This year, Windermere is participating in the fourth annual Seattle Foundation GiveBIG event! The Seattle Foundation's GiveBIG is a one-day, online charitable giving event to inspire people to give generously to nonprofit organizations who make our region a healthier and more vital place to live.
On Tuesday, May 6, from 12:00 am to 12:00 pm, a portion of each donation made on behalf of the Windermere Foundation through the Seattle Foundation website will be matched, allowing your donation to go even further towards helping our neighbors in need. All the money raised through the GiveBIGprogram will benefit nonprofits in the King County region, with specific emphasis on providing emergency services to low-income and homeless families.
This year’s GiveBIG theme honors the heroes in our community. Your support of the Windermere Foundation and GiveBIG makes you a hero to us and to all of the low-income and homeless families your donation will help.
Working together to change lives and renew hope in your community
THE HEART OF THE MATTER
You’re more than a good samaritan; you’re a HERO!
From Christine Wood Executive Director
I’ll bet you didn’t know this but in my book, YOU ARE MY HERO!
When you give to the Windermere Foundation, you make a dramatic difference in the lives of so many hurting people. Men, women, teens and even families who are barely hanging on are finding hope — and it’s all because your kindness is giving them the strength and courage to move their lives forward.
We created this newsletter, Agents of Change, because we wanted you to know how much good your generosity is doing.
As you read the stories of David and Allison, Josh, Heidi Leineweber, and Consuelo and her family, please know that it is your giving that has rescued them from the point of desperation to where they now can see a future filled with positives.
In some circles, that would qualify you as a good samaritan. But to me you’re more than that. You have done something heroic. In the face of incredible odds, you have stepped up because you care about people, and your community.
Thank you!
Christine Wood Executive Director
You've got the power!
Your help with their utility bills was a life-saver for this family
Life can be overwhleming for young families, particularly when the unexpected happens. Thank goodness for generous people like you who are always ready to come to their rescue.
Many low-income families are just one emergency from financial ruin.
That's where David and Allison found themselves after complications from the birth of their second child forced Allison to take six weeks off of work without pay.
Even before the birth of their son, this hard-working young couple was barely making it from one month to the next. Then their little boy was born with a congenital heart defect, and a routine two-day hospital stay turned into six weeks in intensive care.
Without two incomes, David and Allison quickly fell behind on their bills and got a notice from the power company that their electricity was about to be turned off.
Making the shut-office notice doubly serious: their newborn required around-the-clock monitoring on several pieces of home medical equipment — including an energy-draining infant oxygen machine.
For a while, all seemed lost. Then you came through and, with the help of other caring friends, helped this family catch up with their electric bill, which by that time had climbed to almost $600.
Eighteen months later, we’re happy to report that the family is doing better, and their young son no longer requires around-the-clock monitoring. “He’s a fun little guy,” his mother beams.
It wasn’t so long ago that this family was facing the real possibility of losing their electricity and ending up on the streets. But your kindness rescued them just in the nick of time.
Thank you for using your compassion to light up their world!
Reporting from SEATTLE CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL
Drugs lost their stranglehold on Josh, thanks to you
One smart move led to a brand new life
Josh needed a new beginning.
Only 18, he was already hooked on heroin and crystal meth. He tried going through rehabilitation in Utah but sobriety proved elusive. That’s when he headed for Las Vegas in search of a new start — and was introduced to the organization Street Teens.
Homeless and addicted, Josh knew he didn’t have many options. So he swallowed his pride, asked for help, and got it, thanks to you and our community partners in southern Nevada.
The first thing Street Teens did for Josh was get him off the streets. Once he knew he had three nutritious meals a day and a safe place to sleep at night, he turned his attention to going back to school and finding steady work.
Today, Josh has a part-time job, is a full-time student and, perhaps most important, is taking back control of his life.
Because you made his success possible, Josh wants you to know,
“I will never forget you. The love and support you gave me will forever stay in my heart.”
