We have some bad news, some good news, and some really great news!

Here’s a tale from Alaska, where life is tough and humor is dark…

The day after his wife disappeared in a kayaking accident, an Anchorage man answered his door to find two grim-faced Alaska State Troopers.

“We’re sorry Mr. Wilkens, but we have some information about your wife,” said one trooper.

“Tell me! Did you find her?” Wilkens cried.

The troopers looked at each other. One said, “We have some bad news, some good news, and some really great news. Which do you want to hear first?”

Fearing the worst, an ashen Mr. Wilkens said, “Give me the bad news first.”

The trooper said, “I’m sorry to tell you, sir, but this morning we found your wife’s body in Kachemak Bay.”

“Oh no!” exclaimed Wilkens. Swallowing hard, he asked, “What’s the good news?”

The trooper said, “When we pulled her up, she had a dozen 25-pound King crabs and 6 good-sized Dungeness crabs clinging to her, and we feel you are entitled to a share in the catch.”

Stunned, Mr. Wilkens demanded, “If that’s the good news, what’s the great news?”

The trooper said, “We’re going to pull her up again tomorrow!”

Are They Smarter Than Us?

People who are good with money are truly different from the rest of us. Know why? They use tax code to their advantage in ways the rest of don’t even know about or take the time to learn.

One example of this – they take the equity in their home, financed at a lower interest rate, then invest the it in tax-deferred accounts, according to a new study.

In other words, they are getting a tax break on both sides of the deal.  These investors deduct the mortgage interest on their tax returns and then sit back and watch their money grow tax-free.

The study found that taxpayers who itemize were more likely to have high mortgage debt and they also found that investing in a tax-sheltered retirement account was related to higher mortgage debt.

The results seem to indicate that the more sophisticated households are responding to government tax incentives by borrowing against their house and investing in their 401(k).

There’s nothing illegal here. The government has created this incentive.  It’s a wonder why even more people don’t take advantage of this this setup.

But is this a good idea to risk your home equity?

The downsides

In some ways, it’s not a good idea. For instance, the incentive — the mortgage interest deduction — that encourages homeowners to borrow against the value in their home results in this potential problem: It appears to encourage greater housing leverage and vulnerability to housing price shocks. Indeed, “there is increasing concern, especially in light of the recent housing crisis, that rising mortgage debt among older households is a prelude to foreclosure or financial distress during retirement.

Plus, you are more vulnerable to income shocks. If you lose your job at age 58 and you’ve got extensive mortgage debt and you’ve got all your money in sheltered accounts it might not be so easy to take your money early out of sheltered accounts to pay your mortgage every month.

What’s more, you could lose on both bets. The value of your house could decline along with the value o your 401(k), which is exactly what happened staring in 2006.  If you are in your late 50s, having an extensive proportion of your retirement savings invested in equities funds is the rational thing to do,” said Finke. “It just didn’t work out very well in 2008 and 2009.

Another potential downside is this: If tax law changes, especially the mortgage interest tax deduction, then you’ve got a little bit of risk there.

And finally, there’s the risk that you won’t invest the borrowed money in a sheltered account. Paying down one’s mortgage is an example of thrift and sound financial decision making.  And that’s essentially a behavioral argument That is saying that people are able to accumulate wealth passively by paying down their mortgage. And, if you encourage people to start pulling money out of their house they might then spend it on things that are not in their long-run best interest. So, you also have to consider when you pull money out of your house, are you really going to invest it in a sheltered account or are you the kind of person to buy an RV and deplete your wealth right before you need it the most in retirement.

The upsides

One positive, however, is this: When you look at your total portfolio, not just your financial assets, but the entire portfolio from which you plan to fund your retirement, you’ll find that taking on more mortgage debt changes your overall asset allocation in ways that might be beneficial.

As we age, we tend to accumulate home equity which is essentially increasing the bond share of our portfolios.  Borrowing against this home equity allows us to maintain our optimal portfolio balance of stocks and bond-like assets.

The home equity, Finke said, is not providing you the same kind of upside potential as an equity portfolio will.  What an economist would say is that you should have a rational allocation of your household wealth in bonds and equities. But what happens over time, with your home is that you are essentially investing more and more in a bond-like asset. And, so, by simply paying off your mortgage you’re investing more and more in a bond. And it may be rational for you, especially if you are in your 50s to be shifting some of the wealth into the stock market.

