Welcome to Maddox Creek in Mt. Vernon, Washington!  The beautiful Maddox Creek neighborhood is considered to be one of the top view neighborhoods here in Mount Vernon, Washington. Featuring the perfect blend of spectacular views of both the Olympics and the surrounding Skagit Valley, the Maddox Creek development consists of many fabulous custom-built homes that were designed with just these great views in mind. The neighborhood is a fantastic blend of both single-family homes and condominium living all mingled amongst one another beautifully on the hill. Together this Mount Vernon neighborhood in Maddox Creek combines to share both structural and natural beauty as green belts and winding walking trails are located throughout. Featured Listings! Property Description:  Fabulous View Cond... 03/04/2011

BIG LAKE PANCAKE BREAKFAST! Come support the Big Lake Fire Department this Saturday, March 5th from 7-11am at the fire hall for their pancake breakfast fundraiser. 10% of the proceeds will go to benefit the Susan G. Komen 3-Day walk for the cure in memory of Melody Barone. The remainder of funds will go to benefit our wonderful Big Lake Fire Department to purchase equipment. So bring a donation and an appetite!!! Cost: Donation Location: Big Lake Fire Department (Next to Big Lake Elementary)   03/02/2011

Follow up, follow up, follow up! 48% OF SALES PEOPLE NEVER FOLLOW UP WITH A PROSPECT 25% OF SALES PEOPLE MAKE A SECOND CONTACT AND STOP 12% OF SALES PEOPLE ONLY MAKE THREE CONTACTS AND THEN STOP ONLY 10% OF SALES PEOPLE MAKE MORE THAN THREE CONTACTS 2% OF SALES ARE MADE ON THE FIRST CONTACT 3% OF SALES ARE MADE ON THE SECOND CONTACT 5% OF SALES ARE MADE ON THE THIRD CONTACT 10% OF SALES ARE MADE ON THE FOURTH CONTACT 80% OF SALES ARE MADE ON THE FIFTH TO TWELFTH CONTACT It's not hard - you just have to do it! 02/27/2011

There is some very good information in this article and not just for real estate folks.  The most important tool for success online: your mind There are a lot of people out there selling things to the real estate industry. Some of it is good. A lot of it is junk. And some of it is good for some people and junk for other people. Figuring out what is junk and what is not junk is enough to make you lose your mind. Don't lose your mind. It's the most essential thing you need for online success. Here are some specific ways to use your mind as you approach the mess of software and vendors and consultants and platforms and so on: 1. Think about what you're really doing online in the first place. What do you want other people to do online that helps your business? 2. Think about what other peop... 02/15/2011

Good info from a chap named Brad Andersohn. Might want to add some of these to your website. Do you like to compare?  Are you the person that looks for better prices on the lower shelves at the store?  If you're like me and are always comparing this to that or these to those, then you'll love this site.  It's called Sperlings Bestplaces and they compare a few pretty interesting things.  I just stumbled across this as I was looking to compare some specific City information and data for a friend. Some of these comparisons are really very interesting.  This may provide you with some additional information you'll want to know about or at least be armed with for your local and surrounding areas.  Sharing information like this with others is always so powerful, but remember that comparing app... 02/12/2011

I'm in Mt. Vernon, Washington today for the second part of a two day class working toward the NAR designation Senior Real Estate Specialist. The class is well taught. More on that another time. What's going on in Mt.Vernon is a little exciting too. Each year April is designated Tulip Festival month.  The fields for miles around in this Skagit Valley will be nothing but waves of color. What a sight. Today only the tulip chimney stands but this town is buzzing with preparation.   02/11/2011

If you didn't get this read from the NAR then you can read it here. Hopefully some of these suggestions will be taken to heart by or Legislators. Later this week, the Treasury Department will issue a report recommending changes to the structure of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.  This is the latest development in a years-long debate over what the government's role in housing should be. As REALTORS®, we know better than anyone else just how vital housing is to families and to our nation. Fact:  For every additional 1,000 home sales, about 500 jobs are added to the economy.  Those are real jobs that give our families, friends and neighbors a chance to work. Fact:  Every home purchase pumps $60,000 into the economy. Fact:  Housing accounts for more than 15 percent of the national gross domesti... 02/10/2011

