As Labor Day weekend arrives so does what I call the “second season” For me, late September-late November has been the busiest time of the year helping buyers and sellers making great decisions and transactions before the year ends.
Typically once Labor Day ends, the kids are back in school, vacation travel slows down and the post summer focus comes into play. With the covid-19 pandemic still with us, “typical” isn’t the current word as how we do things has changed. Perhaps during this second season you may realize it is a great time to sell as well as a buy real estate. Perhaps you are ready for the Fall and Seahawks football, perhaps you are looking forward to that next road trip, perhaps you are trying to figure out how to create a great space for your kids to do remote learning from home? Perhaps you have now seen that your existing dwelling just doesn’t work for the kids AND you to be home. As some of you can attest, this summer several have sold and bought properties that work better under these stay at home changed conditions. We will get past this but yes indeed it will change how we do things going forward and what we think is important. Following are excerpts from my Labor Day research homework.
Below is the NWMLS 23 county real estate sales trend for the first 7 months of 2020. Note that in the past several years the season has peaked around late June and then slides downward in activity to end the year. This year the pandemic and lockdown changed the peak selling season of April and has moved the trend line to later and July is the busiest in years. August may have been the “summer” and the “second season” after Labor Day could be quite busy. Why? Interest rates below 3% and tons of people wanting to BUY in this area. WA homes appreciated 8.6% this past year, third in the nation so it isn’t getting cheaper. The pandemic is shaping how and where people want to live. NEW-Condos and townhomes are suddenly out of favor as buyers reach for and pay top dollar for the bigger home and fenced back yard. If there is no commute to sit in and you and the kids are home then work/play space becomes the key element.
According to Realtor.com 40% of home buyers are looking to buy sooner because of COVID-19. Only 15% said the pandemic slowed down their timeline. First time home buyers accounted for over 34% of sales nationwide.
Dark green is sold, light green is listings (off by over 40%) red in pending line. Want to sell? We can get top dollar if done right. Want to buy? We need to put together the plan so you can win. I will show you how.
The Seahawks have been vigilant about doing the right thing and taking the right precautions during the pandemic and are finding a way to make the season happen. The Seahawks ARE the early season favorite.
Thinking about selling and moving to another area or changing jobs? 42% of Bay Area tech works said they would move to a less expensive city if remote work extends and many of them want to come here.
Looking to change jobs or provide career ideas for graduating kids? Here is the Top Company to Work For list in WA as provided by Seattle Business magazine.
100 BEST COMPANIES TO WORK FOR 2020: THE LIST
SMALL COMPANIES, 15 to 49 employees
Total Merchant Concepts, Vancouver
CFO Selections, Bellevue
Avara Construction, Seattle
Adler Giersch, Seattle
CloydMoyo, Bellevue
MediaAlpha, Redmond
Parker Staffing Services, Seattle
Carlisle Classic Homes LLC, Seattle
Uplevel, Seattle
Revolution Custom/Civil Builders, Issaquah
Schlemlein Fick & Franklin PLLC, Seattle
Fuel Talent, Seattle
White Pages Inc., Seattle
Formidable, Seattle
Stratacore, Seattle
Columbia Pacific Wealth Management, Seattle
Unearth Technologies Inc., Seattle
Gaspar’s Construction, Seattle
Omnidian, Seattle
Karat, Seattle
2A Consulting, Seattle
Apptentive, Seattle
Possible Finance, Seattle
Cascade Print Media, Tacoma
MCW Events, Seattle
Total Benefit Solutions, Bellevue
Ripl, Inc., Bellevue
Sustainable Interiors, Fife
Rubica Inc., Seattle
LeoStella, Tukwila
Greene Information Systems, Seattle
Carney Badley Spellman, PS, Seattle
MIDSIZE COMPANIES, 50 to 150 employees
Modus, Seattle
Evergreen Beauty College, Renton
Pillar Properties, Seattle
Birch Equipment Rental & Sales Co., Everett
Amplify Consulting Partners, Bellevue
Maul Foster & Alongi Inc., Vancouver
Pivotal Commware, Kirkland
Icertis, Bellevue
