Danielle Groeneweg

Picture taken from here

As summer is approaching and the school year is coming to an end I wanted to provide you with an easy way to find when some of the upcoming events in Lynden are happening. Summer is an exciting time in Lynden and full of traditions. Just in June there is the famous Farmers Day parade, Fishing Derby that takes place at Lynden City Park and Relay for Life that is at the NWW Fair grounds.

Feel free to view the calender here from the Lynden Chambers of Commerce so that you don’t miss out on anything!

Thanks for reading,
Danielle

Today, I decided to provide all of you a checklist of items that you can do around your home. I have also included the Spring checklist in case any of you are behind on your home maintenance.This list is very thorough and can be a little over-whelming. I don’t want you to feel like you’re a bad home owner if you don’t complete everything on this list. I just wanted to give an idea of home maintenance items you can complete to make sure your home is in great shape. It’s important to take value in your home and make sure everything is working properly on an annual basis. Here we go:

Summer Home Maintenance

In summer, complete the following projects to keep your yard lush and your home cool.

Outdoor Tasks:

Here are just a few ideas to look for when choosing a real estate broker to help you either purchase a home, sell your current one or both!

• Experience & Market Knowledge: How long have they had their license? Have they been practicing real estate in the same area for that entire time? Are there any areas they are experts at? It is also a good idea to see if they have any other certifications or designations. Is it more important to you to have an agent that has been in the office for 20 years or an agent that has only been practicing real estate for 10 years but has continued their education and has more certifications.
• Availability: Do you want an agent that is just 9-5, Monday through Friday or do you prefer an agent that you can get in touch with over the weekend or after dinner? Availability is all about what works for you. Most people work during the days and so they have to meet with their real estate brokers after “working” hours. Make sure you pick an agent that can work with your schedule.
• Online Presence & Tech Abilities:  Technology has become a HUGE part of real estate. Most buyers start to look at homes online. Agents can send their clients homes to look at via email. An agents can also get forms signed quickly online to make sure a deal goes through. Technology has allowed agents to communicate better, negotiate better and inform their clients better. Make sure to pick an agent that knows how to use a lot of these tools because in the end-it makes them a more efficient.
• Integrity: Always use an agent that you feel comfortable with and you know they are putting your interests first! You need to find an agent that will make you a priority and will do their best work for you.

When picking out a real estate broker remember- you can pick who ever you want! You don’t have to use the agent your parents or friend used. In the end, it is your decision and I hope you make an informed one!

Now, if you are currently looking for an agent please give me a call! I would love to chat about what I offer to my clients. We can go over the list above and I will tell you everything! ☺

Thanks for reading,

Danielle

Ever start searching through different home websites, magazines or look though Craigslist and wonder if you can afford that dream house? You may currently rent or even own a home and are longing to upgrade to a bigger place but just aren’t sure what you can afford. On my website I have a tool called a Mortgage Calculator.

The first half of the page calculates what your mortgage payment would be based on home price, interest and your down payment. The second half of the page is where you input specific information about your annual income and monthly bills, etc. and it will calculate what your maximum monthly mortgage and maximum home price will be. Click here to check it out!

The Mortgage Calculator is a fun tool to enter in different numbers and see if the dream home you have been eying is even a possibility or how far down the road until you can upgrade into a bigger home.

Now, the Mortgage Calculator is just to give you an idea. I always suggest meeting with a lender. You might be surprised at the different loan types that are out there or how much you do qualify for. Also, they can help guide you in the direction to help your credit score if you don’t currently have the credit but you do have the income. These are all things that something like the Mortgage Calculator can’t offer.

Long story short: after you check out the Mortgage Calculator, I suggest finding a lender and discussing your options- even if you don’t plan on buying for another year.

If you have already met with a lender and are all ready to start looking at home please contact me. Also, if you need help finding a lender I would love to help with that too,

Thanks for reading,

Danielle

Lynden is currently a sellers market. If you don’t believe me, check out my previous post here.   I just wanted to draw attention to a Seller Guide Summary that I have on my website.

Since the current market in Lynden and most of Whatcom County has been moving quickly I know a lot of sellers are having to get everything packed, organized and moved out a lot sooner than originally expected! First off, Congrats on selling your home! The first step is completed but now you have to get everything out of the home and hopefully you have a place to move into!!

