If you want to share some thoughts with me, feel free to drop me a line directly via the contact form, or if you feel the need for the whole world to see your thoughts, we can have a public conversation on Twitter.

I’m also working on updating my data, and will work on posting new updates here at least once a week. The market is still pretty crappy for homebuyers, but things are at least sort of changing a little bit in the last few weeks.

The post Cleaning House, Working on Updates appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Seattle Bubble and The Tim are not dead, just in hibernation. appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

I have a limited number of free passes to an early screening of the upcoming movie “The Big Short,” and I’d like to invite some Seattle Bubble readers to join me. The movie doesn’t hit theaters until December 23, but this screening is at 4:00 PM next Monday, November 23rd in downtown Seattle.

If you’d like to join me, just leave a comment on this post. Be sure to use your real email address in the comment form so I can contact you with the details. Don’t worry, only I can see the email you enter, it is not public. If we get more comments than the number of tickets I have available, I’ll randomly select from among everyone who comments before noon on Saturday.

Here’s the synopsis of the movie:

When four outsiders saw what the big banks, media and government refused to, the global collapse of the economy, they had an idea: The Big Short. Their bold investment leads them into the dark underbelly of modern banking where they must question everyone and everything. Based on the true story and best-selling book by Michael Lewis (The Blind Side, Moneyball), and directed by Adam Mckay (ANCHORMAN, STEP BROTHERS) THE BIG SHORT stars Christian Bale, Steve Carrell, Ryan Gosling, and Brad Pitt.

If you can’t make the screening, and you don’t want to wait for the movie, you can pick up the book right now: The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine

Please only comment below if you are interested and able to attend the showing at 4PM on Monday.

The post Join Tim for a Free Early Screening of “The Big Short” appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

It’s been almost two years since we’ve done any sort of fundraising on here, and rather than just asking for donations this time around, I decided to put together a membership program with some perks for those who choose to support this site with a modest contribution.

Here’s how it works. Using the form at right (or the same form on the membership page), you can become a Seattle Bubble member for just $5 a month or $50 a year. For your membership, you’ll get a variety of benefits including spreadsheet access, members-only forums, and access to a private group video chat. For a full list of perks, head over to the membership page.

I’ve modeled this program after a similar program at Gimlet Media, a startup podcast network I admire that produces great shows.

Please consider becoming a member to support my ongoing efforts to provide the Seattle area with a quality, unbiased source for in-depth local news about real estate and the economy.

In addition to the membership program, here are a few other ways you can show your support.

• One-Time Contribution – Tips are always welcome. You can use the PayPal or your credit card to make a one-time contribution to Seattle Bubble here.
• Hire Tim to Speak at Your Event – Tim is available for speaking engagements, expert testimony, and other events.
• Advertise your business on Seattle Bubble – If you have a local business, advertising on Seattle Bubble is a great way to reach an engaged and active audience.

As always, thanks for your ongoing support and comments.

The post Support Seattle Bubble by Becoming a Member appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

With visits and comments here heating up as the market rises further and further into new bubble territory, I decided it was time to put in the work to bring our old forums back from the grave.

To get to the new forums just click the “Forum” link at the top of the page.

Although I have migrated everything over to an entirely new platform, all of the old 2007-2013 content is still there. If you created an account on the old forum you should still have an account on the new forum. If you don’t have an account, creating one is free and easy. All you have to do is verify your email address (your email will not be visible to other users).

With these new forums fully integrated into the site we’ll be able to host a much broader range of discussions between visitors. You also get often-requested features like an “ignore user” function as well as private user-to-user messaging.

This post will be closed to comments on the blog. If you have a comment about the forums, take ten seconds to register an account over there and leave your comment in the forums themselves. If you have trouble creating an account, drop me a line directly.

I will also be ending the weekly “open thread” since the forums are one giant 24/7 open thread.

Head over to the all-new Seattle Bubble Forums and join the conversation now.

The post (Re) Introducing the Seattle Bubble Forums appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

To make that content easier to find, I’ve added a page called Useful Reference Posts, where I’ve gathered all of the most useful content published on Seattle Bubble over the years. This new page has its own dedicated button on the top of the site: “Reference.”

I’ll be updating the page with new content as it’s written, and I’ll most likely be adding old content that I’ve forgotten in this first pass. If you have any favorite reference posts that I’ve forgotten, drop a line in the comments below. I’m also not in love with the name, so if you can think of something better than “Useful Reference Posts,” I’ll be more than happy to change it.

The post How to Find Seattle Bubble’s Best Material appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

This poll will be active and displayed on the sidebar through 01.17.2015

The post Poll: Which sport do you most enjoy watching? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: What’s your 2015 Housing Resolution? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Merry Christmas & Happy New Year appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: If money were no object & you had to choose one… appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Would you ever buy a home in December? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: How many homes have your parents owned in their lifetimes? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Does your house have a basement? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: How many trees would there be on your ideal home lot? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: What “Smart Home” Devices Do You Have or Want? (check all that apply) appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Seattle Bubble’s New Look Is… appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Boeing’s influence on the Seattle area overall has been: appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Microsoft’s influence on the Seattle area overall has been: appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

Find us on the Best of Western WashingtonSeattle Bubble

It’s that time of the year again. If you follow other local news sites and personalities, you may have seen some of them campaigning for votes in KING5’s annual Best of Western Washington, an online contest in which the public votes on “the best” local businesses, personalities, and websites.

Last year I submitted Seattle Bubble to this event, even though they don’t really have a category that’s an exact match. The closest category is “Best Neighborhood Blog.” If you’ve got a minute, I’d appreciate a vote or two.

Click the yellow button above to head over to their site and vote for Seattle Bubble. Thanks!

The post Vote For Us in KING5’s “Best of Western Washington” appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Amazon’s influence on Seattle overall has been: appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Homeowners: How did you buy your home? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Are we currently in a stock market bubble? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: What type of roof do you want on your house? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: What kind of cellphone do you have? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Would you get rid of your car(s) if the alternatives were less expensive? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Ideally, what season of the year would you prefer to buy a home? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Would you buy a rental home as an investment? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Are We In Another Housing Bubble? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Driving is primarily… appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: How do you feel about the Zillow / Trulia merger? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: How does the economy feel to you today compared to 2006? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Does your home have air conditioning or a heat pump? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Do you watch virtual tours for listings? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: When will inventory recover to pre-bubble levels? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: What time of year would you ideally prefer to buy a home? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Have you or someone you know ever bought or sold a home outside the MLS? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Which is more important to you? A short commute or a quiet neighborhood? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Owners: What was the first major home improvement project you completed after buying? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: The Seattle area is becoming a _____ place to live. appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Neighborhood Smackdown: Belltown vs. First Hill appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Will you use a traditional real estate agent for your next home purchase? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Minimum wage at $15 an hour would make Seattle… appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: How likely are you to buy an all-electric car in the next 5 years? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Deck or Big Yard (If you had to choose)? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Would you choose to live in the Seattle area if… appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: What’s the most important “extra room” to have in a house? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Do you consider natural disasters when buying a home? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: You want to buy a home but can’t afford one around Seattle, so you… appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

Answers are collected anonymously. I’m not asking for names, emails, or any other contact information, just a little bit of basic demographic information and your honest opinions.

Since it’s been nearly four years since our last reader census, it’s time for an updated look at who is reading Seattle Bubble.

I’d appreciate it if you would take a couple minutes to head over to the survey site and complete the survey.

Thanks!

