the
Home Connection
Volume 12 | Issue 6
JUNE 2021
eye on the market The spring market is in full swing and has been incredibly active. Along with the expected heat, homebuyers are experiencing some relief as there have been notable increases in new listings when compared to the same time a year ago. MLS data shows a 14 percent increase in new listings of homes and condos from the past month’s figures and a 57 percent jump in new listings of homes and condos when compared to the data from last year during the same time. However, inventory remains low overall as pending sales continue to surge and home prices continue to rise. The Northwest MLS data shows doubledigit price hikes were widespread across most counties when compared with the same month a year ago. In King
experience this! County prices are up by 16.08 percent, in Snohomish County up by 14.50 percent, in Pierce County up by almost 23.46 percent and in Thurston County up by nearly 19.79 percent. The increase in home prices can be attributed to the shortage of housing inventory available to purchase, with demand still far outweighing supply. Another reason for these price increases, is due to interest rates remaining relatively low. Homebuyers are still experiencing intense competition and while bidding wars are still common, brokers are reporting small price moderations with sellers having longer list times and in some cases, lowering their prices slightly. It will be interesting to see in the coming months if these trends will create a shift towards a more balanced market.
King County Virtual Indigenous Summer Reading People Festival Program 6/1-6/31 6/12
Flying Wheels Bike Ride 6/5
Virtual Black Arts Festival 6/19-6/20
Pagdiriwang Philippine Festivals 6/5-6/6
Freemont Fair 6/19-6/20
• When the sun goes down, temperatures
Drive-In Music Live Concert Series 6/5, 6/12, 6/19
Local Virtual Dog-A-Thon 6/20-6/26
• For those few extra sunny
CMA Music Festival live telecast 6/10 -6/14
How to Make Soft Doughnuts
Outdoor Patio & Backyard Design Tips Summer is almost here and with the weather warming up, it is a favorite pastime to be outside enjoying the sun. Here are a few tips to help you make the most of your outdoor spaces.
• If you plan to work from home on your patio, include a dining table, outdoor coffee table or side table that you can use as a workspace.
• If your outdoor space is far away from your Wi-Fi router, be sure to invest in a Wi-Fi extender that will ensure you get maximum speed from your home network.
• With kids out of school soon,
create a designated spot for them in your outdoor space by including room for their toys and games. It is also a good idea to have
stackable items that also double as storage to make cleanup time a breeze. fall and if you don’t have an outdoor fireplace, a fire pit or propane patio heater can extend those long summer days far into the evening. They come in varying sizes to fit any space.
days we get, if you plan to spend time outside, include some shady areas or shade-making objects such as patio umbrellas or
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June important dates Friday, June 4 National Doughnut Day
Saturday, June 19 Juneteenth
Friday, June 25 Take Your Dog to Work Day
Tuesday, June 8 World Oceans Day
Sunday, June 20 First Day of Summer Father’s Day
Sunday, June 27 National Sunglasses Day
Monday, June 14 National Flag Day
Monday, June 21 World Music Day
Wednesday, June 30 Social Media Day
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movable room dividers which can block the sun when shade is preferred.
• To elevate your patio, works of art can
Father’s Day gift ideas tips Father’s Day is just around the corner, and it is the perfect occasion to show your dad or the dads in your life that you appreciate them and all that they do. Here are a few ideas to show you care.
• Create a personalized children’s book from hoorayheros.com or ieeme.com • Help him stay healthy with phone soap smartphone sanitizer from uncommongoods.com • Keep him in fashion with personalized cufflinks from etsy.com • Keep him laughing with the book “101 So Bad, They’re Good Dad Jokes” from amazon.com • Help Dad get into his happy zone with wireless headphones from Bose or Apple
Outdoor Patio & Backyard Design Tips
• Daddy Shark T-shirt by PINKFONG on amazon.com • He’ll never have to go to the barber when he has a subscription to Dollar Shave Club dollarshaveclub.com • Chow down anytime with a triedand-true gift card to his favorite restaurant • For the handy dad, a personalized multi-tool is the perfect gift and available at amazon.com
be added to protected spaces (under the eaves to avoid direct sun and shelter from the rain) and serve as a focal point. Alternatively, a fence or wall can make the perfect canvas for a mural or abstract work.
• Lastly, for a warm and decorative touch, add an outdoor rug. Outdoor rugs can make a cold concrete slab cozy, or a deck a nice place to sleep under the stars.
Tips for Planning a great summer for you and your family Summer is a great time to enjoy the outdoors, relax, and make happy memories with your family. However, it can be tough to accomplish all the things you want to before the summer ends. Here are a few ways to get organized and get the most out of your summer. organized activities. Incorporating some time for • Plan on a week-to-week Basis. Print a blank calendar and unstructured play alongside structured activities will help begin summer planning with the events that have specific give kids a balance of busy fun and downtime and allow dates. Then fill in the calendar with any upcoming summer for you to set your schedule in a way that can better camps, day trips, or holidays. It is also a good idea to add accommodate your needs. important work-related dates and deadlines. This will give you a framework for your summer and then you can fill in other • Plan to organize tangible and intangible spaces. dates or activities around that framework. Summer is a great time to get record keeping done, sort through files, and clean areas around your home. Your • Set goals for the summer. Summer goals are a great way computer can also be a cluttered space that creates to get the most out of your summer and can be anything stress and makes working difficult. It is a good idea to from professional, to family, to projects etc. Goal setting can take time to set up folders on your computer for sorting help you plan for and keep track of things like completing a files, delete old documents you no longer use, and make complicated project or setting aside a certain number of hours sure your programs are up to date. per week for work. It can also be helpful to include specific family-related goals like taking day trips or enjoying time with • Make self-care a priority. Small changes like getting family with less stress. more sleep, planning downtime, or enjoying your favorite hobbies, can make a big difference in your ability • Don’t over schedule activities. Another way to avoid a to enjoy the summertime stressful summer is to not over-schedule your kids with and get into a good routine activities every day. Downtime can be great for kids and that can be incorporated allows for free play without the bustle and time constraints of year-round.
Volume 12 | Issue 6