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Live Laugh Love Farm: On Big Dreams and Pickett Street’s Latest Listing
July 30, 2018 /I recently listened to a podcast about rulebreakers. According to social scientist Francesca Gino, "Rebels are people who break rules that should be broken. They break rules that hold them and others back, and their way of rule breaking is constructive rather than destructive. It creates positive change." I first started believing in constructive rule breaking and out-of-the-box thinking several years ago when one of my dear friends started her own small flower and veggie farm in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. Starting a farm was my friend’s longtime dream. She worked hard and saved money for this goal, and then one day she found the right property and just went for it. During a period when many of our friends were going to graduate school, getting married, or working in more traditional jobs, she was, in a sense, a bit of a rule breaker. I say all of this to explain why Pickett Street’s latest listing is so exciting to me. The property is a blueberry farm north of Seattle. Below is more information about why it’s such a perfect spot for fulfilling big, perhaps slightly off-the-beaten path dreams. If you’re ready to find out more, reach out to Pickett Street…Read more
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Why Buying a Home Is Easier Than You Think: A Conversation with Margaret Smith
June 21, 2018 /You may have heard of Margaret Smith. She’s the Director of Operations for Pickett Street and social-media-extraordinaire. She’s also an incredibly inspiring woman who knows how to focus and go after what she wants. This week I was able to chat with Margaret about her experiences buying and renovating her duplexes and about her home-buying hacks. Margaret says that you shouldn’t hesitate to reach out to her with questions at margaret@pickettstreet.com. To get in touch with the Pickett Street team, contact them at info@pickettstreet.com or (425) 502-5397. In the meantime, here’s what Margaret had to say. On her secret to making money and paying off her mortgage: I got this idea from Cody Touchette with Caliber Home Loans. I started with Pickett Street in November 2012. I walked into a rambler Pickett Street was selling that Winter, and I started to cry. I realized that I might not ever buy a home with a partner (hardly anything to cry about, and yet I did!). I cried because I wanted to own a home, and I literally had no idea how to make it happen on my own salary. So one day before a class we were holding, Cody told me if he could…Read more
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Escape City Life with This Modern Country Dream Home
June 8, 2018 /When I checked out Pickett Street’s latest listing–a custom-built home located in Arlington–I actually gasped out loud. I beckoned my partner over to take a look. This is it, I thought. This is the country dream home. The property sits on a lush, canopied ten acres. I love the home’s rustic beauty, with those wooden beams and the enormous stone fireplace that speak of cozy mountain lodges and quiet country homes. I also love that the architecture pairs this rustic beauty with modern sleekness–luxurious bathrooms, immaculate appliances, and other shiny details. Below is more information about this listing, as well as the surrounding area. To take a look at the property, or for other real estate information, get in touch with Pickett Street at info@pickettstreet.com or (425) 502-5397. 1. The listing: This home has three bedrooms and three and a half bathrooms–each bedroom has an en-suite bath. The master bathroom has two sinks and a gorgeous jetted tub. The first floor has hardwood floors, cathedral ceilings, and floor-to-ceiling windows. My favorite detail is the large gas fireplace framed by windows looking out onto the lawn. I’m imagining a snowy winter evening spent cooking and reading curled up around this fireplace.…Read more
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Attention All Foodies: It’s Farmers Market Season!
June 1, 2018 /Occasionally my partner sweetly suggests that we buy salmon to cook for dinner, and every time he does so my inner Pacific Northwest food snob kicks in. Because I spent most of my life in the Seattle area, and because I now live in Colorado, which–just to be clear–could not be more landlocked, I always turn up my nose at eating seafood. “Are you kidding me?” I always scoff at him, sounding like a real brat. “I’m from Seattle.” With the exception of river trout, eating fish in Colorado simply cannot compare to eating fish in Washington State. Eating good salmon or oysters in the Pacific Northwest is like eating mermaid ambrosia pulled straight from the sea and plopped directly onto your plate--so fresh, briny, and rich. My summers growing up in Washington revolved around food. My parents' yard overflowed with wild raspberries and blackberries. We spent many days on the Puget Sound digging for razor clams to fry or bake or add to linguine or chowder. On more ambitious days, we lay on our bellies during low tide and shove our hands deep into the mud to catch geoducks. One summer, I remember going to the Ballard farmers market…Read more
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Four Smart Ways to Prepare for a Home Inspection
May 30, 2018 /A good home inspection should provide you with information about a home's current condition. The inspector's job is to do a general analysis of the entire home, not go over the home with a fine tooth comb. If something looks like it needs further investigation, the inspector will recommend hiring a specialist, or contractor. The inspector will also provide a general timeline of the lifespan left on the home's major systems, providing you with information about future upkeep for the home. To connect with a quality agent, get in touch with Pickett Street today (info@pickettstreet.com or (425) 502-5397). Additionally, to help you make sure you get the most out of your home inspections, here are a few tips. For Buyers: 1. Research your home inspector. As a millennial, I can’t buy anything these days without obsessively reading reviews online. For example, I just spent 30 minutes researching backyard doggie pools on Amazon. While I might be taking consumer research to the extreme in this particular instance, finding a good home inspector definitely requires careful research. Here are a few questions to keep in mind when researching your home inspector: How long have they been inspecting homes? How many inspections have they performed?…Read more
