With interest rates at near record lows, home prices still very reasonable we are seeing more and more first time buyers enter the market. Yes, the pendulum is swinging back toward the middle allowing and easier path to finance your first home.
This video gives a quick overview of the role your real estate broker plays in helping you find, negotiate for, inspect and close on a home. There are a lot of steps and usually 18 to 22 people involved in a normal real estate transaction.
Picking your licensed real estate broker is the first step in making your transaction go as smoothly as possible.
Health Care Tax....It Is Not a Real Estate Transfer Tax As Many Have Suggested.
3.8% Tax Will go into Effect in 2013
Now that the Supreme Court has
upheld the health care legislation, all of its major provisions remain in
effect, including the new tax that was designed to affect upper income
taxpayers. The 3.8% tax is imposed ONLY on those with more than $200,000 of Adjusted
Gross Income (AGI) ($250,000 on a joint return). The tax applies to investment
income, defined as interest, dividends, capital gains and net rents. These
items are all included in an individual's AGI. A formula will determine what
portion, if any, of these types of investment income would be subject to the
tax. The tax is NOT a transfer tax on real estate sales and similar transactions . Not long after the tax was enacted, erroneous and misleading documents went viral on the Internet and created a great deal of misunderstanding and made the tax into something far more draconian than the actual provisions.
The new tax does NOT eliminate the benefits of the $250,000/$500,000 exclusion on the sale of a principal residence. Thus, ONLY that portion of a gain above those thresholds is included in AGI and could be subject to the tax.
REALTORS® should familiarize themselves with the tax, but should not advise their clients about the application of the tax. The amount of tax will vary from individual to individual because the elements that comprise AGI differ from taxpayer to taxpayer.
Q-1: Is there a 3.8% real estate “sales tax” or a
transfer tax created in health care bill?
A: No. There is neither a real estate “sales tax” nor a real estate transfer tax under any federal law. The Internet has generated several viral items describing such a tax. Those Internet postings are totally false. The 2010 health care legislation did create a new 3.8% tax, but it applies only to a limited group of taxpayers.
Q-2: So who will be subject to the new tax? When is it effective?
A: The new 3.8% tax will apply to the “unearned” income of “High Income” taxpayers. The new Medicare tax on unearned income will take effect January 1, 2013. Proceeds from the tax will be allocated to shoring up the Medicare fund.
Q-3: Who is a “High Income” Taxpayer?
A: Those whose tax filing status is “single” will be subject to the new unearned income taxes if they have Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) of more than $200,000. Married couples filing a joint return with AGI of more than $250,000 will also be subject to the new tax. (The AGI threshold for married filing separate returns is $125,000.)
Q-4: Are the $200,000 and $250,000 thresholds indexed for inflation?
A: No.Thus, over time, more individuals may become subject to this tax.
Q-5: What is “unearned” net investment income?
A. Unearned income is the income that an individual derives from investing his/her capital. It includes capital gains, rents, dividends and interest income. It also comes from some investments in active businesses if the investor is not an active participant in the business. The portion of unearned income that is subject both to income tax and the new Medicare tax is the amount of income derived from these sources, reduced by any expenses associated with earning that income. (Hence the term “net” investment income.)
Q-6: So the new tax will apply to rents from investment properties that I own?
A: Maybe. Remember that net investment income includes only net rental income. Thus, gross rents would not be subject to the tax. Rather, gross rents would be reduced (as they are under the income tax) by all allowable expenses, including depreciation, cost of repairs, property taxes and interest expense associated with debt service. AGI includes net income from rent, so if your AGI is above the $200,000/$250,000 thresholds, then the rental income might be subject to the tax.
For many investment real estate owners, the net rents will be the same as or similar to the amounts reported on their Schedule E, filed with their Form 1040 Income Tax Return. (For calculations, see Q-7, below. See also Q-8 through Q-12 related to capital gain from sale of principal residence, losses on sale and to vacation homes, below.)
