1440 sqft remodeled 3 bedroom rambler that features den/office, master bath, living room with fireplace, utility room, and 2 car garage. Included in the remodel is new- tile flooring, tile showers, door/trim package, carpet, granite countertops, kitchen and bath cabinets, double pane windows, paint interior/exterior, garage doors, forced air heat, and more. Your lot includes a fully fenced backyard, large deck, RV/ boat parking, and large private back yard. Great home with a Quality remodel!

Residential Status	March	February	January	December
Sold	572	396	319	522
Pending	1,100*	927	812	769
Active	4,220	4,057	3,916	3,459

This information is courtesy of the NWMLS. This does not include condos.

*562 went pending in the month of March

Even in this market, historical trends continue! As I predicted in the last update, in spite of the current market conditions, the stats are showing an increase in real estate activity over the past month. Unfortunately, when it comes to change in "distressed properties", we haven't seen any movement. As of the time these stats where pulled, 26% of the active homes, 28% of the homes pending, and a full 35% of homes sold are either bank owned or short sales. Breaking the sold number down even further: according to the NWMLS stats, last year in March only 398 homes sold. We are doing much better in 2010 with 572 homes sold in March! Of those homes, 521 were below $500K, 417 were below $350K and 223 were below $250K.

Continue to watch the job market in the next few months. My opinion is that this is a key indicator for the recovery of the housing market. Without jobs or job security, we will not see "first time home buyers" enter the real estate market, and "first time home buyers" are the heartbeat of the market. Another key element is the anouncement that our government will not longer be buying mortgage back securities, let's see how this play's out in the next few months. On a final note - the $8,000 tax credit will end April 30th.

Current interest rates are hovering  around 5.05% with all indications leading to a rate increase in the near future.

Rare Find! You will not find many homes like this 2-story home that features 1409 SqFt with the master on the main floor. From your master bedroom are French doors leading to your private covered patio and fully fenced backyard. You will also find high vaulted ceilings in the living room, updated kitchen with center island and eating area, utility room, and dining room. The gas heat, water, and stove help with efficiency along with the gas fireplace. This home was recently painted inside and out.

Quality home strategically positioned on a beautiful .83 acre lot in Woodinville. Your home boasts 4 large bedrooms upstairs with one downstairs, den/office with separate entrance, formal sunken living room with fireplace, family room with free standing stove, updated kitchen with eating area, dining room, and two car garage. Also included on this surreal lot is a shop, RV garage, two separate driveways, large garden space, large level front lawn, sprinkler system, covered back patio and more!

Residential Status	February	January	December	November
Sold	396	319	522	573
Pending	927*	812	769	930
Active	4,057	3,916	3,459	3,925

*402 went pending in February. This information is courtesy of the NWMLS. These stats do not include condos.

We are now two months into 2010 and entering the spring season when typically the real estate market begins to pick up. And guess what? Even in today's real estate market, the trend continues and sales are picking up! As you can see from the numbers, available homes for sale are up, pending sales are up, and even the solds have increased. The percentage of "distressed homes" on the market as of today is 28%, with the pendings being 21% and the solds being 36%. So not much change when it comes to the percentage of distressed homes. There is one interesting thing I've noticed that is occuring ever month - when it comes to short sales, a very low percentage actually sell. Everyone has heard that it is hard to sell a short sale, and here are some figures to back that up. From November through February, the average percentage of available short sales that actually sold is only 7.3%. There are many factors that can play into why they don't sell, but personally, I have a great track record with short sales - 85% of my short sale listings have closed!

Once again, let's keep an eye on the job market to help give us an indicator on when this season in real estate will make the turn. I currently read that the banks still have 1.8 million homes to put on the market, which indicates that the turn around is probably NOT in the near future.

Current interest rates are hovering  around 5.125% with all indications leading to a rate increase in the near future.

Residential Status	January	December	November	October
Sold	319	522	573	551
Pending	812*	769	930	1,069
Active	3,916	3,459	3,925	4,064

This information is courtesy of the NWMLS. This does not include condos.

*348 went pending in the month of January.

January is behind us - how's everyone doing on their new year's resolutions?  In 2010 we will continue to watch market activity and track the percentage of distressed homes in our market. I firmly believe that these statistics will be the indicators of when the "bottom" of this finally hits. Currently 29% of all active listings are either short sales or bank owned properties, the same percentage we saw last month. In the "sold" category, 39% of the homes were either short sales or bank owned. What I have noticed is that since August of '09 when I started tracking these stats, the percentage of bank-owned properties sold has always been higher than the percentage of bank-owned active properties. This is a good statistic! Another interesting thing to note - the percentage of bank owned listings has increased from 6% in August to 9.7% in January. This is actually a good news/bad news statistic. The good news is that the banks are selling their REO homes, the bad news is the banks are getting more and more REO homes that need to be sold! We'll watch these stats along with three key factors in play right now that could make for a very active spring market:

• First time home buyer $8,000 tax credit extension
• $6,500 tax credit for existing home owners till April 30th
• Continued low interest rates

And of course in my opinion, the most important factor to watch is the job market -  without jobs or job security none of these tax credits or interest rates will amount to anything!

Current interest rates are hovering  around 5.125% with all indications leading to a rate increase in the near future.

Here is the rambler on a large level lot off the beaten path in a great location waiting for you! This 1410 square feet home features 3 bedrooms, 2 full baths (one off master bedroom), living room, and a HUGE family room that opens up to your fully fenced backyard and a 2 car garage. New door/trim package, tile kitchen countertops, heat pump/AC, double pane windows and new lighting fixtures are just a few of the extras. You will find ample parking for the boat, RV, or extra vehicles too.  This is not a short or bank owned property, so meeting the April 30th deadline for the first time homebuyer tax credit is possible! Call or email me with any questions or to set up a time for your private showing.

Here some feedback from a builder who builds quality homes with outstanding customer service on a home he owned in Roosevelt Ridge in Monroe that sold in November.

How would you describe the service you received?

Josh was exceptional in every way!

Is there something Josh could have done better?

No

Here is some feedback from first time home buyers that took advantage of the first time home buyer tax credit and got a great deal on a bank owned home in Bothell that fit into their budget.

How would you describe the service you received?

Excellent. Josh was always available on our schedule. Picked homes we picked. Above and beyond.

Other comments-

Awesome! 4th offer is a charm!

Here is a clients feedback on my services on a home we sold in November in Lake Stevens-

How would you describe the service you received?

Excellent

Is there something I could have done better?

No

Other comments-

Josh Koffler, although a friend, is also a professional, knowledgeable agent providing top-notch customer service.  Thanks Josh!