Seattle is one of America’s fastest-growing cities
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Seattle makes Forbes’s top ten list for the fastest-growing cities in the U.S. The Emerald City’s economic growth rate for the period 2011-2016 is projected at 3.7 percent with population growth at 1.2 percent. The current population is 3.54 million enjoying a median income of $65,405. The top ten include:
- Austin
- Dallas
- San Jose
- Houston
- Salt Lake City
- Raleigh, NC
- Seattle
- San Francisco
- San Antonio
- Atlanta
Forbes produced the list with the help of Moody’s Analytics of the 100 largest metropolitan areas of the U.S., weighing projected economic growth, unemployment, and median income. In early April, Moody’s released Chief Economist Mark Zandi’s positive outlook on the national economy. Zandi anticipates 2.5% growth through mid-2013 accelerating to 4% in mid-2014, with unemployment falling below 6% by late 2015.
The real estate market blooms
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“The fear factor is all but gone.” So says Mark Prather, broker at ERA Buy America Real Estate in La Palma, Calif. Momentum around the nation is building for a stronger spring housing market than we’ve seen in the past five years, according to the Seattle Times. An unseasonably warm January and February may have stimulated winter sales of existing homes, which hit their highest levels in the the last 5-year period.The number of permits secured to build houses and apartments also increased to a high point since 2008. Here are additional highlights:
- King County’s median home price in March rose to $330,000.
- Miami’s average sales price spiked 14% in the past year.
- Investors are outbidding many first-time home buyers on cheaper homes. Property sales between $100,000 and $250,000 have increased by 19 percent over the past year. Sales for homes between $250,000 and $500,000 went up 13 percent.
With an average rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage at 3.88 percent and home prices down 34 percent since 2006, homes are really affordable. Areas including Boston, Dallas and Seattle are seeing growth both in the job and housing markets. National unemployment went down to 8.2 percent since the August peak of 9.1 percent. Good prices coupled with qualified buyers are cause for spring housing bloom.
Tutorial on closing costs for first-time homebuyers
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When new homebuyers understand the basics of closing costs associated with the purchase of a property, the process goes more smoothly. Loan costs, legal costs, and title costs are explained in this quick tutorial produced by Federal Title & Escrow, based in Washington D.C. Homebuyers are encouraged to consult with their title and escrow firm of choice for additional information.
America is aging
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The exploding senior population in the U.S. presents an opportunity for the private sector to design communities that will provide housing and access to support services. According to Builder Magazine, individuals aged 65 and older will more than double in size to 88 million by the year 2050, based on data reported by the Center for Housing Policy’s “Housing an Aging Population: Are We Prepared?”
Since aging in place is an increasingly desirable option for older households — an AARP study indicates that 9 out of 10 responded that they would like to stay in their homes for as long as possible — residential housing options must increase and expand. The Center identifies the need for these measures:
- Universal design in new homes that promote building codes that are older-friendly
- Flexible zoning rules that promote a diversity of housing types
- Preservation and expansion of the supply of affordable rental housing
- Greater consumer choices that include public and private supportive housing models (assisted living, continuing care retirement communities, and congregant housing)
Jeffrey Lubell, executive director of the Center for Housing Policy and one of the study’s authors, notes that the private building sector will play a critical role in proposing solutions, if it correctly anticipates the need. One size no longer fits all. Builders should focus on diversifying products that are workable for aging citizens at a range of income levels and partnering with organizations that provide assistance with personal and medical care, meal preparation, and transportation. The communities with the greatest access to these services will soon be in high demand.
Be proactive with home repairs
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This spring, proactive homeowners can save money by inspecting and maintaining some key areas around the house. Don’t let these molehills become mountains. Amy Hoak of the Wall Street Journal reports.
