Step Outside The Box

This past weekend I literally stepped outside the box. I participated in a mounted police training session with my 3 yr. old horse Diego. I am NOT a daredevil at all. This was an activity that was FAR outside my zone of comfort. It was liberating and thrilling to realize that I am much more capable than I thought. This was more than a horse lesson. It was a life lesson. Sometimes you need to shake it up a bit and reach outside your comfort zone. Open yourself to a new experience.

Getting Involved

I have volunteered to be my community organizer for the Democrats. This is quite a step for me as I have always found politics to be a very personal issue. I can be a bit ambivalent about party politics and have never been officially involved in politics in any capacity. Despite my ambivalence, I have faithfully voted in every election since I turned 18. I think it is a huge privileged to be able to vote and we all must give our opinion and support to the candidate that most closely mirrors our views on how we want our country to be run. I have long felt that at the very least, if the candidate that I support doesn't get elected, I have the right to say that the woes of my country are NOT MY FAULT! So please, regardless of your beliefs, educate yourselves on all of the issues that effect you lives and VOTE for someone. This country is too precious to entrust it's care to someone you do not believe will do a good job.

My Favorite Stock Options.....

After much debate and self rationalizing.... we have added a new member to our family. Cyder-Ella is a wonderful little pony that we found for my daughter right before the current stock market issues arose. Many of my close friends work as stock brokers and financial planners. They have encouraged me to invest in the market over the years. We have put most of our money in to our home (real estate is a great long term investment, even with the hit that the market has taken lately!) I love to tell people that the only stock that I own has four legs.....So many farms and stables are in trouble financially and need homes for some really wonderful and experienced horses and ponies. Cynder has settled in to our fabulous boarding stable without any issues at all. I am excited to be able to share one of my lifelong pursuits with my daughter!

GIVING BACK

I am excited to announce that I am in the process of developing a new program that will allow me to give 10% of my share of commission on the sale or purchase of a home to any designated charitable institution. I have been inspired to do this by some of the other agents in my office and by my younger sister who is deaply involved in humanitarian issues. This is a small way that I can both encourage people to use me as an agent and help make the world a better place.

The process will work like this: you use me as an agent to either list your home or help you find a new home. After closing on the house, I will send a check in your name to a predesignated charity. It is really pretty simple and could make a big difference to some organizations. My sister is involved in helping find orphans in Haiti and Burkina Faso homes. A mere $12 can vaccinate a child for Malaria. So a check for several hundred dollars to this type of organization would make a big impact. If any of you would like more information on this project, drop me an email.

Exciting Interest Rates!

Interest rates are DROPPING like a rock. One day last week rates went to 5.1% on 30 year fixed rate mortgages. This low rate only held for 4 hours, but still, rates are dropping like a rock. So how do you know when to fix your rate? When will they go up? If you fix a rate are you "stuck" with it?

It can be quite a job of speculation to decide when you should fix your rate. News of the feds dropping the wholesale rate makes everyone believe the home mortgage rate will drop too. This CAN be true, but not allways. The fed rates drop as a way to stimulate the economy. The mortage rate is low due to the slow economy. So, at some point the stimulation of the economy will cause a RISE in rates instead of a drop. That is where speculation comes in!

If you fix a rate, you are not STUCK with it untill after you close on the loan. You may have to pay a penalty ($300) to get out of the loan, but you are not bound to it until you sign at closing. Some loans have provisions to fix your rate while you are shopping for a home. If the rates drop prior to you finding a home and closing on it you have a one time ability to reset the loan rate at the lower rate.

Hmmmmmm......all this talk of rates makes me want to move or refinance.......

The Real Estate GAME?

I woke up this morning with a phrase running through my head. "Buying a home is not a GAME". Often I hear other Realtors refer to their job as a "game". I can think of nothing less "game" like than buying or selling a home. It is listed as one of life's biggest stresses. To have a realtor who thinks it is some kind of a "game" is a little disturbing. I can only surmise that people in the industry who feel this way are on some sort of power trip. There is a ton of negotiation and strategy involved in buying a home. Buyers and Sellers both rely heavily on the advice of their realtor's . I view it as a huge responsibility. Some view it as a game.....

New Year, New Attitude

I hope all of my readers have had a wonderful holiday. The Thompson holiday was a busy one with celebrations and a busy work and teaching schedule. The new year brings me many resolutions. In fact, I have resolved to be a daily blogger in 2008! So check back regularly for interesting information on Western Washington and the real estate market. Nation wide it looks like real estate markets are beginning to steady. It seems (hopefully) the worst of the credit crisis is behind us and we can look forward to a year of steady or growing home prices. On a local front the outlook is even better. Buyers who were holding back on entering the market are beginning their search. Hopefully home owners thinking about a change will go ahead and list their properties now that the holidays are past and help out our low inventory! There are still "bargains" coming on the market every week for the savvy shopper. I have been seeing more sales pending at close to asking price and I haven't seen any low ball sales in a few weeks. This is good news for the sellers and a message to the reluctant buyers that now is time to leap in to the market.