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How can we help you realize your dreams?
September 29, 2016 /By Margaret Smith, Executive Assistant for Pickett Street Properties I had a vivid imagination as a kid. Like Mary Poppins, I would hop off the garage roof with my red umbrella hoping to fly. My Mom taught me to hope and I think her optimism passed on to me in a fashion similar to her smile. I know people may not think my optimism is sensible at times- I get it. But I have to tell you, it has helped me push through some difficult times, and I think ultimately I am healthier for it. My delight with tree houses started when I was in elementary school. I loved the idea of living in something above everyone else and surrounded by leaves. I had a sense that if I lived in one, the fairies would eventually come find me as well. I never imagined there were people that were capable of building something so whimsical yet functional. In the last few years I began to notice places like Treehouse Point in Issaquah, WA where you can rent places to stay overnight or rooms for events. Many people have watched the tv series Treehouse Masters, where they have built the…Read more
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Has Anyone Heard of King Olaf?
September 22, 2016 /Until recently, neither had I. Here’s some context for you: a few weeks ago, while wandering the stately avenues of downtown Poulsbo, I suddenly found myself on an unfamiliar lane leading off Front Street. This was weird. Having grown up in Poulsbo, I was pretty sure I knew all there was to know about the place (after all, how hard should it be to get to know a small, Viking-themed town?), but there I was, standing between a kayak store and the Sons of Norway headquarters, lost in suddenly unfamiliar territory. According to the street sign, the little lane was called King Olaf Way. How hadn’t I noticed it before? Being a curious person (and apparently having nothing better to do) I decided to do some detective work. I walked home, cracked open the Encyclopedia Britannica, and searched for evidence of King Olaf. There was quite a lot to read. Born in the 960s, Olaf was a celebrated Viking king of Norway. In his youth, Olaf was forced to flee Norway after the nefarious Harald Graycloak murdered his father. Living in exile in Russia, Olaf trained as a Viking warrior, a process I assume was similar to the training montages…Read more
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Mhysa by Sarah Troske
September 20, 2016 /My boyfriend Santi and I moved into our home in June 2015. I knew I wanted to get a dog quick. When we started researching different types of breeds, Santi mentioned the Wirehaired Pointing Griffon. Never hearing of it, I quickly glance at the picture of the breed and dismissed it. Who wants a gray bodied, brown headed dog? I guess I didn’t. But when I googled hypoallergenic dog, that breed kept popping up. So I took it upon myself to start researching this breed. After doing extensive research on this awesome breed, I shortly found out that breeders around this area are rare. The closest breeders I found were in mid Oregon and Idaho. So naturally I contacted all of them. Their waiting lists were 1-2+ years. I just couldn’t believe it. I didn’t want to wait that long. I am a patient person, but not that patient. Thankfully one of the breeder’s I was chatting with via Facebook led me to a breeder who recently used their stud. The breeder I was referred to was just in the Spokane, WA area. Well that’s close enough, right? I immediately called and he had one girl left from the litter.…Read more
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Does Your Money Work for You?
September 16, 2016 /Does Your Money Work For You? As this blog has mentioned in the past, buying a multi-family home is a profitable alternative to the standard, single-family rental unit. A multi-family home is an ideal vehicle for building wealth, as it provides extra income and more security than single-occupancy rental units. However, buying a multi-family home is easier said than done, and it can be hard to envision what the process is actually like without a concrete example. Fortunately, Pickett Street’s Amanda Weis provides us with a perfect concrete example. As Pickett Street’s Client Care Representative, Amanda has plenty of experience in property management, and she’s owned rental properties before. However, until recently, Amanda’s rental property was a single-family home that earned just $100 in profits each month. Upon selling the unit, Amanda used the profits from the sale (via the perpetually helpful 1031 exchange) to purchase a multi-family home. Or, more accurately, two multi-family homes. Starting her search in King and Snohomish counties, Amanda was initially frustrated by high property prices. However, once she moved her search to Tacoma in Pierce County, Amanda found two affordable duplexes requiring minimal up-front work. Since Tacoma’s rental market is booming, Amanda rented all…Read more
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I Hope There Aren’t Any Bugs! (Why You Should Always Work With Traditional Real Estate Agents)
September 9, 2016 /“I hope there aren’t any bugs!” said the landlord as she handed me the keys to my new apartment. “I beg your pardon?” I said, a trifle dismayed that the apartment I would be renting with my girlfriend could be home to “bugs.” “Oh, it’s nothing really,” said the landlord, “it’s just that there might be bugs in your apartment.” An awkward silence ensued. “I’m not saying there definitely are bugs,” said the landlord with a forced laugh, the kind family members might use at Christmas dinner when crazy Uncle Ernie starts telling inappropriate stories. “It’s just that there might be.” More silence. I had a brief vision of the scene from the last Indiana Jones movie when one of the bad guys falls into an anthill and is eaten alive by its inhabitants. “Anyhoo,” the landlord said, clearing her throat, “who wants a cup of coffee?” There were bugs, as it turned out. I discovered one after wrestling three suitcases, two bicycles, and a box stuffed with approximately twelve pairs of flip-flops through the front door of our new apartment. As I prepared to unload my burden and collapse onto the carpet of the living room floor, I found the space already occupied by the…Read more
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Do you want a discount from your Real Estate Agent?
September 2, 2016 /What You Get When You Work With a Discount Agent Here’s a hint: it’s not much. While discounted brokers might seem attractive (who isn’t attracted to a lower price tag?), a lower cost does not often equal a better experience in the real estate world. Before jumping on the discount bandwagon, take a minute to read our reasons why traditional realtors are still the kings (and queens) of the real estate world. Traditional vs. Discount Before launching into a discussion about why the traditional model trumps discount upstarts, it’s important to understand the distinction between the two. A traditional broker is a tried and true real estate agent - he or she will charge a standard commission fee (often 6% of the sales price), but will not charge any other fees. Traditional brokers generally control all aspects of the real estate transaction, such as advertising your home, working with the MLS in your state, negotiating offers, helping you discover anything unique about certain properties, developing individualized marketing strategies to ensure that a homeowner’s property gets maximum market exposure, and finding properties for prospective buyers. A discounted broker, on the other hand, charges a lower commission, often around 3-5%, but sometimes even lower. Some…Read more