The post Seattle Bubble 2014 Reader Census appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: What’s your preferred kitchen countertop? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: I’d never buy a house that doesn’t have… appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: What’s the best way to invest in real estate? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: 30-year mortgage interest rates will be ___ by 2015. appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Do you personally know someone that has bought Seattle-area real estate in the last three years as an “investment”? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Buyers: During a home tour, how do you get information about the house? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: What Home Magazines do You Read? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: My Super Bowl Prediction: appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: If I had $1 million to invest, I’d put it in… appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: By March 31, King Co. SFH inventory will be: appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Boeing’s deal with the Machinists’ Union appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Which is more important in a kitchen? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

One of these years I’ll make a new digital greeting card for you. But not this year.

Merry Christmas!

The post Merry Christmas appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: What is the best Christmas movie? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

You can Follow/Like/Circle/Flick us below.

If you’re still using RSS (as I am), you can also subscribe to our RSS feed, as well. Or if email is more your style, you can sign up for our daily email update and get Seattle Bubble delivered to your inbox.

Basically there’s no excuse not to stay up to date on everything that is posted here.

The post The Many Ways to Connect with Seattle Bubble appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Assuming equal heights, I’d rather add a room in… appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Most of the lights in my house are… appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: For Thanksgiving & Christmas, I prefer to… appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

Hope you have a nice day off with family and friends. See you tomorrow!

The post Happy Thanksgiving! appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: How much yard do you like? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Favorite Hardwood Floor Color for Home? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: If your master bedroom could only have one, which would you choose? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: What’s Your Fireplace Preference? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: For trick-or-treaters, my home is… appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

18 June, 1953~10 October, 2013

David, a loving husband, father, uncle and brother, passed from this world peacefully last Thursday, October 10th, after a valiant battle against colon cancer.

David was born in the Maxwell AFB Hospital, Montgomery, AL, on June 18, 1953, to Marion Jean Slizeski Losh and John Harvey Losh, DMD, as his father was serving his country during the Korean War.

Dave grew up in the Blue Ridge Community of Seattle, attending Christ the King and Blanchet High Schools. Although he attended some college classes, Dave was drawn to the Real Estate and Property Maintenance business from a very early age as he joined his elder brother in a house painting enterprise while still in high school. Dave eventually became a successful licensed Real Estate Broker and the co-founder of Seattle House Cleaning Company, in North Seattle. – See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/seattletimes/obituary.aspx?n=david-allen-losh&pid=167636904&fhid=23423#sthash.X3pnO3M5.dpuf

David had left over 7,700 comments on Seattle Bubble between 2006 and 2013, making him easily one of the top five most prolific commenters in this site’s eight year history.

Another longtime commenter here, Ira Sacharoff, put it well:

I met David in person at a couple of Seattle Bubble meetups, and was glad to meet him in person. Some people are completely different online and in person, and David was one of them. Online, he didn’t always make sense. But in person he was coherent, friendly, and funny. I always enjoyed reading his stuff here. I didn’t always agree with what he wrote, but I think he added greatly to the entertainment value of Seattle Bubble, and I’ll miss him.

RIP David.

The post RIP: Longtime Seattle Bubble Commenter David Losh appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: In the upcoming election for Seattle Mayor, I support… appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

PayPal

$25 Tip: $25.00$10 Tip: $10.00$50 Tip: $50.00$100 Tip: $100.00$250 Tip: $250.00$500 Tip: $500.00$1,000 Tip: $1,000.00

Direct Financial Contribution

Tips are always welcome. You can use the PayPal form at right or use your credit card on our fancy new tips page here.

Hire Tim to Speak at Your Event

Tim is available for speaking engagements, expert testimony, and other events. To learn more and contact me about coming to speak at your event, visit the new speaking page.

Advertise your business on Seattle Bubble

If you have a local business, advertising on Seattle Bubble is a great way to reach an engaged and active audience. If you’re interested in advertising, contact me here.

As always, thank you for your ongoing support. The last eight years have been great thanks to you.

The post Enjoy Seattle Bubble? Here’s How You Can Support Us appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: I prefer a home with the dining room… appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Waterfront: Sound or Lake? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

Find us on the Best of Western WashingtonSeattle Bubble

If you follow other local news sources, you may be aware that KING5 runs an annual online event called the Best of Western Washington, in which the public can vote on “the best” local businesses, personalities, and websites.

I finally decided to submit Seattle Bubble to this event, even though they don’t really have a category that’s an exact match. The closest category is “best neighborhood blog,” in which we obviously have no hope of winning against the local powerhouse that is West Seattle Blog, but if you’ve got a minute, I still would appreciate a vote or two.

Click the yellow button above to head over to their site and vote for Seattle Bubble. Thanks!

The post Seattle Bubble on KING 5 “Best of Western Washington” appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: With an extra $500 a month, I would… appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Which do you prefer: gas or electric heat? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Home Improvement: I usually prefer to… appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: What Percentage of Your Mortgage Still Remains? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: How many homes do you currently own? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Neighborhood Smackdown: Ballard vs. Fremont appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Small & perfect or big & needs work? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: 2013 will end with listing inventory ___ vs. end of 2012 appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Who was the best president in the last 30 years? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Evergreens: I prefer property with… appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Which remodel would you do first? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Which will be the best investment over the next 10 years? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: You get to live rent-free in a downtown condo penthouse for a year. Which US city do you choose? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

Happy Independence Day, everybody!

The post Happy Independence Day! appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: 30-year mortgage interest rates will be above ___ by 2014. appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: How many levels do you prefer in your home? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: I do most of my home searching… appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Buyers: What interest rate would price you out of the market? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Outside of work, I drive to my destinations… appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: If all else was equal, I would prefer: appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: If I had to choose one, I would rather… appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Which do you think is better for the economy? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: What’s the best outdoor activity around Seattle? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Old or New: If you had to pick one, which would you prefer? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Neighborhood Smackdown: Greenlake vs. U District appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: What is the most important quality in a buyer’s agent? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Climate: I live in the Seattle area… appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

To read all the details and leave comments on the news, click the link below:

Announcing Seattle Bubble: The Brokerage

The post A Big Announcement From Seattle Bubble appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Which of Tim’s Collections do you like best? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Compared to today, I expect quality of life in the Seattle area 15 years from now to be _____. appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

Regular posting should resume tomorrow!

The post Sick Day appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: If a downtown condo cost less than a SFH… appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: As a buyer, it’s more important to me that I… appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: The ideal lot size I would like to live on is… appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: How do you respond to record low inventory as a buyer? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: If I had to live in one or the other, I would prefer… appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: If I had to choose one, I’d rather have… appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: If I had $10 million and could only choose one, I would: appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Would you ever waive your inspection contingency to buy a house? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: When do you think active King County single-family inventory will get back above 4,000? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: What’s your preferred source of home heat? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: If you’ve used an agent to buy or sell a home, how did you choose? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: King County SFH inventory will ____ between now and the end of January. appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

Assuming Case-Shiller is posted tomorrow, I’ll be here with your regularly-scheduled post. It just might show up a little later in the day than usual.

The post Merry Christmas! appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Where would you rather live in the Seattle area? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Would you buy a rental home in the Seattle area if you could afford to? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: I prefer to tour homes for sale that are… appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Would you be satisfied living in your current house for the next ten years? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: What’s the worst house problem you’ve had to deal with? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

Taking the day off with family, so no substantive post today. See you tomorrow!

