More • April 18, 2013

Windermere Foundation Quarterly Report

by Christine Wood

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Greetings from the Windermere Foundation,

Thanks to you and the wonderful support the Windermere Foundation has received so far this year, we have disbursed $357,000 to qualifying social service organizations dedicated to providing services to low-income and homeless families throughout the Western U.S.

Our amazing agents, brokers, staff and owners, along with public supporters, continue to contribute generously to the Foundation, making these disbursements possible.

Wellspring Family Services shared a letter of thanks for the support they recently received from three Seattle offices: Capitol Hill, Eastlake, and West Seattle.

“No child should be homeless. And all children should have what they need to thrive.

That sounds so obvious, doesn’t it? But at Wellspring Family Services we see many children who don’t know where they will sleep tonight. Children who have never experienced the routine of bath and bed time; never invited a school friend home to play because they have no home. Children being robbed of their childhood.

It brings me great joy to know that this path can be changed and will change for 700 children in our community this year. Thanks to you, they will have a home.

Your support affirms the work we are doing and will benefit our entire community today and for generations to come.”

-Wellspring Family Services

RAVES:

“I would like to make a plug for two of our Property Managers, Jennifer Shepperd and Cassie Walker Johnson.

Within this past year, they both attended an event hosted by Youthcare in downtown Seattle to learn about the organization’s mission and the types of people that they serve to assist. They heard some heartbreaking stories about the situations that these kids are in, and felt compelled to help make a difference. Throughout 2012, these two agents of ours have spearheaded the effort to donate thousands of our Foundation dollars to Youthcare, coordinate a clothing drive, and this holiday season our brokerage will be granting the gift wishes of 10 Youthcare children.”

–Cory Brewer, Operations Manager

Windermere Property Management/Lori Gill & Associates

“Cary Perkins’ middle name is “FOUNDATION”. Being unique and uber enthusiastic is just the way Cary is, and it shows in her support and creativity when it comes to the Foundation. She is always looking for the next way to raise some money…ideas just seem to bubble inside her.

Cary found a new level of participation for the Johnson office when she became our rep. Many agents are involved in community activities and she has inspired them to think, ‘Oh, can we get that to benefit the Foundation…’

The fun factor is never far from the top of the list in the projects, fundraising, or auctions she puts together. She truly is an inspiration and the money the Johnson office has raised during her tenure speaks volumes about her dedication.”

-Lynne Murphy, Managing Principal Broker

Windermere Cronin Caplan Realty Group, Inc.

Please remember to read the Windermere Blog for more in-depth stories about what offices are doing throughout the year. Facebook is also a great resource for upcoming events, and shorter posts about office involvement in the community.

Thank you!

Best,

Christine Wood

Blog: http://foundation.windermere.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/windermerefoundation

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/WindermereRealEstate

Buying • April 18, 2013

April 20th and 21st: Nationwide Open House Weekend

by Windermere Staff

This weekend, April 20 and 21, thousands of REALTORS® from around the country will be holding open houses as a part of the Nationwide Open House Weekend event, sponsored by the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR).

This event is intended to provide buyers with an ideal, low-pressure opportunity to tour homes that are currently for sale. Even with the vast changes technology has brought to real estate, open houses are still considered an important part of the home search process. In fact, according to the National Association of REALTORS 2012 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, 45 percent of all buyers use open houses as a source in their home search.

For those who plan to tour open houses this weekend, here are some tips to help you get started:

Make a plan:

Pick a neighborhood or a route you are interested in and map out your open houses to make your day efficient. If you are planning on having lunch, pick a local restaurant to get a feel for the neighborhood.

Explore:

Walk around the neighborhood and familiarize yourself with the local amenities. If you are considering moving to the area, this will help you get a feel for it.

Dress for success:

Wear comfortable and casual clothes while house hunting. Also, consider wearing shoes that are easy to slip on and off when requested.

To find homes that are participating in this weekend’s Nationwide Open House event, contact your real estate agent, or a local Windermere Real Estate office. You can also find upcoming open houses at Windermere.com/Search.

More • April 9, 2013

Words for Windermere

by Windermere Staff

During the months of February and March, we asked Windermere Owners, Agents, and Facebook followers to share the words that come to mind when they think about Windermere. We were pleasantly surprised by the consistency across all three groups and decided to create a word map with the results.

