"All Things Edmonds" Blog

Fishing in Edmonds, WA

Casey Bui (Rockwell Realty) — Sun, 28 Aug 2011 21:24:44 -0400

Successful fishing in Edmonds, WA can require some know-how. Two boating classes are being offered by the Edmonds Flotilla.

The Coast Guard Auxiliary Edmonds Flotilla is offering two 12-week boating classes for experienced and novice boaters.

The Weekend Navigator begins Sept. 13, and will discuss electronics and navigating.

The Boating Skills and Seamanship begins Sept. 15, and will cover all aspects of boating.

For details, call 425-483-9684 or email boatclasses@hotmail.com. These are good courses for those wanting to learn more about fishing in Edmonds, WA.

Edmonds WA Realtor - Learn about real estate and how I can help you.

My "All Things Edmonds" Blog - For a fresh look at things that matter to you in Edmonds WA.

SEARCH EDMONDS WA MLS LISTINGS. YOUR FREE, CUSTOMIZED SEARCH ENGINE. LOOKING FOR A BETTER MLS SEARCH ENGINE? CLICK HERE FOR THIS FREE & PRIVATE MLS SEARCH ENGINE WITH THE MOST POWERFUL SEARCH TOOLS ANYWHERE.

_______________________

Casey Bui, MPA
Managing Broker,
Residential Real Estate Division
Rockwell Realty
(206) 234-5611
caseybui@gmail.com

Things to do in Edmonds, WA

Casey Bui (Rockwell Realty) — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 18:50:00 -0400

WHAT: The 22nd Annual Egyptian Bazaar & Dinner is coming your way soon!

The festival offers Pharaonic Costume Photo Session, Freshly Baked Egyptian Desserts, Authentic Egyptian and Christian souvenirs and books. There will also be a $15 full course dinner available for festival goers.

WHERE: It will be held in Edmonds Yacht Club in Edmonds Marina (326 Admiral Way, Suite 100 Edmonds, WA 98020)

WHEN: September 3rd from 11:00 am to 8 pm. Admission is free! See you there!

WHO: The festival is put on by St. Mary's Coptic Orthodox Church. For more info Maurice 206.714.5094 or Nashwa 425.330.7719 or 425.443.9834

WHY: The festival is a fundrasing event for a local church and a chance to share the Egyptian Coptic culture with the community.

Edmonds WA Realtor - Learn about real estate and how I can help you.

My "All Things Edmonds" Blog - For a fresh look at things that matter to you in Edmonds WA.

SEARCH EDMONDS WA MLS LISTINGS. YOUR FREE, CUSTOMIZED SEARCH ENGINE. LOOKING FOR A BETTER MLS SEARCH ENGINE? CLICK HERE FOR THIS FREE & PRIVATE MLS SEARCH ENGINE WITH THE MOST POWERFUL SEARCH TOOLS ANYWHERE.

_______________________

Casey Bui, MPA
Managing Broker,
Residential Real Estate Division
Rockwell Realty
(206) 234-5611
caseybui@gmail.com

Schools in Edmonds, WA

Casey Bui (Rockwell Realty) — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 17:37:38 -0400

The Washington State Auditor raised some red flags over lax enforcement of guidelines meant to prevent abuse of use of Edmonds School District credit cards. Parents with kids at public schools in Edmonds, WA certainly don't want to see a scandal like what the Seattle SD recently went through. The Edmonds School District and schools in Edmonds, WA in general have generally been great for our kids (and pocket books). Take this opportunity to talk with school administrators and school board members to let them know that you expect them to do as good a job keeping the books as teaching from them.

You can view the full report on enforcement of credit card use for public schools in Edmonds, WA.

Casey

Edmonds WA Realtor - Learn about real estate and how I can help you.

My "All Things Edmonds" Blog - For a fresh look at things that matter to you in Edmonds WA.

SEARCH EDMONDS WA MLS LISTINGS. YOUR FREE, CUSTOMIZED SEARCH ENGINE. LOOKING FOR A BETTER MLS SEARCH ENGINE? CLICK HERE FOR THIS FREE & PRIVATE MLS SEARCH ENGINE WITH THE MOST POWERFUL SEARCH TOOLS ANYWHERE.

_______________________

Casey Bui, MPA
Managing Broker,
Residential Real Estate Division
Rockwell Realty
(206) 234-5611
caseybui@gmail.com

Edmonds Bowl Real Estate in Edmonds WA doing fine

Casey Bui (Rockwell Realty) — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 19:53:33 -0400

OK, OK.... we're still in an economic funk. Housing is down; jobs are hard to find; gas prices are high.