Q-7: Does the tax apply to the yearly appreciation of an asset?
No. Capital gains are subject to this new tax only in the year when the asset is sold. The amount of the gain will be measured in the same way that it is for income tax purposes. This rule applies to real estate and all other appreciating capital assets. Net capital gains are taxable only in the year of sale.
Q-8: How is the new 3.8% Medicare tax calculated?
A: The new 3.8% Medicare tax is assessed only when Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) is more than $200,000/$250,000. (See Q-2 above.) AGI includes net income from interest, dividends, rents and capital gains, as well as earned compensation and several additional forms of income presented on a Form 1040 Income Tax Return.
The tax is NOT imposed on the total AGI, nor is it imposed solely on the investment income. Rather, the taxable amount will depend on the operation of a formula. The taxpayer will determine the LESSER of (1) net investment income OR (2) the excess of AGI over the $200,000/$250,000 AGI thresholds. Thus, if net investment income is the smaller amount, then the 3.8% tax is applied onlyto the net investment income amount. If the excess over the thresholds is the smaller amount, then the 3.8% tax would apply only to the excess amount.
Q-9: Give me an example.
If AGI for a single individual is $275,000, then the excess over $200,000 would be $75,000 ($275,000 minus $200,000). Assume that this individual’s net investment income is $60,000. The new 3.8% tax applies to the smaller amount. In this example, $60,000 of net investment income is less than the $75,000 excess over the threshold. Thus, in this example, the 3.8% tax is applied to the $60,000.
If this single individual had AGI if $275,000 and net investment income of $90,000, then the new tax would be imposed on the smaller amount: the $75,000 of excess over $200,000.
Rules of thumb for predicting the application of this tax year to year are not readily determinable, largely because the proportion of net investment income compared to AGI will vary from year to year and from individual to individual.
Q-10: Will the $250,000/$500,000 exclusion on the sale of a principal residence continue to apply?
A: Yes. Any gain from the sale of a principal residence that is less than $250,000 (individual) or $500,000 (joint return) will continue to be excluded from the income tax. The new 3.8% tax will NOT apply to this excluded amount of the gain.
Q-11: Will the 3.8% tax apply to any part of the gain on the sale of a principal residence?
A: Maybe. The new Medicare tax would apply only to any gain realized that is more than the $250K/$500K existing primary home exclusion (known as the “taxable gain”), and only if the seller has AGI above the $200K/$250K AGI thresholds.
So, for example, if the taxable gain was $30,000 and a married couple had AGI (which would include the taxable gain) of $180,000, the 3.8% tax would not apply because AGI is less than $250,000. If that same couple had AGI of $290,000, then the application of the 3.8% tax would be subject to the same formula described above. The $30,000 taxable gain on the sale would be less than the $40,000 excess above $250,000 AGI, so the $30,000 gain would be subject to the new 3.8% tax.
Q-12: Is rent from a vacation home subject to the 3.8% tax? And what about the gain on sale of a vacation or rental property?
A: The application of the tax will depend on whether the vacation home has been rented out, the period for which it has been rented and whether the property is solely for the enjoyment of the owner. If the owner has rented the home out to others, then the 14-day rent exclusion will continue to apply. Thus, if the owner rents the property to others (including family members) for 14 or fewer days, there would be no net investment tax. (Note that no deductions for expenses would be available, as under current law.)
If the home has been rented to others (including family members) for more than 14 days, then the rents (minus related expenses) would be considered as part of net investment income and could, depending on AGI and the calculations described above, be subject to the new tax.
If the vacation home has been used solely for personal enjoyment (i.e., there is no rental income and no associated expenses), then a gain on sale would be treated as net investment income and could be subject to the tax, depending on AGI. Similarly, if the property had generated rents, any net gain on sale could also be included in net investment income. The amount of the tax (if any) would depend on the calculation formula, above in Q-8 and Q-9.
