the
Volume 10 | Issue 11
NOVEMBER 2019
EYE ON THE MARKET
LOCAL HAPPENINGS In Pierce County, high demand and low inventory have led to price increases of more than 10 percent. Buyers continue to be interested in this area thanks to available and affordable homes. Between Pierce and King counties, there was a reported difference of $213,800 in median pricing. There is no shortage of buyers in King County, however. Surprisingly, prices in King County fell 2.7 percent, while pending sales rose nearly 10 percent.
Fall is here, bringing with it lots of change. The most recent Northwest MLS stats report shows gains in pending sales, closed sales and prices, while also reflecting 18 percent less inventory than the year prior. Only three of the 23 counties served by Northwest MLS reported a year-over-year gain in inventory. Home buyers may not have as many listings to choose from; however, in the fall, there is less competition for those listings and a greater chance that buyers will be able to close the sale.
A strong job market and low interest rates continue to drive real estate in our region, making some question if this is the “new normal” for a balanced market. With the current low mortgage rates, we are seeing more first-time buyers enter the market. These rates are projected to stay low for the remainder of the year. The September Northwest MLS reports that single-family home sales are on the rise, while condo sales remain flat – increasing the cost of single-family homes by 5.5 percent.
2 Ballard Brewed Winter Beer Festival eventbrite.com 2-3 Antique and Collectible Show christinepalmer.net
7-11 Sea to Sky Swing Dance Convention
seatoskydance.com 8-9 Snohomish Brew Fest snohobrewfest.com 9 Blacklight Run blacklightrun.com 11 Free State & National Park Day parks.state.wa.us & nps.gov 14 Paint Night at the Co-Op liveineverett.com
DAYLIGHT SAVING SAFETY The days before and after daylight saving time can often see an increase in accidents at home and on the road. Here are a few tips for staying safe during this time: HOME: Check and replace the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) detectors. The Consumer Product Safety Commission also recommends that you check the age of your detectors and that you replace smoke detectors older than 10 years and CO detectors older than five years. Check the small gauge on all fire extinguishers to ensure the needle is still in the green. Inclement weather can lead to power outages and, in some areas, flooding. Prepare a safety kit for your home that includes water, food, flashlights, batteries, blankets and first aid supplies.
PERSONAL: There are reports every year of an increase in car and home accidents around the daylight saving time clock changes (in both fall and spring). Leading up to turning the clocks back, gradually adjust your sleep schedule to the new time. Try to avoid building up a sleep deficit before the time change. Just being aware that you need to be more alert when the clocks change appears to increase your safety. continued on next page
14-17 The Great Junk Hunt thefair.com 15-16 Seattle International Auto Show seattleautoshow.com
15-18 Harlem Globetrotters harlemglobetrotters.com 21-23 Pacific Marine Expo centurylinkfield.com 23 TEDXSeattle 2019 tedxseattle.com 23 Gobble Up Seattle eventbrite.com 24 Hopelink Turkey Trot 5K hopelink.org 28 Gobble Gobble 5K/10K letsdothis.com
NOVEMBER IMPORTANT DATES Sunday, November 3 Daylight saving time ends Clocks fall back one hour Monday, November 11 Veterans Day (observed) Counties closed DAYLIGHT SAVING SAFETY
Thursday, November 28 Thanksgiving Day Counties closed Friday, November 29 Day after Thanksgiving Counties closed cellphone is fully charged before you get into the car and that you have an adequate amount of gas in your car in case you find yourself stuck in traffic. Find additional items to include by searching for “car safety kit” online.
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CAR: Even if you have a roadside assistance contract, you should still prepare a safety kit for your car. This can include a first aid kit, water, nonperishable snacks, a warm blanket, Additional safety and preparedness a fire extinguisher, reflective triangle tips can be found at redcross.org and hazard signs, jumper cables and the emd.wa.gov/. ever-handy duct tape. Be sure your
giving
SEASON IN THE NORTHWEST
Meaningful holiday traditions begin with helping others in our community. Here are a few organizations always looking for donations and/or volunteers: LOCAL & NATIONAL CHARITIES: northwestharvest.org seattlefoundation.org foodlifeline.org hopelink.org unitedway.org CONNECT WITH A LOCAL FOOD BANK: voaww.org emergencyfeeding.org teenfeed.org homelessshelterdirectory.org ugm.org pugetsoundlaboragency.org marchofdimes.com/washington pugetsoundpetfoodbank.org nokidhungry.org CHARITY REVIEWS: charitynavigator.org charitywatch.org greatnonprofits.org
To research a Washington charitable organization online, please visit www.sos.wa.gov/charities.
LATE FALL IS ALL ABOUT FOOTBALL SUN 11/3 MON 11/11 BYE SUN 11/24
1:05 PM vs Buccaneers 5:15 PM @ 49ers 5:20 PM @ Eagles
SAT
11/2
TBD
vs Utah (Hometown Heroes)
FRI
11/8
7:30 PM
@ Oregon State
SAT
11/23
TBD
@ Colorado
FRI
11/29
1:00 PM
vs Washington State
SAT SAT SAT FRI
11/9 11/16 11/23 11/29
TBD TBD TBD 1:00 PM
@ California vs Stanford vs Oregon State @ Washington
FOOTBALL GAME PARTY TIPS 1. Send out invites as soon as you know you're hosting a party so that your invitees can save the date. Ask your invitees if there are any special dietary needs you should keep in mind. 2. If you live in an apartment or condo community (or if your home is close to the house next door), let your neighbors know you’ll be throwing a party —better yet, invite them over. 3. Make sure you have enough comfortable seating for everyone. If you need more, rent chairs or ask guests to bring their own portable chairs or floor pillows. 4. Create a simple menu that reflects your love of the game. Cupcakes, sliders, deviled eggs, meatballs and more can be adapted to fit a football theme, and plenty of ideas can be found online. Your local grocery store may also have football-themed snacks. Combine them with your own creations and reduce your party prep time. Get your guests involved and make it a potluck. 5. Set up a few strategically placed food and beverage “filling stations,” positioned around the TV viewing areas. This will make it quicker for guests to fill their plates and not miss any of the action. 6. Decorate using colors of the participating teams. Check online retailers for great deals on football-themed tablecloths, dishes, cups, serving utensils, flatware, etc. Then, get creative! Bright yellow napkins can also double as penalty flags when guests want to make a call that a referee missed. 7. If you have younger guests coming to your party, set aside a fun table or corner just for them. Stock it up with craft supplies, paper, washable markers, crayons, etc., for them to create footballthemed artwork or party decorations. 8. Near the end of the game, make a last call and put on a pot of coffee. Prepare leftovers, place them plastic bags or paper cartons, and leave by the door for guests to grab on their way out. Offer bottled water or coffee in to-go cups for the road. Volume 10 | Issue 11