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Should you renovate your house before selling? Well, unfortunately, there is not a one-size-fits-all answer to this question! And, why? Because it depends on many factors. For instance, it depends mostly on your home's and the market's conditions. Then, it also depends on whether you want to sell it fast or whether you want to sell it for the highest price possible.&nbsp;&nbsp;If you do decide to relocate your home before selling, you will have to be ready to invest a lot of time, energy, money, and nerves into it! And, you will have to be prepared to do a lot of research to see what renovations will bring the most bang for your buck.&nbsp;&nbsp;Finding out the answer to this question is difficult, but it is far from impossible! Especially as you have us to help you out. So, keep reading to help yourself find answers to some of your 'selling' questions.&nbsp;&nbsp;What Renovations Are Worth Doing?Without a doubt, if you want to sell your house fast and for the best price possible, you should make it look its best. Sometimes, that means renovating. But, what renovations are worth doing? That is, what renovations will get your money's worth?&nbsp;&nbsp;According to the real estate specialists or the <a href="https://seattlehouses.com/articles/8-reasons-to-hire-an-agent-when-selling-your-home-in-seattle" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">real estate agent you hired to help you sell your home</a>, the only renovations worth doing are the small ones! For instance, you should fix the following:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<div><ul><li>Leaking faucets, showers, toilets&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Repainting the interior&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Fix cracks and scratches on the walls and floors&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Fix loose tiles and floorboards&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Reapply tile grout&nbsp;&nbsp;</li></ul></div><div style="text-align: start">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: start">It is all about the details! Be sure that making these small and inexpensive changes will make a lot of difference when the time comes to welcome potential buyers.&nbsp;&nbsp; </div><div style="text-align: start">What Renovations Are an Absolute Must?</div><div style="text-align: start">The previously mentioned small renovations are something you should do to show that you care about the house you are selling. They are something every buyer will appreciate. But, at the end of the day, they are not a must - they are just your goodwill.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: start">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: start"><div>However, some renovations are an absolute must. If you don't do them, well, the chances of you selling your house are relatively low. Those are things such as:&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div><ul><li>Leaking roof&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Bowing walls&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Pest infestations&nbsp;&nbsp;</li></ul></div></div><div style="text-align: start"><div><ul><li>Structural cracks&nbsp;&nbsp;</li></ul></div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>Homes with these problems are not safe to live in. And because of that, buyers will not even consider them. Thus, do your best to fix all the severe issues your house has before putting it on the market. But, don't do this by yourself - it can be pretty dangerous! Instead, hire a home inspector and then a contractor!&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div></div><div> Moreover, it is also worth mentioning that, when selling your house, you need to look at your neighbors&nbsp;and their homes. When buying a house, buyers will look for homes that fit the neighborhood's&nbsp;description. For instance, if the whole area is into sustainable living, your home must also be a part of that. Thus, find some <a href="https://www.getmovedtoday.com/simple-and-sustainable-home-improvement-ideas/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">eco-friendly ideas to follow</a> if you want to consider sustainable home improvement ideas when renovating.&nbsp;&nbsp; </div></div><div style="text-align: start"><div>What Doesn't Need to Be Renovated?</div><div>Now that you know what needs to be renovated let us tell you what doesn't. This list is a lot longer. And, it is longer for a good reason - most house renovations will not bring back your money or help you sell your house faster. So, avoid doing the following:&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div><ul><li>Renovating the entire kitchen&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Renovating all the bathrooms&nbsp;</li></ul></div></div><div style="text-align: start"><div><ul><li>Adding an extra bathroom&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Custom-made furniture&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Making the master bedroom deluxe&nbsp;</li></ul></div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>Some areas of the house are better left unfinished! Just think about it - you can spend $10,000 on renovating your kitchen, just for the future buyer to tell you that it doesn't suit their style. Buyers will most likely redecorate everything once they move in, so there is no point in you making expensive upgrades. So, if you were wondering <a href="https://seattlehouses.com/articles/what-to-do-with-an-unfinished-basement" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">what to do with your unfinished basement</a> - the answer is NOTHING. Leave it undone. Leave it to buyers to do whatever they want, and leave it to them to add their own personal touches.&nbsp; </div></div><div style="text-align: start">Details Count!?&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: start">As previously mentioned - it is all about the small details. But, this time, we are not talking about making minor and essential upgrades. This time, we are talking about details that will show all the potential buyers how loved your house is.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: start">Whether you should renovate your house before selling is debatable, as you have seen by now. But, doing things such as thoroughly cleaning each and every corner of your home, decluttering and organizing everything, staging, etc., is never debatable. Believe it or not - making your house presentable with cleaning, decluttering, and staging can increase its overall value by up to 9%. So, don't make <a href="https://seattlehouses.com/articles/my-dumbest-real-estate-move" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">the dumbest real estate move</a> and not do this before listing your home.&nbsp;&nbsp; </div><div style="text-align: start">Can You Sell a House As-Is?</div><div style="text-align: start">As you have seen, in some cases, it is better to renovate your house before selling, and in some, it's not. Ultimately, it all comes down to what is truly important when <a href="https://seattlehouses.com/sell" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">selling your home</a> and why you're doing it. At the end of the day, know that if you don't have enough time, energy, and money to devote to renovations, it is okay not to do them.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: start"></div><div style="text-align: start">If you are in a hurry, that is, if you want to sell your house fast, you can always sell it as-is. But, don't expect to get the highest price possible for it. Investors or potential buyers will want to negotiate the price, so be prepared for that.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: start">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: start">If you are still unsure whether you should renovate your house before selling, consider talking to a home inspector or, even better, a local real estate agent. This kind of agent knows your market well and will be able to advise you on what is worth changing and what is not.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div>

