My Blog

It’s been awards week around here.  And that’s always an interesting time.  I always ask myself:

Do I care?
Don’t I care?
Should I care?

Common knowledge tells us that awards are important to any business, why, consumers put store into outside endorsements.  How often have you read the reviews on yelp or trip advisor when making a decision on what company to work with, what restaurant to go to or even what vacation options to consider.  Simply put, Awards project instant credibility to your prospective client base.  Awards can also equate to feelings of motivation or personal value with yourself.  They can lift your self-esteem in a competitive environment…like real estate sales

But at the end of the day, awards are recognition for an individuals hard work, but also recognition of those who have supported you and certainly recognition of those clients who have trusted you. 

So thank you to everyone who has supported me and trusted me over this last year.  Thank you for putting me into the top 8% nationwide with Berkshire Hathaway Homeservices Real Estate.

I look forward to a wonderful 2020!

WORDS WORDS WORDS....

I read an interesting online article by Point2 Homes the other day.  It analyzed the language of 1.2 million listings across the country. 

It appears we say “granite countertops” “Hardwood floors” and “Open floor plan” a lot.  So either we’re all really boring writers (which is a possibility) or these are buzz words in the market place.   Who doesn’t want “natural light”

But all of this though about words really made me start to think about the words we use in our everyday life.  The words we use with our co-workers, our clients, our spouses and especially our children.

If words like “open floor plan” can get someone to physically drive to a home to take a look at it, how much more powerful are simple words like “good job”, “I appreciate you” and the old stand bys that never goes out of fashion…please and thank you.

We’re living in a world where it’s been easy to hide behind our keyboards and say whatever we want. It’s like people feel empowered to lash out without thought or  care for those around them  So maybe, in honor of the month of February…you know…hearts and flowers…maybe it’s time to be just a little bit old fashion…please?

Thank you.....  And don’t stop getting excited about those duel sinks

Do you remember a few months ago all everyone could talk about was the upcoming “recession” of 2020.  It seemed to dominate the news cycles and prognosticators were popping out of the woodwork to warn us all how the sky was falling and we needed to prepare ourselves.  Well, it seems like the majority of economists out there have now changed their tune.  I want to read you three quotes I got from Keeping Current Matters:

 The Wall Street Journal:

The US expansion, now in its 11^th year, will continue through the 2020 presidential election with a healthy labor market backing it up, economists say>

 CNBC quoting Golman Sachs:

Just months after almost everyone on Wall Street worried that a recession was just around the corner, Goldman Sachs said a downturn is unlikely over the next several years.  In fact, the firm’s economists stopped just short of saying that the US economy is recession-proof

Barron’s:

When Barron’s gathers some of Wall Street’s best minds – as we do every January for our annual roundtable – we expect some consensus, some disagreement…But the 10 veteran investors and economists who convened in New York on January 6^th at Barron’s offices agree that there’s almost no chance of recession this year.

 So with all of that said, news syndicates will turn out the most exciting stories, you should save for a rainy day.  Interest rates are low and it’s a great time to buy or sell a home…especially in the Pacific Northwest.

 Have a great day.

You’ve all probably heard the real estate saying:   Location, Location, Location.  I want to talk a little about that with you today.

When looking for a new home, the first thing you’re going to do is write out a wants and needs list. With that list, Think about what’s important regarding the location?  Is it your commute to work, maybe the school district, or possibly proximity to your social circle.  Where do neighborhood amenities fit into your list.  Is a high walking score important to you or do you want to feel away from it all?  Have these discussions with everyone involved with the purchase.  You may not agree, but at least you’ll know where everyone stands.

You need to speak to a lender to get preapproved.  Online calculators are fine for a ball park idea, but that ballpark is HUGE and if you’re getting serious, you need to go through the process and get preapproved. 

When looking at a neighborhood, notice the things you won’t be able to change.  Does it have easy access to major thoroughfares?  Are there noise pollutants nearby (airports, freeways, things like that).  Where’s the closest grocery store? 

Have open and honest communication with your Realtor about your priorities and concerns.  This will help them in showing you homes in neighborhoods that best fit your needs.

Don’t be afraid to stalk neighborhoods.  Check them out at different times of day and night.  You want to make sure you feel comfortable and safe.

If schools were your high value item check out greatschools.com

If the walk score is important to you check out walkscore.com  .         And remember, your Realtor is your partner in this process.