The post Happy Thanksgiving! appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Compared to last year, I’ll spend ____ this holiday season. appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: What’s the best home lighting? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: If you could have one high-end custom feature in your home, it would be… appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: For President, I am voting… appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: I often walk to… (check all that apply) appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: What is your favorite mobile real estate search app? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: How do you commute to work? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

In case you aren’t aware, this site is run by one individual (yours truly, Tim Ellis) in my spare time. I pay for the domain and the hosting, and dedicate an average of an hour or two a day to bringing you fresh, relevant content about the Seattle-area real estate market.

It’s become quite popular recently for content creators like myself to run a Kickstarter campaign to get reader support. However, since I don’t have any t-shirts or signed prints to give you, just daily insights and analysis on the Seattle-area housing market, I’ve decided to just stick to a simple digital tip jar. If you enjoy this site and/or have found it to be useful, please consider dropping me a little monetary token of your appreciation via the Google Wallet or PayPal buttons below.

Google Wallet

$25.00 – Tip$10.00 – Tip$50.00 – Tip$100.00 – Tip$250.00 – Tip$500.00 – Tip$1,000.00 – Tip

PayPal

$25 Tip: $25.00$10 Tip: $10.00$50 Tip: $50.00$100 Tip: $100.00$250 Tip: $250.00$500 Tip: $500.00$1,000 Tip: $1,000.00

Thank you in advance for your generosity, and thank you for your participation in this site, which helps to make it by far the largest and most active local real estate news resource in the Seattle area!

The post Enjoy Seattle Bubble? Support this Site! appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: What is the best hot drink? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: If I had to choose just one, I’d want a home… appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Local Home Owners: How much is your monthly PITI payment? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: I would never consider buying a home that… (check all that apply) appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: What’s the lowest 30-year fixed rates will go before hitting 6%? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: The mortgage interest income tax deduction… appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Major home upgrades: I would rather… appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: How many homes for sale have you been inside in the last year? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Should Seattle get a new stadium (public funding or not)? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: A year from now, on-market inventory (King Co. SFH) will be… appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: What’s your favorite recurring feature on Seattle Bubble? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: I care most about the upcoming election for… appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: The licensing requirements to perform real estate transactions should be… appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Happy Independence Day appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: A year from now, 30-year mortgage rates will be… appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Seattle’s new waterfront “Great Wheel” is… appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: In November, the US economy will be… appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: You have $900k to buy a home in Seattle. You buy… appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: If the election were today, I would vote for… appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: How old a house do you prefer? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: What’s your favorite economics blog? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: A year from now, Seatle’s Case-Shiller Index will be ___ than it is right now. appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Home owners: For me, my primary residence is mainly… appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: How long have you lived in your current home? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Homeowners: at your current rate of payment, how long until you pay off your mortgage? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: I currently live ____ from work. appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: How often do you look at real estate listings online? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Renters Only: Compared to the monthly cost of buying a similar home, my rent is… appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: If I could afford just one, I would choose a house… appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: What is the most you would spend on a 2-bed, 1-bath house in your ideal neighborhood? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: If I had the income and savings to support it, the most I would spend on a house is: appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Most people I know who bought 2005-2007… appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: 2012 to 2017: Monetary… appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Agree or disagree: 2013 will be a better time to buy a home than 2012. appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Do you care who wins the Republican nomination to run for President? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: What year will we first see 5% or more year-over-year home price gains? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Should the federal government be trying to prevent foreclosures? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Under my house, I prefer… appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: How long has your home search taken (or is taking so far)? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Biggest factor in location, location, location? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: What’s your 2012 Housing Resolution? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Merry Christmas! appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: If you had to pick one, which would you rather be? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: What’s your favorite style of house? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Your Least Favorite Big Bank: appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: ____ real estate agents perform services worth paying a 3% commission for. appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: If your household income were $100,000, how expensive a home would you be comfortable buying? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

I’m thankful for yet another year in which this sign I photographed in 2006 is shown to be the ridiculous drivel that it is.

Have a great day with your family, friends, pets, internets, or whoever / whatever you choose to spend the day with.

The post Happy Thanksgiving! appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Have you ever had a real estate agent tell you (personally, not in an ad) that it is a “great time to buy”? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

What does this mean for you, the reader?

• Better/faster coverage of relevant stories from the Seattle Times
• More readers, commenters contributing to the conversation here
• Possible future collaborations with Seattle Times & other partners

Note that there is no money changing hands here, nor any sort of ownership change. Seattle Bubble is still a wholly independent operation, written, edited, published, and overseen by yours truly. The News Partner Network is just a way for the Seattle Times and local independent news sites and blogs to mutually benefit from the different resources provided by each.

Here’s the official announcement over at the Seattle Times: Seattle Times announces more local news partners

The post Seattle Bubble Partners with The Seattle Times appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Is your household income higher today than it was five years ago? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: If you have purchased a home, did your buyer’s agent do a walk through of your home within 5 days before closing? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: What size home would you consider ideal for your family? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Should the mortgage interest deduction be eliminated? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: If you could pay cash today for a home you’d live in 20+ years, would you? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Should government policy reward homebuying over renting? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Will you have a mortgage-free house by age 60? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Would you rather buy: appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

Thank you:
Conrad S. (2x!), Raul B., William P., Todd W., Kurt O., Aleta K., David L. (4x!), Ahmed S., Tri P., Charles C., Stan B., Ira S. (2x!) Andrew H., Tiffany F., Gabriel N., Darren H., Fabio F., Kary K., Chris M., Christopher F., Erik H., Eric S., John W., Viktor K., Troy D., Douglas D., Jason L., Katherine P., Bradley V., Ricki H., Jeffrey C., Daniel W., Daniel M., Daniel A., Timothy L., Timothy M., Joel K., Devaraja M., James D., Jose S., Constance T., Ivan A., John M., Hsu-Chieh Y., Charles A., Ken D., Karen H., Evelyn L., Andrew B., Michael K., Jillayne S., Joseph R., Richard O., Jennifer D., Richard L., & John M.!

[Addendum: Also thanks to Brian L., Ted R., Conor M., Christopher H., Sam R., Dana C., Jon R., Marina M., Samuel K., Lori M., Greg E., Timothy W., Gautam S., Raymund W., Robert T., & Gordon W.!]

Also, I’d like to extend a special thank you to the reader who mailed me the card you see at right. Inside it reads:

Hi Tim and Jeni,

Congratulations on adoption of your daughter.

A loyal bubble reader.

[name withheld by The Tim]

Awesome. Thanks again, everyone!

The post Thank You For Your Support! appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Neighborhood Smackdown: West Seattle vs. Queen Anne appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

In case you aren’t aware, this site is run by one individual (yours truly, Tim Ellis) in my spare time. I pay for the domain and the hosting, and dedicate an average of an hour or two a day to bringing you fresh, relevant content about the Seattle-area real estate market.

If you enjoy this site and/or have found it to be useful, please consider dropping me a little monetary token of your appreciation. I have provided convenient Google Checkout (my preferred method) and PayPal buttons below for this purpose.

Google Checkout

$10.00 – Tip$25.00 – Tip$50.00 – Tip$100.00 – Tip$250.00 – Tip$500.00 – Tip$1,000.00 – Tip

PayPal

$10 Tip: $10.00$25 Tip: $25.00$50 Tip: $50.00$100 Tip: $100.00$250 Tip: $250.00$500 Tip: $500.00$1,000 Tip: $1,000.00

Thank you in advance for your generosity, and thanks for participating in this site and helping to make it by far the largest and most active local real estate news resource in the Seattle area!