Q-13: My rental property generates a net loss each year. How will those losses be factored into the new tax? And what if I have net capital losses when I sell?
A: Net losses from rents and net capital losses reduce AGI. Thus, the losses themselves would not be subject to the tax. If, after losses, AGI still exceeds the High Income thresholds, the 3.8% tax would still apply to any net rental, interest or dividends income.
Q-14: I earn all of my income from real estate investments that I own and operate myself. Will my rents and gains be subject to the new tax?
A: No.If the ownership and operation of real estate you own is your sole occupation, then those activities are what’s called your “trade or business.” Income derived from a trade or business is not subject to the new 3.8% tax. If the owner of rental properties has a “day job,” however, real estate investments are not considered as a trade or business, but are rather considered as investments, even if they are a major source of income.
Many Realtors engage in business activities are that are the “typical” selling, leasing and brokerage endeavors usually associated with the term “Realtor.” If they also own rental real estate assets as part of their own personal investment portfolio, the net rents from that portfolio could become subject to the new 3.8% tax on net investment income, depending on AGI.
Q-15: Will “High Income Filers” lose any portion of the Mortgage Interest Deduction?
A: No. The mortgage interest deduction is unchanged. No cap was imposed on any itemized deductions.
Q-16: Why is this new tax called a “Medicare tax?”
A: The revenues generated from this tax will be allocated to the Medicare Trust Fund that is part of the Social Security System. That fund is currently on shaky financial footing. These additional revenues are intended to shore up the Medicare Trust Fund.
Q-17: How will this new tax affect marginal (the highest) tax rates when it is combined with existing law and with the possible expiration of the Bush tax cuts enacted in 2001?
A: Marginal tax rates are the tax rates assessed on the “last” dollars included in taxable income. If the Bush tax cuts are allowed to expire, then the marginal rates for upper income individuals will increase, particularly for capital gains income. The chart below reflects the impact of those changes, presented based on implementation of current law effective dates.
A: No. There is neither a real estate “sales tax” nor a real estate transfer tax under any federal law. The Internet has generated several viral items describing such a tax. Those Internet postings are totally false. The 2010 health care legislation did create a new 3.8% tax, but it applies only to a limited group of taxpayers.
Q-2: So who will be subject to the new tax? When is it effective?
A: The new 3.8% tax will apply to the “unearned” income of “High Income” taxpayers. The new Medicare tax on unearned income will take effect January 1, 2013. Proceeds from the tax will be allocated to shoring up the Medicare fund.
Q-3: Who is a “High Income” Taxpayer?
A: Those whose tax filing status is “single” will be subject to the new unearned income taxes if they have Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) of more than $200,000. Married couples filing a joint return with AGI of more than $250,000 will also be subject to the new tax. (The AGI threshold for married filing separate returns is $125,000.)
Q-4: Are the $200,000 and $250,000 thresholds indexed for inflation?
A: No.Thus, over time, more individuals may become subject to this tax.
Q-5: What is “unearned” net investment income?
A. Unearned income is the income that an individual derives from investing his/her capital. It includes capital gains, rents, dividends and interest income. It also comes from some investments in active businesses if the investor is not an active participant in the business. The portion of unearned income that is subject both to income tax and the new Medicare tax is the amount of income derived from these sources, reduced by any expenses associated with earning that income. (Hence the term “net” investment income.)
Q-6: So the new tax will apply to rents from investment properties that I own?
A: Maybe. Remember that net investment income includes only net rental income. Thus, gross rents would not be subject to the tax. Rather, gross rents would be reduced (as they are under the income tax) by all allowable expenses, including depreciation, cost of repairs, property taxes and interest expense associated with debt service. AGI includes net income from rent, so if your AGI is above the $200,000/$250,000 thresholds, then the rental income might be subject to the tax.
