Kitsap County WA real estate :: SoundBiteBlog.com

This quality well-maintained home is situated on a quiet near acre lot in the highly desirable Crystal Creek neighborhood in Silverdale WA. Though just minutes from top rated Central Kitsap schools, the Bangor Subase (South Trigger Avenue gate), and the popular Kitsap Mall, this 4 Bedroom 2.5 bath home offers Pacific Northwest rural living at its finest.

Located off Old Frontier Road on Hosman Circle, Crystal Creek is predominantly a Chaffey-built development of 40 homes started in the early 1990′s.

All homes are served by a community well locally operated by Washington Water Supply. Unlimited water usage costs homeowners a flat fee of $44 per month.

Due to the ample level lot sizes, each individual property  in Crystal Creek has its own private gravity flow septic system.

Electricity and natural gas is provided by Puget Sound Energy and Cascade Natural Gas, respectively.

Wavecable Broadband is the sole supplier of cable television and Internet services to the area, although some residents elect to utilize DSL or Satellite carriers.

While there is a Crystal Creek Homeowner’s Association and By-Laws ($35 annual fee), true pride of ownership comes across in the way residents consistently maintain their properties, and the safe, quality of life that is enjoyed by the members of the neighborhood.

4354 NW Hosman Circle is located about halfway down Hosman Circle on the right-hand side of the street (highest elevation in the community). The previous owners hired a professional landscaping company to install a beautiful custom rock retaining wall.

There is a plush cultivated lawn area to the western side of the property, and a seasonal creek that connects to popular Crystal Creek, a salmon spawning tributary which eventually feeds into Dyes Inlet. A large portion of the property consists of native Rhododendrons, and tall Pine and Cedar trees.

The home was originally built in 1990 and is constructed of highly-desired natural Cedar siding. There is a covered front patio area and large rear deck. A 10X12 storgage shed contains all of your yard maintenance tools and equipment.

The ample 2-car attached garage comes with added space for a workbench and has a pull-down ladder to access an additional attic storage area.

The tile vaulted entry way provides an elegant greeting for your visitors. The step-down formal living room is just to your right, and the main floor half-bath to your left.

Straight ahead, the hallway gives way to hardwood floors and the Island Kitchen/Family Great Room. A Dining Nook overlooks the wooded backyard. The large working Island Kitchen has quality Silestone counters and generous cabinetry. A tile surround gas fireplace provides cozy, efficient heat during the Winter months.

The formal Dining Room has stylish coffered ceilings and bay windows.

Upstairs are 3  bedrooms, a shared Full Bath, and a hallway that leads to the Master Suite/Master Bath.

The Master Suite has a Bay Window Sitting area. The 5-piece Master Bath includes an over-sized jetted tub, double-sink vanity, shower, and skylight.

Elementary age children are picked up every morning at the driveway of their homes and transported to nearby Clear Creek Elementary. Junior High and High School age students wait for their buses at the end of Hosman Circle. Both Central Kitsap Junior High and Central Kitsap High schools are only minutes away.

Just down Old Frontier Road is Trigger Avenue, with access to the South gate of Bangor Subase and Hwy. 3.

Silverdale WA is the retail mecca for the entire Kitsap Peninsula and West Sound area. The Kitsap Mall is a popular shopping destination with stores such as Macy’s, Sears, J.C. Penneys, and Kohls. Most of all the Big Box stores have locations in Silverdale as well, including Costco, Home Depot, and Best Buy.

Surrounded by the waters of the Puget Sound, the Kitsap Peninsula is only a short ferry boat ride to Seattle, the Emerald City. To the west, the majestic Olympic Mountains rise up from the shores of the scenic Hood Canal, a popular recreational waterway.

Whether you’re being transfered to a new duty station here in Kitsap County WA, looking to escape the traffic and crowds of the East Side, need more space for your growing family, or want a great place to retire, this quality home in preferred Crystal Creek Silverdale WA is the perfect place to call home!

For more information, go to Windermere.com and enter 203772 into the ‘Search by MLS’ box, or access the vFlyer for this property by going to the link, http://kitsaplife.vflyer.com/home/flyer/home/15587011

For additional information on Crystal Creek, go to http://soundbiteblog.com/2009/09/09/crystal-creek-residential-development-in-silverdale-wa/

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Rich Jacobson is a licensed real estate broker providing Knowledgeable Empowerment and Relentless Representation for his clients of residential properties and vacant land throughout all of Kitsap County WA and portions of Pierce, Mason, and Jefferson Counties.

