Just listed! Rare rambler by Preston Park. Open House Sunday 12/5 1-4pm

Offered at $325,000 8612308thavese.TheCascadeTeam.info

Location, Location, Location!  Rare rambler by Preston Park & Athletic Fields.  Well maintained, move in ready 1800sf 3 bedroom, 2 bath rambler on 1/3 acre in exceptional, convenient location.  Spacious kitchen features walk in pantry, convection oven, dishwasher, range & fridge.  Bath off master, hardwoods under carpeting throughout home, newer metal roof, fireplace, living room, dining room, family room & bonus room. Appliances stay, even the washer/dryer!  Large and level double lot offers endless possibilities.  Huge detached garage/workshop plus large storage shed.  One year home warranty.  Price based on recent appraisal.  Less than a block to the Preston-Snoqualmie Trail or a short walk to Preston Park—what a location!  Only 1 mile to I-90, less than 20 miles to Seattle!  Use Issaquah & 98027 for GPS & maps.  Don’t miss this truly amazing opportunity. 
Tonya Eliason

Office: 425.396.4569
Mobile: 425.831.5721
info@thecascadeteam.com
www.tonyaeliason.com

Just Listed! Beautiful home with barn. Exceptional, private setting on shy acre in North Bend

New Listing! Spectacular Custom Airport home on over an Acre in Fall City - Open House Sunday 1-4pm

Fall City - 35909 SE 47th Place - $675,000.00 Bedrooms: 3 Bathrooms: 2.5 Parking Spaces: 8 Year Built: 2003 Subdivision: Spring Glen Lot Size: 49,658 Garage Size: 8 School District: SVS Square Footage: 2910 Agent Name: Tonya Eliason Broker: The Cascade Team MLS #: 134768 Open House: 9/26/10 1-4 Price: $675,000.00 35909 SE 47th Place Fall City, WA 98024 View Map View More Photos Website Virtual Tour Spectacular 2910sf custom airport home in immaculate condition on over an acre. Taxi from private airport to your 1600 sq ft airplane hanger with 38’ hydraulic door. Stunning kitchen with walk in pantry, stainless appliances & granite counters. Main floor master suite features skylight, walk in closet, warm floors & soaking tub. French doors in master open to hot tub on deck. 3 bedrooms, bonus room with closet (ideal for large 4th bedroom if needed), loft with wet bar, formal dining room, majestic great room with fireplace, spacious office & a truly magnificent theater room. Whole house audio system & Smart Home Automation. This immaculate home has it all: Stunning mountain views, large trex deck, hot tub, fireplace, vaulted ceilings with expansive windows, wired for generator, attached 2 car garage & community river access. Golf and boat launch nearby. If not a pilot, rare airport rights can be sold separately and hanger used as a large shop, boat storage, RV parking, parking for 6 additional cars, etc. No detail is overlooked. Over an acre of land with stream in a private, park like setting, yet less than 30 miles to Seattle. One year home warranty. Don’t miss this unique opportunity. For more information contact Tonya Eliason at 425-831-5721. Tonya Eliason 425-831-5721 POWERED BY VFLYER.COM EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY VFLYER ID: 3663901

All information in this site is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed and is subject to change

New listing - Gorgeous Si View home ~ Open Sunday 1-4pm

North Bend - 1015 SE 11th Place - $440,000.00 Bedrooms: 3 Bathrooms: 2.5 Parking Spaces: 2 Year Built: 1998 Subdivision: Si View Lot Size: 8990 Garage Size: 2 School District: SVS Square Footage: 2430 Agent Name: Tonya Eliason Broker: The Cascade Team MLS #: 93312 Open House: 6/27/10 1-4 Price: $440,000.00 1015 SE 11th Place North Bend, WA 98045 View Map View More Photos Website Virtual Tour Exquisite 3BR craftsman home in the wonderful & conveniently located Si View community. Perfectly situated on a spectacular, large Si View lot surrounded by breathtaking mountain views. Gorgeous remodeled gourmet kitchen features granite counters & island, stainless appliances, large walk in custom pantry, granite eating bar & sunny dining nook. The open floor plan is perfect for entertaining. Master suite has large Walk In Closet & Master Bath w/soaking tub & wash closet. The large bonus room offers endless possibilities. This beautiful and immaculately maintained home has it all: Central Air, formal dining room, living room, family room, office/den, laundry room, fireplace, hardwoods, french doors, slab granite & new fixtures in all 3 bathrooms, welcoming covered front porch & attached garage. Spacious and fully fenced back yard features fabulous landscaping, patio, summer vegetable gardens, french drains, walkways, and an additional “hidden” play area. Workshed with workbench, heater, power & lighting. Fantastic location and so convenient to I-90, Seattle, shopping, skiing & trails. Don’t miss this stunning property in the ideal location. For more information contact Tonya Eliason at 425-831-5721. Tonya Eliason 425-831-5721 POWERED BY VFLYER.COM EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY VFLYER ID: 3415202

