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5 Reasons to Buy Before the New Year
Seattle's forecast predicts crisp days over the weekend. Thanksgiving’s promise of warm food flickers like a light, just around the corner. The Seattle Times has released their holiday event guide. My partner, grumbling-ly, agreed to watch Love Actually with me for approximately the 300th time this weekend. I baked pumpkin bread! As the holiday season approaches, hygge seems to be everywhere. I’ve written about this word before but to recap, the Danish word hygge loosely translates as coziness, comfort, and feelings of wellbeing and contentment. Perhaps you’re still seeking a home with that essential feeling of hygge. Whatever the reason you're interested in buying a new home, you might consider hitting the market now, just in time to settle in before the new year. It’s not too late to buy a home this year! Get in touch with Pickett Street to consult with their experts about your best options (info@pickettstreet.com or 425-502-5397). In the meantime, here are 5 reasons why fall is secretly one of the best times to buy a home. 1. Less competition. Most buyers shop for homes in the spring, which tends to be both an exciting and wild time for the housing market. I don’t know…Read more
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Pickett Street’s Favorite Places to Dine and Unwind
November 9, 2018 /Seattle’s restaurant week, which celebrated the area’s incredible cuisine, ended yesterday. This event got me thinking about how food and local businesses are so inextricably connected to our sense of belonging and home. My husband and I agree that when we find our local bar, restaurant, and coffee shop, we have finally made the neighborhood our home. (Even better is when the owners of these neighborhood businesses start to recognize your dopey-badly-behaved-but cute puppy and give you free fries!) So, in the spirit of Seattle’s restaurant week and of home, I asked Pickett Street’s team to tell me about their favorite local restaurants and bars. Read on for their list of places to unwind and enjoy a homey vibe. Or, if you’re looking to sell or buy a home in this area, get in touch with the team at 425-502-5397 or info@pickettstreet.com. Anderson School Hotel - McMenamins in Bothell With locations throughout the Pacific Northwest, McMenamins renovates historic buildings to create homey, quirky spaces to eat, drink, and socialize. Bothell’s Anderson School Hotel is located in the city’s first junior high school, built in 1931. The owners renovated this art-deco style building to preserve its school days vibe, with an adult…Read more
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Community Highlights: Revolve Food & Wine
November 5, 2018 /Pickett Street Properties is dedicated to serving the community and is highlighting businesses and community members that are dedicated to doing the same. This week we are excited to share about Revolve True Food & Wine Bar located in downtown Bothell. Our team has frequented this restaurant a handful of times during lunch. This couldn’t come at a better time since Seattle Restaurant Week is in the midst! Revolve’s Owner, Dr. Dusty DuBois, shares her story with us: I’ve been a chiropractor in Bothell for 20 years and about 8 years ago I embarked on a weight loss journey called Ideal Protein at Bothell Ideal Weight-Loss. I lost 70 lbs in 7 months and I just craved more information about this process. I had previously dieted and exercised my way to 217 lbs, and just changing the way I ate is what caused the weight loss. I was shocked that it was that easy. So I researched everything I could about food and how it either contributes or degrades our health. Everything kept pointing me to a low carb, grain free lifestyle to support my health goals. After learning what I believe to be the truth, I found…Read more
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Five Ways to Buy a Home With Zero Down
November 2, 2018 /According to NerdWallet, “the 20% mortgage down payment is dead.” The National Association of Realtors reports that, as of 2016, the average down payment was just 11%. For buyers under 35, the average down payment was 8%. Another little-known fact: buyers who are not able to save enough to buy a home can apply for zero down loans. Besides the federal USDA and VA loans, the Washington State Housing Finance Commission (WSHFC) offers several zero-down options. Before you do anything else, reach out to Pickett Street to discuss your options with a professional (info@pickettstreet.com or 425-502-53970). Pickett Street encourages those who are interested to stop waiting and buy now, before interest rates rise higher and before the market kicks into its much more competitive spring mode. Next, read on for five ways you can purchase a home with zero down. 1. Seattle Down Payment Assistance Loan Program This program provides up to $55,000 toward a down payment, with payments deferred for 30 years at 3% simple interest. First-time owners buying a home within Seattle city limits whose household income falls below a certain threshold may qualify. For two people, the household income must not exceed $64,200. For one person,…Read more
