Chris Farkas Bellingham Blog: December 2009

Learn How A Short Sale Can Help You Avoid Foreclosure - Bellingham Homes For Sale

 
 

Feeling like there is no other option but foreclosure can be an overwhelming experience. Know that you are not alone. Thousands of homeowners in the United States are facing the same challenges as you every single day. Now more than ever before there are solutions.

You need help, guidance, and someone who understands the difficult choices you are facing about your home, your family, and your life. Quite often a homeowner facing a foreclosure thinks they have to go through the process alone, forced into a daunting situation caused by unforeseen circumstances beyond their control. Facing damage to your credit, and the possibility of not being able to purchase another home for 10 years can be a tough future to face, but by tapping into the expertise of a knowledgeable real estate agent, there are options available for you and you've come to the right place. 

We provide you with information about how to avoid a foreclosure, explain the effects it can have on you and your family, and offer other options that may be available to you. This includes a short sale, and we can help you determine if you qualify.

Please know that all communication will be strictly confidential.

Specializing in helping homeowners use a Short Sale to avoid home foreclosure in the Bellingham, Washington real estate market.

Chris Farkas
Exit Realty Associates
1419 Cornwall Avenue
Bellingham, WA 98225
Phone: 360-393-0793
Email: Info@NorthwestStopForeclosure.com
Web: www.NorthwestStopForeclosure.com

Please visit www.RealBellingham.com for extensive information on our Bellingham real estate services.

1 commentChris Farkas • December 30 2009 11:59PM

Learn How A Short Sale Can Help You Avoid Foreclosure - Bellingham Homes For Sale

Learn How A Short Sale Can Help You Avoid Foreclosure  

Feeling like there is no other option but foreclosure can be an overwhelming experience. Know that you are not alone. Thousands of homeowners in the United States are facing the same challenges as you every single day. Now more than ever before there are solutions.

You need help, guidance, and someone who understands the difficult choices you are facing about your home, your family, and your life. Quite often a homeowner facing a foreclosure thinks they have to go through the process alone, forced into a daunting situation caused by unforeseen circumstances beyond their control. Facing damage to your credit, and the possibility of not being able to purchase another home for 10 years can be a tough future to face, but by tapping into the expertise of a knowledgeable real estate agent, there are options available for you and you've come to the right place. 

We provide you with information about how to avoid a foreclosure, explain the effects it can have on you and your family, and offer other options that may be available to you. This includes a short sale, and we can help you determine if you qualify.

Please know that all communication will be strictly confidential.

Specializing in helping homeowners use a Short Sale to avoid home foreclosure in the Bellingham, Washington real estate market.

2 commentsChris Farkas • December 30 2009 11:56PM

Columbia Neighborhood Homes For Sale - Bellingham Homes For Sale

3 commentsChris Farkas • December 30 2009 11:23PM

Santa's Laptop - Bellingham Homes

Chris Farkas    www.RealBellingham.com

    

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0 commentsChris Farkas • December 23 2009 02:04PM

Merry Christmas Bellingham and Whatcom County

Chris Farkas    www.RealBellingham.com

    

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Bank Owned Homes
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1 commentChris Farkas • December 23 2009 11:51AM

Asbestos In The Home - Bellingham Homes

Healthy Home Tips & Green Alternatives for Homeowners

The home buying process is an exciting time, but one that may bring additional responsibilities into your life. Many homes may need renovations or inspections, especially in areas that are susceptible to natural disasters. Having the assistance of an experienced and honest real estate agent will make this process smooth and stress free.

Some older homes may still contain obsolete building materials. Citizens of this great state are striving to move to a green lifestyle, advocating environmentally sustainable methods to be used throughout the state. Building or remodeling your homes with eco-friendly materials can lower utility and water bills, higher real estate value, purer air quality, reduced waste sent to landfills and conservation of natural resources.

Asbestos + Healthy Tips

Asbestos is a fibrous mineral that was used in construction applications for the greater part of the 20th century. Often appearing as insulation, piping, roofing and flooring, homes and buildings could still contain asbestos materials if they were built prior to 1980.

If you locate any suspected asbestos in the home, most experts suggest leaving it un-disturbed until a home inspector can examine your property, take evaluations and determine the safest course of action. Sometimes the best action is no action at all. Disturbing asbestos in good condition may cause its fibers to be released into the air. The removal of asbestos must be undertaken by a professional abatement contractor who is trained in handling dangerous materials.

Exposure to this material can lead to the development of mesothelioma, a lung ailment associated with asbestos exposure. Though a cure does not exist, mesothelioma treatment options such as radiation, chemotherapy and surgery may be available to patients to battle the disease. Mesothelioma compensation has become tough to predict for victims and their families because diagnosis can take 20-50 years. For this reason, many people refer to it as a silent killer.

