With the popularity of the minimalist movement and tidying up, many people today are working to downsize their homes.  Whether you are a recent empty-nester, a long term owner looking for retirement living, or even just ready to simplify your space, we have solutions.  We have a team that can help answer the questions of what to bring with you to your new place, finding the new place that’s the right fit, and what to do with all you have accumulated over the years.  Here’s a link to The Money Hour with Tina Mitchell interview where we discuss these ideas.  I’d love to get together and share how we can help. Let’s connect.  StephanieK@windermere.com

The Spring 2019 issue of Windermere Living showcases rising talents in interior design, spring refresh strategies, easy brunch ideas for your next get together and a helpful houseplant guide.

Windermere Living is an exclusive listings magazine published by Windermere Real Estate. Read the online version  or email us at KristenTeam@windermere.com for an exclusive copy.

The April 15^th tax deadline is fast approaching.  Every year about this time I promise myself to be better organized next year. My filing system is always a work in progress.  I am often struggling with what to do with all the accumulated receipts, statements, bills and legal documents? Below is a link to an article on how long keep these docs and what can been thrown away or better yet shredded.

https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/how-long-should-i-keep-records

Windermere is here to help and are providing some options for shredding your old documents.  We are offering complimentary shredding services at multiple locations.  You can bring your sensitive documents to be professionally destroyed on site. A certificate of destruction can be provided upon request.

Shredding Dates and Locations

Saturday, April 20th  10 am – 2 pm  – Issaquah Office  1810 15th Place NW, Issaquah

Saturday, May 11th  10 am – 2 pm  – Bellevue South Office   14405 SE 36th St, Bellevue

Wishing you all the best for a happy and pain free tax season. (well, as pain free as it can be!)

January brought more good news for homebuyers. Prices were down, inventory was up and interest rates hovered near a nine-month low. Those factors drove more buyers into the market and resulted in an uptick in sales for the month. We’ll see how this transitioning market evolves as we head into the prime Spring home buying season.

Eastside

The most expensive region in King County saw prices soften in January. The median price of a single-family home on the Eastside dropped 3 percent over last January to $910,000. It’s an excellent time for buyers to leverage the cooling market and negotiate terms that work best for their needs. Last January, 39 percent of the homes in this area sold for over asking price. This January, that figure dropped to 12 percent. With its favorable business climate and high rankings for both economic growth and technology capabilities, demand on the Eastside is projected to remain strong.

King County

January marked the first time home prices in King County decreased year-over-year in seven years. The median price of a single-family home was $610,0000, a drop of 3 percent over the prior year. Inventory more than doubled. Unlike recent months, this was due primarily to more people putting their homes on the market, as opposed to homes taking longer to sell. Despite the surge in listings there is just two months of available inventory, far short of what is needed to meet demand.

Seattle

The median price of  a single-family home in the city was $711,500 in January, a decrease of 6 percent year-over-year. Despite a 107 percent increase in homes for sale compared to a year ago, Seattle continues to have the tightest inventory in King County with less than two months of supply. A booming economy that shows no signs of slowing continues to draw more people to the city. The area will have to significantly add more inventory to meet that growing demand.

Snohomish County

The median price of a single-family home in January inched up 1 percent from last year to $455,000. That price is down from the median of $470,000 recorded in December.  Snohomish County also saw a surge in inventory with the number of homes on the market double of what it was last year at this time.

2018 concluded with another great year of fundraising and giving for the Windermere Foundation, thanks to the continued support of Windermere franchise owners, agents, staff, and the community. Nearly $2.5 million was raised in 2018, bringing our grand total to over $38 million raised since the Foundation’s inception in 1989! During the past year, nearly $1.9 million was donated to non-profit organizations throughout the Western U.S. that provide much-needed services to low-income and homeless families. In 2018, the Windermere Foundation fulfilled 689 grant requests and served 507 non-profit organizations.

A portion of the money raised every year is due in part to our agents who each make a donation to the Windermere Foundation from every commission they earn. Additional donations from Windermere agents, the community, and fundraisers made up 68% of the money collected in 2018. Each Windermere office has their own Foundation funds, which enable them to support local non-profits in their communities.

One organization that received Windermere Foundation donations from several Windermere Real Estate offices in the Seattle area is Treehouse. Treehouse’s mission is to give foster kids a childhood and a future. Their goal that they have set to achieve by 2022, is to see youth in foster care graduate from high school at the same rate as their peers across Washington State. And to provide them with support and a plan to launch successfully into adulthood. Donations from the Windermere Foundation have helped Treehouse clients like Ashley, get the support she needed to turn her life around.

