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What’s Your Word for the Year?
December 31, 2018 /What's Your Word for the Year? By Margaret Smith, Director of Operations for Pickett Street In 2018 my word was “Relentless”. I don’t give up and I’m relentless in my pursuit of fulfilling my purpose. The word came to me in May of 2018- so it wasn’t something that I intentionally chose to do before the New Year rolled around, I just realized it was what I was doing. This year I’m making a point of selecting my word for the year ahead of time, with intention. Definition of Relentless: Showing or promising no abatement of severity, intensity, strength, or pace. My friend Jessica and I used to say “We’re not smart, we just work really hard”. That was our perspective in high school, and I still stand firm with it for the most part. I do believe I’m intelligent, but I also believe I don’t know everything. Nothing comes easily to me- I work really hard for everything I have in my life: my duplex, my career, my family, friends and passion to grow and become the next iteration of myself. What you see on social media is all true, and I work hard to try and show the…Read more
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Beacon Hill Modern
December 28, 2018 /No shared walls with this modern free-standing home on Beacon Hill. Enter on polished concrete floors that spill through the lower level great room, which is anchored by a spacious kitchen with white cabinets, stainless steel appliances, subway tile backsplash and quartz countertops. 2 bedrooms on the second level, separated by a full bathroom and utility room with washer, dryer and tankless water heater. Watch sunrises from the balcony of the third-floor master retreat, which also features a double shower and large walk-in closet. All this plus a rooftop deck with shade and turf, carport, security system, barn doors, radiant heat and air conditioning, in a central location close to light rail, bus line, Mountain to Sound trail, I-5 & 90. No HOA dues & all appliances stay! Call Jesse Moore at 425.502.5397 for more information.Read more
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Pickett Street’s Coziest Holiday Traditions
December 21, 2018 /Right now I’m curled up in my parents’ home in Gig Harbor, which just lost power in the wind storm. Because the house’ sits in a secluded spot in the woods, they lose power several times per year and never know if electricity will return in a few hours or a few days. One Christmas, we lost power for a full week. However, despite the fact that the wind storm has just plunged my family into darkness for the unforeseeable future, the holidays in our home remain infused with hygge. We have a wood-burning stove, a pot of coffee, stacks of reading material, and plenty of candles. Recently, I read about an adorable tradition in Iceland called Jólabókaflóðið (“flood of books”), where loved ones gift books to each other on Christmas Eve, then spend the rest of the evening snuggled up at home reading and drinking hot chocolate. To celebrate tōji, or the winter solstice, people in Japan take hot yuzu baths to warm up, lift their moods, and soothe chapped skin. I’ve learned over the years that homes feel the coziest when you choose a space that feels true to your needs and when you maintain social connections and…Read more
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Community Highlights: Pure Results
December 17, 2018 /Pickett Street Properties is dedicated to serving the community and is highlighting businesses and community members that are dedicated to doing the same. This week we are excited to share about Pure Results Fitness Center in Lynnwood, WA. Our very own Team Administrator Sarah Troske and Owner Jesse Moore attend Pure Results! Hello, my name is Ray Hecita, I am the Owner of Pure Results Fitness Center and a Body Transformation Specialist. I started Pure Results in 2006 with 20+ years of experience in working with people to transform their lives that simply wanted to lose weight, gain weight, getting ready for a competition, rehabilitation, or injury prevention. After working for most of the large gyms in Washington I finally started my gym because unfortunately most people were not being serviced well and they were getting hurt. I opened Pure Results for that specific reason, to help more people transform their lives for the better. By helping them get in the best shape and avoid injury. After doing so, I know I have done my best to help them, so one day they can spread the information and education I taught them to help other people get in better…Read more
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Seattle’s Big Shift: Two More Reasons to Buy a Home Now
December 14, 2018 /You may have noticed a trend in these blog posts over the past several weeks. Here they are, in no particular order: how to buy a home with zero down, why a home should be on your shopping list, and why to buy before the new year. This recent push to buy is not to encourage you to participate mindlessly in the holiday season’s characteristically frantic spending. Rather, Pickett Street wants their clients to know that buying now might be a very mindful, financially smart decision. Buying a home right now is like going shopping at the mall during the quietest, most dead time of the year, when you practically have the whole place to yourself, when stores are eager to move product, and when sales abound. Over the past six years, Seattle has been a difficult place to buy a home. The Seattle Times reports that in 2017, 92 percent of Seattle homes for sale involved multiple bidders. 79 percent of homes had multiple bidders in the larger stretch between Snohomish and Pierce Counties. However, over the past several months, the tides have quickly shifted. In November, just 21 percent of Seattle homes had multiple bidders.…Read more
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South Everett Tri-Level
December 10, 2018 /This 4 bedroom tri-level home in South Everett has a newly painted interior. Enter on laminate floors that spill across the great room with gas fireplace and vaulted ceilings. Kitchen opens to dining room with sliding door to covered deck. 3 bedrooms upstairs, including master suite with 3/4 bathroom. 4th bedroom is downstairs, and offers access to the interior spa room with hot tub. All this plus a sprinkler system, rosebushes, asian pear & cherry trees, fully fenced backyard and RV parking. Call Jesse Moore at 425.502.5397 for more information. To download the property flyer as a PDF, click on the link: South Everett Tri-LevelRead more
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Pickett Street’s Holiday Event Guide 2018