The post Enjoy Seattle Bubble? Support this Site! appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: What is today’s best 5-10 year investment? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

You can download a free single-page summary of this quarter’s report, or head over to the free archive to check out last year’s Q2 report in full.

Here’s the latest look at the affordability and heat indices for the four counties closest to Seattle:

Both affordability and the heat index ticked up for the inner counties in the second quarter, as seasonal increases in home prices were offset by another plunge in interest rates.

I’ve been publishing Sound Housing Quarterly for three years now, and while it has certainly been satisfying, it is a lot of work to do in addition to the content that I create daily here on Seattle Bubble. Lately the number of subscribers to Sound Housing Quarterly has been dwindling, so it seems like a good time to ask for your help.

If you could take a little time to download the latest issue in the Free Archive, have a look through it, and give me some specific feedback and constructive criticism here in the comments (or by email, if you prefer), I would really appreciate it. Here are some of the questions I’m trying to answer:

• Is the existing content compelling?
• What additional content do you feel is missing?
• Are there other topics that should be covered?
• What content could/should be dropped?
• Would you subscribe to it at any price?
  • If so, what price?
• Who would be likely to subscribe?
  • How would you make them aware of it?

Of course, if you like what I’m doing here on Seattle Bubble, purchasing a subscription to Sound Housing Quarterly is a great way to help support my work here. However, even if you don’t want to subscribe, you can help me out by giving me a little bit of your time to help make it a more attractive product that others will want to subscribe to.

Thanks in advance.

The post Help Me Improve Sound Housing Quarterly appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

Taking the day off with my family, so no substantive post today. See you tomorrow!

The post Happy Labor Day appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Do you want the government to try some other type of housing bailout? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Gold is a ______ investment than real estate today. appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

If you don’t have the time or motivation to visit the site every day, that’s okay. There are other ways for you to get your daily Seattle Bubble fix. You’ve got the RSS feed for blog posts as well as an RSS feed of just the comments.

If you prefer your inbox to an RSS reader, try the daily email updates on for size.

On the other end of the spectrum, you can get instant updates with every blog post as well as all the random local real estate news I find elsewhere online if you follow Seattle Bubble on Twitter.

My favorite overlooked feature is the Seattle Bubble Flickr group, which anyone can join and contribute to. Photos added to the pool appear on the sidebar of the Seattle Bubble front page. The photo at right is one I added to demonstrate one reason for my hatred of split entry homes.

Lastly, don’t forget about the forums. I sometimes get a bit behind on approving new members, so if you sign up and haven’t gotten approved, just drop me an email.

I’m always interested in cool new features, so if you’ve got any ideas for additional stuff, let me know!

(P.S. – I still have a Facebook page for Seattle Bubble, but haven’t really done anything with it. I also have been playing with Google+ for my personal use and have had a few people say I should put Seattle Bubble on there somehow. If you know how that might work or have ideas that would be cool with Google+, drop me a line and I’ll see what I can do.)

The post Don’t forget the other ways to connect to Seattle Bubble! appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

Let’s assume you just want to hold the money and avoid losing value (including to inflation). Gaining a large return is not a requirement. Where would you stash your cash today? For the real estate option, let’s assume that we’re not talking about Seattle-area real estate, but some other market that has corrected more.

The post Best Place to Stash Some Cash? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Will the DOW finish the year above 10,000? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Do most people you know still believe that a home is a good investment? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Will the S&P downgrade affect the U.S. housing market? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Will homes in the city of Seattle cost less (adj. for inflation) five years from now than today? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Have foreclosures peaked? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Will you be buying any Zillow stock post-IPO? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Will there be a major homebuyer or homeowner government giveaway before the 2012 elections? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: What’s the #1 reason your friends are NOT buying a home? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: When will interest rates first rise back above 6%? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Most of my friends think we’re in a double-dip (or will be soon). appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Which of the following is most likely strike a home from your “might buy” list? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

For now though. I’ve got to shut down my Wi-Fi hotspot and get on a plane.  See you tomorrow.

The post Missing Post: Tim In L.A. Edition appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: How many real estate agents have told you “It’s a great time to buy” in the last six months? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Is Seattle-area weather getting worse the last few years? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: How many people do you know who have lived in the same home for 20 or more years? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: What’s your most important factor in choosing a home? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: If you bought a home today, how long would you plan on staying there? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

This month’s report sports 49 pages packed with unique housing market insights you won’t find anywhere else. Far from being a rehash of the material posted here on the blog, Sound Housing Quarterly is a unique collection of charts, tables, data, analysis, and predictions that I compile every quarter specifically for this project. Here are a couple of highlights from the first quarter issue.

The Real Estate Heat Index (a proprietary index I created that uses supply, demand, and home prices to calculate the general “heat” of the housing market) dipped a bit in Q1 in all eight of the Puget Sound Counties I track. Here’s a look at King, Snohomish, Pierce, and Kitsap:

Meanwhile, affordability rose everywhere but Kitsap and Island, thanks to the continued decline in median home prices, as well as still-ridiculously-low mortgage interest rates:

The full version of Sound Housing Quarterly includes detailed data and analysis for King, Snohomish, Pierce, Kitsap, Thurston, Island, Skagit, and Whatcom counties.

Head over to HousingQuarterly.com to subscribe to Sound Housing Quarterly. You can also download a free single-page summary of this quarter’s report, or drop by the free archive to check out the 2008 Q3 through 2010 Q1 reports in full at no charge.

The post Hungry for More Data? Try Sound Housing Quarterly appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: How do you respond to multiple offers as a buyer? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Unseasonably rainy weather would cause me to delay buying a home. appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Are you better off than you were in 2007? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Are home prices in the Seattle area are closer to the bottom than they are to the top? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: How much further are (real) Seattle-area home prices likely to fall in the next 5 years? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: What’s your second-favorite source for local real estate news? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Trying to buy a short sale today is mostly… appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: How much would you put down if you bought a home today? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: How many people do you know waiting for a better market to sell their home? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Do you favor reducing or eliminating the mortgage interest income tax deduction? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Has the housing bubble changed your long-term plans & goals regarding your home? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: How many people do you know who are walking away from their mortgage (or already did)? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: How many underwater home borrowers do you know? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

This month’s report sports 51 pages packed with unique housing market insights you won’t find anywhere else. Far from being a rehash of the material posted on the blog, Sound Housing Quarterly is a unique collection of charts, tables, data, analysis, and predictions that I compile every quarter just for this project. Here are a couple of highlights from the fourth quarter issue.

The Real Estate Heat Index (a proprietary index I created that uses supply, demand, and home prices to calculate the general “heat” of the housing market) inched up slightly in Q4 in all eight of the Puget Sound Counties I track. Here’s a look at King, Snohomish, Pierce, and Kitsap:

Meanwhile, affordability rose slightly everywhere but Kitsap and Island, thanks to slight drops in median home prices, but mostly thanks to a continued decrease in mortgage interest rates:

The full version of Sound Housing Quarterly includes detailed data and analysis for King, Snohomish, Pierce, Kitsap, Thurston, Island, Skagit, and Whatcom counties.

Head over to HousingQuarterly.com to subscribe to Sound Housing Quarterly. You can also download a free single-page summary of this quarter’s report, or drop by the free archive to check out the 2008 Q3 through 2009 Q4 reports in full at no charge.

