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6 Tips for Moving and Starting Over in New State
Moving is both exciting and overwhelming at the same time. Without proper planning, it can become chaos, slowing down your chance to adjust quickly to your new home. If you’re moving to a new state, you may come across even more obstacles. Consider these tips to help you simplify the process.
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Start Planning Far in Advance
Planning a move properly means starting the process far in advance. For example, research shows that you should have enough to cover at least three months of expenses before you move. Start the packing process at least two months before the moving date, and consider putting items in storage if you’re not sure you want to take them or think you may not have room. You can find storage companies that offer discounts, such as a month free, for new customers.
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Consider Location When Looking for a Home
Talk to a local real estate agent before you start looking for a home in your new state. Kari Haas can help you find your dream home. Your goal should always be to find a place that best suits your needs in a location you love. Remember, location is often the most important aspect when searching for a home. You want an agent who can tell you about the school districts and shopping available in the area. A more desired location will cost more, but it will also have a higher resale value.
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Starting Your Own Business
If you’re thinking about starting your own business in your new location, make sure you have all the plans in order before you make the big move. Create a thorough business plan to help you stay on track and show potential investors what your company has to offer. Your plan should include an executive summary about the business and products or services you’ll provide, how you plan to structure your business, any funding you will need, and any financial projections you’ve made about the company.
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Join Your Community
If you’re looking for ways to get involved in your new community, join local social media groups or look for a community app where you can access local news and necessary information. Introduce yourself to neighbors virtually and in person to get to know people quickly. Being more involved helps you adjust more quickly.
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Consider Investing in a Home Warranty
A home warranty is a service contract that covers the repair or replacement of major home appliances and systems, such as air conditioning, electrical, plumbing, and more. Many homeowners choose to get a home warranty to protect themselves from the high cost of repairs and replacements. Home warranties typically cover items for one year and can be renewed annually. When you’re weighing home warranty cost vs benefit, be sure to look over the home inspection report to see if there are any red flags.
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Figure Out Your New Cost of Living
One of the first things you should do is research the cost of living in your new state. Start by looking for averages of things such as rent or mortgage, food, education, and entertainment. In Washington, housing costs are above the national average, but you can expect to pay less for health care and utilities. Washington is home to some of the best public schools in the country, so you can find affordable education for your children.
Before moving to a new state, choose a location, learn about the cost of living, consider investing in a home warranty, and think about starting a new business. Once you’ve completed your move, you’ll be ready to settle into your new life. Take the time to get to know your area, and you’ll speed up the process of feeling comfortable. Focusing on the positives of the move will help you overcome any possible homesickness.
Image via Pexels
This post was originally written by a guest blogger, Lisa Walker.
May 2022 Real Estate Market Update
After a long stint of suppressed housing inventory across our region, buyers may, at last, have more options as the supply of available homes ticks up ahead of the summer market. The month-over-month increase in inventory has been as much as 50% in some areas, offering renewed opportunities for those buyers who are not dissuaded by high home prices and rising mortgage rates.
The Eastside appears to have experienced the most dramatic inventory growth, with .79 months of available single-family homes last month compared to .46 in March. Seattle increased slightly to .59 months of inventory, while Snohomish also had a notable increase up to .67 months of inventory compared to .46 in March.
The increase in supply is likely occurring because rising home prices and mortgage rates have put a slight damper on sales in the area. Last month, the median sold price for a single-family home in Seattle surpassed $1 million for the first time—landing at a historic $1,019,950. This is up 16.6% year-over-year from $875,000 in April 2021. The median price for single-family homes on the Eastside last month was an eye-watering $1,722,500, with 80% of homes selling over list price. Although inventory has increased in the area, Eastside homes are still selling quickly, with 96% of listings selling in under two weeks. King County as a whole also saw prices increase, with the median sold price for single-family homes reaching $995,000, up from $830,000 a year ago.
Snohomish County home prices have kept pace with the market, with the median sold price for a single-family home reaching $839,298. That’s an increase of 24.3% year-over-year from $675,000 in April 2021. This is likely due to increased demand from buyers who can’t compete in the intense Seattle and Eastside market, seeking more bang for their buck in the relatively more affordable Snohomish County market.
Affordability issues have also trickled into the condominium market, as some prospective homebuyers divert from the single-family market to condos. Eastside condo prices have increased 29.7% year-over-year to $674,444 last month from $520,000 in April 2021. In Snohomish County, the median sold price for condos rose to $550,000 year-over-year from $432,250 last year. That’s an increase of 27.2%.
