Tax Time!!!

2nd half of your property taxes are due this Wed. Oct. 31. Make sure your mortgage (escrow account) paid the right amount and to the right account. They often make A LOT of mistakes.

In King County, call 206-296-3850. For an automated line, call 206-296-0923.

In Pierce County, call 253-798-6111. For an automated line, call 253-798-3333.

In Snohomish County, call 425-388-3366.

In Kitsap County, call 360-337-7135.

Prroperty-tax statements and information are available online.

King County Property Tax website

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Get The Facts Straight

Our Key Message:
The Washington real estate market is a stable and an excellent investment that you get to live in!

Facts About Foreclosures:
The foreclosure rates today are the same as they were 10 years ago. Fewer than one percent of mortgages end in default in Washington state. As of mid-June, sub-prime, adjustable-rate loans represented 20 percent of loans nationally, but just 6 percent of home loans in Washington.

The Market is Strong:
Home appreciation in Washington continues to out-perform the rest of the nation with year-to-year price increases every quarter since the spring of 1995.

The Market is Stable:
Home prices in Washington have increased an average of 8.1 percent since the same time last year. Many counties, however, have experienced price hikes much higher: Chelan 29.8 percent, Okanogan 24.5 percent; Douglas, 22.2 percent; and Lewis 19.3. WSU Center for Real Estate Research (CRER) The demand for median-priced homes has never been greater.

How is the Seattle market?

Nationwide, home prices are falling, sales are sluggish and the number of foreclosures is mounting. Ask any economist and you’ll hear that things are bad, and likely to get worse.

Unless you live in Seattle, where the market is slowing but fundamentals remain strong.

The Emerald City has experienced strong price appreciation over the last six quarters, and that’s expected to continue in the new year, though at a slower pace. In addition to a very low housing inventory and a strong sales rate, there are few non-conforming and high-risk loans on the books than in other cities, which means the area will likely see fewer defaults in the coming months than the rest of the country’s markets.

In Pictures: America’s Most Stable Real Estate Markets

Also primed for a stable year are Pittsburgh, Columbus, Ohio, and Dallas. They follow Seattle in our ranking of the country’s 10 most stable markets. All are projected to have median home sale price increases next year, thanks to a combination of factors including lower-than-average inventory levels, little price volatility and high job growth.