For many investment real estate owners, the net rents will be the same as or similar to the amounts reported on their Schedule E, filed with their Form 1040 Income Tax Return. (For calculations, see Q-7, below. See also Q-8 through Q-12 related to capital gain from sale of principal residence, losses on sale and to vacation homes, below.)
Q-7: Does the tax apply to the yearly appreciation of an asset?
No. Capital gains are subject to this new tax only in the year when the asset is sold. The amount of the gain will be measured in the same way that it is for income tax purposes. This rule applies to real estate and all other appreciating capital assets. Net capital gains are taxable only in the year of sale.
Q-8: How is the new 3.8% Medicare tax calculated?
A: The new 3.8% Medicare tax is assessed only when Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) is more than $200,000/$250,000. (See Q-2 above.) AGI includes net income from interest, dividends, rents and capital gains, as well as earned compensation and several additional forms of income presented on a Form 1040 Income Tax Return.
The tax is NOT imposed on the total AGI, nor is it imposed solely on the investment income. Rather, the taxable amount will depend on the operation of a formula. The taxpayer will determine the LESSER of (1) net investment income OR (2) the excess of AGI over the $200,000/$250,000 AGI thresholds. Thus, if net investment income is the smaller amount, then the 3.8% tax is applied onlyto the net investment income amount. If the excess over the thresholds is the smaller amount, then the 3.8% tax would apply only to the excess amount.
Q-9: Give me an example.
If AGI for a single individual is $275,000, then the excess over $200,000 would be $75,000 ($275,000 minus $200,000). Assume that this individual’s net investment income is $60,000. The new 3.8% tax applies to the smaller amount. In this example, $60,000 of net investment income is less than the $75,000 excess over the threshold. Thus, in this example, the 3.8% tax is applied to the $60,000.
If this single individual had AGI if $275,000 and net investment income of $90,000, then the new tax would be imposed on the smaller amount: the $75,000 of excess over $200,000.
Rules of thumb for predicting the application of this tax year to year are not readily determinable, largely because the proportion of net investment income compared to AGI will vary from year to year and from individual to individual.
Q-10: Will the $250,000/$500,000 exclusion on the sale of a principal residence continue to apply?
A: Yes. Any gain from the sale of a principal residence that is less than $250,000 (individual) or $500,000 (joint return) will continue to be excluded from the income tax. The new 3.8% tax will NOT apply to this excluded amount of the gain.
Q-11: Will the 3.8% tax apply to any part of the gain on the sale of a principal residence?
A: Maybe. The new Medicare tax would apply only to any gain realized that is more than the $250K/$500K existing primary home exclusion (known as the “taxable gain”), and only if the seller has AGI above the $200K/$250K AGI thresholds.
So, for example, if the taxable gain was $30,000 and a married couple had AGI (which would include the taxable gain) of $180,000, the 3.8% tax would not apply because AGI is less than $250,000. If that same couple had AGI of $290,000, then the application of the 3.8% tax would be subject to the same formula described above. The $30,000 taxable gain on the sale would be less than the $40,000 excess above $250,000 AGI, so the $30,000 gain would be subject to the new 3.8% tax.
Q-12: Is rent from a vacation home subject to the 3.8% tax? And what about the gain on sale of a vacation or rental property?
A: The application of the tax will depend on whether the vacation home has been rented out, the period for which it has been rented and whether the property is solely for the enjoyment of the owner. If the owner has rented the home out to others, then the 14-day rent exclusion will continue to apply. Thus, if the owner rents the property to others (including family members) for 14 or fewer days, there would be no net investment tax. (Note that no deductions for expenses would be available, as under current law.)
If the home has been rented to others (including family members) for more than 14 days, then the rents (minus related expenses) would be considered as part of net investment income and could, depending on AGI and the calculations described above, be subject to the new tax.
If the vacation home has been used solely for personal enjoyment (i.e., there is no rental income and no associated expenses), then a gain on sale would be treated as net investment income and could be subject to the tax, depending on AGI. Similarly, if the property had generated rents, any net gain on sale could also be included in net investment income. The amount of the tax (if any) would depend on the calculation formula, above in Q-8 and Q-9.
