves before shopping for your next home is a good idea because it helps you clarify your priorities and focus your search on properties that meet your needs and preferences,” Shri Gane-

shram, founder/CEO of Awning, explains. “This way, you can avoid wasting time looking at properties that don’t meet your criteria and focus on finding the right home for you.”

George Beatty, the founder of Problem Property Pals, agrees.

“A must-have list helps provide clarity on what features and amenities are most important to the shopper. It helps ensure you don’t miss any potential deal-breakers,” he says. “This list helps narrow down homes you are considering, making it easier to compare properties. It also creates a sense of urgency, as a must-have list will help

encourage you to make decisions more quickly and efficiently.”

Conversely, not putting your most desired items on paper or in a spreadsheet could result in you making hasty decisions or committing to a home that lacks the features you will most miss. “And that may cost more money in repairs and upgrades down the road,” cautions Alex Shekhtman, CEO/founder of LBC Mortgage. Without a plan or checklist, it’s also easy to get caught up in the excitement of the home-buying process and become overwhelmed by all the options, Beatty adds.

According to Rachel Bennett, a licensed real estate agent with Orchard in Austin, Texas, a must-have list for home shopping should include your desired number of bedrooms, number of bathrooms, parking availability, and outdoor space.

“Think about your everyday lifestyle and what is most important in your next home. Do you love to cook and need a chef’s kitchen? Do you enjoy working on cars and require a three-car garage? Do you spend most of your leisure time in the backyard and want an oversized covered back patio?” asks Bennett. Of course, don’t overlook

wide doorways and ramps, Bennett adds.

Beatty’s list would include quality windows, which he says are important for keeping indoor climate comfortable and energy efficient, and durable flooring that can endure wear and tear over the years.

“Some of the things I would keep off my musthave list include an overly large backyard, an inground swimming pool, and a large, open-concept layout which may be trendy now but may not make sense in the future for your family’s needs,” he says.

Other nonessentials

Shekhtman would keep off his list include a built-in fireplace and cosmetic details like paint colors or wall decorations.

practical and commonsense items that are listworthy, like proximity and short commute time to work and school, robust average area income, healthy job prospects, low crime rate, and lower taxes.

“The items on your list should be the most important features and amenities that are non-negotiable for you. It can include a certain type of floor plan or layout or a minimum number of bedrooms and bathrooms, for example,” Ganeshram says.

For buyers with specific needs, such as elderly or disabled purchasers, this list may also include various accessibility features such as

“While these items might seem desirable at first glance, they can add additional costs down the road through maintenance fees or increased insurance premiums,” Shekhtman continues.

When crafting your musthave list, give deep thought to your budget and how much you can realistically afford right now.

“Consult closely with your real estate agent on your must-have list. This expert has insider knowledge into popular trends among buyers and can provide insight into potential issues related to certain areas as well as resale value,” says Shekhtman.

Factors driving the new home shortage

Question:

Why is it that we don’t build more new houses? Surely the demand is there. In a country with such a sense of enterprise, how come no inventive company has come up with a solution to this problem?

Answer:

We know there is a shortage of new homes – the so-called “underbuilding crisis” – but we can’t instantly build our way out of it.

First, there’s an acute labor shortage. The government estimates that in October there were 371,000 job openings in the construction industry. There simply aren’t enough workers. Second, home construction has been down for a long time.

“After the Great Recession,” said Jeffery Hayward, Fannie Mae’s Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer, “new home construction dropped like a stone. Fewer new homes were built in the 10 years ended 2018 than in any decade since the 1960s. By 2019, a good estimate of the shortage of housing units for sale or for rent was 3.8 million.”

Third, new homes are expensive. In October, the typical new home cost $493,000 versus $379,100 for an existing property. That’s a difference of $113,900 – a huge number, especially when it comes time to finance at today’s mortgage rates.

It might seem as though affordability would be an especially acute issue in high-cost markets, such as those in coastal centers. New research from Fannie Mae shows that the problem impacts even smaller markets with generally lower prices.

Hayward explains that “some of the nation’s most significant shares of housing-cost-burdened households are in less expensive metros such as Fresno, Charlotte, and Las Vegas. Even many smaller metro areas, such as El Paso or McAllen, TX, do not have a housing supply that is affordable for large swathes of their populations.”

Traditional thinking suggests that the solution to the housing shortage is to build more singlefamily houses and condos, but that obviously has not worked. The alternative is to redefine housing. You can see this happening across the country. For instance, lots of people have big houses and big

ASK OUR BROKER

By Peter G. Miller

properties, more than they need or want. Rather than let such valuable space sit idle, there is a broad and growing movement to create ADUs –accessory development units.

