Thursday, April 19, 2007

The Recyclables - Written by Our Very Own

Our very own Cathleen C. Higgins, has authored a vibrant children's story about faith, friendship and the environment. Visit the weblink below to read about The Recyclables!
http://therecyclablesadventures.com/default.aspx

Monday, April 16, 2007

Realtors Efforts on Behalf of the Middle Class

Realtors Efforts on Behalf of the Middle Class
The Realtor Association has taken great efforts to work with local governments and legislatures to get more zoning for affordable homes closer to work environments. The approach of Realtors, like Larry Hoff, have been to change the housing and land-use elements of local comprehensive plans to clarify that counties and cities designate a sufficient quantity of land for housing needs in order to accomodate growth. The strong focus Realtors have is to get as much of this usage with proximity to a larger employer base than the present suburbs offer. Essentially, thier goal is to lessen the commute times for each homeowner by providing housing closer to jobs.The Realtor Association has created Ad Campaigns as well, to inform the general public that it is trying to create a market where the Middle Class can still purchase.Though the road to accomplishing this is going to be long, it is a worthwhile effort. The Middle Class has always been the backbone of real estate.Look for zoning changes in your area. You might see more homes being built in what used to be business or retail areas.

Monday, April 9, 2007

Senior Exemption Tax Program

Senior Exemption Tax Program
Effective for 2005 and beyond, RCW 84.36.381 grants property tax exemptions if your total annual income is $35,000 or less and if you are 61 years of age or older, or you are retired because of physical disability, or if you are a widow or widower at least 57 years of age whose spouse had an exemption at the time of his or her death. Once you have applied for an exemption and received approval, you need file only once every four years to maintain the exemption. The Assessor's Office will notify you when it is time to refile. The exemption ceases immediately upon the death of the qualified person, unless survived by an eligible spouse. Legislation passed in 1995 also provides that the claimant's assessed valuation is frozen as of January 1, 1995 or January 1 of the year in which the claim is filed, whichever is later.
If you would like to be added to a mailing list for new applications for Exemptions call 206-296-3920 then select option 1 and then selection option 4. You can leave your name, address and phone number.

Tuesday, April 3, 2007

The ARMS Scare

There has been a lot of speculation just how many homeowners have short-term, higher risk loans (Frequently called ARMS). The fact is that more than one-third of all homeowners in the Seattle area have their mortgages paid off or paid cash for their home. (Seattle Times) This means that homes in Puget Sound should hold their value.