Buying or Selling a Home in Seattle?

Published on: 23 June 2017 Last Updated on: 04 September 2024
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Regardless if you are new to the Seattle area or just looking to find a new place to live in the city you already love, buying a home is a big deal. You aren’t simply making a purchase, you are making an investment. An investment that by all means should end up being a part of your identity, a member of your family so to say.

Read also: The Glitches Arrived In Travelling To New Place

Why Seattle is the place to be

Seattle has become one of the most popular places to live in the Northwest. Despite what you have heard about the weather, there are plenty of cities throughout the United States that accumulate more rainfall than the Emerald City. New York City, Jacksonville, Raleigh, and Hartford are just a few that might catch you by surprise.

There are several parks and scenic getaways throughout Seattle to escape the hustle and bustle of busy city life. A weekend mountain getaway is just a matter of thirty minutes away. If that isn’t enough to talk you into making the move, you are always just a block away from the best cup of coffee you have ever had.

Because of these factors and many more, there has been a significant rise in the price of houses on the market in the area. Because of this, realtor services such as Findourpad have distinct advantages over trying to find a home on your own. This particular service will update all of the current listings throughout the Seattle area as often as every 15 minutes.

Easy to access information

They make it easy to find a home matching exactly what you are looking for when it comes to area, price, and size. Trying to find this information on your own would take days, if not weeks. By being able to see current listings, images, and details at the palm of your hand, you save yourself valuable time over visiting site after site, looking for the perfect match.

Services such as Findourpad allow you to compare listing on the market in different areas, by different realtors. You have the ability to compare how much home you are getting for your dollar compared to other options, providing you the opportunity to find exactly what you and your family are looking for.

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You will have information at your fingertips concerning the type of view from the home you will enjoy, the school district your children will attend, the annual amount that has been spent on taxes for the property, even the type of vehicle parking the home provides. With the simple click of the mouse, you can request even more information about the home or schedule a viewing to see the place for yourself.

If you are currently or will soon be selling a house, the service can be just as valuable for you, if not more. By listing your home on the website, you will put it in front of thousands of eyes that may not be able to see the property otherwise. Regardless of which end of the market you are in, Findourpad makes the task of buying or selling a home much easier for everyone involved.

Read also: Why Should You Consider Security Doors For Your House?

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First Investment

Invest Real Estate in Detroit: 7 Things You Need to Know Before Buying Your First Investment

Making your first investment can be a complicated and confusing process to understand. Although you know some people who have found their fortune in real estate investment, there are still several risks linked with it. You need to take extra measures to make sure you earn something from what you’ve invested. If you’re looking to get the most out of your first investment, here are seven things you need to know before buying one in Detroit: 1. Conduct research: Purchasing your first real estate investment isn’t easy. You have to do thorough research to make sure you target the type of clients you hope to do business with in the future. This process, for instance, is all about the economic side of your investment. As you’ll shell out a massive amount of money, it’s vital that you do proper research and use a useful analytical approach to determine the property that will entice your target clients. Instead of thinking about your personal preferences, it’s a good idea to study the financial factors of the specific place where the Detroit property is located. If you’re searching for real estate investment options, visit bestrealestatedirectory.com for more information. 2. Pay a down payment: Typically, properties subjected to investment ask for higher down payments than a regular building. If you buy your first real estate investment, you might need a considerable amount of cash on your pocket to accommodate at least 20% down payment. This is much greater than the 3% down payment you pay for the house you’re living in. Also, investment properties require strict requirements for approval, and you also need to spend much money for the renovation before paying the down payment. 3. Estimate the profits and expenses in advance: To make sure you make the right decision, it’s a good idea to determine how much money you currently have as well as the money you plan to borrow for your first investment. Once you’ve come up with a computation, start estimating the amount of money needed to buy and renovate a property and the corresponding operation costs. From there, assess the price you want to sell your property for and subtract the expenses so you can get a calculation of your potential profit. While these figures might not be accurate, having an estimate beforehand will help you stay on track with your finances. 4. Shop around for investment loan options: If you have limited funds to get started with your first investment, you can look for investment loan opportunities that can help you collect more money. All you need to do is find the right option that can change your current financial situation. While different options offer various benefits, be sure you choose the one that fits your circumstances. Moreover, try to check the features of each option such as if it allows you to split your repayments for a specific period of time. 5. Clear up all your debts prior to investment: As you might need more money to fund your first real estate investment, you’ll end up considering some investment loan options. However, you can’t get the most out of these financial options if you’re still carrying debts. Most financial organizations will assess your ability to borrow and pay debts, and if you fail to pay your accounts on time, chances are they’ll not approve or grant your application for a loan or any financial solution. That’s why it’s important to pay off all your debts before starting up a real estate investment. Most investment success stories would agree on this tip. 6. Go for a low-cost home: Although you’re prepared to spend thousands of dollars on your first investment, it’s wise to choose properties that are offered at a low price. After all, you still need more funds for the renovation of the real estate before you get to sell or rent to your target clients. Additionally, if you want to keep yourself in the safe zone, make your investments as low as possible by looking for low-cost properties in Detroit. Bear in mind, the lower your investments are, the higher chances of earning a high profit from it. 7. Don’t let emotions affect your decisions: When buying for the first investment, think of it as a business investment and not as a personal one. Don’t allow your emotions to overpower your decisions and goals since a substantial financial investment will be at stake here. Instead of letting your emotions affect your plans, treat it as a business in a way that you have to negotiate to obtain the most favorable price. Conclusion: Buying your first real estate investment can be a risky financial decision you can possibly make. Without proper planning and preparation, your investment might become a terrible experience. However, if you keep the tips mentioned in this article, you’ll be able to gain more money and be on the winning side of the game. Read Also: How Do Law Firms Help Companies With Their Real Estate Issues? Real Estate Syracuse NY Investment: Flipping Houses And How To Make Money From Them

