84,980
Existing homes sold in Washington in 2010. Up 0.1% from 2009.

4.62%
Average mortgage rate in 4th quarter 2010. Down from 6.21% in 4th quarter 2005.

$250,400
Median existing home sales price in Washington in 2010. Down 1.6% from 2009.

149.4
All-buyer Housing Affordability Index in 4th quarter 2010. Record high affordability. Median income family has 49.4% more income than minimum required to purchase median price home statewide.

46.8%
Decline in existing home sales (units) since 2005 peak.

20.4%
Decline in median home price since 2007 peak.

51.8%
First-time home buyers in Washington who cite tax advantages … read full article

So you’ve been considering buying a home or a second home but aren’t sure it’s quite the right time. Here are some suggestions that might help you to know if now is THE time and that may even make the buying process go more smoothly. These are not the fun and exciting parts of pursuing the purchase of a home, but they are a reality. So here you go…

1) Become familiar with the market. You probably have an idea of the general area that you would like to buy a home; there are a variety of ways … read full article

OPALCO is offering a new energy assessment tool: The Home Snapshot Energy Assessment. The new assessment is more comprehensive and skillful than the energy audits formerly performed by OPALCO staff and is offered for a fee of $25.

What this includes is:
• 2-hour Assessment & Consultation with a BPI Professional
• New CFL Light Bulbs Installed
• Low Flow Shower Heads Installed
• Written Reports Detailing Recommendations

Some items recently discovered during Energy Audits include:
• Recalled Electrical Panels
• Recalled Heaters
• Insufficient Ventilation / Moisture (Mold) Issues with Attics & Crawlspaces
• Standing Water & … read full article

It’s that time of year again: the grass is threatening to grow and need mowing and the snow seems gone for good. Seed catalogs are coming in the mail and the flowering trees are starting to bud out. In my yard I can see the daffodils thrusting their long green leaves through the grass. These hardy and cheerful flowers can often be seen in fields of old farms, next to old homesteads, and in contemporary farms with livestock, a relic of the past. Nothing seems to like to eat the flowers, one of the first bulbs to give … read full article