Dasmarka Real Estate

By Associated Press
RENTON - The Seahawks are moving their headquarters from their cramped location in this suburb east of the city to Renton south of Seattle - the same suburb where the SuperSonics are considering building a new arena.
Alex Pietch, director of Renton's economic development department, confirmed on Monday that the Seahawks plan to move onto a 20-acre, waterfront site on the southeastern shore of Lake Washington.
"We have been in talks with the Seahawks for some months in advance of this," Pietch said.
Tod Leiweke, the Seahawks' chief executive, deferred questions on the move to a Tuesday press conference at the team's current headquarters next to Northwest University in Kirkland. In a news release Monday morning, the team said it would be announcing a "new facility upgrade" on Tuesday.
The team's 20-year lease with Northwest University for the land that holds the current, 44,000 square-foot headquarters - remodeled in 1999 - ends this year. The Seahawks plan to break ground on their 120,000 square-foot Renton site this fall and move in time to have their 2008 training camp there.
"I can see Paul Allen and his yacht tied up here swinging on the hook watching the practice from the bridge of his beautiful yacht," said Renton resident Bill Kennamer. "I just have no hesitation to say 'what a great idea.' "
The site is owned by Seahawks' owner Paul Allen's Vulcan Inc., a management company that invests in science, the arts and movie production, among other ventures.
Pietch said Allen, Microsoft Corp.'s cofounder, had purchased the land in the mid-1990s in hopes of making it a headquarters for his "technology and all of his entities." That plan fell apart, Pietch said, in 2002 when various owners of surrounding properties could not come to terms.
The Seahawks approached Renton about six months ago with the idea of using the Vulcan land for a new, far larger and more modern team facility and training camp headquarters. The Seahawks' current training camp is at Eastern Washington University in Cheney each summer.
"We opened our arms and said, 'Please come,"' Pietch said.
Renton is the home of Boeing's Commercial Airplane headquarters and its 737 and Business Jet production lines where they've added a thousand jobs. It's also home to IKEA's most profitable store in North America. It's going to be the new home of the Federal Reserve Bank now under construction.
And it’s home to the new urban village 'The Landing' with shops, restaurants, apartments and a hotel to be built on former Boeing property where Fry's Electronics flourishes.
"As the region continues to densify, we think that the city is going to be one of the most important urban centers around Lake Washington," Pietch said.
It wasn't too many years ago Renton was hurting. Then city boosters came up with the ad campaign 'Ahead of the Curve.'
Public relations man Michael Hamilton says, "You know we started doing this 7 years ago and it's pretty remarkable when you think that back then we said 'Renton was ahead of the Curve' and it sort of just keeps proving itself."
The move follows an NFL moneysaving trend toward keeping training camps at team facilities rather than the traditional, remote college campus settings. More teams prefer staying home in their more lavish facilities with better field and medical conditions. And players enjoy being able to commute to their in-season homes while at training camp.
Renton is also on the list of places the NBA's SuperSonics will talk to about building a new arena should talks with Seattle on a proposed $220 million upgrade of KeyArena fall through.
In February, majority owner Howard Schultz threatened to possibly move or sell the franchise. He said the Sonics have lost about $60 million in the past five years, and blamed a revenue-sharing lease with the city of Seattle.
"The timing of the Seahawks' announcement and our discussions with the Sonics are coincidental," Pietch said. "The Sonics' talks are entirely independent."
The site the Sonics are considering - along with places in suburban Bellevue east of Seattle - is south of the Seahawks' new headquarters, near a Boeing Co. production plant for its 737 aircraft. The Sonics' arena would be part of a developing entertainment and residential complex known as "The Landing."
Pietch said Renton is waiting for the Sonics to determine whether staying within Seattle city limits will be a viable alternative beyond the 2010 end to its KeyArena lease.
"The Sonics have indicated to us all along their first priority is securing a deal with the city of Seattle," Pietch said. "Our discussions with them have always been, 'If not Seattle, then you should take a look at our site."'
For now, Renton is plenty happy with the economic benefits the new Seahawks' facility - and especially their training camp move - will bring.
"This is another championship-caliber entity moving into the city of Renton," Pietch said.

