$189,000, 3Bd/2Ba Single Family House, 1180 sqft.    geri wehry | RE/MAX Select R.E. | 206-819-4234geri@wehry.us | 31623 118th Pl SE, Auburn, WA 98092 Nice ramber - 3 bedrooms and 2 full baths! 3Bd/2Ba Single Family House   $189,000 Year Built 1978 Sq Footage 1180 sqft. Bedrooms 3 Beds Bathrooms 2 Baths Floors 1 Parking 2 Garage Laundry In Unit Lot Size 5793 Square Feet HOA/Maint $33 DESCRIPTION WOW - hard to find a move-in ready house under 200K! This home has been nicely maintained and is ready for you! This rambler features a nice entry, living room, dining room with a slider to the covered patio, and nicely updated kitchen. There are 3 bedrooms plus 2 full bathrooms. The laundry is in the home not in the two car attached garage. It is fully fenced on a large corner lot and has new ... 07/02/2015

Wouldn’t you know it... Wednesday ... I started a refinance on my condo. Of course the question, “Do you have any credit card debt?” No I don't (smiles)  just a few hundred bucks from last week's COSTCO run and a few other recents...Oh, did I mention I'm working from the waiting area at the Ford Dealership in Kent this Friday afternoon? I blew a tire last night on my way home. So let's see now, a flat tire turns into 4 new tires+allignment+new battery+front brakes (bothsides) rotors and pads. I knew all of it was coming so no fault to anyone, but dang it, "THE PLAN" was cheering for next month, even better the one after. $1,500 later on the card and yes, I'm grateful. Big scheme, it's nothing really (1st world problem) and as it turned out, a very interesting evening...I manage to hobbl... 05/31/2015

‘The Long Look’  is a life sized bronze deer sculpture created by Brad Rude. It’s located in the Centennial Viewpoint Park up on top of West Hill in Auburn, Washington and gazes southeast over the Auburn Valley at Mount Rainier. It was originally cast in 1992, but fell victim to vandals two years ago and was recast and reinstalled in the park in late 2013. I love my stops here at this little park. It’s one of my favorite views of Mount Rainier. ‘The Long Look’ is a beautiful piece and everytime I am here I can’t help but contemplate what the deer might be thinking as it looks over the valley. Is it peering into the future or maybe remembering what once was? Perhaps both... Ironically the sculpture is just across the street from the Mountain View Cemetery where markers date back to 1880.... 01/26/2015

It is possible to buy a house with less than a 20% down payment. One of the most frequent and often biggest hurdles when assisting potential home buyers is their lack of a 20% down payment, combined with their desire or need to keep their payment as low as possible. Typically their credit scores are pretty good, say mid 700's or so, and they otherwise qualify nicely for a mortgage. They come to me wanting to buy a house, but thinking it's not at all possible because they believe their only choice is to buy with using a low down payment FHA loan and then pay the staggering and never-ending mortgage insurance. Over the past several months, the loan officer with whom I work most frequently has suggested to some of my clients that they consider using lender-paid private mortgage insurance ... 11/25/2014

According to the 2012 census, median income in Auburn is just under $50k. And yet, quick research on our MLS illustrates the current median sold price for Auburn homes thus far in 2014 is $276,755!! (good grief!) An absolutely fascinating blog post that compares housing affordability by zip code was quoted today by the National Association of Realtors via the Realtor Magazine. With thanks to the Movoto blog folks, take a quick look at their infographic and explanation, then plug in your own zip code and see where it ranks. The higher the number, the less affordable. The lower the number, the more affordable. Be sure to read through their very informative blog post to understand the methodology behind the numbers. After reading, I think I need to move to North Dakota (yikes! .... probabl... 10/24/2014

Auburn Valley Humane Society pet photo contest   Help support the Auburn Valley Humane Society by showing off your pet. The Auburn Valley Humane Society (AVHS) is very excited to announce the 2nd Annual Pet Photo Contest and Fundraiser! The AVHS Pet Photo Calendar Contest is a great way to show off your four-legged family members to loved ones worldwide and have a little fun bragging about the cuteness of their favorite pet. Plus you’re doing your part to change the lives of lost, abandoned, and homeless animals in our community. The top 14 pet photos who receive the highest vote count will be the winners of the 2015 Calendar Contest and win a featured spot on one of the monthly pages. The photo with the most votes will be featured on the cover of the 2015 AVHS calendar and a monthly pa... 09/24/2014

