What I’m Seeing – April 2020
I hope everyone is well and making the best of staying home. As with everything during this time, real estate is changing and evolving as we go. Governor Inslee recently deemed real estate as an essential service, so long as required precautions are followed. Showings are by appointment only and with a total of 2 people in the home at a time, including the agent. I feel fortunate to be able to work and I take the protection of my clients and the public very seriously.
In terms of the market, although the pace has slowed a bit, well-presented and appropriately priced homes continue to sell quickly, sometimes with more than one offer. That said, the buyer pool has understandably shrunk, decreasing the previously intense demand and creating an opportunity for serious buyers looking to take advantage of less competition and favorable interest rates.
As always, I’m here to help, please don’t hesitate to reach out with questions. In the meantime, stay safe and be well. Home has never been a more meaningful place to be.
BY THE NUMBERS
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EASTSIDE | SEATTLE | KING COUNTY | SNOHOMISH COUNTY |
6 Home Improvement Projects To Tackle If You’re Stuck At Home Practicing Social Distancing
The American Dream TV
Join Sheri Puzke as she partners with American Dream TV, a nation show who’s goal is to positively impact real estate communities through the voice of top realtors.
EPISODE 1: MACADAM FLOOR & DESIGN
In this episode, I had the opportunity to chat with Micheal Owen of Macadam Floor & Design and take a look at some of the beautiful finishes they offer for buyers and consumers of new construction to outfit their new homes.
WATCH THE FULL AMERICAN DREAM EPISODE
EPISODE 2: THE POLKADOT JERSEY BIKE SHOP
In this episode, I had the opportunity to chat with the owner of The Polkadot Jersey Bike Shop, Micheal Telmosse and explored the popular Seattle neighborhood, Leschi. Perched on a hill just east of Downtown Seattle, Leschi boasts lush parks, boutique shops, charming local restaurants and stunning waterfront views in this idyllic lake location.
WATCH THE FULL AMERICAN DREAM EPISODE
Designing Your Home Office
Working from home is an aspiration for many of us, but to do so effectively takes effort. A disorganized space at home can be just as troublesome as a hectic office. The most disciplined telecommuters will tell you that you need a structured routine and organization in order to be successful.
Having a designated workspace is one of the most important elements to your success when you make the switch to telecommuting. Even if you live in a small space, you need to find a balance between home and office. People who work from home often have a difficult time separating their work hours from their non-work hours because it’s so easy to keep at it late into the night. But maintaining a balance and shutting down the computer is important for overall wellbeing. What are some other must-haves for a successful home office? Here are the top five:
- Natural Light – Study upon study tells us that natural light is needed to boost productivity and mood. Make sure to set your desk up as close to a window as you can. If being near a window isn’t an option, a natural light lamp is the next best thing. It helps balance your body clock and leaves you feeling rested and refreshed.
- To-Do List or Planner – Start each day off by making a to-do list outlining what you need to get done before the end of the workday. Make sure to set a realistic time frame in which all of that should be completed, so you can check each one off the list and feel immense accomplishment once you’ve completed them all.
- Storage – If you have a big enough space, put in a large bookshelf where you can organize everything (think storage boxes). It reduces clutter and looks stylish. Using your walls and cabinetry is the most efficient use of space.
- Calendar – Many people tend to rely on digital calendars these days because of their convenience. When all of your devices sync together and pop up with reminders, you never have to worry about missing an appointment. However, many people find that it helps to keep a paper calendar handy too so you can easily view your whole month at a glance. Choose which options works best for you by playing with both options, or something in between and see which one lets you be more productive with the least amount of stress.
- Space for Inspiration – It doesn’t matter what field you work in, having a source of inspiration in your workspace is essential. Whether it’s a photo of your family, your dream car, or that vacation you’ve been dying to take, having that inspiration right in front of you provides a constant reminder of why you do what you do.
This post originally appeared on the Windermere.com Blog.
What I’m Seeing – March 2020
Naturally the most frequent question I’m getting lately is about how the coronavirus is impacting our local market. So far, traffic remains brisk and multiple offers with escalations continue for well-presented listings. Savvy buyers are taking advantage of the increased buying power that historically low interest rates afford. Investors looking for a reprieve from stock market volatility are also looking to real estate for stability. Inventory remains extremely tight and demand strong. My advice to my Sellers is to proceed as planned. We are taking appropriate preventive measures by providing hand washing stations at my listings and cleaning surfaces for open houses. As we are all aware, the situation is evolving rapidly.
