Residential real estate transaction closed in 2008 year-to-date are up to 65 vs. 96 closed sales at his time last year, but we currently have 41 in escrow so things are picking up!  The average length of time on the market was up slightly 159 days (last year was 154 days). The median price at $379,999 for year-to-date sales in 2008 is up from the last year’s year-to-date median price of $371,250. The average size of sold homes YTD this year is 2061 square feet vs. 2214 last year.

In addition to the closed inventory we are seeing an increase in flyer take-away, website hits, and showings as reflected in the increase in pending inventory (inventory in escrow).  The best values are being purchased first so if you are thinking of purchasing a home, this is the time to act. - Jean Groesbeck

Meanwhile, Seattle house prices continued to fall in April, while King County showed some improvement over recent months. Seattle's median house price in April was $440,000, down 2.4 percent from March, and 8.3 percent from April 2007. The county's median price, $448,500, was up 2 percent from March, but down 3.5 percent from the median in April 2007.

From Sen. Patty Murray: 

U.S. Senator Patty Murray and U.S. Representative Adam Smith today introduced legislation to address national Medicare reimbursement disparities that hurt Washington state.  The legislation, which Murray and Smith first introduced in 2002, raises Washington state’s Medicare reimbursement rates to the national average and ensures that all states receive at least the national average of per-patient spending.  The MediFair Act ensures that Washington state’s seniors are on par with seniors around the country and stops punishing the state’s health care system for providing efficient, quality care.

"Washington state seniors have spent their lives working hard, raising their families, and paying into the Medicare system. But when they retire, they find that their access to health care depends upon where they happen to live," Senator Murray said. "The MediFair Act is a starting point for eliminating the regional inequities in Medicare. Our bill ensures that seniors are not penalized when they choose to retire and that doctors aren't forced to choose between staying in business or taking Medicare patients."

“Washington state’s Medicare program is one of the most efficient in the country.  The federal program punishes our lack of waste and low utilization through very low reimbursement rates for our seniors and health care system.  We should reward good government, not punish it, and the MediFair Act is a good step in that direction,” Smith said.

The MediFair Act will ensure Washington’s seniors and health care system get fair treatment from the federal Medicare program and reward efficiency instead of punishing it.   The bill increases reimbursement rates for Washington state to the national average and directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to require other states be more efficient.

The federal Medicare and Medicare Advantage systems cover health care for senior citizens by reimbursing doctors, hospitals, home health care, nursing homes and HMOs.  Washington state worked hard to create an efficient Medicare system.  Instead of rewarding Washington state’s responsible administration of their program, the federal government’s payment formula repays our state with one of the lowest reimbursement rates in the country.  

In 2003, for example, per capita spending under traditional Medicare was $5,661 for beneficiaries in Seattle, $9,752 for those in Los Angeles, and $11,340 for those in Miami. Continuing cuts to the Medicare program hit our state particularly hard and cause Medicare providers and insurance companies to seriously consider not participating in the Washington state Medicare program.  We need to protect choice for our seniors and ensure they can find a Medicare provider when they seek medical care.

Smith and Murray introduced the MediFair Act in their respective chambers of Congress on Thursday.  U.S. Reps. Brian Baird (D-Wash.), Norm Dicks (D-Wash.),  Jay Inslee (D-Wash.), Rick Larsen (D-Wash.) and Jim McDermott (D-Wash.) cosponsored the bill. The House and the Senate must approve their versions of the legislation before the President can sign it into law.  Smith and Murray introduced similar legislation in 2005.

Mr. David Aguilar
Chief, U.S. Border Patrol

Dear Chief Aguilar:

I write to ask further questions about the United States Border Patrol’s checkpoint operations at the Anacortes Ferry Terminal in Washington State.

Since the commencement of your operations, I have heard from many of my constituents: some expressing support, some expressing opposition. Additionally, I have spoken with my local and Washington, D.C.–based staff, talked to local elected officials, received a briefing from your staff in D.C., and had an excellent and informative conversation with Deputy Chief Joe Guiliano, Border Patrol Blaine Sector.

Our own William Dietrich has a new book out. Entertaining and vividly evocative, The Rosetta Key is Dietrich at his fast-paced, cliff-hanger best.

Surviving murderous thieves, a nerve-racking sea voyage, and the deadly sands of Egypt with Napoleon's army, American adventurer Ethan Gage solved a five-thousand-year-old riddle with the help of a mysterious medallion.

Gage finds himself hurled into the Holy Land in dogged pursuit of an ancient Egyptian scroll imbued with magic, even as Bonaparte launches his 1799 invasion of Israel, which will climax at the epic siege of Acre. Pursuing Napoleon to France, where the general hopes ancient secrets will catapult him to power, the wily and inventive Gage faces old enemies with unlikely new friends, and must use wit, humor, derring-do, and an archaeological key to prevent dark powers from seizing control of the world.

For lovers of stirring historical adventure laden with intriguing myste ry and puzzles galore, The Rosetta Key is a terrific thrill ride not to be missed.

Week ending April 27, 2008.

A bestseller's bonanza for Northwest authors this week: four books on the Northwest Bestsellers list. Lavinia, by Portland author Ursula K. Le Guin, is on the list, along with The Hearts of Horses by Molly Gloss. Also, Napoleon's Pyramids, by Anacortes, Wash., author William Dietrich. And, in the children's book area, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie is there, too. These books are available at Watermark Books in Anacortes or online via Anacortes-based northwest-books.com.

HARDCOVER FICTION

1. The Miracle at Speedy Motors, Alexander McCall Smith
2. Unaccustomed Earth, Jhumpa Lahiri
3. The Hearts of Horses, Molly Gloss
4. Lavinia, Ursula K. Le Guin
5. The Girl With No Shadow, Joanne Harris
6. Red Bird, Mary Oliver
7. Hold Tight, Harlan Coben
8. A Thousand Splendid Suns, Khaled Hosseini
9. Passage, Lois McMaster Bujold
10. Our Story Begins, Tobias Wolff