Ivy-mantled 3-bedroom single-level on a large, level lot on a quiet street with large trees and manicured lawn. Airy interior, storm windows, Ceiling fan.

Not a short sale or bank owned. Large, level quiet backyard. Very clean and ready to go. Pergo floors in living room, dining room, hallway, kitchen and bath for cleaning ease. Feels very secure and peaceful. Sense of privacy. Much better than paying rent. Quiet part of the neighborhood. The HOA dues are only $160 per year, clubhouse with swimming pool.

For 24 hour information simply dial 1-800-504-0090 enter code 4080

Immerse yourself in luxury in this superbly-kept, light & airy plan 3BR/2+BA residence with a great Sound view enhanced by mountain vistas. Private drive, 2 fireplaces. Center entry, high ceilings, master suite. Prompt possession.

Cascade mountain and Puget Sound views from most every room. Estate sale, priced very reasonably. Not a short sale nor a bank owned, just priced to sell! Bedroom and bath on main level plus master suite upstairs. Kitchen has walk in pantry. Very private at the end of a quiet lane, well off highway. Sold As Is, buyer to must do inspection. Lower level completely re-modeled. Curtain drains just professionally installed. Convenient to Poulsbo and Silverdale. Well built custom home in the day.

For 24 hour information simply dial 1-800-504-0090 enter code 6140

Well-kept 2-bedroom woodland-view single-level positioned on 0.65 acres offering a delightful ambiance. Original Bainbridge charmer = simpler life style. 2 bedroom, 1 bath. Sold As Is. Convenient location close to Rolling Bay community. 3 miles from town and the ferry. Convenient to bus. Detached garage. Nice Lot!

For 24 hour information simply dial 1-800-504-0090 enter code 6130

Welcoming 2-bedroom split-entry with a great partial sound and mountain view. Superlative touches in this well-kept home include laundry room, ceiling fans and partially finished basement. Here is a home that is tops for value!

Lives really large. Partial marine (Hood Canal) and mountain (Olympic) views. Large living room windows take advantage of the views, so does the deck. Beautiful bamboo floors, propane fireplace for cozy winter nights. Community beach plus tennis and ball fields. Southwest sun exposure - this home is very light and bright.

For 24 hour information simply dial 1-800-504-0090 enter code 6120

Move right in to a budget-smart special. Superlative touches in this nicely-kept A-frame include vaulted celilings with ceiling fans and skylight. It deserves a prize for quality extras!

Great value! Not a mobile but is stick built on site. Better than paying rent. Dome home currently rents for $900/month. 2 bedroom, two 3/4 baths, very pleasant home. 1 miles to golf course, community trails & clubhouse & pool. convenient to bus & ferry. Sold ''as is''; buyer to complete inspection - priced accordingly. Convenient to Olympic Peninsula.

For 24 hour information simply dial 1-800-504-0090 enter code 6110

Remodeled 2-bedroom single-level. Engaging, bright & airy floor plan boasting a deck and garden potential. Cozy up to the fireplace while the storm windows keep the home energy efficient! Laminate, slate and ceramic tile flooring. So livable!

Old world Craftsman charm with today's remodeled convenience. Updates include wiring, windows, plumbing, roof, water heater, new Trane gas furnace, slate entry, laminate floors, granite eating bar, tile counters. The detached garage has a shop. Very private back yard adjoins Van Zee Park. The best of both worlds!

For 24 hour information simply dial 1-800-504-0090 enter code 3040

Enjoy the comforts of this superbly-kept, open floorplan 2BR/2BA single-level set in shady woodlands. Storm windows, big bedrooms, Bath off master w/separate shower. Deck in front and a deck w/disabled access off the back! Garden space and large trees give a feeling of peace and serenity. See this one now! Very Clean Single wide, cheaper than paying rent... 14x66 Clean and move in ready!