It’s because of your generosity that Josh is living drug-free, and care-free. Isn’t it amazing the difference your kindness makes?
Reporting from STREET TEENS, Las Vegas, Nevada
Without your support, these students’ hands-on cooking class would have been eliminated.
How you became this teacher's best friend
Heidi Leineweber is a school teacher who’s not afraid of a fight…at least when that fight has to do with the education her students receive.
For Leineweber, who is constantly faced with dwindling school budgets, it’s not about cutting the core classes like math, English and science. It’s more about how to keep important electives that give kids real-world experience, like food programs and auto and metal shop.
“Hands-on learning is one of the most effective methods of teaching,” Leineweber says.
“For many vulnerable children, these classes provide skills they’ll carry with them throughout their lifetime.”
That’s one reason why Leineweber is so excited about the support you have offered her students at Franklin High School in Portland. Because of you, classes like her popular food program are not only off the chopping block, but thriving.
“Together, we are keeping children in school where they belong, we are continuing to raise the graduation rate, and we are developing children to be confident, self-reliant, and ready to tackle life in this ever-changing century we live in.”
The children of today are the leaders of tomorrow. And because of your generosity, they’re being equipped to face the challenges of the future head-on, in both creative and innovative ways.
Thank you for strengthening families, and showing them a future that can be filled with hope.
Reporting from FRANKLIN HIGH SCHOOL, Portland, Oregon
You came to their rescue … and turned this family’s despair into joy.
Last Christmas, Consuelo and her kids found a new holiday hero: YOU!
Imagine how difficult it would be if you couldn’t provide Christmas presents for your kids. On top of that, imagine not having anyplace to stay, and facing the real possibility of your family spending Christmas Eve in your car with four kids squeezed into the back seat.
That was the horrible prospect Consuelo and her husband, Carlos, were facing last December…until you came to their rescue and turned this family’s despair into joy, just in time for Christmas morning!
Your kindness not only provided them with a week’s stay at a local motel — so they had a warm, dry place to enjoy the holidays — but also armloads of toys for the kids.
Consuelo and Carlos have now gone back to work and are supporting themselves. But they will always remember Christmas 2013. Because what could have been a disaster turned out to be a celebration they’ll never forget. All because of your compassion.
Reporting from THE FORGOTTEN CHILDREN’S FUND, Mount Vernon, Washington
You make your community a better place to live with each contribution.
Click here to DONATE to help low-income homeless families by providing shelter, clothing, children's programs, emergency assistance, and other life-changing help.
Saturday, May 3, marks the twenty-eighth anniversary of an event that is a touchstone for our company, the University of Washington, and the Seattle Yacht Club. The Windermere Cup, held annually on the first day of boating season, is both an international sporting event and an opening day celebration, followed by the world’s largest boat parade. But more than that, it’s a celebration of camaraderie, teamwork, and a commitment to excellence.
The camaraderie is everywhere you look: on the banks of the Montlake Cut, where Seattle residents and visitors from around the world flock to the University of Washington campus; and on the water, where great athletes join together to do what none of them could do individually. Thousands of people coming together for a common cause. That, in and of itself, is powerful stuff.
But what we find most remarkable about this sport is the teamwork. Though it may look easy from the sidelines, rowing is a physically demanding full-body sport. Rowers practice long hours, starting before dawn and ending after sunset, both on the water and in the gym. As Daniel James Brown points out in the book, The Boys in the Boat, “Rowing is perhaps the toughest of sports. Once the race starts, there are no time-outs, no substitutions. It calls upon the limits of human endurance.”
A crew boat can only race if all eight members plus the coxswain show up, and they can only perform as well as the weakest among them. There are no superstars in crew. It’s one for all, and all for one. So they leave their personal issues at home and push themselves to the limit, every time, for the love of the team.
It’s that commitment to excellence, seen on the face of every rower on every shell at the Windermere Cup that makes us proud to sponsor this event each year. It reminds us of our own guiding principles at Windermere: strong relationships built on trust, goodwill, and mutual respect; a spirit of teamwork that makes us more successful as a whole than we are individually; and a ceaseless commitment to excellence and unparalleled service.
