Blog - Denni Shefrin

Buying, Selling

Seattle housing: Is it a bubble?

Single-family house values in Seattle shot up 10.8 percent year-over-year in March, the second highest in the nation after Portland, according to the latest S&P/Case-Shiller index. It’s a new record, surpassing the previous peak in the summer of 2007 — and we saw how that turned out. Nationally, the increase was 5.2 percent. Here, it’s […]
Living

Multigenerational homes are back in style, with more breathing room

Bob and Myrna Conrad, both 65, share a house with their son Wade, 41, his wife, Dana, 42, and their grandson Bryce, 21. Isn’t it crowded? Don’t they cramp one another’s style? Actually, no. “We just set some ground rules, and it’s been working great,” said Wade Conrad, who has been living with his extended […]
Living, Selling

6 Deck Renovations That Really Pay Off—and 1 That Doesn’t

Charles Schmidt/iStock If there’s one thing that unites this great country—especially once the weather starts getting warmer and barbecue season gets ever so tantalizingly closer—it is our passionate, even obsessive love for our outdoor decks. Truth be told, just about all of us desire a perch from which to survey our backyard (or rooftop) kingdom, lazily hang out, or […]
Market News

Scarce listings drive King County home prices to new highs

The median price of single-family homes sold in King County hit a new all-time high last month — $514,975 — amid record-low inventory, heralding even more intense bidding wars ahead in the typically busy spring home-buying season. Ominously, the more affordable Snohomish and Pierce counties also face a historically low inventory level, according to […]

Buying Seattle housing: Is it a bubble? Single-family house values in Seattle shot up 10.8 percent year-over-year in March, the second highest in the nation after Portland, according to the latest S&P/Case-Shiller index. It’s a new record, surpassing the previous peak in the summer of 2007 — and we saw how that turned out. Nationally, the increase was 5.2 percent. Here, it’s […]

Living Multigenerational homes are back in style, with more breathing room Bob and Myrna Conrad, both 65, share a house with their son Wade, 41, his wife, Dana, 42, and their grandson Bryce, 21. Isn’t it crowded? Don’t they cramp one another’s style? Actually, no. “We just set some ground rules, and it’s been working great,” said Wade Conrad, who has been living with his extended […]

Living 6 Deck Renovations That Really Pay Off—and 1 That Doesn’t Charles Schmidt/iStock If there’s one thing that unites this great country—especially once the weather starts getting warmer and barbecue season gets ever so tantalizingly closer—it is our passionate, even obsessive love for our outdoor decks. Truth be told, just about all of us desire a perch from which to survey our backyard (or rooftop) kingdom, lazily hang out, or […]

Market News Scarce listings drive King County home prices to new highs The median price of single-family homes sold in King County hit a new all-time high last month — $514,975 — amid record-low inventory, heralding even more intense bidding wars ahead in the typically busy spring home-buying season. Ominously, the more affordable Snohomish and Pierce counties also face a historically low inventory level, according to […]

Buying Seattle metro-area home prices up nearly 10 percent in a year Seattle-area home prices surged in December, posting the fourth-highest annual gain among 20 metros, according to the S&P/Case-Shiller 20-city index released Tuesday. The average price of existing single-family homes sold in King, Snohomish and Pierce counties climbed 9.9 percent over the year in December, its fastest pace in 2015. In the 20-city index, Seattle trailed […]

Buying Lack of inventory “a game changer” for home buyers Depleted inventory is contributing to "overwhelming" traffic at open houses, shifts in strategies for both buyers and sellers, and escalating prices, according to officials with the Northwest Multiple Listing Service. Dick Beeson, a former chairman of the MLS board, said the lack of inventory in almost every county is, "without question, a 2016 game changer." […]

Buying King County Had Almost Half of 2015’s 30 Most Competitive Neighborhoods in America We probably don’t need to tell you that 2015 was a crazy year in real estate, especially in our city. Bidding wars and listings lasting mere days on the market is something we’ve all grown accustomed to. But it turns out we’re not alone. Redfin recently came out with a list of the 30 most […]

