Puget Sound Real Estate Podcast with Celeste Zarling

Here are 10 tips you should follow for a seamless relocation. Moving is a huge undertaking, but relocating can add a new layer of stress and planning to the process. Today I want to share 10 tips to help make your relocation a success: 1. Visit your new city before moving. This way, you can get a feel for the layout and culture. It will also help you get an idea of the cost of living in the area.  2. Make a list of what you want in a new home. Once you have everything written out, give it to your agent so they can help you achieve your goals.  3. Get rid of unnecessary items. Packing is the perfect time to ditch all the junk you no longer use. Separate things into a donate and trash pile so that you don't waste anything someone else could use.  4. Ask your agent to help you find free or inexpensive moving boxes. They might have connections to help you save some money.  5. Carefully label moving boxes. This will make unpacking much smoother.  “Packing for a move is the perfect time to get rid of all your junk.” 6. Pack a necessities box for each person and room. They'll be the last boxes packed at the old house and the first ones unpacked at the new home.   7. Shop around for good movers. Ask your agent if they have a good referral so that you end up with someone reliable.  8. Cancel delivery services and change your address. Don't forget to transfer your utilities, either.  9. If you're moving for a job, get to know your new co-workers. This is a great way to meet new people and learn your area.  10. Use your Realtor as a resource. A good agent can be a great guide for schools, shopping, neighborhoods, and more.  If you're thinking about relocating, call me first. I can provide you with a free packing checklist and help you achieve a seamless move. I look forward to hearing from you! 

Why King County still has a seller's market and what that means for you. What's happening in our local real estate market? Are we seeing a housing bubble, and what should you do with your home? It can be hard to know what the best choice is for your family, especially with all the headlines. I totally understand. I've been an agent for over nine years, and I can help you navigate this market. Let's look at the data to see what conditions mean for you. According to real estate experts, if we have six or fewer months of inventory, we're in a seller's market. It's all about supply and demand; when there's a limited supply, like right now, prices go up.  In Kirkland, we had 81 active homes, the active time to sell was only five days, and the average sales price was 7% over the list price in March. All these stats show that it's a strong seller's market. “It's a great time to sell because we're still experiencing plenty of bidding wars. ” What about Bellevue? In Bellevue, we had 99 active homes, and homes sold after an average of five days in March, which shows that Bellevue is also a strong seller's market. In King County, we have very low inventory and strong buyer demand. It's a great time to sell because we're still experiencing plenty of bidding wars.  Feel free to call or email my team at no cost for a hassle-free strategy session. I look forward to hearing from you.

How our buyers and sellers get an advantage by working with us. The key thing that sets us apart from other Realtors is that we're design-forward. We sell with style. We prepare our homes by professionally cleaning, staging, and marketing them with HD photography and a full 3D walk-through. We also provide all of our buyers with a one-year home warranty. We do all of this because we don't want our sellers to have to worry about a thing. We cover all the costs involved with our five-star plan, which allows our buyers to move into a home that's ready for them. This process helps sellers improve their homes' aesthetics, and buyers will pay more money because they see the value in what we've done. “We sell with style.” Once we recognized that visual marketing is the key to getting more for our sellers' homes, we came up with this plan, and it works. We sold more homes last year than we ever have just by implementing our five-star plan. If you're interested in selling your home, reach out today, and we'll get a walk-through set up to plan the next steps to get your home sold for top dollar. If you have any other questions, don't hesitate to contact us via phone or email. We look forward to hearing from you soon.

If you're this type of buyer, please don't pick up the phone. Don't call me if you're the type of buyer who wants me to show you a house before you're pre-qualified. Why? If you want to win in this market, you need to be pre-qualified and fully underwritten.  Sellers are looking for buyers who will close, so don't waste your time or mine if you're not. If you are fully underwritten, please call me. I'd love to help you find the perfect home.

From our team to your family, we want to wish you a happy holiday season. Happy holidays to you! The holiday season has officially arrived. We hope you enjoy this wonderful time of year and make some fantastic memories. We wanted to take a moment to thank you for your continued support. We love helping people make their real estate dreams come true, so thank you for working with us and supporting our business. This may be a busy time of year, but we are always here to help you and answer any questions you may have. Give us a call or reply to this email; we'd love to help you.  In case we don't hear from you until 2022, have a happy New Year!

