Linnea Jones – Realtor

Windermere Real Estate / Northeast, Inc.

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Crystal Ball

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Where’s My Crystal Ball?

Dear friend,

Questions are circling about the future of our real estate market. Will prices continue to go up? Can people afford the new prices? What happens if interest rates rise? Should I sell now, should I buy? Will the market crash again? Great questions! For a discussion about factors that influence our regional market please see the attached list.

For a more in-depth view consider attending our upcoming seminar featuring renowned economist Matthew Gardner. Matthew is an Oxford graduate with over 25 years professional experience in regional economics and market analysis.


You are invited!

Hear renowned economist Matthew Gardner discuss issues affecting our economy and local real estate market. Informative and entertaining! Bring your questions.

When: October 28, 2015 at 6:30pmclip_image004

Where:  Inglewood Golf Club,

6505 Inglewood Road NE, Kenmore

Appetizers and drinks served at 6:30PM

Limited seating please RSVP

Linnea at Linnea@Windermere.com or 425-765-8740


 

Economic factors affecting Real Estate throughout Western Washington.

Fundamentally, all markets are subject to external factors such as supply vs. demand and consumer confidence. History teaches us that real estate goes through natural cycles of ups and downs depending on regional and national influences. Housing trends tend to take longer to develop than commodities and stocks. Our current market influences are very positive for housing pricing and affordability.

Ø Supply. The Puget Sound region is lagging in supply of homes for sale forming a “seller’s market” fueling upward pressure on pricing. Most markets in our area are seeing more than 10% year over year increases.

Ø Demand. In-migration is very strong. The availability of jobs and livability of our area are bringing more and more people to our market; all need a place to live. The construction of apartments is also lagging so renters are also faced with a short supply an increasing rents.

Ø Construction. Decreased availability of construction money has suppressed home construction in our area for the past several years. Builders have just recently been able to start increasing output. Construction cycles take a long time to develop to create new finished housing. New starts are still “behind the curve” of meeting our needs for new homes.

Ø Affordability. When housing prices get too high, affordability becomes a limiting factor for further increases. According to S&P/Case-Shiller
the Puget Sound area is one of the more affordable major markets based on average earnings compared to housing cost.

Ø Interest rates. Most buyers are concerned with their monthly payment. With low interest rates they can afford more expensive homes. Modest increases in mortgage rates are not likely to discourage home buying due to an improving economy and higher wages.

Ø Employment. Our aerospace, technology and bio-tech industries have been great producers of higher paying jobs. Unemployment remains one of the lowest among major markets.

Ø Buyer resurgence. The last bubble burst scared many qualified buyers out of the market for a while. They are now returning. Homeowners who lost their homes due to foreclosure or short-sales are also looking to get back in the market.

Courtesy of Linnea Jones

Windermere Real Estate / Northeast, Inc.

425-765-2211 Linnea@Windermere.com

Ooh la la!

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June is Windermere’s official month dedicated to giving back to our community. In addition to donations given throughout the year we do a Community Service Day where we all roll up our sleeves to benefit a local charity. This year it’s June 20th. Our Windermere office also says thanks to our valued clients and friends by hosting the always entertaining ‘Evening with Ciscoe’.

On June 11th and 18th you are invited to join me at Molbaks Nursery in downtown Woodinville to learn and laugh with Ciscoe Morris, co-host with Meeghan Black of ‘Gardening with Ciscoe’ on King 5 TV . Known for his high energy and humor, Ciscoe is a renowned expert on gardening in the Pacific Northwest, a guest speaker around the world and appears on numerous radio and TV shows.

If you would like to join me at one of these events, please contact me for a FREE ticket!. We’ll also have complimentary hors d’oeuvres and local wines.


You are cordially invited

Please join us Wednesday June 11th

or Wednesday June 18th

5-7 pm

Molbaks Nursery

13625 NE 175th St. Woodinville, WA

Please RSVP to Linnea@Windermere.com or 425-765-2211

Limited seating

Holiday Safety

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The holidays are a great time to celebrate and enjoy friends and family. Decorating and cooking create amazing memories for everyone. As you begin decorating it’s a good time to inspect your lights and decorations with safety in mind.