This is an interesting article because you get a real sense for what the seller of a short sale property really goes through. Our business has changed a little with the birth of the short sale market and you have to have a strong constitution as a Realtor to deal with these sellers and do the job for them. Sorry to say the short sale business isn't for everyone! Despite the fervent prayers of bankers all across this nation, short sales and foreclosures are not disappearing anytime soon. They are simply two additional types of home sales that must be mastered by REALTORS®. And earning a specific distressed-home accreditation does not assure swift business or success with clientele. This segment of our trade requires REALTORS® to approach each situation with the utmost of respect, care an... 02/10/2011

OK, I read this article and what's going on here is just like the trap you fall into when you buy a computer. The thing is top of the line for six months until something new hits the market. Then you have to decide if you want to upgrade or keep what you've got. So, since my Blackberry is working fine and is still doing what I ask it to do - why change! .Android-equipped smart phones continued to gain traction among U.S. consumers, growing to a 28.7 percent market share for the three-month period ending in December 2010, metrics company comScore Inc. reported Monday. While BlackBerry parent Research In Motion Ltd. (RIM) led with a 31.6 percent market share of total U.S. smart phone subscribers ages 13 and up from October 2010-December 2010, RIM's market share dropped 5.7 percentage poin... 02/09/2011

17416 Olympic Place Quick Links Free List of Foreclosed Homes For Sale Skagit County, WA Homes for Sale What is your home worth? Short Sale Solutions Explained Short Sale Homes For Sale Mortgage & Refinance See Property Details Call: 360-542-6868 for more information on this or any other property. Visit Property Website http//skagitvalleyhousevalues.com What would your home sell for in this market? Live in Grand Style.This home features 3,700+square feet with formal living, dining, gourmet kitchen, 4 bedrooms, 4baths and a panoramic view of the valley floor out to the ocean.Built1991, this home features a grand entry, tall ceilings, expansive deck,lush grounds situated on 1/2+ acres, circular drive, unfinished spacefor storage.Interior comfort provided by heat pump and 2 forced airheat... 02/09/2011

This report is short and to the point. Gives you what you need to know and that's about it! Capital Gain Taxes - The Same for Now Toward the end of 2010, many people wondered what would happen to capital gain tax rates on January 1, 2011.  Some even scrambled to close the sale of property before the end of the year.  As it turned out, Congress extended the capital gain rates in mid December; at least for two years.  The following is a brief summary of portions of the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization and Jobs Creation Act of 2010 (not surprisingly referred to as "the extension of the Bush Era Tax Cuts") which are likely to impact real estate investors. Capital Gain and Dividend Rates - Current rates were extended for two-years for all taxpayers with a maximum rate of 15... 02/07/2011

This is a question, I'm sure, we've all been asked. Copy this for your records because it's a great explaination. Q: I'm trying to purchase a house in Nevada. The bid was accepted, but in the addendum it states that if the appraisal is lower than the offered price, the buyer will pay the difference at closing. Is that legal? Seems they should lower the price! --Joy A: I often get questions asking whether thus and so is "legal," "allowed" or "standard" in the context of a real estate transaction, so your question creates a great opportunity to clarify. I define "legal" as allowed under the laws of the relevant jurisdiction, something that the courts would allow, if the matter were disputed in litigation. In real estate, almost anything the buyer and seller agree to in the contract is leg... 02/07/2011

Can the bank kick me out of my home if I get a Reverse Mortgage? Can the bank kick me out of my home if I get a Reverse Mortgage? Question:  I recently turned 62 and am interested in a Reverse Mortgage.  I've heard that once the bank pays me the full amount of the Reverse Mortgage they take my home and I have to move out.  My home is full of years of memories and I couldn't handle having to leave before I'm ready!  Is it true, can the bank kick me out of my home once the full amount of the Reverse Mortgage has been paid to me? Answer:  Thank you so much for emailing me this question.  It's a rumor, and it's not true.  With a Reverse Mortgage, the bank does not have the right to kick you out of your home. Like any mortgage, either a regular mortgage or a Reverse Mortgage, the bank has a ... 02/05/2011

This story ought to make your day! It may take more than four years to clear the "shadow inventory" of distressed homes lurking on the sidelines in the U.S., a factor that's likely to undermine real estate prices as the backlog clears, analysts at Standard & Poor's Ratings Services say. At 49 months, the estimated time needed to clear shadow inventory at the end of the fourth quarter of 2010 was up 11 percent from the previous quarter and 40 percent from a year ago. With the lone exception of Miami, the months' supply of shadow inventory grew in almost all of the nation's 20 largest metro markets. But much of the increase in the estimated months needed to clear shadow inventory is due to the fact that it's taking longer for lenders to liquidate distressed homes -- not because the number... 02/04/2011

