I’ve written a lot about outdoor plants over the past couple of years but wanted to write about houseplants for a change. Since the weather is getting cooler and wetter, some of us fair weather gardeners are putting our gardens to bed and won’t have much to do with them until spring. Now is a great time to start giving attention to your houseplants.
Read MoreHoliday Social
West Seattle Garden Tour | Garden Inspiration
From master gardeners, to garden hopefuls, to apartment dwellers and beyond. The West Seattle Garden Tour (WSGT) is back for its 24th year, and ready to provide inspiration to all garden lovers. Jeff Daley, horticulturist and arborist for Seattle Pacific University and the sponsorship chairman for the WSGT, kindly gave me a moment of his time so I can help spread the word about this incredible community resource. Jeff is a Gatewood neighbor who has lived in our community for 61 years.
Read MoreReal Estate Update
Salon
Millennials are moving back in with their parents
By Tyler Gillispie
Nearly 40 percent of Florida adults ages 18-34 are living with their folks
:: read full article here
Buying a home in 2018? Here's what you need to know
By Maurie Backman, The Motley Fool
Homeownership can be a costly endeavor, especially since certain tax breaks are now less generous. Here are a few things to be aware of if you're planning to go from renter to owner this year.
::: read full article here
(Jared Soares/The Washington Post)
What home sellers need to know about appealing to millennial buyers
By David Charron
Millennials make up more than 50 percent of all first-time home buyers and represent a growing segment of the Washington-area population. These young professionals and activists are looking to make their mark on the world at the epicenter of American politics and culture.
::: read full article here
Getty Images
How to Save Enough for a Down Payment
By Devon Thorsby
For most first-time homebuyers, securing a down payment is the biggest hurdle.
::: read full article here
Rogue Ones: Why Parents Identify With Yoda When It Comes to Personal Finances
By Brian O'Connell
What do Star Wars and family finances have in common? Plenty, according to one new report.
::: read full article here
Getty Images | Nora Carol Photography
10 moves to boost your wealth in 2018
By Lorie Konish
If you set the right financial goals now, you could be wealthier by next year.
::: read full article here
Take a home tour with a robot
By Diana Olick
There was no one home when Avisheh Madani arrived to tour a San Francisco rental property. No one human, that is.
::: read full article here
Houzz
10 home-design trend predictions for 2018
By Megan McDonough
Home remodelling and design platform Houzz forecasted these trends, based on discussions with industry professionals and styles noticed on social media.
::: read full article here
The Week
The best homes of 2017
By The Week Staff
Each week, we feature some of the best properties on the market. With 2017 coming to a close, let's check in on some of the best properties of the year.
::: read full article here
Local News...
NWMLS
King County Home Prices End 2017 Up 16 Percent
By Neal McNamara , Patch Staff
2017 was a "banner year" for Puget Sound real estate agents, but buyers face an uphill battle, according to the latest local stats.
::: read full article here
Zillow: Seattle housing prices will continue to climb in 2018, but not as quickly
By Sarah Anne Lloyd
That’s for both renters and buyers
::: read full article here
Image: Thinkstock
75% of the Most Competitive Neighborhoods for Homebuyers in the U.S. are here in Seattle
by Gena Wynkoop
How do you feel when I say these words…“Seattle housing market.”
::: read full article here
Photo: Mary Ngyuen/FloorPlanOnline
Historic low inventory makes a tight market in Seattle
By Zosha Millman
You may have heard: Seattle's a tough real estate market in which to be a buyer.
::: read full article here
Sweeping Seattle parking changes may be on the horizon
By Chris Daniels
It's the first step in what could be a massive parking overhaul in Seattle, aimed at identifying and utilizing unused spots near transit corridors.
::: read full article here
Photo: GENNA MARTIN, SEATTLEPI.COM
Report: Seattle has highest forecasted rise in rent
By Zosha Millman
And we're the No. 3 hottest market in the country. Woohoo?
::: read full article here
Seattle area rents expected to go up 3.5 percent this year
By Bernard Ellouk
Seattle will be the third-hottest housing market in the country in 2018, based on analysis by Zillow.
::: read full article here
Zillow Shutterstock
Hottest Markets for 2018 Include Tech Hotspots, Southeastern Charmers
By Lauren Bretz
The U.S. housing market is hot, with more than half (52.6 percent) of all homes nationwide worth as much or more than they were at the peak of the national housing boom in April 2007.
::: read full article here
Basketball great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to keynote Bellevue gala
By Bellevue Reporter
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar will discuss basketball, libraries and books when he headlines the King County Library System Foundation’s 25th annual Literary Lions Gala fundraiser on March 10 in Bellevue.
::: read full article here
Low inventory does not reduce demand in Bellevue housing market
By Annie Gustafson
The number of homes available for purchase in December 2017 was exceptionally low in Bellevue, even by “typical” end-of-year standards.
::: read full article here
Kirkland remains hot in the housing market
By Kailan Manandic
Experts agree that 2018 will be another hot year for the Puget Sound housing market and Kirkland is only getting hotter as demand increases while inventory remains low.
::: read full article here
Real Estate Update
Remodeling an icon: A sneak peek inside the Space Needle renovation project, high above Seattle
By Kurt Scholsser
Everything's changing in Seattle - even our iconic Space Needle is getting a facelift. Take a look at this sneak peek of it's renovation. I"m beyond excited to see the completion. One of my favorite architectural firms Olson Kundig Architects is overseeing the renovations. Are you brave enough to dine 500 feet above on a glass floor? I have a fear of heights but I'm all in for this one!
shutterstock
Why Seattle Real Estate Will Maintain Its Hot Streak
By Anthony Hitt
"Seattle is one of the fastest growing American cities, attracting an average of 57 new residents per day from 2015-2016. The real estate market in the downtown area and surrounding neighborhoods is highly competitive, commanding increasingly high selling prices. While the steadily climbing real estate prices have some concerned about a potential real estate bubble, the consensus among economists is that the real estate market’s growth will hold firm."