Whether you add a new bright color, paint a pattern, or install decorative wallpaper, creative walls are an easy and exciting way to enhance your space.
Freshen up your space with the unexpected. Install decorative tiles, wallpaper, or paint the ceiling a different color. Or think outside the box and add sculptural elements.
Color is big this season! If you cannot paint your walls or ceiling, add a pop of color by choosing some statement furniture pieces to add color and interest to your room.
Over the last few years, tile has really become a fashion item for the home. Check out these styles when considering a backsplash or a bathroom renovation.
If you don’t have large statement art to fill a blank wall, consider curating your own gallery wall. You can alter the look for a modern space with uniform frames and images, or you can go eclectic with mixed frames and art styles.
Are you fascinated about downsizing? Do you love small places? Does a simple and serene ambiance sound like music to your ears? Then hop on the bandwagon and get yourself a ‘tiny house’ because we all know the best things come in small packages.
What’s a tiny house? Tiny houses have recently hit the real estate market by storm. The to-go models typically range from 100-175 square feet, while the larger, more permanent cottage styles are usually around 250 to 500 square feet. With a multitude of floor plan choices that include full kitchens and bathrooms, heating, AC, and a reasonable range of prices, a tiny house couldn’t be more practical.
What tiny house are you? The best part about tiny homes is that you get to pick whichever one compliments your lifestyle and needs the most. Are you more of a beach house or cabin in the woods type of person? What about a pool house for your backyard or an art or yoga studio? Or maybe you’re guilty of always wishing there was somewhere else for your mother-in-law to stay while she’s in town. On the other hand, if you’re looking for something less permanent, then a to-go model might be more your speed. You can grab your house whenever you are feeling an itch of wanderlust and head out on the open road. You can park it near the coast or somewhere concealed for a relaxing and quiet weekend. If being on the water is more your thing, there are even tiny floating homes.
Who owns one? The small, but rapidly growing number of tiny house homeowners can be found all over the country. People are shedding their square footage and downsizing from coast to coast. In 2013, the tiny home movement saw 2,600 residents, while 2014 currently has about 4,000 residents and growing. People are joining the tiny house movement for various reasons. Some want to downsize due to environmental or financial concerns, others are looking for more time and freedom in their lives. Having tiny homes encourages people to live beyond their own walls and spend more time in the outdoors and their community. Tiny homes have redefined the American dream by promoting quality over quantity.
If you think you might want a tiny house as your primary home, the only sacrifice is space; the gains however, are countless. Tiny homes come in all shapes and sizes and can be modern, minimal, or luxurious. These tiny homes are a fun and exciting endeavor to which you can easily add your own flavor. And because you can get a prefab tiny home delivered right to your door, the home buying process is as simple as the homes themselves.
We would like to extend a huge thank you to everyone who participated in the Windermere Foundation Charity Challenge! We had high expectations for this event, but were amazed by the more than 78,500 votes that were cast over the past three weeks.
So, without further ado, here are the winners of the Windermere Foundation Charity Challenge:
Western Washington: Hand-in-Hand with 50.8% of the votes
Each of these organizations will receive $25,000, for a total donation of $125,000 from the Windermere Foundation. We couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate the Windermere Foundation’s 25th anniversary and all that our agents and non-profit partners do to support our neighbors in need.
Last week we announced the start of the Windermere Foundation 25th Anniversary Charity Challenge and we couldn’t be more excited by the results! Almost 19,000 people have voted to help determine which five organizations will each win a $25,000 donation from the Windermere Foundation.
Leading up to the Charity Challenge, we asked Windermere offices to suggest non-profit organizations to compete in the Charity Challenge and received more than 150 nominations! Choosing the finalists was no easy task, but we feel confident that the non-profits we selected most closely align with the Windermere Foundation and its mission to support low-income and homeless families. The following information will help familiarize you with the organizations that are competing in the Charity Challenge. Remember, you can cast one vote every day until the Charity Challenge ends on April 4, 2014.