Total responses from each group:

· Owners – 33 responses

· Agents – 103 responses

· Facebook – 32 responses

Top words by audience:

· Owners: professional, quality, integrity

· Agents: professional, integrity, service

· Facebook: quality, professional, integrity

Thank you to everyone who participated in this fun and interesting study. We always value and appreciate your feedback.

Buying • April 4, 2013

Social Connections: See how you are Connected to a Windermere Agent

by Windermere Staff

Have you ever posted a question on your Facebook page to find useful information from your friends? Such as a local gym recommendation, a restaurant review, or a resource for children’s birthday parties?

Social media has become increasingly important to how we connect with friends, colleagues, family, and others in our social sphere. With this in mind, Windermere has adopted a new program called SocialBios, a social media application that helps us see how we are all connected through social networks like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. SocialBios turns a basic office webpage on Windermere.com into a social hub, so you can see how you are connected to agents in our network through friends and family online.

Research continues to tell us what we already know: most people who are looking to buy or sell a home rely on recommendations from friends or family to find a real estate agent. SocialBios helps you find an agent through these trusted contacts, connect with them, and potentially buy or sell a home through them.

This program is still new, but more offices will be joining throughout the year. You can find profiles for the following offices on Windermere.com/agents or through the following offices profile pages:

Office	URL
FEDERAL WAY	http://socialbios.com/SouthSound
ALDERWOOD	http://socialbios.com/Alderwood
TRI-CITIES RICHLAND	http://socialbios.com/windermeregroupone
BELLEVUE SOUTH	http://socialbios.com/windermererealestate-bellevuesouth
SEATTLE-SAND POINT	http://socialbios.com/Wedgwood
PORT ORCHARD	http://www.socialbios.com/PortOrchard
SERVICES-MOUNTAIN WEST	http://socialbios.com/ServicesMW
ASHLAND	http://socialbios.com/vanvleet
SERVICES – OREGON & SW WASHINGTON	http://socialbios.com/oregonservices
YELM	http://www.socialbios.com/windermereyelm
KINGSTON	www.socialbios.com/kingston
BRANCH SUPPORT- EAST	http://socialbios.com/eastbranchsupport
SEATTLE-NORTHLAKE	http://socialbios.com/Northlake
SEATTLE-GREEN LAKE	http://socialbios.com/seattle_greenlake
CORVALLIS	http://socialbios.com/windermere_Willamette_Valley
WHIDBEY ISLAND- LANGLEY	http://www.socialbios.com/WhidbeyIslandLangley
YAKIMA	http://socialbios.com/WindermereYakima
SEATTLE-WALL STREET	http://socialbios.com/WindermereWallSt
SPOKANE-NORTH	http://www.socialbios.com/WindermereNorthSpokane
AUBURN- LAKELAND HILLS	http://www.socialbios.com/lakelandhills
EVERETT SOUTH	http://socialbios.com/EverettSouth
SEATTLE-QUEEN ANNE	https://www.facebook.com/WindermereQA
VASHON ISLAND	http://www.socialbios.com/Vashon
MEDFORD	http://socialbios.com/vanvleet
SEATTLE-GREENWOOD	http://www.socialbios.com/WindermereGreenwood
GIG HARBOR	http://www.socialbios.com/GigHarbor
BELLEVUE COMMONS	http://socialbios.com/BellevueCommons
SEATTLE-WEDGWOOD	http://socialbios.com/wwindermere
SILVERDALE	http://socialbios.com/Silverdale
SEATTLE-NORTHWEST	http://socialbios.com/WindermereNorthwest
MERCER ISLAND	http://socialbios.com/Mercer_Island
SHORELINE	www.socialbios.com/WindermereShoreline

We value your feedback, please feel free to post questions in the comments or email us directly at friend (at) Windermere (dot) com.

More • April 3, 2013

Building Better Communities – March Edition

by Marilou Ubungen

Windermere offices throughout our network work with local organizations year-round to raise money for the Windermere Foundation and their local communities. In 2011, we launched the “Building Better Communities, One Home Sale at a Time” campaign, to raise awareness for some of the amazing community partnerships our offices and agents have developed. These projects go above and beyond Windermere Foundation donations and our annual Community Service Day. Below are just a few of the events that took place during the month of March. You can follow all upcoming projects on our Building Better Communities page.

Clothing Drive:

Throughout the month of March, the Windermere Property Management/Lori Gill & Associates office in Edmonds, Washington teamed up with the Northwest Center to collect gently used clothing and small household goods to provide to local families.