Despite rising home prices and heftier mortgage rates, many buyers are still eager to take advantage of the financial benefits of homeownership. According to Windermere’s Chief Economist, Matthew Gardner, “Owning real estate is a hedge against rising inflation. Homeowners with a fixed-rate mortgage will always have the same monthly payment, even as other costs rise.”
If you have questions about how to find the opportunities presented by today’s market, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Seattle
Eastside
King County
Snohomish County
VIEW FULL SNOHOMISH COUNTY REPORT
This post originally appeared on GetTheWReport.com
Fun and Affordable Ways to Turn Your Empty Nest into a Dream Home
Fun and Affordable Ways to Turn Your Empty Nest Into a Dream Home
If you are one of the many empty-nesters in the U.S., then you could have more house space than you know what to do with. Instead of leaving the extra space the way it is, how about taking on a few fun, budget-friendly projects that can give you a home that’s more suitable for your current needs? Read on for some great ideas from the Kari Haas Real Estate Team that will make your empty nest feel a little more full!
Start With Simple Projects
The best way to stay on budget with a home renovation is to settle on a few simple projects first. For example, now that you have an empty nest, you can make some tweaks to your child’s bedroom to convert it into a guest bedroom. According to Good Housekeeping, you can create a great space for your guests with the right decor. You can choose a theme for your room, like sleek elegance or cozy boho, and you’ll find giving the room a fresh coat of paint works wonders.
Create a Spa-Like Master Bathroom
Since adding a master bathroom or renovating the one you’ve got can be a costly venture, Philadelphia Magazine suggests taking some creative measures when you’re on a budget. You could increase your storage by adding a few baskets or additional shelving. Overstock has lots of great options no matter how much you’re looking to spend, and you’ll save even more by using an Overstock discount code or cash back incentive.
It can also help to use better lighting in the bathroom and upgrade your regular shower head to something more luxurious. If your new spa-like bathroom needs more than your creativity can fix, you can still save some money by getting deals on your fixtures. You can get great discounts when you shop around online—don’t forget to get the benefits of price matching whenever possible.
Get the Reading Room You Deserve
If you’ve always wanted a personalized room for your reading, you can convert your kid’s room for that as well, now that you have an empty nest. Depending on your personal style, you can make a few simple changes by adding ample shelving. Changing the color scheme to something more soothing or closer to your taste will also give the room a nice personal touch. Remember you’re on a budget, though, so find affordable ways to get a reading room you’ll love to be in. When you’re looking for that comfy reading chair and other pieces of furniture, Money Crashers suggests looking online at sites like Ikea, Pottery Barn, and eBay in order to find the lowest price on items of interest. You can also get deals from thrift stores or garage sales.
Give Your Hobby Some Room
An extra room is a good space to house your hobby supplies in one place. Prior to having the option, your supplies may have been stored all over the home or in a closet. Now’s the time to create a room that you can call your own and decorate as you wish. Some of the hobbies that benefit from having their own area are painting, sewing, drawing and crafts. When you’re designing the area, make sure to plan for adequate lighting and ventilation. With the right resources, you can save not only on your design elements but also hobby-related supplies.
While it’s not easy to move on from the fact that you have the house for yourself, it can be good for you to focus on a few choice renovation projects. These projects can not only offer enjoyment, they can remain affordable as long as you plan out pertinent details and take advantage of discounts when you can.
Are you looking to buy or sell a home in Seattle? Reach out to the Kari Haas Real Estate Team for a smooth and successful buying or selling experience!
This post was originally submitted by Tina Martin and has been edited by the Kari Haas Real Estate Team. Tina is the creator of Ideaspired.com, where she helps people follow their dreams and be their own inspiration.
Eco-Friendly Smart Home Upgrades For Greener Living
Smart home tech obviously offers a lot to get excited about, but did you know it can also make your home more eco-friendly? There are a ton of smart home upgrades that go a long way toward reducing your carbon footprint. This will make your home greener, lower your electricity bills, and can even boost your property value!
Here’s a look at how to turn your house into an eco-friendly smart home:
Staying Safe While Getting Smart
Adding smart devices to your home is a great way to improve your day-to-day life and reduce your impact on the environment. However, you must do it right, and that means doing it safely. The more devices you have connected to the internet, the more vulnerable your home is to hackers. You want to make sure you’ve secured your network as much as possible, and stay careful and thoughtful every time you add a device.