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Relocation

Key Hacks To Make Your Relocation Easier!!!

Moving is such a daunting and complicated process. Not to mention but when you are moving then people will gaze at you with pity-filled eyes because all people tend to move at a certain age of their lives. The only way to make moving successful without losing your mind is by hiring movers and using key hacks. Hacks will not only make your move smoother but also make your life easier and more organized. Check out these hacks: Prepare a moving checklist  To keep everything systematic and organized, it is essential to prepare a moving checklist or download one from iMoving.com before you start the moving process. It will allow you to sort out the entire stuff more quickly which will make the entire relocation easier and effective. This will reduce the chances of any confusion during the process and also it will reduce the stress while offering you peace of mind. Get rid of almost everything  Of course, not everything but this is just the perfect time to get rid of the unused and unnecessary items. Just donate, sell or throw out items that you have not used since last year. The less the stuff you will have to pack and move, the easier and more organized the moving process will be. Be ruthless with your stuff like the coat which you think is cute but you have not worn in the last year then donate it now. Book your movers early   Remember that you are not only the one who is relocating therefore if you want to pick the right movers for yourself then you should start the process of booking movers earlier. If you leave the job at the end moment then higher are the chances that you need to compromise and will not get the movers according to your needs. Also, they will not be interested to give you deals and discounts because you will have a lesser number of options to choose from. Have an “open first” box  It allows you to put everything in a separate box that you need to stay there in your new home for the first night. You should take this box along with you in your car and ensure that it does not get lost during all the chaos of the moving process. Pack items like one or two pairs of clothing items, night suit, shampoo, soap, scissors, toilet paper, paper towel, mattress, and other items as per your requirement. Use these packing tips  Packing is the most time-consuming part of the moving process. To do it effectively and efficiently in less duration, you need to use hacks that will save your time. Don’t empty your dresser drawers and secure them by wrapping plastic wrap directly. This is only a good option for the drawers which are not too heavy. Leave the clothes onto the hangers as it is and then wrap up them in large garbage bags for transportation safely. You can use several clothing items like linens, towels, and soft items to pack breakable items such as glasses, perfumes, and so on. These can provide cushioning for fragile items and keep these items completely safe and secure. To transport knives with safety, you should use a dishtowel. A dishtowel is great to securely wrap up knives. You should always use plastic wrap around the liquid things which can spill out to save these from pouring out. All of us have suitcases present at our homes. One can use these suitcases to pack several items to make transportation of items easier. You should pack heavy items such as boxes into it. Before you close boxes, make sure you take pictures of the box's contents. While in a shot, you won’t be able to capture all the items present in the box but it will give you a general idea of what is present inside the boxes. Don’t label the boxes on the top, you should label boxes at all the sides so that during loading and stacking up of boxes, movers can get to know about the contents and can handle the box with care. When buying cardboard boxes, it is recommended you buy small and sturdy boxes. If possible then you can also get them for free from local shops. If you use big boxes then it will become awkward for a person to lift and load them. For electronic items, use the original boxes for the packing. When dissembling the furniture items, you should keep the screws and bolts along with the furniture box. If you don’t pack them along with furniture pieces then you will find yourself in a problem later when you have to assemble these items. Wrapping it all up!!! Moving is a daunting process when you see items are spreading all around. Before you start take an inventory of items and then get to know how much moving supplies you will require to pack these. then use all the above life-saving hacks to make your move easier. Read Also: The Five Most Important Things to Know Before Moving Moving house? Here’s the ultimate checklist Great Tips for Picking the Right Moving Company How To Select The Right Packing Paper For Your Moving Needs