You can also find him at KitsapLife.com, ActiveRain.com, EverydayCK, HomesByHarbors, and Crabbing in the Hood, or e-mail:  kitsapagent@gmail.com

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Tags: 4354 NW Hosman Circle, CK Schools, Crystal Creek, Kitsap County WA real estate, Silverdale WA Real Estate

Top Tips for 1st-Time Home Buyers in Kitsap County WA – Tip No. 2

HAVE YOUR HOME INSPECTED BY A PROFESSIONAL LICENSED HOME INSPECTOR

One of the most satisfying aspects of being a licensed professional real estate broker here in Kitsap County WA is helping 1st-Time Buyers to achieve their dreams of homeownership.

In the beginning, I typically spend a good deal of time educating my First-Time Buyers on the entire home-buying process, from start-to-finish, just so they can fully understand what’s involved and eliminate any surprises.

A few years back, I wrote a fun, informative series of articles entitled “Adventures in 1st-time Home Buying.“

I always counsel my Buyer clients to have a Home Inspection prior to closing. Here in WA State, most contracts include a Home Inspection Contingency (NWMLS Form 35) which makes the purchase subject to conducting a thorough home inspection.

Here’s the Home Inspection process in a nutshell:

Normally, the Buyer has  up to ten (10) days after mutual contract acceptance, to have the home inspected and to then petition the Sellers to remedy/repair any items/conditions they feel need to be corrected/resolved as a result. The Sellers usually have up to three (3) days to respond to the Buyers request. If the Home Inspector feels that additional inspections are warranted, the Buyer can request an extension to conduct further investigation, but at their own expense.

The Sellers have several options in responding to the Buyers requests: 1) They can agree to fix all of the items requested by the Buyer; 2) They can select which items they want to repair/resolve; 3) They can refuse to fix anything. The Buyers, in turn, have up to three (3) days to respond back. They can agree to the Sellers terms, counter with amended terms, or simply back out of the contract.

Having your home fully inspected by a licensed professional Home Inspector is one of the wisest investments you will make in the home-buying process. Here in Kitsap County WA, most home inspections cost an average of $300 to $500, depending on the size of the home. This usually includes a full pest inspection as well.

A thorough home inspection normally includes a visual inspection of all exterior/interior structural components,  and functional inspection of all appliances, and mechanical, plumbing, electrical systems/components.

Make sure that when you have your home inspected that you contract with a professional State licensed Home Inspector. Even thought your Uncle Jimmy Joe Bob may have worked construction back in the day, or your sister’s cousin’s son Vinnie used to work at Home Depot, you owe to yourself to have someone who is knowledgeable, experienced, and qualified. This is one of the biggest purchase/investments you are likely to make. The relatively small amount of money you will spend on a home inspection is worth every cent.

Here in Kitsap County WA, I strongly recommend two local home inspectors:

Chuck Fair of Fair Home Inspections

Scott DeSchryver of Lighthouse Home Inspection LLC

Both Chuck and Scott focus on serving their clients and representing their best interests throughout the entire inspection process. Both are very thorough and provide a highly detailed inspection report when completed.

In the greater Seattle area, I highly recommend:

Charles Buell of Buell Home Inspections

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Rich Jacobson is a licensed real estate broker providing Knowledgeable Empowerment and Relentless Representation for his clients of residential properties and vacant land throughout all of Kitsap County WA and portions of Pierce, Mason, and Jefferson Counties. You can also find him at KitsapLife.com, ActiveRain, Everyday CK, HomesByHarbors, and Crabbing in the Hood, or e-mail:  kitsapagent@gmail.com

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Tags: 1st time home buyers, Bremerton WA Real Estate, First Time Home Buyers, home inspection, Kitsap County WA real estate, Poulsbo Real Estate, seabeck wa real estate, Silverdale WA Real Estate

Top Tips for 1st-Time Home Buyers in Kitsap County WA – Tip No. 1

“Don’t Bite Off More Than You Can Chew!”

As a licensed professional real estate broker here on the Kitsap Peninsula, perhaps one of the best bits of advice I normally dispense to 1st-Time Home Buyers is for them to stay within their means. By that, I mean, determine your workable budget for purchasing your house, and stick to it.

I have the pleasure of working with lots of 1st-Time Home Buyers, especially Active-Duty Military Service Members and their families. Kitsap County WA is home to a number of U.S. Naval installations, like Bangor Submarine Base, Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, and Naval Undersea Warfare Center Keyport.