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In Memory of Paul Allen
October 19, 2018 /Paul Allen, co-founder of Microsoft and owner of the Seattle Seahawks, passed away this past week. Allen battled non-Hodgkin lymphoma off and on for several years. Allen is best known for starting the personal computer revolution. That desktop computer or laptop you’re reading this blog on and can’t imagine life without? Yeah, Allen basically made these machines possible for us. Born in Seattle, Allen attended Lakeside School, where he met his friend and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates. According to the school’s tribute, the two friends “got their start in computing while at Lakeside, working from a school teletype terminal and logging the 10,000 hours of practice that would lead to the personal computer revolution. Few on the faculty understood what they were doing, but all were quick to recognize the value of their work…” Allen lived with his mother (how sweet is that?) in a sprawling mansion complex on Mercer Island. However, despite his wealth, Allen was known around the Puget Sound as a generous man who donated to social services and loved sports and arts. After his passing, the tributes and stories have been rolling in. Here are a few of our favorite stories, large and small, about the…Read more
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Community Highlights: Buddha Bruddah
October 17, 2018 /Pickett Street Properties is dedicated to serving the community and is highlighting businesses and community members that are dedicated to doing the same. This week we are excited to share about Buddha Bruddah. Drea Mizer, Owner, Operations and Catering Manager shares their story: My husband, Mark, and I started our business, Buddha Bruddah, back in December 2014. We started as a food truck. Originally, my husband and his mother were planning to open a food truck together. Unfortunately, she passed away before they could realize the dream together. Mark’s mother had one of the first Thai restaurants in Seattle back in 1982, Rama House on 2nd and Bell, and later also had Rama on Post in Post Alley. Mark grew up working in her restaurants and later took over as General Manager/Owner of the restaurant in Post Alley after his father passed away. I began working in restaurants when I was 15 years old and continued through high school, college and after college. In early 2014, Mark had purchased a food truck and was slowly working on remodeling it when I was unexpectedly laid off from my job as an Operations Manager for a local mortgage company. That is when…Read more
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Affordable and Community-Focused Living with Cohousing
October 12, 2018 /Human beings need each other to survive. However, recent research shows that 22% to 50% of Americans feel socially isolated. Psychologist John Cacioppo says, “We don’t talk about feeling lonely because it is stigmatized. We tend to celebrate individual achievement, with success marked by what we do and not how we live, or give to others.” Claude Fisher, sociologist at UC Berkeley, notes that this loneliness does not have to be a normal part of modern American life. According to Fisher, “Like the mistaken belief that Americans are increasingly rootless and mobile, [we tend to think that] modern life is about disintegration and alienation.” This is not, however, necessarily true. To combat loneliness and social isolation, cohousing communities are popping up all over the world. These communities are especially popular in Scandinavian countries like Denmark, where families and couples of all ages live together on multi-unit properties. Cohousing, however, comes in many forms. To talk to Pickett Street about creative home-buying options, call or email them at info@pickettstreet.com or 425-502-5397. Or, read on for more examples of communal living in the Seattle area. 1. Capital Hill Urban Cohousing Capitol Hill Urban Cohousing allows nine families to live together in eco-friendly…Read more
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Two Big Reasons Why You Should Quit Overthinking and Buy Now
October 8, 2018 /Last night, while chatting with friends over dinner in their lovely Colorado home, they told me something surprising. “We bought our house when we did because we were afraid we wouldn’t be able to afford it in two more years,” they confided. “We just didn’t think about it too much.” As a major over-thinker, this felt like a revelation. I labor over each decision, from purchasing a new brand of toothpaste on Amazon to choosing what to eat for lunch. I often feel anxious about larger decisions to the point of paralysis, failing to take any action at all. While I often think that overthinking protects me, it actually does more harm than good. According to scientific studies—and according to many people’s personal experiences—overthinking can disrupt your sleep and interfere with your problem-solving skills. Sound familiar? An important side note: I am by no means saying you should buy a house without careful thinking and planning. Buyers should absolutely chat with professionals like the Pickett Street team and their mortgage lenders about this major life decision. However, I would like to argue that, sometimes, our anxiety-prone brains get in the way and prevent us from accomplishing our goals. If you…Read more