Ignoring your curb appeal as a seller is a huge mistake. You’ve likely all heard that we’re in a hot seller’s market, but even though things tend to skew in favor of home sellers, you’re making a huge mistake if you’re not sprucing up your curb appeal before you list your home. Most buyers are first searching for homes online and then driving by them before they decide if they even want to go inside the home. I offer staging for every home I sell, which can do wonders for sellers, but if they don’t like the outside of the home, they’re not going to come inside for a showing. To best prepare your home for the market, remember the three P’s:  1. Pressure wash. Wash the area from where the buyer is likely to park all the way to the front door, and make sure it’s sparkling clean. “The three P’s of home preparation will help buyers decide if they want to buy your home even as they walk through the door.” 2. Paint. If it fits in your budget, go ahead and paint the whole house in neutral colors and give your front door a pop of color. If not, at least touch up the areas where paint is needed, such as where you spot scratches and scuffs. 3. Plant some flowers. Plant shrubs or flowers along the walkway to the front door to give your buyers a pleasant sensory experience. I always recommend planting honeysuckle; it looks and smells good to buyers, butterflies, and hummingbirds. You can also try adding some planters to either side of your front door to give it a nice symmetric look; this also allows your buyers to clearly envision themselves sitting there on the front porch or deck. If you follow these three P’s of curb appeal, it will help buyers decide whether they want to buy your home even as they’re walking into the door. For any other questions you have about preparing your home for sale or real estate in general, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I’d love to hear from you.

Here are my best pieces of advice for today’s home sellers. If you’re getting ready to sell in this hot market, there are three things you absolutely need to do to increase your chances of selling quickly and for top dollar: 1. Cleaning is critical. You have to have a clean home. The most important rooms to have clean are the kitchen and bathrooms. The home needs to look clean, smell clean, and be attractive to buyers who walk through the home with a discerning eye. “I recommend painting your home in a neutral color.” 2. Declutter and clear. Get rid of all your personal items around the house and put them in storage. You’re moving anyway, so this will help you get a jump on that. 3. Don’t wait for paint. I recommend painting your home in a neutral color. Alabaster white from Sherwin Williams is a great tone that will appeal to a wide range of homebuyers. A fresh coat of paint in the home isn’t super expensive, but it can have a huge impact on buyers’ perception of your property. If you have any questions for me about selling your home or the real estate market in general, don’t hesitate to reach out via phone or email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.  

I’m here today at my newest listing in the beautiful Tallus community at the Ascend townhome-style condominiums. Situated at the end of a private, dead-end street, this desirable home features a premium corner unit with 1,597 square feet of living space. It also features three spacious bedrooms, two full bathrooms, a half bath, and a rare two-car garage. With open ceilings and bamboo floors, this home offers both functionality and a peaceful ambiance. To get a better look at this gorgeous property for yourself, watch this short video.

As you can see in the video above, I have a wonderful new listing available that I’d love to tell you more about in person. “This area is great for building custom homes.” This lot is located in the desirable Ring Hill neighborhood in Woodinville, but it’s close to Duval and Redman. This property is also located in an RA-5 zone, meaning you can build one residential home per acre. If you have any pets, they’ll have plenty of room to roam, and there are numerous trails and equestrian parks nearby.  Since this area is great for building custom homes, I’d be glad to show you a few custom homes so you can get an idea of how to build your dream home.  Whether you’re looking to find or build your dream home, I’d love to help you. Just give me a call or send me an email and we can get started.

Welcome to 8405 NE 160th Lane, Kenmore, WA. With its fabulous open floor plan, this 4-bedroom, 2.5-bathroom home is as spacious as it is beautiful. The kitchen is fully upgraded with stainless steel appliances and plenty of storage space, and the living room is a perfect mixture of comfort and elegance. Truly, every room of this home has something amazing to offer. Of course, no description can do this home justice. If you’d like to see the property for yourself, you can get a sneak peek inside by checking out this quick video tour. If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give us a call or send us an email. We look forward to hearing from you soon.

