Buying a home is a huge investment. You want to ensure that you’re making the right choice for yourself and your finances. If you are thinking about buying your first home, there are some things to consider.

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Prepare Your Finances

Owning a house is much more expensive than renting, as you have to pay for upkeep and maintenance. As a result, you need to ensure that you are in a good financial position before purchasing a home.

Try to improve your credit score by clearing your debts and paying bills on time. A higher credit score can help you secure a mortgage and lower your interest rates. 

You will need to save up money for a few reasons. Though you are making a monthly mortgage payment, there are some large costs that come with owning a home. 

The first thing to save up for is an emergency fund. When you are responsible for the maintenance of your home, sudden large costs can arise. While this is not an immediate expense, it is essential that you have some money saved up for emergencies.

The second thing is your down payment. We recommend putting down an upfront payment of 20 percent or more. 

This way, you won’t have to pay for private mortgage insurance, which protects the lender against the possibility you might foreclose. PMI typically costs one percent of the total loan each year, adding up to thousands over the years. 

Budget

Before looking at houses, you need to determine your monthly budget. Figure out how much you spend in a month currently compared to your net pay. 

Factor in your probable housing expenses, including property taxes and homeowner’s insurance. You do not want your housing costs to be more than a quarter of your net income. Make sure to leave room for extra expenses like repairs and maintenance.

Find a Mortgage Lender

While it may be tempting to go with the cheapest mortgage lender available, these companies tend to have high-interest rates and adverse long-term requirements. Some specific types of mortgages to avoid are:

• Adjustable-rate mortgages, where the lender transfers the risk of rising interest rates to you.
• FHA loans, which typically require a mortgage insurance premium.
• VA loans, as you could end up owing more than your home’s market value, and the VA tends to have high fees.

We suggest getting a 15-year, fixed-rate conventional mortgage with a 20 percent down payment. While you may wish to go with the 30-year plan, you will end up paying thousands of dollars more in the long run. 

With a 15-year plan, you can pay off your home in half the time, and you will have lower interest rates. Additionally, fixed-rate plans ensure that you do not have to worry about rising interest rates. 

Finding Your Home

The first thing to do before shopping for your new home is to get preapproved for your loans. This shows sellers that you are a serious buyer with the ability to make a purchase. For those in competitive markets, it can help you stand out from other buyers.

Next, look for a home in your price range. Don’t ‘window shop’ more expensive homes, as there is a possibility you’ll fall in love with a house you cannot afford. Find a home that fits the budget you made and costs less than 25 percent of your net income a month. 

If you find a home you like, research the neighborhood and visit its open house. See what the area looks like and figure out if you can see yourself living there. Remember that buying a home is a long-term commitment, so if you are not satisfied with the location or another unchangeable aspect of the house, it may not be the one for you. 

Closing

First-time home buyers typically have a lot of questions about closing. Closing usually takes about a month and a half, though it depends upon the individual sale.

Additionally, you’ll want to save up for the closing cost, which is about three or four percent of the purchase price. Closing costs are the fees and expenses to finalize a mortgage. 

Final Thoughts

Buying a home is a huge commitment, and it can be intimidating for first-time buyers. However, with a knowledgeable Windermere agent, you can hit the ground running, and you’ll be living in your dream home in no time.

If you are a first-time buyer looking to move to  Camano Island or Stanwood WA, contact us at 360-387-HOME or get in touch with one of our agents on our website. We can help you easily navigate the process of purchasing your first home, and we’ll find you the perfect home to fit your budget and vision.

Contrary to popular belief, going green does not have to be hard or cost money, in fact it can even save you money.  There are many small things that you and your family can do within your home to save money while reducing landfill waste and the use of natural resources. Discover a few ways to go green and save some money by choosing a green home.

Compost Bin

Composting is free and can provide you with rich soil to garden with. You will never have to buy soil and can easily grow plants and vegetables.  To create your own bin, get a large trashcan with a locking lid, then drill about 25 holes all around the bin and attach the bin to small platform (allows it to drain).  Once you start putting approved items in the bin go outside and roll it around in the grass every few days.

Energy Efficient Light Bulbs

You can save approximately $75 dollars a year by replacing your traditional incandescent with energy efficient light bulbs.  On average energy efficient light bulbs typically use way less energy and can last much longer, not needing to be replaced as much.