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Buy to let mortgage

Buy to Let Mortgage Explained

A buy to let mortgage differs from a regular mortgage since it is for investors or landlords who buy property to rent out to tenants; not for their residential purposes.  The essential differences that an investor should be aware of can be provided through professional and experienced advice from mortgage brokers in the UK. Some issues linked to the subject are listed below: Buy to Let mortgage in the UK is available to individuals as well as to corporates and companies. However, a BTL mortgage for a company will have to be through a lender who accepts investment through limited companies. Maximum limit:  The amount that can be borrowed is linked to the expected rental income.  Lenders usually require the rental income to be 25-30% higher than the mortgage payment. Deposit: A deposit will be required to be paid to the lender; it is usually 25% of the value of the property (though this can escalate to about 40%). Repayments:  The two ways of paying back the mortgage are explained below: Interest-only mortgage: is self-explanatory and, every month, only the interest on the loan is paid back. This means lower monthly payments, but the loan will have to be paid at the end of the mortgage period. Repayment mortgage: is when both the interest as well as some portion of the loan itself are paid back.  A higher monthly payment will be required, but the advantage is that by the time the mortgage term matures, in all probability, the entire loan would be repaid. Depending on the investor’s capital and budget, advice will be required on the Repayment issue since lenders vary on the repayment requirements. Taxes:  Both Capital Gains Tax and Income Tax are payable on buy to let properties. Capital Gains Tax: The rate is payable dependent on the income bracket of the investor. By adjusting property purchase fees (or even losses from another BTL property), this tax can be reduced. Income Tax: Landlords will not be able to deduct the mortgage interest from rental income.  Instead, the total mortgage interest payment will receive a 20% tax relief.  Fees like council tax or property maintenance charges can be offset if the annual income allowable is exceeded. BTL remortgage: By switching to another deal once the current mortgage is over, a BTL remortgage can sometimes be advantageous as the interest rate can be lower. If a remortgage is required earlier, lenders usually require a minimum time of 6 months after the title deeds are transferred before they will consider this.  However, arrangement fees for BTL are high so remortgaging can be expensive and, since interest rates can fluctuate, the pros and cons will need to be carefully reviewed. Regulation of Buy to let mortgage:  Most of these mortgages are not regulated by the FCA as they are treated as business borrowing. However, Consumer BTL mortgages are handled in the same way as residential mortgages by the FCA, protecting the investor from fraud or incorrect advice.  This type of mortgage is for “accidental landlords” - it is defined as ‘a buy-to-let mortgage contract which is not entered into by the borrower wholly or predominantly for the purposes of a business carried on, or intended to be carried on, by the borrower.’  For example, if the property is bought for relatives to live in, it would be considered as a Consumer BTL mortgage. Legislation:  Investors need a tenancy agreement, outlining the terms and responsibilities of both parties.   The rented property should be kept safe with a fire alarm and all gas and electrical equipment maintained in good condition.  An energy performance certificate should be provided to the tenant.  The tenant’s right to rent should be checked.  The deposit should be protected in a Government-backed scheme. Conclusion:  As in every critical decision, the pros and cons need to be weighed.  In the case of a Buy to Let mortgage, some of them are: Advantages: Demand: With the demand exceeding supply, the rental market is suitable for investors. Capital gain: Although there is a risk with the value of property fluctuating, “brick-and-mortar” has usually survived and increased in value. Income: With the rental trend increasing, the revenue should be an asset. Disadvantages: High fees: Fees, deposits, and admin/legal costs can be increased. Rental voids: There is the risk of having no tenant or a tenant who is problematic with payments. Legal: Keeping in line with the legal requirements can be a big responsibility. Should a BTL mortgage be decided on, just keep in mind that the stamp duty holiday is till 31 March 2021 and so all necessary documentation should be completed well in time if this benefit is to be availed! Read Also: Federal Government and the Subprime Mortgage Crisis They Created 7 Expert Tips In Finding The Best Mortgage Broker In Vancouver Finding the Best Mortgage Lenders to Buy Your Dream House

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