Q-13: My rental property generates a net loss each year. How will those losses be factored into the new tax? And what if I have net capital losses when I sell?
A: Net losses from rents and net capital losses reduce AGI. Thus, the losses themselves would not be subject to the tax. If, after losses, AGI still exceeds the High Income thresholds, the 3.8% tax would still apply to any net rental, interest or dividends income.
Q-14: I earn all of my income from real estate investments that I own and operate myself. Will my rents and gains be subject to the new tax?
A: No.If the ownership and operation of real estate you own is your sole occupation, then those activities are what’s called your “trade or business.” Income derived from a trade or business is not subject to the new 3.8% tax. If the owner of rental properties has a “day job,” however, real estate investments are not considered as a trade or business, but are rather considered as investments, even if they are a major source of income.
Many Realtors engage in business activities are that are the “typical” selling, leasing and brokerage endeavors usually associated with the term “Realtor.” If they also own rental real estate assets as part of their own personal investment portfolio, the net rents from that portfolio could become subject to the new 3.8% tax on net investment income, depending on AGI.
Q-15: Will “High Income Filers” lose any portion of the Mortgage Interest Deduction?
A: No. The mortgage interest deduction is unchanged. No cap was imposed on any itemized deductions.
Q-16: Why is this new tax called a “Medicare tax?”
A: The revenues generated from this tax will be allocated to the Medicare Trust Fund that is part of the Social Security System. That fund is currently on shaky financial footing. These additional revenues are intended to shore up the Medicare Trust Fund.
Q-17: How will this new tax affect marginal (the highest) tax rates when it is combined with existing law and with the possible expiration of the Bush tax cuts enacted in 2001?
A: Marginal tax rates are the tax rates assessed on the “last” dollars included in taxable income. If the Bush tax cuts are allowed to expire, then the marginal rates for upper income individuals will increase, particularly for capital gains income. The chart below reflects the impact of those changes, presented based on implementation of current law effective dates.
Build up to our spring housing market in Kitsap County
Spring is on the horizon and the super bowl is over so now it is time to try to get a sense as to what our spring home market will be like.
Here are some of the pieces that I believe will fuel a healthy market this year:
1) Seattle market has low inventory. Their home values will begin to escalate before ours. They will reach a point that will encourage buyers to look west for more value for their dollar.
2) Kitsap prices though still falling in many categories are beginning to stabilize; waterfront - still settling, $200,000 to $325,000 - stabilizing and beginning to go up due to low inventory.
3) Interest rates continue to remain lower than we have seen in 50+ years. (this equates to buying power)
4) It appears more government programs are on the horizon to encourage banks to work out mortgage modification with financially challenged home owners....this may help to keep some of the REO properties off the market, which will help remove low sale price offsets and reduce inventory.
All in all, if you are going to be owning your next home for 4 or more years....now is a good time to buy.
Here are some of the pieces that I believe will fuel a healthy market this year:
1) Seattle market has low inventory. Their home values will begin to escalate before ours. They will reach a point that will encourage buyers to look west for more value for their dollar.
2) Kitsap prices though still falling in many categories are beginning to stabilize; waterfront - still settling, $200,000 to $325,000 - stabilizing and beginning to go up due to low inventory.
3) Interest rates continue to remain lower than we have seen in 50+ years. (this equates to buying power)
4) It appears more government programs are on the horizon to encourage banks to work out mortgage modification with financially challenged home owners....this may help to keep some of the REO properties off the market, which will help remove low sale price offsets and reduce inventory.
All in all, if you are going to be owning your next home for 4 or more years....now is a good time to buy.
Home insurance for your new home
The cost of owning a home is not just the monthly payment, it also includes the principle, interest, taxes, insurance and maintenance. Insurance is often overlooked to left to the end of a transaction to figure out. When thinking about buying a home insurance should be one of the things you think about up front and include in your team; Real Estate Broker, Loan Officer, Insurance Broker and CPA or Attorney.