Should You Renovate Your House Before Selling 

If you are thinking about purchasing a place where you'll go to relax and recharge, you must consider many crucial factors. A vacation home is not only a place where you go to spend some time in peace with your family and friends. It's also a worthy investment. Therefore, it's necessary to&nbsp;consider all critical matters before buying a vacation home. This guide will help you make the best buying decision that will benefit you in the long run.&nbsp;<div class="se-component se-image-container __se__float-start" contenteditable="false"><figure style="margin: auto; width: 1px;"><img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" data-origin=",20" alt="" data-proportion="true" data-size="1px,20px" data-align="start" data-file-name="yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" data-file-size="0" origin-size="1,1" style="width: 1px; height: 20px;" data-index="0"></figure></div> <div class="se-component se-image-container __se__float-start" contenteditable="false"><figure style="margin: auto; width: 485px;"><img src="https://20514715.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/20514715/undefined.png" alt="pastedGraphic.png" data-origin="485," data-proportion="true" data-size="485px,301px" data-align="start" data-file-name="undefined.png" data-file-size="0" origin-size="451,301" style="width: 485px; height: 301px;" data-index="1"></figure></div> &nbsp;There are many things to consider before buying a vacation home&nbsp;The location of your vacation home is crucial&nbsp;Do you dream about a movie-like vacation home tucked in the mountains or beside the beach?&nbsp;As much as these locations seem appealing, they aren't as convenient in reality. If it takes you hours to drive to your vacation home, rest assured you'll soon grow bored of it. Your vacation home doesn't have to be that far to be close to natural areas. That's why it's good to&nbsp;explore the locations&nbsp;and find the best one. Use this checklist to help you determine if the location is ideal for your future vacation place:&nbsp;<ul><li>Community</li><li>Proximity to the grocery store</li><li>Safety&nbsp;</li><li>Distance from your home</li><li>Proximity to the nature</li></ul> Make sure your home follows your aesthetics&nbsp;&nbsp;When a space where you are resting follows your lifestyle, it's much easier to enjoy it. However, try to make your vacation home different from your actual home. Opt for a more neutral color scheme that includes beige, taupe, light gray, wood, or other neutral colors. You can also add a touch of your favorite bright colors to spice up the place. Just make sure not to overdo it.&nbsp;&nbsp;Opt for comfy furniture in complementary colors. Comfort is everything when it comes to vacation houses. Add just enough souvenirs and pictures. Generally,&nbsp;a slightly minimalistic approach is highly recommended when furnishing vacation homes.&nbsp;<div class="se-component se-image-container __se__float-start" contenteditable="false"><figure style="margin: auto; width: 451px;"><img src="https://20514715.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/20514715/undefined-2.png" alt="pastedGraphic_1.png" data-origin="," data-proportion="true" data-size="451px,301px" data-align="start" data-file-name="undefined-2.png" data-file-size="0" origin-size="451,301" style="width: 451px; height: 301px;" data-index="2"></figure></div> Make your vacation home pleasant&nbsp;Home improvements will be necessary at some point&nbsp;Your new vacation place won’t be as picturesque as in the beginning. Roof repairs, changing floors, doors, windows, etc., will be required when necessary. If you want to have a pleasant time in your new home, be ready to spend extra money on future&nbsp;<a href="https://www.seattlehouses.com/_hcms/analytics/search/conversion?redirect=aHR0cDovL3d3dy5zZWF0dGxlaG91c2VzLmNvbS9ibG9nL3RoZS1iZXN0LXJlbnRhbC11cGdyYWRlcw%253D%253D&amp;ct=SEARCH&amp;pid=20514715&amp;cid=75382984571&amp;t=cmVub3ZhdGU%253D&amp;d=www.seattlehouses.com&amp;c=2&amp;c=3&amp;c=6&amp;rp=2&amp;ab=false&amp;opcid=&amp;rs=UNKNOWN&amp;hs-expires=1687553705&amp;hs-version=1&amp;hs-signature=APUk-v7w09wr2m03rrfzMAMm-PXZCatgBw">property upgrades</a>&nbsp;that'll be necessary to make. That said, saving some money aside for future refurbishments is desirable. That way, you'll be ready for unanticipated repair work.&nbsp;&nbsp;Hire a realtor and interior designer&nbsp;An experienced realtor can help you&nbsp;<a href="https://www.seattlehouses.com/search-results">find the best property</a>&nbsp;for the type of vacation home you have in mind. In addition, you can get the best deal. Realtors are patient professionals who know the market very well. Listen to them if they advise you to wait for about a month or two. Their guidance will save you lots of headaches and money.&nbsp;&nbsp;Once you purchase a perfect place for vacationing, hire an interior designer to help you come up with refurbishing ideas. That way, you’ll easily&nbsp;personalize your newly-bought place&nbsp;and make it homey. A vacation home should be a long-term investment&nbsp;&nbsp;Purchasing real estate should be a long-term investment. For example, you could sell or rent your vacation home at some point. For many,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.seattlehouses.com/blog/owning-rental-properties-in-2022-is-it-worth-it">owning a rental place</a>&nbsp;is a perfect passive income. However, remember that you must go through a lengthy procedure to make the home rentable within the legal frames.&nbsp;&nbsp;<div class="se-component se-image-container __se__float-start" contenteditable="false"><figure style="margin: auto; width: 451px;"><img src="https://20514715.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/20514715/undefined-1.png" alt="pastedGraphic_2.png" data-origin="," data-proportion="true" data-size="451px,301px" data-align="start" data-file-name="undefined-1.png" data-file-size="0" origin-size="451,301" style="width: 451px; height: 301px;" data-index="3"></figure></div> Think how far you would like your vacation home to be.&nbsp;Make sure to shop smart&nbsp;&nbsp;Make a budget for your vacation home you’ll stick to, then browse different furniture options. Check discounts, both online and offline stores, and compare product reviews. Remember that&nbsp;comfort is imperative&nbsp;when shopping for a vacation home. You don't have to splurge on brand new fancy sofas or shiny, aesthetically-pleasing kitchen tables. Quality and yet affordable furniture pieces are quite possible to find. If you want something custom-made, pay a visit to a skilled carpenter who can create your ideas for you.&nbsp;&nbsp;Put everything you bought for a vacationing place in storage&nbsp;It takes time to set up your vacation home from top to bottom. First, you have to decide how to furnish and decorate it. Second, you need to go shopping. And finally, you have to&nbsp;put all those items in safe places like storage. Rest assured,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.zippyshellphl.com/reasons-you-need-storage-when-buying-a-second-home/">this is a great solution</a>&nbsp;for keeping your items safe when buying a second home. You can opt for either&nbsp;short-term, portable containers or indoor, climate-controlled storage.&nbsp;Once your vacation home is ready, take the items and move them inside your new home. You can ask the storage company personnel to help you out. Many offer full services for those who are a bit further from storage. They load containers with your items, bring them to a designated location, and unload them for you.&nbsp;Hire a moving company to help you move everything&nbsp;&nbsp;If you decide to move all those items yourself, be sure it'll take you too much time. This is where it helps to have a team of fast and efficient movers who can complete packing and transport for you. So,&nbsp;choose a licensed relocation company you can rely on&nbsp;from the beginning. Browse the internet and pick a few movers with well-rated moving, packing, and storage services. It would be even better if they offered a variety of packing boxes because it would save you plenty of time.&nbsp;&nbsp;Final thoughts&nbsp;The purpose of a vacationing home is to have a relaxing weekend getaway or an entire holiday if you like. Therefore, take time to weigh various options before buying a vacation home. Purchasing a property is generally&nbsp;a process that will bring you long-term satisfaction. It's not a race you ought to complete as fast as possible. Also, try not to get discouraged if it takes longer to find an ideal vacation home. It's better to wait for perfect timing than to rush and regret a hasty buying decision afterward.

Things to Know Before Buying a Vacation Home

<h1 style="text-align: start">Seattle Real Estate Market Update | April 2022</h1><div style="text-align: start">Published by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.seattlehouses.com/blog/author/sach" rel="author">Zach McDonald&nbsp;</a>on&nbsp;Apr 12, 2022 6:30:00 AM</div><div style="text-align: start">In this Seattle Real Estate Market Update, Zach shares a client story, Seattle housing market stats from March 2022, and current applications for buyers and sellers. Check out the video below to learn more:<div class="se-component se-video-container __se__float-" contenteditable="false" style="width: 100%;"><figure style="width: 100%; height: 56.25%; padding-bottom: 56.25%; margin: 0px;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zw_BY9LrCFg?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" data-percentage="100%,56.25%" data-size="100%,56.25%" data-align="" data-index="0" data-file-name="zw_BY9LrCFg?feature=oembed" data-file-size="0" data-origin="100%,56.25%" style="width: 100%; height: 100%;"></iframe></figure></div><div> </div>&nbsp;Seattle &amp; Bellevue both set new median home sales price records last month. In March, we saw more homes listed and mortgage interest rates rise, but the housing market remains extremely competitive.&nbsp;</div>

Seattle Real Estate Market Update | April 2022

<h1 style="text-align: start">We're Live on the Market! Now What?</h1><div style="text-align: start">Published by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.seattlehouses.com/blog/author/laura-petermeyer" rel="author">Laura Petermeyer&nbsp;</a>on&nbsp;Apr 19, 2022 6:30:00 AM</div><div style="text-align: start">All the listing preparation has happened, and now your home is live! Laura Petermeyer and Garrett Brown talk to us about what happens what happens once your listing is online.So much work has gone into the preparation of your home and getting it ready to go to market, and now that you are on the market, what happens next? Laura and Garret go into detail about ongoing marketing, check-ins with sellers, and the negotiation process:<div class="se-component se-video-container __se__float-" contenteditable="false" style="width: 100%;"><figure style="width: 100%; height: 56.25%; padding-bottom: 56.25%; margin: 0px;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oANonIRRyGI?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" data-percentage="100%,56.25%" data-size="100%,56.25%" data-align="" data-index="0" data-file-name="oANonIRRyGI?feature=oembed" data-file-size="0" data-origin="100%,56.25%" style="width: 100%; height: 100%;"></iframe></figure></div><div> </div>&nbsp;To see more of their videos, check out their&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCawiVicmyDaksnComfFqYjQ" rel="noopener">YouTube channel</a></div>

We're Live on the Market! Now What?

