Gerald:

Good Afternoon! I am a homeowner who has a 4 bed 2.5 bath for sale about a 5 min drive to Alderwood. Would be willing to discuss rental or rent w/option to buy. Send me an email with specifics if you are interested. Good luck.
email: lynnwood98087@aol.com

Tulalip and Alderwood are at least 20 minutes apart (on a rare good day). Be aware that 1.) traffic in the Seattle metro area is well kown to be some of the worst in the US. (though perhaps coming from Chicago you'll be less troubled by this) and 2.) Lynnwood boasts one of the busiest intersections in the country (196th & 44th). I'd stay away from Lynnwood, which contains one of the reas longest "miracle miles" or "franchise alleys" or whatever you want to call it - that is, a four-lane concrete shopping jungle. I'd center my search around Everett, which is centrally located for your two jobs. Plus, you might find Snohomish county has a slightly better tax structure, not tied to the problems of Seattle (King county). Just in case you were looking for some useful unbiased information from someone not trying to sell you something ...

Gerald - I know you wrote about Lynnwood but since you are working at Tulalip you might broaden the search along the I-5 corridor. If you want to make sure your house purchase is a smart financial move, you may consider these tips: 1) Get preapproved for your loan before looking for a house. Shop for the best loan before putting in an application. 2) Find a neighborhood you can consider staying for the next 7 - 10 years. 3) Don't go for flash - buy what you need. 4) Make sure you have cash in reserve. Houses always need something. 5)Buy a home that you can afford now and for the long term. Buying a home go hand in hand with good financial planning for your future.

I own a 2 bedroom 1.5 bath condo in Lynnwood (half a mile from main Alderwood Mall) and currently its listed at 185K and i am willing to negotiate (depending on the offer)

it's a great starter Home MLS - 28192937

http://sea.themlsonline.com/search/details,4ed8e6305ba2cc4dc…

Let me know if you are interested.

Harry

Definitely look into VA loans, you have a big advantage there. Try http://SeattleHome.com for your home search.

Welcome to the Northwest, Gerald. With possible credit issues to resolve you would be wise to contact a lender and make the necessary steps to improve your credit. There are websites that can help boost your credit score by restricting the solicitations from creditors. How many time have you visited Lynnwood and surrounding areas. What are your housing needs? Century 21 Real Estate Center is located in Lynnwood and Everett, WA and I assist people in both King and Snohomish Counties. Take a look at walkscore.com. If you have additional questions/concerns, you can contact me: Sarah.Gravelle@Century21.com .

I am familar with the Lynnwood area I have been there many times I like the area and plus my wife is transferring to a job near Alderwood Mall and I will be working in Tulalip. I always thought I would never leave Chicago but after many times returning to Washington I have changed my mind , I am looking forward to starting a new chapter in my life :)

Gerald
I would agree that either VA or FHA/VA combination loan will give you looser guidelines. I can highly recommend Kevin.Smith@wellsfargo.com (206-389-1100) to get you a pre-approval before you arrive and if for some reason you do not qualify at this time to help you raise your credit score. There are many desireable areas in the Lynnwood and surrounding areas. If you are a first time home buyer there is a $7500 credit from the government good until June. Please e-mail or call me (206-227-1915) if I may be of further assistance or send you some possible listings (I would need your parameters).
Mary

If you are considering renting....visit http://www.key2rent.net -- you can search 1000s of rentals in the NW and narrow down homes by size, city or the amount of rent you would like to spend. You can also visit the NW Living link to gain more information on Lynnwood and the surrounding areas -- Best of luck to you!

Gerald,
Welcome to Washington! If you have never been here, I guarantee you will be impressed!
I would start by contacting a lender. If you are unsure about your credit, the sooner you make the call the better. Carol Rudd at Mortgage Masters at 206.949.9186 or carol_rudd@msn.com is fantastic and can analyze your credit and, if needed, recommend ways to improve your credit.
She will also be able to recommend the best loan scenario for you but chances are the VA loan product will be the best option.
It is also great you have asked Trulia as you have the opportunity to interview local agents and choose the right fit. I myself have assisted many relocation VA buyers. You can view a true testimonial from one of my clients at http://www.kenziereatly.com via the Testimonials link above.
If you think you want to buy instead of move twice, I specialize in touring my relocation clients through many different areas and discuss each thoroughly to find the best fit.
Feel free to call or email me anytime to discuss your move. I would love to be of assistance!
Kenzie Kipper
425.765.4432
kenziekipper@gmail.com

I would recommend that you may wnat to look at renting in the area for 3-6 months and get familiar with the area and also if you need to improve your credit scores. There are a lot of communities you could live in Brier, Edmonds, Everett and maybe a bit further out depending on what your lifestyle is and what you like to do.

Thanks for serving us and you deserve the benefit of going with a loan backed by the Veterans Administration. You can purchase a home or condo zero down with a VA loan. It would be a good idea to get pre-qualified soon by a mortgage person to see where you stand and if you need to do somethings to improve your credit.

Steve R Halvorson

Hi Gerald,
The greater Lynnwood area has alot of good housing choices,shoping and easy access to almost everywhere.You might be a good candidate for a VA loan (Veterans Administaration) which requires Zero down payment.Lots of homes are available let me know what kind of price range you hope for and I will see how many options you have.

Best Regards ,Mike

Hello Gerald,

I would love to be able to assist you and can give you as many client referrels as you would prefer. I grew up in this area and have been an independant Broker / Owner of my own company. I currently live and work on my houseboat on Lake Union. http://www.LakeUnionLiving.com (one of our new sites).

I also have a great lender to refer you to who will be able to help answer your lending questions Kevin@TheKevLin.com. You will need to get pre-approved and if you can't qualify right now he can guide you with what you will need to do to prepare when you can.

I can assist you with finding a rental as well and introduce you to the area, helping you make it a smooth transition.

Lynnwood is just North of the Seattle area and a beautiful place to live.

I would love to hear from you.

Your best place to start would be with a local lender to ascertain your credit score and for how much you can qualify. You are in a good position with being a Veteran - you can obtain a 0 down loan if you qualify vs. 3% down for FHA. There are lots of nice properties available here in Lynnwood and the surrounding area. Best of luck with your move!