This is an excellant letter so take heed that your actions or inaction could cost you money. This type of thing should never happen. Agent shares blame for failure to provide report in timely manner By Barry StoneInman NewsTM February 01, 2011 DEAR BARRY: We bought our home six weeks ago. The sellers had inherited the property and claimed to know nothing about its condition. After moving in, there was a rainstorm. The roof leaked and the bedroom ceiling became wet. Our home inspector had said the roof was fairly new and in good condition. The termite report, however, disclosed water stains on the bedroom ceiling. Unfortunately, we did not receive the termite report in time. Our real estate agent never gave us a copy. We obtained one directly from the termite company three days before t... 02/04/2011

I'm not sure how I feel about this right now. It screams of more big government so I'm going to reread this and think about it for a while. Anything Dodd and Frank come up with needs to be evaluated very carefully. The Federal Reserve is backing down from a slew of proposed changes to mortgage loan disclosures, saying authority in that arena will soon be transferred to the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The Fed's proposed changes to mortgage loan disclosures were over a year in the making, prompted by criticism that homebuyers often didn't understand the true cost and terms of mortgages taken out during the boom. The situation was complicated by the fact that borrowers get two sets of federal mortgage disclosures: one addressing Truth in Lending Act (TILA) requirements, and t... 02/03/2011

Veterans Administration Loans Create Options To Refinance With Decreased Home Value Veterans Administration Loans Create Options To Refinance With Decreased Home Value Qualified active duty military and veterans from the armed forces have always had access to one of the best loan programs available when purchasing or refinancing a home, the Veterans Administration Home Loan, more commonly referred to as a VA loan. These loans have often been popular for the purchase of new homes, as they provide options for low fixed rate loans without no minimum down payment and more flexible credit standards. Across the board, the VA loan is often the loan of choice if you can qualify for it. However, in today's marketplace there is another especially useful component of the VA home loan and that is t... 02/03/2011

Mount Vernon Real Estate Overview Today, February 2, 2011 Market View for Mount Vernon Info Avg. Listing Price $287,170 Wk ending Jan 26 -$446-0.2%w-o-w Median Sales Price $195,756 Oct '10 - Dec '10 -$21,244-9.8%y-o-y 347 Homes For Sale 0 Open Homes 0 Recently Sold 217 Foreclosures Market Trends for Mount Vernon Embed Info Average Listing Price $287,170 -0.2% w-o-w Median Sales Price $195,756 -9.8% y-o-y Average Price/sqft $133 -17.4% y-o-y Number of Sales 59 -35.2% y-o-y More Mount Vernon Market Trends Select chart to embed:   Average Listing Price Copy & Paste HTML to embed this graph in your website:   Home Prices for Skagit County Info Most popularzip codes Avg. listing priceWeek ending Jan 26  w-o-w98221 $498,143 -0.9% 98273 $256,450 +1.7% 98284 $254,225 -1.3% 98274 $315,479 -1.5% ... 02/02/2011

I had a client call me yesterday about a short sale problem they're having. Five months ago they made an offer on a home that had been on the market for three years. Yes, three years. Since there had been no movement on the home the owner decided to bail and listed the property as a short sale. We think! When my client got involved with making an offer she dealt with the listing agent who forgot to make her aware of dual agency laws in this state. The mortgage owing is at $199,000 and my client offered $238,000. Yesterday, after three months of hearing nothing from her agent, my client gets a phone call asking for another $25,000 or the bank won't accept her offer. She also found out that there had been a second mortgage on the home, that had been foreclosed upon, and nobady had told my... 02/02/2011

I met a fellow named Gee Dunston a few years back and I admire what this man has to say about just about anything. He's never steered me wrong. Check out what he wrote about being over connected. So, you've opened an account on Facebook. You've got a bunch of friends, including some past customers and clients. Your posts have been about interest rates, why now is a good time to buy, and your latest listings. Everybody said you'd increase your business by doing this but...where in the heck are the good leads and referrals? If this sounds like you, you're not alone! By interviewing a few agents who are making money with Facebook, I've concluded that they all have several key strategies in common-all of which combine to create a social networking "secret sauce." 1. They are an open network... 01/31/2011