<h1 style="text-align: start">Ugly And Uglier</h1><div style="text-align: start">Published by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.seattlehouses.com/blog/author/gordon-stephenson" rel="author">Gordon Stephenson&nbsp;</a>on&nbsp;Apr 26, 2022 6:30:00 AM</div><div style="text-align: start">Originally published May 13, 2008 It’s a constant refrain from a certain segment of our buyers — “go find me a fixer!” Maybe there’s some romance to bringing these things back to life, maybe it’s a fun retirement hobby for some people. Or maybe just too many hours spent watching “<a href="http://www.thisoldhouse.com/">This Old House</a>” and those get-rich-quick and flipper shows.We don’t do many of these anymore, but back when we had the time and inclination, we’d scoop up these hammered fixer homes, restore them, and sell or rent them. It seemed like a good side job to our main job of brokering real estate. Here are some of our projects, before pictures only:<div class="se-component se-image-container __se__float- __se__float-none" contenteditable="false"><figure style="margin: 0px;"><img src="https://www.seattlehouses.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blogs/6803-weedin-pl-ne.jpg" alt="6803-weedin-pl-ne" data-origin="100,451" data-proportion="true" data-size="447px,451px" data-align="" data-file-name="6803-weedin-pl-ne.jpg" data-file-size="0" style="width: 447px; height: 451px;" data-index="0"></figure></div> Weedin Avenue, near Greenlake — This brick tudor had settled about 8? due to the weight of the masonry and the fact that Weedin and Oswego at 68th are essentially built on fill (it’s an old bog).<div class="se-component se-image-container __se__float- __se__float-none" contenteditable="false"><figure style="margin: 0px;"><img src="https://www.seattlehouses.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blogs/2136-front.jpg" alt="2136-front" data-origin="100,451" data-proportion="true" data-size="431px,451px" data-align="" data-file-name="2136-front.jpg" data-file-size="0" style="width: 431px; height: 451px;" data-index="1"></figure></div> East Hamlin — a few steps from MOHAI. Todd Turner, the UW Athletic Director, bought this when the remodel was done. The owner had inherited the house, started letting her kids salvage parts (hardwoods, trim) thinking she’d tear it down and build a new home. Then she got bids for that from her contractor…&nbsp;<div style="margin-left: auto;margin-right: auto"><table><tbody><tr><td><div class="se-component se-image-container __se__float- __se__float-none" contenteditable="false"><figure style="margin: 0px;"><img src="https://www.seattlehouses.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blogs/img_1170.jpg" alt="img_1170" data-origin="100,102" data-proportion="true" data-size="290px,379px" data-align="" data-file-name="img_1170.jpg" data-file-size="0" style="width: 290px; height: 379px;" data-index="2"></figure></div><div> </div></td><td><div class="se-component se-image-container __se__float- __se__float-none" contenteditable="false"><figure style="margin: 0px;"><img src="https://www.seattlehouses.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blogs/img_1171.jpg" alt="img_1171" data-origin="100,102" data-proportion="true" data-size="368px,375px" data-align="" data-file-name="img_1171.jpg" data-file-size="0" style="width: 368px; height: 375px;" data-index="3"></figure></div><div> </div></td></tr></tbody></table></div>501 NE 65th — This guy had lived in the house for over 70 years, and never discarded a thing. There was a 24? aisle from entry, to living room, to bedroom. The rest of it was stacked high with “stuff.” You literally couldn’t see the house from the street for the overgrowth. <div class="se-component se-image-container __se__float- __se__float-none" contenteditable="false"><figure style="margin: 0px;"><img src="https://www.seattlehouses.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blogs/img_1302.jpg" alt="img_1302" data-origin="100,411" data-proportion="true" data-size="593px,411px" data-align="" data-file-name="img_1302.jpg" data-file-size="0" style="width: 593px; height: 411px;" data-index="4"></figure></div> This is on North 50th, across from the Zoo. You can actually hear the lions roar (or is it Aurora?). The hardest part of this remodel was that cool window in the dormer over the living room bay was stolen during the project! We had to have glass custom glazed to replace it.&nbsp; &nbsp;<div class="se-component se-image-container __se__float- __se__float-none" contenteditable="false"><figure style="margin: 0px;"><img src="https://www.seattlehouses.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blogs/img_0372.jpg" alt="img_0372" data-origin="100,355" data-proportion="true" data-size="420px,355px" data-align="" data-file-name="img_0372.jpg" data-file-size="0" style="width: 420px; height: 355px;" data-index="5"></figure></div> Out in Shoreline, this house had been boarded up for years. Really strange. We ended up tearing this one down and are doing townhomes out there (eventually).&nbsp;<div class="se-component se-image-container __se__float- __se__float-none" contenteditable="false"><figure style="margin: 0px;"><img src="https://www.seattlehouses.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blogs/img_0021.jpg" alt="img_0021" data-origin="100,372" data-proportion="true" data-size="421px,372px" data-align="" data-file-name="img_0021.jpg" data-file-size="0" style="width: 421px; height: 372px;" data-index="6"></figure></div> Great house, adjacent to Matthew’s Beach on Lake Washington. The architect who designed all of the north Seattle Windermere offices in the 70’s and 80’s custom built this for himself on a 40? sliver of waterfront. We dubbed it the “cheese wedge” and it took nearly a year to repair all of the water damage and deferred maintenance.&nbsp;<div class="se-component se-image-container __se__float- __se__float-none" contenteditable="false"><figure style="margin: 0px;"><img src="https://www.seattlehouses.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blogs/1231-e-spruce-ne-elev.jpg" alt="1231-e-spruce-ne-elev" data-origin="100,371" data-proportion="true" data-size="416px,371px" data-align="" data-file-name="1231-e-spruce-ne-elev.jpg" data-file-size="0" style="width: 416px; height: 371px;" data-index="7"></figure></div> Triplex on First Hill.&nbsp; Really rough spot across from a juvenile detention center. &nbsp;It’s worth saying that we never made much money doing this, unless we were doing the work during a time when the market appreciated dramatically — and then we didn’t make the money because we we so brilliant at adding value, we made it because the market bailed us out.&nbsp;&nbsp;In my mind it’s just too hard to predict what the remodel will cost, how extensive it will need to be, and what the carrying costs (length) are. I think lots of contractors do this themselves, make $30-$50,000 in the process, and feel good about it. Most of the time they’ve just made the same wage they could have earned working for someone else, without being compensated for the risk of the project.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;But it can be fun, and that’s worth something. And it’s nearly always good for the neighborhood to bring something back to life that was neglected for a long time.</div>

Ugly And Uglier

<h1 style="text-align: start">8 Reasons to Hire an Agent When Selling Your Home in Seattle</h1><div style="text-align: start">Published by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.seattlehouses.com/blog/author/dorothy-carter" rel="author">Dorothy Carter&nbsp;</a>on&nbsp;May 3, 2022 6:30:00 AM</div><div style="text-align: start">With so many options available when selling your property, it may be hard to know which path to choose. You might ask - is it really that hard to be your own real estate agent? But, there are certainly a lot of benefits to cooperating with professionals. We'll discuss eight good reasons to hire an agent when selling your home in Seattle.&nbsp;1 | They know how to sell a houseSelling your house is a once-in-a-lifetime event (maybe twice). When it comes to selling property, real estate agents have a lot more expertise than you have - since that's what they do for a living. Some of the best real estate agents sell more than a hundred homes each year!With a real estate agent, you can be confident you will be walked through&nbsp;<a href="https://www.seattlehouses.com/blog/selling-in-10-easy-steps">every step of the process</a>&nbsp;and be completely at ease. There is a lot more to this process than just preparing the house for sale and having a few conversations with prospective buyers. A good agent can help you stay on top of everything.&nbsp;2 | They live and breathe Seattle's marketHaving a good understanding of the real estate market in the region where you reside is far different from knowing your neighborhood. The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.seattlehouses.com/blog/seattle-real-estate-market-update-january-2022">market in Seattle</a>&nbsp;has been fluctuating these few years. The top real estate agents have been up to date with it. So, they will provide you with crucial information that could save you or gain you more money.&nbsp;3 | You'll get a thorough pricing planAdditionally, a real estate professional may assist you in determining a fair market value for your house. This is critical to a successful transaction. As a result, you need to come up with a realistic price for the kind of house you're selling. It needs to be appealing to potential buyers in your neighborhood and profitable for you.There is a lot of work involved in pricing your house effectively. Having a real estate professional help you with pricing strategy may go a long way toward attracting buyers and increasing demand for your home.&nbsp;4 | It's their expertise to market homes for saleIn addition to their skills and knowledge, the finest real estate listing agents are also excellent marketing specialists. They know how to get the perfect shots of your property so that it shines out on the web. A good agent will use the most recent digital marketing strategies and real estate platforms to ensure you get the most out of the sale.Finally,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.seattlehouses.com/blog/common-open-house-mistakes-seattle-sellers-make">open houses</a>&nbsp;and walking interested buyers around the property are just a tiny part of the marketing strategy for a house. Good real estate marketing is a contact sport. It employs a handful of approaches and techniques to get the proper eyes on your house and start receiving bids.&nbsp;5 | Take advantage of an existing systemA real estate agent's extensive network of purchasers and other real estate agents is another incentive to engage one to sell your property. The best agents have access to a large number of potential buyers who are actively searching for properties like yours. The sale of your home will go much more quickly.When selling without an agent, you are in charge of reaching out to people and generating interest in your house. Cold calling and making random connections takes a lot of effort and yields few returns. Why not rely on someone who already has a clientele of potential customers?&nbsp;6 | You can leave the tedious paperwork to someone elseSelling a house requires a great deal of documentation, which is another reason to hire an agent when selling your home in Seattle. You don't want to jeopardize the sale of your property by bungling the paperwork, do you? Listing real estate agents handle all the paperwork, so you don't have to worry about it.There are a lot of things to consider:7 | They're willing to put on their work clothes and glovesAn advantage of working with a real estate agent is that they will put in the time and effort necessary to have your house sold. It takes a lot more than just putting up a "For Sale" sign in the yard to sell a home. A lot of work is necessary if you want to find a large number of clients and sell it for the price you want.The moving process will also require a lot of labor. If you need to organize a long-distance move somewhere in WA, you must consider hiring good professional movers. It's crucial to&nbsp;<a href="https://verifiedmovers.com/long-distance-moving-companies/washington/">find the right experts</a>&nbsp;in this field to have a stress-free move. The relocation will demand a lot of your time even with experienced movers by your side, so it will be helpful if you can delegate a house sale to a professional.&nbsp;8 | Excel the closed-end dealingsOnce you start receiving offers on your property, you'll have fo through heavy negotiating. Real estate agents can help. They are&nbsp;<a href="https://www.seattlehouses.com/about">skilled negotiators</a>&nbsp;who look out for your best interests.What's the harm in having someone on your side?&nbsp;In the end, you decide if you will hire an agent when selling your home in SeattleSo, those were the main eight reasons to hire an agent when selling your home in Seattle. We hope that we made that decision at least a bit easier and that you will walk into your new chapter of life happily.<ul><li>the listing contract</li><li>tax details</li><li>the deed's title</li></ul></div>

