Thanks to reader Peckhammer for pointing out an apparently self-contradictory article in today’s Seattle P-I. It begins quite predictably, with the usual examples that purport to show that the Seattle market is still hot, hot, hot…
House hunter Vicky Tsai has paid for two inspections of homes she didn’t buy: one that she lost out on because she was outbid by $20,000 despite offering $50,000 above the asking price, and another that she passed on after deciding it was too small.
…
Inspectors and real-estate agents say that — at least for desirable homes in Seattle’s more sought-after neighborhoods — purchase offers "subject to inspection" may become as outmoded as offers contingent on the sale of another house. Instead, would-be buyers are paying for inspections before making a bid on the house as is, or forgoing inspections altogether.
…
"It’s becoming a way of life," inspector Fred Grant said while waiting to look over a West Seattle house earlier this month.
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Darrell Marsolais, who owns PSI Home Inspection Services, said he has done more preoffer inspections this year than in past years."It’s just the Seattle market," he said. "Most any house that’s being offered in the core Seattle area, there’s always multiple offers."
Pre-inspections are "a way of life," there are "always multiple offers," etc… we’ve heard it all before. But wait! It seems that someone managed to sneak in a snippet at the end about the reality of Seattle’s slowing market:
The popularity of preinspections varies from house to house and price range to price range, [Sound Home Inspections owner George] Guttmann said. "Sometimes multiple bids are expected and people do preinspections and it turns out there weren’t multiple bids," he said.
He added that he’s starting to notice cooling in the housing market, with more signs noting price reductions. The latest statistics show slower sales and more houses on the market than a year ago.
Yeah, "the latest statistics," along with every month of statistics since April. After four straight months of obvious slowing, we’re still just getting a passing mention of it in the press. "Annoying News Coverage" indeed.
(Aubrey Cohen, Seattle P-I, 08.30.2006)