Because I care about you I’ve included a page of safety tips to ponder (below).

Can you spot the problem with this picture?

 

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Holiday Home Safety Tips:

Lighting

  • Use caution with decorations and, whenever possible, choose those made with flame-resistant, flame-retardant and non-combustible materials.
  • Keep candles away from decorations and other combustible materials, and do not use candles to decorate Christmas trees.
  • Carefully inspect new and previously used light strings, and replace damaged items before plugging lights in.
  • Do not overload extension cords.
  • When possible, replace lights with new LED ones. They operate at cooler temperatures and are less likely to start a fire.
  • Don’t mount lights in any way that can damage the cord’s wire insulation. To hold lights in place, string them through hooks or insulated staples–don’t use nails or tacks. Never pull or tug lights to remove them.
  • Keep children and pets away from light strings and electrical decorations.
  • Never use electric lights on a metallic tree. The tree can become electrified from faulty lights, and a person touching a branch could be electrocuted.
  • Before using lights outdoors, check labels to be sure they have been certified for outdoor use.
  • Make sure all the bulbs work and that there are no frayed wires, broken sockets or loose connections.
  • Plug all outdoor electric decorations into circuits with ground-fault circuit interrupters to avoid potential shocks.
  • Turn off all lights when you go to bed or leave the house. The lights could short out and start a fire.

Decorations

  • Use only non-combustible and flame-resistant materials to trim a tree. Choose tinsel and artificial icicles of plastic and non-leaded metals.
  • Never use lighted candles on a tree or near other evergreens. Always use non-flammable holders, and place candles where they will not be knocked down.
  • In homes with small children, avoid decorations that are sharp and breakable, and keep trimmings with small removable parts out of the reach of children.
  • Avoid trimmings that resemble candy and food that may tempt a young child to put them in his mouth.

Holiday Entertaining

  • Unattended cooking is the leading cause of home fires in the U.S. When cooking for holiday visitors, remember to keep an eye on the range.
  • Keep matches and lighters up high, out of sight and reach of children (preferably in a locked cabinet).
  • Test your smoke alarms, and let guests know what your fire escape plan is.

Courtesy of Linnea Jones – Windermere Real Estate / Northeast, Inc.

425-765-2211

This information is adapted from various sources and should not be relied upon as definitive or authoritative. Reader should seek professional advice before proceeding.

P.S. Save the date for the Santa Party at my Windermere office.

Saturday, December 7th 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM

Free pictures with Santa – Crafts for all ages – Live music

Hotdogs, Cookies, Cider, Hot Chocolate, & ESPRESSO

PESTS!

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Spring is a great time to inspect your home for wintertime invasion of pests of all kinds. During the winter your home was an inviting place for critters to find warmth, food and water. Now that it’s springtime they may be planning to make your home their permanent residence, make a family and even invite friends.

Common Northwest Pests include; carpenter ants, wasps, hornets, spiders, raccoons, rats, mice, bats …

Attached is a checklist guide to use to inspect your home. Should you find you need to hire a professional, please feel free to give me a call and I can help refer you to some reputable specialists.


Pest Inspection

 Ants. Termites are not common to the Pacific NW. Carpenter ants, moisture, odorous house ants, sugar, argentine and pavement ants are. You may find them in their adult stage or their winged stages. Look for piles of fine wood (frass) and you may have found carpenter ants. Moisture ants are very small; their presence usually indicates a water source and may lead you to a leak. Another small ant is the sugar ant found in cabinets where food is available. Pavement ants are found at the margins of patios, foundations, driveways. You may note small mounds of dirt near a crack. Spraying adult ants is usually a waste of time and product, the only real way to treat ants is to get at the colony and kill all of them.

 Bed Bugs Unfortunately bed bugs are becoming more common even in clean homes. Look for blood stains on bedding, red spots on your body. Check in the seams of beds, the critters can also hang out in the walls near beds where they find their hosts.

 Bees, hornets, wasps, yellow jackets. Check your eaves for paper-like cones made by wasps and yellow jackets. Bees can make their hives inside the walls of the home or in trees or other structures near the home. Hornets often make their nests in the ground. Except for wasps and yellow jackets removal of these pests is best left to a professional.