8 Reasons to Hire an Agent When Selling Your Home in Seattle

<h1 style="text-align: start">What to do with an Unfinished Basement</h1><div style="text-align: start">Published by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.seattlehouses.com/blog/author/marie-macon" rel="author">Marie Macon&nbsp;</a>on&nbsp;May 10, 2022 6:30:00 AM</div><div style="text-align: start">Although currently dimly lit and a little rough on the eyes, your unfinished basement still has a lot of potential. With just a little love and the help of the following ideas, you can spice it up in no time and get some great use out of the space.&nbsp; <ol><li>Add a pop of color.&nbsp;Give your basement a whole different look without a big renovation by adding some color to space. Consider painting and sealing the floors, opening up the room by painting the rafters white or a light color, or creating a bold accent wall.</li><li>Divide the space.&nbsp;Want to make your basement a multi-use room? Partition out the area by installing an inexpensive curtain system. This can be done either with a curtain track or a simple wire, some hooks, and curtains will suffice.</li><li>Add foam mats.&nbsp;Whether you’d like to use the basement as a home gym to get a quick workout in or a place for the kids to play and rough house, adding some foam mats into the mix is a great and easy solution. They come in various colors and can quickly be picked up and tucked away if need be.</li><li>Use a large rug.&nbsp;As an alternative to adding mats, find a large, eye-catching rug to be used as a focal point, and furnish the area around it.</li><li>Add lighting.&nbsp;Basements often offer very little built-in lighting and few outlets around the room. Consider stringing café lighting across space from the rafters to give a nice ambiance and glow without any difficult electrical work.</li></ol></div>

What to do with an Unfinished Basement

<h1 style="text-align: start">The Difference Between Home Warranty &amp; Home Insurance</h1><div style="text-align: start"> </div><div style="text-align: start">When purchasing a new home, it is important to do in-depth research on all facets of the homebuying process. One thing you will need to understand is how to best protect yourself and your investment if anything were to go wrong. Check out the information on home insurance versus home warranty below to educate yourself on your options.Home InsuranceHomeowners insurance pays for any accidental damages and loss caused by fire, lightning strikes, windstorms, and hail, however, damage from earthquakes and floods is typically not covered. It also covers the replacement of personal property in case of theft or damage and liability if a person were to get injured in your home or on your property. According to American Home Shield, the average annual cost of a homeowner's insurance policy ranges between $300 and $1,000, and the bank usually asks you to obtain a policy before the mortgage is issued. Make sure to keep in mind that each type of coverage in the policy is subject to a limit and, in most cases, you will have to pay a deductible.&nbsp;Home WarrantyA home warranty is designed to cover the cost of repairs and replacements of larger appliances and crucial systems in your home that may fail or break due to age and wear and tear. This includes but is not limited to HVAC, electrical, or plumbing components, kitchen appliances, and your washer and dryer. With a home warranty, you are required to pay premiums year-round, even if you do not use it, and it will not cover damages if appliances were not maintained properly or if the damage is from a fire or other disaster.</div>

The Difference Between Home Warranty & Home Insurance

<h1 style="text-align: start">10 Best ROI Home Improvement Projects</h1><div style="text-align: start">Published by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.seattlehouses.com/blog/author/dorothy-carter" rel="author">Dorothy Carter&nbsp;</a>on&nbsp;May 31, 2022 6:30:00 AM</div><div style="text-align: start">Regardless of if you're planning to sell your Seattle home soon or you want to enjoy a few upgrades, it's important to remember that&nbsp;not all home upgrades are made equal. While turning a bathroom into a spa-like place is enticing, the cost of doing so may not be worth it when the time comes to sell. In contrast, replacing gutters or repairing a leaky roof is more likely to boost a home's value no matter how non-luxurious these upgrades might sound. So before you reach out to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.seattlehouses.com/contact">Seattle's finest real estate professionals</a>&nbsp;and list your home for sale, find out what are the top 10 ROI home improvement projects you can invest in and boost the value of your property.&nbsp;With house prices in Seattle continuing to rise, now is a perfect moment to upgrade your home's infrastructure.&nbsp;Prioritizing home improvement ROI could boost your house's value even more. So to help you decide where to invest your money, here are the top 10 home improvements that give the best ROI.<div class="se-component se-image-container __se__float- __se__float-none" contenteditable="false"><figure style="margin: 0px;"><img src="https://www.seattlehouses.com/hubfs/image-png-2.png" alt=" Living room with large windows and a swimming pool outside" data-origin="100," data-proportion="true" data-size="399px,177px" data-align="" data-index="0" data-file-name="image-png-2.png" data-file-size="0" style="width: 399px; height: 177px;"></figure></div> Many people wrongfully believe that luxurious features such as swimming pools or home spas bring high ROI while, in reality, it's completely the opposite.&nbsp;#1 (Minor) bathroom remodelAny real estate professional would confirm that&nbsp;bathrooms and kitchens sell homes. A minor bathroom remodel has the best return on investment - an astounding&nbsp;102%!&nbsp;&nbsp;There's no need to gut the entire area but making small changes can make a big difference. For example, replace the showerhead with a rain shower, replace the vanity, or try upgrading the lighting to brighten things up.&nbsp;And even if you decide to do a complete bathroom remodel, you still won't make a mistake. You can expect roughly around&nbsp;93%&nbsp;ROI.&nbsp;#2 LandscapingWhen fixing up your house,&nbsp;money spent on the outside goes a long way. If nothing else, a home's curb appeal helps it sell. New landscaping could be just what the house needs to look fresh and appealing.&nbsp;The curb appeal may be the first thing buyers see, so update the landscaping to&nbsp;make an excellent first impression. You don't have to go too far. The best landscaping designs are the simplest ones. A good landscaping job should look nice and not make it look like there is much work to do.&nbsp;#3 Minor kitchen upgradeWithout tearing down a whole room, you can increase your ROI with a small kitchen remodel. It's essential to&nbsp;invest in small changes that make the most significant difference.<div class="se-component se-image-container __se__float- __se__float-none" contenteditable="false"><figure style="margin: 0px;"><img src="https://www.seattlehouses.com/hubfs/image-png-3.png" alt="Kitchen with white cabinets during renovation" data-origin="100," data-proportion="true" data-size="399px,189px" data-align="" data-index="1" data-file-name="image-png-3.png" data-file-size="0" style="width: 399px; height: 189px;"></figure></div> &nbsp;&nbsp;Investing in minor kitchen upgrades is one of the best ROI home improvement projects to focus on.&nbsp;Start by getting better, newer versions of the appliances you already have. Next, instead of buying new cabinets, try giving the ones you already have a fresh coat of paint. This, along with new hardware, could make a massive difference in a kitchen.&nbsp;#4 Converting your atticIf you are lucky to live in a home with an attic that can be converted into a room, don't think twice about doing so. There's&nbsp;no better way to make a home worth more than by adding extra rooms!&nbsp;&nbsp;#5 Updating your windowsIt may surprise you, but&nbsp;getting new windows can make a huge difference&nbsp;and give you a great ROI. As your windows get older, they don't keep your house as warm and dry as they used to.&nbsp;Old windows often let in more allergens, don't keep the house warm, and cause energy bills to go up. If you think your windows cost you money and make you less comfortable, you might want to replace them with new ones. Nowadays,&nbsp;energy-efficient features are very sought-after among buyers.&nbsp;&nbsp;#6 Replacing your entry doorEven though it's the easiest home improvement on our list, replacing the front door could easily be one of the most important ones. A front door will be one of the first things prospective buyers see, and it's an excellent chance for your Seattle home to&nbsp;make a great first impression.&nbsp;Remember that&nbsp;most people will decide in the first few minutes if they want to buy a home or not. So, it's in a homeowner's best interest to put their best foot forward and make their house look better from the outside.&nbsp;#7 Full kitchen remodelIf you want to go a step further, consider doing a complete kitchen remodel. Consider&nbsp;creating an open-plan kitchen&nbsp;as they are very popular among buyers. One of the best things you can do is take down a wall that doesn't need to be there and connects the kitchen to the rest of the house.&nbsp;As major kitchen remodels should involve tearing everything out and starting over,&nbsp;make sure to keep your belongings safe from potential damage. One of the easiest ways to go about this is renting a storage unit in Seattle. And the best part is that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hansenbros.com/storage/">Seattle offers safe facilities</a>&nbsp;that are inexpensive at the same time.&nbsp;#8 Adding a deck, porch, or a patioIf there is enough space, consider adding a deck, patio, or porch. Adding one of these structures to the outside of a house can make a huge difference and boost the value of your Seattle home. At the very least, a deck could&nbsp;make your yard more useful for living in. At most, it could be just the feature a buyer has been looking for all along.&nbsp;#9 Finishing your basementNot all homes have the luxury of a basement and if you are lucky enough to have one, consider changing your underground living space. By doing this, it would be easy to&nbsp;make your home's living space bigger.&nbsp;Instead of keeping a dark and dingy basement, which could hurt your chances of selling the house,&nbsp;try making the basement a selling point in and of itself. If you are unsure&nbsp;<a href="https://www.seattlehouses.com/blog/what-to-do-with-an-unfinished-basement">what to do with your unfinished basement</a>, consider creating a home gym, office space, or laundry room. Just think about what your target audience is probably looking for, and we're sure you'll figure it out quickly.&nbsp;&nbsp;#10 Update your flooringLastly, consider updating the flooring in your Seattle home. In fact, research suggests that new floors can yield an average of upwards of&nbsp;300% ROI.&nbsp;<div class="se-component se-image-container __se__float- __se__float-none" contenteditable="false"><figure style="margin: 0px;"><img src="https://www.seattlehouses.com/hubfs/image-png-4.png" alt="A living room with gray walls, a fireplace, large windows, hardwood floors, and a large gray sofa" data-origin="100," data-proportion="true" data-size="408px,198px" data-align="" data-index="2" data-file-name="image-png-4.png" data-file-size="0" style="width: 408px; height: 198px;"></figure></div> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Adding hardwood floors can boost the value of your home up to an amazing 2.5%!&nbsp;Which ROI home improvement projects will you choose?As you can see, when selling your home, it's best to be practical and choose ROI home improvement projects that really help you boost your property's price. So listen to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.seattlehouses.com/?hsLang=en">Seattle real estate experts</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;stay away from expensive and luxurious features. Instead, focus on improvements that will only enhance your Seattle home's potential and make prospective buyers instantly want to move in. Hopefully, we've helped you choose which ones!</div>

