Service is my Middle Name
Friday November 13th from 6-8: French wine tasting! Franck will be pouring wine from Chateau Belloy, he is super knowledgeable, engaging and the wines are divine! Please RSVP to kristen@lakere.com. Space is limited.
Tuesday November 24th from 5-8: Kristen’s annual pie party! Flavors and details for ordering are coming soon.
Photo by Chelsea Pridham on Unsplash
A non-profit that revives old, unwanted furniture and provides it to people in need. With an emphasis on furniture that will fit in smaller apartments and living spaces of the recipients. They also have volunteer opportunities, you can learn a new skill, hone an existing one, and help keep furniture out of landfills and street corners (!) by diverting it at the transfer stations.
Furniture Repair Bank www.repairbank.org
Buying large appliances is an expensive undertaking — and so is repairing them. But, with maintenance and upkeep, your appliances can remain
in good condition, and you can stave off repairs for as long as possible.
While getting regular checkups from a professional is a great idea, there are also steps you can take to maintain your appliances on your own.
Make sure your large appliances last the long haul with these tips.
Refrigerator: Regularly clean your fridge’s coils to remove the dust, dirt and grime that builds up, and make sure the areas behind and under the fridge are clean, too. This will improve airflow around it and help it work more efficiently. Don’t forget to clean the seals of your fridge as well, as buildup can keep the doors from closing properly.
Oven: Use your oven’s self-cleaning function occasionally, in addition to manually cleaning it on a regular basis. Be sure to keep all burners and (if applicable) gas ports clean. Any buildup on these areas can keep your stovetop from functioning.
Dishwasher: Check the filter of your dishwasher often, and remove any food or dirt you find. This will help it maintain effectiveness when cleaning your dishes and should extend its lifetime.
Washer: Make sure you’re not overloading your washer, as that can put unnecessary pressure on the motor, belts and other parts of the appliance. You should also clean it regularly, and leave the door open between
loads to ward off mildew and mold.
Dryer: Clean the lint trap after every use, and vacuum out your dryer vent semi-annually. Clogged dryer vents keep your appliance from working efficiently and are also a serious fire hazard.
The better you care for your appliances, the longer they’ll last. The same is true for the rest of your home.
Photo by Brian Zajac on Unsplash
Well, the market has officially decided to give buyers a little more breathing room. At the end of July, we had 1,948 active listings—up 38% from this time last year. Months of inventory jumped from 2.4 to 4.0, the highest level we’ve seen in a decade. That moves us from a fairly neutral market into buyer’s market territory.
But—and this is a BIG but—real estate is always local. What’s happening in one neighborhood, price range, or property type may look very different just a few miles away.
The numbers tell an interesting story: only 27% of July sales sold at or above list price, while 34% sold below. And nearly 4 out of 10 homes that sold had a price reduction before finding their buyer.
So, is the sky falling? Nope.
😊
What we’re seeing is more of a market recalibration after several years of intense competition, multiple offers, and prices that sometimes seemed to defy gravity.
For sellers, the lesson is pretty simple: today’s buyers are shopping the competition that’s on the market right now—not the house that sold three months ago. Pricing strategically from the start, understanding the current competition, and making sure your home is truly market-ready matter more than ever.
And for buyers? You may finally have a little room to breathe, negotiate, and actually think before writing an offer. Imagine that! 😉
Did you know that wildfire smoke can clog your HVAC filter faster than usual? A clean, high efficiency filter can help your system run well and reduce smoke particles in your home.
Here are some quick tips for keeping the air in your home as healthy as possible:
When smoke is in the air:
1) Keep windows and doors closed
2) Use a MERV 13 filter if your system allows for it
3) Set your thermostat’s fan setting to “On” vs. “Auto”
to ensure air keeps moving through the filter
4) Check your filter weekly and replace as needed
I LOVE this concept, have not yet been there, but hope to soon.
They offer classes, have evenings with volunteers who will help you mend
clothing, fix household items, repair jewelry, teach bicycle maintenance, they
have a tool library, and so much more. What a great concept! Have you had
experience with this organization? Please share your story.
What is Seattle REconomy
We promote an economy of reuse and sharing through our tool
libraries, classes and reuse store.
Anyone can become a member
Borrow all the tools you need
Attend classes, workshops and events
Purchase secondhand building supplies https://seattlereconomy.org/
Homebuyers across Washington had more options in June than at any point this year, as the number of homes for sale continued to grow. Active listings across the Northwest MLS increased 16.4% from a year ago and 8.0% from May, giving buyers access to more than 23,000 homes, about 1,700 more listings than just one month earlier.
Despite mortgage rates remaining near 6.5%, buyers continue to move forward when life circumstances require a move. Closed home sales increased 2.3% compared to June 2025 and were up more than 10% from May, showing that demand remains steady even in a higher interest rate environment. Meanwhile, the median home price across the NWMLS service area remained at $650,000 for the second consecutive month, about 3% lower than a year ago.
Today’s market looks very different compared to recent years. The increased inventory is helping create a healthier, more balanced market. Some buyers are finding they have more time to compare homes, negotiate terms, and make thoughtful decisions than they did during the highly competitive markets of recent years.
Sellers, however, can still achieve excellent results by pricing their homes appropriately, preparing them well, and marketing them effectively. Well-presented, accurately priced homes continue to attract strong interest and sell successfully.
While mortgage rates remain an important part of the affordability equation, the Washington housing market continues to demonstrate that people buy and sell homes because of life’s milestones—new jobs, growing families, downsizing, retirement, and other personal changes—not simply because interest rates move up or down.