Windermere Foundation Charity Challenge Finalists:
Since 1989, KITH has helped homeless and at-risk families in East King County, by providing transitional and permanent housing, case management, and support services that are designed to help them move out of homelessness.
Hand in Hand provides a safe place for children to stay, giving case workers the time needed to find the best-fitting foster home for each child so that they do not have to move from family to family.
The Boys & Girls Club provides afterschool and athletics programs to enable all young people to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens. Funds will support programs and services for low-income families and children.
For 40 years, YouthCare has helped to build confidence and self-sufficiency for homeless youth in Seattle through programs that provide outreach, basic services, emergency shelter, housing, counseling, education, and employment training.
Northwest Harvest is a hunger relief agency whose mission is to provide nutritious food to hungry people in a manner that respects their dignity, while fighting to eliminate hunger. All funds donated to NW Harvest will go to the three-square backpack program; ensuring children have the food they need throughout the weekend.
The Boys & Girls Club of Corvallis provides afterschool and athletics programs to help school age youth reach their full potential as productive, responsible, caring citizens. Funds will support programs and services for low-income families and children.
Friends of the Children provide Portland’s most vulnerable children with intensive and long-term mentors. Mentors are full-time, paid professionals that take a preventive, early intervention approach that breaks the cycle of poverty and abuse by helping children in need overcome the many obstacles in their lives.
SideWalk is a volunteer operated organization on a mission to end homelessness. Through partnerships with local shelters and transitional housing programs in the area, they help place and screen applicants, with an eye on finding permanent solutions for as many people as possible.
Seashore Family Literacy promotes education, community, health—and life literacy—through numerous programs, including youth and adult tutoring, parenting classes, after-school activities, summer camps, a clothing bank, free meals and more. All programs are free and Seashore operates almost entirely with volunteer efforts.
Strengthening community is their cause, with a focus on programs for youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. Funds will support programs and services for low-income families and children.
Family Promise® of Greater Helena provides support and resources to children and their families in a homeless situation until the family can regain sustainable independence. Families have a place to stay, home cooked meals, transportation, and an advocate to help them get back on their feet.
St. Vincent de Paul’s Transitional Housing Program provides both housing and supportive services to homeless individuals and families. Case managers work with the residents to help them move toward a long-term goal of self-sufficiency for themselves and their families.
Family Promise works with homeless families to tailor individualized plans to help them take the necessary steps toward lasting independence. Guest families are hosted at congregations in Spokane’s network, where they are provided with meals, hospitality, and overnight accommodations for one week on a rotating basis.
The Wenatchee Valley YMCA provides programs and services for youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. Funds will support programs and services for low-income families and children
BFCAC provides housing services to low-income and homeless families in Benton and Franklin Counties. Most programs are aimed to assist clients with their road to self-sufficiency.
The Boys & Girls Club of Maui provides afterschool and athletics programs to help school age youth reach their full potential as productive, responsible, caring citizens. Funds will support programs and services for low-income families and children.
The Boys & Girls Club of El Sobrante provides afterschool and athletics programs to help school age youth reach their full potential as productive, responsible, caring citizens. Funds will support programs and services for low-income families and children.
CRC is dedicated to helping women and children, individuals, and families live safe, self-sufficient lives by providing critical assistance in the areas of domestic violence services, food programs, and emergency and transitional housing assistance.
The Riverside School of Arts in the Cesar Chavez Community Center teaches kids music, dancing and art. A combination of grants and partnerships help fund the program, with mostly volunteer instructors and donated materials.
For over a decade, Yavapai CASA for Kids has helped provide for local children in foster care and support the work of CASA volunteers by offering special projects, activities and funding for the needs of children in Prescott, Prescott Valley, Chino Valley and Dewey-Humboldt.
The YMCA of Southern Nevada is committed to nurturing the potential of kids, promoting healthy living and fostering a sense of social responsibility in Southern Nevada. Funds will support programs and services for low-income families and children.