Worth a read. Economist consensus is Seattle's real estate market growth will continue. Questions? Get in touch with me. I'm happy to be of help.
The Amazon spheres in downtown Seattle (Steve Ringman / The Seattle Times)
Watch Amazon’s Seattle campus quadruple in size in a decade
By Mike Rosenberg
We are home to the largest urban campus in America. Want to see how Amazon made that happen over the last decade? Check out the year by year GIF that shows Amazon's Lake Union campus growth. 8,000 apartments are slated to be built in the area with completion by 2019 to support the continuing growth.
While some cities thrive, others are left behind
Seattle is one of few cities that have flourished in the 10 years since the Great Recession began in December 2007. Other cities are still struggling.
Andrew Burton for the New York Times
The Great American Single-Family Home Problem
By Conor Dougherty
Building more housing, more densely, could help address a widespread economic challenge. A fight over one lot in Berkeley, Calif., shows how tough that could be.
Photo by Education Images
10 books that boost money IQ
By Lorie Konish
If you want to be wiser and wealthier in 2018, these 10 books will boost your financial acumen.
Home remodeling done right
By Pat Mertz Esswein
Line up the money and a good contractor. Then turn your wish list into reality.
Photography by Bob Coscarelli
This mid-century modern home is a stylish time capsule
By Mary Jo Bowling
If anything could be considered a midcentury modern miracle, this is it.
Local News...
Seattle’s condo conundrum: A historically low supply
By Jake Whittenberg
Seattle, amid all its growth, is experiencing a historic shortage of condos, as developers choose to build apartments rather than market-ready living spaces.
Survey to help shape the next decade of Capitol Hill development
By jseattle
GeekWire Photo / Monica Nickelsburg
photo by Genna Martin, seattlepi.com
Photos And Listing Courtesy Of Marlow Harris/seattledreamhomes.com
photo David Montesino Staff file, 2017
Good news: Seattle buyers like our homes. The bad news: Seattle buyers like our homes.
By Debbie Cockrell
Low inventory prospects may not change next year. One local broker weighs in on how we got here and what’s next.
Real Estate Update
Seasonal slowdown in some areas, but expect price hikes to continue in much of Washington.
Read MoreReal Estate Updates
SUMMER SLOWDOWN… A SIGN OF THINGS TO COME?
Read MoreReal Estate Updates
As you may have heard, Seattle is now the nation's fastest growing city. We have thousands of people moving to Seattle, but not enough housing to meet the demand. With the upcoming growth of our tech industry, this trend will continue.
Read MoreOutdoor Updates: Happy Homeowners & Financial Returns!
I bought a fixer. Not only the house and its systems needed an overhaul, but the yard did too. We brought in dirt, we took out dirt, we have terraced and leveled and sodded and fenced….
Guess what, it made us really happy…like “new kitchen” happy. We have only finished the front yard! This article from the Realtors made me feel much better about our investment.
Winter may be a good time to get some of the major work done. Landscapers are not as busy and you can have it complete by Summer! Please let me know if you would like some referrals of contractors that can help with your projects.
For more information on the impact of outdoor remodeling projects, visit
Real Estate Updates
Jump in Seattle’s median home value and rental price among fastest in the country, Zillow reports
Home values and rents are rising in Seattle faster than almost any other place in the United States according to new data released Thursday by Zillow. The
How smart cities are leading the charge for transportation
When it comes to building the high-tech infrastructure for data and transportation, urban planners are thinking globally and acting locally.
Why are Californians so happy?
Eight of the top 10 happiest US cities are in California, according to a new analysis of the 150 biggest cities in the country.
MORTGAGE & FINANCE news
Best Homeowners Insurance Buying Guide - Consumer Reports
Shopping for homeowners insurance? Read about types, features, and other must-know topics in our homeowners insurance buying guide to make an informed choice.
Millennials love dense, green, progressive Seattle, but ...
Seattle is second only to Brooklyn in millennial population, and a survey by local nonprofit Forterra points at some reasons why—and why not everyone thinks they ...
HOME trends
Painting tips to help a home sell faster
https://www.consumeraffairs.com/news/painting-tips-to-help-a-home-sell-faster-032017.html
Lessons from the first ‘tiny house’ evangelist, Henry David Thoreau
Like today’s tiny-house proponents, the “Walden” author got plenty of flak. But his message is as relevant as ever.
11 cool online stores for home decor and high design
From handcrafted artisanal chairs to sleek ceramic objects 3D printed on-demand, the wares in these online stores are worth a look.
LOCAL news
Seattle construction projects at all-time high
All of the cranes and construction in downtown Seattle signify a city that's exploding with growth. New numbers released by the Downtown Seattle Association back that ...
Affordable Downtown Seattle condos are getting competitive
As Seattle residents are scrambling for more affordable housing options, more affordable condos could be at the forefront of Downtown condo demand.
Silicon Valley techies are fleeing to Seattle
The dollar stretches a lot farther in Seattle for burdened Bay Area techies
Then & Now: Creation of I-5 shaped city’s history ...
By Richard McLeland-Wieser. Tukwila Historical Society. When a tanker overturned on Interstate 5 last month, the normal 20-minute commute from Seattle to Tukwila ...
Foreclosures down from last year by double digits in Pierce, Thurston counties
Statewide, foreclosure activity is down by nearly 40 percent.
Boeing lays off Everett workers
https://mynorthwest.com/578512/boeing-plans-layoff-everett-workers/