For 24 hour information simply dial 1-800-504-0090 enter code 6100

Remodeled 3BR/2BA single-story residence offering airy interior, storm windows and RV parking. Bath off master and new kitchen. A jewel with many facets! Remodel includes new roof, carpet, kitchen and bathroom floors, doors, moldings, cabinets, counter tops, microwave, hot water heater, everything is new. Not bank owned or short sale. Single story living at it's best. Convenient to bus, park and ride 3 blocks, 1/2 way between Kingston and Bainbridge Ferry.

For 24 hour information simply dial 1-800-504-0090 enter code 6010

Near 4 acres with barn plus outbuildings galore, room for everything! Detached shop was another garage & can easily be converted back. There is room for your hobbies plus toys & more toys. This home has been remodeled & features a large kitchen. Convenient to town. Barn is insulated with furnace, 200 amp separate meters, currently used as art studio. 2 free-standing stoves (pellet & wood). New double pane windows. Entry easement also on back side of property. Lots of improvements.

Chaffey's popular dual staircase home. Formal Living and Dining rooms plus sitting room w/fireplace and recreation room off back side of kitchen. Master suite w/walk-in closet and 5 piece bath. Top of the line propane stove makes the central kitchen. Landscaping is second to none. Close to ferry, schools & shop. Walking trails, w/no vehicle traffic to schools. Back deck features awning for year round living outside, 6 person hot tub, patio and fenced/landscaped yard allows for privacy. Fresh paint in & out, refinished hardwood floors. Surround sound speaker system, new 4 ton heat pump plus top of the line compact furnace. This is a must see to believe home!

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Click Here for all you need to know about Complete Realty Apps for the iPhone!

Are You Experiencing Mortgage Troubles?

There are dignified solutions. A lot of today's struggling homeowners made all the right moves. They took a reasonable loan for an affordable mortgage, and were then hit by the unexpected: their employer cut benefits or laid them off due to the constricting ecomomy; a surprise expense changed their budget plans; their financial investments took a turn for the worse; the list goes on and on.

I want to share the news with you about options that are available to distressed homeowners. If you are experiencing mortgage troubles please check out the links below for your options on avoiding foreclosure!

Click Here for information about foreclosure!

Click Here for a Free Report about dignified solutions to foreclosure!

Here are the average hits your credit will take in each of these scenarios:

• 30 days late: 40 - 110 points
• 90 days late: 75 - 135 points
• Foreclosures, Short Sale or Deed-In-Lieu of Foreclosure: 85 - 160
• Bankruptcy: 130 - 240

This report from Fair Isacc indicates that even one missed mortgae payment can have a significant impact on the credit score of a borrower, but the real tipping point comes when accounts get to 90 days or later past due, as statistics show that this is when accounts are least likely to ever be paid current again.

Of course, other factors come into play as well. Someone with limited credit will be hurt more then someone with  a large amount of accounts and a good long standing history. In addition, someone with a less than perfect credit history and a lower score may also have less room to drop then a person with a higher credit score.

As part of  the Obama administation's $75 billion foreclosure relief effort, the treasury department is planning to rate mortage companies. The July report will include measurements on how each company is handling borrowers. More than 100 companies participate in the program, which is designed to help up to 4 million borrowers avoid foreclosure, however many companies are not responding to the needs of responsible and increasingly desperate homeowners.  

The program is designed to lower borrowers' monthly payments by reducing mortgage rates, and extending loan terms to as long as 40 years. Mortgage companies get taxpayer incentives to reduce borrowers' monthly payments. Homeowners have to complete at least three months of payments to qualify for permanent loan modifications.

If mortgage companies dont comply with the program's rules incentives will be withheld and the government will demand repayment.

Around 231,000 homeowners have completed this process so far, about 20 percent of the 1.2 million borrowers who started the program over the past year and the number of dropouts is rising.