Please vote for your favorite non-profit organizations! And remember, you can vote once a day, every day until the contest closes at 5pm on April 4, 2014.
Everyone around Windermere is a little excited right now. Why, you ask? Because we’re giving away $125,000 to some very worthy non-profit organizations!
But we need your help.
In honor of the Windermere Foundation’s 25th anniversary, we’re holding a “charity challenge”. Between March 17 and April 4, 21 non-profit organizations throughout the Western United States will compete for $25,000. At the end of the charity challenge, the five non-profits who earn the most votes, will each receive $25,000 from the Windermere Foundation – for a grand total of $125,000!
YOU have the power to decide who will win!
The 21 competing non-profits were nominated by Windermere office owners and managers, and all reflect the Windermere Foundation’s mission to provide support and services to low-income and homeless families. To see which non-profits are competing in your community, go to the Windermere Real Estate Facebook page. From there, you can also vote for the one you feel is most deserving of $25,000. You can vote up to once a day for the duration of the contest. And please encourage your friends and family to vote too! This is truly a community effort.
For the past 25 years, the Windermere Foundation has donated a portion of the proceeds from every home purchased or sold through Windermere towards supporting low-income and homeless families. During this time, we’ve raised more than $26 million for programs and organizations that provide shelter, clothing, children’s programs, emergency assistance, and other services to those in need.
Your efforts have the power to make a huge difference for our neighbors in need and the non-profit organizations that support them. Please help us by going online and voting for your favorite non-profit today! And tomorrow. And the next day…you get the idea.
For the past 25 years, the Windermere Foundation has donated a portion of the proceeds from every home purchased or sold through Windermere towards supporting low-income and homeless families in our communities.
Since 1989, the Windermere Foundation has raised over $26 million for programs and organizations that provide shelter, clothing, children’s programs, emergency assistance, and other services to those who need our help the most.
The YMCA is among the many organizations that the Windermere Foundation has supported, donating funds over the years towards tuition-assistance for low-income children to attend quality after-school enrichment programs and summer camp activities.
On February 28, four YMCA youth participated in the annual Husky Hoops free-throw fundraiser, at the University of Washington vs. Washington State men’s basketball game. The Foundation donated $100 for each free-throw that was made during the special half-time event, with a minimum $1,000 donation. The University Family YMCA received $1,000 from the half-time event.
University of Washington women’s basketball alumni, 2004 Husky Hall of Fame inductee, and Windermere Real Estate agent Rhonda Smith, also provided a radio interview during half-time.
The YMCA youth enjoyed watching the game and had photo opportunities with the Husky’s mascots and also former University of Washington alumni and men’s professional basketball player Brandon Roy.
Windermere Real Estate is proud to partner with Gardner Economics on this analysis of the Oregon and Southwest Washington real estate market. This report is designed to offer insight into the realities of the housing market. Numbers alone do not always give an accurate picture of local economic conditions; therefore our goal is to provide an explanation of what the statistics mean and how they impact the Oregon and Southwest Washington housing economy. We hope that this information may assist you with making an informed real estate decision. For further information about the real estate market in your area, please contact your Windermere agent.
Regional economics
The Oregon economy started to experience acceleration in job growth in 2013. This was largely expected as the housing market and industry rebounded, and the public sector cuts slowed across the state. As a result, more counties in the state began adding jobs. Now the question is whether the state can expect a further increase in the rate of growth.
The likely answer is yes. Early on in the recovery, the Portland metropolitan area was responsible for nearly all jobs gained statewide, but this changed in 2013. Although Portland certainly continued to add jobs at a steady rate, other areas, including Bend and Medford, began adding jobs as well.
In the past quarter, job growth in Bend and Medford has slowed as the nationwide housing rebound stalled. These markets are among the most heavily influenced by an influx of migrants and housing activity, so as the broader housing rebound slowed, so too did these and several other markets. This is supported by the fact that 13 out of the 24 markets analyzed saw employment losses in the fourth quarter of 2013.
