Realtor News

“There’s more demand than inventory, which has pushed up home prices to levels above what many first-time buyers are comfortable spending,” said Denise McDonald, President of the Snohomish County-Camano Association of REALTORS®. “People spend countless hours going through the process of obtaining a loan and locating their perfect home only to find themselves competing in a bidding war.”

The Snohomish County Camano Association of REALTORS® (SCCAR) has worked hard to keep REALTOR® safety a foremost priority, but what about people looking to either buy or sell a home? Safety is a conversation far too many real estate professionals omit from their discussions with sellers and buyer. As September is REALTOR® Safety month, SCCAR wanted to share some safety tips for buyers and sellers:

You have worked with a REALTOR® to scour the listings, toured what feels like a million houses, and finally found it: the house you want to call home. The next step is to make your purchase offer, and if you are like most people, the prospect can be quite intimidating. In a seller’s market, there can be even more pressure on the buyer to submit an impressive bid. So how can you make sure the offer you submit is the one accepted?

Denise McDonald, President of the Snohomish County Camano Association of Realtors®, stated, “Silence is not an option given all that is happening with racial discrimination. The REALTOR® foundation is built on fair housing for all. Therefore, there is no tolerance for racism at SCCAR or in the REALTOR® industry.”

The resource introduced in this video breaks down the science behind implicit bias and gives solutions to unintended discrimination.

While some counties are in Phase II and others are preparing for it, the Phase II re-opening requires specific protocols which are to be followed for the process of buying or selling a home. The modifications for Phase II include:

During these times, we wanted to highlight some good news which is happening within our communities. We would like to recognize REALTORS® who are making contributions toward the betterment of our community through public service or private actions. Nominate someone today by filling out our form.

The real estate brokerage industry shares the Governor’s priorities. The industry’s paramount concerns are safety of the public and the prevention of the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Accordingly, real estate brokers will limit personal interactions to the greatest extent possible and will engage in-person only when necessary, and by following these strict protocols:

Most importantly, we all must comply with these new guidelines both to protect our fellow citizens, and to ensure that we can keep the guidelines in place. The Governor has placed great trust in the real estate community; if he sees violations of his new order, he can eliminate these in-person opportunities.

SCCAR has been working to ensure continuity in our operations. However, the safety and well-being of members and our staff is our top priority. With that in mind, we are closing the SCCAR office and store until June 15th. There will be no in-person classes, meetings, committees, and events between now until Phase 3. We will host our regularly monthly committee meetings and some classes virtually. We will revisit this situation weekly and make any adjustments as warranted. SCCAR staff will be available by email.

Eighty-four percent of Americans believe purchasing a home is a good financial decision. Yet six in ten said they are concerned about affordability and the rising cost of buying a home or renting in their area. Nationally, forty-four percent of respondents categorized the lack of available affordable housing as a very big or big problem.

“Real Estate Agent” is a catchall phrase used, in casual conversation, to describe the three types of professionals who buy and sell real estate: agents, brokers, and Realtors®. No, they’re not really the same. Yes, you should care about what makes them different. Here’s a breakdown:

Mountlake Terrace Mayor Kyoko Matsumoto Wright, a broker in the Coldwell Banker Bain of Lynnwood office, has received the Snohomish County Camano Association of Realtors (SCCAR) Community Service award for 2019. The award, presented on Dec. 11, celebrates outstanding contributions of an individual to his or her local community, as well as being an active participant in the SCCAR. During the award presentation, Matsumoto Wright was recognized as a “tireless advocate for not only her hometown, but also for Snohomish County.” The award noted her five years of service on the Mountlake Terrace Planning Commission, her 11 years on the city council and her current role as mayor.

Oh, let’s just admit it, shall we? Browsing for homes online is fun and exciting! However, it is important to take everything with a grain of salt. Browser beware, though: those listings may be seductive, but they might not be giving you the complete picture.

Should you sell your home this holiday season? The holidays are closing in, and so has the time of year when home sellers wonder whether they should keep their properties on the market or take them off. Or if owners haven’t listed their home yet, they may be asking themselves if they should wait until spring or brave the winter real estate market? ​ Trying to sell your home during the holidays can be daunting to many homeowners. The season can be extremely busy for families, and the idea of taking on the additional stress of selling a house could be a turnoff to some people. ​ “Many people consider the holiday season the worst time to sell your home; it’s the time of year when homeowners are hosting family members, putting up favorite decorations and planning vacations,” said Glenda Krull, President of the Snohomish County Camano Association of Realtors®. “However, listing a home during the holidays can be extremely advantageous to homeowners, and it doesn’t have to ruin any holiday cheer.”

Do not send sensitive information via email. “Do not send banking information, your social security number or anything else that could be used to comprise your identity over email,” Krull stated. “If you absolutely must send personal or sensitive information via email, only use encrypted email.” ​

Marysville Windermere office begins food drive, brings Blitz to M-PHS Earlier in the month, on Oct. 9, the local Windermere also began contributing to the community in another way: by beginning their annual food drive. “We do it in association with our Realtor, which is SCAAR, the Snohomish County and Camano Island Association of Realtors,” said Aimee Patton, a realtor at the office. “This is our pet project, it is the thing that we usually spend the most time on doing,” she said. The Windermere office is usually one of the biggest donators to the food bank. “We are usually the first or second donator to the Marysville Community Food Bank each year,” said Patton.

It is an "off" election year (meaning there are no federal races), but a lot is happening at the county and city levels. Did you know typically just 1 in 5 voters participate in off-year local elections? This means your vote at the local level can have an even bigger impact! If you do participate (and help your friends, family, & clients get to the polls, too), your elected officials will likely be more responsive to your needs and interests because you’re a voter. And if they aren’t, the next election is a great way to fix that problem. Are you, your family, friends, and clients registered to vote? General Election Day is Tuesday, November 5th. Online and mail registrations must be received 8 days before Election Day - October 28th. Register to vote in person during business hours and any time before 8:00 PM on Election Day, or register online.

The National Association of Realtors® surveyed over 3,000 Realtor® members about how safe they feel while on the job, their personal safety experiences, and the safety procedures they follow. The report found nearly a third of Realtors® experienced a situation which made them fear for their personal safety, or the safety of their personal information, and 43 percent of Realtors® choose to carry self-defense weapons.

The practice of meeting strangers at their homes is not the smartest way to operate. But it’s been a part of the real estate industry for a long time, and it’s not going to change overnight. So for agents who will still do it, your office may have a certain protocol around safety, but this list can be your Agent Safety Protocol, or ASP, to administer in the field. It’s based on measures developed by people who have experience working in law enforcement. Before the Appointment When you’re on the phone setting up an appointment to meet a prospect at a home, tell the prospect that you’ll be arriving with a partner. Whether it’s true or not, this statement plants the seed that there will be more than one person present—and that’s not good news for a criminal.