Newsletters New Agency Law Changes: Transparency, Consumer Protection & Commitment On January 1, 2024, major changes to the Law of Agency will go into effect. These changes result from the real estate industry in the state of Washington wanting to elevate the level of transparency and consumer protection surrounding buyer representation. Senate Bill 5191 was voted into law requiring adjustments in how brokers operate when working with […]
Quarterly Reports QUARTERLY REPORTS Q3 2023 Tight inventory and buyer demand helped fuel the market in the third quarter of 2023 despite rising interest rates. There have been fewer listings in 2023 than in 2022 which has created price growth since the first of the year. Prices peaked in spring 2022, corrected in the second half of 2022, and then they […]
Newsletters The Low Inventory Effect: Nationally & Close to Home The video below from Matthew Gardner, Windermere’s Chief Economist, refers to the effects of constricted inventory levels on the national housing market in a higher interest rate environment. Review the localized numbers that I gathered that pertain to King and Snohomish Counties and then check out what he has to say about the national trends. […]
Community Information & Events Win-Win: How to Overcome Interest Rate Pressure with Creative Financing Lately we have talked about life changes leading to real estate moves. Sometimes moves are brought on by joyful advancements in life and sometimes they are motivated by hardship. Then there are times when your actual house just doesn’t fit your life anymore and it is time for something different. Whatever might be calling someone to make […]
Community Information & Events Should You Stay or Should You Go? Interest Rates Limit Inventory and Stabilize Prices There has always been a direct correlation between interest rates and home prices. The rule of thumb has always been when rates go up prices go down, and vice versa. This was temporarily proven true in the summer of 2022 when rates quickly rose by 2% (3.5%-5.5%) over 5 months. It created a price correction in the […]
Community Information & Events Clarity Through Chaos: Using the Data to Guide Decisions. I think we can all agree that we have been on a bit of a wild ride over the last 12 months in the real estate market. When the Fed decided to change its trajectory on interest rates in mid-2022, it created some chaos and confusion. When big changes happen, it is a natural reaction […]
Quarterly Reports QUARTERLY REPORTS Q2 2023 The recovery from the 2022 correction continued in Q2 of 2023. Since December 2022, prices have increased at a rapid rate. Inventory remains tight and absorption is steady due to pent-up buyer demand. Shorter days on market and healthy list-to-sale price ratios illustrate when a seller meets the market with appropriate pricing and is in […]
Community Information & Events 2023 Market Predictions, Fact Checked. One of the reasons why we are fortunate to have Matthew Gardener as our Chief Economist at Windermere is his transparency. Every year, Matthew makes predictions for the coming year based on his monumental research and years of experience. Just this week, he reviewed his 2023 predictions and recorded the video below. Most of his […]
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Community Information & Events Let’s Dance! Prices Stabilize & Even Grow Amidst a Chaotic Interest Rate Market If we let the media determine the mood regarding the housing market, it would be time to shut the party down and call it a night. I’m here to report that we are still dancing and there is a lot to celebrate! While it is not all shiny and bright (it never is), there is a pattern […]
Community Information & Events A Busy Legislative Session for Housing: 10 Bills Passed That Will Affect Housing in Our State On April 23rd the Washington State Legislature adjourned after passing 10 new bills that will affect housing. Some of the bills are geared toward creating more transparency around brokerage transactions, some are intended to institute more opportunities for building density to provide more affordable housing, and some are more regulatory to help guide and ease […]
Newsletters Understanding the Difference Between Long-Term & Short-Term Interest Rates It is very important that consumers understand the difference between long-term interest rates and short-term interest rates. Long-term rates involve home mortgages such a conventional 30-year fixed, Jumbo, FHA, and VA loans. Short-term rates involve car loans, credit cards, and Home Equity Lines of Credit (HELOCs). While both types of rates have gone up over the course of […]
Quarterly Reports QUARTERLY REPORTS Q1 2023 We are seeing signs of price stabilization and some growth after the market correction of 2022! Illustrated on the front is the up-down-up trajectory that home prices have experienced over the last year. While we are in the midst of measuring the negative difference from the peak prices of the first half of 2022 to […]
Community Information & Events Which is better, renting or buying?: The financial benefits of owning real estate. The financial benefits of owning real estate significantly outweigh the option of renting. Renting is certainly a must for some, and is what one may have to do while they build up to becoming a homeowner. Becoming a homeowner requires solid employment, good credit, and some type of down payment. Savings can all be built over time and […]
Newsletters Holy Shift, Again! Most of the Market Correction Behind Us & Growth Ahead! Markets change fast! We experienced a substantial shift in 2022 with the first half of the year feeling like a completely different market than the second half of the year. A 3-point increase in interest rate was the main culprit along with inflation and affordability for the 2022 market correction we experienced. A market correction is defined […]
Newsletters  An Economic & Housing Forecast for 2023 by Economist Matthew Gardner Last week, my office had the pleasure of hosting Windermere’s Chief Economist, Matthew Gardner for his 2023 Economic and Housing Forecast. During this jam-packed hour of insightful delivery, he reported on the U.S. and local economies along with the U.S. and local housing markets specific to King and Snohomish Counties. If you are interested in receiving […]
Newsletters QUARTERLY REPORTS Q4 2022 2022 was a transitional year for the real estate market that started off incredibly seller-centric and ended in balance. We started 2022 with interest rates hovering in the low 3%, peaked at 7% in late fall, and ended the year hovering in the mid 6%. This significant jump created a correction in home prices as the cost […]
Community Information & Events December is for GIVING at Windermere North! Between holiday parties, family obligations, work, and the pressure of finding the perfect gift, this time of year can come and go in a flash. At Windermere North, we never want this season to go by without coming together to lift up our community and give back in meaningful ways.   Our office-wide annual holiday […]
Community Information & Events Key Factors to Note as the Market Recalibrates in the New Year 2022 has been an eventful year in the real estate market and the economy. After 2 years of pandemic-fueled demand and historically low interest rates, we experienced a shift. The Fed quickly raised rates (by 2 points) from April to October to combat inflation, curbing buyer demand as affordability took a hit. The overall economy is starting […]
Community Information & Events Matthew Gardner’s Top 10 Predictions for 2023   1 There Is No Housing Bubble Mortgage rates rose steeply in 2022 which, when coupled with the massive run-up in home prices, has some suggesting that we are recreating the housing bubble of 2007. But that could not be further from the truth.   Over the past couple of years, home prices got ahead […]
Community Information & Events Returning to normal: buyer affordability dictates the market while sellers retain equity. There is no doubt that 2022 has been one of the most eventful years in real estate. This is saying a lot coming off the record-breaking years of the pandemic. We will probably never see anything like 2020 and 2021 again. During this time the market responded to a historical event that motivated the rearrangement […]