Blog

Want to move somewhere with a lower cost of living than Vancouver? Who could blame you! If it’s possible to make the same — or close to the same — amount of money and have that money go much further in another city, then it makes sense to move.  But the thought of ACTUALLY moving … Continued

Ever wondered what the difference is between foreclosure and a short sale on a home?  Well, we’ve been buying and selling real estate in Clark and Cowlitz county for quite some time now. We’ve helped many sellers out of sticky situations (foreclosure, job relocation, bad tenants, divorce… you name it). And if you’re interested, we … Continued

What’s the best course of action when a homeowner is facing foreclosure?  That’s a difficult question to answer.  The last thing a homeowner wants is for their lender to repossess their home against their will… unfortunately, that’s exactly what foreclosure means… that the lender is going to sell the house to the highest bidder at … Continued

Looking for a mortgage lender?  When you’re buying a home — since this purchase is going to stick with you for quite some time — it’s worth spending a little extra effort to find a mortgage lender that offers good rates and will be easy to work with.  Here are some tips… Check Your Credit … Continued

For people selling their homes, closing costs are often the largest final expense.  In fact, closing costs usually are around 5% to 6% of the selling price of the home. On a $250,000 home, then, you could expect to pay up to $15,000 or more.  So we wanted to take a moment to share some … Continued

Are you just *this* close to being done with your mortgage payment?  Housing is easily the most expensive part of a family’s monthly budget — in fact, it takes up an average of 16% of the ENTIRE budget.  That’s why it’s so exciting when you finish paying off a home! But what next?  What happens … Continued

Planning to move to a new city but not sure if it’s going to be a fit for you and/or your family?  It can be really challenging to move sight unseen — it’s in the real estate agent’s best interest to convince you to move and buy a house… so they’re going to make everything … Continued

Trying to decide between saving money and fixing your home?  Maybe you want to save money for college or for buying your next house or just for building up that rainy day fund.  Whatever the case, you’re not the only one who’s had to make that decision.  At PineCone Properties, we’ve worked with a lot … Continued

Want to sell your house as a for-sale-by-owner (FSBO) rather than going through a real estate agent?  That’s great! When you sell by yourself, you avoid some agent fees and can do things at your own pace and list your home for a price that you think is fair.  It is important to keep in … Continued

How can a homeowner easily increase their equity?  Increasing equity on your home means you’ll make more money when it sells AND it means you can refinance to get a lower monthly payment.  So obviously, there are a lot of advantages to equity.  And the good news is, every mortgage payment pays money toward the … Continued

What should a homeowner do if they’ve fallen behind on their mortgage payments?  Unfortunately, most homeowners who’ve fallen behind get overwhelmed and simply ignore the phone calls, emails, and bill statements… hoping that the problem will go away.  But it won’t.  In fact, the worst thing a homeowner can do is ignore the problem.  But … Continued

Want some easy every-day tips for maintaining the quality of your home?  Your home is like anything else in your life that you care about — to maintain it, you’ll need to give it a little bit of love every now and again…and stay committed… But that doesn’t need to feel overwhelming… At PineCone Properties, … Continued