Blog
Gals in the Neighborhood: Ballard Before the Locks
The Ballard Locks opened during World War One, but by that time, much of Ballard’s history had already happened. Before the Locks, Ballard was its own city—completely independent of Seattle, with its own laws and City Hall, and its own quirks and problems. Ballard’s Beginnings It started in the Civil War era. A few…
The Housing Market’s Spirit Animal
If Seattle’s housing market had a spirit animal, it would be a cheetah. Because this housing market is fast. According to Redfin, “homes are selling like hotcakes.” Redfin analyzed the eight fastest housing markets in the U.S.: Even among the top eight, Seattle is a frontrunner. An average home sold after only thirty-six days, and…
Advice for Your First Time
Buying a home is a big decision—one of the biggest, in fact. It’s even harder when it’s your first time. So what should a first-time homebuyer know before approaching a real estate agent? The market? Basic home styles? Resale ideas and remodeling potential? The best local schools, or the people who live in the area?…
Erin C., Buyer, 2014
Johnine is a real estate rock star! As first-time homebuyers, my partner and I needed someone we could trust in the home-buying process. Johnine’s MANY years of experience shone through every step of the way – her skill at negotiation, her deep knowledge of the market, and her top-tier customer service to buyers were a…
A Day with the Gals: “Trust Me”
Johnine had shown Carol more than a hundred houses. Their partnership had lasted a full year—longer than a year, in fact. It had not taken so long to find a house because Carol was especially picky, or because inventory was low. It was just bad luck. Carol had made four offers on houses—and offers don’t…
Pets and Homes and You
Some things were made to go together. Pete Carroll, Russell Wilson, and Marshawn Lynch. Macklemore, thrift shops, and Seattle. The Pride Parade, George Takei, and good weather. When those combine, everyone wins. Here’s another one: pets, homes, and you. Sharing your home with a pet leads to: 1) Improved Mood: Pets reduce stress, lessen anxiety,…
A Day with the Gals: Fixing Up the Fixer-Upper
His grandmother lived in Washington; he lived in Colorado. A young man in his mid-twenties, Brad flew regularly between the two states, because even though he lived in Colorado, the responsibility of caring for his grandmother had fallen to him. And he took his responsibility seriously. Brad supported his grandmother financially, and he visited her…
3 Reasons Why We Love Seattle Parklets
Parklets are coming to Seattle. Ten of them by the end of 2014—but what are they? Take your standard city park. Plants, bike racks, maybe some artwork, places to sit or talk or play a game. Now pack that into a single parking space. Six feet wide, twenty feet long. That’s a parklet. And yes,…
5 Famous Writers on the Importance of Home
1) “Home is the nicest word there is.” ~Laura Ingalls Wilder, author of Little House on the Prairie Laura Ingalls Wilder lived in the middle of illness and death, droughts and blizzards, poverty and uncertainty. She suffered all the hardships of frontier life. But the nicest word, for her, was not “comfort,” or “safety,” or…
Why Bicycle-Friendly is Neighborhood-Friendly
Greenways are good. They make neighborhoods safer, quieter, and healthier. And greener, too. That’s a lot of good, and the best part? Seattle has a lot of Greenways already, and this year, it’s getting even more. So what are they? A combination of bicycle lanes, speed humps, and traffic markings that make residential streets great…
Michael S., Buyer, 2013
If there’s one thing I’ve learned as a first-time home buyer is that a good agent is someone who knows their stuff, is well educated about the process, and knows the area… but a great agent is someone who can really be your advocate. It’s someone who really understands your personal needs, knows what you…
Cassidy S., Buyer, 2012
Darcie is amazing!!! We worked with Darcie in 2012 to purchase our new home. She had the patience and sense of humor to put up with us in our search for the perfect home. She understood the feature that were most important for us in a new home and didn’t waste out time trying to…