I am monitoring real estate activity closely and welcome your questions – please don’t hesitate to reach out to me!
BY THE NUMBERS
Click the images below to download your neighborhood’s recent real estate figures!
EASTSIDE | SEATTLE | KING COUNTY | SNOHOMISH COUNTY |
What I’m Seeing – February 2020
Interest rates dropped again prompting buyers to leap off the fence resulting in multiple offers for well-priced, turnkey properties. Sellers – this is your sweet spot! Inventory is increasing daily but we are still far short of meeting buyer demand. Savvy sellers are rushing to get their homes on market and take advantage of this seasonal opportunity. I have some great listings with more in the pipeline – call me or stop by my open houses to check them out!
BY THE NUMBERS
Click the images below to download your neighborhood’s recent real estate figures!
EASTSIDE | SEATTLE | KING COUNTY | SNOHOMISH COUNTY |
Eastside 2020 Growth Forecast
Another banner year for the region has brought tremendous prosperity across a breadth of industries, a wealth of new jobs, flourishing tourism, and the welcoming of several large businesses into our cities.
So, how is the Eastside poised to begin a new decade? Will this growth continue? To find out, 425 Business ditched the crystal ball and talked to Eastside movers and shakers across myriad industries to find out what they believe the year ahead holds.
Residential Real Estate
The Eastside residential real estate market is going to experience significant growth in the next few years. Amazon, Google, Facebook, and other tech giants are rapidly expanding their footprint to the Eastside. Thousands of tech workers relocating to this area, along with new hires for supporting businesses (such as retail and restaurants), will greatly increase the demand for housing. This year, almost half of the buyers who walked through my open houses were relatively new in town.
Condos under $750,000 and single-family homes under $1.5 million will sell very quickly if they are in good condition and priced right. Also, homes with easy access to public transit and future light rail stations will become more and more desirable. Areas in and near downtown Bellevue and downtown Kirkland will still be the hottest submarkets because they are job centers with superb amenities.
– Mei Yang, global real estate adviser and broker at Realogics Sotheby’s International Reality
Commercial Real Estate
(The current) cycle exhibits some significantly different conditions from those that precipitated the “thrift crisis” of the ’80s; the dot-com bust of the ’90s; or, certainly, the “Great Recession” of the last decade. Interest rates are lower, equity is plentiful, and expectations for return on equity across all asset classes are significantly less expensive.
Federal taxes and punitive regulations are generally lower (unfortunately, we can’t say that about state and local), and corporate earnings are remarkably strong (yes, with a few notable exceptions) despite tariffs and turmoil. Perhaps most important is the fact that employers across all sectors are scrambling to attract workers and have tens of thousands more openings to be filled.
My belief is that real estate economics is pretty simple — it’s all about employment. If you have healthy job creation, everything works. It attracts more residents who need housing, businesses that need more lawyers and accountants, kiddos who need teachers, demand for groceries, and so on. Conversely, if employment flattens or falls, the economy constricts.
Bottom line: If you can tell me when Eastside employers are going to quit hiring or start laying off, I’ll tell you when commercial real estate on the Eastside is going to suffer. Until then, land prices and rents on existing buildings will continue to rise, and developers will race to provide the office, apartment, and retail space to support the growth.
– Robert Wallace, CEO of Wallace Properties
Transportation
Bellevue has a ton of local transportation improvements on tap for 2020 that will make travel safer and easier for thousands of residents. But we’re also excited about the work we’re doing with our regional partners. It has the potential to benefit hundreds of thousands of people in the coming years and will be a big boon for transportation options on the Eastside.
Bellevue and Kirkland are working with King County Metro on a new RapidRide K Line that will connect the Eastgate Park & Ride in Bellevue to the Totem Lake Transit Center in Kirkland starting in 2025. And King County Parks is working with several Eastside cities on Eastrail, a regional pedestrian and bicycle path.
On the roads side, the state Department of Transportation will break ground in 2020 on the I-405 Renton to Bellevue Widening and Express Toll Lanes project. It will add capacity, boost transit options, and improve safety on one of the most congested stretches of highway in the state.
– Andrew Singelakis, transportation director for the City of Bellevue
Healthcare
Next year, I see healthcare in general (and EvergreenHealth) placing an increased emphasis on access — both in the traditional sense and through innovative alternatives. The ever-permeating digital age provides care for patients through new approaches with even greater creativity and efficiency. We also will have the increased benefit of effective solutions, possible through new sources of data analysis and other breakthroughs.