In practice

So what if you decide lever up your home and invest in retirement accounts?  Make sure you’re in a position to maintain your mortgage payments should you suffer an income shock. You’re exposing yourself to a certain amount of risk so you want to make sure you have enough in emergency funds to make your mortgage payment.

The present system encourages upper income households to increase their leverage and that could make them more vulnerable during a recession. If they lose their job, they may also lose their home.

Voters Strongly Value Homeownership

By an overwhelming margin, American voters, including those in Seattle, strongly value homeownership and believe tax incentives are appropriate and reasonable.

Three-fourths of voters who took part in a new nationwide survey affirmed their belief in homeownership, saying owning a home is the best long-term investment they can make.

Survey respondents also said they object to efforts to weaken or eliminate the mortgage interest deduction or diminish a federal role to help qualified home buyers obtain affordable 30-year mortgages.

“The American electorate is sending a clear message that owning a home remains a cornerstone of the American Dream and preserving a federal commitment to homeownership is essential to maintain a thriving middle class and get housing and the economy back on track,” said Neil Newhouse, a partner and co-founder of Public Opinion Strategies. His company conducted the survey in early January to gauge likely voters’ attitudes toward homeownership and housing policy issues.

The comprehensive survey of 1500 voters, conducted on behalf of the National Association of Home Builders by the Republican and Democratic polling firms of Public Opinion Strategies in Alexandria, Va., and Lake Research Partners in Washington, D.C., includes data from key political “swing areas.”

The poll shows that three out of four voters (both owners and renters) believe it is appropriate and reasonable for the federal government to provide tax incentives to promote homeownership. That sentiment cuts across regional and party lines, with 84 percent of Democrats, 71 percent of Republicans and 71 percent of Independents saying they agreed with the statement.

Two-thirds of respondents said the federal government should help home buyers to afford a long-term or 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage.

Nearly three fourths (73 percent) of voters oppose eliminating the mortgage interest deduction. These figures held firm across the political spectrum, with 77 percent of Republicans, 71 percent of Democrats and 71 percent of Independents against eliminating the mortgage interest deduction.

More than two-thirds of those polled (68 percent) would be less likely to vote for a congressional candidate who proposed to abolish the deduction, a figure that was virtually identical across all party affiliations (69 percent of Independents and 68 percent of Democrats and Republicans).

A majority of voters are also against proposals to reduce the mortgage interest deduction, eliminate the deduction for interest paid for a second home, limit the deduction for those earning more than $250,000 per year, scale back the deduction for home owners with mortgages above $500,000 and do away with the deduction for interest paid on home equity loans.

“With the 2012 election season in full swing, candidates running for the White House and Congress would be wise to heed the will of the American voters, who have expressed broad support for government policies that encourage homeownership and oppose efforts to make it more difficult to get a home loan and to tamper with the mortgage interest deduction,” said Celinda Lake, president of Lake Research Partners.

Among the poll’s other key findings:

• An overwhelming number — 96 percent — of home owners are happy with their decision to own and 84 percent who are “underwater,” or owe more on their mortgages than their home is worth, expressed the same sentiment.
• 79 percent of home owners would advise a family member or close friend just starting out to buy a home, and 69 percent of those who are underwater on their mortgage would offer the same advice.
• 74 percent said that despite the ups and downs in the housing market, owning a home is the best long-term investment they can make.
• Homeownership and a retirement savings program are considered by voters to be their best long-term investments.
• 78 percent of respondents said that owning their own home is very important to them.
• Nearly seven out of 10 voters who are not currently home owners (68 percent) said it was a goal of theirs to buy a home.
• Job uncertainty and saving for a downpayment and closing costs are the biggest barriers to buying a home.

The survey findings are consistent with the results of other public opinion surveys. In a New York Times/CBS News poll conducted in June, 89 percent said that homeownership is an important part of the American Dream and more than 90 percent indicated that it is important for the federal government to continue the mortgage interest deduction.

According to a Pew Research Study conducted last March, 81 percent of respondents agree that buying a home is the best long-term investment a person can make and 81 percent of renters surveyed said they would like to buy a house.

“Even in a down housing market, homeownership remains a core American value, with the vast majority of citizens who do not currently own a home saying they want to buy a home,” said Bob Nielsen, president of the National Association of Home Builders and a home builder from Reno, Nevada. “Those running for office in November need to understand that voters will not look kindly on any candidates who seek to dismantle the nation’s long-term commitment to homeownership.”

