Mortgage Rates May Reach Record Low by Year’s End
By the end of this year, the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage could drop to 3.3%, which would put the most popular loan product near its lowest average since Freddie Mac began tracking such data 48 years ago. Lawrence Yun, chief economist for the National Association of REALTORS®, made the prediction after seeing the latest Labor Department
Read More →This New Luxury Development will Change Downtown Bellevue
This New Luxury Development will Change Downtown Bellevue
Today, in an exciting ceremony, the much-anticipated mixed-use development – Avenue Bellevue – officially broke ground, marking the commencement of construction on the $1+ billion project that is sure to change the landscape and standard of living for downtown Bellevue. Coming in 2022 to the corner of NE 8th Street and Bellevue Way, Avenue Bellevue
Read More →Eastside Market Update – August 2019
Eastside Market Update – August 2019
EASTSIDE TALKING POINTS – AUGUST 2019 Interest rates are at 3.62% vs. 4.55% from a year ago. A one percent change in interest rate is a 10% change in purchase price. Now is the time for buyers to take advantage of these low interest rates! Median closed sales prices are up slightly from a year
Read More →Windermere Teams up with the Seahawks to #tacklehomelessness
Windermere is proud to partner with the Seattle Seahawks for the fourth season to help #TackleHomelessness. For every Seahawks home game defensive tackle, Windermere will donate $100 to Mary’s Place, whose mission is to help families on their journey out of homelessness. To date we’ve raised nearly $100,000 through our #TackleHomelessness campaign and we’re looking forward to raising even more for our friends at Mary’s Place!
Aggressive Expansions Fuel Seattle Office Market
Aggressive Expansions Fuel Seattle Office Market
The Puget Sound regional office market continues to tighten despite the number of active cranes. Second quarter reports from various commercial real estate brokerage houses reveal “aggressive expansions in Seattle and on the Eastside” along with healthy levels of job growth,” per Kidder Mathews Q2 report. Colliers International pointed out the large number of tech
Read More →Microsoft uses its Technology to Communicate Campus Renovation Updates
Microsoft uses its Technology to Communicate Campus Renovation Updates
Using the company’s technology during the headquarters build-out, Microsoft employees are able to use their phone to see a fully rendered model of a particular section of the campus and not the “mounds of dirt” any other person would see walking by the construction zone. This headquarter expansion will add 3 million square feet of
Read More →Local Market Update – August 2019
Local Market Update – August 2019
The real estate market continued to moderate in July. Inventory rose and home values softened, providing buyers with increased selection and more favorable pricing. With strong job growth and interest rates hold at below 4 percent, brokers expect the market to remain solid through fall. The market remains strong on the Eastside. The current tech
Read More →The Gardner Report – Q2 2019
The Gardner Report – Q2 2019
The following analysis of the Western Washington real estate market is provided by Windermere Real Estate Chief Economist Matthew Gardner. We hope that this information may assist you with making better-informed real estate decisions. For further information about the housing market in your area, please don’t hesitate to contact your Windermere agent. ECONOMIC OVERVIEW
Read More →New Urban Condos coming to West Bellevue – Fall 2019
New Urban Condos coming to West Bellevue – Fall 2019
Downtown Bellevue will be welcoming Bellevue Eight, a collection of eight contemporary and luxurious condos this fall with homes ranging between 1,943 – 2,411 square feet. Located at 10631 SE 2nd Street, each home will feature 3 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, an opulent master suite, a garage, and a large rooftop deck with phenomenal city views.
Read More →Protect your Home with Homeowners Insurance
Protect your Home with Homeowners Insurance
In addition to providing shelter and comfort, our home is often our single greatest asset, and it’s important that we protect that precious investment. Most homeowners realize the importance of homeowner’s insurance in safeguarding the value of a home. However, what they may not know is that about two-thirds of all homeowners are under-insured. According to
Read More →Local Market Update – July 2019
Local Market Update – July 2019
LOCAL MARKET UPDATE – JULY 2019 The market in our region appears to be moderating. Inventory is up, prices are relatively stable and homes are taking a bit longer to sell. However, with less than two months of available inventory, supply is still far short of demand. Steady buyer activity, low interest rates and a
Read More →Mortgage Rate Forecast
Mortgage Rate Forecast
Geopolitical uncertainty is causing mortgage rates to drop. Windermere Chief Economist, Matthew Gardner, explains why this is and what you can expect to see mortgage rates do in the coming year. Over the past few months we’ve seen a fairly significant drop in mortgage rates that has been essentially driven by geopolitical uncertainty – mainly
Read More →Local Market Update – June 2019
Local Market Update – June 2019
LOCAL HOUSING MARKET UPDATE – JUNE 2019 The pace of the housing market gained momentum in May, bringing an uptick in open house traffic and offers. A drop in interest rates and increased inventory were great incentives for buyers. Despite the increase in supply there is less than two months of inventory available – half
Read More →To Buy New or Old, That is The Question
To Buy New or Old, That is The Question
We are often asked, “Which is the better buy, a newer or older home?” Our answer: It all depends on your needs and personal preferences. We decided to put together a list of the six biggest differences between newer and older homes: The neighborhood Surprisingly, one of the biggest factors in choosing a new home
Read More →Capstone Partners Rolls Dice with Big Office Project in Redmond
Capstone Partners Rolls Dice with Big Office Project in Redmond
According to the Puget Sound Business Journal, Capstone Partners announced it will break ground next week on the $1.2 billion / 245,000 square-foot Esterra Park mixed-use development project next to Microsoft’s headquarters and the Overlake Village light-rail station. Capstone purchased the 28-acre property in 2013 for $32.55 million. This project is scheduled to open in 2023. Th
Read More →How Bellevue Built a City that Amazon Couldn’t Resist
How Bellevue Built a City that Amazon Couldn’t Resist
In 2017, Bellevue submitted a formal proposal to Amazon on why Bellevue was the perfect city for Amazon’s HQ2. Although Bellevue was not chosen for HQ2, Amazon announced in April 2019 the decision to relocate the entire worldwide operations team from Seattle to Bellevue by 2023. “This is what we’ve planned for,” Bellevue Mayor John
Read More →How Reliable are Home Valuation Tools?
How Reliable are Home Valuation Tools?
What’s your home worth? It seems like a simple question, but finding that answer is more complicated than it might seem. Sites like Zillow, Redfin, Eppraisal, and others have built-in home valuation tools that make it seem easy, but how accurate are they? And which one do you believe if you get three different answers?
Read More →Designing the Perfect Office to Work from Home in Style
Designing the Perfect Office to Work from Home in Style
Photo by letsbemates.com.au Working from home is an aspiration for many of us, but to do so effectively takes effort. A disorganized space at home can be just as troublesome as a hectic office. The most disciplined telecommuters will tell you that you need a structured routine and organization to get into work mode. Having
Read More →Facebook Expansion in Seattle
Facebook Expansion in Seattle
According to the Puget Sound Business Journal, Facebook is expanding in Seattle after moving into the first of two buildings in a South Lake Union campus. Facebook has been leasing the first building (Arbor Blocks) since 2016 which is a 196,000 square foot building with space for more than 1,000 employees. Facebook plans to move into
Read More →Amazon’s Next Big Move on the Eastside
Amazon’s Next Big Move on the Eastside
Amazon continues to spread its wings here on the Eastside! Following their latest purchase of the 10-story Bellevue Corporate Center in downtown Bellevue, Amazon signs a long-term lease for a two-tower development in Bellevue. The two-tower development project is known as the Binary Towers and is located at 1001 106th Avenue NE (formally known as the Cadillac dealership
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