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Posts Tagged "Jesse Moore"


  • Buying Off-Market Homes: A Conversation with Nicole Leong

    April 10, 2018 /
    Pickett Street Properties Team /

    It can feel frustrating to dream about your ideal home and then struggle to actually find this home. This frustration is especially real in places like the Seattle area, where the highly competitive real estate market takes some patience (and amazing real estate agents!) to navigate. Because they understand that, for some individuals, dream homes aren’t always where they expect, Pickett Street is able to help their clients purchase off-market homes. While you might be thinking that an “off-market” home involves chatting with a trench-coated individual in some dark alley, the actual process is much more straightforward. I was recently able to chat about buying an off-market home with Pickett Street’s wonderful buyers agent Nicole Leong. Here’s what she had to say. (For more about finding your own off-market home, get in touch with Pickett Street at (425) 502-5397 or info@pickettstreet.com.) What exactly is an “off-market” home? An off-market home is a property that has not been listed anywhere. In an off-market real estate transaction, the seller might consider selling their home if presented with an acceptable offer. Nicole points out that an off-market home is different from a “for sale by owner,” or FSBO, home, which is a property…Read more

  • Podcasts, Free Classes, and More: Pickett Street’s Spring Calendar

    March 30, 2018 /
    Pickett Street Properties Team /

    No one knows how to throw a party like Pickett Street. And by “throw a party,” I mean, treat their clients and team members with respect, compassion, and professionalism, host and participate in local and national events, and engage in the real estate market in endlessly fun and innovative ways. With spring in the air, the Pickett Street team has several exciting events up their sleeves. Want to join in? Get in touch with the team at (425) 502-5397 or info@pickettstreet.com and check out the list of upcoming events below: First-time Home Buyer Class When: Tuesday, April 17th @ 6-7:30pm Where: 22614 Bothell Everett Hwy. Bothell, WA 98021 As a hopefully-soon-to-be-homebuyer, I’m seriously considering skyping in for this event. Not only will there be refreshments, this entirely free (!) class will feature the Pickett Street team and Cody Touchette from Caliber Home Loans. The class will cover the home buying process from start to finish, with information about loan and financing options, down payment options, and what you need to know about the current real estate market. Contact Sarah Troske at sarah@pickettstreet.com with any questions or to sign up. 2nd Annual Pacific Northwest Operations Retreat When: April 5th through April…Read more

  • Seattle Real Estate Update: What to Expect in Spring 2018

    March 22, 2018 /
    Pickett Street Properties Team /

    I took a walk around my Denver neighborhood last weekend and–in addition to Colorado’s usual bizarre spring weather of sunshine plus wind and snow–noticed several open houses and even more for-sale signs posted in front yards. The spring buying season is here. As we enter this season, here’s the latest Seattle real estate and mortgage news. 1. Mortgage rates decreased. After increasing throughout January and February, long-term mortgage rates recently slipped from 4.46 percent to 4.44 percent. (This time last year, the long-term mortgage rate was slightly lower at 4.3 percent.) Fixed-rate mortgages also recently decreased from 3.94 to 3.9 percent. These decreases are good news for those buying or selling homes right now; lower mortgage rates tend to motivate individuals who are on the fence to finally buy. 2. Interest on home loans is still partially deductible. Many homeowners have had questions about how the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act would affect their ability to deduct interest from home equity loans and lines of credit. (Check out our blog post from earlier this year for more about how the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act will affect you). Responding to these questions from homeowners, the IRS recently issued a…Read more

  • Smart, Creative Ways to Use the Cash After Selling Your Home

    March 16, 2018 /
    Pickett Street Properties Team /

    Unsurprisingly, 2017’s hot real estate market has carried over to 2018, and while the market isn’t getting any hotter, it’s also not getting any cooler. For more information, check out our blogs on why it’s good to be a seller right now and on why you should sell your home early in 2018. While letting go of your property might be emotional and uncertain at first, this decision has several amazing perks. One particularly exciting perk: in today’s seller’s market, it’s likely that selling your home will lead to some extra cash. Here are a few creative suggestions concerning what to do with the cash and what you have to look forward to after selling your home. (If you are looking to sell, let Pickett Street help you with this process. Get in touch with them at (425) 502-5397 or info@pickettstreet.com.) 1. Buy another home. The most common choice for home sellers is to put the cash they’ve earned through a home sale toward a down payment on a new home. While you should carefully consider what’s right for you and for your family, buying another property is usually a smart, sound way to invest your cash. 2. Pay off…Read more

