Blog - Robin Myers

emergency planning, family, Robin Myers, safety, urban living, Windermere

Include Your Pet in Your Family’s Emergency Plan

Brush and forest fires aren’t often a concern in the city. This week suburban, farm and agricultural communities in Bonney Lake and Sumner were caught off guard by a fast spreading fire that has caused evacuations, property damage and danger to people, farm animals and wildlife. If you live in a suburban community or a […]
economy, real estate, Windermere Real Estate

Good News – Nationwide Mortgage Delinquency Rates are Down

Matthew Gardner, Windermere Real Estate’s Chief Economist, is back from vacation (sporting a new look) and talks about the relatively unknown U.S. Household Debt and Credit Report. While this may not sound very sexy, it actually contains interesting information. The report provides insights and data on national housing finance. Not surprising, mortgages and student debt […]
Bellevue condominium, condominium speciaist, downsizing, lifestyle, pet services, Windermere Real Estate

Urban Pet Potty Solution – Perfect for Condo Living

I like to support local businesses, especially these days, and this one has special importance as a townhome owner with a pet. Condo Pet Pals has been a lifesaver. I live downtown and while I walk my dog several times a day, sometimes there isn’t enough time between business appointments to fit in a walk. […]
buying a home, condo resale disclosures, condominium speciaist, condominiums, selling a home

Selling Your Condo? Here’s Why the Condo Resale Certificate is Important

What is a Resale Certificate? The condominium resale certificate is a critical part of every condo sale. Condos and homeowner associations are governed by documents that outline the duties and responsibilities of the homeowner and the community. When a buyer purchases a condo they are entitled to review those documents. The “resale certificate” is a […]

emergency planning Include Your Pet in Your Family’s Emergency Plan Brush and forest fires aren’t often a concern in the city. This week suburban, farm and agricultural communities in Bonney Lake and Sumner were caught off guard by a fast spreading fire that has caused evacuations, property damage and danger to people, farm animals and wildlife. If you live in a suburban community or a […]

economy Good News – Nationwide Mortgage Delinquency Rates are Down Matthew Gardner, Windermere Real Estate’s Chief Economist, is back from vacation (sporting a new look) and talks about the relatively unknown U.S. Household Debt and Credit Report. While this may not sound very sexy, it actually contains interesting information. The report provides insights and data on national housing finance. Not surprising, mortgages and student debt […]

Bellevue condominium Urban Pet Potty Solution – Perfect for Condo Living I like to support local businesses, especially these days, and this one has special importance as a townhome owner with a pet. Condo Pet Pals has been a lifesaver. I live downtown and while I walk my dog several times a day, sometimes there isn’t enough time between business appointments to fit in a walk. […]

buying a home Selling Your Condo? Here’s Why the Condo Resale Certificate is Important What is a Resale Certificate? The condominium resale certificate is a critical part of every condo sale. Condos and homeowner associations are governed by documents that outline the duties and responsibilities of the homeowner and the community. When a buyer purchases a condo they are entitled to review those documents. The “resale certificate” is a […]

condominium speciaist Interesting Look at Historical Data Regarding US Home Ownership This week with Matthew Gardner – interesting information on historical data regarding US home ownership rates. Millennials still represent the greatest increase in home ownership in the last year.

Bellevue Parks & Recreation Bellevue McCormick Park I visit McCormick Park daily with my dog. A couple years ago the City of Bellevue Parks Department planted a new tree, a Mimosa tree, which is unique to this area. I grew up on the East coast where Mimosa trees are common. They thrive in warm southern climates, attract butterflies and hummingbirds and are […]

condominium speciaist Understanding the Case Shiller Home Price Index This week Matthew Gardner, Chief Economist with Windermere Real Estate, explains the Case Shiller Home Price Index which has accumulated data over the last 130 years of home prices in 20 major cities in the United States.

buying a home How’s the Real Estate Market? How’s the Real Estate Market? This is a question I hear a lot. Real estate was dormant this spring due to the coronavirus pandemic. Since mid-May the housing market has made a robust and positive rebound. The number of buyers currently in the market far exceeds the available inventory of homes for sale. Why are […]

condominium speciaist How Much Are Home Values Expected to Increase in 2020? This week Matthew Gardner, Windermere Real Estate’s Chief Economist, provides an update to his 2020 housing forecast. Interesting economic information relating to the local and nationwide real estate market.

condominiums Creating Home Office Solutions for Small Spaces Many of us, whether temporary or permanently, are working from home. If your home doesn’t have dedicated office space, you can create a dedicated office area using a nook or alcove between rooms or a loft area at the top of a stair landing. The space doesn’t need to be big but can be defined […]

buying a home Summertime – Must Be Time to Go “Phishing” Over the past week I’ve suddenly received several phone and email “phishing” solicitations. I’d like to blame it on a full moon, but that was nearly three weeks ago. I’ve been contacted twice and advised my Amazon account had been locked due to suspicious activity. Two different people have called to tell me a credit […]

economy Matthew Gardner – The Importance of the National Housing Survey Started in 2010, the information in the National Housing Survey contains information about consumer attitude, intentions and financial confidence as it relates specifically to housing.

condominium speciaist Ideas for Creating Deck or Courtyard Privacy With summer weather finally here we’re all spending more time outdoors, but with the confines created by the COVID-19 pandemic, we’re spending a lot more time outdoors at home. Whether you live in an urban high rise or townhouse, creating privacy on your deck, patio or courtyard can be challenging. HGTV has provided some […]

economy COVID-19 Impact on the Housing Market – You Might Be Surprised

IRS July 15th Tax Extension Deadline is Next Week Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the IRS postponed the original tax filing deadline from April 15th to July 15th. July 15th is also the deadline for making first and second quarter estimated payments for 2020. You also have until the 15th to contribute to your IRA or health savings accounts for the 2019 tax year. […]

lifestyle An Online Furniture Shopping Newbie I don’t do a lot of online shopping unless its for a product I’ve purchased before or from a retail store I’m familiar with and trust. Buying groceries online, a t-shirt from Nordstrom or replacing a kitchen item from Amazon is a safe bet. I’ve never made a significant online purchase like furniture. Replacing the […]

affordable housing The Important Role First Time Buyers Play in the Long Term Housing Market This week Matthew Gardner, Windermere Chief Economist, speaks to the importance first time buyers will play in the recovery of the country’s housing market.

affordable housing Can We Expect to See More Entry Level Affordable Housing In the Future? This week Matthew Gardner, Chief Economist for Windermere Real Estate, discusses housing affordability and what we can expect moving forward. On average median housing prices nationwide are have increased by 23.5% above the 2008/2009 recession. While there has been some impact on values due to COVID-19, high demand from buyers in a market with limited […]

buying a home Available Homes for Sale Significantly Below Last Year The number of homes available for sale declined in April and May for obvious reasons – there were health and economic concerns brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Since late May local home sales have been ahead of the same period last year. Buyer demand remains high but what is different about this year compared […]

condominium speciaist How Close Are We to Getting Back to Normal? This week Matthew Gardner, Windermere’s Chief Economist, looks at high frequency data sets, data that is issued more frequently than the typical monthly or quarterly reports we’re used to reading. Using data from real estate, hospitality and travel sources Matthew provides interesting information on how close our economic growth is to getting back to normal.