Friday Foreclosure List for Pierce County, WA including Tacoma, Gig Harbor, Puyallup and Surrounding Areas

For the 4th consecutive week, Pierce County, Wa foreclosures are down...this week only 17! Coupled with a rise in "pending sales", we might be headed up??? Read my recent blog regarding CNN's release of a recycled article about Tacoma's projected growth. Call Tom Tuttle "from Tacoma, WA" 253-686-3992 or me@tomtuttle.me
Friday Foreclosure List for Pierce County, WA including Tacoma, Gig Harbor, Puyallup and surrounding areas

CNN Lists "Best Bets" for housing recovery: Tacoma, Kennewick, Seattle Top List

Okay, now CNN finally getting around to this. Even more interesting: 3 cities in Washington grace the top 5...#1 Tacoma #2 Kennewick #5 Seattle. Additionally, this week and for the 3rd consecutive week, Pierce County saw a decrease in bank-owed listings. Pierce County foreclosures posted for the Tacoma area topped out at 18 this week. We still have a large pool of sitting foreclosures that we need to wade through, but with a consistent decrease and more pending homes, we may work our way out of this recession yet. I have seen many more "pending" homes than I have in the past 3 years...a very good sign. It is possible, people are moving on the April 30 tax deadline, so everyone remains cautious. Possible we may move out of this and possible we may even see a complete flip...from a surplus of Tacoma homes for sale to shortage in 2011. Yes, hard to believe, but I have read more than one periodical with such bold predicitons.
Did you know that while Tacoma's housing market depreciated 22% since 2006, Kennewick posted a 5.7% increase!!! With a projected 14,000-18,000 troops returning to the joint base Lewis/McChord, Microsoft, Amazon, Boeing, beautiful natural surroundings and so much more to offer, Tacoma remains a destination for many families.
Read more....
Housing: Best recovery bets - Tacoma, Wash. (1) - CNNMoney.com

Friday Foreclosure List for Pierce County, WA including Tacoma, Gig Harbor, Puyallup Homes for Sale

Down from 47 last week, there are 28 bank-owned homes for sale this week in the greater Pierce County area. This is the third straight week with a decline in bank-owned postings; a sign of recovery? Perhaps a sign that banks have caught up on the holiday "lay off" where banks gave buyers a break without foreclosures during the holiday season. Or a sign that spring has sprung and the market is starting to move after a traditional hibernation? Whatever the case, it's always welcome...just like the sun!

Pierce County, Washington Friday Foreclosure List for Tacoma, Puyallup, Gig Harbor areas 2.19

Friday Foreclosure List for Pierce County, Washington including Tacoma, Puyallup, Gig Harbor

Only 47 foreclosures this week down from a whopping 80 last week. Perhaps there is hope for a reprieve. Foreclosures continue to beat down home sales prices. However, if you're a buyer...it's truly never been a better time! Whether you're an investor, first home buyer or a move-up buyer, call Tom Tuttle today @ 253-686-3992 to take advantage of the home buyer tax credit and these amazing deals!
Friday Foreclosures 2010-02-12

Friday's Foreclosure List for Pierce County, Washington homes / Tacoma

80 foreclosures in the greater Pierce County, WA area. Gig Harbor homes saw little activity this week while South Tacoma homes, Puyallup homes and Spanaway homes garnered the majority; no surprises here. The foreclosure in North Tacoma in the Stadium District sold in a matter of days ... a great deal. If you were interested in this home, don't give up on it. Many homes in this market fail due to financing. So, keep an eye on it. This link is good for 30 days before it expires.
If there is a particular home you are watching, please let me know and I can send you an updated link for that specific home. Remember, foreclosures are not everything in this marke, but the make up much of the sales in Pierce County. For more information on any of these homes or to schedule a viewing, please call Tom Tuttle "from Tacoma, WA" at 253-686-3992.
Friday's Foreclosure List for Pierce County, Washington

Contesting / Appealing Your Tax Assessment Part II (How to...)

Step 1 Prepare yourself to deal with a large, unorganized, debt-ridden, understaffed beaurocracy that knows nothing about customer service or satisfaction. They do not want this to be easy! 