North Shore Milk Money Project:

Windermere’s Northlake office in Lake Forest Park, Washington has partnered with the Milk Money Project to raise money for homeless children in the Northshore School District. The Milk Money Project is kicking-off its 2013 campaign on March 28 and will run until May 31. Look for the milk bottles in your local stores and donate your change to support the cause.

Silent Auction Fundraiser:

On March 21, the Windermere office in Redmond, Washington hosted their annual silent auction and fundraiser to benefit local families in need. The night’s festivities raised over $10,000 for the Windermere Foundation.

Food Drive:

The Windermere Greenwood office in Seattle showed their support of the Greenwood Food Bank by collecting food and money donations throughout the month of March. The office also submitted a video to the Verity Mom Cartwheel for a Cause competition, for a chance to win a $6,000 donation for the Greenwood Food Bank.

Windermere Serves:

On March 24, the Windermere office in Marysville, Washington hosted their second annual “Windermere Serves” event at Buck's American Cafe in Everett. Windermere agents took over as wait staff for the evening, with all tips and donations going to the Windermere Foundation and benefitting the Marysville Boys and Girls Club.

Washington Park Improvement Project:

The Windermere office in Walla Walla, Washington partnered with the city of Walla Walla to improve the Washington Park soccer fields, including permanent benches. The soccer fields are used by more than 500 local youth for practice and soccer games.

Thanks to your continued support and generous donations, The Windermere Foundation is able to provide funds to community organizations dedicated to supporting low-income and homeless families. Thank you for choosing Windermere. Together, we are Building Better Communities.

Living • March 29, 2013

Oh My Aching Back: Cabinet Heights to the Rescue

by Guest Author

When approaching a kitchen or bath remodel or new construction, you can make things a lot more comfortable by getting creative with the heights of your base cabinets.

Standard heights traditionally have been 36” tall (including the thickness of the countertop material) for kitchen base cabinets, and 29” – 30” tall for bathrooms. These heights are good overall, but are surely not set in stone and can make life a lot more comfortable with some tweaking.

Consider the users’ heights when deciding on cabinet heights. If everyone in the household is tall, consider having the main area of the kitchen raised an inch or so. Chopping will be much more comfortable that way, and it will help avoid arm and back fatigue. If household members are various heights, consider having one area raised higher and another area at the standard height. If you have someone who requires lower heights, such as a wheelchair user, consult a design professional to assist with their particular needs.

In the bathroom areas, consider the primary users when determining the best heights. The master bath would likely serve adults, so having the base vanities at a taller 34” height will help to avoid stress on the users’ backs when utilizing the sink for face washing and tooth brushing. If a child uses the area, keep a small step stool handy for those times. A main hall bath outside the children’s rooms could have the standard height. If the children are a bit older (and taller) and you intend to remain in the home longer than a few years, consider the taller height there too for when the children are taller, as they do grow quickly!

Just a few adjustments can make for happy backs, and aren’t difficult at all to achieve if you plan ahead.

After 20 years as an interior designer, certified antiques appraiser, and personal property and lifestyle specialist, Lorelei Barrett added real estate to her quiver of skills in 2010. Her designs, products and advice have been featured in numerous regional and national home and building publications. She has been featured regularly on numerous television and radio shows, as well as home, design and trade shows, sharing her wealth of knowledge and advice. Lorelei resides near Spokane, Washington on a small farm accompanied by two horses, one cat and two West Highland Terriers.

Selling • March 25, 2013

March Perspectives

by Jill Jacobi Wood, OB Jacobi & Geoff Wood

Rarely does a day go by that one of us doesn’t get asked if this is a good time to buy or sell a home. Some people might think that our response is always an emphatic “YES!” because we work in real estate. But there really is no right or wrong answer. Everyone’s situation is unique, so in some cases the answer might be yes, but for others it might make more sense to wait.

The good news is that we’re finally coming out of the housing slump of the past five-plus years. Housing is a major driving factor of the U.S. economy, so regardless of whether or not you own a home, a stronger housing market is good for everyone. For some would-be home sellers, this positive momentum, combined with a rise in home prices and buyer activity, is enough to compel them to list their home. And right now the numbers appear to be on their side.

According to the Northwest Multiple Listing Service, there is currently a 1.2 months’ supply of homes in Seattle. “Months’ supply” basically means that if existing homes were to continue selling at the current rate, the inventory of homes would be sold by that many months. A “normal” market has about six months of supply; therefore lower numbers mean a shortage of inventory. If demand is greater than supply, this leads to a seller’s market, like we’ve seen in Seattle.