It should be mentioned that overall employment growth did not decelerate along with the markets mentioned above, as private sector job gains in several markets accelerated to pick up the slack. All told, the market added 26,062 jobs in 2013, 7,704 of which came in the fourth quarter.
Looking forward to 2014, as regions within Oregon continue adding jobs, growth is likely to pick up a bit further, into the 35,000 jobs per year range, or an annual growth rate of 2.0 percent—up from 1.5 percent seen in 2013.
When compared to December of 2012, employment growth was most pronounced in the Wasco County area (+3.5%). This was followed by Hood River County (+3.3%), Clark County (+2.9%), and Deschutes and Jackson Counties which both expanded by 2.7 percent. On an absolute basis, Multnomah County maintains its position as the driving force behind job growth with the addition of 9,400 positions over the past 12 months. This was again followed by Washington County (+6,500) and Clark County where employment grew by 3,900 positions.
On the negative side, job losses totaled 3,388 in three counties. Almost all of the losses were seen in Marion County where employment dropped by 2,309 jobs. The other counties which shed jobs were Polk County (-579 jobs) and Cowlitz County (-500 jobs).
The unemployment rate continues to drop in every county that was analyzed—a trend that started in 2012. This is especially positive as there are now just two counties (Skamania and Klamath) where unemployment rates are still in double digits, at 10 percent.
Of the counties that saw shrinking unemployment rates, the greatest improvement was seen in Linn County where the unemployment rate dropped by two percent to 8.5 percent. This was followed by Deschutes and Josephine Counties where the rate dropped by 1.7 percent.
I am upping the “C-” grade that I gave last quarter to a straight “C.” As much as I anticipate an improving business environment in 2014, I want proof positive that we are seeing broad-based improvement before I get too excited about the job market.
Regional Real Estate
In 2013, the region reported 48,819 home sales—an impressive increase of 13.3 percent over the figure seen in 2012 (43,100).
The rate of growth in sales was interesting, with fourteen counties registering double-digit gains, and two, Klickitat County and Cowlitz County, seeing growth of over 30 percent (33.3 percent and 35.4 percent, respectively).
Areas with the lowest increase in home sales were Linn County (+1.4%) and Josephine County (+4.5%). Other areas with somewhat modest gains were Polk County (+9.1%) and Marion County (+9.6%).
There were four counties where 2013 home sales did not exceed those seen the previous year. These were Deschutes County (-0.4%), Klamath County (-1.3%), Lincoln County (-2.1%), and Jackson County, where sales dropped by 6.3 percent.
When we turn our attention to home prices, the picture was generally bright, with seventeen counties showing home values that were above those seen at the end of 2012 and eleven registering double-digit growth. In aggregate, the markets surveyed saw home prices rise from $243,919 to $263,888, an increase of 8.2 percent over 2012. This is a healthy rate of appreciation which, although lower than that seen through the third quarter, is indicative of a market that is starting to stabilize.
Looking at the individual counties, the most pronounced growth rates were seen in Hood River County (+27.9%)—unsurprising as this is a small market where average prices can make erratic moves. In addition to the county mentioned above, there were some impressive gains in value as demonstrated in the chart and table to the right. Six counties saw price increases below ten percent.
There were five counties where prices fell. Skamania County saw the greatest drop in value versus a year ago (-39.9%), but we again attribute this to the fact that it is a small market. The other markets where prices dropped were Wasco County (-27.5%), Yamhill County (-15.7%), and two others (Clakamas & Polk) registering very modest contractions of below two percent. I am not overly concerned about this as, if you average prices for the entire year, Yamhill and Skamania are both higher and Wasco is just modestly lower than a year ago.
As I mentioned in the third quarter report, the market continues to recover relative to price, but the rate of appreciation continues to slow. I was pleased to see that, when compared to two years ago, prices are almost uniformly higher. Again this is indicative of a market that is in recovery.