This week multiple sources have reported a rise in pending home sales for the month of March in Washington State. Many report the spike is due to homebuyers rushing to make deals before the  April 30 deadline. Local agents say there's been absolutely no talk that the tax-credit programs will be extended one more time.

The most active areas in Kitsap County with home deals pending are West Bremerton, with 127 deals in pending status since the first of the year. Bainbridge Island holds the No. 2 spot with 110 prospective deals, followed by South Kitsap west of Highway 16, with 99 pending home sales.

Our own Penny McLaughlin was quoted several times in a Kitsap Sun article printed April 5, 2010

Click Here to read the entire article!

Northwest Multiple Listing Service members reported 8,605 pending sales during March a 51% jump over the same month a year ago. Members added 12,994 new listings to the system last month and closed sales had a gain of 1,590 a 47% increase. However, prices for March closed sales of single family homes and condominiums were down about 2% from this time last year.

Take action, find out more about your options and learn if you are eligible. If your situation is urgent, or you have further questions, feel free to contact me.

Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives (HAFA)                       

 Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP)             

Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP)

Second Lien Modification Program (2MP)

Congress has acknowledged the unique circumstances affecting members of the military, the foreign service and the intelligence community by making the following exceptions that apply to both the $8,000 tax credit for first-time home buyers and the $6,500 tax credit for repeat home buyers.

• Typically, homes that are sold or that cease to be used as a principal residence within three years of the initial purchase are subject to recapture of the tax credit.
• However, qualified service members who sell or move from a tax credit home within three years of the initial purchase due to official extended duty are exempt from the recapture rule.

• The home buyer tax credit is available for qualified purchases with a binding sales contract in place on or before April 30, 2010 and closed by June 30, 2010.
• However, for qualified service members who are ordered on a period of official extended duty, these dates are extended for one year. For these home buyers, the tax credit applies to sales with a binding sales contract in place on or before April 30, 2011 and closed by June 30, 2011.
• A person who is forced to return to the U.S. for medical reasons before completing an assignment of at least 90 days of qualified official extended duty outside of the United States may qualify for the one-year extension.

• “Qualified service member” means a member of the uniformed services of the U.S military, a member of the Foreign Service of the U.S., or an employee of the intelligence community.
• “Official extended duty” means any period of extended duty outside of the United States for at least 90 days during the period beginning after December 31, 2008 and ending before May 1, 2010.

This Information was provided from the National Association of Home Builders

http://www.federalhousingtaxcredit.com/service_mem.php

Impending foreclosures also influence potential short sale transactions. The Mortgage Bankers Association Delinquency Survey data indicates that about 66,000 Washington mortgages are at least 90 days past due or at some stage in the foreclosure process. According to the Making Home Affordable website, a total of 759,058 borrowers nationally have participated in trial loan modifications under a federal program, 31,382 of which have been converted to active permanent loan modifications. The big problem with mortgage modifications in the last year is that over half have returned to at least a 60-day delinquency status within a year of modification, meaning that distressed mortgages will probably be a persistent problem for some time.  With this high volume of troubled mortgages, short sale transactions have been increasing across the nation. For lenders with widespread losses, a short sale may be more affordable than completing a foreclosure. Borrowers who can’t afford their homes may look to short sales to minimize damage to their credit versus a foreclosure. 

Short sales are complicated and often prolonged transactions so it is important to understand the limitations and recent regulatory changes that come along with short sale transactions. First, only licensed attorneys, real estate agents, credit counselors, or financial professionals are qualified to assist distressed home sellers. Each of these occupations has limitations to the scope of services they can provide. Real Estate licensees may assist sellers in completing a short sale transaction or utilizing any federal programs; however, they are not qualified to advice sellers to take action, as this may constitute unlicensed practice of law.

