What investment properties are you looking for – and what can you actually find? Our market has been tumultuous the last 4 or 5 years – with prices falling month after month, year after year, then increasing in some areas, then falling again as delayed foreclosures finally moved through the system and came on the market.

As different neighborhoods have re-stabilized at different rates, prices have made amazing jumps. Where $70,000 might have bought you a fixer somewhere in the outskirts of Seattle a year ago, now it might take $140,000, and be in a different part of town.

Condominiums are still the cheapest, but often times the riskiest, since you need to know exactly what’s going on in the building as a whole (both structurally and financially) to make an informed decision about what to pay.

The least expensive properties are still the bank-owned (also known as REO’s), followed by short sales. But the occasional non-distressed property can also present you with a wonderful value opportunity – in better condition, with the utilities on, and a quick decision-making process. These can be rental properties quickly, without the big headache often accompanying short sales or dreadful-condition REO’s, and may have much less deferred maintenance. Their low prices are due to their proximity to distressed properties, rather than the condition they’re in.

Contact me for more information about specific properties, or about estimating rental incomes. And I hope to see you November 8 at the Mount Baker Community Club! Come share wine and appetizers with us, and have a chance to review some of the basics regarding real estate investments. This isn’t a sales pitch, just generally good information from a property manager, a lender or two, info on self-directed IRA’s, an accountant, etc. as well as an opportunity to ask questions. See you there!

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This is a great intro to home buying for people who have never done it before and need some info to get started. Get it here and share it with your friends!

The post Steps to Buying for First Time Home Buyers appeared first on Virginia Calvin.

Most of us hire a small business or even a one-person outfit when we need something done around the house. Sometimes we are very pleased with the result, but sometimes we’re not. This directory originated as a shared-resource of first-hand home repair and remodeling referrals from my clients and friends. All of the vendors included here they deemed reliable, honest, responsive, and definitely worth referring.

This is the third update and I am continually looking for more good people to add. If you know someone you’d like to refer, let me know!

I have compiled these word-of-mouth referrals into a downloadable ebook (rather than a hard copy) for the first time ever – enjoy! Enter your email address in the box at the top of this page to download it.

Have you hired one of these contractors for a home project? Please drop me a line and let me know how your experience was!

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