the
Home Connection
Volume 13 | Issue 4
APRIL 2022
eye on the market ‘April showers bring May flowers’, and a little relief to the housing market. This past month saw improving inventory and a slowing pace of home price increases that helped ease some of the competitive pressures homebuyers have faced. In fact, Northwest MLS data showed a 6.8 percent increase in new listings from the same time a year ago, and a gain of more than 33 percent from last month’s total inventory. Brokers believe this may be an indicator that more sellers are ready to sell their homes and combined with inflation, rising interest rates, and new financing options, has caused more sellers to enter the market as well. However, despite the inventory influx, price trends for homes have continued to drift upward. Data from the MLS gives a closer look at the closed sale price escalations for specific counties, compared with the
experience this! same month a year ago. In King County prices are up by 14.37 percent, in Snohomish County up by 19.49 percent, in Pierce County up by almost 15.8 percent, in Thurston County up by almost 18.47 percent, and in Spokane County up by nearly 23.1 percent (Spokane Association of REALTORS). In addition to adding inventory to the market, sellers are also fueling some of the demand. Most home sellers are becoming home buyers and with more houses on the market to move into, brokers have seen month-over-month gains in pending sales. Will these trends continue into the peak of the spring market? In the upcoming months it will be interesting to see if home purchasing habits will be affected by the increasing mortgage rates, gasoline prices, and other worldly tensions that in the past have influenced buying decisions.
Celebrating Earth Day
Skagit Valley Tulip Festival 4/1- 4/ 30
Hope Chest 4/10
Kenmore Ball Crawl 4/2
Grape Escape 4/20
Seattle Restaurant Week 4/3 - 4/16
Downtown Forward 4/21
Spokane Speed & Custom Show 4/9
Secondhand Safari 4/23
Daffodil Parade 4/9
Bourbon & Bacon Bash 4/30
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 Earth. continued on next page
April Home Checklist
April important dates Friday, April 1 April Fools Day Sunday, April 10 National Siblings Day Monday, April 11 National Pet Day
Saturday, April 16 National Wear Your Pajamas to Work Day
Thursday, April 21 Get to Know Your Customers Day
Sunday, April 17 Easter
Friday, April 22 Earth Day
Run water & flush toilets in unused areas Clear window wells of debris Check gutter drainage
Celebrating Earth Day continued from previous page
Return junk mail unopened to the sender by writing “Refused. Return to sender.” Opt out of prescreened credit offers 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 (night-time); 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.
Making Your Home Pet Safe Whether you’re bringing home a new pet or trying to better take care of your furry friends, there are a few home safety adjustments you can make. Take a look at these tips to pet-proof your home and keep your animals safe.
• Cover and secure cords. Tuck wires and cords away where
they can’t easily be reached by pets. Another option is to purchase cord covers that will safely conceal wires or use a bitter deterrent spray in the area, so the cords smell and taste unappealing.
• Keep lids on waste bins. Getting into kitchen or other
garbage runs the risk of bacteria, dangerous foods, or items that could cause intestinal blockages. Fit all garbage containers with tight lids that cannot be opened by pets.
• Keep closet doors closed. Pets love to explore and they
especially love to chew on things. Keeping closet doors closed is a great way to prevent your animals from getting into areas they shouldn’t be in and helping control what they play with or ingest.
• Clear food of countertops. Tuck all food away in the fridge, pantry or cabinet, to prevent your pet from ‘counter surfing’ and eating things they shouldn’t.
• Sweep the floor for choking hazards. Pets will put
anything and everything in their mouths. To prevent them from ingesting choking hazards, sweep floors regularly and keep a frequent eye on areas that are potentially tough for the vacuum to reach.
• Store medicine away and out of reach. Human
and even pet medications can be dangerous if left in areas where your furry friends can reach. All medicine should be stored in places where pets cannot access such as a cabinet or up high on a shelf.
• Avoid dangerous house plants. Be aware of
purchasing or keeping plants that may be a danger to your animal. Common houseplants that are dangerous for your animals to ingest are Lilies, Azaleas, Oleander, Tulips, Yew, Chrysanthemum, English Ivy, and more. Be sure to research if your houseplants are hazards to your pets.
• Keep escape routes sealed. Don’t give your pet
the chance to explore without your supervision. An open door, window, or a faulty fence can be an invitation for pets to roam. This is why it is important to make sure all escape points are closed or locked at all times. It is also a good idea to microchip pets and purchase ID tags for their collars in case they get lost.
Volume 13 | Issue 4