Port Angeles Real Estate Information Archive

Port Angeles Real Estate

In addition to zoning, some properties have covenants recorded at the courthouse that “run with the land.” These “protective covenants” can put a serious pinch in your plans for purchasing a piece of property.

Protective Covenants

A protective covenant remains in effect as the property is sold from one Port Angeles Real Estate owner to another. The covenants are designed to maintain a certain aspect of the Port Angeles area in question. The covenants may require a particular architectural style or use for the land to mention only a few areas of restriction.

Land in a Port Angeles scenic area may have a protective covenant that prevents certain types of development for the land or properties on it. Importantly, these restrictions may not show up in the zoning laws, so make sure you research the issues before buying. Let’s consider an example of a great buy gone wrong because of a protective covenant.

A protective covenant may restrict the number of parcels into which the property can be subdivided. Thus, you could find yourself in a situation in which you buy a one hundred acre parcel with an eye toward subdividing it. Upon researching the issues, you discover the zoning laws allow the Port Angeles real estate / parcel to be cut into quarter acre lots. Visions of profit swirl before your eyes. Your development dreams, however, could turn to nightmares if there is a protective covenant.

Assume you go ahead and purchase the parcel. While showing it to a friend, a neighbor from down the road walks up and introduces himself. You excitedly explain you plans for subdividing only to be shocked when he tells you there is a protective covenant that prevents the creation of any lots under ten acres. What if the covenant restricts ANY subdividing of the parcels? That great deal you got on the parcel may not look so hot when the protective covenant is factored in.

So, how should you deal with protective covenants? First, you should ask the Port Angeles real estate seller / owner whether any exists for the property. Second, make sure you buy title insurance as the title company will certainly look for any protective covenants before issuing a policy.

There is a lot of free information available to you about buying, selling or investing in Port Angeles real estate. For complete information about the Port Angeles real estate market including, homes for sale, Land for Sale, buyers and sellers info, home values,  relocating information …Please visit my website  www.PortAngelesRealEsateServices.com  There you’ll find everything you need to know about Port Angeles Washington Real Estate  

Feel free to contact me (Steve Edwards) at anytime. I’ll be happy to answer / address any questions or concerns you may have.  Call me anytime … I can be Toll Free: (866) 359-9099  or  mailto:steveedwards@olypen.com

Thank you for your time!
 
Steve Edwards – Realtor – Broker
Real Estate Professional
Strait Realty
Port Angeles, WA

Port Angeles Real Estate:

Real estate investing is really an art and, like any art, it takes time to master the art of real estate investing. The key, of course, is to buy at a lower price and sell at higher price and make a profit even after paying all the costs involved in the two (buy/sell) transactions. Generally, people are of the opinion that Port Angeles real estate investing makes sense only when the rates are on the rise. However, real estate investing for profits is possible just about any time (and as I just said, real estate investing is an art).

Here is a list of tricks that can make real estate investing profitable for you:

1) Look for public auctions, divorce settlements and Port Angeles foreclosures (bank/FHA/VA): Since quick settlement is the preference here (and not price), you might get a property at a price that is much lower than the prevailing market rate. You can then make arrangements to sell it at the market rate over a short period of time. However, make sure that the Port Angeles property is worth the price you are paying.

2) Looking for old listings: The old listings that are still unsold may provide you with good real estate investing opportunities. Just get hold of an old newspaper and call up the Port Angeles sellers. They might have given up hope of selling that property at all and with a bit of negotiation you can get the Port Angeles property for a real low price.

3) The hidden treasure: A really old (and dirty) looking house may scare off Port Angeles buyers. But this might be your chance for real estate investing within the Port Angeles area that can yield good profits. So, explore such properties and check if spending a bit on them can make them shine. You can get these at very low prices and make a big profit in a short time.

4) Team up with local Port Angeles attorneys: There are a number of attorneys who handle property sales on behalf of sellers or in special circumstances (like the death of the property owner). They might sometimes be looking to dispose off the property rather quickly and hence at a low price. Be the first one to grab such real estate investing opportunities and enjoy the profits.

5) Keep tab on the Port Angeles newspaper announcements: Property sell offs due to deaths, divorce settlements, immediate cash requirements and other reason are frequently announced in local papers. Keep track of such real estate investing avenues.

There is a lot of free information available to you about buying, selling or investing in Port Angeles real estate. For complete information about the Port Angeles real estate market including, homes for sale, Land for Sale, buyers and sellers info, home values,  relocating information …Please visit my website www.PortAngelesRealEsateServices.com  There you’ll find everything you need to know about Port Angeles Washington Real Estate  

Feel free to contact me (Steve Edwards) at anytime. I’ll be happy to answer / address any questions or concerns you may have.  Call me anytime … I can be Toll Free: (866) 359-9099  or  mailto:steveedwards@olypen.com

Thank you for your time!
 