Homes designed to produce as much energy as they use

How about your home paying you!  How cool would that be.  We been watching news and developments about homes designed to produce as much energy as they use — one of which is a stylish modern prefab to benefit Brad Pitt’s charity.

Since actor Pitt founded the non-profit Make It Right in 2007 to build low-cost, sustainable homes for New Orleans’ Hurricane Katrina victims, green building has exploded nationwide. On Friday, two builders are announcing plans to offer affordable homes designed to produce as much energy as they use — one of which is a stylish modern prefab to benefit Pitt’s charity.

California-based LivingHomes, a developer of high-end, ultra-green, factory-built homes, is debuting its lowest-cost model ever — the C6 — that will be available in most states. The 1,232 square-foot. $179,000 prefab, which is about half the size of the average new U.S. home, has three bedrooms and two baths as well as a courtyard that blends indoor and outdoor living. Part of the proceeds from each home’s sale will be donated to Make It Right.

“This is by far the most energy-efficient home we’ve built,” says LivingHomes’ CEO Steve Glenn, noting it’s designed to earn the top or platinum rating from the U.S. Green Building Council. He says it’s also the easiest and fastest one to build, since it’s fully constructed by Cavco — a manufactured housing company with factories nationwide — in less than two months and installed on-site in one day.

Also late this week, Scottsdale-based Shea Homes, the developer of Trilogy resort communities and a builder in eight states, is announcing the launch of its “no-electric bill” home aimed at the age 55-plus, Baby Boomer set. The “SheaXero” will combine energy efficiency with solar panels to produce all the power the house is expected to need.

FOLLOW:  Green House on Twitt

Other production builders have also debuted affordable, zero-energy homes as green building appears to be gaining market share in a still sluggish housing industry. Green homes, which comprised 17% of new residential construction last year, are expected to increase to 29% to 38% of the market by 2016, according to a report last week by McGraw-Hill Construction, a part of The McGraw-Hill Companies.

By value, the McGraw Hill report said this growth equates to a five-fold increase — $17 billion in 2011 to $87-$114 billion in 2016. It attributes the hike to consumers’ interest in “higher quality” and lower utility bills as well as the decreasing costs of building green — down from an extra 11% in 2006 to 7% today.

At LivingHomes, Steve Glenn says the new C6 is “less than half the costs of our lowest cost home.” He says his company has learned from its own experience and from its partnerships with both Cavco and Make It Right on how to get the most bang for the buck.

The model’s average price of $179,000 does not include the solar panels needed to make the homes zero-energy nor does it include the costs of transportation, assembly, permitting and site preparation. Those items could add another $50,000. Land is also not included.

Glenn says the homes are not only energy-efficient but also sustainable because they use Cradle-to-Cradle inspired products such as cork flooring and natural wood millwork.

“Many of the products are available at The Home Depot,” Glenn said, citing their affordability and accessibility should replacements be needed.

The C6 was inspired by the modern homes built by developer Joe Eichler throughout California in the 1950s and 1960s that were organized around a courtyard accessed through multiple sliding glass doors. It has floor-to-ceiling glass, clerestory windows, light tubes and transom windows, as well as a lighting control system accessible from an iPhone.

Glenn says there are much cheaper prefab homes available, but they’re not nearly as stylish.

“We’re targeting people who really value design and sustainability,” Glenn says, adding his customers are likely to shop at Whole Foods, drive a Toyota Prius and practice yoga.

I’d love your comments on this.  Feel free to chime in.

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Report: Seattle Home buying Most affordable in decades

http://www.mynorthwesthomes.com

Home prices are at rock-bottom and so are mortgage rates.  According to the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Opportunity Index hit a record level of affordability.

Buying a home is now more affordable than it has been in the last twenty years.

The index shows that 75.9%  families earning the national median income of $64,200, could afford a new or existing homes.

That was the highest percentage recorded in the 20-year history of the index, and a sharp increase from just three months earlier when 72.9% of all homes sold were considered affordable.

Today’s report indicates that home ownership is within reach of more households than it has been for more than two decades.

Those who obtain a mortgage, will be able to take advantage of rates that seem to hit a new low every week. This week interest rates for 30-year loans averaged a record low of 3.87%, according to Freddie Mac.

Where the deals are

The Seattle area is more affordable as well with 67.5 percent of homes within reach of those earning the median income of $85,600. That’s the highest number recorded since the index started in the first quarter of 1999.

