Here’s your October update on Foreclosure activity in King, Snohomish, and Pierce counties. First up, the Notice of Trustee Sale summary: October 2008 King: 643 NTS, up 82% YOY Snohomish: 331 NTS, up 128% YOY Pierce: 603 NTS, up 84% YOY The graphs below are derived from monthly Notice of Trustee Sale counts gathered at…
One in Five Pending Sales Failed to Close in Q3
With Q3 + 1 month now behind us, it’s time to take another look at the relationship between pending and closed sales. Recall that in Q2, a record-setting 15.9% of pending sales had fallen through and never showed up as closed sales. Here’s an update. The graph below shows quarterly King County SFH pending sales…
Highlights of the FHFA Streamlined Modification Program
Here are the basics of the latest mortgage bailout initiative from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac that was announced today by the Federal Housing Finance Agency. To qualify, borrowers must: Have a loan owned or guaranteed by Fannie or Freddie. Owe 90% or more than the home is worth. Be 90 days or more behind…
Ask the Industry Insiders Why “It’s a Great Time to Buy”
I’m in the process of sending interview requests to some of our area’s prominent industry insiders that we frequently see quoted in the local media proclaiming that “now is a great time to buy” or other such sales pitches. We give these people a hard time on here for their comments in the local press,…
Seattle Bubble: Hindering the Market?
Seattle Bubble scaring away buyers, sellers and refinance consumers? I’m really not convinced Marlow Harris of Coldwell Banker Bain feels that Seattle Bubble is all about fear mongering and scaring the public away from buying a home. I know she mentioned it, but I don’t believe it. Marlow and many other agents and loan officers…