Unfortunately, it’s easy for 1st-Time Buyers to get caught up in the excitement of purchasing their first home and lose sight of their budget. Especially if you’re working with an agent/broker that likes to push the budget envelope and show you houses just beyond your financial reach, like dangling a carrot in front of a horse.

When you meet with your mortgage consultant to obtain pre-approval for your loan, they usually establish a price range or maximum amount of money you’re qualified to borrow, based on your credit and debt-to-income ratio. This is the figure that drives your home-searching process.

Normally, when I meet with 1st-Time Buyers (or any Buyers for that matter), they’ve already been fully pre-approved by their mortgage lender and the price range/limit has been determined. Taking that number, I begin my searching process, scouring the Northwest MLS for homes that meet their needs/requirements. I may increase the listing price criteria slightly, depending on the price point, in hopes of finding properties that have been languishing on the market for a while, and might be potential candidates for a price reduction.

But when it comes to finding ‘the’ right home for my Buyers and putting in an offer, I attempt to negotiate a contract price that is below their qualified loan amount.

First-Time Buyers are usually young singles or married couples, just starting out in their careers. The last thing they need is a huge sucking black hole mortgage payment that robs them of their ability to enjoy life.

But it’s just so tempting to push the limits of your limit, especially when you are looking at homes that are outside of your range. The houses you can’t afford are always much more fun and attractive than the ones you can afford. You try to convince yourself that you ‘deserve’ the perks of a higher-priced home. With that promotion you’re sure to get in the next couple of years, a couple hundred dollars more a month won’t matter. Right?

Well, my advice to 1st-Time Home Buyers here in Kitsap County WA is this, “Don’t Bite off more House than You can comfortably pay for!” Find a home that serves your purposes and doesn’t force you to eat a steady diet of rice and beans. When you own your first home, don’t let it own you!

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Rich Jacobson is a licensed real estate broker providing Knowledgeable Empowerment and Relentless Representation for his clients of residential properties and vacant land throughout all of Kitsap County WA and portions of Pierce, Mason, and Jefferson Counties. You can also find him at KitsapLife.com, ActiveRain, Everyday CK, HomesByHarbors, and Crabbing in the Hood, or e-mail:  kitsapagent@gmail.com

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Tags: 1st time buyers, advice for home buyers, Buyers, first time buyers, homes in silverdale wa, Kitsap County WA real estate, real estate, seabeck wa real estate

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Tags: 5578 NW Millglade Lane, Bremerton WA Real Estate, Homes in Central Kitsap, Kitsap County WA real estate, Silverdale WA Real Estate

Recently, a Seller entered into contract with a military Buyer who wanted to purchase their house using 100% financing through the VA home loan. The transaction went along smoothly enough, along through the inspection process. Then the Buyer’s lender ordered up the appraisal.

Unfortunately, the VA sent an ‘out-of-state’ appraiser not familiar with their market who used only a 1 mile radius around the subject property for finding comparable properties to determine her valuation. As a result, the home was appraised for almost 20K less than what the Buyer and Seller had agreed upon. In addition, the Buyer had also requested for the Seller to contribute $5K towards closing costs.

Both the Selling Agent and Buyer’s Agent submitted comps within a 2 mile radius of the subject property. The Buyer clients, knowing that the house was competitively priced and would not find anything remotely close in value within their price range, also got involved in writing letters to the VA.  Even the bank that was financing the deal  agreed that the 1 mile radius imposed by the appraiser was unfair and that the appraisal should be contested.  They took the agent’s comps and sent them onto the VA in a Request for Change of Value.

After more than two weeks and numerous errors, i.e.,  paperwork lost, given to the wrong person, the parties were informed that the Request for Change had been refused.  No reason or explanation was provided.

To compound their problems, the Sellers had been waiting for the appraisal results so they could act upon a counter offer for buying another house  – a house than they would now lose because other competing offers had come in on the property.

To make matters even worst still, both Buyers and Sellers will now miss their eligibility for the Federal Tax Credits being offered which end on April 30th.

This is yet one more example of the flaws inherent within the VA appraisal process and how people’s lives are impacted negatively as a result.

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Rich Jacobson is a licensed real estate professional providing knowledgeable empowerment and relentless representation for his clients of residential properties and vacant land throughout all of Kitsap County WA and portions of Pierce, Mason, and Jefferson Counties. You can also find him at KitsapLife.com, ActiveRain, Everyday CK, and Crabbing in the Hood, or e-mail:  kitsapagent@gmail.com

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Posted in Mortgage Bites, VA Financing | 3 Comments »

Tags: bangor subase, Bremerton WA Real Estate, Kitsap County WA real estate, va appraisals, va financing, va home loans