It’s easy to get wrapped up in the emotion of a really gorgeous house or a screamingly hot deal, but as with anything new, the novelty can wear off. And unlike a pair of shoes which can easily be kicked to the curb, a house is a major investment which is not as easily disposed of….especially in this buyer’s market. Your home should suit your lifestyle.

Some homes which look great and seem like the perfect fit just don’t live well. I find this often with model homes which are staged to hide the imperfections of floorplans or vacant homes which may not at first reveal a lack of wall space (no furniture to draw attention). An experienced eye, tuned to view the home through your needs, can pick up on these shortcomings.

I showed a home just like this a few weeks ago. An absolutely adorable house but one which had the most impractical floorplan. As my young clients were ooohing and aaahing, I was bracing myself for “the talk”.

It goes something like this:

“I agree this is a really great house and the (insert latest cool feature) is beautiful. But let’s stop for a minute and think about this……. where would you put your sofa?

Where would your TV go?

And one of my favorite questions….where would you put your Christmas tree?

These questions can help buyers visualize themselves living in the home; coming home from work, cooking (or not), relaxing, entertaining….living.

Fortunately, my clients realized before I even had to ask those questions, that the oh so adorable house, just wasn’t practical for them or their future lifestyles.

When considering important “must haves” for your next new home, stop and think about how you live. Are you a cocooning homebody? The outdoors type? Have a love of cooking and entertaining? Do you spend more time in the Family room versus the Living Room? Do you really need a formal dining room? Do you really want that huge backyard, or do you travel too much to be able to keep up with the maintenance.

An experienced real estate professional can guide you through the buying process so you are able to make an informed, educated decision. Sometimes, after still considering the practical side of a home, buyers are willing to concede on one or more of their original “wants or needs”. But at least they have stopped and made a conscious, informed decision…..just before they are carried away again by excitement.

Nothing says “Welcome” to visitors, friends and would-be home buyers than a clean and tidy front stoop. This area sets the tone for your home and as they say, “you never get a second chance to make a good first impression”. A quick update to any entry is a fresh new Welcome Mat You don’t have to spend alot of or money, often little things can have a big impact. Take this Fall mat from Crate & Barrel.

It’s only $29.95 but stylish, colorful and charming. I LOVE it! It’s available only in limited quantities so if you like it, you’d better hurry!

My morning consisted of reviewing an offer, presenting another offer and reaching mutual acceptance on a listing I’ve been marketing on and off for about 18 months. I then hit my favorite store of all time Trader Joe’s, had to cancel a showing because the house sold and then headed home to clean patio furniture, watch the Huskies cream beat New Mexico and then made homemade pizza on the BBQ for dinner.

It was a good day.

Um….did you happen to catch the middle of that recap?

I REACHED MUTUAL ACCEPTANCE ON A PROPERTY I’VE BEEN MARKETING FOR 18 MONTHS.

I write that in all caps because yes, I am shouting!

The funny thing is, I changed status in the computer to “Pending Inspection” at 10:30 am. At 6:30 pm, I received a call from an agent who wanted to write an offer and then at 1:00 pm today, I received a call from another agent stating she wanted to write an offer.

It’s one of those strange phenomenas of real estate sales, that when one buyer becomes interested in a property, another buyer wants to make an offer. In this case, the other two buyers (one of which has been watching the property for several months) waited too long and missed their opportunity.

In Aesop’s tale, the tortoise beats the hare.

But in real life, the hare usually wins…..not just because he’s able to move faster, but because he’s willing to move faster.

My clients have a good, solid offer, with two back-up prospects.

Moral of this story?

Enjoy the sun when it shines, and buy the house you want when you see it.

Or someone may beat you to it!

“The smallest patch of green to arrest the monotony of asphalt and concrete is as important to the value of real estate as streets, sewers and convenient shopping.”-James Felt

If you’re among the lucky ones who are ready and able to buy your first or next home now or in the near future you’re likely to find yourself many options from which to choose.

