condominiums

condominiums, Home Office, lifestyle, working from home

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 […]
condominium speciaist, condominiums, lifestyle, urban living, Windermere Real Estate

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 […]
affordable housing, condominiums, economy, real estate

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.
buying a home, condominium speciaist, condominiums, real estate, selling 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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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.

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 […]

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 […]

apartments Could COVID-19 Impact Future Condo and Apartment Design? Recent real estate and design articles have speculated on the impact the coronavirus pandemic could have on future residential design. Features in the last decade have focused on spacious luxury owner amenities with indoor and outdoor common areas, lush gardens, fitness centers, media rooms, private dining rooms, pet spas and co-working spaces. Will residential […]

condominium speciaist How has COVID-19 Impacted Various Housing Categories Matthew Gardner offers insight into how the coronavirus pandemic may impact urban housing, condos, single family housing, suburbs, second homes and short term rentals.

buying a home Real Estate – What to Expect as We Return to “Normal” It’s not surprising to know home sales declined in mid-March as we sheltered at home. Moving into mid-April both buyer activity and pending sales began increasing, all while home prices remained strong. Nationally median home prices rose in every region of the US in April. Locally buyer activity and home values also gained momentum. Short […]

condominium speciaist Homeowner Association Issues Impacted by the COVID-19 Pandemic During the shelter-at-home order in Washington State, board or HOA meetings are currently prohibited. This may create complications for homeowner associations trying to conduct business that needs a majority vote regarding matters impacting the HOA and owners. Homeowner/community associations are required to follow their governing documents when handling association matters. This includes owners and directors […]

condominium speciaist Downtown Bellevue Condos – Year-to-Year Stats Demand for urban housing remains strong, and with Amazon’s projected growth in downtown Bellevue, along with other corporations’ expansion plans, high demand is expected to continue over the next few years. Before the coronavirus outbreak and Stay Home/Stay Healthy order that went into effect in mid-March, the local condo real estate market was off […]

condominium speciaist Are You Ready for a Condominium Lifestyle? Condos are often the choice of empty nesters downsizing, or right-sizing, into a new lifestyle offering less maintenance, luxury amenities and a carefree lock-and-walk lifestyle. It can be an adjustment living with neighbors closer, sharing common areas and learning to cope with smaller spaces. Give ample thought to your lifestyle and how you will adjust […]

buying a home February NWMLS Real Estate Market Snapshot February statistics are in. Home prices, compared to February 2019, are up 9%. There’s less than a six week supply of available homes which is down 33% over the same time last year. Mortgage interest rates are historically low. Now is the time to maximize your home buying power. Open house traffic has been amazing. […]

condominiums Spring Forward this Weekend

Bellevue What a Difference a Few Days of Sun Can Make While showing condos recently I took a photo of one of the home’s incredible views. We are fortunate to live in an amazingly beautiful part of the country. It can be gray here in the early months of the year, and we’ll all agree that this February has been a tough month with record rain, […]

condominium speciaist Walkability to Amenities May Command a Higher Home Price The National Association of Realtors® recently published an article with data from a Redfin study addressing the impact walkability to neighborhood amenities has on home values. Homes within walking distance of workplaces, shopping, parks, schools, etc. rank high on buyer wish lists but will command higher prices. Homes with in-city locations are often condominiums (stack […]

condominium speciaist Selling Your Home? Prepare for the Photo Shoot This is the time of year when more homes are listed for sale. It’s rare to see a home on the market that doesn’t have professional photos. Quality photography is critical for on line marketing and could be the most important piece of the marketing plan your broker will (or should) commit to when […]

Bellevue Senior Property Tax Exemption Program It’s that time of year when we start collecting receipts, mortgage interest and property tax statements, all in readiness to work on taxes or at least deliver your box of receipts and statements to your accountant. Did you know . . . anyone 61 years or older who owns their own home may be eligible […]

Community Service Day Windermere Foundation This year I celebrate 30 years as a Realtor® and a decade with Windermere Real Estate. Locally owned, Windermere has deep roots in the community and a commitment to support the neighborhoods where we live and work. I’m proud to support the Windermere Foundation and its efforts to support organizations assisting low income and homeless […]

Bellevue Excavation Started at Avenue Bellevue With demolition complete, excavation has begun at the Avenue Bellevue site located at the northwest corner of Bellevue Way NE and NE 8th Street. (This is the former Cost Plus site, or if you’ve been around Bellevue for a while, the former Albertsons grocery store.) The mixed use project will include 85,000 square feet of […]

Bellevue Affordable Housing in Bellevue? You might be surprised to find there are many affordable housing options close to downtown Bellevue. Apartments in the city are expensive and it’s likely the rent will increase each time the lease renews. The average monthly rent for a 2 bedroom apartment in downtown Bellevue is $3,250 or more per month (plus utilities). That’s […]