Youngstown, Ohio is the most affordable major metro area in the nation to buy a home, according to the NAHB. The faded steel town, located in eastern Ohio, could be on the verge of an economic renaissance with new gas drilling techniques that could help exploit nearby gas reserves, according to the report.

There, 95.1% of homes sold during the quarter were deemed affordable to typical local households earning the area’s median family income of $54,900.

The other metro areas near the top of the list included Lakeland, Fla., Modesto, Calif., Harrisburg, Pa., and Toledo, Ohio.

Among small housing markets, Kokomo, Ind. had the highest housing affordability index with more than 99% of all homes sold there affordable to typical families. Fairbanks, Alaska, Cumberland, Md., Lima, Ohio, and Rockford, Ill. were all very affordable as well.

In other cities in Washington state, Spokane was the most affordable with 82.2 percent of homes within reach of those earning the median income of $60,300. Olympia recorded 81.8 percent; Tacoma, 78.5 percent; Bremerton-Silverdale, 70.1 percent; Bellingham, 69.7 percent; and Mount Vernon-Anacortes, 60.5 percent.

New Yorkers could only shake their heads at the housing opportunities available outside their metro area. Just 29% of the homes sold in the New York metro area during the last three months of 2011 were affordable for the typical local family.

That’s the lowest level in the U.S. — even though locals typically earned $67,400, roughly $3,000 more than the national median. It was New York’s 15th consecutive quarter as the least affordable metro area.

Nearly as expensive are housing markets in Honolulu, San Francisco, Santa Ana, Calif., and Los Angeles.

We’d love to be your trusted source for news, information and all things real estate. Call Dave and his team today at 425-330-0663 and start planning your house warming party!

Start your home search here
Low down payment programs
Find a great deal on a Bank Owned Home

Let’s Have Some Fun Shopping For Your New Home!

That’s the message we have for our clients. Finding your next home should be fun and enjoyable. You’re moving into a new place and you get to choose which place that will be.

Think about that for a minute. You’ll meet new people, get a new outlook on your life, and you’ll probably be moving into a home more suitable for your lifestyle, or buying your very first home.

That’s exciting, yet many people miss the fun because they can’t get into the right frame of mind for it.

Financing, inspections, appraisals, and the pressures and anxiety associated with relocating can weigh down your spirit. And that’s why it’s so important to work with my team.  We work very hard to take the stress out of the buying process and allow you to enjoy it.

Having the right agent means having someone there to help search for homes and show you homes you’re going to want to see. Most buyers are searching on-line now, but our team knows the market and knows the right areas and homes that are going to fit your wants and needs. It’s a different experience driving all over looking at everything you can find, and having someone schedule and only show you through the homes that you’ll want to see. It’s not about wasting time- it’s about the experience.

Would you rather take two weeks seeing fifty homes that aren’t what you want and five that are, or would you rather spend an afternoon just seeing the five that are what you want? Actually wasting all that time going through those other homes can be very frustrating and drain the excitement from your search. If you spend thirty minutes walking through each home and driving to the next- seeing fifty homes means wasting twenty five hours of time being frustrated.

Having a great experience also means having an agent that is going to negotiate price and terms that are good for you, ensuring your investment is prudent, and that you win the deal.

Dave and his team handle the entire workload for you, scheduling inspections and appraisals and negotiating all the issues that arise from them. It means coordinating the transaction all the way closing so that you can enjoy yourself and the process. And it means having a single point of contact before, during, and after the sale where you can get answers to your questions and information.

Buying a home should be an exciting experience. You should be able to have some fun with it and not have to worry about the details. Let someone help you with your relocation and educate you about different areas and schools and the feel of different neighborhoods and cities.

Think of all the things you’re going to enjoy about your new space and all the memories you’ll make in your new home. Imagine reading in your new sitting room, or cooking in your new kitchen. Think of having friends and family relaxing and sharing conversation in your new family room. Have some fun with your search and work with an agent who will work for you and make the process more enjoyable so you can be excited and have some enthusiasm for your yet-to-be-discovered new home.

We’d love to be your trusted source for news, information and all things real estate.  Call Dave and his team today at 425-330-0663 and start planning your house warming party!

Start your home search here
Low down payment programs
Find a great deal on a Bank Owned Home

The Ultimate Aphrodisiac? What a Third of Women and 18% of Men Say is a Big Turn On!

Is this true?  Is this true about Seattle?  When it comes to dating, homeownership can be the ultimate aphrodisiac.