Laundry

There are quite a few options to save money and energy when it comes to laundry.  Here are a few: wait till you have a full load of laundry to wash, line dry your clothes, wash your clothes in cold water and when it comes time to get a new washer and dryer buy an energy efficient one.

Weather-Strip & Caulk

One of the main ways we use a lot of energy, especially in hot and cold climates, is through air-conditioning and heating. One way to reduce the use of heating and air-conditioning is to properly weather strip and caulk all windows and doors keeping your home cool and warm when needed.

Reuse and Reduce

Use items more than once when you can to avoid throwing them out; this might mean buying quantity over quality.  Another way is to join The Freecycle Network or Buy Nothing group on Facebook you can swap used goods with neighbors for free and also keeping more waste out of landfills.

DIY Cleaning

Start making your own cleaning products.  Not only can you customize, make them eco-friendlier but you will also save money buying products.  On average, most DIY cleaners cost less than a $1 to make per bottle compared to $5-$15 per store bought bottle.

Unplug & Turn Off

Put all your major electronics on a power strip and shut off when they are not in use.  Even if your electronics are shut off, they still will continue to draw electricity thought out the day.  Another tip is to make sure you unplug your cellphone when completely charged and always power everything down while not in use to save on battery life.

Toilet

There is an extremely easy way to make your toilet a low flow toilet.  Simply add a brick, wrapped in a waterproof bag or take a plastic water bottle and fill it with sand putting it into your tank.  This will reduce the amount of water with every flush. Once you are ready for a new toilet purchase a low-flush toilet.

Shower

Change up your shower head with an energy-efficient shower head that will use half the amount of water.  These shower heads are low flow but will significantly cut your water bill down.  Another option is to install a tap aerator which will also cut down water usage without changing the water pressure.

by Sandy Dodge

Although Stanwood and Camano Island are best known for the summer season, there’s plenty to keep you occupied year-round. Here are our top ten winter activities to enjoy in the Stanwood Camano area. 

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1. Arrowhead Axe

Bring out your inner lumberjack with Camano Island’s first axe-throwing venue. Enjoy the exciting art of hurling axes for 90 minutes at Arrowhead Ranch—remember to wear close-toed shoes and dress for the cold weather (the range is under cover, but outside). 

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2. Hike Cranberry Lake 

The Cranberry Lake trail is a gentle 2.1 mile hiking trail with a trailhead in Cama Beach State Park. Enjoy the scenic peacefulness of the winter woods with your family and your four-legged companions, too.

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3. Sled at Terry’s Corner 

Terry’s Corner and nearby Freedom Park are perfect for sledding on fresh snowfall. How good are Camano Island slopes? Last year, the USA Olympic luge sled team itself came to Camano to help kids try out the sport!

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4. Coffee at Locals

Winter is the perfect time for a warm drink. Be sure to drive through and pick up a coffee at Locals Espresso in Stanwood, voted Best Espresso in Stanwood and Camano Island for 10 years. 

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5. Snow Goose Migration in Stanwood 

Birdwatchers rejoice. The 2021 Stanwood Camano Snow Goose and Birding Festival, scheduled for February 27 and 28, is the place to spy majestic migrating snow geese, great blue heron, eagles, hawks, and countless other species.

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6. Participate in Glass Quest

Described as the greatest treasure hunt in the Pacific Northwest, Stanwood and Camano Island host the Great Northwest Glass Quest (Feb. 12-21, 2021). Teams will search for unique, hand-blown glass balls created by famous artists.

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7. Drive-Thru Christmas Lights 

Christmas traditions may look a little different this year, but they can still be magical. Located in Stanwood, the Lights of Christmas’ “Drive-Thru Christmas” lets you and your family enjoy incredible light displays and Christmas music from the comfort of your car.

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8. Browse the Kristoferson Farm Stand

Shop for produce, breads, wine, cheese, gifts, and fine food.  Gift baskets available too. The Fam Stand at Kristoferson Farm is a winter wonderland boutique with tons of handmade local goods. Check the website for canopy tours and other year-round activities.

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9. Read with Camano Island Library 

Winter = time to curl up with a good book. Check out books for a socially distanced pickup from the Camano Island Library or browse the library’s wide variety of virtual events, including online pub trivia, crafts, and stay-at-home storytime. 

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10. Explore Local Art

Stanwood and Camano Island are home to a significant number of the PNW’s incredible local artists. Check out the indoor and outdoor winter offerings at the Matzke Fine Art & Design Gallery, including its unique sculpture park. 

