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Author:Jo Soss
Copyright © 2008 - 2012 Homefront Realty
Washington State Required Disclosures
"Equal Housing Opportunity"
0 comments • Jo Soss | Designated Broker West and South Puget Sound • October 08 2011 01:42PMWe all work in areas where there are different laws governing lots of different aspects to a home purchase and sale. In the Puget Sound area we have several homes that are on septic systems. In Kitsap County there are over 60,000 on-site sewage systems. For years and years these systems were pumped or not pumped, inspected or not inspected all depending on the real estate agents involved in the transaction and the documents they used.
Then along came the State of Washington and State Health rules (Chapter 246-272A WAC) requiring the local health jurisdiction to ensure that all owners of onsite sewage systems have their system inspected and evaluated on a regular basis, and prescribe an inspection at the time of property transfer as one of the
options to attain these inspections.
I totally agree that something had to be done with the septic inspection process. The days of permit, install and done are over. There must be some checks and procedures to protect all.
In Washington each county takes on the responsibility of tracking a process.
In Kitsap County where I work the process is fairly easy. The Northwest Multiple Listing Service has procedures spelled out in document form that take the guess work out of what we need to do in order to comply with the state law.
We have a general septic addendum that outlines what type of OSS (on-site sewage system) the property is serviced by, that the seller represents that, to the best of their knowledge, the OSS is in working order and doesn't violate any regulations or have any material defects.
This document supersedes any provisions in the purchase and sale agreement except for the provisions of a county specific septic addendum.
Here is where local area Brokers seem to have a learning curve. In Kitsap County the Kitsap County Board of Health Ordinance 2008-01 Section 13.D sets out in more detail the process that must be completed prior to the close of a home sale transaction.
It is a pretty straight forward form and details what the seller must do.
1. Specify type of system
2. Deliver Evaluation Report (from the Health Officer of Kitsap County Health District)
3. Deliver to Buyer maintenance records, if available.
If the seller has no evaluation report listed in item 2 they must complete an application, inspection and evaluation with the Health Department. The process is very simple and spelled out in simple terms on the addendum and on the Kitsap County Health Department site.
Why this process is so difficult for Brokers to understand I just don't get. I have had to "argue" with Brokers what the process is over the last few transactions. This is a process that really should be done at the time the home is listed for sale. Why we don't just do this all up front is in my mind a disservice to our sellers. I know the reason is probably one of funds. Yes, it costs to process this form with the county. Yes, it costs money to pump the tank. That is why this process is so hard for some Brokers to understand. They don't know how to get their sellers to spend money prior to close.
I just want other Broker's to understand the law and conform to it. I am tired of having to educate other Brokers about the process when I write a purchase and sale agreement. It is our responsibility to understand these documents and council our sellers.
Kitsap County has some great information available on their web site. I have had to on more than one occasion send these links to other Brokers in the area to make my point.
INSPECTION AND EVALUATION OF ONSITE SEWAGE SYSTEMS FOR PROPERTY CONVEYANCE
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Mike Rowe learns how to clean a septic tank.
Author:Jo Soss Copyright © 2008 - 2012 Homefront Realty
Washington State Required Disclosures
"Equal Housing Opportunity"
11 comments • Jo Soss | Designated Broker West and South Puget Sound • July 27 2010 09:28AM
Please utilize all of this free Bremerton WA Real Estate information to help educate you on the Real Estate Market in Bremerton WA. Whether you are living in Bremerton WA now or starting a Relocation or a Military Relocation PCS you will find that I have all of the real estate resource information you need here. If you have any more Bremerton WA Real Estate questions please feel free to contact me.
Author:Jo Soss Copyright © 2008 - 2012 Homefront Realty
Washington State Required Disclosures
"Equal Housing Opportunity"
0 comments • Jo Soss | Designated Broker West and South Puget Sound • May 22 2009 09:23PMAuthored By: Jo Soss : WestSoundLive.com
Here is the Real Estate Market Activity for January - December 2008. This is the last Market Activity Report for 2008! I have put a link to all of the others at the end of this post. In the year 2009 I am going to come up with something a little more fun.