The post Sound Housing Quarterly: Exclusive, Unique Insights appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: What % of King Co. SFH sales in 2011 will be REO? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: I am most interested in buying… appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: It is _____ a good idea to stretch your finances to buy a home. appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: I would rather never buy than buy a split-entry home. appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: I expect to make ___ money in 2011 compared to 2010. appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: 2011 will have ____ SFH home sales in King Co. than 2010. appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: 2011 will have ____ foreclosures in King/Sno./Pierce than 2010. appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: When is the best season to buy a home, weather-wise? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: What does economic recovery mean to you? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Neighborhood Smackdown: Ballard vs. Capitol Hill appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

I’m thankful that this site has been able to save a few people from ruining their financial lives by following the baseless hype spewed non-stop by most real estate agents, like this sign I photographed in 2006.

Have a great day with your family, friends, pets, internets, or whoever / whatever you choose to spend the day with.

The post Happy Thanksgiving! appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Homebuyers: How long have you been looking for a home to buy? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Luxury condos in downtown Seattle or Bellevue: appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: What are the chances that Congress will seriously consider eliminating the mortgage interest tax deduction? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: What condition of house do you want to buy? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

This month’s report is 48 pages long, and took me the better part of a week to put together, despite having most of the source data already at my fingertips. Here are a couple of highlights from the third quarter issue.

The Real Estate Heat Index (a proprietary index I created that uses supply, demand, and home prices to calculate the general “heat” of the housing market) dropped back down in Q3 in all eight of the Puget Sound Counties I track. Here’s a look at King, Snohomish, Pierce, and Kitsap:

Meanwhile, affordability rose slightly everywhere but Kitsap and Island, thanks to slight drops in median home prices, but mostly thanks to a continued decrease in mortgage interest rates:

The full version of Sound Housing Quarterly includes detailed data and analysis for King, Snohomish, Pierce, Kitsap, Thurston, Island, Skagit, and Whatcom counties.

Head over to HousingQuarterly.com to subscribe to Sound Housing Quarterly. You can also download a free single-page summary of this quarter’s report, or drop by the free archive to check out the 2008 Q3 through 2009 Q3 reports in full at no charge.

The post Puget Sound Housing Market Entered Deep Freeze in Q3 appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: I would buy a home today if I could get it for… appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Will you avoid buying a bank-owned home because of the foreclosure mess? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: How long do you commute to work? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Which type of location do you prefer to live in? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Does it feel like the recession ended over a year ago for you? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: How many homes do you think you will own in your lifetime? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Do you know anyone that found their home by browsing open houses? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Do you know anyone that wants to sell their home but is waiting for a better market? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Do you think you will lose your job in the next year? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Renters Only: Why haven’t you bought a house? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

This poll was active 08.15.2010 through 08.21.2010.

The post Poll: Total King Co. SFH closed sales in 2010 will end up… appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

Quick shameless plug. Zillow’s got a “best local real estate blog” poll going on until noon today. Somehow Seattle Bubble is getting toasted right now. It would be nice if that were not the case.

That is all. Thanks!

[Update: Should have jumped in sooner. Still came in third. Oh well! Thanks for voting!]

The post Shameless Plug: Vote for Seattle Bubble appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: What kind of cell phone do you have? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: What’s your least favorite house style? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

Here are a couple of highlights from the second quarter issue.

The Real Estate Heat Index (a proprietary index I created that uses supply, demand, and home prices to calculate the general “heat” of the housing market) bumped up in Q2 in all eight of the Puget Sound Counties I track. Here’s a look at King, Snohomish, Pierce, and Kitsap:

Meanwhile, affordability reversed course, falling in all eight counties, thanks to slight increases in median home prices.

The full version of Sound Housing Quarterly includes detailed data and analysis for King, Snohomish, Pierce, Kitsap, Thurston, Island, Skagit, and Whatcom counties.

Head over to HousingQuarterly.com to subscribe to Sound Housing Quarterly. You can also download a free single-page summary of this quarter’s report, or drop by the free archive to check out the 2008 Q3 through 2009 Q2 reports in full at no charge.

The post Housing Market Heated Up in Q2, Affordability Fell appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: How many more WA-based banks will fail in 2010? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

First up, there’s the RSS feed for blog posts. Also, although only a few people know about it (before now), you can subscribe to an RSS feed of just the comments.

Maybe you’re not into this crazy cutting-edge RSS stuff, but you still don’t want to come to the website every day? No problem, just sign up for our daily email updates.

If you’d like to receive little local real estate news tidbits throughout the week, as well as notifications when new content is posted to the blog, follow Seattle Bubble on Twitter.

If you’re handy with a camera, or just like looking at random local real estate pics, join our Flickr group and contribute to our group pool (which is where I got the photo at left from).

Lastly, don’t forget about the forums. Open threads are great and all, but sometimes you might want have a conversation on a more specific topic without all the noise. The forums are the place for that.

If all these added features aren’t good enough for you, and there is still something more that you find yourself longing for, let me know. I’m not making any promises, but I’m always interested in hearing cool new ideas. Thanks!

(P.S. – I also created a Facebook page for Seattle Bubble a while back that a handful of people have found, but since I’m not a Facebook junkie I honestly don’t really know what the point is of having a Facebook page for a website. If that’s something you have any input on, I’d be glad to hear it.)

The post Get Connected to Seattle Bubble Extras appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Where will the DJIA be at the end of 2010? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

No, I didn’t break down and become a real estate agent (but don’t think I haven’t thought about that in the past). Last Thursday, yours truly started a brand new position as Product Manager: Statistics, Trends, and Expansion at Redfin.

[Update: As of January 2012, my new job title is Real Estate Analyst.]

It’s a perfect fit for me, and I’m really excited to be doing things that I love with a company that I have really respected ever since they first came on the scene six years ago.

So what does this mean for Seattle Bubble? Not much, really. I will still continue to update this site as usual, posting all the same data, analysis, and wry commentary you’ve come to expect.

Since I’m strictly forbidden from using any “insider information” for anything other than directly work-related tasks, the content here won’t be affected at all. It is also important to note that just like before, the opinions and commentary expressed here are 100% my own. Nothing I say here is endorsed (or even necessarily condoned) by Redfin, nor will I be providing Redfin with any promotional consideration beyond what they have already had in the past just for providing awesome tools and services.

Probably the biggest change you might notice on these pages going forward is that posts are likely to be more consistently scheduled, with new content here most mornings by 9:00 AM. Since I’m back on someone else’s payroll full time, I’ll be forced to maintain more discipline about my posting schedule here.

So, there’s my big news. Feel free to post any questions in the comments.

The post Some Noteworthy Personal News… appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: The least repulsive candidate for US Senator from WA in 2010 is: appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: The worst of the recession is over. appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: The stimulus worked (or is working, or will work). appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: My favorite thing about living around Seattle is: appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Likelihood that Congress brings back the tax credit? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Which of the four major cell phone carriers is least evil? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: How big of a house is “too big” (for a family of four)? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Which Seattle neighborhood has the most interesting homes? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: I would buy a condo… appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Guess the maximum 1-month # of closed King Co. SFH sales in 2010 appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: What other government mortgage debt incentive would you most like to see ended? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

Here are a couple of highlights from the first quarter issue.

The Real Estate Heat Index (a proprietary index I created that uses supply, demand, and home prices to calculate the general “heat” of the housing market) dropped in Q1 in all eight of the Puget Sound Counties I track. Here’s a look at King, Snohomish, Pierce, and Kitsap:

Meanwhile, affordability increased again in all eight counties, thanks to the continued decline in median home prices and still-absurdly-low interest rates.