Start by creating an additional hidden WiFi network, and make that the only network you connect smart devices to. The great thing about a hidden WiFi network is that it won’t come up in “available network” searches for people nearby. Although they’re not impossible to find, they prevent you from being an easy target. You should also always set up your networks with randomly generated passwords, and only give network access to people you really trust. It is also smart to change your WiFi password after, say, a breakup — just in case.
Smart Utilities
The most straightforward way to use smart technology to reduce your carbon footprint is to build smart tech into your utility usage. For example, you could invest in a smart thermostat. This offers several carbon-footprint-friendly features — most notably, it allows you to keep your heating and cooling output low while you’re out of the house, but brings the temperature back to comfort-level before you get home.
You could also look into installing a smart faucet in your kitchen. This gives you the ability to be really specific with your water usage. For example, if you need two cups of water for a recipe, it’ll measure two cups exactly — no overage to pour out. It can also help you track your water usage, which keeps you aware and helps you moderate where possible.
Obviously, it is wonderful how these devices help reduce harm on the planet, but let’s be honest: the reduced utility bills are nice, too.
Smart Tech for Eco-Friendly Lifestyle Changes
Smart technology can make your life eco-friendlier indirectly as well by encouraging environmentally conscious lifestyle decisions. For example, you might be surprised how much smart tech is out there for indoor container gardening. You can use smart sensors to know exactly when your plants need water, whether or not they’re getting enough light, and more. This is a great support tool for anyone who wants to move toward a more self-sustainable lifestyle by growing their own herbs and foods at home.
Even something as simple as a smart home hub can encourage you to stay eco-friendly. Subscribe to environmentally-minded podcasts and set them to play on your smart speaker throughout the day. This keeps you up to date on the latest technology and science for keeping the planet healthy and empowers you to make smart decisions on a personal, professional, and political level.
Smart home tech can do a lot to keep our lives as eco-friendly as possible while also making them easier and more pleasant. Focus on the forms of tech that will shrink your utility bill, reduce your carbon footprint, and improve your property value all at once to create the perfect eco-friendly smart home.
Looking for a property so you can get started? Contact Kari Haas for help finding the perfect fit!
Photo Credit: Pexels
This post was originally submitted by Lisa Walker and has been edited by the Kari Haas Team. Lisa walker is the creator of NeighborhoodSprout.org, which provides inspiration for people putting time and energy into their homes.
March Real Estate Stats for King County
March Real Estate Stats for the King County
The spring home buying season started early this year. Open houses had increased attendance and bidding wars returned. After months of softening, home prices in most of the region jumped significantly from the prior month. With just one month of data, we’ll have to wait and see if this is the start of a longer upward trend.
If you are a buyer, you need an experienced agent on your side to win in multiple-offer negotiations. I, Kari Haas, am the broker you need! I win in over 95% of negotiations for my buyer when there is more than one offer. Call me today at 206-719-2224 to make a plan to achieve your goals!
Eastside
>>>Click image to view full report.
The Eastside was one area of King County that continued to see prices moderate. The median price of a single-family home on the Eastside was $900,000 in February, a drop of 5 percent from a year ago and down slightly from last month. However, supply here isn’t nearly enough to meet demand, a fact that most likely won’t change any time soon. Amazon’s latest expansion in Bellevue is expected to bring a significant wave of new employees to the city.
King County
>>>Click image to view full report.
The median single-family home in King County sold for $655,000 in February. While up slightly less than 1 percent year-over-year, it was an increase of $45,000 over January. Southeast King County, which includes Kent, Renton and Auburn, saw the greatest gains with prices rising 4.5 percent over the previous year. While inventory has grown, it is less than half of the four to six months that is considered balanced.
Seattle
>>>Click image to view full report.
More inventory and low interest rates helped bring buyers back into the market. The median price of a single-family home in Seattle hit $730,000 in February, down 6 percent from a year ago, but up $18,500 from January. With just six weeks of available supply, Seattle continues to have the tightest inventory in the county. Seattle’s record development boom shows little signs of easing, so we can expect strong demand to continue.
Snohomish County
>>>Click image to view full report.
The median price of a single-family home in Snohomish County reached $474,947 in February. Although that is a 2 percent decrease from last year, it is $5,000 more than January. As buyers push outside of King County to search for more reasonably priced homes, Snohomish County continues to struggle to find enough inventory to meet growing demand.
This post originally appeared on the WindermereEastside.com Blog.