 Rodents; rats, mice can enter the home through very small entry points. Rats and mice are near-sighted so they tend to run along baseboards or backsplashes. Look for feces that appear like brown rice, the size of the feces is a clue to determining if you have rats or mice. Also look for rub spots on corners where they rub their fur. Attic spaces and crawl spaces should be inspected. Make sure all vents are properly installed and check for chewing marks.

 Birds Swallows love to nest in eaves and small birds love perches where they can nest. All forms of birds can find your home inhabitable and usually require removal by a specialist who knows their unique habits.

 Beetles, especially wood boring beetles can be very destructive and difficult to treat. Look for small bores in wood that is near or in contact with soil. The damage seen on the outside can be a small indicator of the damage inside posts and walls.

 Spiders weave their webs and catch flying insects and therefore are generally useful in keeping the population of gnats and mosquitos down.

 Raccoons and other large animals can enter through garages, gable vents and even through an inadvertently open door. Leaving the garage door open at night can invite many critters including coyotes and neighborhood dogs and cats.

 

This information is adapted from various sources and should not be relied upon as definitive or authoritative. Reader should seek professional advice before proceeding with any repairs.

Know your Stuff!

Imagine the nightmare of having your home damaged, destroyed or burglarized. Then, to make matters worse, imagine trying to remember all of its contents for insurance and replacement purposes. Sadly thousands of Americans find themselves in this situation every year. Insurance companies will require proof of loss especially of more expensive items so documentation is imperative. A simple area rug can cost $50 or $5,000 for an expensive import. Guess which one the insurance company thinks you own?

For most of us, the prospect of documenting our possessions seems quite daunting so we procrastinate. It’s a good idea to complete this task soon so I’m here to help.

Attached is a starter guide for building your own inventory or you can visit WWW.KnowYourStuff.org for a FREE online solution for documenting your stuff.


HOME INVENTORY

GETTING STARTED

There are many ways to create a home inventory. It may seem hard at first to record information about everything you have in your house, but don’t let that put you off. First, decide on a way to make an inventory that works for you. You can do it room by room, category by category (furniture, electronics, etc.), from newest items to oldest or from most expensive purchases to less expensive ones.

TAKING INVENTORY

There are different ways to making your list. You can write everything down in a notebook or you can take pictures. If you have a video camera, you can walk through your house filming and describing the contents at the same time. Take close-ups of model/serial numbers of more expensive items. Remember to open drawers and cabinets. Don’t forget more commonplace items such as toys, CD’s and clothing.

In some cases make your list by the room in which they are most likely to be found. In other cases, they can be grouped together by category. For items like books, CDs, sheets or pots and pans, you can make a general estimate of how many you have and their estimated value.

Keep receipts when they are available and note the cost for the item, when you bought it and other information about the make and model. Expensive items like jewelry and art work may need to be insured separately. Ask your insurance agent whether you need a floater for your homeowner’s policy.

STORING INVENTORY

Store a copy of your inventory in a safe place outside of your home—with a friend or in a safe deposit box. (If your inventory is electronic, store it offsite on a cloud storage site like Mozy.com or MyPCbackup.com. Many of these sites offer free storage up to a certain amount.) That way you’ll be sure to have something to give your insurance representative if your home is damaged. Also, whenever you make a significant purchase, remember to add the information to your inventory while the details are fresh in your mind.

BIG TICKET ITEMS

Make note of expensive items, such as jewelry, furs, and collectibles. Valuable items may need separate insurance. If the item has a UPC code on it, photograph it. These days technology allows you to look the item up online.

OTHER OPTIONS

If all of this seems too complicated, you can sign-up to use free online software that makes creating and keeping a home inventory easy at www.KNOWYOURSTUFF.org. This is an insurance industry sponsored website designed to help make inventory keeping easy, you can even share it with your agent or insurance company in the event of a loss. Another option is to hire an accredited professional to do all the work for you.

Courtesy of Linnea Jones – Windermere Real Estate / Northeast, Inc. 425-765-2211

Information adapted from the Insurance Information Institute

Killer CO!

