Buying a HomeLocal Market UpdateSelling a Home April 14, 2020

Local Market Update – April 2020

 

Windermere is focused on keeping our clients and our community safe and connected. We’re all in this together. Since the early days of COVID-19, our philosophy has been “Go slow and do no harm.” While real estate has been deemed an “essential” business, we have adopted guidelines that prioritize everyone’s safety and wellness.

Like everything else in our world, real estate is not business as usual. While market statistics certainly aren’t our focus at this time, we’ve opted to include our usual monthly report for those who may be interested. A few key points:

  • The monthly statistics are based on closed sales. Since closing generally takes 30 days, the statistics for March are mostly reflective of contracts signed in February, a time period largely untouched by COVID-19. The market is different today.
  • We expect that inventory and sales will decline in April and May as a result of the governor’s Stay Home order.
  • Despite the effects of COVID-19, the market in March was hot through mid-month. It remains to be seen if that indicates the strong market will return once the Stay Home order is lifted, or if economic changes will soften demand.

Every Monday Windermere Chief Economist Matthew Gardner provides an update regarding the impact of COVID-19 on the US economy and housing market. You can get Matthew’s latest update here.

Stay healthy and be safe. We’ll get through this together.

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This post originally appeared on GetTheWReport.com

Uncategorized March 25, 2020

Local Happenings: Social Distancing Edition (March & April)

With the cancellation of major local events and a statewide shelter in place order, now is a great time to find alternative ways to stay entertained and support the community while still keeping a safe distance.

Intentionalist recently shared a helpful roundup of 10 ways to support local small business owners and employees. Here are a few ways to stay productive while hunkering down.

Support Comic Con Creators

The postponement of Emerald City Comic Con left many artists, writers, cartoonists and creators who depend on income generated by convention sales in the lurch. To help mitigate the unexpected expense of covering travel costs, unsold merchandise, and lost sales, creators are holding flash sales and fundraisers. Local businesses have also put together pop-up shopping events and virtual shopping networks to help out. Check out this Geekwire roundup and pay a visit to some of the shops to support these independent artists, and considering supporting the Seattle arts community at large through donations or online shopping. This GoFundMe is a good place to start.

Order Takeout from Local Restaurants

Support the local food scene by ordering in. Delivery services like Postmates and Grubhub are elevating the experience with no-contact delivery options. While these apps are convenient, they can be an added expense for restaurants so, if you can, consider ordering takeout directly from the restaurant and picking it up yourself. (In light of the recent closure mandate, many restaurants are offering drive-thru or curbside pickup options, so you don’t even need to enter the restaurant.)

Donate to a Food Bank

Seattle-area food banks have been hit hard recently, particularly since many items commonly donated by local grocers have been consistently sold out. Food banks serve our most vulnerable populations, which is more important now with kids out of school and parents potentially out of work. You can donate food and bags as well as your time — volunteers are needed to help pack food bags and make home deliveries to those who can’t leave their homes. The South Seattle Emerald has published a list of ways to get involved HERE and you can use this MAP to find local food banks.

Donate Blood

Did you know it takes 1,000 donations per day to keep our blood supply stable? Bloodworks Northwest has declared a local blood supply emergency. Mobile blood drives make up almost 60% of our region’s supply, but many have been canceled due to the coronavirus. If you are healthy and able, you can donate blood directly at any of Bloodworks Northwest’s donor centers.

Join a Virtual Book Club

Connect with others and converse over a good book, all from the comfort of your home. The Stranger is hosting a coronavirus book club called The Quarantine Club. You can get all the details and read about the first book selection HERE. If this club isn’t the right fit, consider starting a book club of your own! Share your favorite selections with friends and foster conversation over social platforms.

Take a Hike

There’s no shortage of scenic hikes surrounding Seattle. From stunning parks with sweeping views right here in the city to breathtaking mountain peaks, there are plenty of places to enjoy the outdoors, get some exercise and enjoy the fresh air. Hiking is explicitly allowed with the new shelter in place order, as long as PROPER SOCIAL-DISTANCE is kept in the process. With that said, staying closer to home and going to urban parks on off hours to avoid crowds is advised. “Nature’s not closed, but staying closer to home is the best choice,” says Kindra Ramos, director of communications at the Washington Trails Association. Read more HERE

Catch a Concert Online

As the coronavirus outbreak takes its toll on the arts community, many venues are getting creative and streaming their services online. The Seattle Symphony is now streaming previous performances as well as new soloist performances on Facebook and YouTube. While many are turning to YouTube, there are other streaming services where you can catch a variety of live performances. Checkout The Verve for a handful of options. You can also take this opportunity to explore museums around the world from the comfort of your couch, thanks to these virtual tours.

 


This post is an edited version of the original that appears on GettheWReport.com

For Your Home March 12, 2020

Designing your Home Office

Image Source: Canva

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:

 

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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