So what does this mean for buyers and sellers? It means as long as inventory levels and interest rates are low, competition amongst buyers will remain high, and home prices should continue to steadily rise – albeit at a healthy rate, not like what we saw during the housing boom.

With these types of projections, one might wonder why there isn’t a flood of homes coming on the market. The biggest concern we hear from many would-be sellers is that they’re going to lose money because their home is worth less today than it was at the peak of the market. A valid concern, to be sure, but remember, you’re buying and selling in the same market conditions, so if your home has lost value in recent years, it is almost certain that the next home you buy has as well.

It goes without saying that nobody wants to sell at the bottom of the market, yet at the same time, everybody wants to buy at the bottom. Obviously these two scenarios can’t exist at the same time, but for those on the fence, we’re here to tell you that there are definitely opportunities to be had by both buyers and sellers that are worth considering.

Living • March 22, 2013

Fear of Commitment? Choosing the Right Colors for Your Home

by Guest Author

One of the most frequent questions interior designers hear is how to choose colors for a home. We all love color, but some people are afraid of using color in their home. Many find they fear committing to a certain color scheme or making a mistake after it is all done. Here are some ideas to help to get you started.

To try to determine just what colors to use in your home, look in your closet! You’ll see the basic wardrobe classics in there: black, brown, navy, beige/khaki. Those colors are neutrals and very applicable in your home color scheme. Now, check out the colors hanging there, too. Unless you are a serious fashionista, a certain color or two will emerge as a standard in your color preference repertoire. Even prints will feature similar colors. These colors are a great place to start to help you decide what colors to use in your home. If you love wearing certain colors and feel good wearing them, you will enjoy seeing them throughout your décor.

Lest you feel the need to paint an entire room tomato red (or whatever color you find that you prefer), just paint the walls a nice warm taupe or other neutral that you like and use the tomato red as an accent color with some of your accessories such as throw pillows, lamp bases, art on the walls or throw rugs. You can even practice with some inexpensive items you might find at a tag sale or discount store before you commit with higher priced items. Give it a try and don’t be afraid to keep working at it.

Buying • March 12, 2013

Search (a lot) Smarter with Windermere’s New INRIX Drive Time™ Tool

by OB Jacobi

I’m sure it comes as no surprise when I tell you that over 90 percent of home purchases in the U.S. involve an internet search at some point during the process. As a real estate company owner, this tells me that we better have a pretty compelling website. Research also shows that 73 percent of home buyers consider commute times a key factor when deciding where to live. What this tells me is that part of making Windermere.com compelling is giving the customer what they want – which in this case is information about how long it takes to drive between home and work during peak commute times.

That’s how we landed on INRIX Drive Time™ technology.

I’m excited to announce the release of a new home-buying feature on Windermere.com that takes the guess work out of one of most important factors when considering a new home: “How long will it take me to drive to and from work?” You don’t have to guess at the number of bedrooms, bathrooms, year built, or school district, so why should your drive time be any different? It was this approach that led us to integrating actual drive time technology into Windermere.com.

Leveraging data from INRIX, the leading international provider of traffic information and driver services, our goal is to help home buyers know how long a commute they can realistically expect in traffic between their work and any home for sale on Windermere.com*. I know what you’re thinking: can’t I already get this information on most real estate websites through Walk Score or Google Maps?

Nope. Windermere is the first.

INRIX Drive Time goes well beyond other real estate websites that simply provide distance to work in miles or travel times based on traveling the speed limit. Windermere’s new tool provides drive times based on real-time traffic information sourced from actual drivers. It takes into account every traffic factor, including traffic congestion, road construction, accidents, holidays, weather, events, police activity, and historical traffic patterns. This information is updated every minute, then analyzed and compiled into a historical database that is updated every 90 days, ensuring home buyers have access to the most complete traffic data available.

To determine drive times using this new feature, home buyers simply enter their work address into a field directly on the property detail page on Windermere.com.

The tool automatically generates an INRIX Drive Time to and from work and a graph that shows how it varies by different departure times throughout the day.

Since INRIX helps us calculate the shortest route based on shortest drive time, not distance, it often suggests a route that commuters may not have contemplated themselves. We then provide the details of the route on a map.