As always, we’ll collectively prepare for the needs of an expanding senior population, offering valuable services to help them sustain their well-being and healthy, active lifestyles.
Finally, we are committed to collaborating with our schools and others, supporting care for students with behavioral health issues.
– Jeffrey J. Tomlin, CEO of EvergreenHealth
Tourism
Bellevue and the Eastside’s tourism and hospitality industry is positioned for continued growth. Demand is projected to increase due to the growing corporate presence on the Eastside, a strong consumer economy, healthy airline capacity, and popularity in the Pacific Northwest as a destination. In recent years, the Puget Sound region has seen significant hotel supply increases, which have caused property rates and occupancy to level out, but we are hopeful that this additional demand will offset the recent inventory surge.
As a whole, travel growth in large technology markets like San Francisco, San Jose, Seattle, and Vancouver have recently slowed, compared with previous years. With that said, many business travelers now book rooms and visitor experiences outside of the large city centers — which positions areas like Bellevue and the Eastside well for 2020 and beyond.
– Brad Jones, executive director of Visit Bellevue Washington
Technology
(Next year) is the year that cybersecurity will turn inside-out. Malware, ransomware, and phishing attacks are all significantly on the rise, and (historically) 61 percent of data breach victims have been small businesses. These businesses can no longer rely on legacy tools like antivirus and networks that only protect them at the office.
Security must go mobile and leave traditional technologies behind. It’s also time to eliminate SMS-based authentication in favor of hardware keys that support Universal Two Factor authentication.
– Riley Eller, chief technology officer at Rubica
Legal
We expect the rapid growth of technology companies of all sizes based on the Eastside or expanding their operations to the Eastside to continue, many of which will be focused on intelligent connectivity, including 5G, AI, IoT, and Quantum computing. With that, we expect to see more regulatory attention on consumer privacy and data usage.
This regulatory attention will increase the demand for legal service providers, especially those who have a stake in the Eastside community and a desire for more personal interaction with their clients.
– Barry Stulberg, counsel, and Carly Chan, associate, Davis Wright Tremaine’s Bellevue Office
Finance
Eastside residents and business owners should have a plan in place for when times are good and when times are bad, regardless of the Federal Reserve’s actions. The Fed cut rates by 25 basis points, to 1.5 percent (from) 1.75 percent. This means that the Fed is helping prolong the economic expansion. The Fed is not expected to reduce rates further in the coming year, barring a recession. However, consumer confidence fell for a third straight month (as of Nov. 1), and consumers have not shown signs of slowing down.
Fed rate cuts to prop up an otherwise-slowing global economy generally mean that they are prolonging the inevitable — a recession. However, the bigger effect is to Americans saving for later. Because of low interest rates, American consumers are forced to take on more risk than necessary to make their money work for them. It would be prudent to include in one’s portfolio insurance and real estate to complement their investment portfolio.
Because of the technology industry and the various Silicon Valley companies coming into the Seattle-Eastside area, our economy will not be as affected as other economies when we experience a recession.
Clients at local technology companies have indicated that hiring has slowed down, and jobs that were eliminated aren’t being replaced with new workers. This can mean they are bracing for a possible recession or slowdown in the economy.
Consumer confidence is still not at a level where they are pulling back from spending; this explains why housing is still strong in the area and consumers are stretching their budget to buy into a hot real estate market.
Restaurants in the area are feeling the effects of a low interest rate environment, which generally follows inflation of raw materials and commodities. It is evident in the exorbitant prices we are experiencing when we go out to eat.
– Tony Sablan, wealth manager at Eagle Strategies LLC
This article was originally posted on 425 Business.
What I’m Seeing – January 2020
2020 is off to a great start! We normally see a bit of a lull in January, but my open house traffic is already up significantly this month. In particular, I’m seeing heightened activity in the “affordable” range (under $1M). Extremely tight inventory and excellent rates are motivating buyers off the fence in what is shaping up to be a brisk Spring market. Buyers – it’s critical to get pre-approved before starting your search so you are shopping within your budget and are ready to offer when the perfect home comes along. Reach out to me for a referral to a trusted loan officer. Sellers – timing is everything! To plan ahead for the Spring market, contact me now for a complimentary listing consultation.
BY THE NUMBERS
Click the images below to download your neighborhood’s recent real estate figures!
EASTSIDE | SEATTLE | KING COUNTY | SNOHOMISH COUNTY |