Northwest Dwellings

New Carbon Monoxide Detector Regulations

Jason — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 20:52:49 +0000

A new section is added to chapter 19.27 RCW 18 to read as follows:

By July 1, 2010, the building code council shall adopt rules requiring that all buildings classified as residential occupancies, as defined in the state building code in chapter 51-54 WAC, but excluding owner-occupied single-family residences legally occupied before the effective date of this act, be equipped with carbon monoxide alarms.

The building code council may phase in the carbon monoxide alarm requirements on a schedule that it determines reasonable, provided that the rules require that by January 1, 2011, all newly constructed buildings classified as residential occupancies will be equipped with carbon monoxide alarms, and all other buildings classified as residential occupancies will be equipped with carbon monoxide alarms by January 1, 2013.

Owner-occupied single-family residences legally occupied before the effective date of this act are exempt from the requirements of this subsection (2). However, for any owner-occupied single-family residence that is sold on or after the effective date of this act, the seller must equip the residence with carbon monoxide alarms in accordance with the requirements of the state building code before the buyer or any other person may legally occupy the residence following such sale.

The building code council may exempt categories of buildings classified as residential occupancies if it determines that requiring carbon monoxide alarms are unnecessary to protect the health and welfare of the occupants.

The rules adopted by the building code council under this section must (a) consider applicable nationally accepted standards and (b) require that the maintenance of a carbon monoxide alarm in a building where a tenancy exists, including the replacement of batteries, is the responsibility of the tenant, who shall maintain the alarm as specified by the manufacturer.

Tax Credit Deadline is Coming

Jason — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 02:24:11 +0000

Time is running out for those of you looking to take advantage of the government’s Homebuyer Tax Credit. Of course a tax credit is not a reason to run out and buy a house. However, if you have been planning on buying and now is the right time in your life to do so, you better hurry. A binding sales contract must be signed by April 30, 2010, and the purchase completed by June 30, 2010 to qualify.

* A tax credit of up to $8,000 is available for First-Time Homebuyers.

* A tax credit of up to $6,500 is available for Repeat Homebuyers who have owned a home for five consecutive years out of the prior eight years.

* Homes priced above $800,000 are not eligible for either the first-time homebuyer tax credit or the repeat homebuyer tax credit.

* Home purchases in 2010 may be claimed on an amended 2009 income tax return.

Not sure about something? Have further questions about the market, the tax credit or just home buying in general? Reach out. I am here to help.

What is a Short Sale?

Jason — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 23:06:31 +0000

What is a Short Sale? A ‘Short Sale’ is when a Lender agrees to accept less than what is owed to pay off the debt on a home. The ‘Short Sale’ option can be an alternative to a foreclosure. The hope by a lender is that they may net more dollars by taking a Short Sale and not having to go through the foreclosure process. However, it must be agreed to by all lenders on a home. In today’s market the ‘Short Sale’ option is confused by the fact that many homes have more than one loan.

How long does a Short Sale take? Tough question. There have been efforts to streamline the Short Sale process. Unfortunately, it remains very unpredictable. A Short Sale can take a few weeks to several months. The challenge is getting it completed before a foreclosure happens and keeping Buyers interested in the property during the waiting process.

If it appears you are facing a Short Sale or potential foreclosure be sure to reach out to a knowledgeable party before making any decisions.

NWdwellings Redesign Basically Done

Jason — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 18:00:46 +0000

After a few delays I finally got it done. Northwest Dwellings has been updated after many years of neglect. The search map is fantastic, I think you will find it the best available. I am especially happy with the new neighborhood section. This part of the site will continue to grow as I add more Seattle neighborhoods and local Northwest communities.

There are still things to be done, but I think the site is extremely helpful as it is today. Enjoy.

Uh oh! Where did NWdwellings go?

Jason — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 22:14:15 +0000

Greetings. Yes NWdwellings is going through an overhaul. Please reach out to me with any question or needs. We will be back by the new year. Cheers.

~Jason