“I didn’t have a childhood that all kids should have–like making friends my age or playing sports. I changed the path that I was on because I wanted to give people a reason to believe in me. You have to want to change and speak your truth, but you can’t do it without people believing in you. You can get through the darkest situations, you just gotta look for a little crack of light. Treehouse is that crack of light for me,” ~Ashley

2018 also marked the third year of our #tacklehomelessness campaign with the Seattle Seahawks, in which Windermere committed to donating $100 for every Seahawks home game defensive tackle to YouthCare, a non-profit organization that provides critical services to homeless youth. While the Seahawks didn’t make it past the first round of the playoffs, they did help us raise $31,900. When added to previous seasons, the total donation for the past three years is $98,700! We are grateful for the opportunity to provide additional support to homeless youth thanks to the Seahawks, YouthCare, and the #tacklehomelessnesscampaign.

With your help, we have been able to make a difference in the lives of many families in our local communities over the past 30 years. If you’d like to help support programs in your community, please Donate here.

To learn more about the Windermere Foundation, visit http://www.windermere.com/foundation.

A cool-down in prices and a surge in inventory spelled out good news for buyers in December. Median home prices throughout the region continued to moderate. The number of homes for sale more than doubled over a year ago. Condo inventory more than quadrupled. While we’re still far short of the four to six months that are considered a balanced market, December moved us closer in that direction. As winter months traditionally bring slower sales and lower prices, we’ll be able to determine a more solid trend when the peak real estate season comes this spring.

Eastside

The number of single-family homes and condos on the market in December tripled as compared to a year ago on the Eastside. With an abundance of choices for buyers, homes here took longer to sell. However, well-priced homes still sold within weeks rather than days, which was the case earlier in the year. As with all of King County, home prices here continued to moderate. The median price of a single-family home was $909,000. That’s down 3 percent from a year ago, but up from November’s median price of $885,000.

King County

In December, the median price of a single-family King County home was $639,000. That is 0.6 percent more than the same time last year and a welcome respite from the double-digit increases we saw for much of 2018. Inventory was up as well, soaring 143 percent from a year prior. The trend toward a more balanced market is good news for buyers. Instead of having to make a decision in a matter of hours, buyers now can take the time to consider their options and negotiate a price and terms that work best for them.

Seattle

Last December there were only 299 homes on the market in Seattle. This December there were 1,111. Despite the sharp uptick, Seattle has the tightest inventory in King County with less than two months of supply. Demand is predicted to stay high in 2019. With an abundance of high-paying jobs and not enough people to fill them, Seattle’s population is expected to grow at twice the national rate this year. Prices have continued to moderate from the unsustainable increases of last year. The median price of a single-family home inched up 2 percent from the year prior to $739,000.

Snohomish County

The median price of a single-family home was up 4 percent from last year to $470,000 in December – the same price the area posted the previous month. Inventory has more than doubled in the past year due to more sellers listing their homes and fewer sales. However, at 2.6 months of supply the area has a long way to go before becoming a balanced market.

Home price increases in the Puget Sound area have started to moderate. While down from the unsustainable highs of this spring, prices continue to be up compared to a year ago. So, where are home prices headed next?

The Home Price Expectation Survey checks in with over 100 national real estate experts every quarter, including Windermere Chief Economist Matthew Gardner. Here’s where they think prices will go:

Gardner predicts our local market will fare better than the nation overall.

“The local economy will continue to grow and that will drive demand for ownership housing,” according to Gardner. “Supply will slow during the holiday season before we see a new influx of listings in the spring. With more supply, I believe that home price growth will continue to slow, but values will still increase.”

Located in quiet area in Arbor Heights this rambler awaits. Vaulted ceilings in living room with stone, wood burning fireplace and large picture windows offering plenty of natural light. Well maintained featuring hardwood floors throughout, fresh paint and new double-pane windows. Kitchen with dining area and pantry. Private, fenced backyard with beautiful apple trees in their peak right now! Attached one car garage with additional storage. You’ll love this little pocket community.

3 bedroom – 1 bath – 950 square feet – $472,500

More details here.

Enjoy strolls along Alki waterfront to restaurants and beaches. Short walk to Admiral area or Luna Park. This top floor, corner unit offers southern exposure and an abundance of light. Open concept kitchen with granite counters and stainless appliances. Living room with cozy gas fireplace (gas included in dues) and large view deck overlooking Seattle skyline and Elliott Bay. Minutes to downtown Seattle. No rental cap. 2 car garage parking and additional storage. Pet friendly building. Live at Alki!

2 bedroom, 1.75 bath – $399,000 – 3318 30th Ave SW #A503, Seattle, WA 98116

More details here.