Carbon monoxide alarms are now required. Effective April 1,2012 RCW 19.27.930 requires the seller of any owner occupied single family residence to equip the residence with carbon monoxide alarms in accordance with State building code before a buyer or any other person may legally occupy the residence following the sale. This requirement applies to all single family homes, condominiums and manufactured/mobile homes. There are no exceptions for properties that do not have fuel burning appliances or an attached garage.

It’s a good idea to install a detector even if you aren’t planning on selling especially if you have a gas furnace, wood stove or fireplace. Today’s energy efficient homes help keep heat in AND dangerous gases. A brand new furnace can leak CO (carbon monoxide).

More information below…

If you would like a FREE CO alarm, I have some available for my clients, call me to get yours before they are gone!



CO Alarms

Carbon monoxide is produced from incomplete combustion of fossil fuels.

In the home CO can be formed, for example, by open flames, space heaters, water heaters, blocked chimneys or running a car inside a garage.

CO is colorless and odorless.

What to buy. CO alarms vary in cost and function. Some manufacturers combine smoke detectors with CO alarms. In my opinion, this is not a good idea. CO alarms will not necessarily last as long as a smoke detector and the technology is still evolving. As more and more units are sold the price will continue to drop and the quality will rise. Plan on being able to buy a cheaper and better detector in the coming few years.

Most detector/alarms come with a digital display that can display the amount of CO detected and how much life is left on the unit. Some are strictly powered by battery while some are powered by an outlet with battery backup. I prefer the safety of both power sources.

Where to install. Carbon Monoxide is a gas that mixes with air, it can be found up high and down low. Units that plug in will be as effective as those installed on the ceiling or wall. Avoid placing the unit in corners where air movement is minimal.

For best protection install one unit in each occupied bedroom, one near combustion sources like furnaces and one near the garage door. When only one alarm is installed in the home, it should be located near the sleeping areas so it can be heard. Install one on each level. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations.

How to maintain. Replace the battery every year even if it seems to be good.
All batteries lose power over time; a new battery will deliver a loud alarm for a long period of time. Simply pressing the test button will not ensure that the alarm will sound when needed. In fact ‘testing’ serves to drain the battery. When replacing the battery take note of the reading (on models that show the level) and chart this over time to help determine if a problem is developing.

Courtesy of Linnea Jones – Windermere Real Estate / Northeast, Inc. 425-765-2211

Fenestrated?

Your windows are a very important part of your home, they provide views and light while keeping the elements out and your home comfortable. They take a lot of abuse from the sun, wind and rain, not to mention baseballs. Undetected, a small leak in a window can turn into an energy loss or wall damage so regular inspections and maintenance is necessary.

fen·es·trat·ed adj. Having windows or windowlike openings.

Below is a piece that deals with all things window. I hope you will find it ‘illuminating’.


Save The Date!

It’s a Santa Party!

Saturday December 3rd

10:00 – 2:00PM

My Office in Kirkland
FREE Goodies, Music, Crafts and PICTURES WITH SANTA!


Winter Window Maintenance

Inspection. Examine the edges of all windows, inside and out, operate each window and check the locking mechanism. Check for cracks, breaks or fogging. Look for missing or cracked caulking.

Calking. Remove any cracking or shrinking calk then use a high quality exterior grade paintable calk to re-do the entire window. Spread out the calking with a plastic spoon, craft stick or wet finger. Wait 24 hours before re-painting. Failed calking can result in damage to the window framing and walls plus it can increase heating bills.

Fogging occurs when excess moisture gets in between the panes, it appears as clouding that cannot be cleaned, if the clouding is streaky it’s likely that the UV coating has failed. A fogged window has lost some of its insulating properties but not all, the decision to replace is usually an aesthetic one. One can replace the entire window at great expense or hire a glass company to replace just the sealed unit(s) leaving the frame alone. Another great option is to defog the existing window without replacing anything. A number of companies can perform this new procedure without removing anything and at the least cost. Defogging involves cleaning in between the panes and removing the moisture using proprietary methods. One such company is WindowmedicsSeattle.com. In most homes, when one window is fogged, the rest will soon follow.