Restrictive building rules are now being changed to allow widespread ADU development. For instance, garages can be converted into small apartments, separate units can be built on existing lots, and existing homes can be divided to create so-called granny-flats and in-law suites. To encourage ADUs, single-family zoning requirements are now being lifted. For instance, since 2018 Minneapolis has allowed duplexes and triplexes where only single-family housing was once allowed.

The movement toward ADUs is largely invisible but it is real. A 2020 study by Freddie Mac identified 1.4 million distinct single-family properties with accessory dwellings. These units may not be “new houses” in the usual sense, but they provide the affordable housing that many people want and – for many property owners -- additional income.

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

Listen To This: Buyers Provide Selling Tips

By Marilyn Kennedy Melia CTW Features

Criticism can be hard to take.

But successful home sellers need to carefully weigh criticism over and over again.

After potential listing agents deliver their opinions, and after a stager points out cluttered or unappealing decorating, sellers still need to brace themselves for more – from buyers.

Now, when negotiating power is shifting from sellers to buyers, “it’s especially important for sellers to feedback, as this can help them understand what buyers are looking for and how their property compares to other homes on the market,” explains Andrew Cayne of Elite Properties, New York City.

Gathering feedback

Listing agents typically communicate with buyers’ agents, arranging tour times.

Afterwards, buyers’ agents may receive a questionnaire to describe their clients’ opinions. The best feedback is elicited from phone call, believes Jon Sanborn, a San Diego real estate agent and home flipper with SD House Guys.

Forewarning buyers

Some buyer complaints are easy to anticipate. If a window is cracked, for instance, it’s best to alert the agent before the tour and explain the seller is going to fix it, says Tarasa Hurley, Keller Williams Realty, Pittsburgh. Some critiques can’t be remedied, like a home near a busy street,

Making Changes

If several complaints creep up about a relatively little thing - say the wall paint in a room - sellers will often mitigate the problem, says Maureen McDermut, of Sotheby’s International, Montecito, CA.

Some critiques can’t be remedied, like a driveway shared with a neighboring property, says Hurley. In those cases, Hurley advises warning the buyer’s agent. That agent “will know how to present issues to their client in the most beneficial light. Every buyer is different and has different tastes and tolerances.”

Settling on a solution

Large shortcomings, like a worn, outdated kitchen, is a drawback buyers won’t miss. Then, a solution is negotiated between a serious buyer and the seller, such as offering a credit to replace cabinets and appliances.

Open Houses

NE W TODA Y FEATURED LISTING

1030 Sinclair Way Burlington

$325,000

MLS #: 2003384

Open House Friday 2/10 from 12-2

Enjoy comfortable cottage-style living in the desirable Cedars 55+ community! This sunny, light-filled home enjoys easy access to the clubhouse and local amenities.

RENTALS Apartments

NE W TODA Y

Skagit County

Seasonal Farm Workers Apartments

Subsidized Housing for Qualified Seasonal Farm Labor Workers. Equal Opportunity Housing.

The Housing Authority of Skagit County operates 14 Townhouse apartments in Burlington WA.

This advertisement has been placed in compliance with regulations of USDA Rural Housing Services. Applicants will serve when they arrive.

The Housing Authority of Skagit County is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

La Paloma Apartments

Subsidized Housing for Qualified Farm Labor families. Equal Opportunity Housing.

The Housing Authority of Skagit County operates 40 Townhouse apartments in Mt. Vernon WA. This advertisement has been placed in compliance with regulations of USDA Rural Housing Services.

Applications will be added to the waiting list. The waiting list is currently 1.5 years long. The Housing Authority of Skagit County is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Call 428-1959 or visit the office at 1650 Port Drive, Burlington, WA for application. Your name can be added to the waiting list at no charge.

Mobile Home Spaces NE W TODA Y

Seeking dependable, experienced, in home and property maintenance person for long term RV country living. Whatcom/Skagit County line

$800 a month rent. Last month in two increments. Rent deduction in exchange for completed work. Familiar with chainsaw, well, septic, plumbing and electrical systems. Unique benefits. Want a dog run, boat storage, livestock or pet pen, greenhouse, garden, etc.? Negotiate options to feel at home on nice acreage.

Jenn Eddleman, REALTOR

Windermere RE / Skagit Valley call/text: 360-333-4048

jenneddleman@ windermere.com

Call 428-1959 or visit the office at 1650 Port Drive, Burlington, WA for application. Your name can be added to the waiting list at no charge.

Everything included. Laundry, WIFI. Call 360.540.4456 FBI background check and references required.

Make

crowd with Classifeds advertising!

Abbreviate words lead to slower sales!