Impel Neuropharma, Seattle
Berntson Porter & Co. PLLC, Seattle/Bellevue
NetMotion Software, Seattle
Ookla, Seattle
Pacifica Law Group LLP, Seattle
Subsplash, Seattle
Axia Home Loans, Bellevue
Geocaching HQ, Seattle
Hanson Consulting Group, Kirkland
FlowPlay Inc., Seattle
Hiya Inc., Seattle
Teleion, Seattle
Pacific Capital Resource Group Inc., Bellevue
Prime 8 Consulting, Bellevue
Knock, Seattle
BitTitan, Bellevue
BioLife Solutions Inc., Bothell
Aduro Inc., Redmond
DomainTools, Seattle
Inrix, Kirkland
Brighton Jones, Seattle
Legacy Telecommunications LLC, Kirkland
Seattle Coffee Gear, Bellevue
Legwork, Wenatchee
LARGE COMPANIES, 150+ employees
Auth0, Bellevue
Outreach, Seattle
Highspot, Seattle
Evergreen Home Loans, Bellevue
Angel of the Winds Casino Resort, Arlington
Logic20/20, Seattle
Nintex, Bellevue
Sequoyah Electric, Redmond
Mutual of Enumclaw Insurance Co., Enumclaw
Affirma, Bellevue
Flyhomes, Seattle
Limeade, Bellevue
Zipwhip, Seattle
MG2, Seattle
RealSelf, Seattle
Kindering, Bellevue
PayScale Inc., Seattle
Kidder Mathews, Seattle
Grange Insurance Association, Seattle
Pushpay, Redmond
OAC Services, Seattle
The Spur Group, Redmond
Barghausen Consulting Engineers, Inc., Kent
COMPANIES HEADQUARTERED OUTSIDE WASHINGTON
Hayden Homes LLC, Redmond, OR
Allison+Partners, San Francisco
ABD Insurance & Financial Services, San Mateo, CA
Finity Group LLC, Portland, OR
Snowflake, San Mateo, CA
Salesforce, San Francisco
Coalfire, Westminster, CO
Newmark Knight Frank, New York
World Wide Technology, Maryland Heights, MO
Panda Restaurant Group, Rosemead, CA
The Partners Group, Portland, OR
HDR, Omaha, NE
Tech Mahindra Americas Inc., Plano, Texas
ABOUT SEATTLE BUSINESS:Seattle Business is an award-winning monthly magazine read by thousands of business executives across the state. It delivers insight into the key people, enterprises and trends that drive business in the Pacific Northwest, providing perspective on the region’s ever-changing economic environment.
As many states including Washington extend remote learning into the fall it is probably worth investing in better tech and tools to help your kids stay engaged with classmates and curriculum working from home.
All summer long I have helped many people buy new homes so they have more room for a home office AND remote learning for kids. Others are using their existing space and trying to create some sort of dedicated area within parental view and provide some kind of classroom routine.
Many districts are supplying tech tools for kids, if not the latest 10.2” iPad (from $329) may be all they need. Plus you can add the cost to your monthly phone bill if you don’t want to fork out the cash…..
Having a table and chair the right size is key and an ergonomic desk set up making them more comfortable will also make them more productive. The adjustable IKEA Flisati is a good one and how about the Lakeshore Learning Materials Flexspace Ergo Bounce Cantilever Chair ($119) is much better than the old kitchen chair.
i don’t know how long the pandemic and risks will last but clearly nearly half are working from home and with the remote classroom in effect many are reporting repurposed rooms, remodeled space or buying a new home that works for these changed conditions.
Contact me about ideas, remodel and buying concepts and success stories
Road Trip Treat Exploration. Maybe meat isn’t your thing but hamburgers and the BBQ seem to go with the Labor Day party or late summer road trip. Travel magazine rated the top 50 BBQ spots in all 50 states and here are the local winners.
Also, Wall Street Journal suggests your go explore and drive right up to the top rated hamburger joints in America. In Washington state they gave the nod to Dick’s Drive In with 7 locations around Seattle. In Oregon they raved about Bonanza Drive-In in Cottage Grove since 1949. Hiram’s Roadstand in Fort Lee NJ has been an original since 1928. And sorry but Dusty’s in Cashmere didn’t make the list…
The Washington state winner according to Travel magaizine is Jeff’s Texas Style BBQ in Marysville. In Oregon its Holy Trinity Barbeque in Portland
Success Stories
All summer long I have been helping people getting sold and buy across town or across the mountains.
Here are recent examples of sold or pending.https://michaeljlink.withwre.com/listing/110038048
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