10 Best ROI Home Improvement Projects

<h1 style="text-align: start">Getting Ready For Retirement</h1><div style="text-align: start">Published by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.seattlehouses.com/blog/author/marie-macon" rel="author">Marie Macon&nbsp;</a>on&nbsp;Jun 7, 2022 6:30:00 AM</div><div style="text-align: start">HOW TO GET READY FOR RETIREMENTFor most people, retirement feels like a long way off. But, if you don’t start preparing as early as possible, you may find yourself in a place of financial insecurity when the time does come. To avoid this, consider implementing the following tips.<ol><li>Calculate your target savings. In general, it’s recommended that you save between 10 to 15 percent of your income for retirement. However, you can always use an online savings calculator to determine the amount you need to save for your specific needs and goals.</li><li>Contribute to your employer’s retirement savings plan.&nbsp;Does your job offer a 401(k), traditional IRA, or Roth IRA? Sign up and start saving as soon as they allow you to. It’s recommended to set up automatic paycheck deductions and, once the money is in your retirement fund, don’t touch it.</li><li>Take advantage of employee benefits. Many employers offer matching which generally requires you contribute a certain percentage of each paycheck, and your company will then contribute a matching amount with funds of their own. They might also offer health savings or flexible savings account. By contributing to these accounts, you reduce your amount of taxable income, allowing you to save more money.</li><li>Pay off your debts. Start by paying off any high-interest credit card debt first. Then look at other debts, such as student loans and car payments, and make a plan for paying those off incrementally.</li><li>Reduce daily spending.&nbsp;Although this feels like a no-brainer, spending your money thoughtfully now can make a big impact later. Seek out areas of your life where you can.</li></ol></div>