On December 31st there were 460 homes for sale with 2 of those homes listed as a contingent sale and 14 homes listed as Pending Inspection (new NWMLS term STI was replaced) which means there is a contract that has been presented and accepted by the seller with the condition of the home inspection or a feasibility study.
Once the home inspection has taken place these 14 homes will either go back on the market or be listed as pending. These homes are not available for public view and will not show in the active section of the Northwest Multiple Listing Service. (NWMLS) - this will be changing in December. You will be able to go to broker websites and see the status. Ie:
Public Display of Pending Listings
In response to the request from the membership, effective Monday, December 15th, listings in the Pending, Pending Inspection, Pending Feasibility, and Pending BU Requested status will be available for public display on broker websites.
During the Month of December 55 homes were new to the Bremerton area Real Estate Market.
During the Month of December 40 homes went under contract and were removed from the active Bremerton homes data base. The median price for Bremerton area homes was $199,950 with a market time of 109 days (median).
During the Month of December 45 homes sold - which means that ownership changed hands and there are new owners listed on the tax records recorded at the Kitsap County courthouse. These Bremerton area homes were on the market 94 days (median) and sold for a median price of $199,500.
An absorption rate is the mathematical relationship of supply and demand. The absorption rate is the number of months it would take to sell the entire inventory of homes in the Bremerton area of Kitsap County if the pace were to stay constant.
The Absorption rate in the Bremerton area is 50.054 weeks or approximately 11.55 months of inventory if the current conditions remain unchanged. These figures have decreased this month by approximately 8 weeks. Less inventory is the reason. Remember absorption rates track trends. Let's hope that 2009 will see us in the normal market of between 5 and 6 months of inventory. Normal markets in my honest opinion are best for everyone.
Using absorption rates can help you define markets. My definition breaks down like this…
Normal Market - Between 5 and 6 months of inventory.
Seller’s Market - Between 1 and 4 months of inventory.
Buyer’s Market - 7 months and higher.
If you would like to find out the value of your home please feel free to contact me via phone or email. I would be more than happy to supply you with a FREE Market Analysis
.
If you would like to purchase a home in the Bremerton WA Real Estate Area please give me a call or contact me via email. We can discuss your future plans and I can set you up on an email campaign to receive the hot new listings quicker than YOU can find them.
“Statistics not compiled or published by NWMLS.”
Equal Opportunity Housing
All information deemed reliable, but not guaranteed
Jo Soss-Olson · WestSoundLive · Copyright © 2008 · All Rights Reserved
Author:Jo Soss Copyright © 2008 - 2012 Homefront Realty
Washington State Required Disclosures
"Equal Housing Opportunity"
2 comments • Jo Soss | Designated Broker West and South Puget Sound • January 17 2009 12:16PMWelcome to Bremerton WA on the Beautiful Kitsap Peninsula
between the Olympic and Cascade Mountain ranges in Washington State. The Kitsap Peninsula area offers some of the best views of mountains and water as well as some of the best boating and recreational opportunities in the Greater Puget Sound Area. Within a mile radius you have several attractions and facilities to visit and explore. I always say I can be to the beach or the mountains in under an hour!
Please utilize all of this free Bremerton WA Real Estate information to help educate yourself on the Real Estate Market in Bremerton WA. Whether you are living in Bremerton WA now or starting a Relocation or a Military Relocation PCS you will find that I have all of the real estate resource information you need here. If you have any more Bremerton WA 
Real Estate questions please feel free to contact me.
Author:Jo Soss Copyright © 2008 - 2012 Homefront Realty
Washington State Required Disclosures
"Equal Housing Opportunity"
0 comments • Jo Soss | Designated Broker West and South Puget Sound • January 02 2009 03:22PMContent © 2009 'Frequent Contributors'. Design © 2009 ActiveRain Corp.
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