Whenever I meet with new clients for the first time, I usually try to determine their wants vs. needs. A need would be the main floor bedroom because Grandma visits often and can’t navigate stairs, or a fenced yard because Fido can’t stay in the house all day. A want would be more along the line of a luxurious Master bathroom with heated marble floors and a jetted soaking tub.

These days, with unprecedented low interest rates, it’s possible for home buyers to get their needs PLUS many of the “wants” as an added bonus. Low interest rates mean buyers are able to qualify for more house for the same payment.

Let’s look at a hypothetical couple looking for their first home. Double income, good credit and are looking to keep their principle & interest payment to no more than $2000 per month.

At a rate of 5.5% (where rates were just a short while ago), they would be able to borrow approximately $350,000. With rates in the 4.875 range, they can now borrow roughly $30,000 at the same $2,000 per month. In my market this additional amount can mean the difference between having a soaking tub or shower only in the Master bath, a 3rd car garage vs a 2 bay or even granite counters vs. laminate.

So this pretend couple, gets the payment they want, the soaking tub she wanted, the 3rd car garage he wanted and a little more square footage for the new addition they will have in about 8 months (but don’t know about yet)…. AND they were able to stay within their budget.

Needless to say, they love their Realtor who pointed all of this out to them and then found them their dream home.

I just love happy endings!

At first it was just a slow down in business…numbers, which were inflated in many ways. Agents jumping into the business with no experience but still managing to sell several homes a year for a better than average income. This is what the industry held for many who entered the real estate profession with stars in their eyes (some would say dollar signs) within the last 5 years. Have a pulse? Fog a mirror? You could probably manage to sell a home or two because chances were you knew someone personally who was willing to trust you to handle their real estate transaction.

Experience….who needed it? Knowledge…the market was going up, how could anyone lose? We were riding a wave we never thought could crash.

A recent article in the Seattle PI, entitled “Real Estate Workers Feel Industry’s Pain” tells the story of several local real estate agents who are facing tough choices and tough decisions right now. Stay in the business, get a part-time job or bail. But this slowdown has affected many more than just real estate professionals. Title companies, mortgage bankers, loan processors, home inspectors, appraisers, handymen….the fallout is wide and it is deep.

And although it doesn’t hurt to watch those who haven’t really “paid their dues” leave the industry (afterall they really never put much effort into succeeding in the first place), hearing about some long time veterans who are unable or unwilling to adapt to a changing market is really tough to see.

Someone told me once, and I believe it is very true….a career in real estate can be one of the hardest high paying jobs there is, or one of the easiest low paying jobs.

It’s a choice…now more than ever.

If anyone thinks most Realtors today aren’t working their tails off for every dime they make, then I’d encourage you to spend a week in my shoes. How about a few days?

As I watch many of my colleagues and friends struggle to stay in an industry they love and others leave the business entirely, I wonder what will happen when the real estate market in the Puget Sound comes back. Many of us will have made it to the other side, but many others will not. I wonder how many of those who have been scarred by these times will be once again tempted to dip into the “easy money” again?

And when that time comes, I wonder how will I feel about it?

Early in my real estate career my design style was easily influenced by the last beautiful house I’d shown, sold or previewed.I’d come home from a day of showing new construction (ever been in a model home? UGH!) and want to throw everything out and start over from scratch.

But since my market’s inventory ranges from modern new construction to rustic, rural properties I developed a bit of decorating schizophrenia. But with age and experience comes wisdom (so I tell myself) and I seem to have settled into a comfortable style. I recently took the HG TV Design Style quiz. It was fun, and although they label my style as “Classy”. I prefer to call it traditional; timeless pieces and classic colors, but always comfortable.

Although I still appreciate beautifully put together homes which are more contemporary or ecclectic, I’m no longer swayed by them to run home and redo the Dining Room….something my husband is very happy about.

Take the quiz your self: Find Your Decorating Style

According to a report published by Ticor Title, homes prices in King County through May have fallen approximately 4% on average. However those areas with the highest percentage drop include Clyde Hill (down 25%), Yarrow Point (down 62%) and Medina (down 29%). Interestingly enough, Mercer Island & Seattle seem to have been fairly well insulated with only a 1% drop in average price over 2007.