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Three Things That Make Living in Washington State so Special
April 13, 2018 /When my family moved to the Seattle area from the East Coast back in the early 90s, Starbucks was quickly becoming the new standard for coffee, though it had yet to take over the rest of the country (and world). For us east-coasters, cappuccinos, lattes, and americanos were the most exotic beverages. Also in the 90s, Washington companies Microsoft and Amazon were just starting to boom, and grunge music was at its peak. Washington was special back then, and continues to be special today. With all of the recent buzz about its hot and competitive real estate market, I thought it might be nice to clarify what exactly makes the Puget Sound and Seattle areas so great. 1. Mountains, water, and forever-green trees Almost everyone describes the gorgeous natural scenery as one of the biggest perks of living in the Seattle area. Third-generation Washingtonian Mary Smith notes that she loves “being able to see the mountains, listening to the train as it makes its way north on the tracks by the water, and watching the ferry boats on the Puget Sound.” She adds, “I love it when it rains–the air is clear and the trees are forever green.” With the…Read more
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Buying Off-Market Homes: A Conversation with Nicole Leong
April 10, 2018 /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
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Podcasts, Free Classes, and More: Pickett Street’s Spring Calendar
March 30, 2018 /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
