the
Volume 9 | Issue 12
EYE ON THE
DECEMBER 2018
market
As we move from fall to winter, the expected seasonal slow-down is in effect, but experts say this is hardly a cooldown period. Current market conditions could mean buyers have a wider selection, with more homes selling within their asking price range. Compare this to earlier this year when the Seattle market saw homes selling for an average of 7.5 percent above the listing price. A healthy market typically has four to six months of inventory, while the Seattle area is sitting with a little less than two months of inventory on the market. This is still healthier than we’ve seen in recent years. The tech industry is still a strong force for high-wage job creation in our region and continues to draw job seekers into the area. Seattle alone increased the number of tech jobs by 25.7 percent in the last two years, higher than other tech hubs such as Silicon Valley and San Francisco. Facebook, having already made its mark in Seattle, plans to expand to two buildings
LOCAL in Bellevue. Analysts point out that both Amazon and Facebook employ this strategy of having a company location on both sides of Lake Washing-ton. This most likely is a contributing factor in the continued high demand for housing in the central Puget Sound area. Amazon recently announced its second headquarters location will be split between Arlington, Virginia and Long Island, New York. Experts predict the decision could have a significant impact on the local housing market if Seattlebased workers decide to sell their homes here and relocate to the East Coast. Similarly, Facebook employees may find themselves working at the company’s Bellevue location versus Seattle, also causing ripples in the market. With Amazon and Facebook having high numbers of employees residing in the area, location changes by employees at both companies are expected to bring about some movement in the market. Whether home to a tech company or not, many communities around the Sound are waiting to see what the new year will bring.
TIPS FOR GREEN HOLIDAY
entertaining
A few tips to help you “go green” this holiday season: Stocking up—Buying in bulk in bigger Cooking—Support our community farms! containers helps to cut down on packBuy organic when you can, and visit your aging and reduce the number of trips local farms to get produce, meats and to the store to restock these items. dairy products. Many farms offer fresh items year-round, and you Decorating—Many of your might even discover a new guests will eventually come favorite. Ask for recipes and to the kitchen to hang out, so preparation tips if you’re trying to really get into the holiday something new. spirit, decorate your kitchen as well. For the kitchen (and Serving—Use cloth or compostall over the house), string LED able napkins, and invest in an lights, which use less energy. inexpensive set of flatware that Pinecones, evergreen branches and can be reused next year. Better yet, if boughs of holly you’ve collected from your event is casual, check your local your yard also make festive holiday vintage store for flatware and glassware decorations and don’t require any sets or individual pieces that meet your energy usage. entertaining needs. (continued on next page)
happenings
11/23-12/31 WinterFest at Seattle Center seattlecenter.com
11/28-12/2 A Victorian Country Christmas
avictoriancountrychristmas.com
12/1-12/2 Redmond Lights redmondlights.com 12/1-12/2 Seattle Festival of Trees seattlefestivaloftrees.com 12/1-12/16 Santa Train* trainmuseum.org 12/1-12/23 Issaquah Reindeer Festival cougarmountainzoo.org 12/1-12/24 Snowflake Lane snowflakelane.com
12/1-12/24 Santaland
macys.com/social/events/ event/?id=25669
12/1-12/27 A Charlie Brown Christmas taproottheatre.org 12/1-12/29 The Lights of Christmas thelightsofchristmas.com 12/1-12/31 The Polar Express Train Ride mtrainierrailroad.com 12/1-1/1 Fantasy Lights www.co.pierce.wa.us/1253 /Fantasy-Lights 12/1-1/1 Gingerbread Village gingerbreadvillage.org 12/1-1/5 WildLights at Woodland Park Zoo | zoo.org 12/1-1/6 ZooLights at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium | pdza.org
12/2 Light Up the Night lakesammamishfriends.org *select dates (events continued on next page)
December
December Football
IMPORTANT DATES
Sunday, December 2 Hanukkah begins at sundown Friday, December 21 Winter begins Tuesday, December 25 Christmas Day Counties are closed
SUN 12/2
Wednesday, December 26 Kwanzaa begins Monday, December 31 New Year’s Eve
BEGIN A HOLIDAY
tradition
• Plan a cookie-baking party. Each
GREEN HOLIDAY
MON 12/10 5:15 PM
vs. Vikings
ESPN
SUN 12/16 1:05 PM
@ 49ers
FOX
SUN 12/23 5:20 PM
vs. Chiefs
NBC
SUN 12/30 1:25 PM
vs. Cardinals FOX
happenings (CONTINUED)
12/2 76 Seafair Holiday Cruise seafair.com/events 12/2 A John Waters Christmas stgpresents.org 12/7 Great Figgy Pudding Caroling Competition pikemarketseniorcenter.org 12/7-12/22 Tour of Lights marysvillewa.gov/690/Holiday-
• Local, reputable organizations know of families who need your help, especially during this time of year. Once you have selected a particular family to adopt, tell your friends and family about their needs, and offer the opportunity for them to help if they so wish. You might just be surprised by the outpouring of generosity. • Call your favorite friend with children, and offer to babysit one evening so they can run errands. We all know this is an extremely busy time of year, and everyone can use a helping hand.
entertaining
Tour-of-Lights---Cedarcrest
12/8 CookieFest 2018 seattlemilkfund.org 12/8 Christmas Rush Fun Run & Walk |kentwa.gov/residents/parks -recreation-and-communityservices/events
12/8 Lakewood Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony cityoflakewood.us 12/8 Green Lake Pathway of Lights facebook.com/ GreenLakePathwayofLights
12/14-12/16 Duwamish Native Holiday NW Gift Fair | duwamishtribe.org 12/15 SantaCon 2018 santacon.info/seattle-wa/ 12/21-1/1 Model Train Festival washingtonhistory.org
(CONTINUED)
(continued from previous page)
Cleaning up—Your full dishwasher uses less water than hand-washing, so even if you need to run multiple cycles, it’s worth it! Also, make it easy for your guests and yourself by setting up stations for food scraps and compostables, plastics, paper and garbage.
NBC
LOCAL
Make memories that last generations with a new holiday tradition. Here are a few ideas to get you started: friend can bring the ingredients for their favorite cookie. Pick up some decorative tins or bags, and at the end of the day, everyone will have a nice variety of cookies in great containers ready to give to co-workers, teachers, grandparents and neighbors. • If you have children, plan a separate one-on-one date with each of them. It doesn't have to be fancy—focus on staying present and showering them with the gift of your attention and love. Choose an activity or place they like to go, and make sure they know how special they are. • Plan an afternoon or evening to volunteer at a food bank or soup kitchen near you. Encourage friends and family members to come along! • Sign up for a 5K walk/run. Don’t let the cold weather keep you inside. Bundle up, and breathe in the fresh air!
vs. 49ers
5:20 PM
Lastly, when you’re storing leftovers, the refrigerator may become overfull, so be sure to check that the door closes completely. Better yet, send everyone home with leftovers.
Volume 9 | Issue 12
12/24 Jingle Bell Run in Tacoma metroparkstacoma.org 12/29-12/30 Winter Wildland nwtrek.org/event/wildland 12/31 New Year’s Fireworks at the Needle seattle-downtown.com/events 12/31 First Night Tacoma firstnighttacoma.org