New-home construction plunges in February

By The Associated PressThe Associated PressRelatedWASHINGTON — Builders broke ground last month on the fewest homes in nearly two years and cut their requests for permits to start new projects to a five-decade low. The decline in construction...

Underwater mortgages rise as home prices fall

By DEREK KRAVITZAP Real Estate WriterRelatedWASHINGTON —  The number of Americans who owe more on their mortgages than their homes are worth rose at the end of last year, preventing many people from selling their homes in an already weak housing...

Reverse mortgages get more affordable, but be careful

By MARCIE GEFFNERBankrate.com RelatedBefore you borrowIF YOU'RE in the market for a reverse mortgage, seek independent counseling before you even talk to a lender to learn about loan alternatives or tips on negotiating with a lender. Find a government-approved...

New-home sales in January drop 12.6 pct

By DEREK KRAVITZAP Real Estate WriterRelatedWASHINGTON —  Sales of new homes fell significantly in January, a dismal sign after the worst year for that sector in nearly a half-century. New-home sales...

Investors snap up cheap homes, new buyers miss out

By DEREK KRAVITZAP Real Estate WriterRelatedWASHINGTON —  Home sales are starting to tick up after the worst year in more than a decade. But the momentum is coming from cash-rich investors who are scooping up foreclosed properties at bargain prices,...

Risk of foreclosure dips, but remains elevated

By JANNA HERRONAP Real Estate WriterRelatedNEW YORK —Fewer Americans fell behind on their mortgage payments in the final three months of last year, but foreclosures are still rising. The Mortgage Bankers Association said Thursday 8.2 percent of homeowners...

Just for Laughs

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Try to Resist the Temptation to Over Improve

You have received some extra money! You want to remodel! If you are planning a major renovation, take a few sensible precautions before having plans drawn up and signing on the contractor's dotted line. Any time you do any significant remodeling,...

Debt could be a deal-breaker

By Kenneth R. Harney Syndicated columnist WASHINGTON — One loan officer describes it as a "financial colonoscopy" on your credit, and he suggests anybody applying for a mortgage be prepared for it.  What he's talking about is the combined effect...

Rate on 30-year fixed mortgage rises to 4.81 pct.

The average rate on the 30-year fixed mortgage edged up this week as bond yields increased.By JANNA HERRONAP Business WriterRelatedNEW YORK — The average rate on the 30-year fixed mortgage edged up this week as bond yields increased. Freddie Mac said...

December signed contracts for homes up 2 percent

The number of people who signed contracts to buy homes rose in December, marking the fifth increase in the past six months. By MARTIN CRUTSINGER, AP Economics WriterRelatedWASHINGTON —  The number of people who signed contracts to buy homes rose...

Home prices fall in major U.S. cities, including Seattle, in November

Home prices are falling across most of America's largest cities, and average prices in nine major markets, including Seattle, have hit their lowest point since the housing bust. By ALEX VEIGA, The Associated Press RelatedHome prices are falling across...

Neighborhood of the week: Sammamish Plateau

Sammamish Plateau can feel like two worlds in one -- a modern suburb in a rural setting that has garnered national attention, and a place where home values have held up over the past year. By Jolene Gensheimer COURTNEY BLETHEN RIFFKIN / THE SEATTLE TIMESHomes...

Relaxed FHA 'flip' rules prove no flop

By Kenneth R. HarneySyndicated columnistRelated WASHINGTON — When you hear the Obama administration plans to extend a policy that allows low down-payment financing of "flipped" houses for 2011, your first reaction might be: no way.  At this stage...

Mortgage applications rose last week

The number of people applying for a mortgage rose last week as lower rates lured more borrowers to refinance.The Associated PressRelatedNEW YORK — The number of people applying for a mortgage rose last week as lower rates lured more borrowers to...

Misconceptions about Reverse Mortgages

Myth #1:  You sell your house to the bank: You always keep title to your house and have complete control over it. You will never lose your home due to non-payment of the loan. Once the loan is settled, you are no longer liable for the debt.  Myth...

Predictions for our Real Estate Market for 2011

 Patrick Doty, Editor, Bellevue Home Team Blog This is the magic question; isn't it?  Everyone wants to know with some predictability whats going to happen.   We all long to feel safer financially than we have in many months if not for...

Price Points: What you can buy for median price in King Count

By Lisa Pemberton-Butlery                                                                                                                                                            ...

Purchasing a home with a Reverse Mortgage....great idea for some

Ed Moda,Reverse Mortgage Specialist Email: emoda@acceptancecapital.com Cell: (206)930-5606 Off: (425)458-2651 A Reverse Mortgage is a Government Insured program that was created by the FHA to allow Senior Citizens over the age of 62 to access the equity...

King County home sales in December strongest since summer

The median price of houses sold in King County in December was $370,000, down 2.6 percent from December 2009's median of $380,000. By Eric PryneSeattle Times business reporterYou've heard of Christmas in July? The real-estate market got just the opposite...

HUD investigates lenders' fair-housing practices

Federal officials have launched an investigation to determine whether 22 mortgage lenders have been discriminating against qualified African-American and Latino borrowers by denying them government-insured loans.By JACOB ADELMANThe Associated PressRelatedLOS...

Bellevue Towers developer turns project over to lenders

The region's biggest condo project ever has been transferred to its lenders after the developer sold less than a quarter of its units in almost two years. By Eric Pryne Seattle Times business reporter The new owners of Bellevue Towers announced price...

Rebates for Appliance Upgrades Offered by PSE

In what's supposed to be a La Nina winter marked by cooler and wetter conditions, the Seattle, Bellevue, and Puget Sound area has been more mild than normal. However, the weather maps are showing changes coming at the beginning of the year, and local...

Manufactured home with a green twist

A Seattle architect is the "guinea pig" for this manufactured house  By Jesus ChavezThe second of six modules for a unique new home is lifted by a crane to its site on South Lane Street in Seattle. The home's builder says it's the first modular...