But when it comes to real estate prices in the Edmonds WA Bowl area (and greater Puget Sound region as well), we have to keep a long view of what the recent "housing bubble" has done to prices. Certain markets are down. But some are healthy. I wrote a blog about the Edmonds WA real estate market and how healthy we actually are in the single family house sector, but not so much in the condo sector.

Most everyone has heard of the Case-Shiller Home Price Index which gets much publicity monthly. It tracks home prices both nationally and regionally compared to previous months or years. And it's been consistently indicating downward pricing pressures. But it's also important to consider long-term views on housing. The New York Times recently put together a chart showing housing prices for 20 major cities. The important perspective they make is this: yes, we're down over the past several years, but home prices are still up around 33% for the decade (since 2000).

In the above chart, Seattle's line is blue. The national average is black (the other lines are the other major cities around the U.S.) Click on the NY Times link above to play with the chart. But you'll note that the greater Seattle market didn't rise - or fall - as much as other markets nationally. It's the silver lining set against the dreary cloud-covered region we call home.

But it's also a reminder that, like all investments, long term toirtoises often out-perform the short term hares of the world. So don't fret if you know you're in it for the long haul because the Edmonds Bowl real estate in Edmonds WA is doing fine (generally). :)

Keep the chin up!

Casey
Edmonds, WA

ps. Wanna know where home prices are below 2000 levels? Detroit (-32.9%), Cleveland (-3.2%), Las Vegas (-2.8%), Atlanta (-1.6%).

Edmonds WA Realtor - Learn about real estate and how I can help you.

My "All Things Edmonds" Blog - For a fresh look at things that matter to you in Edmonds WA.

SEARCH EDMONDS WA MLS LISTINGS. YOUR FREE, CUSTOMIZED SEARCH ENGINE. LOOKING FOR A BETTER MLS SEARCH ENGINE? CLICK HERE FOR THIS FREE & PRIVATE MLS SEARCH ENGINE WITH THE MOST POWERFUL SEARCH TOOLS ANYWHERE.

_______________________

Casey Bui, MPA
Managing Broker,
Residential Real Estate Division
Rockwell Realty
(206) 234-5611
caseybui@gmail.com

Bank of America gets foreclosed on

Casey Bui (Rockwell Realty) — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 13:34:14 -0400

Here's an interesting story out of Florida where a defense attorney and sheriff's deputies walked into a Bank of America branch to seize property from the bank.

This is obviously a case of bad bureaucratic management and I don't think it adds much to the idea that those who aren't making payments are being treated unfairly. But I thought it a nice start to the week.

Edmonds WA Realtor - Learn about real estate and how I can help you.

My "All Things Edmonds" Blog - For a fresh look at things that matter to you in Edmonds WA.

SEARCH EDMONDS WA MLS LISTINGS. YOUR FREE, CUSTOMIZED SEARCH ENGINE. LOOKING FOR A BETTER MLS SEARCH ENGINE? CLICK HERE FOR THIS FREE & PRIVATE MLS SEARCH ENGINE WITH THE MOST POWERFUL SEARCH TOOLS ANYWHERE.

_______________________

Casey Bui, MPA
Managing Broker,
Residential Real Estate Division
Rockwell Realty
(206) 234-5611
caseybui@gmail.com

Trout fishing Edmonds WA

Casey Bui (Rockwell Realty) — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 20:53:39 -0400

Free trout fishing in Edmonds WA anyone?

The weather for this weekend could not be better for the 24th Annual Edmonds WA Waterfront Festival (see green arrow on Google Map). There will be free trout fishing for children (under age 12) hosted by Trout Unlimited, Edmonds WA chapter.

The free trout fishing will take place at the Willow Creek Fish Hatchery (95 Pine St at the Corner of Edmonds Hwy (SR 104) and Pine St... see yellow arrow on Google Map).

There is a shuttle bus that will ferry people between the hatchery and the Edmonds Waterfront Festival between 11am and 3pm on both Saturday and Sunday.

For more information, contact Trout Unlimited at (425) 771-5970.

For a great introduction to fishing in Edmonds WA, consider the Edmonds WA Waterfront Festival.

Edmonds WA Realtor - Learn about real estate and how I can help you.

My "All Things Edmonds" Blog - For a fresh look at things that matter to you in Edmonds WA.

