July 28, 2016
Western Washington Real Estate Market Update

Posted in Market News and Western Washington Real Estate Market Update by Matthew Gardner, Chief Economist, Windermere Real Estate
Washington State continues to see strong employment growth, outpacing national numbers with an annual rate of more than 3%. Interestingly enough, despite these substantial job gains, the unemployment rate remains stubbornly high at 5.8%. However, I’m not overly concerned about this because it’s largely due to a growing labor force rather than a declining job market.
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July 25, 2016
Seattle Seahawks and Windermere Real Estate Announce New Partnership

Posted in Seahawks by Shelley Rossi
The Seattle Seahawks and Windermere Real Estate announced today an exclusive partnership that will make Windermere the Official Real Estate Company of the Seattle Seahawks.
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July 22, 2016
6 Alternative Flooring Solutions to Refresh Your Home

Posted in Houzz.com and Living by Houzz.com
Feeling ho-hum about classic hardwood floors? Here are six alternative floor solutions that can give any room in your house a fresh sense of personality, whether you’re starting from scratch or looking for an inexpensive DIY update.
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July 20, 2016
Planning for the Future: Housing Options to Consider

Posted in Buying and Selling by Tara Sharp
It should come as no surprise that 75% of the senior citizens polled in the latest AARP Preferences survey strongly agreed with the statement, “What I’d like to do is stay in my current residence as long as possible.” After all, home is where the heart is; and the longer you live in a place, the stronger your attachment to it becomes.
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July 19, 2016
The Timeless Appeal of the Equestrian Life

Posted in Living by KiamaLise Herres
It struck me, in the midst of a big bustling city where the only horses are the giant stone ones gracing the façades of old buildings and the few scattered cart horses pulling excited tourists through Central Park, that no matter who you are or where you live, the equestrian lifestyle has ubiquitous appeal.
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July 18, 2016
Refinancing: What you need to know

Posted in Living by Tara Sharp
Thanks to all-time-low interest rates, the number of homeowners refinancing their mortgages is at an all-time high. Of course, no one should refinance just because everyone else is doing it. But, for many homeowners, the benefits are simply too hard to ignore any longer.
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July 15, 2016
3 Garden Alternatives for a Patchy Lawn

Posted in Houzz.com and Living by Houzz.com
I’ve met with more than one client while standing on a struggling lawn. “I keep trying,” they tell me, “but the grass won’t grow.” I tell them that maybe this means there’s another option, something even better than a lawn. Maybe it’s time for a garden. And it’s as if I’d just told them the secret to eternal happiness and long life.
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July 13, 2016
Windermere Foundation Quarterly Report

Posted in Windermere Foundation by Christine Wood
Thanks to your generous donations, the Windermere Foundation has collected nearly $818,000 in donations during the first half of 2016. This is an increase of 11 percent compared to this time last year!
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July 11, 2016
Will Rental Prices Continue to Escalate?

Posted in Economics 101 Videos and Market News by Matthew Gardner, Chief Economist, Windermere Real Estate
Over the last ten years, the U.S. has added more than nine million rental households, increasing demand on apartments throughout the country, escalating rental rates faster than wages. Windermere’s Chief Economist, Matthew Gardner, shares his view on what to expect for future of rental prices and when long-term renters will start to buy.
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July 08, 2016
How the Neighborhood Impacts a Home’s Value

Posted in Buying and Selling by Tara Sharp
The “estimated” home prices you see posted online can be off by tens of thousands of dollars—not because they are dishonest, but because the computer programs generating these guesstimates don’t take into account the current condition of a house, the amenities that are included, the qualities of the surrounding neighborhood, and so much more.
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