Cleaning. Professional cleaning can be costly. In many cases windows can only be cleaned by the pro’s but you can save a lot by cleaning the ones you can reach and pay for the rest. Starting with the exterior windows, use a soft brush on a pole with a solution of ammonia or vinegar in warm water to soak the window. While the window is still wet, use a razor blade to scrape the entire window. It’s amazing what kinds of goo and glop ends up on a window that only a scraper can remove. Brush the window again and then use a squeegee from left to right in a horizontal stroke, cleaning the leading edge of the squeegee with a rag between strokes, us a dry microfiber rag to buff off any streaks. Soak the screens in the same solution, then hose them off and allow them to dry. The same procedure can be used inside but the excessive water may require the use of towels and tarps, otherwise good old Windex is useful.

Choices. If you are considering window replacement, check the manufacturer out carefully, problems with windows can be very costly and don’t usually show up right away. Just like a real estate agent, choose the ones with good reputations that have been around for a long time. Companies that market aggressively and make exaggerated claims should be avoided. Pella, Milgard and Certainteed are trusted brands that control the quality of their installers.

Energy. The most efficient window is a very small one. Windows are by nature inefficient but they have come a long way. Windows lose energy through conduction, convection and radiation so a good window addresses all of these. Recently, much attention has been paid to controlling the amount of UV light (radiation) that passes through; new regulations require UV protection on all windows. Upgrading from single pane windows to double pane can save money over time but changing from one type of double pane to another or to triple pane can be hard to justify financially.

Courtesy of Linnea Jones – Windermere Real Estate / Northeast, Inc. 425-765-2211

Squeak!

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“You can’t be stealthy with creaky floors

and the baby won’t sleep with squeaky doors.

Ya can’t take a nap in a creaky bed

and that squeaky shoe just messes up your head”

 

The opening lines of my latest rap? Seriously, we all deal with pesky squeaks. We find them everywhere, in our floors, doors, beds and more. They can be a real pain but most of them have easy, simple and inexpensive solutions.

I’m here to help you bring some quiet to your life with some squeak stopping tips.



Common Squeak Solutions

Kitchen drawers. Older drawers that have wood glides often end up squeaking as the dry wood rubs together. Use bar soap or bees wax on the runners and anywhere that the wood rubs together. This may need to be repeated over the years.

Doors. The most common solution to door squeaks is to spray the hinges with WD-40. While this may work well for most, the problem will likely return, especially on doors where moisture is present, such as laundry room doors. The best solution is to remove the hinge pins and coat them with wax or bar soap. While you have the hinge pins out, roll them on an even surface to see if they are bent. Bent pins can also cause squeaking.

Floors. Floor squeaks usually mean wood is rubbing on wood, often the sub-floor is rubbing on the joists. The best way to deal with this is to tighten the connection with screws, glue or nails. If you can see the joist and flooring from the basement, you may be able to add adhesive then using screws or special brackets pull the two together from underneath. Without this kind of access you need to work from above, through the flooring. First locate the floor joists using a hammer, listen for the ‘thud’ which indicates the joist. Verify by using a long nail in your drill (don’t use a drill bit on carpet – you’ll unravel the carpet). Once you have located the joist you can measure every 16” for the next. Now, using a special tripod tool and special ‘snap-off’ screws you can screw them through the carpet, vinyl or hardwoods. Most home improvement / hardware stores carry these tools and screws.

Faucets. Older faucets can make an unbearable squeak. Be sure to turn the water off at the shut-off valve, then unscrew the handle (place a cloth over the drain in case you drop something), then, using a wrench remove the valve. Clean the valve and apply a light coat of petroleum jelly (Vaseline). Reassemble.

Beds. Remove the mattress and box spring and test for the squeak. Sometimes they only squeak with weight on them. The best approach is to tighten all the bolts and look for areas where there are wood-to-wood connections. If the connections cannot be tightened, try adding wax or bar soap to the areas that rub. Frames made of metal can be oiled with WD-40 or Graphite.

Shoes. For leather dress shoes try this: remove the insole and apply hand lotion or mink oil to the sole. If the squeak is coming from the heel, inspect under the insole for loose nails. A couple of good taps with a hammer may tighten the heel. For tennis shoes try this: apply hand cream to the area where the tongue meets the shoe, you can also try to add talc under the insole. If the sole of the shoe has a liner under it, use a razor to cut a slit then insert talc or a thin layer of paper towel under the liner.