The full version of Sound Housing Quarterly includes detailed data and analysis for King, Snohomish, Pierce, Kitsap, Thurston, Island, Skagit, and Whatcom counties.

Head over to HousingQuarterly.com to subscribe to Sound Housing Quarterly. You can also download a free single-page summary of this quarter’s report, or drop by the free archive to check out the 2008 Q3 through 2009 Q1 reports in full at no charge.

The post Real Estate Heat Index Fell Across Puget Sound in Q1 appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Do you know anyone who has left the Seattle area due to lack of affordable real estate? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Which of these games do you like most? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Do most people you know believe that it is always a good time to buy a home no matter what? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: What’s the top reason you want to buy a house? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: If commute were not an issue, which county would you prefer to live in? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: The $8k mortgage buyer tax credit expires in just over a month. I am… appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: The best deals around Seattle right now are mostly… appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Best way to buy real estate? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: If you had $100 million, would you pay cash for a home in Seattle today? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Do you know anyone rushing to buy a home before the tax credit expires? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Foreclosures around Seattle… appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Which type of area would you live in if home prices were not a factor? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: What’s the best asset to buy to hedge against inflation? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

With this latest release we have made a few notable changes. First and probably most interesting to the readers here is a new lower price. Now you can subscribe for a full year for just $60, or purchase a single issue for $20. Second, beginning with this issue we are now also covering Whatcom County. The real estate statistics covered in Sound Housing Quarterly now include 65% of Washington State by population.

Here are a couple of highlights from the fourth quarter issue.

The Real Estate Heat Index (a proprietary index I created that uses supply, demand, and home prices to calculate the general “heat” of the housing market) rose in six of the eight Puget Sound Counties I track in the fourth quarter, declined in Thurston and was flat in Skagit. Here’s a look at King, Snohomish, Pierce, and Kitsap:

Meanwhile, affordability actually increased in all eight counties, thanks to median home prices continuing to decline from Q3. That said, after updating the affordability index with the OFM’s October 2009 income estimates, the recent trend line for affordability was adjusted lower. As a result, the latest reading still came in below pre-bubble levels in all eight counties.

The full version of Sound Housing Quarterly includes detailed data and analysis for King, Snohomish, Pierce, Kitsap, Thurston, Island, Skagit, and Whatcom counties.

Head over to HousingQuarterly.com to subscribe to Sound Housing Quarterly. You can also download a free single-page summary of this quarter’s report, or head over to the free archive to check out last year’s Q3 and Q4 reports in full at no charge.

The post Affordability Rose Despite Market Heat-Up in Q4 appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

Please vote in this poll using the sidebar.
Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.
This poll will be active and displayed on the sidebar through 01.30.2010.

The post Poll: National Economic Crisis: Which Inning are We In? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

Types of things you could add include funky homes for sale (but don’t steal MLS listing photos), empty or stalled developments, lockbox benches, for sale sign forests, etc. Use your imagination and have fun.

I have added a widget to the sidebar on the front page just under the charts that will display the latest photos from the group pool, so that everyone can join in the fun right from the blog.

Here’s a photo I added to the group that was emailed to me by a reader.

Enjoy!

The post Seattle Bubble Flickr Group appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

As of Monday night, I have switched the blog half of Seattle Bubble over to a brand-spanking-new layout.

Highlights:

• News Wire on the sidebar (via Twitter)
• Market charts updated daily on the sidebar courtesy Altos Research
• Better category organization w/ dropdown menus
• Less wasted space at top of page
• New comment preview function that doesn’t bog down your processor while you type.

In addition, the sidebar is much cleaner when you navigate away from the front page. Also note that The log in / out and new account creation has been moved to bottom of sidebar under “Accounts.”

The new layout is based on the Hybrid News WordPress theme, created by WordPress guru Justin Tadlock.

I will be working on updating the forums in the next month or so as well, in addition to going through all of the old content and sorting it correctly in the newly-organized categories.

Let me know what you think, and whether anything is broken. Thanks!

The post New Seattle Bubble Layout! appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Which is most likely on the US economic horizon for the next 5-10 years? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

First up, let’s see how everyone from 2009’s post did.

The Contenders:

• Matthew Gardner, local land-use economist
• Steve Tytler, Everett Herald Real Estate Columnist / owner, Best Mortgage
• J. Lennox Scott, Chairman and CEO of John L. Scott Real Estate
• Tim Ellis, editor-in-chief, Seattle Bubble

This year’s winner for the closest prediction is Steve Tytler, whose guesses have consistently been the closest of anyone actually in the industry. My price guess looks like it will probably end up being the closest if you use Seattle’s Case-Shiller data (October was down 12.4%), but to be fair and consistent, we’re sticking with the NWMLS median, so Steve gets the prize this year.

Here is the text of my predictions on inventory, sales, and prices last year:

My guess is that inventory in 2009 will be flat to slightly down from 2008 for most of the year. I am betting that the double-digit YOY drops in sales will not last beyond the first or second quarter, but will eventually flatten out and maybe even show YOY gains.
…
As far as a specific prediction on prices, my guess is about another 10 percent drop in 2009, which would put December 2009’s median at $363,150.

Inventory did indeed end the year down, and sales showed YOY gains. Overall, my biggest shortcoming was in failing to foresee the February implementation of the $8,000 tax credit, which clearly provided a short-term boost to the market.

The Real Estate Non-Market
This brings me to my giant caveat for 2010. The excellent real estate analyst Rich Toscano wrote a great piece in November about the increasing difficulty of Forecasting the Real Estate Non-Market that I feel is quite relevant.

…the real estate “market” is now as much a political entity as it is an economic entity. The government has gone to amazing levels of effort to prop up the housing market. …huge amounts of money are being borrowed or simply created out of thin air and shunted directly into the housing market through multiple channels. Even as demand is thus boosted, supply is being constrained by foreclosure moratoria and opaque and arbitrary financial industry bailouts.

The net effect is that government intervention is exerting an enormous influence on the housing market. So one can’t just look at fundamentals as in the good old days. Instead, one is forced to practice a sort of real estate Kremlinology in an attempt to figure out how fiscal and monetary policy will affect, or cease to affect, the market.

Looking Back at Where We Have Been
Of course, it’s still fun to make wild guesses, even if we don’t know what the government will pull out of their future taxpayer-funded hat next. But before we get to this year’s predictions, I thought it might be informative to drop a few charts. The following three charts go back through 1993, which is as far back as I have been able to locate consistent NWMLS data on home prices.

First up is King County’s median SFH sale price, adjusted for inflation in November 2009 (the latest CPI data) dollars.

In November 2009 dollars, the July 2007 peak was just barely shy of $500,000, peaking at $499,545. December 2009 came in 24% off that peak. Next, here is a chart of home prices and King County median household incomes, indexed to January 1993.

Something still seems a bit, shall we say, off about that. Lastly, here is King County’s affordability index:

Definitely an improvement there, but a lot of what is keeping that above 90 is the crazy low interest rates, being held there thanks to the government. See above.

The Crystal Ball Gets Murky
So, let’s see what predictions we can find from the usual suspects for 2010.

Oddly enough, it seems that fewer and fewer local real estate professionals are willing to step out on a limb with predictions. The only article I was able to find that referenced 2010 and quoted Gardner, Crellin, and Scott was Eric Pryne’s piece in the Times: Tax credit fuels home-sales bounce, but will it be just a blip?.