How to really shop for a home
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If you are a first-time home buyer, what’s the best way to go about the search? The temptation to browse many types of properties is real. Suppress the urge by beginning with the end in mind. Establishing parameters based on the needs and wants of your household will make the process manageable and more fruitful. About.com’s video tutorial, “First-Time Home Buying Tips,” lists the basic steps for navigating the journey. When the homework is complete and you feel ready to start walking through houses, consider the catchphrase used by many real estate experts — “location, location, location.”
The old adage still proves true. Though the recent real estate crisis has upended some of the traditional must-have’s, location still rules. According to Marianne Cusato’s blog, “5 Must-Know Real Estate Trends” featured in Huff Post Miami, buyers are less focused on square footage and more attuned to efficiency of space and proximity to local services. Everything’s relative to the unique needs of the buying household. Cusato encourages buyers to focus on the following criteria — 1) livability of the home, 2) feasibility of the daily commute, 3) efficiency of the floor plan, 4) staying true to the heart over following the trends, and 5) connectability to the local community.
Resale value is important but not the only determining factor for selecting a property. While the market can be forecast with historic data, there’s no glass ball with which to squarely predict the future. Choosing to live in an area that supports jobs, solid public schools, and local amenities is perhaps the best way to hedge your investment. So when it comes to your home search, what are your top five must-know’s?
Get organized for Tax Day
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Do you have a system for organizing your sock drawer? If the answer is yes, you’re more likely to file your taxes on time, according to Forbes’ “25 Best Cities for Neat Freaks.”
Doxo, an e-payment solution site and digital filing cabinet, has taken a stab at ranking America’s cities for their inhabitants’ attention to detail and organization. Steve Shivers, co-founder and CEO of doxo, says that people who file taxes on time tend to manage their paperwork better, year-round. In 2008, Shivers and partners created the company to help the average U.S. household minimize and navigate their massive amounts of data. The solution is free. Doxo users upload paperwork into the online filing cabinet, organize the data, access it from anywhere, manage accounts, connect with businesses online, and pay bills in timely fashion.
How did your city do?
- Boston – #1
- Los Angeles and San Francisco – tied at #7
- Seattle – #17
- Washington D.C. – #22
The doxo Organization Index (dOI) measured primary and secondary factors for ranking cities. 1) Primary — recycling rates, individual income tax filing timeliness, junk mail cancellations; 2) Secondary — concentration of members of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO), number of unique providers and documents uploaded in users’ doxo accounts.
Remember that this year’s Tax Day is Monday, April 17. If you’re not yet set up on doxo or another online organizational system, don’t fret. Watch this primer for a quick summary of tax basics to get your household moving in the right direction.
Amazon proposes new Seattle digs
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The Seattle Times
Earlier this week, Amazon.com proposed its three-block high-rise office complex in Seattle’s Denny Triangle. If approved, the project could take up to eight years to complete. The preliminary design of the complex comprises 3.3 million square feet, potentially making it the biggest development downtown Seattle has ever seen.
So how did Amazon evolve from online bookseller to what some experts consider “the best strategic player in tech”? Venkatesh Rao, contributor to Forbes, pins the company’s slow but sure rise in the dismantling of the bookselling industry in 1994 and its strategic decision to diversify. Amazon has since become the world’s biggest online retailer of a gamut of products — new and used books, digital software and information, toys, food, electronics, apparel, and more. Headquartered in Seattle, the company hosts customized websites for the U.S., Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, India, and China.
Already, Amazon’s presence in Seattle is felt. The South Lake Union neighborhood has gotten a serious makeover. The New York Times reported that at the end of 2011, Amazon employed 56,000 people nationwide, up 67% from 2010. The growth has helped drive down office vacancy. In the fourth quarter of 2011, the rate dropped to 12.4 percent from 13.6 percent at the close of 2010, according to Kidder Matthews, a commercial brokerage in Seattle. The firm expects that rate to fall into the single digits by the close of this year. Residential housing has also gotten a boost. When new condo listings appear in the South Lake Union market, they tend not to sit for long. At this rate, Amazon’s projected growth will continue to up the demand for housing, amenities, and other retail businesses.