I am often somewhat amused by what the "experts" tell us about the reason real estate markets perform they way they do. In a recent article published by Real Estate Economy Watch, two Federal Reserve economists say that lenders have been applying stricter underwriting guidelines for potential buyers who do not have large downpayments. True. However, they then go on to say that this is the reason fewer FHA loans are sought or approved.Huh ... all about underwriting guidelines. Frankly, while there is definitely belt tightening going on in qualifying for these sorts of guaranteed loans, in my experience, more buyers are avoiding FHA loans because of the fact that an FHA loan now carries the requirement for payment of monthly Mortgage Insurance throughout the life of the FHA loan. No getti... 07/15/2014

Star Lake homes for sale in Auburn, WA. Star Lake in Auburn, WA is close to major highways and stores yet in the small community of Star Lake it feels like you are nestled away. Homes in the Star Lake community are split level, tri-level and ramblers they average 1,300-2,500sp ft. There is a public boat access to get you out on the beautiful lake. Star Lake Inn is right in the middle of the neighborhood. Zero down financing available for homes in Star Lake in Auburn, WA. Looking to sell your home in or around Auburn, WA? Click here. Check out all homes for sale in 98001. 06/24/2014

Homes for sale in Jovita Heights, Auburn, WA. Jovita Heights is an up and coming community located in Auburn, WA. It is close to all major highways, shopping centers, and restaraunts. The neighborhood has sidewalks, parks, and walking trails throughout. Looking to sell your home in or around Jovita Heights? Click Here!  Zero down financing available for homes in Jovita Heights. Looking for other homes for sale on the Auburn west hill? Check out all the homes for sale in 98001.   06/18/2014

Lakeland Hills, Auburn WA - A Market Snapshot I know that some folks find market statistics boring. There's a case for that. Just hearing numbers IS boring. But I kinda like them. I like knowing what's going on. When a home is listed or purchased using my services, we talk about numbers. And I know that my clients rely on what I've researched prior to making important decisions. So, all that said, here's the latest Market Snapshot for the Lakeland Hills, Auburn Washington area. (I'll try to explain a bit too, so this isn't quite as boring!) Both charts include reporting through today, June 16th, the half-way point of the month. This first chart shows how many residential properties have sold in the overall Lakeland Hills community. Residential means everything except condominiums. If th... 06/16/2014

Updated June 13, 2014.  If you are currently considering moving to (buying or renting) in the West Kent and West Auburn areas of South King County in Washington state, click here for some valuable information and statistics: http://www.homesearchbybrandon.com/micompare/zip/98032/comparezip/98001/ Both Puget Sound areas are a great place to live. It is so easy these days to do your research on potential new neighborhoods.  Use an agent resource such as this before you make that decision to purchase or rent. Good luck! 06/13/2014

It's been a statistics sort of morning here at my Auburn WA home office. I usually start the day by skimming the local newspaper (I'm a touchy-feely sort of reader). Reading the May House Sales article with interest, I noticed The Seattle Times report (from our local MLS) that house prices in my Southeast King County area saw a growth in median prices of 7.9% over the same time last year ... with a corresponding drop in number of units sold of 15.7%. Adding to the morning, I took an hour or so to listen to a webinar presented by Keeping Current Matters. Their information is always well presented, but does tend to be more regional. KCM reported on a Washington State level that home prices have appreciated approximately 6.4%. Now, not to be too persnickity (well maybe, but I like to be re... 06/05/2014

Updated May 13, 2014.  If you are currently considering moving to (buying or renting) in the West Kent and West Auburn areas of South King County in Washington state, click here for some valuable information and statistics: http://www.homesearchbybrandon.com/micompare/zip/98032/comparezip/98001/ Both Puget Sound areas are a great place to live. It is so easy these days to do your research on potential new neighborhoods.  Use an agent resource such as this before you make that decision to purchase or rent. Good luck! 05/13/2014