Steve Edwards – Realtor
Windermere Real Estate
Port Angeles, WA
Real Estate Expert / Agent

Port Angeles Real Estate Tips & Tricks....

As a Port Angeles home seller you want to initiate that positive feeling from a prospective buyer; choosing a new home is a very emotional thing and it is this emotional vibe that you want to tune into to. It is always the first impression that will dictate the Port Angeles buyer's mood.

Think of the times that you have been in the audience waiting to hear a speech. When the person walks onto the stage you are expectant and interested in what he has to say. In the first one minute he either has your attention - or you are wondering where he bought his shoes from. If he has wit, a smile and a bright voice you will listen. If he drawls, sounds dull and is talking too quietly your brain leaves the stage.

You will only listen to a boring speaker if you really want to hear what he has to say. Your Port Angeles house is like the speaker. If it appeals in the first minute, the Port Angeles buyer will proceed with interest and enthusiasm. If the first appearance doesn't draw the buyer in, he will approach the viewing of your home with the thought that he is wasting his time. This is where the price of your house comes in; if there is nothing much going for it, then make sure you take the realtor's advice about the price.

If you know your Port Angeles house is a no-frills house, then the first impression will be critical to set the mood. A realtor calls this curb appeal, and if yours is not able to look 'fantastic', it can at least look promising.

Step out side your house, and walk to the street and scrutinize your own home from the sidewalk. Check for things like scuff marks around the base of the house and broken parts of fence. Sweep the paths and hide the garbage can. Make sure the gardening is done - no dead weeds or yellow patches on the lawn.

Certain additions can make your Port Angeles home look as if it is cared for. For instance, plants in pots around your front door. A statue or an elegant bird bath placed centrally in your lawn can take away the plainness of a yard. If you are worried about theft, most of these are too heavy to be easily moved. Flowers or plants can be grouped around it.

This applies to any season. If you are selling your Port Angeles home in autumn you can always buy some potted chrysanthemums or azaleas, if you are selling in spring use daffodil and crocus etc. Whatever time of the year, there can be either flowers or berry bushes in the yard. The back yard will not count so much in terms of first impressions. So concentrate on the front for the first visual impact to your Port Angeles home buyer.

One very easy solution to the visual appeal problem is to have a very soft planting bed in the front and cover it with wood chips. As each season turns, a different group of pot plants can be 'dug in' to the soft soil. Once the daffodils die, those pots get pulled out until next year and the petunias go in, then chrysanthemums, until finally it is the winter pansies and the berries. With a bird bath in the center and about three small ever green shrubs, your front yard will always have appeal.

It is not just that you are appealing to the type of person who likes a nice yard; if the yard is looking good, it will make the Port Angeles home buyer think that the rest of the house will be looked after and he will approach the viewing of your house in a positive way. This positive attitude means that the home buyer's frame of mind will be open to the emotional appeal of your home.

There is a lot of free information available to you about buying, selling or investing in Port Angeles real estate. For complete information about the Port Angeles real estate market including, homes for sale, Land for Sale, buyers and sellers info, home values,  relocating information …Please visit my website  www.PortAngelesRealEsateServices.com  There you’ll find everything you need to know about Port Angeles Washington Real Estate  

Feel free to contact me (Steve Edwards) at anytime. I’ll be happy to answer / address any questions or concerns you may have.  Call me anytime … I can be Toll Free: (866) 359-9099  or  mailto:steveedwards@olypen.com

Thank you for your time!
 
Steve Edwards – Realtor
Windermere Real Estate
Port Angeles, WA
Real Estate Expert / Agent

Port Angeles Real Estate Tip & Tricks....

When Port Angeles house hunting, many buyers make the mistake of waiting to contact a lender until after they have located their dream home. As a Port Angeles home buyer, you will be in a much stronger position with a seller if you are pre-approved.

Pre-Approval Letter

To effectively house hunt in Port Angeles, you must know the amount you can borrow from a lender. There is nothing worse than find your dream home, but failing to qualify for the amount you need for a loan. Avoid this by asking your lender to pull your credit information and to let you know what needs to be done to get a pre-approval letter. If you are going to have problems with getting a loan, it is better to know about it as early as possible.

Sometimes Port Angeles home buyers resist contacting lenders because it’s not the enjoyable part of home buying and they’re afraid an extra credit check will reduce their credit score. This resistance is penny wise and pound foolish. Port Angeles home buyers who get their loan arrangements lined up at the beginning of the house buying process are really doing themselves a favor.