Getting Ready For Retirement

<h1 style="text-align: start">Seattle Market Update June 2022</h1><div style="text-align: start">Published by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.seattlehouses.com/blog/author/sach" rel="author">Zach McDonald&nbsp;</a>on&nbsp;Jun 14, 2022 6:30:00 AM</div><div style="text-align: start">Listings are experiencing price cuts! Homes are sitting on the market past a week! What does all of this mean? In this video, I talk about the latest Seattle real estate stats and market conditions.<div class="se-component se-video-container __se__float-" contenteditable="false" style="width: 100%;"><figure style="width: 100%; height: 56.25%; padding-bottom: 56.25%; margin: 0px;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/04slPiUQjdE?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" data-percentage="100%,56.25%" data-size="100%,56.25%" data-align="" data-index="0" data-file-name="04slPiUQjdE?feature=oembed" data-file-size="0" data-origin="100%,56.25%" style="width: 100%; height: 100%;"></iframe></figure></div><div> </div>&nbsp;VIDEO TRANSCRIPT Hey, you all, Zach McDonald, your real estate agent with Real Property Associates, and this is my Seattle real estate market update for June 2022. Can you say price reduction? That’s been the theme of the past few weeks in the Seattle and Bellevue real estate markets, and I think a theme that we’ll see here as we head into the summer months. It is typical that we see home prices stall out a little bit as more inventory comes on the market. May and June are typically the months in the year where we see the highest median sales price. So, if it’s not this month, it will be most likely next month. But typically, in a given year, we’ll see more houses coming on the market in the spring, and into the summer, a little less demand. And then we see prices flatten out or even go backwards a little bit as we try to figure out where the average person wants to pay for a house, versus those ones that really just want to buy a house in the spring when inventory is low. So, right now, we are starting to see price reductions. And I think that’s important just to talk about now, because the market has been shifting over the last few months. And I’ve talked about in my videos, how I don’t think we’re going to see some kind of cataclysmic correction in the housing market, or prices are cut in half, and home values are gone, and everybody’s got negative equity, but I do think we’re seeing what we historically see in a given year, that the market’s slowing down a little bit. And I think it’ll be a little bit more pronounced here with interest rates being a little bit higher. I think what’s happened is demand has slowed down a little bit. And we’ll talk about some of the stats here as we go through, because I don’t think what we’re seeing right now is showing a massive amount of new homes on the market. I don’t think what we’re experiencing is pointing to a massive fallout in prices, but I do think what we’re seeing is a little bit less demand because of those higher interest rates right now. So, we’ll talk a little bit more about that as we head into the rest of the update. Well, before we jump into the update, I want to share some good news. We had a client who reached out to us a few months back after watching and following this YouTube channel, and then receiving one of our just listed, just sold postcards nearby his house. And it sold. We got it sold. We had a listing in Kenmore here about a month ago and we put it on just as the market was starting to shift, and we ended up getting them a great price for the house. It did get one offer. So, we’ve been talking about the multiple offers. We ended up getting one really solid offer and closing within a month. So, I’m really excited for them. This listing was one of my favorites to market, just super gorgeous house, really great remodel done, mainly by them, which is pretty cool. So, the couples both walking away with some pretty good equity and money in their pocket as a result of the sale. I’m really excited for them, and also just super grateful to get to work with another person from the YouTube community. Now it’s time for the Seattle and Bellevue real estate market stats, because I know that’s what lots of you want to talk about, and that’s why you continue to follow this channel, because we talk about the stats. So, if you haven’t subscribed yet and this is your first time, or maybe you’ve watched a few of these videos, but haven’t subscribed to the channel yet, please pause and go ahead and get that done right now. The median sales price in Seattle last month was $995,000, which is 11.4% up year over year, and pretty much flat from last month at $997,000. So, Seattle’s price leveled off this month. Bellevue’s median sales price was up slightly from last month, but still down quite a bit from April’s number, or excuse me, from March’s number, at a over $2 million median sales price. And last month, Bellevue’s median sales price was $1,850,000, so still up 15.6% year over year. And last year, in these videos, we were hearing huge numbers up year over year. We’re hearing 20s and 25% most of last year. I think this year we’re going to be seeing this 10 to 15% trend through the rest of the year. It might even be a little bit less as we trickle towards the fall, where we had prices skyrocketing last fall and into the winter. I think what we’re going to see is just a lot less of the craziness that we’ve been experiencing over the past few years with lots of multiple offers, way, way, way over asking price. We’ve seen this before multiple times in our market, where it’s really low inventory and we have tons of offers and we see houses selling way over asking price, and it was even more so than ever. But I think what we’re going to see this next year or so, year or two years, is going to just be a little bit more of a, I’m not going to call it a normal market because across the country, it’s still going to look really competitive. But I think we’ll just see some houses selling with multiple offers, some houses not, some houses getting a price reduction. We talked about that at the beginning of the video. So, I think we’re going to see that trend here as interest rates remain high. I think what’s really happened is demand’s just been tapered a little bit. There’s still a lot of buyers, lots of houses going under contract, and we’ll talk about some of that here right now. So, outside of the interest rates, which I mentioned are a little bit higher right now, the interest rates, by the way, Freddie Mac’s primary market survey, which they do every week of lenders across the country, 5.09% for 30 year fixed was their average. And then bank rate was 5.46 for their average. So, this is still an environment where rates are higher, but they’re actually down slightly from where they were earlier in the year. So, we still are in this higher rate environment, at least what people are used to. Right rates are not at all time highs. They just feel dramatically higher, and it does affect affordability quite a bit, and especially as we’ve seen so much growth here over the past few years. So, rates are a little bit higher, but some of the things that we’re looking at outside of rates are what’s happening with new listings? How many listings are coming off the market? I think there’s a pretty basic way to see, okay, what’s the supply and demand look like? How can we project that forward? Let’s take a stat like average percentage of list price, which is one that people like to hear about, how much over asking price your house is selling. And in Seattle last month, 10% over asking price on average for a house. And in Bellevue, 10.2% over asking price on average. And Seattle’s actually up a little bit from last year, two percentage points, and Bellevue down two percentage points from the previous year. But if we look at that stat, that stat’s influenced by supply and demand. How many people are there in the market that are looking for houses, and how many houses are there available? Let’s look at the new listing numbers here. So, in Seattle, we saw a 10.7% decrease in new listings and 19.2% decrease in pendings. So, we didn’t have quite as many pending sales, but we had quite a few less new listings as well. In Bellevue, we saw almost twice as many new listings. So, 137 listings in Bellevue last year. In May, 205 in May this year. So, considerably more, which again, is putting downward pressure on the prices. You don’t see as much competition when there’s more houses. And pending sales in Bellevue were down slightly, 121. So, we saw a lot more new listings in Bellevue than we did pending sales. And as we look at the rest of this, that’s going to affect how many houses are currently on the market, what the supply number looks like. And that’s going to have a direct correlation with how much competition there is and how much people are willing to pay for their houses. As I mentioned earlier, there were fewer houses for sale in Seattle at the end of the month, 12.3% fewer houses for sale and available than there were last year. So, this number’s actually going down in Seattle. But in Bellevue, the number’s been going up. So, 59.2% more houses available to purchase in Bellevue than there were in Seattle, which is why we’re seeing the supply numbers increasing 200% in Bellevue. So, last year, 0.6 months of supply in May. And this year, 1.2 months of supply in Bellevue. So, there’s definitely some more houses on the market in Bellevue. But if we look at Seattle, it’s the same, 0.7 months of supply, same supply numbers that we had last year. And part of this is because I think in Seattle, we didn’t see as much of the craziness that we saw around the rest of King and Snohomish counties, which are the two counties that I service. And I think as we’re looking at the numbers, Seattle was a little bit insulated from that because people were looking in these other places. And now Seattle is, well, it’s staying the same. There’s still that same demand to be in Seattle. But in some of these other places, there’s a little bit less demand than there has been, which is causing some of these numbers to be impacted. The application part here, I think is one piece that many of you want to hear right now. And people are asking me, “What’s happening to the market? What’s going to happen to the market.” And I just have to say, I don’t know. I don’t have a crystal ball, but what I can do is share some thoughts and that’s what I’m going to do because that’s what you want to hear. And I think as I’m looking at the market and I’m thinking about the market right now, I’m seeing the weekly snapshot. So, as of the last seven days recording this video, it’s June 7th, filming this early in the month. So, at the beginning of June, most recent, we’ve had 1,172 new listings in King and Snohomish counties combined, and we’ve had 933 pendings. So, they’re still going off the market quickly. And 1,061 solds in the first week. So, lots of sales, lots of houses going off the market, lots of new listings. But again, it’s not like we have a ton more new listings than we have people purchasing. But I think there’s one stat that I want to share that’s interesting, and that’s the list price reductions. So we had 1,172 new listings in King and Snohomish county. 600 price reductions. Okay. 600 price reductions. Now, why are we having price reductions? I think every year you have people, ah, the beginning of the year, trying to figure out what the market is. You got really low inventory, and this is just normal for us in the winter and into the spring. Again, this year was not normal. We had even less than we normally do. And you have all these new buyers starting to buy houses for the year. And you have the influx of millennial buyers, which has been a huge piece of why the market has been so hot recently. And then you have, huh, you have more houses coming on the market, and all of a sudden, there aren’t as many buyers trying to pay the premium that they were paying earlier in the year. So, you have fewer buyers per house in the market. So, that ratio isn’t as high. And you also have this massive push, or at least this year we did, this massive increase in prices from the beginning of the year, or even the end of 2021, up until now. And the people getting the houses were the one or the two people out of 15 or 20 that were willing to pay that price. But then when it comes to pricing your house and you’re in May, you don’t really want to sell your house for what the list price was that your neighbor listed their house for in March. You want to get what they got. So, every year, you see this happen in the summertime where you start looking at, okay, the neighbors sold for this, the other neighbors sold for that, and the other neighbors sold for that. But they all listed for, in our case, maybe 100, 150, $200,000 less than what the sales price was. And again, there were a couple buyers willing to pay those prices, but not all of the buyers. So, right now, we find ourselves in a situation where money’s not as cheap, interest rates are a little bit higher. It’s affecting affordability. There’s a little less of the, “Ooh, I got to get a house.” And so, we find ourselves pricing houses higher, and this is normal, again. And I think it’s wise too. If I’m a seller, I probably don’t want to sell my house for 20% less than what my neighbor got. Especially if three or four neighbors got similar prices. But what that means is, you got to play the normal old school real estate game, where it’s a more balanced market. You price it on the higher side of the value, and then you have to find that price with the buyers. And so, that means there’s price reductions, and we’re seeing 600 price reductions. That’s a ton. We were hardly seeing any last year and at the beginning of the year. And everything just seemed to sell no matter what you priced it at. But what happens is buyers become a little bit more discerning. And the reason that we’re still seeing 10% over asking price in Seattle and Bellevue is because there are still some houses that everybody wants to buy, and certain neighborhoods that everybody wants to buy in. And those houses always are going to be like that. But then the rest of the houses, the average houses aren’t doing that. They’re pulling the average down. They’re maybe not selling even at asking price. They might be selling for 95% of asking price, or maybe the asking price is reduced before they sell for asking price. So, I think we’ve even had a few listings over the past couple weeks where we priced them higher, because as professionals, we don’t want our clients to get less money and there’s the risk. Some sellers are willing to take the risk where they list their house for what their neighbors did and hope to get that multiple offer frenzy. But the reality is, it’s just not there right now, in general. So, unless you have one of those houses in one of those neighborhoods where you just know you’re going to have the activity, it makes a lot more sense to price on the higher side and hope to get closer to that number, versus trying to price low and hope for the big bang. I think these are a big reason why we’re not going to see a massive drop off in home values like we did between 2008 to ’12 here in the Seattle area. And number one, we just haven’t had enough houses built. And I think I got to make another video about this separately, but we haven’t had enough new construction over the past decade or more to keep up with the demand. And it’s not like we’re going to be able to solve it overnight. So, if you have purchased a car recently or anything that’s back ordered, you know once you get into that supply issue where you don’t have enough supply, the only way to get enough is to not have any more demand, and catch up or over produce. But it’s really hard to over produce new construction. So, if you have over a decade of under production, it’s not like it just changes itself overnight. And you also have the millennial generation buying houses, and it’s the largest generation ever purchasing houses. So, you have all this new, fresh demand, not enough new construction over the past decade, not even enough to keep up with what was already going on. So, I think, especially in markets like ours here in the Seattle area, you just don’t have enough new construction. In some places, they’ve been able to build a little bit easier, but we haven’t been building enough for the demand, and that’s why it’s already been a hot market and one of the hotter markets in the country. But what that does is it keeps more pressure on the resale properties, because there’s not enough new construction. So, do I think the sky’s falling? No. Do I think that we are going to see an adjustment in prices? Yes, we always do, every year, seasonally. I just think it’s going to be a little bit more pronounced this year. But if we look back at 2018 to ’19, when we saw the most recent adjustment in the housing market, we saw prices level off for a couple years. So, if we look back from May to May, from May 2017 to ’18, we saw prices jump a bunch. And then from ’18 to ’19, and even to ’20, pretty much stayed about the same in King county and Snohomish county. And I’ll talk about that a little bit more in those updates. So, if you want to pay attention to those county updates, you can find some more information there and I’ll dive a little deeper into those numbers. But in reality, historically speaking, most of the time when you see these recessions, the housing market is more flat, and then it picks back up again when interest rates go back down. And in the most recent example, the one that sticks out in our mind, the housing market and the mortgage lending industry caused the crash, and that’s the reason it was so much more dramatic. I hope this video was valuable for you and helpful for you. These are just some of the things that are going on in my mind that I’m personally thinking about, and talking about with people, and dialoging with them about, so I figured I’d capture it here for you, my audience here online. If you want to talk about your situation and how all of this might apply to you, I’d be happy to be a resource for you. Feel free to reach out to me. My contact information is down below this video, and also pretty much anywhere online if you Google Zach McDonald. And I just want to say thank you so much for your attention. I really value it, and I value all of you here who continue to follow along and support the channel. And if there’s any way that I can bring value to you or be a resource, I want to do that for you.</div>

