Sally Thompson Re/Max Northwest

I am so angry now at the reaction by trump to the death of the Reiners. At this point how can his approval ratings be above 1 percent? Who embraces this monster? Who excuses his behavior? I point the finger at his supporters and say, this is your fault. You are responsible for the horrible mess our country is in now, and I’m not sure I can forgive you.

Trump’s empathy gap: A defining feature of his leadership The president’s response to the Reiner killings crystallizes a pattern: Trump withholds empathy from Americans he views as adversaries, abandoning a traditional duty of the office.

Can this be true??!! People traveling to the US will have to disclose FIVE YEARS of social media information, including names, phone numbers and family information??!! Do you suppose Elon had anything to do with this new rule? I hope the countries involved push back with a resounding “No way!!!!!”

Switzerland And Italy Joins France, Poland, Germany, UK, Denmark And More Countries In Responding To US New Visa Regulations On Social Media History : What You Must Be Aware Of - Travel And Tour World Switzerland and Italy joins France, Poland, Germany, the UK, Denmark, and more countries in responding to the US’s new visa regulations requiring travelers to disclose five years of social media history.

Thought you might be interested in (excerpts from) this Northwest Multiple Listing Service (NWMLS) news release that came out yesterday, February 7th, painting a much more optimistic picture of the Seattle area housing market:

Homebuyers Resuming Search Amid Improving Inventory, Attractive Terms

KIRKLAND, Washington (February 7, 2019) - Homebuyers around Washington state are making their way back to the market, hoping to take advantage of improving inventory, attractive interest rates, and more approachable sellers, according to officials with Northwest Multiple Listing Service.

Northwest MLS statistics for January show year-over-year improvement in the volume of new listings and total inventory, along with moderating selling prices. Although fewer pending sales (mutually accepted offers) were reported than a year ago (down about 3.3 percent), January was the smallest year-over-year decline since May 2018 when the drop was about 2.7 percent.
Commenting on the MLS statistics summarizing last month's activity, broker Gary O'Leyar said January's post-holiday real estate activity doesn't normally pick up until later in the month, but this year the uptick began early. "January started as a bit of a surprise. Open house activity was very robust, and we saw multiple offers in numerous instances again," reported O'Leyar.

Seven counties had increases in pending sales of single family homes and condos compared with 12 months ago, including King (up nearly 7.5 percent) and Snohomish (up 3.8 percent).

Prospective buyers who sat out the second half of 2018 or were pushed to the sidelines during last year's heated market are finding better buying conditions.
Sixteen counties, including all four in the Puget Sound region, reported more inventory than a year ago. Even with sizable gains, supply is still tight at 2.4 months system-wide. (In general, four to six months typically indicates a balanced market.)

Mike Grady, president and COO of Coldwell Banker Bain, expects activity to pick up heading into spring, as is customary. "I have absolutely no concerns about 2019 being a strong year, with prices rising 4-to-6 percent and units up 10-to-12 percent. There is no reason for sellers not to move on with their lives and list their homes," he remarked.

Northwest MLS figures show an area-wide price gain of just over 5 percent on January's 4,865 closed sales of single family homes and condos. Only six of the 23 counties in the report had year-over-year price drops. Among them was King County where prices slipped about one percentage point, from $571,250 to $565,000.
Prices on single family homes (excluding condos) rose 5.4 percent from the same month a year ago. In the four-county Puget Sound region, prices increased in Kitsap, Pierce and Snohomish counties, but decreased about 2.9 percent in King County, dropping from $628,388 to $610,000. Prices for single family homes in Kitsap County, where there is only about 1.7 months of supply, surged nearly 14.7 percent when compared to a year ago.

Median prices on closed sales continue to remain stable in January with continued strong upward growth in outlying counties. Pierce, Kitsap, and Thurston counties outpaced King and Snohomish counties in price growth, consistent with the past few months. This trend indicates that many first-time buyers and middle-income families are continuing to look to the outer regions of the area for value. Strong price growth in Lewis and Whatcom counties also support this general trend of outward migration along the I-5 corridor.

Did you know that such a gorgeous two-bedroom, 1,140-square-foot condominium in Greenwood was on the market for UNDER $500,000? Two bedrooms, two bathrooms, beautiful open and light-filled kitchen/dining/living room with gas fireplace. New kitchen, in-unit laundry room with washer and dryer. Deeded parking space in common garage. Low homeowner dues of $358/month. Healthy HOA. Close to everything -- shopping, dining, buses, highways -- but tucked away in quiet corner! 8750 Greenwood Avenue N., #201, Seattle. Call me for a showing!

This is not good news for home buyers & sellers because increasing mortgage interest rates affect purchasing ability as well as pricing of homes. Common wisdom says each half percent increase in the interest rate reduces purchasing power by $30,000-$40,000.

Federal Reserve approves its third rate hike of the year The Federal Reserve is hoping to get to a point where it is no longer in the driving seat, following the 2008 financial crisis.