Selling 2016 Housing Forecast: “Very Strong” for Sellers According to a recent REALTORS® Confidence Index Survey Report, 2016 is projected to be a very strong market for local area sellers. With inventory at historic lows, prices at or near record highs, and multiple offers the norm, it’s an exceptional time to get top dollar for your home. Washington is one of only three […]

Buying Buyers pay cash in a third of Seattle home sales This story originally appeared on King5.com The number of home-buyers paying cash rose to more than 31 percent of transactions, according to RealtyTrac, which released data for November 2015 in Seattle. Also in December, the median sale price rose to $508,000 — that's 15 percent higher than a year earlier. "It's a downer," said Tony […]

Living This is what happens when you respond to SPAM Email… I am an avid TED Talks watcher and just came across this Talk. It's hysterical and I suspect will give you pause too! It's also hilarious!

Living No Wage Stagnation on the Eastside Wages on the Eastside are up Last month’s U.S. Census report showed that middle-class incomes nationally were stagnant, confirming a trend that has been widely reported. But when 425Business magazine crunched the numbers for a local perspective, the picture changed. Unlike the U.S as a whole, median incomes in Bellevue and the greater Seattle area […]

Market News No Need To Panic About Rising Interest Rates This article originally appeared on Inman.com After seven years of some of the lowest interest rates in recorded history, the Federal Reserve has decided to raise the key Fed Funds Rate by 0.25 percent, which is causing some to be concerned that it will lead to a jump in mortgage rates and negatively impact […]

Market News No national bubble in sight, but there are some frothy markets This article originally appeared on Inman.com Earlier this year, I wrote an article called “No housing bubble in sight — for now” in which I shared my belief that the nation, as a whole, is not currently at risk of seeing another housing bubble. However, I did qualify that statement by saying that I was noticing some “frothy” […]

Market News Local Market Update – November 2015 The hot real estate market shows little sign of slowing down. Home prices continued to move upward. With the number of pending sales exceeding the number of new listings, the supply of homes is falling well short of demand. The inventory of homes in the Puget Sound area is 23 percent less than a year […]

Market News Know Before You Owe: Making the Mortgage Process Easier for You This is a great piece from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Learn about the new federal changes enacted this month that add tons of transparency to the mortage loan disclosure process! As always, your comments are welcome! http://www.consumerfinance.gov/blog/know-before-you-owe-making-the-mortgage-process-easier-for-you/

Buying Your Top Rated Real Estate Agent in Bellevue I'm here for you! It is an honor to be awarded as a top rated real estate agent in Bellevue. I always strive to be the best resource for my clients as I help them navigate the buying or selling process. Everything I do for my clients is about making your real estate dreams happen. Denni […]

Buying What You Need to Know about Real Estate Appraisals Appraised value vs. market value Appraisals are designed to protect buyers, sellers, and lending institutions. They provide a reliable, independent valuation of a tract of land and the structure on it, whether it’s a house or a skyscraper. Below, you will find information about the appraisal process, what goes into them, their benefits and […]

Market News Local Market Update – October 2015 Strong sales continue to whittle down a dwindling supply of homes. The lack of supply to meet demand kept driving home prices upward in September. While the Puget Sound area saw steady appreciation over a year ago, there are signs that that the frenzied level of growth may be starting to moderate – good news […]

Market News 3 Quick Maintenance Tips To Make Your Roof Last Your roof is one of the most important assets of your home. Here are some tips to help maintain it. This article originally appeared on Porch.com A brand-new roof is a massive investment, but no other element of your home is quite as valuable. While the average lifespan of a roof is about 15 years, […]

Market News Local Market Update – September 2015 The real estate market traditionally cools off in the summer, but August saw a continuation of the market’s hot streak. Home prices increased by double digits over a year ago, fueled by strong demand and the lowest inventory in more than a decade. Rising prices are kindling hopes that more sellers will be willing to […]