SEARCH EDMONDS WA MLS LISTINGS. YOUR FREE, CUSTOMIZED SEARCH ENGINE. LOOKING FOR A BETTER MLS SEARCH ENGINE? CLICK HERE FOR THIS FREE & PRIVATE MLS SEARCH ENGINE WITH THE MOST POWERFUL SEARCH TOOLS ANYWHERE.

_______________________

Casey Bui, MPA
Managing Broker,
Residential Real Estate Division
Rockwell Realty
(206) 234-5611
caseybui@gmail.com

Just for the halibut...

Casey Bui (Rockwell Realty) — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 18:12:37 -0400

Is there anything much better than taking advantage of the natural beauty around us? I particularly love the fishing options we have here in the Northwest.

My dream vacation?

Catching the Edmonds ferry to Kingston on a sunny, calm day. A nice drive to the Olympica Peninsula. A week at the cabin just outside Port Angeles and fishing and enjoying the outdoors.

With sun, please.

Enjoy this first wonderful sunny weekend in 7 months folks!

Casey
Edmonds, WA

Edmonds WA Realtor - Learn about real estate and how I can help you.

My "All Things Edmonds" Blog - For a fresh look at things that matter to you in Edmonds WA.

SEARCH EDMONDS WA MLS LISTINGS. YOUR FREE, CUSTOMIZED SEARCH ENGINE. LOOKING FOR A BETTER MLS SEARCH ENGINE? CLICK HERE FOR THIS FREE & PRIVATE MLS SEARCH ENGINE WITH THE MOST POWERFUL SEARCH TOOLS ANYWHERE.

_______________________

Casey Bui, MPA
Managing Broker,
Residential Real Estate Division
Rockwell Realty
(206) 234-5611
caseybui@gmail.com

The hidden "costs" of refinancing

Casey Bui (Rockwell Realty) — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 16:08:43 -0400

I read this very interesting article about some of the hidden costs of refinancing too close to a sale date. I thought re-posting it would be beneficial to my readers. Let me know what you think.

Obviously, this means that the decision on whether to refi or not will be on a case-by-case basis. Feel free to contact me if you have questions on whether it is the right decision for you.

Click here to read the article.

Casey

Edmonds WA Realtor - Learn about real estate and how I can help you.

My "All Things Edmonds" Blog - For a fresh look at things that matter to you in Edmonds WA.

SEARCH EDMONDS WA MLS LISTINGS. YOUR FREE, CUSTOMIZED SEARCH ENGINE. LOOKING FOR A BETTER MLS SEARCH ENGINE? CLICK HERE FOR THIS FREE & PRIVATE MLS SEARCH ENGINE WITH THE MOST POWERFUL SEARCH TOOLS ANYWHERE.

_______________________

Casey Bui, MPA
Managing Broker,
Residential Real Estate Division
Rockwell Realty
(206) 234-5611
caseybui@gmail.com

Proposed bill in Congress to raise FHA minimum down payment requirements

Casey Bui (Rockwell Realty) — Thu, 26 May 2011 16:42:14 -0400

Republicans on the House Financial Services Committee have drafted legislation that would raise the minimum down payment for FHA mortgages to 5% and cut the maximum FHA loan amounts in many markets. The bill looks to be more of a philosophical response - rather than a fiscal one - to the question of how much the federal government should be involved in the housing market. Ironically, the program originated during the Great Depression of the 1930s, when the rates of foreclosures and defaults rose sharply, and the program was intended to provide lenders with sufficient insurance. So, its contraction in a similar economic and housing environment today is worthy of "factoid" status.

FHA loan limits are already set to decrease in various markets beginning in October 2011. If this bill passes, those limits will come down even further. But I'm not here to state that loan limits are, or are not, at the right levels. Quite frankly, the only market I service and know well is Seattle so speaking to the limits of other markets would be spurious.

However, I know that there are many buyers who can only purchase with the assistance of an FHA-approved loan. There have been many who have made the argument that these limits should go up because too many people who can't afford houses are buying. This argument is based more on anectdotes than real life. We should remember that most home-buyers who are FHA-approved still have to demonstrate an ability to pay and have decent credit ratings. FHA has two distinct advantages that a conventional loan cannot provide certain buyers: first, it allows those buyers the ability to get a home loan without a significant downpayment that most conventional loans require; second, it provides for better interest rates than the conventional lender, which in turn makes the home purchases (more) affordable.