4302 aPaCHe DrIVe, Mount Vernon NEW PRICE!

Welcome home to this beautifully appointed 3 Bed/2.75 Bath NW contemporar y home with upscale touches. Living room has vaulted, beamed ceiling & lg windows providing lots of natural light. Dining room has a window seat and sliding doors to the covered brick patio The kitchen has a breakfast room, window seat, SS appliances, granite counters, and so many cupboards & ex tra counter space for all your enter taining needs. Primar y & 3rd bedrooms both have access to Trex deck overlooking landscaped backyard & concrete patio. Primar y also offers en suite bath w/shower, vanity w/ex tra storage & counter space & walk-in closet Upstairs bedrm/bonus room, w/walk-in closet, bathroom, & tons of storage Lg 2- car garage w/ex tra space, all on 1/3 of an acre. MLS#2008624

Conveniently located corner building lot with available utilities Build your dream home in this neighborhood that is close to schools, Hillcrest Park and the 18th Street Water Park Easy access to I-5, shopping and medical facilities

2121 MarKet Street, Mount Vernon $279,000

Located just outside the Mount Vernon City limits, this wooded 1 acre plus lot could be a building site for a stick built, modular, or manufac tured home, with plenty of room. Trac t has been sur veyed and wetlands have been delineated Power and PUD water are available at the street. Perc test per formed/3 bed septic possible, permit#SW22-0073

MLS#1861233

Ideally located level building lot with available utilities Zoning allows for a 2-4 unit multi-family build Build your dream home or an incomeproducing investment proper ty. Close to schools, Hillcrest Park, and the 18th Street Water Park

Easy access to I-5, shopping, and medical facilities

Ready to Build with power, water, sewer and natural gas in the street Build your dream home in Nookachamp Hills, a desirable community in the foothills near Big Lake. Enjoy walking/biking the trails and swimming/fishing in the community ’s small private lake/pond Trail leading to pond/lake nex t to proper ty.

MLS#2099943

24017 trInIt y Lane, SeDro-wooLLe y $935,000

co MME r cial

Custom build your commercial enterprise: 13,361 square foot commercial tract (two lots) zoned C-2. Great location near recreation center; major grocer y store; hotel; restaurants; offices; health club; house and farm supply stores; gas stations; banks; and I-5. Water, Cascade Natural Gas, Puget Sound Energy, City sewer and Comcast are all in the street.

MLS#2009122

Danya Wolf (360) 708-8294

PenDInG

with 1368 sq ft, 2 beds/3/4 bath, and den. Beautiful woodwork and floors throughout the home, including many built-ins; please take note of the shelves in the den. Home sits on peaceful, mostly pastured 5 acres with outbuildings (a barn and a storage building). A large, covered front porch and a two -tier deck on the west side of the home enhance your enjoyment of the outdoors; the back door deck is covered and offers built-in seating Gated drive

peaceful homestead. Fenced on three sides with the four th side being the road

Great oppor tunity to buy an affordable three bedroom, 1 3/4 bath home with a freestanding wood stove in a 55+ park with reasonable space rent Space rent includes water, septic (maintained by the Park), and garbage Ramps at both front and rear entrances for ease of access MLS#2015218

There are so many investment possibilities with this home and proper ty. Classic 4 bed/2.5 bath farmhouse style 2560 sq.ft home with east facing deck on 1.7 acres. Home offers kitchen w/island and ceramic tile floors, office, bonus room, mud/laundr y room, living room with propane fireplace, built-in bookshelves, and beautiful laminate over hardwood floors Studio cottage has own kitchen and bath. Proper ty also features a 16,000+ sq.ft. pole building/barn with office space, shop, and room for RV storage Potentially 5K in rental income each month from the cottage, barn, and RV storage.

MLS#2028784

Danya Wolf (360) 708-8294

and just ten minutes to I-5. Great countr y living yet convenient for commuting MLS# 1841822

Three bedroom, 1 bath rambler has a large 2-tier deck with built-in bench seating and a backyard that would be wonder ful for enter taining. New roof this year, extra storage above garage, and fenced back yard on a nice low-traffic street. Great location close

Danya Wolf (360) 708-8294

Danya Wolf (360) 708-8294

Classic 1920s farmhouse

MLS#2029949

Suzanne Jenkins (360) 941-2983 Carla Fischer (360) 982-0010

1 MountaIn VIew rD, Mount Vernon $115,000

Danya Wolf (360) 708-8294

nooKaCHaMP HILLS DrIVe Lot 136, Mount Vernon $235,000

MLS#1970452

Suzanne Jenkins (360) 941-2983

Carla Fischer (360) 982-0010

24443 wICKer rD SP#49, SeDro wooLLey $70,000