In a survey of 1,000 single people, more than a third of women and 18% of men said they would much rather date a homeowner than a renter.

Only 2% of women said they preferred to date a man who rents, while only 3% of men said they would choose a woman who rents over one that owns her home, according to the survey, which was conducted by Harris Interactive for real estate site Trulia.

Both sexes also clearly prefer it when there’s no roommate in the picture; 62% of survey respondents, men and women, prefer to date singles who live alone.

How do you feel about it?  I know for myself, a woman that chooses to have a man in her life vs. “needs” a man is wonderful.  Many of you know that one thing I found exciting about Robin was the fact she was investing in single family properties . . . as a single mother of three!  She had more guts than I did.  And she was doing well at it.

I’d love your thoughts on this.

Where have prices risen the most in the last month?

Median list prices nationwide have risen 4.05 percent on a year-over-year basis, according to November housing data of 146 metro areas. Fewer cities are reporting year-over-year list price declines, “suggesting a growing optimism on the part of sellers about 2012 market conditions.”

So where have prices risen the most in the last month? The following are the 10 cities that saw the largest median list price increases from October to November.

1. Central Fla.-Regional Statistical Area.  Month-to-month median increase: 5.63 percent. Year-over-year increase: 14.27 percent. Median list price: $169,000

2. Phoenix-Mesa, Ariz.  Month-to-month increase: 4.46 percent. Year-over-year increase: 10.54 percent.  Median list price: $164,700

3. Miami, Fla.  Month-to-month increase: 3.60 percent. Year-over-year increase: 29.50 percent. Median list price: $259,000

4. Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Fla.  Month-to-month increase: 3 percent. Year-over-year decrease: -2.50 percent.  Median list price: $144,200

5. New York, N.Y.  Month-to-month increase: 2.71 percent.  Year-over-year decrease: -2.57 percent.  Median list price: $379,000

6. Fort Myers-Cape Coral, Fla.  Month-to-month increase: 2.69 percent.  Year-over-year increase: 21.63 percent. Median list price: $224,900

7. Iowa City, Iowa  Month-to-month increase: 2.50 percent.  Year-over-year increase: 3.02 percent.  Median list price: $204,900

8. Tucson, Ariz.  Month-to-month increase: 2.41 percent.  Year-over-year increase: 2.41 percent.  Median list price: $174,000

9. Sarasota-Bradenton, Fla.  Month-to-month increase: 2.13 percent.  Year-over-year increase: 16.56 percent.  Median list price: $240,000

10. West Palm Beach-Boca Raton, Fla.  Month-to-month increase: 1.86 percent. Year-over-year increase: 15.26 percent. Median list price: $219,000

We have the numbers on the Seattle area as well.  Click here to find out.

Housing market “healing itself,” numbers are “astoundingly good”

Pending sales may not appear to be much higher than 2011 (up 13.7 percent in January), but the numbers are very good, considering such factors as harsh weather and the tax credits that boosted sales at this time a year ago.

The latest figures from Northwest Multiple Listing Service show pending sales in January outgained the same month a year ago by 739 transactions. Brokers reported 6,132 mutually accepted offers in January to start the year with a 13.7 increase over the January 2011 figure of 5,393 pending sales.

Given that we lost a week with some of the worst weather in 16 years, the numbers are astoundingly good.  This is the first January in four that we can make a reasonable year-over-year comparison.  The numbers are no longer skewed by the artificial stimulus of various tax credits and incentives that date to 2009.  The improvement in the numbers show that the market is healing itself and standing on its own.

Declining inventory, extremely low interest rates, and positive job growth are contributing to rising optimism among industry professionals, but Northwest MLS directors say distressed properties continue to be a drag on the market’s recovery.

Inventory is down almost 20 percent from a year ago. Brokers added 6,666 new listings to inventory during January, with single family homes making up about 85 percent of those additions. At month end, MLS members reported 26,226 total active listings; a year ago, there were 32,647 active listings.

Despite the smaller selection, the price choices overall are wide ranging, from a low of $13,000 for a manufactured home in Sultan to an asking price of $26.8 million for a waterfront home on Mercer Island.

Snohomish County reported the sharpest drop in inventory, with the selection at about two-thirds of the year-ago levels (a decline of 32.6 percent). Several of the 29 MLS map areas within King County also reported declines of 30 percent or more in the total number of active listings.

The ongoing reduction of available inventory is still impacting the market.