And so before you make final judgment on certain people who have good jobs and credit - but not quite the tens of thousands often required to get into a home - don't deserve an opportunity at homeownership, keep in mind that many of those would-be buyers are likely to be the ones looking at your home you've got listed.

Enjoy the sun!

Casey
Edmonds, WA

Edmonds WA Realtor - Learn about real estate and how I can help you.

My "All Things Edmonds" Blog - For a fresh look at things that matter to you in Edmonds WA.

SEARCH EDMONDS WA MLS LISTINGS. YOUR FREE, CUSTOMIZED SEARCH ENGINE. LOOKING FOR A BETTER MLS SEARCH ENGINE? CLICK HERE FOR THIS FREE & PRIVATE MLS SEARCH ENGINE WITH THE MOST POWERFUL SEARCH TOOLS ANYWHERE.

_______________________

Casey Bui, MPA
Managing Broker,
Residential Real Estate Division
Rockwell Realty
(206) 234-5611
caseybui@gmail.com

Short sales and REO properties

Casey Bui (Rockwell Realty) — Tue, 17 May 2011 15:18:45 -0400

The fact is, I've closed more short sales and REO (real estate owned -- by banks) this year than the traditional types of private party sales. Some statistics show that 40% of homes for sale now are indeed short sales.

Now I don't go looking for short sales necessarily. They are just so prevalent these days that my (buyer) clients seem to snag them faster than I snag dog fish while salmon or halibut fishing. Short sale response times so far this year are averaging about 4 months for me.

Here's a good article, if not a bit wordy, that gives prospective buyers of short sale homes five tips to help them endure the frustrating process. Meanwhile, my next short sale closes this Friday. I should note that I represent banks and list REO properties regularly. Bank-owned REO's tend to provide a much quicker response time than do short sales. That's a distinction worth making.

Casey

Edmonds WA Realtor - Learn about real estate and how I can help you.

My "All Things Edmonds" Blog - For a fresh look at things that matter to you in Edmonds WA.

SEARCH EDMONDS WA MLS LISTINGS. YOUR FREE, CUSTOMIZED SEARCH ENGINE. LOOKING FOR A BETTER MLS SEARCH ENGINE? CLICK HERE FOR THIS FREE & PRIVATE MLS SEARCH ENGINE WITH THE MOST POWERFUL SEARCH TOOLS ANYWHERE.

_______________________

Casey Bui, MPA
Managing Broker,
Residential Real Estate Division
Rockwell Realty
(206) 234-5611
caseybui@gmail.com

Edmonds, WA schools ratings

Casey Bui (Rockwell Realty) — Tue, 17 May 2011 14:56:44 -0400

My wife and I are expecting our first son this summer which, naturally, prompted some questions about the schools in Edmonds, WA and how they rate. There are a plethora of websites and organizations out there that rate schools and school districts. Based on the ratings of one website (www.greatschools.org), I've compiled some very broad ratings. Not comprehensive at all, so forgive the brevity! It's just a website I happened upon that rates schools. Their criteria for rating schools is listed at the bottom of this blog post. I would love to hear your own thoughts and feedback of the schools in your own part of Edmonds. I'm sure other readers would benefit from this as well.

The average rating this website gave the eight public elementary schools in Edmonds, WA was a 7 out of 10, with the highest school receiving a 10 and the lowest school receiving a 2. Here's the breakdown with direct links (ranking in parentheses). I didn't include private schools schools.

Elementary schools:

Middle schools:

High schools:

GreatSchools Rating Criteria:
"GreatSchools Ratings for Washington In calculating these ratings, GreatSchools analyzed the 2009-2010 Measurements of Student Progress (MSP) and High School Proficiency Exam (HSPE) reading, writing, math and science results and compared them to the standardized scores of all Washington schools with the same grade levels. If there are no GreatSchools Ratings for a school, the school's test results were either not reported or incomplete. The different student groups are identified by the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction; if there are fewer than 10 students in a particular group in a school, data is not reported for that group. Keep in mind that when comparing schools using GreatSchools Ratings, it's important to factor in other information, including the quality of each school's teachers, the school culture, special programs, etc. GreatSchools Ratings cannot be compared across states, because of differences in the states' standardized testing programs." -- Taken directly from their website @ http://www.greatschools.org/issues/wa/ratings.html.

Another website you may be interested in is www.schooldigger.com.

Edmonds WA Realtor - Learn about real estate and how I can help you.

My "All Things Edmonds" Blog - For a fresh look at things that matter to you in Edmonds WA.