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Community Highlights: Cody Touchette
October 8, 2018 /Pickett Street Properties is dedicated to serving the community and is highlighting businesses and community members that are dedicated to doing the same. This week we are excited to share from our very own preferred lender, Cody Touchette! My story really starts before I became a mortgage professional. I graduated from Western Washington University with a degree in finance and put that to use by managing a jewelry store for a large national company. I enjoyed that position for a few years, was awarded a few promotions, but eventually found myself bored. Two things happened that drove me to begin my mortgage career. First, I bought my first house and thought the mortgage process could have been way easier and smoother than what I had experienced. Second, I saw a friend over the holidays who was a mortgage broker and he gave me the encouragement I needed to try it out. The rest is history! I currently run a team of nine amazing and talented mortgage professionals, The Touchette Team, at Caliber Home Loans, Inc. We work in mortgage lending, purchase, refinancing and investment strategies. Our team’s mission is two-part: help people attain the dream of homeownership and then change their financial…Read more
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Fall Reflection and the Luxurious Cameo Heights Mansion
October 2, 2018 /Autumn often feels like a period that calls for deep inner reflection. This week, I’ve found myself daydreaming about future travels and thinking about how I want my daily routines to look. Pickett Street's Sarah Troske and her bodybuilding journey inspired me to think about how these small, daily details add up to the big things. As Sarah says, “our daily decisions are either taking us closer or further away from our goals.” How are you doing this fall? Do your daily routines feel fulfilling? Are your daily decisions bringing you closer to your dreams? Perhaps, as summer’s adventures end and fall’s chill settles, you’ve realized you need a change of scenery, work, or lifestyle. If this is the case, Pickett Street can help you think about your options for buying or selling your home (info@pickettstreet.com or 425-502-5397). While you’re thinking about your options, check out this newest listing, a breathtaking 11,000 square foot bed and breakfast retreat in southeastern Washington. The Listing Nestled in the heart of Washington’s wine country, Cameo Heights Mansion overlooks 300 acres of vineyards, orchards, and the Walla Walla river. Pickett Street says that “this stunning and unique location, removed from city noise and bright…Read more
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Beautifully Maintained Townhouse
October 1, 2018 /This beautifully maintained 2-bedroom townhouse is located in the desirable Cambridge community. Enter the home and go up to the main level to find an open concept living space. The living room is anchored by a gas fireplace and a slider out to your own private balcony. The living room flows through the dining area and spills you into the kitchen. All appliances stay, as well as the large wooden butcher block island. The upper level hosts 2 bedrooms and the washer/dryer. The master bedroom features a walk-in with a closet system. All of this and a tandem garage with extra storage, a community gym, tons of guest parking and near the Metro Park and Ride. Just a few minutes away from the fantastic amenities that the Eastside has to offer. Call Jesse Moore at 425.502.5397 for more information. To download the property flyer as a PDF, click on the link: Beautifully Maintained TownhouseRead more
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Well-Maintained Manufactured Home
October 1, 2018 /This 2-bedroom plus den/bedroom manufactured home is located in the Holly Hills community. The vaulted ceilings greet you upon entry and open up to the living room which is anchored by a wood burning fireplace. The appliances in the kitchen will be staying with the property, as well as the washer and dryer in the utility room. The spacious master bedroom features an updated bathroom showcasing a lovely vanity with a granite counter. There is an additional bedroom and a guest bathroom. The yard is fully fenced and low maintenance. This home is being sold with the land! Call Jesse Moore at 425.502.5397 for more information. To download the property flyer as a PDF, click on the link: Well-Maintained Manufactured Home Read more