Here’s all those three had to say in that article:

In February, Congress approved an $8,000 tax credit for first-time homebuyers in hopes of kick-starting moribund home sales.

“It worked,” Lennox Scott, chairman and CEO of John L. Scott Real Estate, said at a recent industry forum. “That’s what completely activated the market.”
…
After plummeting 20 percent in 18 months from its summer 2007 peak, the median price of a single-family home sold in King County slipped only slightly more in 2009.
…
And next year? “They’re not going to go up,” Jill Wood, Windermere Real Estate president, said of home prices. “They’ve probably leveled off for now.”

Even that assessment may be optimistic, others say. Glenn Crellin, director of the Washington Center for Real Estate Research at Washington State University, said it’s more likely that prices will continue to decline through midyear.
…
The question now is, how many prospective buyers remain? “Were we stealing future demand?” Seattle land-use economist Matthew Gardner asked at a recent forum.

So we’ve got no prediction from Scott, an ambiguous forecast of a decline from Crellin, and a question from Gardner that he likely already knows the answer to. We did also get a bonus forecast from Jill Wood of prices having “leveled off.”

The only commentator I’ve found still willing to join me in predictions is perennial Seattle Bubble favorite Steve Tytler. Here’s his piece: Forecast for 2010 housing market: slow decline

I think average home prices will continue to drop a little, but the pace of depreciation will continue to slow. Overall, average home prices may fall about 5 percent, but as always the rate of depreciation will vary from neighborhood to neighborhood. In general, highly desirable neighborhoods, especially those close to major job centers, will do better than outlying areas.

Will we hit the housing market bottom in 2010? Maybe. You can only know for sure that a market has bottomed in retrospect when you can look back at housing prices on a graph and see the point where they stopped going down and started going up and stayed up. We may very well hit that point some time next year, probably late spring or summer.

Kudos to Steve for still being willing to stick his neck out there.

The Tim on 2010
So finally we get to my predictions for the coming year. Keeping in mind that unknown future government meddling will probably throw off any guesses I make today, my outlook for 2010 is pretty similar to what I saw for 2009. I don’t think Seattle home prices have bottomed yet. If allowed to adjust to market fundamentals, they’ve probably got at least another 10% to fall, maybe a bit more. I would expect most of that to come this year.

Barring any additional free money giveaways, sales will probably show YOY gains during the first part of the year, and be more or less flat for the second half. I suspect that interest rates will rise, possibly up into the sixes, which when combined with the borrowed sales thanks to the tax credit, will end up supressing sales as the year winds down. Inventory will probably be flat to down slightly.

There you have it, The Tim on record for 2010. Now lets’ hear your predictions in the comments, as well as in this poll:
Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

The post Predictions: Looking Into the Crystal Ball for 2010 appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

Please vote in this poll using the sidebar.
Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.
This poll will be active and displayed on the sidebar through 01.16.2010.

The post Poll: How many Washington-based banks will fail in 2010? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Seattle’s Case-Shiller HPI for December 2010 will be… appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Most of the major underlying problems with the economy have been fixed. appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Merry Christmas! appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

Please vote in this poll using the sidebar.
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This poll will be active and displayed on the sidebar through 12.26.2009.

The post Poll: Vote for your favorite new name for Seattle Bubble appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

First up, a subject that we’ve discussed a few times here in the past: name change. “Seattle Bubble” is a name that made sense when I started the site in 2005 as a simple blog to explore the idea of a growing housing bubble. Now that the site has evolved into more of a general news and discussion site on the subject of local real estate and related economic issues, it’s time for a new name that better reflects our identity.

To that end, beginning in 2010 Seattle Bubble will become Sound Housing News. This name reflects both our regional focus on the Puget Sound, our topical focus on housing issues, and our analytical approach to the data (with “sound” as an adjective meaning “reliable, sensible, or based on reason”). It also matches Sound Housing Quarterly, the subscription product I launched last year as a sister project to Seattle Bubble.

Once the name change takes effect, we will be moving to a new domain at SoundHousingNews.com. Don’t worry though, all your old bookmarks and links will still work and will be automatically forwarded to the new address. From a reader interface perspective, the change will be seamless.

Next, in the coming months there are a number of site function and form improvements that I’ll be making. Here’s a brief list of upcoming features in the pipeline:

• More newspaper-ish format front page featuring a variety of content / sections.
• Weekly podcast (ideally structured as a 1-hour live call-in program).
• Better integration of the forum and the blog.
• Better organization of archives, highlighting the most useful content like how-to’s and real estate resources.
• Improved methods of highlighting related quality content on other sites.

So what is my list of improvements missing? What would you like to see that would make this site a better resource for you? Let’s hear your suggestions and your thoughts on the upcoming changes.

The post Changes on the horizon at Seattle Bubble… appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: The homebuyer tax credit will… appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

Please vote in this poll using the sidebar.
Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.
This poll will be active and displayed on the sidebar through 12.12.2009.

The post Poll: Guess the lowest 1-month total closed SFH sales in King Co. for winter ’09-’10 appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: I would move to a different (economically viable) region for home prices ___ cheaper than Seattle. appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

Have a great day with your family, friends, pets, internets, or whoever / whatever you choose to spend the day with.

The post Happy Thanksgiving! appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Which is the biggest factor driving Seattle-area home prices? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Is Seattle a world-class city, comparable to New York, Tokyo, London, etc.? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: The current economic path will lead the USA to… appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: If Boeing leaves the Puget Sound by 2030, the area will sustain… appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The Real Estate Heat Index (a proprietary index I created that uses supply, demand, and home prices to calculate the general “heat” of the housing market) rose in all seven Puget Sound Counties in the third quarter, but still remains below pre-bubble levels.

Meanwhile, affordability dropped in every county but Snohomish, despite interest rates in the 5s.

The full version of Sound Housing Quarterly includes detailed data and analysis for King, Snohomish, Pierce, Kitsap, Thurston, Island, and Skagit counties.

Head over to HousingQuarterly.com to subscribe to Sound Housing Quarterly. You can also download a free single-page summary of this quarter’s report, or head over to the free archive to check out last year’s Q3 report in full.

The post Affordability Declined in Q3 as Housing Market Heated Up appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Seattle-area residential real estate is… appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Rate Obama’s Handling of the Economic Mess appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: What is the chance the housing tax credit gets extended/expanded? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Will the role of a real estate agent be mostly replaced by technology 10 years from now? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: What’s your favorite type of Seattle housing stock? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Do you know or know of anyone who would buy a home only if the $8k tax credit is extended? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Which catastrophe will hit the Seattle area first? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: A year from now, Seattle-area homes will cost… appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Favorite leisure activity? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: “American business is steadily coming back to a normal level of prosperity.” appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Official Seattle Bubble Twitter Feed—New! Shiny! HIGH TECH! appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

Tune in to the Weissbach show today at 5:30 PM on AM 570 to hear me (The Tim) discuss the local real estate market with host Peter Weissbach. See Tuesday’s post for a little more info on Weissbach’s program.

If you’re at a computer, you can listen online here.

Update: If you missed the program, here’s the audio.

Thanks again to Peter for having me on!

The post Tim on the Radio Today (for real this time) appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

Tune in to the Weissbach show today [this Thursday] at 5:30 PM on AM 570 to hear me (The Tim) discuss the local real estate market with host Peter Weissbach.

Almost all the local radio hosts I listen to have recently been hawking real estate “investment” opportunities (especially a particular “resort” in Eastern WA) and/or pushing mortgages with “rates are about to go up” scare-talk. I don’t believe I’ve heard Weissbach join in on that nonsense. On the contrary, I have specifically heard him denounce the misplaced notion that buying a home is somehow the path to riches.

