Color of the Year 2020

Did  you know that there is more than one color of the year? Twenty years ago the Pantone Color Institute began the tradition that is ubiquitous in the paint industry. Of course they don't really know at the beginning of the year what that will be but their prediction is based on what they see happening in the world and what's happening in retail and the lifestyle trends of influencers on social media.

Pantone will not release their pick until later in the year, Behr, Benjamin Moore and Sherwin and Williams have release their picks. They believe these colors will reflect the year ahead.

Behar's has chosen a green shade called "Back to Nature" which reflects the world of the great outdoors.

Benjamin Moor's selection is a soft pick called "First Light" because they keep seeing it this color pop up in their travels.

Sherwin Williams's color for 2020 is called "Naval" and is a calming color and always looks good.

It will be interesting to see what colors we spot in homes being listed for sale in 2020.

An Update to SR 99 Tunnel

For months we have been watching and hearing about the removal of the Alaskan Way viaduct and the new SR 99 tunnel. After using the tunnel for a few months, it's now time to start the tolling process. If you want to know more about that process, here is a great video from  WSDOT that will provide more information.

Commission Update from Northwest Multiple Listing Association

Recently there was an article published in the Seattle Times about the changing commission information. The article implied that you might save some money buying a home in Seattle. You can read the article here: Buying A Home In Seattle


Well, Katherine got some things correct but not all. This will not make home buying cheaper. It will simply publish what buyers agents get paid. Everyone sees these numbers in their paperwork when they buy a home anyway, it's not a secret.


What isn't obvious when buyers and sellers see how much we get paid is how much it costs us to be in business. The brokerage usually gets 1/2 of the commission, for example.

Alexa or Google Home

Many people I know have either an Amazon Alexa device or a Google Home device. The people that  own one of these devices also varies by age. I know there are all sorts of integrated apps that you can use with either device,  but I'm just beginning to learn how many seniors have one and how useful these devices can be.

You can use them to play games, check the weather, find your cell phone, get encouragement, turn on lights, medication reminders and more. One of the most intriguing to me is the Ask My Buddy skill. By setting up this feature to work with your device, if you need help you can say "Alexa, ask my buddy to send help" and your contacts will receive alerts. This is not a substitute for calling 911 but would be helpful if you can call out but are unable to reach your phone for a text or a call.

Here is a link to the directions to set up this app if you're interested. Ask My Buddy helpful instructions.  

Amazon Spheres

 Amateurs, employees and King5, and more all love to show and talk about  photos of the Amazon Spheres here in Seattle. They are amazing structures and make a fun field trip for out of town visitors. 

The idea behind the spheres is to create a space where employees and nature can co-exist. They do house over 40,000 plants from over 30 countries. 

You can visit the spheres on two Saturdays a month. You do need a reservation that can be made by using this line Amazon Spheres Reservation

Check it out, I think you'll find it fascinating. 

Q2 Seattle Metro Real Estate

Q2 Seattle metro real estate numbers closed where the trends suggested. While available inventory continues to tic upwards, average sales price declined 7%. This is further evidence that our market continues to moderate from the frenzied pace of the past 5+ years.

ADU's and the City of Seattle

In 1988 when I bought a house that was previously a duplex (after WW2 Seattle eased housing restrictions to allow apartments in homes, as there was a housing shortage then). In the 80's and 90's Seattle cracked down on the "illegal' MIL apartments, and I had a hard time getting two garbage cans and two recycling bins so my tenant and I could have separate cans. The city came to "inspect' the house and the regulation was you could have a family member live in your apartment in your home, not a stranger, so there must be an interior staircase connecting the two units and if there was a second kitchen, there could be no stove, in fact the city made me remove my range/oven.

fast forward to now: OK to have both a MIL and a backyard cottage, and OH! they can cook while they live in your basement or backyard...

For more information on this current Seattle regulation, here is a article that was published recently by Curbed Seattle