BUYER SUCCESS STORY: Single-Mom & Kids Find Home to Call their Own

It may not be the most glamorous, but it’s hers.

Claudia is a single-mom of two who needed an escape from the ever-increasing rental market. We connected through HomeSight–a South Seattle-based organization dedicated to preserving and promoting economically and culturally-diverse communities through affordable homeownership, business development, and community advocacy.

Once we started talking, and Claudia realized that home prices were also high, she became concerned about the need to go further south to find something that fit her budget, which would increase her commute to her Columbia City job and cut into the time that she would be able to spend with her children.

West Hill is comprised of the neighborhoods of Bryn Mawr, Lakeridge, Skyway & Earlington.

Therefore, I decided to look for bank-owned properties closer to Seattle and found a solid mid-century that had been on the market for a bit in Bryn Mawr–a lovely, quiet and little-known area of West Hill, which sits in the midst of an unincorporated island bordering the southern end of Lake Washington, surrounded by the cities of Seattle, Renton, and Tukwila.

The nice three-bedroom/1.5 bath, 960-square foot home sits on a large and level private lot with a large detached garage and extra shop space perfect for all the kids’ toys. It’s close to I-5, 405, downtown Renton and SeaTac Airport.

The challenge was that HomeSight requires an inspection by one of their approved inspectors. From that inspection there will be a list of repairs that must be completed before closing. The bank would do no repairs. When negotiating the agreement, I was able to get seller paid closing costs for Claudia. She was able to cover the closing costs on her own without the contribution from the seller. I found contractors that could do the repairs and agreed to be paid at closing, which saved Claudia a lot of headaches.

The closing cost funds from the seller more than covered the costs of the repairs. All the work was completed, re-inspected, and the home closed on time. Claudia was able to become a home owner and still have a commute that allowed her to spend valuable time with her children.

Do you need help finding a home in this intense market? My mission is to help you achieve your life goals. Contact me today at 206-250-7291 or donkoonce@windermere.com.