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The First Three Steps to Buying a Home
May 18, 2018 /You know those things in life that feel sort of insurmountable and impossible to begin? For my partner, it’s putting his socks away. For me, it’s doing my taxes, or going for runs when it’s anywhere above 60 degrees (this Washington State girl needs her cool, mild climates!). And there are larger tasks that can feel difficult as well--finally tackling that home improvement project, perhaps, or selling or buying a home. Fortunately, when it comes to buying a home, Pickett Street has already done all the work to help you get organized and get started. This week, Pickett Street held another class for home buyers. If you missed it, not to worry–Pickett Street holds this class regularly, and the next one will be June 12. Also, for more information about this class or about buying or selling a home, get in touch with the team at info@pickettstreet.com or (425) 502-5397. To further help you, here are the eight steps to buying a home. 1. Decide to buy. Would buying a home would be a smart, positive step in your life right now? Here are a few bits of data to help you make this decision: It is now more expensive…Read more
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Experience Vs. Innovation: Three Tips For Choosing a Real Estate Agent
May 11, 2018 /I was recently chatting with an old friend when the conversation turned to real estate. I congratulated her and her fiancé on buying their first home together. “How’d you do it?” I asked. It was, after all, only seven years ago she and I were broke English teachers living in France, drinking two euro bottles of wine and eating nutella straight out of the jar on the floor of our 150-square-foot, unfurnished living quarters. Those were indeed classy times. “Honestly,” she said. “Our real estate broker saved our @** with his helpfulness.” Pardon my friend’s French there, but her enthusiasm about working with a great agent demonstrates how important it is to choosing a real estate agent who can advocate for you during the home buying process. According to the National Association of Realtors, 87% of buyers purchase their home through a real estate agent or broker, which is a significant increase from 69% in 2001. So, what should you look for in a real estate agent? Some experts say it’s important to find an older agent who has more experience, while others say you should look to younger agents for their knowledge of technology and the evolving market. Pickett…Read more
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Three Things to Know About the New Mayor of Everett and Its Plans for Growth
April 27, 2018 /Last fall, Everett elected its first female mayor. Cassie Franklin, who grew up in the Northwest and received her bachelor’s degree at Lewis and Clark College, beat candidate Judy Tuohy by just 198 votes. Here's some more information about this new leader in the Seattle area. 1. Franklin aims to tackle homelessness and has extensive experience with this issue. Before becoming mayor, Franklin was the CEO of Cocoon House, which is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping homeless and at-risk youth through outreach and housing options. Under her leadership, this organization grew into a regional leader. Franklin now hopes to use her experience working with Cocoon House to improve Everett’s homeless community. Franklin promises to expand the city’s Safe Streets program, which connects homeless individuals with access to treatment for addiction and mental illness, employment opportunities, supportive housing, and other services. 2. Everett is ready to explode, and Franklin wants to help. Everett’s economic resources are obvious: one of Boeing’s major facilities is located here, and the city is also home to the Port of Everett, Naval Station Everett, Providence Regional Medical Center, successful schools, Everett Community College and, WSU Everett. As Franklin commented, “Everett is poised for prosperity.” However, the…Read more
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Seattle Real Estate Update: What to Expect in Spring 2018
March 22, 2018 /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
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Kenmore’s Moorlands Neighborhood: Country Living With Modern Conveniences
March 9, 2018 /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
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How Technology is Changing Real Estate
February 23, 2018 /While writing this blog, I am listening to "productivity" music on Spotify. Earlier this morning, I drank my coffee while watching YouTube recaps of Olympic figure skating and texting my girlfriends about how much we love Adam Rippon. I also ordered household supplies to be delivered in two days through Amazon, budgeted with the app Mint, and communicated with clients via email. And yes, I did most of these things simultaneously. We truly live in the future. As technology quickly and dramatically changes how we navigate our daily lives, here are four ways it’s also changing the world of real estate. 1. Real estate agents as the critical human connection Many prospective buyers research and shop around for potential listings online. According to National Association of Realtors (NAR), 51 percent of home buyers in 2017 found their home through listings on the Internet. By the time buyers consult with an agent, they often already have an idea of the listings in which they are interested. However, this does not in any way diminish the critical role of real estate agents in the home buying process. In 2017, 88 percent of buyers purchased their home through a real estate agent or…Read more
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What to Know About the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act
February 9, 2018 /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