Seattle Market Update June 2022

<h1 style="text-align: start">How to Make Your Offer More Attractive</h1><div style="text-align: start">Published by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.seattlehouses.com/blog/author/garret-brown" rel="author">Garret Brown&nbsp;</a>on&nbsp;Jan 25, 2022 6:30:00 AM</div><div style="text-align: start">Laura Petermeyer and Garrett Brown give us some great tips on how to make your offer more attractive, including how to appealing to the sellers, waiving contingencies, and releasing your earnest money immediately.The Seattle real estate market is competitive, and it is important to put your best foot forward when trying to purchase a home. Working with an experienced agent is incredibly important, and it is great to learn about what strong agents like Laura and Garret recommend when putting together a winning offer.&nbsp;&nbsp;<div class="se-component se-video-container __se__float-" contenteditable="false" style="width: 100%;"><figure style="width: 100%; height: 56.25%; padding-bottom: 56.25%; margin: 0px;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VNbrM9JgQlY?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" data-percentage="100%,56.25%" data-size="100%,56.25%" data-align="" data-index="0" data-file-name="VNbrM9JgQlY?feature=oembed" data-file-size="0" data-origin="100%,56.25%" style="width: 100%; height: 100%;"></iframe></figure></div><div> </div>&nbsp;To see more of their videos, check out their&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCawiVicmyDaksnComfFqYjQ" rel="noopener">YouTube channel</a></div>

How to Make Your Offer More Attractive

<h1 style="text-align: start">Hidden Fees to be Aware of When Purchasing a Home</h1><div style="text-align: start">Published by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.seattlehouses.com/blog/author/marie-macon" rel="author">Marie Macon&nbsp;</a>on&nbsp;Feb 1, 2022 6:30:00 AM</div><div style="text-align: start">Purchasing a home is one of the biggest financial decisions you will make in your lifetime. As you start your hunt, don't forget there will be other costs associated with your purchase other than the price of the home.Here are five fees to keep in mind as you begin to budget.<ol><li>Home inspection.&nbsp;This is a crucial step in the home buying process. The findings that come from the inspection can help you negotiate price and repairs. The cost will depend on a couple of factors, including the home itself and the location.</li><li>Title services.&nbsp;Title services encompass the transfer of the title from the seller and a thorough search of the property’s records to ensure to no one will pop up with a claim to the property. Additionally, you may need to buy title insurance which will protect the lender or your investment in the home.</li><li>Appraisal fee.&nbsp;Before getting a loan, you will likely be required to get an appraisal of the home to determine its estimated value. This will be conducted by a third-party company and the cost will also depend on the size of the home and location.</li><li>HOA fees.&nbsp;Many communities have a homeowners’ association that enforces monthly fees. This money is used for general maintenance and updates to areas like pools, parks, and more.&nbsp;</li><li>Taxes. The taxes each buyer pays at the closing table differ, but it is not uncommon for it to be up to two months’ worth of county and city property taxes. Additionally, there may be taxes for the transfer of the home title.</li></ol></div>

Hidden Fees to be Aware of When Purchasing a Home

<h1 style="text-align: start">Common Open House Mistakes Seattle Sellers Make</h1><div style="text-align: start">Published by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.seattlehouses.com/blog/author/dorothy-carter" rel="author">Dorothy Carter&nbsp;</a>on&nbsp;Feb 8, 2022 6:30:00 AM</div><div style="text-align: start">Some open house mistakes Seattle sellers make come from inexperience, and others from a lack of professional help. Whatever the reason, know that these mistakes can be avoided. Seattle's seller's market demands an utter commitment to the process of selling a house. So, what can you do differently?&nbsp;1 | Not partnering up with a knowledgeable real estate agent The first and most significant error sellers plunge into is embarking on a home-selling voyage alone. If this is your first time selling a house, having an experienced agent by your side can make an huge impact. As a seller without an agent, you'd need to think about the listing price, inspection, listing photos, staging, administrative work, and be well acquainted with legal aspects of the sale. On top of that, if you didn't have an agent, you'd need to deal with buyers, often on a daily basis. Seattle's real estate market certainly does not lack demand, and you'd likely be overwhelmed with calls and inquiries about showings. Are your presentation and negotiation skills up to par? Do you have enough time to prepare and attend the showing? If your honest answer is no, that is ok! There are agents with years of experience ready to lend a hand. 2 | Not knowing the market If you're confident that you don't need a real estate agent, invest the time and effort to research the local market thoroughly as it strongly influences your listing price. Knowing how your property compares to others of the same type and size in the area is key. Checking out other listings will provide valuable insight into what home elements you might want to improve to be more competitive during an open house. Perhaps your home has great potential to stand out, but you'll never find out unless you research your local market well. And remember that an open house is a great opportunity to impress the buyers after they come enticed by your listing photos. 3 | Failing to prepare the home for sale Failing to prepare your home for sale tops the ranks of the worst open house mistakes Seattle sellers make. Preparation efforts don't include only cosmetic upgrades. Upon results of the seller pre-inspection, fix all the significant issues you discover. Once your buyers arrive, they will start scanning your Seattle home, searching for imperfections. You can't blame them; even the most minor faults are ground for price negotiation. One of the biggest mistakes during an open house is hiding these imperfections. Serious buyers know what they want and will easily expose your camouflage. In the end, it doesn't pay off to cover old floors with carpets, quickly paint water-damaged walls, and cover pet odor with air freshener. Perhaps your photographing skills can make your home look luxurious, but there's only so much you can mask during an open house. 4 | Overlooking home staging Leaving the best possible first impression during an open house will significantly influence the further course of negotiation with the buyer. If it makes sense to stage your home toward this goal, your real estate agent will let you know. Sometimes, simple decluttering and deep cleaning will do the job. Other times, you might need to do serious landscaping or store the excess furniture you've accumulated over the years. In the latter case, the home will look bigger, less personal, and allow the buyers to imagine themselves living there. To store your items during an open house, you will need storage space, packing materials, and someone to move your packed belongings. There is a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.portabox.com/portabox-services/" rel="noopener">solution to your needs</a>, and it lies in a reputable storage and moving company. In general, don't hesitate to partner with professionals in every phase of the home selling process. When specialists handle it, you can rest assured that your home will sell quickly and get photographed, cleaned, staged, packed, and moved safely and efficiently. 5 | Not using adequate listing photos Preparation for listing your home for sale and hosting an open house involves taking quality listing photos. The closer your photos represent the home in reality, the higher the chance of a successful open house. Poor quality photos, misleading images, and an insufficient number of shots will not deliver anticipated publicity at best. Buyers will assume the seller is hiding weak spots, and they will most likely guess right. At worst, they will deter the few curious visitors during an open house. Your top priority is to have as many potential buyers visiting your home as possible. The more people are satisfied with photo vs. reality, the better your negotiation position. In a seller's market such as Seattle's, your home may even attract enthusiastic bidders. 6 | Being dishonest with potential buyers Ideally, the seller shouldn't attend the open house, it would be best to have an agent host it on your behalf. The best chance of having a successful open house is to afford your buyers an easygoing, detailed, and honest tour. Have all the answers ready, even to the uncomfortable questions.&nbsp; In other words, if you haven't been listing the correct square footage, it will easily show during an open house. Avoid uncomfortable situations by being frank and unbiased from the begging. Although the buyer will know that the agent represents the seller, aka you, they will appreciate their professional attitude and perspective. A couple of last notes If you want to avoid open house mistakes Seattle sellers make daily, you will approach the home selling process with attention to detail. Unless you rely on a real estate agent to guide you from the start, prepare to oversee every aspect of the process. It starts with inspection and repairs, followed by advertising and staging, and concludes with a relaxing, informative, and unassuming tour of your Seattle home.</div>

Common Open House Mistakes Seattle Sellers Make

Seattle Real Estate Market Update | February 2022

<h1 style="text-align: start">What Happens in the Middle?</h1><div style="text-align: start">Published by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.seattlehouses.com/blog/author/laura-petermeyer" rel="author">Laura Petermeyer&nbsp;</a>on&nbsp;Feb 22, 2022 6:30:00 AM</div><div style="text-align: start">Everyone knows about the beginning of the purchase process, but what happens once you are in contract? Laura Petermeyer and Garrett Brown give some details on what happens once you have the winning offer and are in contract.After all the excitement is over and you are in mutual agreement, what happens next? Laura and Garret walk us through some details surrounding escrow, title, and appraisals:&nbsp;<div class="se-component se-video-container __se__float-" contenteditable="false" style="width: 100%;"><figure style="width: 100%; height: 56.25%; padding-bottom: 56.25%; margin: 0px;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lquAvw2iwvU?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" data-percentage="100%,56.25%" data-size="100%,56.25%" data-align="" data-index="0" data-file-name="lquAvw2iwvU?feature=oembed" data-file-size="0" data-origin="100%,56.25%" style="width: 100%; height: 100%;"></iframe></figure></div><div> </div>&nbsp;</div>

What Happens in the Middle?

