Daniel Smith's (mortgagebydan) Blog

Now is the time to buy! You've seen it on the news, and perhaps had discussions with friends and family. It is a buyer's market and sellers will be more apt to compete for your business. I was watching an interview with Donald Trump on CNBC's "The Billionaire's Inside" this weekend and over the p...

Don't you love getting into a good relationship with an L.O. who leaves after the market gets a little tough? Unfortunately this is a normality in my profession and the Realtors that I work with all ask a good question: How long have you been in the business? They know after years of experience t...

I recently read a blog on "Lip Service is not Customer Service" and it got me thinking about all the false advertising in my field. I'm sure some of you have come across advertisements that read "$500 a month for a $500,000 mortgage!" and "2% interest Rate - Refi today!" What gets me the most is ...

I'm not a big health nut like my wife but I sure liked these! My wife made these the other day and they were pretty good! Granola Cookies 2 cups Oats (old fashioned) Dash of Salt 1 tsp nutmeg1 tsp cinnimon 2 tsp baking powder 1/2 c egg beaters 1 tbl vegetable oil 1/4 c peanut butter 1 c Splenda w...

Good Morning Active Rainers! Al Gore recently won the Nobel Peace prize for his recent film depicting the "Global Warming Crisis." How factual is this claim, and is the issue as big as he claims it to be? I have heard a number of theories and none of them seem to agree - some scientists claim tha...

Five ways to make the loan process go fasterWe should say that "working with us" is the first way! When you let us help you find the loan that's right for you, you truly are taking advantage of some of the area's best technology and expertise to get you a loan decision and funding on your loan qu...

I own three properties in the Tacoma area, and have had a variety of renters. Before renting to a tenant I keep these factors in mind and include them in our agreement: 1. Do the tenants smoke? This causes substantial damage to the home! Anything slightly porous takes in the odor, and leaves your...

My family and I recently visited the pumpkin patch this year, and like every year it was a fun and memorable experience. We love the Autumn season and the warmth it brings to our family gatherings. We also made cider from an old fashioned press and it was by far the best apple cider I have ever h...

I was watching the news a few nights ago and listened to a story regarding this year's Christmas decorations at SeaTac airport. Apparently they will no longer be celebrating Christmas, along with numerous businesses across our nation. They instead will celebrate "snow." No more Santa Claus for th...

Hello Active Rainers! I just read a blog about houses available in Austin for incredible prices. The pictures were phenomenal and it made me wonder - Does anyone know which places are the best to live (as far as housing costs?) In WA we tend to be pretty steep - esp in the Seattle/Bellevue areas....