If you aren’t as lucky to have gotten any offers on your home already,don’t worry, you will get there!

All sellers, including if you just went pending on your home, I think it’s a good idea to check out my Seller Guide Summary. Click here to view. And, if you are already pending just skip down the guide to the sections about moving, packing and settlements.

If you have any questions after reading through the Seller’s Guide please contact me. After all, this is just a summary and there are many more aspects to selling your home.

Thanks for reading,

Danielle

The two graphs above show trends for Lynden starting in January of 2014 until the end of March 2015. The top graph compares the number of sold units versus the number of new listings. It’s interesting to look at even just the last six months to see how the dip in new listings and how it is starting to go up but the number of solds continue to rise as well. The bottom graph is comparing the number of  units for sale versus pending. The amount of homes for sale in March 2015 compared to March 2014 is crucial. This lets us know that it is currently a  seller’s market. There isn’t a lot currently for sale in Lynden which is great for a seller. This allows them to often get more for their home and it will sell faster because of the low inventory.

If you have been thinking about selling your home now is the time! Let’s take advantage of the low inventory! Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Thanks for reading,

Danielle.

(picture taken from here.)

The term “going green” seems to be very popular and has been for awhile. It’s nice to see what the numbers look like in different age categories as well as in what fields of energy efficiency. These costs also seem to be ones that buyers might over look when purchasing. Next time you are looking at a home don’t be afraid to ask how energy efficient the appliances are or what their average utility bill may cost. Especially if moving to a bigger home because you will notice a difference in your utility bills because of the increase in square footage.

Also, from a home owners perspective: take these facts into consideration. If you are looking into buying a new furnace, hot water tank, etc. see what level of energy efficiency you can get and what the pros and cons may be as far as money spent out of pocket versus money saved in the long run. By the numbers in the above chart it is something that current buyers are looking for and is another way that your agent can market your home when/if you are trying to sell it.

Thanks for reading,

Danielle

Below is the flyer for my upcoming Home Buyer Class  that is on March 14.. I recommend coming to the class if you are a first time buyer, have bought before but still have questions regarding the home buying process or if you would like the ability of using different loan options. This class will discuss the home buying process from all angles. I will be discussing the realtor side of it and Dustin Brumley from Caliber Loans will discuss the lender side of things. We teach a very open class and are always willing to answer questions and listen to your concerns in a no pressure atmosphere.

If you have any questions or would like to sign up for the class feel free to contact me.

Thanks for reading,

Danielle

I am just amazed at the amount of homes that are currently going pending and sold in the last few months versus the amount of homes that are on the market; especially in Lynden and Bellingham areas.

Below are the graphs first of Lynden and then of Bellingham:


You can see very clearly in both graphs that there is a steady decline of homes on the market. This is what makes it a great time to list your home and get top dollar. There is way less competition out there but buyers are still looking. The amount of pendings keep increasing even though inventory is so low. Why don’t we get your home out on market before everyone else decides to list and you have more competition. Wouldn’t you prefer to have your home only have two other competitors compared to ten?

If you have any questions regarding listing your home and how the process works. I would love to serve you. Feel free to contact me at any time if you have any questions. I would love to send you my listing packet so you know what I do for my clients.

Thanks for reading,

Danielle.

Are you relocating to Whatcom County or even just relocating towns within the county then please continue to read. ☺

I don’t know how many times I have had clients that are new to Whatcom County and they want to know simple facts about different areas just to get a sense of what the area is really like. A few common questions are: ” What are the schools like?”,  “What are the crime rates?” or something along those lines.  I recently ran across the website called Homefacts.com where it gives you school ratings, crime rates that are categorized and also compared to state and national rates. You can also look up unemployment rates, enviornmental hazards, etc.

Basically, this is an amazing source to get to know Whatcom County a little bit better and the individual towns. Also, if you are relocating please contact me. I have a great relocation packet I like to send to anyone that is new to Whatcom County. My packet includes more than just the numbers. It includes the history of each town along with interesting facts about how they were named, founded and  more.

If you are new to the area and would like more information. Feel free to contact me. I don’t mind showing you around the area or answering any questions you may have.

Thanks for reading,

Danielle