Much of the country is experiencing a hot, sellers’ market. It is not unusual for a seller to get more than one offer on the same day. If that happens to you, your pre-approved status can give you an edge over the competition. In fact, it can make a home seller choose you over another bidder.

Presenting Your Letter to a Seller

When you tell the Port Angeles home seller you want to buy their property, give them a copy of your pre-approval letter. They will probably recognize the value of the letter, but don’t depend on this assumption. Make sure the Port Angeles home seller realizes the loan is already approved.

As you give the seller the letter, explain to them that you are serious about making the transaction go smoothly and, for that reason, you have already been through most of the loan application process. Point out that the lender has pulled your credit info and you’ve provided copies of W-2s, pay stubs, and all the other things the lender needed to decide that you do qualify for a loan. Tell the seller that the only remaining thing to do is to give the lender a copy of the contract that you and the seller sign, and the property needs to appraise for an appropriate amount.

Taking this approach puts you in a very strong position. The Port Angeles home seller knows you are not just wishing; you are capable of buying his property. One of a seller’s worst nightmares is signing a contract with someone, taking his property off the market, wasting time and then finding out that the would-be buyer cannot get a loan. On the other hand, you and your pre-approval letter are dreams come true.

Put on your shining armor and get pre-approved by a lender. Once you have the letter in hand, get out there and find your dream home.  I can help!

There is a lot of free information available to you about buying, selling or investing in Port Angeles real estate. For complete information about the Port Angeles real estate market including, homes for sale, Land for Sale, buyers and sellers info, home values,  relocating information …Please visit my website  www.PortAngelesRealEsateServices.com  There you’ll find everything you need to know about Port Angeles Washington Real Estate  

Feel free to contact me (Steve Edwards) at anytime. I’ll be happy to answer / address any questions or concerns you may have.  Call me anytime … I can be Toll Free: (866) 359-9099  or  mailto:steveedwards@olypen.com

Thank you for your time!
 
Steve Edwards – Realtor
Windermere Real Estate
Port Angeles, WA
Real Estate Expert / Agent

Port Angeles Washington Real estate investing tips tend to be a bit vague, like "invest in the right location," or "make sure the numbers work." Actually, tips like these are important principles to remember. However, since they have been well represented in other articles, I want to share a few more specific tips with you.

1. Listen to the real estate market. The Port Angeles cabinet guy looked to me for a decision. I realized that I knew nothing at all about which cabinets people like, so I asked him which ones others were choosing, and he pointed to one that three quarters of his last forty customers had chosen. That's the one I want, I told him. Why argue with the market you are trying to sell to?

2. Do your own research. The real estate agent might show you only the comparable sales that make the property look more valuable. Do your own research. Some counties have made it easy now, with sales prices online. You can also search any number of sites with MLS listings, just to get an idea about the asking prices of other nearby Port Angeles properties.

3. Partner carefully. When you do a deal with partners, be the money or the management, but not both. Group decisions tend not to work well in real estate, and will cause you much stress. Once you decide on and agree to a plan, step back if you are investing the capital, and let your partner do his thing. Of course, step up and take control if you are managing the project.

4. Negotiate openly. Just ask a Port Angeles seller outright, "What do you want to get out of this?" It is rare that someone is offended by this simple question, and it saves you from wasting valuable time talking about things that don't interest him or her. Once you get a clear answer, you can decide if you can give them what they want, and still get what you need.

5. Invest safely. Investing isn't gambling. There is always risk, but the difference is that the odds are in your favor. If not, you are gambling. This why you shouldn't invest based on continued price increases. There is no guarantee that prices will continue up at any particular rate. Do deals that work even if prices go nowhere, and if values go up, you're that much better off.

6. Run the numbers. It is about the numbers, and if it is income property, it's about one number in particular: cash flow. Whatever the local formulas are, whether gross rent multipliers or capitalization rates or whatever, just be sure that after every last expense you'll have cash flow from the very first month.

Rules, formulas and real estate tips are really just guidelines. Even the rule above about cash flow can be broken if you know that rents can be raised soon, for example. You have to use common sense and learn from experience, and you can't replace good analysis with rules, formulas and real estate tips.

Feel free to contact me (Steve Edwards) at anytime. I’ll be happy to answer / address any questions or concerns you may have.  Call me anytime … I can be reached on my cell at: 360-809-3064 or  mailto:steveedwards@olypen.com

As always, your privacy is – “100% guaranteed”.

Thank you for your time!
 
Steve Edwards
Port Angeles, WA
Real Estate Expert / Realtor