The property located at 27035 52nd Ave S, Kent, WA 98032 has hit the market, and we believe this incredible estate house may be your perfect future home.  With incredible 10-foot ceilings, three fireplaces, and large windows throughout, this 4-bedroom, 2.75-bathroom home is very spacious—making it the perfect place for relaxing with family or entertaining friends. And if the great outdoors is more your style, you’ll be thrilled to know that this property sits on three acres, giving you plenty of outdoor space, as well.  Speaking of entertaining, the property’s kitchen is as functional as it is beautiful. With a four-burner gas stove and griddle that converts into an indoor barbecue, chefs of every skill level are sure to enjoy this versatile space. “This gorgeous listing is the perfect place for relaxing with family or entertaining friends.” Then, after you’ve indulged in a home-cooked meal, you and your family and friends can keep the fun going in the living room. Best of all, the sellers have included a 60-inch television, karaoke system, and full entertainment rack to be sold with the home. Talk about a great deal! And when you’re ready for some time alone, why not zen out in the relaxing, rain-water massage shower in the upstairs en suite.  Of course, this is only the beginning of all the great rooms and features this home has to offer. Check out our full video tour above for a more in-depth look at this wonderful listing. And to learn even more, click here to visit the home’s online listing. If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give us a call or send us an email. We look forward to hearing from you soon.

If you’re planning to put your home on the market this coming spring, be sure to pay attention to these four tips that will help you increase its value: 1. Maximize your curb appeal. To make sure your home will draw buyers’ eyes, be sure to touch up the landscaping and add a fresh coat of paint. This will increase your value and, of course, put more money in your pocket. 2. Focus on the kitchen. The kitchen is the hub of the home; it’s where everyone goes for meals, and it’s often a center for entertaining guests. To outshine your competition, add new hardware to your cabinetry, update your lighting fixtures, and maybe even install new faucets. “Don’t expect buyers to just move in and automatically like the paint you have.” 3. Get rid of clutter. Is your home in clutter chaos? If so, put all your extra stuff into bins and baskets that have been labeled according to the three D’s: declutter, donate, or do keep. Toss the things you don’t need, donate what you don’t need but someone could make use of, and keep the things you do want, but put them away in an organized fashion. This will help open your home up in terms of space and appearance, and the organization will be sure to knock your buyers’ socks off when they come to your home. 4. Add a fresh coat of paint. Mustard, berry, and brown are colors that are completely out this season, and even gray is passé. To paint your home according to the latest, hottest trends in home design, schedule a consultation with us—we’ll come in and make suggestions for a different palette that will neutralize the home and make buyers feel at home and comfortable. As a top Realtor here at Century 21 Northwest, I assure you that if you do these four things to prep your home for the market, yours will be the best in show, and you’ll certainly attract more buyers to visit, walk through, and appreciate your home for all it has to offer. If you’re planning to sell your home, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I’ll help you get the value for your home that you deserve.

As a seller, there are three reasons why you’re better off listing now during the winter instead of waiting until spring. First, buyers are more serious during the winter. Isn’t that what you really want: a serious offer? While the spring housing market may bring more buyers out of the woodwork, those buyers are more likely to hold off on making serious offers because there are more homes to choose from and they can afford to be picky. Sellers who list during the spring are really just creating their own competition and providing more options for buyers. If you list during the spring, you better make sure your home is the best in show. Second, buyer demographics are different during the winter. We don’t just have families looking to relocate because of their children—we also have empty-nesters looking to buy now and move in later, millennials who’ve been waiting on the sidelines to make their move, and others—like investors—who are trying to avoid the high real estate season. We also see a lot of employees relocating this time of year. I work with Cartus, one of the largest relocation networks in the country, and we definitely have an influx of people asking for market analyses and home valuations in preparation for their move. “Sellers who list during the spring are really just creating their own competition and providing more options for buyers.” The third, and most important, reason to list now is that you will face less competition from other sellers. I briefly touched on this reason above, but it’s worth repeating. Less competition means more money in your pocket and a more timely move into your next home.   If you have any more questions about selling during the winter or you have any other real estate needs I can take care of, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I’d be happy to help you.