All information in this site is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed and is subject to change

New listing - Stunning Wood River Home Open today 1-4pm

North Bend - 13906 463rd Ave SE - $550,000.00 Bedrooms: 3 Bathrooms: 2.5 Parking Spaces: 3 Year Built: 1994 Subdivision: Wood River Lot Size: 32758 Garage Size: 3 School District: SVS Square Footage: 2530 Agent Name: Tonya Eliason Broker: The Cascade Team MLS #: 93621 Open House: 6/26/10 1-4 Price: $550,000.00 13906 463rd Ave SE North Bend, WA 98045 View Map View More Photos Website Virtual Tour Magnificent home in the stunning Wood River community. Gorgeous Craftsman home nestled in a truly spectacular setting on over 3/4 acre. Rare groundfloor master suite has large Walk In Closet, Master Bath w/soaking tub & french doors to magnificent deck/hot tub. This exquisite home truly has it all: Central air, gourmet kitchen w/granite counters, island & sink, formal dining room, living room, family room, den/office, laundry room, hardwoods, vaulted ceilings, french doors, fireplace, tons of storage, large deck, automated sprinklers (front & back), fenced yard (rear property line ~60 ft beyond second fence), and truly amazing landscaping. 2 bonus rooms are perfect for 2nd office, play area, hobby room or additional bedrooms. Large 1250 sf custom deck features covered hot tub, BBQ area and spectacular firepit seating area - perfect for entertaining. Over 3/4 acre with walking trails & sitting areas in this breathtaking parklike setting. Upgraded 3 car garage has custom cabinetry, workbench & tons of storage. Community trail system circles the neighborhood and overlooks the Snoqualmie River. The perfect balance between privacy & community, yet so convenient to I-90 (less than 1 mile), Seattle, skiing & trails. 1 year Fidelity Home Warranty. Breathtaking fairytale location. Don’t miss this exceptional property! For more information contact Tonya Eliason at 425-831-5721. Tonya Eliason 425-831-5721 POWERED BY VFLYER.COM EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY VFLYER ID: 3415350

All information in this site is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed and is subject to change

Mortgage rates hit record lows!

By ALAN ZIBEL, AP Real Estate Writer Alan Zibel, Ap Real Estate Writer –

WASHINGTON – Mortgage rates fell this week to the lowest level on record, giving consumers added incentive to lock in low payments on home purchases and refinancings.

Mortgage company Freddie Mac said Thursday that the average rate for 30-year fixed loans sank to 4.69 percent, from 4.75 percent last week.

That's the lowest since Freddie Mac began tracking rates in 1971. The previous record of 4.71 percent was set in December. Rates for 15-year and five-year mortgages also hit lows.

Mortgage rates have fallen over the past two months. Investors wary of the European debt crisis and the turbulent stock market have shifted money into the safety of Treasury bonds, driving down yields. Mortgage rates tend to track the yields on long-term Treasury debt.

Freddie Mac collects mortgage rates on Monday through Wednesday of each week from lenders around the country. Rates often fluctuate significantly, even within a given day.

Rates on 15-year, fixed-rate mortgages fell to an average of 4.13 percent, the lowest on records dating to September 1991 and down from 4.2 percent a week earlier.

Rates on five-year, adjustable-rate mortgages averaged 3.84 percent, down from 3.89 percent a week earlier. That was also the lowest on Freddie Mac's records, which only date back to January 2005.

Average rates on one-year, adjustable-rate mortgages fell to 3.77 percent from 3.82 percent. That was the lowest average since May 2004.

The rates do not include add-on fees known as points. One point is equal to 1 percent of the total loan amount.

The nationwide fee for loans in Freddie Mac's survey averaged 0.7 a point for 30-year, 5-year and 1-year loans. The average fee for 15-year loans was 0.6 of a point.

