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Lynnwood’s Cedar Valley Neighborhood

Cedar Valley is a popular and rapidly growing neighborhood in Lynnwood, Washington. As of the 2020 Census, it’s home to just over 4,200 people.

Known for quiet streets and a secluded feel, this enclave of generally spacious homes is only half an hour’s drive north of Seattle, and a couple miles southwest of the lively commercial areas around Alderwood Mall.

Homes

The roomy homes around Cedar Valley fetch a moderate to high price per square foot, in keeping with other desirable spots in Snohomish County.

Owner-occupied single-family homes are the norm. House rentals are not common, although there are a few apartment complexes in the neighborhood, and several more just beyond.

As you’ll find throughout Lynnwood, prices are changing quickly as more people seek to settle here.

Education

The well-regarded Edmonds School District serves Cedar Valley and several adjoining areas. Most local families attend Cedar Way or Cedar Valley Elementary School, Alderwood or Brier Terrace Middle School, and Lynnwood or Mountlake Terrace High School.

Some parents also opt for one of several private schools within about 5–10 miles of the neighborhood.

Transportation

Like most of Lynnwood, Cedar Valley is roughly halfway between Seattle and Everett.

The neighborhood has good freeway access, being just a couple miles southwest of the I-5/I-405 interchange. Right within Cedar Valley, an upcoming light rail station will give locals a great option to leave town—and leave their cars behind.

Recreation

Close to home, residents can enjoy the fresh air and greenery at Scriber Lake, Scriber Creek, and South Lynnwood Parks. Dozens of other parks, trails, and green spaces are also accessible within a few miles’ drive.

Seattle’s big-city amenities and Everett’s burgeoning cultural scene are both readily accessible, while outdoorsy types enjoy easy access to the Cascades via Highway 2.

Moving to Cedar Valley in Lynnwood

It’s easy to see why so many out-of-towners opt for Cedar Valley, and why plenty of Lynnwood locals hope to own their first house here.

If you’d like to call it home, too, then here are three tips for an easy transaction and transition.

1. Don’t be scared!

If the homebuying process seems a bit overwhelming or mystifying, you’ve got nothing to worry about. Even if it’s not your first house, it’s still normal for the whole thing to feel like…a bit much.

Remember that a big part of your agent’s job is to help you stay on top of all those moving pieces!

2. Find a local expert to guide you

Speaking of agents, it’s essential to find someone who knows Cedar Valley and its vicinity like the back of their hand.

Agents who can fill out paperwork are a dime a dozen, but there’s no substitute for the street-by-street knowledge of someone who actually lives and works in the Lynnwood area.

3. Talk to lenders & get pre-approved

Before doing anything else, it’s important to consult a lender and have a mortgage pre-approval in hand.

This will let you move quickly and make a successful offer—fingers crossed!—once you’ve found the ideal Cedar Valley home.

Feldman: What’s one of the newest things you feel that advisors should be thinking about today?

Jordan: I’ve recently become an advocate for reverse mortgages. I used to hold up a garlic and the crucifix whenever I heard about reverse mortgages. But for people over age 62, there’s $10.2 trillion tied up in their houses. And reverse mortgages are not just for the wealthy people.

You’ve got some poor guy who bought a house for $25,000 some 30 years ago. It could be worth $250,000 now. For the first time in his life, he has access to funds.

And so there could be the possibility of using a buffer asset. If you’re in a situation like recently, when the Dow went down 1,000 points in a day, that’s volatile. Well, guess what? You shouldn’t be taking money out of your account. Perhaps you could shift to another pocket. And it could come from your reverse mortgage. And the money comes out on a tax-free basis. And so it allows the portfolio to heal, the classic buffer-asset type of approach. That’s one thing to do.

Another benefit a reverse mortgage could provide for someone who reaches age 62 is to provide a Social Security bridge. This would allow you to obtain the funds you might need and then wait until age 67 or 70, when the monthly payout would be significantly more. If you wait till 70, it’s 77% more.

With IRMAA [income-related monthly adjustment amount], how much money you make in retirement dictates the premiums you pay for Medicare. Well, if you use some of your income from your reverse mortgage, it’s tax-free, and so using it could help lower Medicare premiums.

So there’s a lot of flexibility there.

People have to begin to use the wealth they have in their home. For the most part, it’s three-quarters of a person’s net assets in terms of the average person. And they’re able to use that wealth instead of just saying, “The house is paid off.” This could be helpful, especially because people are living a lot longer.

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Are There Different Types of Credit Scores? Here’s What You Should Know

Stacey Sprain
Home.com Contributor
11/26/2021

If you’re used to checking your credit score through a free app or credit card account, you might be surprised to know that the number you see there doesn’t tell the whole story. There are several types of credit scores.

In fact, the credit scores you see online through free credit report and scoring sites are probably not the same credit scores a lender will use when you apply for a loan or credit.

“It is important to make a distinction between consumer credit scores and the FICO scores that lenders use,” said Dylan Hoffman, a senior mortgage consultant with Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation (Fairway owns Home.com). “Consumer scores will generally be higher because they are on a larger scale. This can get confusing because there are also different FICO scoring models, depending on the type of lender.”

Below, we explain the three most common credit scoring models you’re likely to run across in the market.

Read Original Article

Holiday Fire Safety

During the holiday season, homes are often beautifully decorated with candles, fresh garlands and trees adorned in lights. While the wonder of the season is exciting, it is important to be aware of potential fire hazards. Follow the tips below to make sure your home is festive and free of potential danger.

1. If you choose to decorate a live tree, try to find one that is fresh. Fresh trees are safer for your home because they are less likely to catch fire. Some indicators of a fresh tree are:

• Vibrant green color with needles that are not easily plucked
• A trunk that is sticky with resin

Watch out for trees that have a greenish cast to their trunks and branches, as some growers spray trees with green paint to make them more appealing to buyers.

1. When decorating your Christmas tree (live or artificial), ensure your tree won’t start an electrical fire. Some good tips include:

• Use only lights that have been tested for safety (a label from an independent testing laboratory should appear on the box)
• Check each set of lights for broken sockets, frayed wires or loose connections
• Use a maximum of three standard-sized strings of lights per single extension cord
• Keep cords and lights away from the tree’s water supply

1. To dispose of your tree, take it to a tree recycling center or have it hauled away by a community pick-up service. Never burn trees, branches or needles in a fireplace or woodstove. Fir trees and pine trees have a copious amount of sap, which can explode.

For more on holiday fire safety, click here. If buying a new home is on your list of resolutions for the new year, I would welcome the opportunity to speak with you about your homebuying needs! Let’s plan to meet soon.