Real Estate Market Update, Northwest Multiple Listing Service
Home sales outpace number of new listings for first time in five years
KIRKLAND, Wash. (Dec. 5, 2011) – Northwest Multiple Listing Service members reported 6,103 pending sales during November, marking the seventh straight month of double-digit year-over-year increases.
Last month’s total number of mutually accepted offers was 22.4 percent higher than the same month a year ago. It also marked the first month since December 2006 that the number of pending sales surpassed the number of new listings (6,043), prompting discussions of possible inventory shortages.
“As we head toward the end of the year, it’s certainly good to see a healthy number of buyers relative to the available inventory for sale,” said Mike Grady, president and chief operating officer of Coldwell Banker Bain. “In fact,” he noted, “there are some desirable neighborhoods in urban core areas where the case could be made there are too few homes currently for sale.”
At month end, there were 30,650 residential listings in the MLS inventory across 21 counties, down nearly 17 percent from a year ago. For the listing service map areas covering Seattle, the database shows a year-over-year drop of about 32 percent.
“Entering the New Year, the Seattle metro area will start off with a shortage of inventory in both the more affordable and mid-priced ranges,” suggested J. Lennox Scott, CEO and chairman of John L. Scott Real Estate. He noted a high percentage of sellers are receiving offers within the first month or two of listing their homes.
Despite the smaller selection, the listings in the MLS database covering all counties span a wide price range: 400 homes are priced at $50,000 or less and 65 residences are listed at $5 million-plus.
For homes and condominiums that sold last month, the median selling price was $225,000, down 10 percent from the year-ago median price of $250,000. Single family home prices were off 8 percent from a year ago ($234,612 versus $255,000), while condo prices slipped more than 17 percent ($169,000 versus $204,500).
Brokers point to distressed properties, which tend to be deeply discounted, as a primary cause of lower prices.
Bank-owned homes continue to put downward pressure on pricing, reported Northwest MLS director Matt Deasy, general manager of Windermere Real Estate/East, Inc.
For the four-county Puget Sound region, a check of the Northwest MLS database shows more than one-fourth (26.8 percent) of the single-family homes that sold last month were classified as distressed, up from the year-ago figure of 21.9 percent.
| SFH only | Nov. 2011 | Nov. 2010 | ||||
| | Total | Bank owned | % bank owned/REO | Total | Bank owned | % bank owned/REO |
| King | 1538 | 327 | 21.26% | 1092 | 163 | 14.93% |
| Snoh | 680 | 201 | 29.56% | 499 | 138 | 27.66% |
| Pierce | 710 | 268 | 37.75% | 591 | 172 | 29.10% |
| Kitsap | 191 | 41 | 21.47% | 178 | 43 | 24.16% |
| 4-co ttl | 3119 | 837 | 26.84% | 2360 | 516 | 21.86% |
(*REO is a class of property owned by a lender - typically a bank, government agency, or government loan insurer - after an unsuccessful sale at a foreclosure auction. – Wikipedia)
For the MLS market overall (21 counties), the number of closed sales jumped 36.2 percent, rising from 3,583 completed transactions during November 2010 to last month’s total of 4,879.
“Home prices continue to get dragged down by foreclosures and short sales, which is disappointing given how strong home sales are,” said OB Jacobi, president of Windermere Real Estate. “We probably won’t see drastic changes in prices until the banks work through the distressed inventory,” he noted, adding, “but we expect the pace of this process to pick up over the next several months, so hopefully by this time next year we’ll be singing a different tune.”
Kitsap County was one of the few areas to register a price gain. The median sales price edged up slightly more than 1 percent, from $230,000 to $232,500. “One month does not make a trend,” acknowledged MLS director Frank Wilson, while noting the change in direction to a positive number is encouraging.
