I knew I was in trouble when I stepped onto the construction elevator with a dozen other people and my stomach lurched. I looked for something to hold on to, but I didn't think it appropriate to clutch the arm of one of the construction workers, I began to silently chant, "It won't break. It won't fall. We'll be fine."

It goes without saying (but I'll say it anyway) that foreclosure is a growing concern for homeowners delinquent on their mortgages. What's a lender to do?

Members of Washington ACORN protest foreclosures at Washington Mutual.

King County Assessor Scott Noble has begun mailing property-tax valuation notices, and what the average homeowner will find is that property values (NOT taxes) have risen 39 percent in four years and the tax bill has risen 22.7 percent. The state Department of Revenue says the county's overall property valuation is about 85 percent of market value.

When you buy that new house, whether it's brand new or a resale, the first call you should make is to a reputable locksmith.

AgentRank.com is the latest Web site to rank real-estate agents, including in the Seattle-Everett area, Inman News reported recently. Several other agent-search sites exist, and a few have gone the way of the dinosaur.

Zillow has released its analysis of first-quarter home values, and -- surprise, surprise -- many who bought at the peak of the market are underwater on their mortgages.

My dream house taunts me every time I drive to Black Diamond. "Ha!" it says, cackling. "I could have been yours, but you were too chicken."

To sell some homes these days, it takes the right price, the right location, even the right staging. But some agents, who'll clearly try anything, believe in some woo-woo stuff that -- I can't help it -- makes me laugh.