By Robert J. Bruss
My husband and I owe about $57,000 on our home mortgage at 6.75 percent interest. We have that amount in a money market account, which only earns around 4 percent interest. I think we should take that money to pay off our home loan and never have to worry about mortgage payments again. I am 58 and my husband is 56. He took an early retirement buy-out from his employer, but I still work as a legal secretary because I enjoy getting out of the house each day. Do you think we should pay off our mortgage now? --Marilyn H.

DEAR MARILYN: If paying off your mortgage will deplete your liquid reserves, I suggest you do not rush to pay off your home loan. However, if you have lots of idle cash sitting around the house, and you are 100 percent certain you will never need the $57,000 again, go ahead and prepay your mortgage.

Although that 6.75 percent interest rate might seem high, it really isn't when you consider its after-tax cost. Presuming you itemize tax deductions, your after-tax cost of that mortgage is around 4.75 percent.
The big problem most folks don't think about when prepaying a home mortgage is that they might need that money again in the future. If that happens, especially when they are retired, sick or unemployed, they are often unable to borrow on their home except at loan-shark interest rates and terms.
If you decide to prepay your home loan, before you do so, I highly recommend you obtain a home equity credit line (HELOC) now while you are still working and have adequate income to qualify. That HELOC won't cost anything, except a $50 annual fee, but it will bring peace of mind knowing it is available by just writing a check in case of an emergency.

If you think it's about time you bought a home instead of renting, a little homework before you start looking will increase your odds of finding the best buy for you. Here's how:

Dig up your down payment Know where your down payment cash will come from. If it's coming from stocks, go ahead and sell them. If Aunt Jessie is loaning the money, get it in hand so you are ready to go.

Nail down your financing It's tough to home shop if you don't know what you can afford. Together with a reputable lender, we can help you determine how much home you can afford and which loan program will maximize your buying power. By getting pre-approved for a loan, you'll be a better prospect in the seller's eyes.

Take your time Don't jump at the first home you see. Let us introduce you to different areas and home types to see what suits your needs the best. Do your homework Once you've found the home you want, ask us to run a competitive market analysis of other homes that have recently sold, so you'll be able to make a sensible offer to purchase.

Enjoy! With expert assistance and a positive attitude, home shopping can be fun and rewarding.

During the moving process it’s very convenient to use credit for everything from your home loan to your furniture financing to those fluffy new towels. While you’re busy filling out application after application, inquiries are being added to your credit history! Too many inquiries can lower your credit score and prevent you from obtaining future credit at the best rates possible.

By following these three simple steps, both you and your credit report can emerge from the moving process in a healthy state:

Watch out for department store credit card offers

Department stores love to promote their store cards. Oftentimes, a discount is offered if you apply for a card at the time of purchase. Don’t forget--when you apply for their card an inquiry will be placed on your credit report. And, if you qualify for the card you will have another revolving account on your credit report. For some, another revolving account won’t hurt their credit, and might even help it. But if you have too many revolving accounts another card could negatively impact your credit standing.

Beware of "piggy-back" offers

Retail stores have been known to place “piggy-back” offers on their credit applications. These are typically an offer for another credit card, in addition to the regular store card. To tempt you to apply for the additional card the store will usually have a special promotion, such as a store gift certificate.

• A Lesson from RobertRobert, a 25-year old software engineer, applied for an electronics department store card while he was purchasing a stereo for his new apartment. There was an offer on the application to receive a $25 store gift certificate if he also applied for a bank credit card. “All I had to do was sign another line on the form and I applied for the card and got the gift certificate,” said Robert, “but I didn’t think about what another credit card would do to my credit.” Remember that if you’re approved for both cards, two new accounts will be added to your credit report.

Take care when shopping around for mortgage rates

While it’s a good idea to shop around for the best mortgage rate you can find, keep in mind that lenders will check your credit before they can decide on your loan terms. This credit check will place an inquiry on your credit report. Many scoring models combine all mortgage lender inquiries within a 30-day period into one inquiry. So, try to limit your shopping time to 30 days.

Moving to a new home is an exciting event, and your credit plays a major role in the moving process. With a little care and preparation you can ensure that your move is a credit-healthy experience.

There are some key differences between prequalification and preapproval for a loan that you need to be aware of. Loan prequalification is a simple process. It takes into account very basic information regarding your financial status and gives you an amount for which you may qualify. This can be done strictly on a verbal level or electronically over the Internet. The prequalified amount is based solely on the information you provide. In most markets, prequalified buyers usually hold little clout compared to preapproved buyers due to the fact that the information given during the prequalification process is not thoroughly investigated and therefore may be unreliable. Where a preapproved buyer is actually approved for a loan of a certain amount, a prequalified buyer is only told that they might be approved for a certain amount.