Wilson, the branch managing broker at John L. Scott’s Poulsbo office, expects Kitsap County will benefit from last week’s surprise announcement of a contract extension between Boeing and the Machinists Union, since Kitsap often feels an echo effect of what happens on “the other side.” If ratified, he said the contract “will definitely help our area (particularly the northern part) in the long run as buyers will continue to see a significant price difference between Seattle-side real estate and what they can buy in Kitsap.” (According to Northwest MLS data, the median asking price on current listings of single family homes in Kitsap County is $289,000, while in King County it is $370,000, about 28 percent more.)
The “fantastic, recent news coming out of Boeing is going to secure thousands of jobs in the area,” said J. Lennox Scott. With that news, combined with momentum from other major area employers, “we are seeing solid, renewed demand for local housing,” he remarked. Job growth, historic low interest rates and an elevated number of residential investors taking advantage of favorable market conditions are contributing to “a healthy level of sales activity, one of the best in the nation.”
One of the sub-markets with vigorous activity is North Seattle, reported Mike Grady. The number of homes currently in escrow nearly matches the number still available for sale, a condition not seen since the boom years of 2005 and 2006, according to his analysis. He is also encouraged by the small ratio of distressed properties. Grady said fewer than 6 percent of North Seattle properties waiting to close escrow are ‘short sale’ transactions, which he said is “a positive trend our brokers will be keeping a close eye on in the weeks and months ahead.”
Northwest MLS director Wilson cautioned some of the statistics for November and December should be viewed “with a grain a salt.” Buyers and sellers tend to think more about family time and the holidays, and sellers may choose to postpone listing their home until the New Year, or take them off the market during the holiday season, he explained.
Although some sellers, buyers and brokers “check out” during the holidays, Wilson said there is an interesting dynamic that takes place. Houses that are on the market are being looked at by more motivated buyers, buyers who are very focused, he noted. “This is an interesting dynamic that happens every year,” he added.
Wilson’s observation is bolstered by findings from a Realtor.com survey, which found the vast majority of respondents, 79 percent, said more serious buyers were one of the biggest benefits of listing during the holidays. Less competition was an advantage cited by 61 percent of the survey respondents. The majority of respondents, 74 percent, said pricing a home to sell is even more important during the holidays, while an even higher number, 80 percent, said online listing photos were particularly crucial since buyers visit fewer open houses and sellers are less inclined to schedule them during the busy holiday season.
Northwest Multiple Listing Service, owned by its member real estate firms, is the largest full-service MLS in the Northwest. Its membership includes more than 22,000 real estate brokers. The organization, based in Kirkland, Wash., currently serves 21 counties in Washington state.
###
Sources quoted (Deasy, Jacobi, and Wilson are members of the Northwest MLS Board of Directors)
