Has the Seattle market peaked

[Yi Xie]

The Seattle market has been rising like a rocket for a couple years. Do you think it has peaked?

[Patrick Britton]

I see no evidence whatsoever that we have reached a peak.  Please keep in mind that our friends down in San Francisco and up north in Vancouver Canada have been asking themselves the same question for 15 years :-)

As a former stockbroker and financial planner I have found that the peak of the market can be very easily identified by canvassing public opinion.  For example, if your dentist, hairdresser, or cabdriver tells you that they are buying investment property, that will be the sign of a market top.  These people, the general public, are always last of the party and buy high and sell low.  

So, next time you're talking with someone who has no knowledge of or experience with the real estate market, pay very close attention to their opinion, and do the exact opposite :-)