Preapproval is a much more involved process. The lender will take all pertinent information regarding your finances and perform an extensive check on your current financial status. This will ultimately give you the exact amount that you will be eligible for (depending on what type of loan you decide to go with). Being preapproved lets the seller know that you have gone through an extensive financial background check and there should be no unexpected obstacles to buying the home. You can see how being preapproved would be more attractive to a seller than just being prequalified.

The type of mortgage you apply for will depend on many factors, but the majority of that decision will be based on your ability to pay a monthly installment. If you can only afford a $1000 dollar a month payment, you are not going to go out and buy a $250,000 home, unless you have a large sum of money set aside to make a sizable down payment! Financial planners say that you shouldn't pay more than 28% of your gross income for housing (that includes principal, interest, taxes, and insurance). Depending on your debt to income ratio, that percentage may change.

Once you have determined what you can afford, the next step is to choose a mortgage plan. There are many different mortgages out there, so take some time and explore all of the possible plans for which you qualify. You could save yourself thousands of dollars in the long run!

Your agent can save you time and money by being your professional guide through the entire loan process. They will be able to counsel you on the advantages and disadvantages of certain types of loans and help you understand the "real" cost of a mortgage. Your agent will also act as your personal advocate and liaison between you and the lender as you proceed through the approval process and closing by working with your lender on a regular basis.

First and foremost, put it in the best condition possible, especially if you are in a market with few buyers and lots of homes for sale. That means taking care of any major repairs that could deter a buyer (such as replacing any broken windows or replacing a leaky roof) if you can afford it. Next, work on your home's curb appeal. Make sure your landscape is pristine. Mow the grass, clean up any debris and weed the garden beds. Plant a few annual flowers near the entrance or in pots to be placed by the door. Other quick fixes that don't cost a lot of money but can help you get top dollar for your home:
.Clean the windows and make sure the paint is not chipped or flaking.
.Be sure that the doorbell works.
.Clean and freshen up rooms, furnishings, floors, walls and ceilings. Make sure that bathrooms and kitchens are spotless.
.Organize closets.
.Make sure the basic appliances and fixtures work. Replace leaky faucets and frayed cords.
.Eliminate the source of any bad smells, such as the kitty box. Use air freshener or bake a batch of cookies before your open house to ensure that the house smells inviting.
.Invest in a couple of vases of fresh flowers to place around the house and next to any information about the house you have prepared for buyers.

Last October, NAR's chief economist, David Lereah, said, "An uptrend in mortgage interest rates will cause some slowing of the sales pace, but we forecast 2006 to be the second highest year on record and housing will continue to support the overall economy."
That's particularly good news if you are a homeowner who has been thinking about selling your home but held off for fear you wouldn't be able to buy another one. Bear in mind, the NAR's predictions apply to the nation as a whole. Specific areas, however, have their own market dynamics. You'll do well to work with a real estate professional (give me a call!) who can tell you exactly what's going on in the areas you want to sell from and buy into.

That said, when a market starts to shift from the seller's advantage to the buyer's, moving up to a new home actually becomes easier. Here's why:

1: A slight shift to the buyer's advantage isn't likely to decrease the value of your current home. Typically, the rate of your home's appreciation will just slow down some from what you've been used to in a strong seller's market. You're still in a good position to convert the equity from your current home into your next home.

2: You'll find more homes on the market to choose from. Rather than settling for the only home you can get a contract on, you have more opportunity to find a home you really want.

3: Sellers will be more likely to accept "contingencies" with your offer-such as a satisfactory home inspection; sale of your old home; an appraisal that supports your contract price; and/or your ability to obtain financing with specified terms. You may also be able to get more concessions-move-in date, conveyances, etc.-that don't usually come into play in a strong seller's market. Remember, though, as a seller you may have to provide some of the same types of concessions to get your home sold at the price you want in a timely way.

4: In a "slower" market, there's less competition for the services of appraisers, title insurers, and other "third-parties" to the transaction. They're likely to render their services more quickly, allowing you to sell your old home and purchase your new one with less waiting time