  • Kenmore’s Moorlands Neighborhood: Country Living With Modern Conveniences

    March 9, 2018 /
    Pickett Street Properties Team /

    This week, I get to talk about one of my favorite things to write about for Pickett Street: listings for new homes. I love interior design, and I find it very exciting to imagine the family or individual who gets to call each new listing their home. And this newly listed 4-bedroom, 2.5-bath, 2,200-square-foot Moorlands home is particularly lovely. With hardwood floors, an open floor plan, a spacious kitchen, a gas fireplace, and a master bedroom with a big walk-in closet, double sinks, and a soaking tub, the home’s features radiate comfort and peaceful living. Other perks include a large deck, a fully fenced backyard, and a highly convenient location. Kenmore’s Moorlands neighborhood sits between Inglemoor and Inglewood. Tucked away in the northeastern corner of Lake Washington, Kenmore was founded in 1901 by Scottish settlers, which perhaps explains the origins of the neighborhood name. While it doesn’t exactly have foggy moors or Scottish castles, the city is home to excellent schools in the Northshore school district, beautiful parks, and a generally safe, peaceful atmosphere. Here’s some more information about the listing and the area. (Make sure to also check out our neighborhood profile on Kenmore.) Neighborhood Vibe In 2018, Kenmore…Read more

  • Three Reasons To Fall in Love with Real Estate

    February 15, 2018 /
    Pickett Street Properties Team /

    While we’re celebrating love this week–whether that’s enjoying a candlelit dinner with your partner, grabbing pizza with friends, or snuggling up on the couch with Netflix and takeout–let’s talk about other forms of love. Namely, let’s discuss love for investing in real estate. In my time working as a writer for Pickett Street, I’ve witnessed and felt inspired by how much everyone on their team truly loves working in the real estate world. I’ve also learned that there is something magical about investing in real estate. This is not to say that this investment doesn’t have its challenges–like all things worth loving, it does–but to say that it’s an incredibly rewarding lifelong practice. If you’re already thinking, “Yes! I’m in love! Sign me up!”, then get in touch with Pickett Street ((425) 502-5397) or info@pickettstreet.com) to buy or sell a home in the Seattle area. If you need more convincing, here are three reasons to love real estate. 1. Owning property generates income. Forbes notes that one of real estate’s main benefits is that it allows you to generate significant income without having to sell your investment. While stocks and bonds both yield about 2%, real estate allows you to…Read more

  • What to Know About the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act

    February 9, 2018 /
    Pickett Street Properties Team /

    Recent changes stemming from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act may feel, as taxes sometimes do, a bit confusing. Luckily, Pickett Street and their preferred mortgage lender Cody Touchette of Caliber Home Loans are here with the breakdown of how recent tax changes will affect you. Keep in mind that most of these changes will not affect you until it's time to file 2018 taxes (the taxes you will file in 2019). For more information about the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, Cody recommends this helpful link. 1.  Standard deduction. According to the Washington Post, the new tax law increases the standard deduction to $12,000 for single filers and $24,000 for joint filers. This means that, for many homeowners, it will no longer make sense to itemize deductions. Zillow broke it down for the Washington D.C. area: under the old tax law, it made sense for 98 percent of homeowners to itemize, while under the new law, it only makes sense for 64 percent of homeowners to itemize. 2.  Mortgage interest deductions. If you bought your home on or after December 15th, 2017, then you can claim a maximum interest of $750,000 for each secured primary residence. If you bought your home before December 15th,…Read more

  • Keller Williams Ranks as the Happiest Company

    February 2, 2018 /
    Pickett Street Properties Team /

    Like most people these days, I’ve worked in several different jobs. While all of these jobs were stepping stones, some were stranger than others. In high school, I was a cashier for a retail chain that shall remain unnamed, and I remember that they didn’t allow employees to keep a water bottle at the register with us. In college, I worked for a woman who ran her own business, which appeared to be some kind of pyramid scheme. She mostly wanted me to create a spreadsheet of her airline credit cards and frequent flyer miles. One summer I worked for my college’s environmental health and safety officer and spent long days in the basement researching conspiracy theories about disease on the internet at his request. That was a weird summer. Later in my twenties, I spent a lot of time thinking about happiness, and how this relates to my work. I personally derive satisfaction and happiness from working as a writer and as a teacher–perhaps because both of these jobs mean that I get to drink water at my desk whenever I want and that I don’t have to spend hours in windowless basements researching conspiracy theories or sorting through…Read more