New Listing - Stunning Log Home on Acreage

Snoqualmie - 36508 SE 82nd St - $750,000.00 Bedrooms: 3 Bathrooms: 3 Year Built: 1999 Subdivision: Snoqualmie Lot Size: 217,800 School District: SVS Square Footage: 4342 Agent Name: Tonya Eliason Broker: The Cascade Team MLS #: 86579 Open House: 6/13/10 1-4 Price: $750,000.00 36508 SE 82nd St Snoqualmie, WA 98065 View Map View More Photos Website Virtual Tour Gorgeous 4342sf 3+ bedroom, 3 bath custom log home situated on 5 private, breathtaking acres. Majestic great room with 20' vaulted ceiling, stone fireplace & expansive windows to enjoy the spectacular mountain views. Gourmet kitchen w/granite, walk in pantry & granite island. Master suite features his & hers closets, sitting area & master bath with jetted soaking tub. Additional room (w/ closet) for 4th bedroom, office, or ? This exquisite home truly has it all! Large bonus loft w/ balcony, formal dining room, living room, 2 additional fireplaces, wired for standby generator, low maintenance landscaping, porch, patio & large deck. Lower level features additional entrance, 2nd gourmet kitchen, family/rec room, 2nd laundry room, bedroom(s), large workshop, tons of storage, etc (MIL potential?). Large, level yard perfect for horse, outbuilding, or ? Extraordinary, private location yet only 3 miles to I-90 and less than 30 miles to Seattle. One year home warranty. Must see this exceptional property. For more information contact Tonya Eliason at 425- 831-5721 Tonya Eliason (425) 831-5721 POWERED BY VFLYER.COM EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY VFLYER ID: 3380769

All information in this site is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed and is subject to change

Home Sales Decline 44% after Expiration of Tax Credit

Home sales adjusting after surge before tax credits expired

KIRKLAND, Wash. (June 4, 2010) – Home sales during May tapered off around Washington state following a surge of activity in April as buyers hustled to meet deadlines for tax credits.

Northwest Multiple Listing Service brokers reported 5,242 pending sales (mutually accepted offers) last month, a decline of more than 44 percent from April’s total of 9,438 pending sales. Compared to twelve months ago when members tallied 7,160 pending sales of single family homes and condominiums, the volume dipped about 27 percent, but year-to-date figures show 2010 sales are well ahead of 2009.

Through five months, NWMLS members in 21 counties have notched 35,398 pending sales, outpacing the same period a year ago by 6,707 transactions for an increase of more than 23 percent.

“Leading up to its expiration, the tax credit caused a surge of home sales, but a surge can only be sustained for so long,” said Lennox Scott, chairman and CEO of John L. Scott Real Estate. “What we’re seeing now is a natural adjustment,” he explained, adding, “As consumer confidence continues to improve in the coming months, we expect to see the buyer pool replenish itself which should be followed by an increase in home sales.”

Listing activity also sagged during May after strong upticks in March and April during the buildup before the incentives lapsed. Brokers added 9,385 new listings to inventory last month, down nearly 17 percent from year-ago totals. The additions included 8,122 single family homes and 1,263 condominiums.

At month end, the area-wide inventory included 41,690 active listings, about the same total as a year ago when there were 41,318 residential properties for sale in the MLS database.

“Inventory is inching up compared to last year as more sellers are becoming optimistic that if they price their home competitively they will find a buyer in this market,” observed NWMLS director Dick Beeson, broker/owner of Windermere Commencement Associates in Tacoma.

Beeson noted the “extremely low interest rate phenomenon” is expected to last through the summer and into fall, which he believes will help give a nudge to buyers that “no longer can look to the tax credit for incentive.” He characterized the long-term effects of low interest rates as “very positive,” saying such rates make homeownership even more of a bargain than the price adjustments that have occurred over the last few years.

Frank Wilson, another MLS director and the managing broker at John L. Scott, Inc. Poulsbo, agreed the slowdown during May was due in part to the end of the incentive program, but noted overall activity so far this year is stronger than a year ago. As the market returns to normal, Wilson expects home values may continue to decline in some parts of Kitsap and within some price ranges.

As an example, Wilson mentioned the waterfront category, noting it “continues to soften with the bottom hopefully in sight later this year.” Conditions still favor buyers, he observed, citing low interest rates and “a lot of choices within the active inventory.”

Prices for home sales that closed last month declined about 3.6 percent compared to a year ago, but increased 3.4 percent from April. The area-wide median price was $269,950, down from twelve months ago when the median price was $280,000. Despite the overall dip in prices, ten of the 21 counties served by Northwest MLS had year-over-year price gains.

The volume of closed sales rose 27.3 percent from a year ago, rising from 4,154 completed transactions to 5,290 closings.

Commenting on the latest numbers, Northwest MLS director Bobbie Petrone Chipman said the statistics support her belief that the real estate industry will experience inverted first and second quarters due to the now expired tax credit. “Whereas traditionally the first quarter of the year reflects a yawn and stretch of the marketplace as it awakens into a more boisterous second quarter, this year was shaken awake during the first quarter by the tax credit,” she remarked. Petrone Chipman, the co-managing broker of Coldwell Banker Bain Tacoma/Puyallup, expects a slight lull for the second quarter.

“As interest rates remain phenomenally low and inventory remains high, first-time buyers will continue to recognize the tremendous opportunity and benefit of owning their own home,” Petrone Chipman commented, adding, “Move up buyers may not see as much equity return on the sale of their homes, but they will benefit from purchasing homes that may have been beyond their means a few short years ago.”