Bryan Mistele, the CEO of INRIX, probably sums it up best:

“Nobody likes sitting in traffic, and although traffic problems won’t disappear overnight, smart applications of traffic data can help drivers not only save time on their existing commute but help them through the process of deciding on the purchase of a new home. Using INRIX Drive Time, Windermere will be able to better inform its agents and serve clients by arming them with information to help making the home-buying process easier.”

Thanks, Bryan, couldn’t have said it better myself.

To test drive the new INRIX Drive Time tool, simply go to any property detail page on Windermere.com.

OB Jacobi is the president of Windermere Real Estate. For more information visit http://www.windermere.com/company/about_us

* Does not include listings in Mexico, sold properties, or properties with hidden addresses.

Buying • March 8, 2013

New Home Design & Social Trends

by Edward Krigsman

Builders of new homes frequently discover new ways to differentiate their new construction from existing houses, hoping to capture the attention of potential customers by delighting and surprising them.

The more successful builders therefore develop keen skills in observing emerging social trends, incorporating features, finishes, and floor plans that fulfill the needs of new buyer groups in ways that are often clever, unexpected and relevant.

Here are several current home design innovations that provide us glimpses into ways our culture is changing:

1. Made-to-Order Homes: Many of us have grown accustomed to the convenience of shopping for—and customizing—household products online. Home builders are capitalizing on this trend, developing websites that make it easy for buyers to configure their home online. One builder has assimilated over 70 systems and manufacturer products like plumbing, electronics, HVAC, security, and more into a “core wall.” This allows the rest of the home design to be adjusted based on family needs. Warren Buffet’s recent purchase of Clayton Homes, the nations’ largest modular builder, indicates that online home ordering will be a growing trend.

2. Universal Design: Every day, 10,000 Americans turn 65. Homebuilders have found that both older and younger homeowners want “universal design,” homes that better fit the needs of people across the widest range of ability and ages. Examples of universal design: Entries without steps and showers without thresholds. Electrical outlets are now being incorporated into light switches at eye-level, permitting homeowners to more easily plug in appliances like vacuum cleaners without bending down to the floor.

3. Activated Ceilings: The current generation of first time homebuyers is the first in history who grew up looking down—an unintended consequence of the popularity of handheld mobile electronic devices. This creates strain on the eyes, neck and shoulders which can result in a variety of vision, spine, and other health issues. Designers are addressing this by incorporating more dramatic visual features into home ceilings. By giving us reason to widen our range of vision, the hope is that overall health will be improved.

4.Fast House Nation: Many of us are now adjusting to an increased rate of change—rather than accumulating stuff, we crave more diverse life experiences. So, new homes are being delivered with inexpensive opportunities for self-expression and customization. Chalkboard paint is increasingly used as a wall color, permitting artistic expression for children (of all ages). New senior housing communities are incorporating parking spaces for food trucks near the entrance, bringing fresh and varying culinary experiences to residents.

5. Big Small Houses: We are requiring less space that does more for us. In fact, the National Association of Homebuilders expects the average size of a new home in 2015 will be 2,152 square feet, a 10% drop in size from 2010. Living rooms, dining rooms, home offices, and entry foyers are all on the endangered spaces list. Private, single-purpose rooms (like master bedrooms and bathrooms) are now expected to incorporate multiple and shared uses, such as coffee bars or exercise equipment. Wi-Fi networks and mobile tablet devices have rendered dedicated dens unnecessary. Look for “great rooms” to take center stage, incorporating the functions traditionally demanded of multiple smaller rooms.

6.Waning of the Book: As more readers gravitate to space-saving e-readers like the Kindle, printed books are becoming less common. As a result, bookcases are giving way to “collector” cases for displaying personal treasures like collectibles, antiques, family heirlooms, or natural artifacts such as gems or shells.

7. Families, Extended: Home markets serving international buyers often incorporate a greater number of culturally appropriate features. More buyers today wouldn’t think of living without extended family, and expect household spaces to be more purposefully designed for shared living. As a consequence, new homes are being built with multiple master suites. What some may have characterized as a “granny flat” in the past is positioned prominently in these new floor plans, reflecting the elevated social status and esteem of elder parents. Some designs, like home builder Lennar’s “NextGen,” are “homes within homes,” complete with eat-in kitchenettes and living rooms. Primary kitchens may incorporate isolated cook areas serviced by high-powered fans, to keep food aromas out of the living spaces of the home.