More There’s No Need To Panic About Rising Interest Rates After seven years of some of the lowest interest rates in recorded history, the Federal Reserve has decided to raise the key Fed Funds Rate by 0.25 percent, which is causing some to be concerned that it will lead to a jump in mortgage rates and negatively impact the US housing market. So, the question everyone wants to know is, do we need to worry about interest rates leaping?
Design Holiday Mantel Glam Decor Anyone who has a fireplace can appreciate how versatile a mantel is. It's easy to change its look with the different holidays and seasons. And there’s no better season to do this than Christmas. Hang a wreath, decorate it with candles, ornaments, and twinkling lights. The options are endless. If you’re not sure where to start, pick a theme. Here are some ideas to consider.
More Heading into the New Year, Agent Safety Still a Top Priority As the New Year approaches, the real estate industry can look back on 2015 and be proud of the accomplishments to continue to make realtor safety a top priority. At Windermere, we pride ourselves on making realtor safety a top priority. Industry leadership requires both constantly looking for new innovative products to help protect the health and safety of our agents and team members...
More Perspectives: No Child Sleeps Outside States of emergency are usually proclaimed after natural disasters, such as earthquakes and hurricanes, but last month city leaders declared one in Seattle for homelessness. The numbers they quoted were staggering. Over 10,000 homeless people in King County. Sixty-four homeless deaths so far this year. The stat that really sank our hearts: nearly 3,000 children in Seattle Public Schools...
More #YourStoryIsOurStory: Finding the Right Home for the Right Time When looking for a real estate agent, it’s important to work with someone who really understands where you are in life, and can help you find the right home for your circumstances. Julie Huff has worked with Doug and Alyson through three different moves. From Doug’s bachelor pad to their first family home, and most recently, a new spot for their expanding family.
More Embracing the Spirit of Giving The holiday season seems to bring out the best in people. And at Windermere, when our offices see a need, they act on it.
More Luxury? There’s an App for That On the brink of 2016, it seems like there’s an app for everything. Need some help moving around the furniture in your home? Done. Has the radio made a comeback in app form? It sure has. The world is truly at our fingertips. And luxury is no different. These apps may not be for everyone, but it’s hard to argue their wow-factor.
More #YourStoryIsOurStory: When your agent can read your mind After twenty three years, Bruce & Suzanne knew it was time to move on from their home & start looking for a place with less stairs. Their real estate agent, Kristena Cox, was able to help them prepare their home for the market & hone in on what they needed for their next step. Kristena may not really be able to read minds, but with honesty & communication she was able to define their needs
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More No national bubble in sight, but there are some frothy markets For the past few years, home values have been rising at rates well above that of incomes, but thanks to low-interest rates, this hasn’t yet created a significant barrier for buyers. However, mortgage rates are set to rise, and this could leave some markets with homes that are too expensive for buyers earning that area’s median income.
More How To Prevent Your Pipes From Freezing As winter temperatures begin to creep up around your home you may start feeling nervous about your water pipes and plumbing. If so, you’re not alone. Frozen pipes (or rather, burst pipes) can cause expensive water damage to your home and property. Even a small tear in a water pipe can send hundreds of gallons of water each minute into your home.
More #YourStoryIsOurStory: A Shared Homebuying Journey Windermere agent Gina Dhom has a methodology for helping her clients; she conducts an interview to help them identify their dream home goals. At first Chelsea and Brad were unsure of what they wanted, but with Gina's guidance they were able to pin point exactly what they needed, enabling them to locate the perfect home to make their own.
More Providing food for the holidays and the rest of the year It’s that time of year again when many of our Windermere offices are out in their communities helping to collect donations and raise money for their local area food banks. Many people rely on the food they get from food banks to feed their families. Don’t know where to go to donate? You can check with your local Windermere office to see how you can help.
Market News Oregon and Southwest Washington Real Estate Market Update Although the rate of growth has slowed somewhat, the Oregon economy continues to expand its job base. There was a decline in employment in September and the unemployment rate rose, but I do not see this as a trend so much as a temporary “blip”. I anticipate that, going forward, the State will continue to see growth at rates above the national average.
Living Home Security Systems: Protecting the People and Things You Value the Most With the holidays, come new temptations for burglars. With that in mind, now is a good time to start thinking about the security of your home. From old-school security tricks to new digital home monitoring tools, there are many options when it comes to keeping our homes safe. Read on to learn more about how you can modify your home and keep it safe from intruders.
More #YourStoryIsOurStory: Finding a Miracle Home You know you found a special relationship when you consider your real estate agent to be a part of your family. Not only has Julie Huff helped Shirley & Jerry find their miracle home. She also helped their son & his family find the home that has become the gathering place for multiple generations.
Market News Understanding the Chinese Home Buyer in the U.S. Housing Market Earlier this week, Bill Russell, head of International Development for Chinese real estate website, Juwai, spoke to a large group of Windermere agents about how to connect to Chinese buyers. Since China is a country with very different marketing tactics and a culture drastically different than our own, we were able to learn a great deal.
Market News Western Washington Real Estate Market Update After a period of above-average growth, Washington State has seen a modest slowing in employment growth, but we continue to add jobs at a respectable rate. The State unemployment rate was measured at 5.3%, marginally above the national level, but it is trending in the right direction.
Living Five Essentials for Your Home Office Most people dream of working from home, but ask anyone who does it on a regular basis, and they’ll tell you how hard it can be to stay productive when you work where you live. The most disciplined telecommuters will tell you that you need a structured routine and organization to rise and grind and get into work mode.
More Over the Top: What’s the Most Outrageous Feature You Have Seen In a Home? While we had all of these luxury real estate experts in one spot, we thought we’d ask them what the most opulent feature was that they’d ever seen in a home. When in Rome, right?
More Windermere Foundation Quarterly Report Q3 2015 Many people in our communities struggle each day to have their most basic needs met. But thanks to contributions from Windermere owners, agents, staff and our community partners, the Windermere Foundation has been able to donate $1,359,000 so far this year to organizations that provide services to low-income and homeless families throughout the Western U.S.