A retrospective look at September 2025, when buyer bargaining power returned to Anacortes and investor cash flow math shifted toward creative equity solutions.
The short versionChecklist for Buyers in a Normalizing MarketThe Investment Reality in AnacortesThe Cash Flow Math and RefinancingDebt Service Coverage Ratio RealitiesQuestions I get about thisDom's take, written September 3, 2025What I'd say now (August 2026)Talk it through with meThe short version
Where to go next
Programs mentioned
- Cash-Out Refinance
Put built-up equity to work.
Keep reading
- August 19, 2026 Market Journal: Why a 15-Day Close Still Wins a Negotiated Redmond Deal
In a shifting King County market where inventory is up and buyers can negotiate inspections and seller credits, speed remains your greatest leverage. Here is why a fifteen-day close still wins the deal on a Redmond home, even when using a VA loan.
- August 12, 2026 Market Update: Renting vs. Buying in Federal Way
A retrospective look at the August 2026 Washington housing market, analyzing the shift toward buyer concessions, rising inventory, and how to evaluate the rent-or-buy decision.
- Structuring the Loan to Fit Your Target Payment in a Balanced Market
A dated market-journal entry from August 5, 2026, analyzing how Whatcom County buyers are using rate structures, temporary buydowns, and rate and term refinances to design their monthly payments.
- Kennewick Market Journal: Why a 15-Day Close Wins Negotiated Deals
As the Washington real estate market normalizes, winning a deal is no longer about reckless bidding. A 15-day close gives buyers massive advantages to negotiate price drops and seller credits without sacrificing inspection contingencies.