Spouses & Children. There are no known solutions.

 

 

Courtesy of Linnea Jones – Windermere Real Estate / Northeast, Inc. 425-765-2211

Each year Windermere Real Estate agents and employees set aside a day for Community Service. Even though most of us do community service throughout the year we can be very powerful when we join to support one project. This year our office has committed to do painting, yardwork, home repairs and providing furnishings for a home in Bothell called New Ground on June 17th.

New Ground houses women ages 18-21 who are pregnant or are parenting their first child. Their staff helps residents set goals, complete their education, obtain employment, secure childcare, apply for health care and much more. In addition they hold parenting classes, life skills training, financial management, budget planning, and the development of healthy relationships. To learn more about New Ground here’s their website. http://friendsofyouth.org/newgroundbothell.aspx

If you would like to share in the giving experience here is a list of items we need to help furnish the home. If you have any of these items please give me a call and I will pick them up.

Coffee Table (3)

Full Size Couch (4)

Kitchen Table and Chairs (2)

Dresser (5)

Full Size Bed Frame (3)

Full Size Mattress (2)

Full Size Box Spring (2)

Tall Floor Lamps (8)

TV (5)

 

Oh by the way, if you or someone you know could use some help with Real Estate or anything to do with homes, just call me with their name and number and I’ll be happy to help them.

Alarms serve a very important role in our everyday lives, leaving us free of worry. Our homes are filled with alarms that alert us of smoke, fire, fluid levels and deadly gases. Prior to the 1980’s homes did not have smoke detectors, today virtually every home has one or more and countless lives have been saved.

CO (Carbon Monoxide) detectors will soon be required in homes with heat sources. CO is a deadly odorless gas that is the product of combustion. Many lives are lost each year primarily due to improper use of propane heaters, BBQ’s and automobiles. I recommend installing a CO detector in your home near the sleeping quarters especially if you have an older gas or oil furnace.

Here’s some information about other alarms in the home, tips for maintenance and suggestions for helpful products.

Alarms for the home

Smoke Alarms. Replace batteries every year even if they still work, the battery needs to have enough juice to sound a long and strong alarm. Install one in every bedroom and living area. When installing new alarms be sure to test them, I had new alarms installed in a rental home but it turned out the contractor did not test them. The batteries had been installed by the factory but were not connected. Fortunately we discovered this before there was a fire.

Burglar Alarms. Wireless technology has made burglar alarms cheaper and easier to install. In most cases you can save money on your homeowners insurance if you install an alarm with monitoring. Newer alarms can be controlled from your cell phone!

Water level alarms. Many homes have sump pumps in their crawl spaces or basements. After years of operation these alarms can fail. Test the alarms annually and repair as needed to set your mind at ease. For sump pumps, consider adding an alarm with a battery backup so it works during power outages.

Septic system alarms. Every septic system has a water level alarm that monitors levels in the tank, if a pump fails or too much water enters the tank too fast, the alarm will go off. I suggest locating the control box and affixing the phone number of your favorite septic contractor so you don’t have to scramble if the alarm goes off. Be sure the contractor can work on your entire system, not just a pump-out service. Sometimes an alarm will sound if a toilet is running thereby adding more water to the tank than the pump can remove. Fixing the leaking toilet can save the cost of a service call.

Water leak alarms. Also known as ‘point of use’ alarms can be installed on water heaters, washers, toilets, sinks, dishwashers, ice makers and more. You can install them in the most critical areas such as washing machines where hoses wear out or install a system that includes sensors for all appliances. Many alarms can be tied into a motorized valve that automatically shuts the water off; they can also be tied into your monitored burglar alarm system to alert you while away from home.

Freeze Alarms. If you are away from home during a freeze these alarms can automatically raise the temperature in the home and if connected to a phone line, dial you up and let you control the temperature remotely. Great for cabins and second homes.

Alarms online. A good online source for alarms, sensors and information is available at www.homesecuritystore.com

Courtesy of Linnea Jones – Windermere Real Estate / Northeast, Inc. 425-765-2211