<h1 style="text-align: start">Giving Up The Commission</h1><div style="text-align: start">Published by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.seattlehouses.com/blog/author/gordon-stephenson" rel="author">Gordon Stephenson&nbsp;</a>on&nbsp;Mar 1, 2022 6:30:00 AM</div><div style="text-align: start">Originally published April 8, 2008&nbsp;<a href="https://seattlehouses.wordpress.com/2008/04/08/giving-up-the-commission/" rel="noopener">here</a>.Listing agents generally sign a exclusive listing contract with a seller (the “exclusive” contract is required for participation in the MLS as it binds the seller to pay a fee if the property sells during the contract period. Standard stuff). The fee is negotiated, but is often 6%; however in many cases, if the client is giving him repeat business, the listing agent will suggest or accept a lower fee.&nbsp;The listing agent then publishes the listing, offering typically 3% of that total listing commission to a cooperating broker who procures a buyer for the property. (If the listing fee was 5.5%, for example, we’ll nearly always give the same “full fee” of 3% to the coop broker). It’s important to keep that “buy side” cooperating broker fee close to whatever the market is paying for the procuring/cooperating buyer’s broker. To whatever extent, some agents are disincentivized by a “less than market” fee.&nbsp; It’s easy to see what the market is paying, and it varies based on price range and region. Your listing agent can easily pull this data and show you. In Washington Park, a high priced area in Seattle, the typical “buy side” fee (we use SOC — sales office commission — as an acronym) is 2.5%. This implies the total commission might be 5% if the listing agent is offering a 50/50 split to the coop broker.&nbsp;So there is the basic story. Listing agent (actually, his broker, but as a practical matter the seller works with an individual listing agent) has the contract with the seller for a commission. The contract is not with the buyer. If the seller’s co-worker, upon learning from the seller that they’re putting the house on the market, says “I’ll buy it!” then the listing agent should be elated with that. The contracted commission has already been agreed to, no matter who buys the house or whether or not they have an agent. Most sellers understand that. And when that co-worker offers a bit below asking price, the seller should negotiate with the buyer — not with their agent, with whom they ALREADY have a contact. After all, the listing agent has already put a lot of work into the property. The buyer may want the benefit of some savings, by not having their own agent. Let the buyer and seller negotiate over that sales price, and perhaps the seller and their agent can have the conversation about how much fee might be reasonably reduced to bring the parties together.&nbsp;As a practical matter in this scenario, will the listing agent “throw in” some of that fee to make it work? Sure. Maybe. Depends. But it needs to be the agent’s decision, not the buyers. And not unilaterally the sellers. It’s a modification of a contract which requires mutual agreement. Of course, the buyer can certainly go to Redfin, or to his buddy, and get them to write it up and rebate as much of the SOC as they can get. That’s not the listing agent or the seller’s issue.&nbsp;And there are other situations where I have voluntarily given back some of that negotiated fee. Most recently, we had a buyer balk at the 11th hour on a pending Greenlake listing that we had. Didn’t like the condition of the paint. Or the hardwoods. Of course, this was well past the inspection period, but he wanted $5,000 or he was going to default and walk from his $5,000 earnest money. While my seller was making a nice gain on this from when he bought in ’01 (selling for $500k, and had paid around $240k), I knew it would give him major gut burn to have to negotiate with this buyer. And I didn’t want to lose the buyer in this market, at that sales price. So I reduced my fee by the extortion amount ($5,000) and the thing closed smoothly. This was a seller I love, with whom we’d done maybe a half dozen deals in the past decade. So seller’s happy (I didn’t tell him about it for a few months, actually, to avoid any post-traumatic stress); buyer was happy (presumably); and I made a decision that I could live with, that no one asked me to make. And we have a closed sale.</div>

Giving Up The Commission

<h1 style="text-align: start">7 Ways to Know You've Found Your Ideal Home</h1><div style="text-align: start">Published by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.seattlehouses.com/blog/author/dorothy-carter" rel="author">Dorothy Carter&nbsp;</a>on&nbsp;Mar 8, 2022 6:30:00 AM</div><div style="text-align: start">House hunting isn't always fun, especially when it takes you a long time to find something that feels like home. The question is, how do you even realize you've discovered such a property? Do you feel it, or how does it all work? Worry not, as we're bringing you the list of ways to know you've found your ideal home. After you've read through it, you should have no doubt in your mind that you've stumbled upon your dream house - or has it, perhaps, stumbled upon you?Despite everything in you telling you that the house is "the one", you might still be questioning whether it actually is that. That's where we come in to help out. With our expert advice, you should be able to finalize<a href="https://www.seattlehouses.com/blog/what-are-the-steps-in-the-home-buying-process-part-1">&nbsp;the buying process</a>&nbsp;asap, without waiting to sleep on it. Because let's face it, if you wait to make your move, somebody else could scoop the property you've been dreaming about right from under you! We trust that isn't something you want. <h3>1 | You Feel Drawn to the House</h3>First impressions are of grave importance in all aspects of life,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.seattlehouses.com/search-results">house hunting</a>&nbsp;included. If you feel a strong connection to the house right from the moment you see it - almost as if something is drawing you to it, inviting you in - chances are this property could be it. Call it a gut instinct or whatever you want, but the truth is, the feeling is real and can't be denied. <h3>2 | You Feel at Home the Moment You Enter</h3>Haven't felt butterflies in your stomach on your way to the house? How about when you came in? Were you instantly greeted by the warmth and coziness of the place? If the answer is yes, and you feel comfortable the second you enter, there's a pretty good chance you've just stepped foot into your future home. Sometimes, people have a hard time entering bathrooms while attending property viewings. Another dead giveaway that suggests the place is right for you is being 100% okay with snooping around the bathroom - for more than a couple of seconds at a time, that is.<h3>3 | You Start Fantasizing About Your Future There</h3>You haven't even made the purchase yet, but you already know how you will decorate the place. You are beginning to contemplate how your existing furniture will fit the layout. Furthermore, you can't help but make plans in your mind about buying new pieces, either. But it isn't only decorating that is occupying your thoughts. The images of your future here are also starting to flood in. You are envisioning spending your life in this house, and the excitement can't be hidden.&nbsp;If fantasizing about the future arrangements helps you realize that you should purchase this house, and you finally end up buying the place, it's time to start thinking about organizing the move. It's vital to begin planning as early as possible, as that will give you more time to prepare for the relocation and pack. While packing furniture, for instance, you'll want to&nbsp;<a href="https://usantini.com/how-to-prepare-furniture-for-moving/">pay attention to every piece</a>&nbsp;to minimize the possibility of damage in transit. <h3>4 | The Property Checks All the Boxes</h3>Okay, maybe it doesn't check all the boxes out there, but it fits the most important ones. It has the number of rooms you wanted it to have, the price is within your budget, plus the location is just right. If it's missing some features you wanted your dream house to have, think about it this way. Can you absolutely not live without them, thus, making them a deal-breaker? If yes, walk away from it. However, if you are willing to compromise - well, you know what that means.<h3>5 | You Are No Longer Willing to Consider Looking at Other Homes</h3>Among the ways to know you've found the ideal home is by being no longer willing to consider the possibility of buying another home. In fact, you aren't even interested in looking at other houses anymore. That's how much you've grown to like the property! It has simply set the bar so high that there isn't a place to compare to it. You are 100% sure of this, and there's no changing your mind.<h3>6 | You Want to Brag About It</h3>You have barely left the place, but you can't stop the urge to announce to the world how happy it made you feel. You absolutely can't wait to tell your friends and family all about it. You haven't even begun talking yet, but you know that, once you start doing so, there won't be stopping for a while. Your phone is flooding with interior and exterior photographs from all possible angles. Yet, neither words nor pictures do it justice, and both are impossible to convene just how excited you feel about the possibility of this house being finally yours.<h3>7 | It’s Consuming Your Thoughts</h3>Somehow, this property has managed to override all thoughts you might have previously had. It's all you can think about now. And that is actually your mind's way of telling you this is "the house". So, what are you waiting for?&nbsp;If we are being sincere, the ways to know you've found your ideal home defy all logic. We've been taught for years to look at everything in life from more than one perspective, to weigh our options. But, in the case of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.seattlehouses.com/blog/what-are-the-steps-in-the-home-buying-process-part-2">buying a house,</a>&nbsp;maybe we shouldn't. Perhaps it's best not to think too much about the matter, but rather, let your instincts take over and decide. Chances are, they won't be mistaken.</div>

7 Ways to Know You've Found Your Ideal Home

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