SEARCH EDMONDS WA MLS LISTINGS. YOUR FREE, CUSTOMIZED SEARCH ENGINE. LOOKING FOR A BETTER MLS SEARCH ENGINE? CLICK HERE FOR THIS FREE & PRIVATE MLS SEARCH ENGINE WITH THE MOST POWERFUL SEARCH TOOLS ANYWHERE.

_______________________

Casey Bui, MPA
Managing Broker,
Residential Real Estate Division
Rockwell Realty
(206) 234-5611
caseybui@gmail.com

Have you HEARD the housing price woes???

Casey Bui (Rockwell Realty) — Tue, 10 May 2011 18:19:19 -0400

Earlier this week I posted some new data that showed that 30% of home sellers lost money in March '11. The fine folks at NPR recently asked a Juliard opera performer to sing the home prices from 2001 through 2011. They charted national home prices from the well-known Case-Shiller Housing Price Index (see attached graph) into musical notes.

You can hear the NPR story here. Happy reading. Or listening.

Edmonds WA Realtor - Learn about real estate and how I can help you.

My "All Things Edmonds" Blog - For a fresh look at things that matter to you in Edmonds WA.

SEARCH EDMONDS WA MLS LISTINGS. YOUR FREE, CUSTOMIZED SEARCH ENGINE. LOOKING FOR A BETTER MLS SEARCH ENGINE? CLICK HERE FOR THIS FREE & PRIVATE MLS SEARCH ENGINE WITH THE MOST POWERFUL SEARCH TOOLS ANYWHERE.

_______________________

Casey Bui, MPA
Managing Broker,
Residential Real Estate Division
Rockwell Realty
(206) 234-5611
caseybui@gmail.com

One-third of homesellers lost money in March '11

Casey Bui (Rockwell Realty) — Tue, 10 May 2011 13:20:50 -0400

Zillow just reported that one-third of all home sales in the greater Puget Sound region (Snohomish, King & Pierce Counties) lost money in the sale of their homes. That number was 22% in March '10. If it's any consolation, that's still less than the national average of 37%.

Zillow also reports that the median price of all homes (condos, townhouses, etc) was $259,200 in the same month.

My own analysis of MLS data shows that in Edmonds, 70 homes sold in March '11. The average sales price was $427,849 and the median price was $353,750 with an average of 115 days on market. These are very healthy numbers compared to either the country or greater Puget Sound. In fact, in an earlier post I indicated that the single family housing market for Edmonds is very healthy -- to the point of almost becoming a balance market (neither a buyer's nor a seller's market).

Edmonds WA Realtor - Learn about real estate and how I can help you.

My "All Things Edmonds" Blog - For a fresh look at things that matter to you in Edmonds WA.

SEARCH EDMONDS WA MLS LISTINGS. YOUR FREE, CUSTOMIZED SEARCH ENGINE. LOOKING FOR A BETTER MLS SEARCH ENGINE? CLICK HERE FOR THIS FREE & PRIVATE MLS SEARCH ENGINE WITH THE MOST POWERFUL SEARCH TOOLS ANYWHERE.

_______________________

Casey Bui, MPA
Managing Broker,
Residential Real Estate Division
Rockwell Realty
(206) 234-5611
caseybui@gmail.com

Meadowdale H.S. to host a Mother's Day art bazaar

Casey Bui (Rockwell Realty) — Thu, 05 May 2011 16:16:35 -0400

53. That's the only number you need to concern yourself with this Saturday. That's the forecasted high temperature in Edmonds.

With that in mind, why not take advantage of some indoor fun and fundraising?

Join the students of Meadowdale High School (where my nephew attends and niece recently graduated) at the 2011 Mother's Day Bazaar. It will take place Saturday, May 7, 2011 from 9am - 4pm at Meadowdale HS in Lynnwood, WA. The sale is free to the public and includes many fun and interactive activities. There will be 25 local artists selling their wares, including lots of Mom friendly gifts at very affordable prices. Artists include jewelry makers, knitters, concrete artists, and a variety of creative repurposed items, like cupcake stands made from antique tea cups.

In addition to the adults, our Great Hall will be filled to the brim with student art. This show will feature the work of photographers, painters, potters, drawing and printmakers, and glass artists. The work of the high school students is worth the trip alone! At the sale, enjoy making a tissue paper flower to take home, try your hand at decorating a frosted cookie, or watch an artist demonstrate their skills -- demos will include knitting, paper crafts, and a live lampwork artist (demos held at the top of the hour).