1. As soon as you receive the statement of your new assessed value each year, you need to examine two areas. First, look closely at the assessed value. Does it seem too high to you? If so, the second thing you need to do is to carefully read the instructions for disputing your assessment. From the date you receive your green card, you have 30 days to appeal/contest by filing the necessary paperwork. If you moved during that time or fore some reason did not receive the green card, you may sign an affidavit and apply for an appeal.  Be sure to follow instructions carefully to have your request considered. You may be able to download forms in the future, but for now...they don't want to make anything easy on you! You'll have to visit the Pierce County Annex by the Tacoma Costco. It's easy, just enter and hang the first right...you'll run right into it!
   
2. 
   
   Step 2
   Once you have read everything carefully, call a local real estate agent (Tom Tuttle from Tacoma, WA) and ask him to run an MLS list of all SALES in your neighborhood for the PAST 6 MONTHS. The properties should be as similar as yours as possible in age and size. You need to make sure your comparables are from the right year...so, if you are contesting your most recent assessment, then you'll need comparables from the previous year.
   
3. 
   
   Step 3
   Look at the $/per square foot sales price for the houses that have recently sold. In other words, if a 2000 square foot house sold for $200,000, then it sold for $100 a square foot. Average the $/per square foot price for all the comparable sales that the Realtor provided for you. Multiply that amount times the square footage of your home. If your neighborhood homes have sold for $100 a square foot, and your home contains 1900 square feet, then your home should be appraised for about $190,000. There will be some variation, of course. Your home may have more or fewer bathrooms than the other homes. Your lot could be larger or smaller. Take these types of things into consideration. If it appears that the assessed value is correct, then plan to dispute the assessment. If not, drop the issue now. You are not going to be effective.
   
4. 
   
   Step 4
   If you decide, based on your evidence, that your home has been appraised too high, then you need to appeal the assessment. Complete the forms that are required and mail them to the Assessor's Office with a copy of all your evidence ... even if they tell you NOT to include the evidence. I have done this in two states, and avoided having to attend a hearing. Both times, someone from the Assessor's Office called me and agreed to lower my assessment based on the evidence that I provided. Your evidence needs to be neatly organized. Some Realtors will help you with this, in the hope that you will use them to sell your home someday in the future. That's ME!
   
5. 
   
   Step 5
   If you have to attend a hearing, take several copies of your evidence with you so each member of the committee has it to look at. Be sure that you have your facts straight. Often, the Assessor's Office has the wrong information about the square footage of your home, it's age, etc. Come prepared with evidence, such as the builder's plan, an appraisal, etc., which shows the correct information. State your case calmly and clearly. With adequate supporting data, a majority of people are able to have their own assessments reduced. AND be prepared to contest your next assessment the year after...as by the time the assessment is adjusted, they will have delivered your new one ;). 253-686-3992 me@tomtuttle.me
   

Should You Contest Your Tax Assessment? Part I

Should you contest your tax assessment? More than likely yes. If you are planning to sell your home anytime soon, probably not. The buyer likes to see that they are getting a good deal, and if your assessment is higher than the sales price...this may give them the false pretense of instant equity. For those staying put, here's the skinny...if you are planning to stay in your home for another 5 years, you should definitely consider contesting the tax assessment.

Tax Assessments skyrocketed when the all-too-eager government officials tried to cash in on everyone's share of the market. Unfortunately, they did not heed the words of critics, and the bubble burst. Now, no one anticipated that it would last this long and dig this deep of a hole (well, I'm sure some critics would say they did). Fast forward to today... Government has a huge budget deficit and the last thing they want to do is spend time, money and energy on profit loss and furthering the deficit! So, not only are they not going to worry about the fair-market value of your home, but they are not going put forth any effort to do so. Should you have to bare the burden? NO.

Here's the rationale...our values are not going to return to the 2007 values of yesteryear until 2014-15. We are seeing a gradual leveling of the market. However, with such a surplus of foreclosures, short sales and overpriced homes...it will take years to wade through it all. Additionally, most home-owners are stuck and can't 'move-up'. Obama's tax credit revision to $6500 for current homeowners was a good idea, but does not consider the complexity of selling a 'contingent' home in this market. You get the idea...the market is not going to set the world on fire anytime soon, and if you plan on staying...you might as well save a little money!

The Extended Home Buyer Tax Credit $8000/$6500 video

Here is the revised/extended home buyer tax credit. In summary, the same as before with dates extended to April 2010 contract date and closing no later than June 30, 2010. The $6500 is offered to those who have owned a home for 5 years and are looking to move up and purchase another home.