This GROUP provides a sanctuary for historical STATISTICS about luxury homes (over $1,000,000), homes below $1,000,000, condos and land listed for sale (active, pending & sold) through the Northwest Multiple Listing Service (NWMLS) here in the STATE of Washington. The press has access to MLS statistics and provides newspaper stories about the STATUS of the local Seattle and suburbs housing market daily -- mostly by county (e.g., King, Snohomish) and by MLS AREAS (e.g., 740 = Mukilteo & Everett; 730 = Edmonds, 715 = Shoreline). MOST of the reports in THIS GROUP provide further "drill downs" to statistics specific to the areas of the northwest Puget Sound area (northwest of Seattle) where I focus my real estate business. Real estate is a "neighborhood specific" business. Pricing a property within a "sweet spot" or the ultimate sale RANGE is the key to MAXIMIZING the return on a seller's housing investment / payback. Or, to say it another way, MINIMIZING, if not eliminating, any money left on the table at the point of sale. Theoretically and realistically, it is the best price for both parties. OVERPRICING, an unfortunate "common" phenomanon in real estate, usually leads to a reduction in the ultimate sale price or payback for the seller. While we all might take issue with such logic, the fact is, the statement has proven to be true over and over again. Thus the challenge. Yet, to arrive at this pricing SWEET SPOT takes a significant level of expertise. I don't care what other agents tell you. For this reason, all smart sellers and buyers should ask the following question before selecting their agent: Who will be representing your interests? Today, in Washington state, the Northwest MLS oversees over 250 legal forms pertaining to the peculiarities of buying & selling real estate. This business is NOT for the faint of heart. It is NOT a simple proposition. Today's real estate Purchase and Sale Contract conists of over 18 pages of documents, addendums and attachments. Anybody can drive someone around in a car to see homes. That does NOT take talent. Real estate left that kind of THINKING behind in 1998 or 20 years ago when a contract consisted of one legal page. Real estate today is much more complex. To conclude, if 50% of the agents securing a license leave the industry PRIOR TO renewing their license at the two year mark, it is fair to say that today, it is a new ballgame. There is much more to this business than first meets the eye. (less)