Pointing to closed sales, Petrone Chipman noted year-to-date volumes are up significantly (more than 38 percent) when compared to the same five-month period of 2009. “This is an indicator that the overall 2010 real estate market is moving in a healthy direction,” she declared. She also believes the Seattle area’s high rankings on various “best cities” polls are other reasons for optimism. For example, she cited a recent report by editors of Kiplinger’s Personal Finance Magazine that ranked Seattle second among “10 best cities for the next decade” based on an assessment of vitality and growth potential.

Commenting on activity in Pierce County, where his office is located, Beeson said homes in the mid- to lower-price ranges are still the favorites of buyers, leaving many high-end sellers anxiously waiting in the wings for their day. He described the market as “steady” and “edging along” after the torrid pace of activity in late April as the tax credits were ending.

Beeson said research by the National Association of Realtors and the Washington Research Council indicates approximately 58,000 first-time homebuyers in Washington state used the tax credit. These sales generated $640 million in state revenue and $6.5 billion in state economic activity.

Nationally, a report by the Mortgage Bankers Association issued in mid-May reflected adjustments in activity coinciding with the expiring tax incentives. In a statement on May 19, Michael Fratantoni, MBA’s vice president of research and economics, said purchase applications plummeted 27 percent during the previous week and declined almost 20 percent over the past month, despite relatively low interest rates.

“The data continue to suggest that the tax credit pulled sales into April at the expense of the remainder of the spring buying season,” Fratantoni stated. “In fact,” he continued, “this drop occurred even as rates on 30-year fixed-rate mortgages continued to fall, and at 4.83 percent are at their lowest level since November 2009. However, refinance borrowers did react to these lower rates, with refi applications up almost 15 percent, hitting their highest level in nine weeks.”

Northwest Multiple Listing Service, owned by its member brokers, is the largest full-service MLS in the Northwest. Its membership includes more than 24,000 brokers and agents. The organization, based in Kirkland, currently serves 21 counties in Western and Central Washington.

North Bend Open House - Stunning Wood River home open today 1-4pm

North Bend - 13803 457th Ave SE - $515,000.00 Bedrooms: 4 Bathrooms: 2.5 Parking Spaces: 4 Year Built: 1996 Subdivision: Wood River Lot Size: 0.8006 Acres Garage Size: 4 School District: SVS Square Footage: 2510 Agent Name: Tonya Eliason 425-831-5721 Broker: The Cascade Team MLS #: 29463 Price: $515,000.00 13803 457th Ave SE North Bend, WA 98045 View Map View More Photos Website Virtual Tour Web Commercial Free Market Snapshot Exquisite 4BR home in the stunning Wood River community. 2510sf gorgeous Craftsman home nestled in a truly spectacular setting on over 3/4 acre surrounded by mountain views. This home has it all: Beautiful kitchen, dining room, living room, family room, office, laundry room, hardwoods, vaulted ceilings, french doors, fireplace, security system, covered porch, patio, firepit, sprinkler system, and amazing landscaping. Master bedroom has large Walk In Closet & Master Bath w/soaking tub. Oversized garage with space for 4th car, shop, or ??. Community river access & trail. Breathtaking fairytale location, yet convenient to I-90, Seattle, skiing & trails. 1 year Fidelity Home Warranty. This is NOT a short sale. Must see this exceptional property! for more information contact Tonya Eliason at 425-831-5721. The Cascade Team 425.396.4569 POWERED BY VFLYER.COM EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY VFLYER ID: 3151676

All information in this site is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed and is subject to change

Mount Si Trail Not Closing

Mount Si trail saved from budget cuts

April 13, 2010

By Laura Geggel

Trails at Mount Si, Little Si, Middlefork and Rattlesnake have received a second lease on life from the state Legislature. The Legislature passed a supplemental budget for the 2010-11 year April 12 — a budget that had to deal with $2.8 billion in cuts.

Though $278,000, which translated into the closing of 22 trails and trailheads, had been on the chopping block, in the end the Legislature choose to maintain money for the Washington State Department of Natural Resources, said Mark Mauren, a DNR assistant division manager for recreation and public access.

“They had some really tough decisions to make and fortunately were able to keep the outdoors open to the public,” Mauren said.

He said he was relieved to hear the trails would remain open. State funding pays for services such as pumping outhouses, maintaining facilities and trails, training and supporting volunteers, replacing vandalized and worn out signs and more.

“In this economy, people need to have access to physical exercise and the outdoors,” Mauren said.

Thousands of people visit Snoqualmie Valley’s trails annually, with 150,000 at Little Si, 350,000 at Mount Si, 30,000 at Middle Fork in Snoqualmie and 30,000 at Rattlesnake, according to DNR estimates.

Source:  Sno Valley Star:  Laura Geggel: 392-6434, ext. 221, or lgeggel@snovalleystar.com.