Finally, be sure your little artist tags along, as there will be a coloring contest for all -- prizes for each entry, and the winning design will be reproduced as the centerpiece for the 2011 Photo Club t-shirt! Be there, stay a bit, shop and ENJOY the art and artists of the Edmonds and Lynnwood, WA communities!

Here's the link to the Meadowdale High School website with more information about the location and a printable flyer for the event.

Confirmed artists to include:

RK Designs -- www.rkdesign.net
Frill -- handmade purses, totes & scarves
Laurie's Little Lovelies -- find her on Facebook! Handmade soaps, jewelry and more!
Glass Creations by Mary -- glass artwork created with recycled glass pieces
Leslie Dickinson -- glass jewelry & fun!
Cameo Crazy -- Victorian inspired jewelry -- http://cameocrazy.com
Crafted with Love -- jewelry, knitted items, and more for mom!
The Flower Market -- decorative paintings, baby items, and one-of-a-kind gifts
D'Arcie Beytiebere -- Fused glass art
j.marie beads -- handmade glass beads and custom jewelry -- www.jmarie-inc.com
Amanda Wood -- monoprints, garden art, and cards
Solid Rock Inspirations
Gal Pal Studios -- http://arthousemosaicstudio.com
Sassy Watches & Jewelry
Shari Dooley -- Tea Cup Creations -- repurposed cups now cupcake holders, candle holders & mirrors!
Chainmaille Central -- custom jewelry
Dena Votaw -- sculptural concrete for the home and garden
Chara Creations -- Snap It, the book minder for hands free reading
Paper Pleasers & Giddy Things -- www.etsy.com/shop/paperpleasers & www.etsy.com/shop/giddythings
Jessie Lopez -- jewelry for Moms and kids!

Edmonds WA Realtor - Learn about real estate and how I can help you.

My "All Things Edmonds" Blog - For a fresh look at things that matter to you in Edmonds WA.

SEARCH EDMONDS WA MLS LISTINGS. YOUR FREE, CUSTOMIZED SEARCH ENGINE. LOOKING FOR A BETTER MLS SEARCH ENGINE? CLICK HERE FOR THIS FREE & PRIVATE MLS SEARCH ENGINE WITH THE MOST POWERFUL SEARCH TOOLS ANYWHERE.

_______________________

Casey Bui, MPA
Managing Broker,
Residential Real Estate Division
Rockwell Realty
(206) 234-5611
caseybui@gmail.com

Cheaper to buy vs. rent, says new report

Casey Bui (Rockwell Realty) — Mon, 02 May 2011 14:30:02 -0400

It's an age-old question: is it better to rent or buy? The question has many facets and can be complex to answer depending on an individual's situation. But generalizations are sometimes useful to view market-wide trends.

I ran across a news story that reported that it is cheaper to buy than it is to rent in 39 of the 50 largest cities in the US. The report was issued by real estate site Trulia. Their rent vs. buy index compared the median list price with the median rent on two-bedroom apartments, condos and townhomes as of 4/1/11. "With home prices nearing a double dip and more foreclosures expected to flood the housing market over the next two years, the decision between renting and buying a home across most of the country has clearly moved in favor of buying," said Ken Shuman, Trulia's spokesperson, in a statement.

I also found a rent vs buy tool that the New York Times newspaper put together. The tool is below and you can click on it to get to the original article which allows you play with some of the tools and run different scenarios.

Keep in mind that this is a purely theoretical (and economic) tool which does not account for intangibles as pride in homeownership, stability, etc. I would also point out that it is almost always beneficial to purchase a home if you want to "settle down" in the order of many years (10+). The current housing slump aside, homes willl likely appreciate over the long term.

Edmonds WA Realtor - Learn about real estate and how I can help you.

My "All Things Edmonds" Blog - For a fresh look at things that matter to you in Edmonds WA.

SEARCH EDMONDS WA MLS LISTINGS. YOUR FREE, CUSTOMIZED SEARCH ENGINE. LOOKING FOR A BETTER MLS SEARCH ENGINE? CLICK HERE FOR THIS FREE & PRIVATE MLS SEARCH ENGINE WITH THE MOST POWERFUL SEARCH TOOLS ANYWHERE.

_______________________

Casey Bui, MPA
Managing Broker,
Residential Real Estate Division
Rockwell Realty
(206) 234-5611
caseybui@gmail.com