-
Pickett Street’s Last-Minute Holiday Gift Guide
December 23, 2019 /Pickett Street’s Last-Minute Holiday Gift Guide My husband and I are currently scrambling around shopping for our last few gifts, which is—arguably—one of the most exciting parts of the holidays. We’ve already shopped for our easiest loved ones, like our mothers who enjoy a wide range of goodies, from pretty jewelry and scarves to innovative kitchen doo-dads. Now, we just need gifts for those slightly frustrating individuals who insist that they “don’t need anything” or, who, when they do need something, immediately buy it for themselves (Dad, I’m looking at you). This year, my family decided to do a non-materialist Christmas and buy each other experiences instead of objects. For our parents, my husband and I are buying gift cards to their favorite local restaurants. For my environmentally conscious brother, we donated in his name to the National Parks Service. For our extremely minimalist best friend, we are buying a massage gift card. I also decided to ask the Pickett Street team for advice on last-minute gifts this year. Here’s what they had to say. (P.S.—if you’re looking for real-estate related gifts, you might reach out directly to the team at info@pickettstreet.com or (425) 502-5397.) 1. For those times when…Read more
-
Seattle Real Estate News: What To Expect for 2020
December 13, 2019 /Seattle Real Estate News: What To Expect for 2020 What’s on your gift list this year? If this list includes a new home, it’s not too late to reach out to Pickett Street (info@pickettstreet.com or (425) 502-5397). To help you get started, here’s a quick real estate news update for the Seattle area. It’s a seller’s market. Just when it seemed that the wildly hot, competitive Seattle market had cooled, November brought a few real estate surprises. According to the Seattle Times, “the number of closed home sales in King County rose by nearly 12% compared to the same time last year.” These sales mostly include higher-priced homes, although the general real estate market seems to be tipping toward sellers as well. Additionally, with a small new tax cut for home sellers in 2020, it might be wise to remodel, sit on your home for a bit longer, and sell in the new year. On January 1st, the state’s excise tax will change. Washington currently applies a flat 1.28% excise tax is applied to all home sales. This means that home buyers pay 1.28% of their home’s total closing price. However, due to the recent state excise bill, this rate…Read more
