New Lifestyle Vision Guide!

It’s time to create your 2019 lifestyle! Let your imagination run wild with my gift to you. Get a free Lifestyle Vision guide here.

Lifestyle Vision Guide 

Clock Hour Video Class!! Press and Record!

Guess what, I'm also now a licensed Real Estate Instructor and I'm teaching my first class about making a video on your phone December 6th from 9:30 am - 12:30 pm.

Content will include best practices of shooting engaging video and also include helpful information such as editing video and types of video that you might shoot for your audience. I'll also talk about how to market your video.


It will be held at:

Windermere Wall Street office
2420 2nd Ave,
Seattle 98121.

Parking is available at 3rd and Wall (we'll give you a parking pass). Cost is $25 for 3 clock hours. You can pay at this link.

PAY FOR CLASS HERE.

I hope to see you there.

Should I Sell My Home Now or Wait Until Spring?

Should I sell my home now or wait until spring? This is a common question among sellers. There are certainly advantages to selling now rather than waiting.

The Seattle housing market has been difficult for buyers for several years. There was so much competition for very few homes, that buyers got burned out. They were exhausted by making offers and not getting the house they had counted on. The market has changed and we're seeing more buyers in the market again. One of the differences with a more normal market, is buyers are taking longer to make a decision as well as having home inspections done and seeing more homes before they make an offer. This is to your advantage. Many of these buyers will wait until spring but many are tired of waiting and they want to buy a new home now. There is traditionally less competition for homes in the winter and buyers are ready to make that move.

Mortgage rates are also usually better in the winter. With record low rates for many years, we're seeing the interest rates start to rise and we do expect that trend to continue. Again, a strong reason to consider selling now.

One other important thing to remember is houses are bought and sold every day of the year. Good agents want to help you buy and sell in all seasons. This is a great time to sell and a great time to buy. Give me a call and I'd love to talk about it.

HQ2 and Amazon and Seattle Housing

Many of us here in Seattle have been waiting for the news about the new HQ2 for Amazon. The bigger question has been how it will impact Seattle housing costs. Now that the locations have been announced, it appears that Seattle housing will probably not be impacted in the near future. Both New York and Virginia have housing costs that are equal to the Seattle area and both areas also have state income taxes as well as high corporate taxes. Most current employees will not be moving for cheaper housing. The real draw in both cases is most likely the access to talent. In Seattle Amazon has 8,200 jobs listed but there were only 3.200 people in King County actively searching for jobs. Amazon is still hiring here in Seattle and is planning to continue expanding in Seattle and in Bellevue.

The good news about the housing here in Seattle continues to be more inventory and dropping prices. We're starting to see a more balanced market and this will make a better market for buyers in the new year.

It's That Time Again!

Hey folks, it's that time again. yes, I'm talking about fall maintenance.

So what do you usually do when you get ready for fall and winter? Do you pick up your yard, put tools away trim trees?  Sometimes it can feel overwhelming and you don't really know where to start.

I found this great list from the National Realtors Association that will help me make plans and schedule my projects. I think my first project will be to check the chimney.  I do love a good fire for atmosphere and taking the chill off a room. What will your first chore be?

Staging Your For Sale Home

If you've been looking for a new home to buy, no doubt you've been in lots of homes already. Did you think about how you felt about the house when you walked in? Do you know why you liked or didn't like that home? Curb appeal is certainly a contributing factor but how about the furnishings.

A homeowner who is selling their home wants to appeal to as many people as they can. How can you do this in your home? The easiest way to help those potential buyers "move in" to your home is by removing your personal belongings. Help those buyers envision this house, as the perfect home for them, the one they've always wanted to lived in. You don't want to sell the house with your "lived in" look but instead, stage your home with neutral belongings. A staging professional will remove the clutter and create the sense of a warm, inviting atmosphere.

This is a good time to appeal to the emotions of a home and the neighborhood. Who will most likely buy your home? Is it a single person living in the city or is more likely to be a growing family? Maybe it will be a couple or friends so think about how your home fits into the neighborhood.

Fresh paint, designer furniture and accessories meant to appeal to the perfect buyer will enhance your homes appeal. This is a best reason to use a staging professional when you sell your home.

Remember that you can control the message your home displays to potential buyers. Make it the best that you can and let's chat about the benefits of using a staging professional.  ~ D. Lisa

Changing Market Conditions!

The market has changed in Seattle. We're not number one any more and for most of us, that's just fine. The slowdown brings us back to conditions that are closer to a balanced market although we're not there yet. A normal balanced market includes 6 months inventory and currently we have 2 1/2 months. That's far better the what we've had for several years. The median sales price is up but NWMLS is showing that we have 23% more listings than this time last year. This trend is predicted to continue. I'll keep an eye on things and keep you updated. Stay tuned.

Are you Thinking About Selling?

Are you thinking about selling your home? If and when you are, there are several things that will not help you sell your hme.

Don't over improve.
While you're sprucing up your home for sale you will make a greater return on your investment if you do make some changes like updating appliances or replacing broken cabinets in a bathroom. Remember to not over-improve however. Finishing a space to your taste with color or function will probably not bring bring the return that you're looking for.

Don't over decorate,
Choose neutral colors and schemes, to appeal to the greatest number of potential buyers. Pink and lace may not make the impression that you would like.

Don't hang around.
You will want the buyers to imagine themselves living in the space so don't hang around when your home is getting shown to potential buyers. Leave and take the dog and the kids with you! You'll make buyers uncomfortable if they think you're watching and making judgements while they're in your home.

Don't take things personally. 
Remember that selling a home is personal for you but real estate is a business. Don't be offended when you get a low offer or the buyer asks for money to replace carpets.

If you would like to talk more about getting your home ready to sell, please give me a call or send me an email. I'd love to chat!

Fire Safety and Property Protection

At this time of year we usually don't have much rain and the ground and trees are dry. This increases the chance of fires. For the last couple of years, we also have been plagued with smokey skies and poor air quality. It's a reminder that we need to be vigilant and do what we can to protect our property.

One of the most important items on your checklist will be what wildfire protection experts call a "defensible space" in order to create the most protection that you can during this dry season. Brush and debris are a hazard at this time of year so using a zone system will help you create a safer place.

Zone 1

30 feet from any structure is the first zone of protection. Remove all dead vegetation, dry leaves and pine needles and remove any branches that hang over your roof.  Clean your gutters and have your trees pruned regularly to keep all branches at least 10 feet from other trees. Remember to clean under decks and keep foliage away from your house.

Zone 2

Within 100 feet of buildings, cut or mow the grass down to four inches or shorter. Remove fallen leaves, branches, cones and bark. On trees, remove branches at lease six feet from the ground.

Smoke Alarms

Make certain that all smoke alarms are in working order.

Fire Escape Route

Have an escape plan in place. Know how you're getting out and review plans with all family members including young children.

We all hope that we never have to deal with fire in our lives but being prepared, will make for the best possible outcome if we do have a fire. 

Who Lives in Seattle?

We have certainly seen many changes in Seattle in the past few years. The tech industry and growth of Amazon as well as many other companies  both tech and healthcare has created a population explosion and housing challenge for all of us here. Oh yes, and don't forget about the traffic problems.

The latest reports however show that Seattle is reaching some of it's density and transportation goals for downtown.

This infographic demonstrates how our commuters got downtown last year. This is certainly good news for other folks on the road as well as good news for the environment and downtown congestion.



Since 2010 downtown Seattle has added more than 60,000 new jobs.  We will certainly need more housing and will be grateful to have the new light rail links completed.

Here's to Seattle of the future!