New federal programs are available that can help home sellers and simplify the process for real estate licensees that facilitate short sale transactions. Real Estate licensees may assist distressed sellers who qualify under the new Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives (HAFA) program or the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP). To reduce the risk of default, HAMP assists qualified borrowers lower their monthly payments if they are greater than 31 percent of their monthly gross income. Mortgages can be modified on either a permanent or trial basis, depending on the situation. Borrowers who are still unable to afford their mortgage at this level may be eligible for a short sale or deed in lieu of foreclosure under the HAFA program.  HAFA qualified borrowers are given at least 90 days to complete a short sale and may deduct sales commission and expenses from the sale price. Financial incentives for relocation expenses, administrative expenses, and settling liens are provided to the seller. Loans guaranteed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac are also eligible under the HAFA program.

A deed in lieu of foreclosure involves the borrower voluntarily relinquishing the property to the lender without the formal foreclosure proceeding when they can no longer afford payments. Typically, the borrower must owe less than the property’s current value. A short sale transaction under the HAFA program allows a borrower who owes more than what the house is worth to receive pre-approved short sale terms before listing the property. The borrower then has the minimum 90-day period to find a buyer before the possibility of foreclosure. Real Estate licensees can use this window of time to find a buyer willing to pay the pre-approved short sale amount. After the sale, the borrower may be released from future liability for the remaining debt. The HAFA program doesn’t take effect until April 5, 2010; however, some lenders may implement the guidelines early.

CLICK HERE for more information on the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP)

CLICK HERE for more information on the Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives Program (HAFA)

With the passage of RCW 18.280 and WAC 308-408 everything changed for the Washington home inspection profession. The law and rules prescribe phased-in licensing and standards of practice for residential property inspectors. As far as licensing requirements all home inspectors have until July 1, 2010 to complete the education and field training requirements and the home inspector state and national exam to become licensed.  After July 1, 2010 real estate licensees must only refer clients to licensed home inspectors. There are many binding standards of practice laws home inspectors must abide by and real estate licensees also need to be familiar with the Washington home inspection rules as they will directly impact their clients.

The Standards of Practice requires home inspectors to execute a written inspection contract prior to every home inspection. The contract must clearly specify what an inspector will and will not inspect, and any special conditions.

Some other Standard of Practice requirements include:

Disclosure Requirements, which state prior to an inspection, home inspectors are required to give clients written disclosure of any personal or business relationships between the home inspector and any other interested party involved in the transaction.

The Mandatory Thoroughness Requirement says that home inspectors must do a complete and thorough home inspection, detailing what must be inspected and what information is to be included in the written report. The same standard of care is required for all home inspectors, meaning they must go onto roofs, into attics and crawlspaces and traverse each of them when performing the inspection.

Safety Device Requirements require home inspectors to verify the proper operation of certain safety devices, such as smoke detectors, ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCI) and arc-fault circuit interrupters (AFCI).

Home Inspector Ethics sets out ethical boundaries for how a home inspector may interact with buyers, sellers and real estate licensees before, during, and after an inspection. Most significantly, home inspectors are prohibited from performing repairs or offering services, other than the home inspection, to the owners of any home inspected, for at least a year after the date of the home inspection report. This also includes anyone employed by the same company as the home inspector.

Pest Reporting standards of practice states that home inspectors who are not licensed as structural pest inspectors cannot, in their home inspection report, identify damage that is suspected to be the result of wood destroying organisms. They are only allowed to make incidental observations of possible wood destroying organisms and their damage and must refer clients to a WSDA licensed structural pest inspector for proper identification, assessment of damage, and appropriate control measures.

 Please keep in mind that in normal residential real estate transactions a home inspector works for a buyer and not for the real estate licensee. It is extremely important to talk with your real estate agent about having a home inspection and be sure they are familiar with the statutes and rules governing home inspectors. Realtors who are knowledgeable on what is covered in a home inspection can go a long way in helping close your transaction and minimize issues.

 The laws and rules for home inspectors can be found at:

http://www.dol.wa.gov/business/homeinspectors/hilawbook.pdf