I posted this in response to a guy who said everything is ten times harder in Seattle. I think it's:

Ten times easier to find organic food.
Ten times easier to breathe clean air.
Ten times easier to get to excellent hiking and trailheads.
Ten times easier to know that the people around you aren't racist, sexist, homophobes.
Ten times easier to feel that there people around you are mostly ethical.
Ten times easier to know that you won't experience violent...

Bidding wars are very common these days when a home comes on the market in the Seattle and Eastside area. We are sadly all subject to the same laws of supply and demand. There are ways of strongly competing with cash offers even if you are getting a mortgage. Be prepared, be decisive when you find something you like, always pre-inspect before the offer review period, have a healthy earnest money check, have a very good lender who can close in 3 weeks (to compete with cash offers), make sure...

http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog...6999/tpod.html

If you are thinking about selling your home and want to make good choices, here are some helpful thoughts:

• Bad ideas: expensive bathroom/kitchen remodels/additions, new garage, expensive landscaping.
• Good ideas: green/organic materials, simple repairs, tidy the yard, replace ugly appliances.
• Bad ideas: staging all the character out of your home, paying too much for real estate commission.
• Good ideas: thorough clean up, store clutter, paint inside and out, and replace needed hardware.
• Bad

...