Real estate prices and values are always changing in our community. As a top broker here at Century 21, I look at properties and prices pretty much every day and I know what’s happening with your real estate’s value. It’s true that homes are taking longer to sell this year than they did last year. However, we still only have two months of inventory, well below the balanced market standard of six months. With such low inventory, it always surprises me when sellers tell me they want to wait until spring. Why would you wait to compete over homes later when you can win now? More competition means less money, and you’ll have much less of that when you list now. Here are three ways you can be a winner by listing in September: “Pricing at market value is the way to go.” 1. Price your home at market value. We have more inventory now and buyers aren’t overpaying like they used to. Pricing at market value will ensure that you win and get the most possible money for your home. 2. Serious buyers are looking now. In this summer market, we have a lot more buyers, but a lot of those buyers are just lookers. Right now, our agents are working with about 15-20 active, pre-qualified buyers at a time that are ready to buy. When do you want your first offer? Let’s make that happen. 3. Investors are looking for transactions now. Many investor buyers, including the ones we are working with, need to buy before the end of the year for tax reasons.  4. There’s less competition. This is the most important factor in selling this September. Less competition equals more money.  If you have any questions for me or you’re ready to be a winner in this real estate market, don’t hesitate to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

What is the big deal in real estate now? Well, I am here to talk about it and give you a quick market update in the process.  Right now, we are finding that the real estate market has more inventory but fewer homes are selling. In June and July, the market finally had more homes available for buyers. With increasing rates, buyers being tired of overpaying, and the new construction market yet to catch up, massive multiple offer situations aren’t happening like they were in the Spring.  “As your top broker at Century 21 Northwest, you can trust me to tell you the truth and help you buy and negotiate your best deal.” The big deal is that the homes that were listed on the market this summer have been on the market for 30 days or more. You can get a big deal by making them an offer and hiring me to negotiate your best deal for you. You can now finally sell your home, still get enough equity, find a home for a good deal, and get moved.  If you are considering selling, you should know that the market is flattening out. This means that now is a much better time to buy and sell than maybe next year. As your top broker at Century 21 Northwest, you can trust me to tell you the truth and help you buy and negotiate your best deal.  If you have any questions or are interested in buying or selling a home, please feel free to contact me by phone or email. I look forward to speaking with you soon.

Today I’d like to share three best ways to obtain top dollar for your listing in this hot market. Let’s start the countdown. 3. Build value. The best way to do this is by making simple, but effective, improvements that will bring you a high return on investment. Adding new siding, if it’s needed, is a prime example of the kind of project you’ll want to take on. Overall, it’s better to make necessary updates and repairs before ever putting your home on the market. This will avoid certain issues from coming up in inspection reports later on in the transaction and will ensure you earn top dollar for your home.  “The best way to build value is making simple, but effective, improvements that will bring you a high return on investment” 2. Remove clutter. Any unnecessary items that are sitting out could make your home appear untidy. Put away anything that distracts from your home’s potential. Doing so can not only make your home look better, but it can also help give you a head start on packing.  1. Price your home correctly. Overpricing your home will only cause your property to sit on the market for longer than need be. When, or if, it eventually does sell, you’ll earn a much lower figure than what you would have achieved from pricing it properly from the start.  If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

We have absolutely no inventory in the Pacific Northwest right now. I’m sure you’ve heard about it, but today I want to offer up some advice. The No. 1 reason we don’t have any inventory right now is simply because sellers aren’t selling. They aren’t selling because there are no homes to buy at a good price. It has become a huge problem. Right now, there are only 25,000 homes on the market for sale, compared to over 40,000 at the same time just a few years ago. “We’re here to assist you with a proven strategy.” My team has partnered with Guild Mortgage to bring more homes to the market. We have a team to assist you with your home search with a proven strategy, and we are proactively calling homeowners that will potentially sell right now. We also offer down payment assistance programs to get you into the home you want. We also provide a fast and seamless closing. I’ve been a top broker for years at Century 21 Northwest and last year I sold more homes than anyone in this company. Stop waiting for homes to come on the market and hire my team of professionals. The best part is that it doesn’t cost you a cent to hire us. We offer this service to you and your family for no charge. If you’d to find out more about how we can serve you or would like more information about today’s topic, please feel free to get in touch. Also, if you have any questions you would like me to answer, please give me a call or send me an email. If I answer your question in a video, you will receive a $50 gift card from Amazon. I look forward to hearing from you soon

Looking to buy a home around Puget Sound? I’m a local real estate agent who can show you a home quickly - call me at 425-420-4887 or send me an email. You can search every home on the MLS just like I do by following the link to the right of the page. I’m fast, accessible and will help you negotiate a lower price. If you need to sell your Puget Sound home, I’ll let you know what price you’ll get today.