Good Customer Service

Isn't it sad that these days, bad customer service is more common that good customer service? In our society we've lowered our standards, and what should be considered average service now stands out amidst our daily experiences.

There are some exceptions to this and I'd like to sing the praises of a recent experience of mine. This past December, I was shopping for a new video camera for work (see my first video in a previous blog entry below). I searched online and in the local retail stores for the best camera at the best price (isn't that what we all do?). To make a long story short, I ended up purchasing the new Sony SR1 digital video camera at Video Only in Bellevue. Their prices were comparable to other stores, but it was my experience with Russell Fuller the Sales Manager, through his exemplary service and can-do attitude that won my business. Interestingly enough, the camera was back-ordered for over a week at this store during the huge windstorm in early December. I could have purchased the camera elsewhere and gotten it sooner, but my experience with Russell, and his honesty and helpfulness made me determined to give him the sale. In this day and age where people are always shopping around to get the best deal or the lowest price, whether for a retail product or real estate services, I'd rather pay a bit more for the service. How about you?

Market Statistics for December 2006

Starting in 2007, I am going to try my best and provide market statistical data for viewers of this Blog. Some of the abbreviations and/or codes on the reports might need interpretation or clarification, and if so, please send me an email and I'll be happy to clarify them for you.

Here is a chart that compares December 2006 sales with December 2005 (listed by neighborhoods). The key points on the chart are:

1. There were more homes for sale in December 2006 then in 2005 (increase in inventory).
2. The average home price increased from 2005 to 2006 (unless you're Rip VanWinkle, this should come as no surprise to you).

Here is an interesting article from the Seattle P-I that also speaks to the housing slowdown in the Seattle area.

What are your thoughts about the current housing market?

3Ms continued

So what if you're looking at a home, and you're not sure whether it is a Mobile, Manufactured, or Modular home? What's the next step if you're interested in it, but need to know which one it is?

There are several things you can do to further investigate:

1. Take a walk around the entire home, looking for any tags that may be affixed on the exterior (usually near a corner of the home). If there is a VIN (Vehicle Identification Number), it probably is a mobile or Manufactured home (note: See my previous blog entry for links to definitions).
2. Look inside the home. You may find a VIN tag inside a utility closet or someplace near where the utilities are located.
3. Call the Department of Licensing in Olympia. They can look in their records and tell you if there is a registered mobile home under the current owner's name.
4. Visit the county's Department of Development and Environmental Services (DDES). In order to place a home on the property, the owner must have gotten a permit from the county. In the permit records, you may find information that specifies whether the home is a Mobile, Manufactured, or Modular. (note: don't rely soley on the county records, as they can be wrong! I listed a home that was specified as a Mobile in the permit, but it was a Modular home).

If after all of the above steps you still don't know, call the title company. They can send out a title inspector to the property who can make the determination. In fact, the title company is a critical factor in this process because if they state in the title report that it is a mobile home, your lender's interest rates may be higher!

*It may seem redundant to state, but the above information applies mostly if you're looking at a home on owned property, not in a "mobile home park". By its very definition, a mobile home park will likely have mobile and manufactured homes located there.

**Another thing to be aware of, is that not all appraisers can spot the difference either! I've had a appraiser tell me that a home was a mobile (even though he couldn't find a VIN), when it was a modular home.

Happy house hunting!