The gated Madera townhouse community at Lakeland Hills in Auburn, WA is gorgeous! Perched on the hillside as you climb up from the Auburn valley towards Lake Tapps, the units sitting on the front side of the hill have amazing views of the valley and the Olympics far to the west, especially on a sunny day. Many of the condominiums throughout the Lakeland Hills planned community have similar floor plans, and most were built by Polygon Homes as they developed their neighborhoods in Lakeland Hills.  Madera seems like a separate little jewel, however. Not only is there a distinct pride of ownership throughout, but the homeowners here can also enjoy a quick stress break on the little putting green thoughtfully located right in the middle of the neighborhood. While helping a recent buyer in Ma... 05/13/2014

Years ago, I watched a developer scrape and then ultimately design a huge area on Lea Hill in east Auburn, WA, finally to be named The Bridges. There were grand plans associated with the area -- lots of parks, several builders with all sorts of differing price points, a bit of shopping. In short, Bridges was to be a planned community of the sort that's become very popular in the area. Enter the real estate recession. Bridges sat empty. Lots of paved streets, a few trails. No trees. It was a great place to run the dogs, as I did frequently. In approximately 2011, however, MainVue homes acquired lots on the north end of The Bridges and began building their World of Model Homes. Beautiful homes, with new designs for our area! Wildly successful with their huge windows and signature outdoor ... 04/18/2014

New Construction in Auburn, WA - Sonata Hill by Quadrant Homes Each spring I take a hard look at new construction neighborhoods in and around my own Auburn, Washington home. Over the last year or so, this Auburn, WA area has had a shortage of resale properties, other than short sales and bank-owned properties which, when competitively priced, have been snatched up by investors for use as rental properties. Enter new construction! The Auburn Washington area sits south of Seattle ... and north of Tacoma ... making it an ideal area for commuting. We're also a logical and affordable choice for folks commuting into the eastside (think the Bellevue and Redmond corridor), along with those who are active or retired military and wish to be within driving distance of Joint Base Lewis McChord (JBL... 04/08/2014

Preparing Your House for Sale in Auburn, WA ... or Anywhere! As with so many of the good things we want in life, selling a house is just plain hard work. Your house will be examined through a looking glass, so it's critically important that it be well prepared, well priced, and well represented. Here are just a few of the steps necessary before hanging that For Sale sign: House Prep While this sometimes feels like an almost insurmountable task, carefully preparing your house is definitely the first step in successfully selling a home in today’s market. If you’ve ever taken the time to tour carefully staged model homes, you are likely aware that your home must compete on a very high level to quickly sell and pull the numbers you know your house is worth. Basics Start with these basic ste... 03/12/2014

Updated March 6, 2014.  If you are currently considering moving to (buying or renting) in the West Kent and West Auburn areas of South King County in Washington state, click here for some valuable information and statistics: http://www.homesearchbybrandon.com/micompare/zip/98032/comparezip/98001/ Both Puget Sound areas are a great place to live. It is so easy these days to do your homework on potential new neighborhoods.  Use an agent resource such as this before you make that decision to purchase or rent. Good luck! 03/06/2014

Although pre-existing home sales were still in recovery mode over the last couple of years, new construction seemed to take on wings of its own, especially in our south King and Pierce County areas. From experience in working with several buyers of new construction in new communities, I can tell you that there are many things to consider. Here are just a few: Can you tour model homes or previous construction by the builder? Especially in larger communities, builders often construct one or more model homes that display standard finishes and upgrades. Sometimes upgrades are a bit tricky to identify, so you’ll want to be sure you and your broker ask lots of questions about what is included in the base price. Is there a HomeOwners Association and are there CC&Rs? If you anticipate buying n... 02/24/2014

Lakeland Hills in southeast Auburn, WA continues to be an affordable and desirable area, especially for first time homebuyers and folks looking for new(er) housing styles and options. Spanning the King County/Pierce County border, Lakeland Hills in Auburn, WA is a perfect fit for buyers and renters looking for a reasonable commute to the overall Seattle and Tacoma areas. Offering something for everyone, some individual neighborhoods are gated, many are included in the active Lakeland Hills Homeowner Association, there are several community parks, shopping, banks, walking trails, and so on. In addition, a number of builders continue to add to the overall Lakeland Hills development constructing homes priced from the mid-upper $200k mark to the $600's. Depending on exactly location, you'll... 01/07/2014