Blog - Robin Myers

condominium speciaist, housing market, real estate, Windermere Real Estate

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, condominium speciaist, Downtown Bellevue, lifestyle, McCormick Park

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, economy, real estate, Windermere Real Estate

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, condominium speciaist, property values, real estate, selling a home, Windermere Real Estate

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 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.

condominium speciaist Mortgage Forbearance – Where are We Today? This week Matthew Gardner, Chief Economist with Windermere Real Estate, provides updated news about the mortgage forbearance program. The program has provided a safety net for homeowners but isn’t likely to have any long term negative economic impact.

buying a home What Does King County’s Phase 1.5 Mean for Real Estate? King County has progressed to Phase 1.5 of the Governor’s “Safe Start Proclamation”. How does that impact buyers and sellers as they search for homes or list their homes for sale? Real estate firms may open their offices again. In compliance with State guidelines, staff, brokers and guests will be […]

buying a home How’s the Local Real Estate Market? We’re 12 weeks into more experience dealing with the impact of COVID-19 on the economy and specifically the local real estate market. After a significant market decline in new listings, buyer interest and closed sales in March and April (not at all surprising) real estate came back strong starting in early May. the number of […]

Bellevue Bellevue’s McCormick Park Did you know . . . the City of Bellevue has over 2,700 acres of open space, 90+ miles of multi-use trails, lakefront parks, a farm, golf courses and dozens of playgrounds, sports courts, ball fields and picnic shelters. While many of the larger parks are well known, there are dozens of small parks downtown […]