It was equally pleasing to see that there are now a few select markets where prices are above the level seen at the end of 2008, when we were just starting to see the housing bubble burst. I anticipate that, as we head through 2014, we will slowly start to see more counties turn positive when compared to five years ago.
I am still not ready to raise the grade for the real estate markets from the “C+” that I have given it for the past three quarters. Inventory levels are still nowhere near where they should be and I will be very interested to see if we get a much-needed spring “bump.” If we do, then I will become more confident in the stability of the market.
Conclusions
The Oregon economy, although still somewhat mired in the bog of lackluster growth, is starting to emerge with good job creation in the core employment centers and neighboring counties. This is encouraging.
In the markets covered by this report, employment growth has not yet started to outperform the state (1.51% vs. 2.08%) but is improving.
As I stated earlier in this report, I anticipate that 2014 employment growth should come in at around two percent. Not an overwhelming figure, but one that is an improvement over the growth rates seen over the past couple of years.
The housing market continues to head higher in terms of both price and sales volumes. The number of homes for sale in the region is still well below historic levels, but I remain hopeful that 2014 will bring a much-needed boost to active inventory.
While interest rates are certain to head higher this year, they will still be at very low levels when compared to historic averages. The average 30-year rate at the end of 2013 was 4.46 percent—just below the level seen in the summer of 2011. Although rates were in the threes in 2013, they are still very attractive when compared to historic standards. (Keep in mind that they hit 10 percent in 1990 and the market still functioned!)
Rates should rise modestly this year, but this does not really concern me. The limited number of homes for sale is—by far—more worrisome. I remain hopeful that we will see higher inventory levels in 2014, which should offset worries over increasing rates.
About Matthew Gardner
Mr. Gardner is a land use economist and principal with Gardner Economics and is considered by many to be one of the foremost real estate analysts in the Pacific Northwest.
In addition to managing his consulting practice, Mr. Gardner chairs the Board of Trustees at the Washington Center for Real Estate Research at the University of Washington; sits on the Urban Land Institutes Technical Assistance Panel; is an Advisory Board Member for the Runstad Center for Real Estate Studies at the University of Washington; and is the Editor of the Washington State University’s Central Puget Sound Real Estate Research Report.
He is also the retained economist for the Master Builders Association of King & Snohomish Counties. He has twenty-five years of professional experience in the U.K. and U.S.
He has appeared on CNN, NBC and NPR news services to discuss real estate issues, and is regularly cited in the Wall Street Journal and all local
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Drugs lost their stranglehold on Josh, thanks to you
Without your support, these students’ hands-on cooking class would have been eliminated.
You came to their rescue … and turned this family’s despair into joy.
Kirkland Interfaith Transitions in Housing (KITH)
Hand in Hand
YouthCare
Northwest Harvest (Western Washington)
Corvallis Boys & Girls Club
Friends of the Children of Portland
SideWalk of Thurston County
Seashore Family Literacy Center
Family YMCA of Marion & Polk Counties
Family Promise of Greater Helena (Montana)
St. Vincent DePaul Transitional Housing (Coeur d’Alene, Idaho)
Family Promise of Spokane
Wenatchee Valley YMCA
Benton-Franklin Community Action Committee Housing Services (Tri-Cities)
Boys and Girls Clubs of Maui (Hawaii)
The Boys & Girls Club of El Sobrante (California)
The Community Resource Center in Encinitas (California)
Riverside School of the Arts (California)
Yavapai Casa for Kids (Arizona)
South Davis Community Hospital (Salt Lake City, Utah)
YMCA of Southern Nevada
dation has donated a portion of the proceeds from every home purchased or sold through Windermere towards supporting low-income and homeless families in our communities.
all game. The Foundation donated $100 for each free-throw that was made during the special half-time event, with a minimum $1,000 donation. The University Family YMCA received $1,000 from the half-time event. 
Mr. Gardner is a land use economist and principal with Gardner Economics and is considered by many to be one of the foremost real estate analysts in the Pacific Northwest.