Matt Deasy, general manager of Windermere Real Estate/East, Inc. .......................... (425) 643-5500
Mike Grady, president and COO, Coldwell Banker Bain........................................... (425) 456-9570
OB Jacobi, president, Windermere Real Estate........................... (c/o Shelley Rossi) (425) 269-7132
J. Lennox Scott, chairman and CEO of John L. Scott Real Estate (c/o David Warren, (425) 394-0947
Frank Wilson, branch managing broker, John L. Scott, Poulsbo................................ (360) 731-1801
_________
See next page for statistical summary by counties
| Single Fam. Homes + Condos | LISTINGS | PENDING SALES | CLOSED SALES | |||
| New Listings | Total Active | # Pending Sales | # Closings | Avg. Price | Median Price | |
| King | 2,236 | 8,790 | 2,486 | 1,944 | $360,515 | $290,000 |
| Snohomish | 947 | 3,817 | 1,041 | 806 | $254,126 | $229,950 |
| Pierce | 977 | 4,777 | 1,048 | 758 | $198,562 | $184,848 |
| Kitsap | 304 | 1,595 | 239 | 203 | $277,251 | $232,500 |
| Mason | 94 | 729 | 49 | 45 | $181,448 | $147,500 |
| Skagit | 130 | 958 | 112 | 96 | $270,768 | $192,500 |
| Grays Harbor | 83 | 771 | 68 | 57 | $144,545 | $115,000 |
| Lewis | 78 | 696 | 61 | 48 | $157,580 | $144,950 |
| Cowlitz | 93 | 506 | 81 | 62 | $154,155 | $131,495 |
| Grant | 67 | 514 | 59 | 46 | $147,861 | $135,220 |
| Thurston | 279 | 1,513 | 274 | 223 | $226,563 | $215,000 |
| San Juan | 17 | 421 | 14 | 11 | $481,636 | $366,000 |
| Island | 110 | 853 | 87 | 80 | $281,137 | $239,500 |
| Kittitas | 36 | 469 | 37 | 44 | $240,545 | $196,175 |
| Jefferson | 32 | 520 | 39 | 27 | $248,544 | $225,000 |
| Okanogan | 36 | 379 | 21 | 15 | $197,456 | $220,000 |
| Whatcom | 214 | 1,494 | 214 | 176 | $234,439 | $208,000 |
| Clark | 43 | 208 | 42 | 93 | $224,098 | $197,000 |
| Pacific | 39 | 385 | 24 | 20 | $128,022 | $118,250 |
| Ferry | 3 | 60 | 5 | 3 | $171,333 | $165,000 |
| Clallam | 56 | 421 | 28 | 35 | $220,809 | $185,000 |
| Others | 169 | 774 | 74 | 87 | $191,788 | $175,000 |
| | 6,043 | 30,650 | 6,103 | 4,879 | $280,168 | $225,000 |
4-county Puget Sound Region Pending Sales (SFH + Condo combined)
(totals include King, Snohomish, Pierce & Kitsap counties)
| | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| 2000 | 3706 | 4778 | 5903 | 5116 | 5490 | 5079 | 4928 | 5432 | 4569 | 4675 | 4126 | 3166 |
| 2001 | 4334 | 5056 | 5722 | 5399 | 5631 | 5568 | 5434 | 5544 | 4040 | 4387 | 4155 | 3430 |
| 2002 | 4293 | 4735 | 5569 | 5436 | 6131 | 5212 | 5525 | 6215 | 5394 | 5777 | 4966 | 4153 |
| 2003 | 4746 | 5290 | 6889 | 6837 | 7148 | 7202 | 7673 | 7135 | 6698 | 6552 | 4904 | 4454 |
| 2004 | 4521 | 6284 | 8073 | 7910 | 7888 | 8186 | 7583 | 7464 | 6984 | 6761 | 6228 | 5195 |
| 2005 | 5426 | 6833 | 8801 | 8420 | 8610 | 8896 | 8207 | 8784 | 7561 | 7157 | 6188 | 4837 |
| 2006 | 5275 | 6032 | 8174 | 7651 | 8411 | 8094 | 7121 | 7692 | 6216 | 6403 | 5292 | 4346 |
| 2007 | 4869 | 6239 | 7192 | 6974 | 7311 | 6876 | 6371 | 5580 | 4153 | 4447 | 3896 | 2975 |
| 2008 | 3291 | 4167 | 4520 | 4624 | 4526 | 4765 | 4580 | 4584 | 4445 | 3346 | 2841 | 2432 |
| 2009 | 3250 | 3407 | 4262 | 5372 | 5498 | 5963 | 5551 | 5764 | 5825 | 5702 | 3829 | 3440 |
| 2010 | 4381 | 5211 | 6821 | 7368 | 4058 | 4239 | 4306 | 4520 | 4350 | 4376 | 3938 | 3474 |
| 2011 | 4272 | 4,767 | 6049 | 5732 | 5963 | 5868 | 5657 | 5944 | 5299 | 5384 | 4814 | |
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