  • Hi, I’m Ansley, And I’m a First-Time Home Buyer

    January 26, 2018 /
    Pickett Street Properties Team /

    I’ve been writing for the awesome Pickett Street Properties Team for nearly a year now, and it seems I’m overdue for a personal introduction. Hello! My name is Ansley. I’m a teacher and a writer. I'm also a first-time home buyer. I spent most of my life in the Seattle area before moving to Colorado for graduate school. While I fell hard for Colorado’s snowy mountains, sunshine, and blue skies (seriously--you haven’t seen the sky until you’ve experienced it out here!) it’s my dream to move back to the Seattle area. I’m good at drinking a lot of coffee while watching the Great British Baking Show and reading New York Times articles in bed. I’m also good at whining at my partner to bring me things like socks and chocolate and more coffee so that I don’t have to get out of bed. I’m lucky that I have the most patient partner in the world. I love running and hiking in the mountains with my deaf puppy. I love learning and writing about the world in all its complexities. And now, a personal anecdote. A few weeks ago, my partner and I received the catering contract for our upcoming June…Read more

  • Seattle Real Estate Update: What to Expect from 2018

    January 15, 2018 /
    Pickett Street Properties Team /

    As you let go of 2017, look forward to 2018, and reassess your life and goals, you may wonder what’s in store for the Seattle real estate market over the next year. 2017 was an exciting and wild year; Seattle was named the hottest real estate market in the country and home prices rose 13.4 percent, which is more than twice the national average rate of 5.9% for home price growth. So, if you are looking to buy or sell a home in the greater Seattle area, what can you expect from the market over the next year? First, you should find a great agent who can help you. Second, check out these predictions for the coming year. 1. Lower mortgage rates will make it easier to buy a home. Long-term mortgage rates recently fell from 3.99% to 3.95% (a year ago the averages rates were 4.20%). The average rate for 15-year fixed-rate mortgages also recently fell from 3.44% to 3.38%. According to the Seattle times, these relatively low rates can help homebuyers offset the rising costs of real estate and make it easier to afford a home. 2. Seattle, in case you haven’t heard, is very cool. According to…Read more

  • Five New Year’s Resolutions for Your Home

    January 5, 2018 /
    Pickett Street Properties Team /

    I love that each year New Year’s Day and the month of January bring transformation, renewal, and possibility. As everyone returns to work after the holiday bustle and the weather in Seattle remains chilly and gray, the world feels quiet and peaceful. While we tend to focus on New Year resolutions that have to do with career, health, happiness, etc, we often overlook resolutions for one of the most important spaces in our lives–our homes. Setting and achieving goals for your home can significantly improve your finances and your general wellbeing (for more about the connections between architectural spaces and mood, check out this fascinating article). Here are a few of our favorite New Year’s resolutions for your home in 2018. 1. Create a budget for home improvements. Because it’s easy to rack up credit card charges when working on home improvement projects, this is the best place to start. Create a list of projects in order of priority. Be sure to devise a home improvement budget each year–HouseLogic suggests that the owner of a $250,000 home set aside $2,500 to $7,500 per year for maintenance and repairs. 2. Cut your energy use. Energy Star has an informative guide to…Read more

  • Real Estate Inspiration: Seattle’s Unique Architecture

    December 15, 2017 /
    Pickett Street Properties Team /

    Seattle’s silvery light and green landscapes have resulted in some unique architecture that integrate modern vibes and natural elements. For more about Seattle’s common architectural styles, check out this blog post, or for information about buying or selling a home in the Seattle area, contact Pickett Street at (425) 502-5397 or info@pickettstreet.com. In the meantime, here are a few of western Washington’s gems to inspire you to find your own dream home. 1. A mid-century modern in Magnolia With stunning views of the Ballard locks, this Eichler-inspired home is a small piece of luxury and peace in the city. The space features floor-to-ceiling windows, a private courtyard, a large deck, and exposed ceiling beams. 2. A sustainable Key Peninsula retreat Located in Longbranch, this home follows net zero guidelines, which means that it is highly energy efficient, producing as much energy as it consumes and racking up a grand total of $0 in energy bills. The property features a solar panels, an air-to-water heat pump, an exterior made from reclaimed fir, extra-efficient insulation and appliances, LED lighting, triple-pane windows, and a green roof. In addition to being green, the home is also cozy and spacious inside with floor-to-ceiling windows and…Read more