the
Home Connection
Volume 12 | Issue 4
APRIL 2021
eye on the market The busy spring market is beginning to bloom and with it, the growth of buyer demand and home purchases. Home¬buyers are still feeling the pressure as they look to purchase a home and brokers are advising that clients should expect experiencing multiple offer situations where they will be up against all-cash offers, waived pre-approved inspections, and offer price escalations. The Northwest MLS data reflects that the market remains hot, with residential inventory being very limited and median prices rising by double digits across most counties when compared with the same month a year ago. In King County prices are up by 11.11 percent, in Snohomish County up by 21.18 percent, in Pierce County up by almost 16.96 percent
experience this! and in Thurston County up by nearly 15.33 percent. With home purchasing, there has been a contin¬ued trend of millennial homebuyers moving away from urban areas into suburban and rural areas, with people working remotely on a more permanent basis. In fact, brokers report having almost no inventory in the outlying areas, in contrast to some found in the core of cities like Seattle. There has also been an emerging factor in home purchasing with mortgage rates having increased to above three percent for the first time since July 2020. While this increase has yet to effect homebuyer demand, it is something to watch in the upcoming months as we anticipate how future economic, inventory, and policy changes will impact the housing market during the busiest season.
Celebrating Earth Day
Mariner’s Regular Skagit Valley Tulip Season begins 4/1 Festival April 4/1-4/30
Seattle Cherry Blossom and Japanese Cultural Festival 4/9-4/11
The Split 5K – 10K Half-Marathon April 4/18
UW Cherry Blossom Cam
The Daffodil Festival Parade
2021 Moisture Festival April 4/1-4/4
Baby Bunnies doing the Cutest Things Ever
Seattle Restaurant Week April 4/1-4/30
Virtual Easter Egg Hunts
Earth Day is a great time to reflect on how we can better help our planet, and helping the Earth doesn’t have to be complicated. Here are a few things we can do each day to reduce our carbon footprint.
• Walk or bike instead of driving when you can. Reduce your footprint on the Earth by leaving your car at home whenever possible. With less cars on the road, there are fewer carbon emissions.
• Recycle your e-waste.
More than 50 million tons of electronic waste are generated each year in the U.S. alone, and only 20 to 25 percent of the waste is responsibly recycled. As a direct consequence, large amounts of hazardous materials such as lead, mercury and cadmium leach into
our air and water, contaminating our communities. Go to e-stewards.org to find a facility that will help you recycle your e-waste in a safe and responsible manner.
• Reduce junk mail. One
hundred million trees are cut down each year to produce junk mail, and the resulting loss of trees takes a huge toll on the Earth. Return junk mail unopened to the sender by writing “Refused. Return to sender.” Opt out of prescreened credit offers continued on next page
April important dates
Wednesday, 21 Administrative Professionals Day
Thursday, April 1 April Fools Day
Sunday, April 11 National Pet Day
Sunday, April 4 Easter
Thursday, April 15 Get to Know Your Customers Day
Saturday, April 10 National Siblings Day
Friday, April 16 National Wear Your Pajamas to Work Day
Thursday, April 22 Earth Day Wednesday, April 28 Pay It Forward Day
Spring garden and yard maintenance Warm spring weather is on the way and it is time to start planning for a flourishing garden and yard. Here are a few tips to help you get your garden ready for the peak season. • Clean up the garden. Remove all debris • Choose the correct fertilizer for the and dead plants. You will also need to job. Use an acid-type rhododendron remove weeds, making sure to get the fertilizer to feed evergreens, conifers, roots so they will not grow back. rhododendrons, azaleas, camellias, and blueberries. Use an all-purpose fertilizer • Sharpen your garden tools. If needed, to feed roses and other deciduous trees make sure your tools are sharpened and shrubs. be used for plant maintenance. This
• Plant new shrubs and flowers. When your existing plants have been cared for, you can turn your attention to adding new plants. Plants that are recommended for spring are pansies, • Replenish the soil. Soil can become snapdragons, redbuds, lilacs, and tulips, dry after the winter months, so it is important to add back in moisture and and vegetables like lettuce, arugula and peas, then after the last freeze, nourishment essential to promoting growth. Add compost or manure to the transplanting tomatoes outside are also ideal for spring. soil which will increase the health of your planting and lawn. Includes giving your lawn mower a checkup, which can include changing the engine oil and air filter, as well as sharpening the blade.
Celebrating earth day continued from previous page
permanently or for five years online at optoutprescreen.com. Decide what other mail you do not want to receive by going to DMAchoice.org.
• Look for a “threadcycling” program
near you. Most will accept clothing in any condition except wet, mildewed or contaminated with hazardous materials.
• Reduce energy use at home. Use the
auto brightness feature on your TV to lower the brightness in low light (nighttime); wash clothes in cold water and spin at the highest speed (removes the most moisture, which means less time in the dryer); completely unplug gaming consoles and DVRs when you’re out of town, as these types of electronics are drawing power even when turned off. Use small kitchen appliances such as a toaster oven instead of the stove. Use LED bulbs. LEDs are more expensive than compact fluorescent bulbs but last longer and will save you money over their lifetime.
• Help end plastics pollution. Opt out of
using plastic straws when you can and stay hydrated with a reusable water bottle.
Green Home Projects Spring is a great time for new home projects, and if you are looking for ways to ‘go green’, these improvements will help add to a home’s value and livability while being earth-friendly. Here are a few ways big and small, that will “green up” your next project.
• Flooring: Bamboo grows quickly even without pesticides and, • Countertops: Recycled-glass products are elegant and stylish
when assembled into flooring, is more durable than most and add a modern twist. These products are available in a hardwoods. This makes it a sustainable choice for your home. variety of designs and colors. Concrete is another option. Concrete is another alternative and can incorporate recycled • Bathtubs/sinks: If your bathtub or sink is in good condition, materials such as recycled glass instead of buying a new one, get the current one refinished. to give it unique character. Another alternative to buying new is to look for a replacement • Install a programmable at a salvage yard. thermostat: Programmable • Driveways/walkways: Consider installing a permeable thermostats are a simple way driveway or walkway made of pavers, crushed stone or broken to regulate the energy used (recycled) concrete, which allows rainwater to seep through to in heating and cooling your the ground. home. Many programmable thermostats also have a built-in • Plumbing fixtures: The latest low-flow fixtures not only look good but save significantly more water than those made even energy saving program, which allows you to customize your just a generation ago. settings based on your schedule and energy usage needs.
Volume 12 | Issue 4