Weissbach’s program is always entertaining and unfortunately only lasts an hour, so I am grateful that he has invited me on. I’m looking forward to joining Peter today, and hope you all tune in. [Thursday] AM 570, 5:30 PM. If you’re at a computer, you can listen online here.

The post Hear Tim on the Radio [Update: Later this Week] appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: In the next 30 years, the desirability of the Seattle area will: appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Compared to a year ago, America’s economy is… appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

As of last Wednesday, the latest edition of Sound Housing Quarterly has been published. As the name implies, Sound Housing Quarterly is journal of the Puget Sound residential real estate market, published four times a year.

Benefits of Sound Housing Quarterly:

• Broad geographic coverage (7 Puget Sound counties).
• Provides a concise picture of overall market conditions.
• Cleaner, more printable charts.
• All the recent data compiled in a single package.

If that sounds like something you or someone you know would benefit from, head over to the website at HousingQuarterly.com to download a free preview of the current issue and to learn more about what Sound Housing Quarterly is and how to subscribe or purchase a single issue.

Here’s a brief preview of the type of charts that are included in Sound Housing Quarterly:

If you are involved in the Puget Sound housing market as a home buyer, a home seller, a real estate agent, or a real estate investor—Sound Housing Quarterly is written with you in mind.

This 42-page publication provides an overview of a variety of factors affecting the Puget Sound housing market, as well as a detailed look at county-by-county conditions, and a forecast for where the market is headed in the coming months.

Please take a few minutes to check out Sound Housing Quarterly and consider subscribing. Thanks!

The post Support Seattle Bubble by Subscribing to Sound Housing Quarterly appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Is Washington State’s economy inherently stronger than the nation as a whole? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Which is likely to generate the strongest downward pressure on Seattle-area home prices going forward? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: In the last year, your personal net worth has… appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Will Boeing (mostly) leave the Puget Sound region by 2030? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

Hopefully things should be fully operational again by the end of Saturday with minimal disruption, but be aware that it may take some time for your internet provider’s DNS servers to update to the new site host.

Update: If you’re reading this update, then you are viewing the site on its new host. Everything should be up and running. Let me know if you experience any difficulties. Thanks!

The post Announcement: Site Migration This Weekend appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Is it the government’s job to incentivize home ownership? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

Exciting Independence Weekend Contest!

Whoever guesses the closest lat-long coordinates to the location where the above picture was taken wins a Made in Washington gift bag with some MarketSpice tea, a Fran’s chocolate bar, some Cabernet chocolate cherries, Biringer’s lemon tea cookies, and an Almond Roca.

One entry per person, leave your guess in the comments along with a valid email address so I can contact you if you win. Contest closes at midnight Monday morning / Sunday night.

Have a great weekend everybody!

Update: Congratulations to Joe @ comment #4, whose guess was just 16 feet from the correct location! Incredible. If I didn’t know better, I’d think he somehow cheated. Here’s a map of all your guesses, with the correct answer marked in green:

View Seattle Bubble Independence Weekend Contest Results in a larger map

The post Happy Independence Day appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Do you personally know someone who has walked away from a mortgage they could afford to pay? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Now is a better time to buy than… appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: NBER will declare the current recession to have ended sometime in 2009. appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Best way to determine fair price for a property? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: The biggest home price drops around Seattle… appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Most probable outcome of massive government spending & bailouts? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

Please vote in this poll using the sidebar.
Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.
This poll will be active and displayed on the sidebar through 05.23.2009.

The post Poll: Guess the maximum 1-month total closed SFH sales in King Co. for 2009 appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: How many properties are on your Redfin / Estately watch list? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: The government should… appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

Benefits of Sound Housing Quarterly:

• Broad geographic coverage (7 Puget Sound counties).
• Provides a concise picture of overall market conditions.
• Cleaner, more printable charts.
• All the recent data compiled in a single package.

If that sounds like something you or someone you know would benefit from, head over to the website at HousingQuarterly.com to download a free preview of the current issue and to learn more about what Sound Housing Quarterly is and how to subscribe or purchase a single issue.

Here’s a brief preview of the type of charts that are included in Sound Housing Quarterly:

If you are involved in the Puget Sound housing market in any way, as a home buyer, a home seller, a real estate agent, or a real estate investor—Sound Housing Quarterly is written with you in mind.

This 40-page publication provides an overview of a variety of factors affecting the Puget Sound housing market, as well as a detailed look at county-by-county conditions, and a forecast for where the market is headed in the coming months.

I enjoy providing Seattle Bubble free of charge as a service to the community, but I recognize that the format here can sometimes be intimidating, making it difficult to get a good handle on the overall market picture without reading along every day. That’s why I created Sound Housing Quarterly. Please take a few minutes to check it out, and consider subscribing. Thanks!

The post Now Available: Sound Housing Quarterly 2009 Q1 appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: How much of a discount have you negotiated in your rent? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

DATE & TIME: Tuesday April 21st at 7:00 PM
PLACE: Third Place Books (Lake Forest Park at the corner of Bothell Way (522) and Ballinger Way (104))

Parking is plentiful and free both below at the main entrance and above behind the building. We will be meeting in the commons area near the main stage. We’ll be sure to put some sort of “Seattle Bubble” sign up again on our tables.

See you there!

The post Reminder: Meetup Tonight at 7:00 appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

The post Poll: Which Is More Overpriced? appeared first on Seattle Bubble.

First-time home buyers would get their $8,000 tax credit as a state loan at closing, under a measure the state Senate Ways and Means Committee approved Wednesday night.

The federal government is offering the credit to first-time buyers who buy a home through November, but won’t pay the credit until after buyers file this year’s tax return. Under the new budget amendment, which State Treasurer James McIntire wrote, buyers would get the money as a loan at closing, meaning they could use the money for down payments, then pay it back when they got their tax refund.

As you could probably guess, this is being pushed for by the Washington Realtors and Lennox Scott.

As it is currently executed, the $8,000 first-time homebuyer tax credit is not able to influence the price of homes that are purchased, since it is not received until up to a year after the actual home purchase was made.

If the state starts handing out the $8,000 during the purchase, that money is immediately tied into the house. With homes continuing to depreciate (at an increasing rate), by the time the actual credit is received from the IRS and paid back to the state, the equity will likely be gone. $8,000 down the drain.

In contrast, if the homebuyer is forced to practice the lost art of delayed gratification, when they receive their $8,000 government handout in 2010, they will be able to invest it, maybe buy some furniture, or—here’s a crazy idea—save it.

Also, who knows what the homebuyer’s situation will be by the time they actually file their 2009 taxes next year? What if they end up owing some money, and they don’t get the full $8,000 from the IRS in an actual check? If they pre-used that money to buy a bigger/better house than they otherwise would have been able to, it is unlikely they will have saved much in the interim to be able to pay back the state. Or what if the homeowner loses their job? If they had not pre-spent the $8,000, it could have been used to tide them over for a few months on their shiny new mortgage.

All in all, this is a terrible idea. Shame on the Washington Realtors (the organization, not necessarily the individuals) and Lennox Scott for encouraging more of the same the type of irresponsibility that got us into this mess in the first place.

(Aubrey Cohen, Seattle Real Estate News, 2009.04.17)

The post State Considers Irresponsible Plan to Pre-Distribute $8,000 Tax Credit appeared first on Seattle Bubble.