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Buy Now or Wait?
Economist Matthew Gardner explains why buying now is likely your best choice. Click here to watch his YouTube video, and you can also find more of his forecasts on YouTube.
Gen Y Buyers Prefer Amenities Over Sq. Ft.
Will future home buyers value quality and features over size? Is Sarah Susanka's 15-year old book "The Not So Big House" speaking the language of the next generation of home buyers? Today's HousingWire News feature article says the Gen Y crowd (20-34 year olds) would prefer to live alone and near amenities like restaurants, shopping, theatres, than to live with roommates in a larger residence. To service that sector of the population, a new apartment complex is being built in Glendale, CA, that features dwellings of only 400 sq. ft. but is near a ton of amenities and includes a roof top deck for socialization and a separate deck with hot and cold spas and a fenced dog park. You can read the full article here.
Electric Safety for Homeowners
Fall is a great time to move plants in your garden, but you need to know what's underground before you dig. First time homebuyers and others may not be aware that Puget Sound Energy will come out for free and mark your property with color coding that tells you what utility lines are below. Just call 811 at least two business days before you dig. Avoid potential fines, injury and utility disruptions. Here's a link for more: http://pse.com/safety/NaturalGasSafety/Pages/Know-Whats-Below.aspx
Buyer Broker Improves Your Odds
On Bainbridge Island, inventory of single family residences remains lower than normal because demand has roughly doubled over last year. Here are statistics on listings vs. pending sales.
| September 18 | Listings | Pendings |
| 2012 | 234 | 71 (30%) |
| 2011 | 308 | 46 (15%) |
So, Active Listings – those available and not under contract – are 163 vs. 263 in 2011. This is a very small amount of inventory. If you are a buyer, you would be wise to have a Buyer Broker working on your behalf to screen houses for you as they hit the market and help you work quickly to secure the house you want. Buyers who work with a Broker to help them can also benefit from the Broker researching past listings that may not have sold; we can approach the owners on your behalf and uncover gems for you.
First Time Home Buyers may not realize that Sales Commissions are typically paid by the Seller, so it costs you nothing to get Buyer Broker assistance. Talk with your trusted Realtor about it.