December 7, 2018 /Real talk: December can feel difficult for many people. Financial issues, complicated family dynamics, and other personal challenges often rear their ugly heads. Additionally, with its deeply northern location, the Seattle area can feel especially dark and wet this time of year, resulting in low energy and dips in one’s moods. Curious about how people in even darker parts of the world handle winter, I recently read an article about a PhD student who spent a full year researching mental health in Tromsø, Norway. Tromsø is so far north that between late November and late January, the sun never climbs above the horizon. Apparently, however, residents in this town largely avoid seasonal depression. As it turned out, Norwegians “view winter as something to be enjoyed, not endured.” Tromsø residents infuse everything they do with a sense of koselig—roughly translated as “coziness” and similar to the Danish hygge—through fires, warm drinks, candles, and fuzzy blankets. According to the article, the research student also reported that Norwegians typically form close-knit communities and that “Tromsø had plenty of festivals and community activities creating the sense that everyone was in it together.” So, in order to help you embrace winter’s chill, spend more time…Read more
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Why A Home Should Be On Your Shopping List
December 7, 2018 /Earlier this week I made a rare trip to the mall to drop off what I assumed would be a quick return. I have grown so accustomed to completing my shopping online, from the comfort of my own home, sipping my coffee and wearing sweatpants, that this trip felt like a real Event. While the return itself took approximately 30 seconds (customer service these days, am I right?), driving around the parking lot looking for a spot took approximately—and this is not even an exaggeration—30 minutes. All this occurred while the mall’s speakers blasted terrible Christmas music at an unnecessarily loud volume. By the end of my search, I was humming weirdly to myself, rocking back and forth in my seat, and—not sound too dramatic but—feeling like I was in trapped in one of Dante’s nine circles of hell. What I mean to say is, the holiday season’s hustle and bustle can quickly become overwhelming. However, as I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, because the market is calmer and less competitive, late fall and winter can be excellent times to buy a home. How to ease the stress of buying a home during the holiday season, then? First, as…Read more
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Arlington Two-Story
November 29, 2018 /Spacious 2-story home in Arlington within USDA eligibility boundary (possibly $0 down). Enter on laminate floors that spill through the circular floorplan of the main floor. Kitchen with pantry has room to add an island, and is adjacent to large dining room with slider to large fully fenced backyard. All bedrooms are upstairs, including master suite with 3/4 bath. Huge bonus room could be family room or 4th bedroom. All this plus 2-car garage, garden beds, and option for zero down payment loan program. Call Jesse Moore at 425.502.5397 for more information. To download the property flyer as a PDF, click on the link: Arlington Two-StoryRead more
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Community Highlights: Rob Renfro
November 26, 2018 /Pickett Street Properties is dedicated to serving the community and is highlighting businesses and community members that are dedicated to doing the same. Meet Rob Renfro, the owner of Coastline Home Inspections. He is our preferred home inspector and has helped many of our buyers with their home inspections. Here's his story. . . Having remodeled several homes in Southern California, I felt performing home inspections was something I would enjoy as a career. Upon adopting our first daughter, we made the decision to move to the NW and begin our journey here. (my wife is from Spokane so you can’t hold my So Cal roots against me). After a year of self-study and a lot of hard work to open the doors, I began inspecting homes in 2005. After nearly 600 inspections per year, I’m still passionately learning how our homes function as a system and how we can best maintain them. I have always had a keen eye and a desire to help others through their home buying experience. I enjoy helping buyers navigate the home inspection process - it is both fulfilling and challenging. I love to be part of their discovery and educating them on…Read more
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The Science Behind Gratitude
November 21, 2018 /As most of us in the 21st century know, life can be very stressful. Right now, you might feel anxious about the growing number of emails you need to respond to or the fact that you still haven’t booked those holiday flights. Or, perhaps you’re worried about longer-term issues, such as credit card debt or job security. As Thanksgiving and other holidays approach, it’s especially easy to get caught up in spending money and cramming as many social events into your schedule as possible. However, the answer to these stressors may be simpler than you think. According to a recent Quartz article by Bulletproof Coffee CEO Dave Asprey, “the real power of gratitude is turning off a very unproductive emotion: fear.” Countless studies have shown that gratitude works at the cellular level to significantly decrease stress. So, in the spirit of Thanksgiving, here’s how gratitude can ease stress, boost your health, and increase joy. 1. Decreases fear. According to Quartz, “when you live in a state of fear—such as in the fight or flight mode—the brain secretes two steroid hormones: cortisol and adrenaline.” The National Institute of Health recently conducted a study in which MRIs showed that participants who focused…Read more
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Autonomy Leads to Ownership Thinking
November 21, 2018 /There is a clear correlation between autonomy and motivation. Autonomy leads to ownership thinking. 1. Dictionary Definition: Autonomy is the quality or state of being independent, free and self-directing. 2. My definition of autonomy in the context of a business partnership and company is the ability to carry out a vision however I determine, with the best interest of those it will impact in mind. What that actually looks like: -Weekly meetings with leadership to ensure we're on the same page. -I set my work hours. -I come and go as I determine from my office. -I set the meetings, prioritize my duties, plan and execute in the way I know is most efficient and best. -I create the environment which includes the physical office environment and the mental environment I want (camaraderie). -When given a project and a budget, once I understand the WHY- I execute that project how I determine is best, and however I want. What that doesn't look like: -Someone telling me when I should come and go. -Someone telling me how to organize myself. -Someone telling me how to execute on a project. -Someone telling me I need to check in with them before I execute on something. -Someone telling me how to…Read more