Removal of asbestos in public facilities, workplaces and homes should be performed by licensed abatement contractors as long as the National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) are not violated. They must wear protective equipment such as masks and gloves to avoid any exposure. The materials should be removed in as large pieces as possible and places in disposable bags.

Green Building Benefits

Each and every human being would like clean air to breathe and crisp water to drink. It takes a lot of effort and political advocacy to achieve this on a macro level. The implementation of eco-construction, green energy solutions will play an important role in the transformation to a healthier and sustainable world. Many locations throughout Alabama are swiftly changing their construction practices to suit the environment and the health of human beings.

There are many green, eco-friendly materials that replace the need for asbestos and can reduce energy costs annually. These include the use of cotton fiber, lcynene foam and cellulose. Cotton fiber is quickly becoming a favorite for home builders and renovators. Made from recycled batted material, it is also treated to be fireproof. Research has demonstrated that the use of eco-friendly insulation alternatives can reduce annual energy costs by 25 percent.

Implementing green methods of building can have positive environmental, health and economic benefits. These include: Conservation of natural resources, enhancement of air quality, energy sustainability, increase property value, improve quality of life, improvement of pulmonary/cardiac health and reduction of waste.

Chris Farkas 

    

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Bank Owned Homes
Stop Foreclosure
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2 commentsChris Farkas • December 18 2009 06:31PM

Interest Rates At Record Lows - Belingham Homes

Mortgage interest rates dropped below the 5 percent threshold in October, enabling buyers and facilitating market activity across the country. Freddie Mac is reporting that the average commitment rate for a 30-year, conventional fixed rate loan has dropped to 4.96 percent, down from a September low of 5.06 percent.

"Mortgage interest rates last month were the third lowest on record dating back to 1971," according to Lawrence Yun, chief economist for the National Association of Realtors. In November, Freddie Mac reported another decrease in the 30-year rate to 4.83 percent. "With the abnormal drop in home prices over the past few years, the price-to-income ratio has fallen below the historic trend line," Yun said. “This is adding to the buying power of the typical family, with affordability conditions this year at the highest on record dating back to 1970, but prices are beginning to flatten and are poised to rise next year."

Chris Farkas

    

Email List Of Homes
Bank Owned Homes
Stop Foreclosure
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1 commentChris Farkas • December 17 2009 02:39PM

Interest Rates At Record Lows

Mortgage interest rates dropped below the 5 percent threshold in October, enabling buyers and facilitating market activity across the country. Freddie Mac is reporting that the average commitment rate for a 30-year, conventional fixed rate loan has dropped to 4.96 percent, down from a September low of 5.06 percent.

"Mortgage interest rates last month were the third lowest on record dating back to 1971," according to Lawrence Yun, chief economist for the National Association of Realtors. In November, Freddie Mac reported another decrease in the 30-year rate to 4.83 percent. "With the abnormal drop in home prices over the past few years, the price-to-income ratio has fallen below the historic trend line," Yun said. “This is adding to the buying power of the typical family, with affordability conditions this year at the highest on record dating back to 1970, but prices are beginning to flatten and are poised to rise next year."

Chris Farkas

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1 commentChris Farkas • December 16 2009 11:52AM

Exterior Doors and Energy

Soon we will all be scrambling to grab our share of the Federal Govt's energy efficiency funding. Chris

Via Steven L. Smith, Bellingham, Wa. Home Inspector (King of the House Home Inspection, Inc):

As a home inspector, often I see exterior doors that work just fine. They open, they close and they lock. But, often, these doors that function just fine are at older homes and the pane of glass is a single-pane -- not a thermalpane -- window. Most clients, planning to remodel, do not care much about that as long as the door works. And, sometimes there is protection from a storm door as well. This is one of those none critical issues that, over time, the clients might wish to upgrade for better energy efficiency. But, compared to some other critical factors at a home that is being refurbished, this might be a pretty low priority. We would call it a "small concern."

Thanks for stopping by,

Steven L. Smith

GeoLogo207

0 commentsChris Farkas • December 15 2009 06:44PM

Carpenter Ant Damage

Steven,

Thanks for the education. I have not yet experienced carpenter ants but have had all too much experience with termintes when I lived in the South.

Have a Happy Holiday.

Chris

Via Steven L. Smith, Bellingham, Wa. Home Inspector (King of the House Home Inspection, Inc):

Today I had to take the state structural pest inspector's test. I last did that five years ago but my time was now. We call it renewal time.

One of the most common insects in this region is the carpenter ant. I went down with a friend and we were talking about carpenter ant infestations and the shavings that the species leaves. One note here -- they do not eat the wood, they live in it.

Below is one of the best photos I have, in my collection, of major carpenter ant activity at a bank owned property. The WSDA views carpenter ants as the most significant insect pest in the northwest.

carpenter ant frass, king of the house bellingham home inspector

Thanks for stopping by,

Steven L. Smith

GeoLogo207

2 commentsChris Farkas • December 15 2009 06:41PM