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Whether you’re here to stay or just visiting, Stanwood and Camano Island have plenty to offer! Come spend a wintry day or two cozying up to the stunning natural vistas and friendly local businesses of the Puget Sound. 

Just because the weather’s turning chilly doesn’t mean the final quarter of the year is a frozen market for sellers, even during a pandemic. In fact, here are four considerations that make a strong argument for why selling during Q4 could be an excellent decision—especially right now.

Seasonal sell: easier than you think

Although traditional wisdom suggests the spring is an ideal time to list your property, selling in the winter brings its own advantages. Sellers during the winter enjoy more serious house hunters, employees relocating in January/February, and the uniquely cozy staging of their homes during the winter holidays. 

In fact, according to HomeLight’s 2019 insights survey of top-performing real estate agents, 89% of agents sold homes decorated for the holidays last year. These numbers also show that Q4 houses sold for the exact same amount (or more!) compared to earlier quarters and faced significantly less competition.

Benefit from low inventory

Houses sold in Q4 benefit from low inventory. If you’re the only house with a “For Sale” sign in your neighborhood, interested searchers are far more likely to choose your home, particularly if it’s affordable. We’ve seen this play out right here in Stanwood and Camano Island’s third quarter, a strong seller’s market with record low inventory.

A Q4 house can also go for a higher price. 2019 data from the National Association of Realtors supports this observation; last year, U.S. home prices jumped in 94% of markets measured in Q4, directly connected to the steep decline in housing inventory. 

Winter buyers are extra eager 

Is the COVID-19 pandemic going to set back Q4 home sales? Even in normal times, the vast majority of buyers typical home buyers turn to the Internet first when searching for a new home. Now, interested buyers have been longingly browsing online real estate and newly available virtual tours ever since March. 

After waiting to buy houses for most of the year, thwarted by the early waves and lockdowns of the pandemic, buyers may actually be more keen to buy now—especially if your property comes with gorgeous listing pictures. 

Urban flight

The pandemic has also caused an unprecedented increase in urban flight. Large amounts of families, professionals, and retirees are departing densely populated urban centers for more remote, rural, or island locales. In Washington state, this continues a trend already observed in homeowners’ movement out of the Seattle area and into regions like the Methow Valley, a promising sign for our beautiful properties here in Stanwood and Camano Island.

Summer may be dwindling, but in the Stanwood Camano area, this just means it’s time for winter crabbing! There’s nothing like enjoying one of Puget Sound’s famously delicious Dungeness crabs, freshly caught in your own crab pots. In fact, crabbing is so popular that Washington sport fishers catch over 1.5 million pounds a year of Dungeness crab in the Sound.

Here’s what you need to get started with winter crabbing. 

Getting Started 

Washington state law requires sport fishers to have both a license and a current catch record card (CRC), along with a Dungeness crab endorsement. Youth under the age of 15 don’t need the license but do need the endorsement and CRC. You can obtain both from any licensed vendor and will find winter catch record cards available after Aug. 15th each year.

New to winter crabbing? You’ll want to pick up saltwater fishing gear and crabbing gear, such as crab pots, highly visible buoys, bait (and bait holders), a bucket, tools for measuring your crab, and more. Fall and winter are cold on the water, so don’t forget to dress in warm, waterproof clothing—you’ll definitely be grateful for gloves when handling live crab. 

Where to Go for Winter Crabbing

There are many spots to launch your boat in the Stanwood Camano area. Check out our blog post for more information on Camano Island’s public boat launches; in Stanwood, Kayak Point Regional Park also has a boat launch plus a 300-ft. dock some fishers use for crabbing.

Camano Island falls in two marine areas as defined by the Washington Dept. of Fish and Wildlife. Region 8-1 is between Whidbey Island and the mainland/Camano (Skagit Bay, Saratoga Passage), and Region 8-2 is between Camano and the mainland (East Point, Port Susan). Use these areas to track any changes or closures on the Fish and Wildlife Department’s website. 

Is Winter Crabbing Available Now?

Currently, the Fish and Wildlife department lists both Area 8-1 and 8-2 as open, with the winter season running from October 10, 2020, through December 31, 2020. 

Now that winter crabbing is open, take this time to grab your gear and prepare for a crab dinner. The beauty of Stanwood Camano is just how much there is to do in all seasons if you know where to look!