The lower number of new listings coming on the market is due to a combination of factors, said J. Lennox Scott, CEO and chairman of John L. Scott Real Estate.  Among them are underwater sellers (who owe more on their homes than the current value), sellers with equity holding off for higher prices, and the lack of new construction/condominiums. The low number of new listings combined with the increase in sales activity is creating the shortage of homes for sale in specific areas and price ranges,” Scott reported.

Northwest MLS reported 3,469 closed sales last month, up nearly 8.2 percent from a year ago when members reported 3,207 completed transactions.

“A sellers’ market has returned in the areas close to the job centers of Seattle and Bellevue, up to the one million dollar price point,” Scott noted, adding, “We are also seeing the same situation in the more affordable price ranges in the surrounding market areas, caused by a shortage of inventory and healthy-to-strong sales activity.”

Echoing that sentiment was Northwest MLS director Frank Wilson, who said, “Inventory in many price points and locations is dropping and what buyers are finding are overpriced or under staged homes.” Wilson, the branch managing broker at John L. Scott Real Estate in Poulsbo, also foresees upward pressure on prices as choices become narrower.

For now, however, prices are showing mixed signs –stabilizing in some areas while declining or increasing in other areas.

The median price for last month’s closed sales of single family homes and condominiums (combined) was $214,990, down about 11.7 percent from a year ago when the median selling price was $243,500. The price changes ranged from year-over-year increases reported in five counties (Ferry, Grant, Kittitas, Mason, and Pacific) to declines of up to 40 percent (in Clallam and Grays Harbor counties).

“Price increases are muted by short sales and foreclosures that are causing low appraisal values,” observed Scott.

MLS directors Jacobi and Wilson agreed.

“We are simultaneously seeing the continued rise in pending and closed sales,” Jacobi stated. “Usually pent up demand and rising sales means that prices will be going up. But, unfortunately, that isn’t the case thanks to the high level of distressed properties that continue to drag down the entire market,” he explained.

“What is tempering our real estate recovery in Kitsap and much of Puget Sound are the short sales and REO properties that are on the market and the way the banks are dealing with their sales process,” said Wilson, while pointing to several encouraging signs.

All the pieces are in place for a more normal market in much of Kitsap, Wilson said. “With pending sales up 17 percent in Kitsap, buyers are taking advantage of the values this market is offering and the extremely low interest rates. If this trend continues we should begin seeing price appreciation as we progress into the year,” he remarked.

Improving numbers show the artificial stimulus of the tax credits was not the key to the recovering market, suggested Anderson. “Instead, today’s affordability has buyers in all price segments returning – and feeling more confident about the future.”

Northwest MLS director Darin Stenvers believes “the perfect storm is brewing.” He said the pent-up need for homes in good condition is creating shorter market times and sales close to the original asking price. “It is a great time for sellers who have been waiting,” said Stenvers, the office managing broker at John L. Scott Real Estate in Bellingham.

“The market is almost done with the needed correction,” Stenvers stated, adding, “Distressed homes and REOs are not going away fast but have slowed and should soon level off.” He also foresees a loosening of overly restrictive lending guidelines.

Reflecting on a real estate career that dates to 1990, Wilson said, “I remember at the height of the market people would say ‘I wish I would have bought some waterfront back in 2001…or I wish I would have picked up a couple of rentals a few years ago’.”  For these people, “the clock has been rolled back and you now have an opportunity to purchase real estate near the bottom of the market,” he suggested.

Northwest Multiple Listing Service, owned by its member real estate firms, is the largest full-service MLS in the Northwest. Its membership includes more than 22,000 real estate brokers. The organization, based in Kirkland, Wash., currently serves 21 counties in Washington state.

Got a Dog?

This area including Seattle is loves dogs!  Someone told me once that there are more dogs living in Seattle than children.  Hmm.. I don‘t know about that but if that were the case, there would probably a number of reasons why.  For one, people who live here are crazy about their dogs.

And have you been to a dog park in spring?  Dog owners in Seattle love to mingle and socialize with other dog owners at various dog parks around the city. The off-leash parks are the most popular.

People here do everything with their dogs.  I was in line at a bank the other day and this gal had a little something (looked like a rat) in her purse.  All you could see it a wet nose.  And don’t mention walking and running with your dog.  If you like to go running with your dog, check out this online community of Seattle Dog Runners called Djog . The slogan is “Creating canine contentment one Djog at a time.

For a map of “dog parks” click here.  Woof!