Windermere Blog | November 2015

November 30, 2015

How To Prevent Your Pipes From Freezing

Posted in Porch.com by Porch.com

As winter temperatures begin to creep up around your home you may start feeling nervous about your water pipes and plumbing. If so, you’re not alone. Frozen pipes (or rather, burst pipes) can cause expensive water damage to your home and property. Even a small tear in a water pipe can send hundreds of gallons of water each minute into your home.
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November 23, 2015

Buying your home: A step-by-step approach

Posted in Buying by Tara Sharp

There is a lot to consider when you decide to buy a home, especially if it is your first. How much home you can afford? What kind of loan should you choose? Which neighborhoods are both affordable and a good investment? These are just a few of the questions you’ll be asking yourself. But with an experienced agent to help you, you’ll get the guidance you need to find a home you love.
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November 20, 2015

#YourStoryIsOurStory: A Shared Homebuying Journey

Posted in #YourStoryIsOurStory by Tara Sharp

Windermere agent Gina Dhom has a methodology for helping her clients; she conducts an interview to help them identify their dream home goals. At first Chelsea and Brad were unsure of what they wanted, but with Gina's guidance they were able to pin point exactly what they needed, enabling them to locate the perfect home to make their own.
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November 19, 2015

Providing food for the holidays and the rest of the year

Posted in Windermere Foundation by Marilou Ubungen

It’s that time of year again when many of our Windermere offices are out in their communities helping to collect donations and raise money for their local area food banks. Many people rely on the food they get from food banks to feed their families. Don’t know where to go to donate? You can check with your local Windermere office to see how you can help.
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November 17, 2015

Oregon and Southwest Washington Real Estate Market Update

Posted in Market News and Oregon and Southwest Washington Real Estate Market Update by Matthew Gardner, Chief Economist, Windermere Real Estate

Although the rate of growth has slowed somewhat, the Oregon economy continues to expand its job base. There was a decline in employment in September and the unemployment rate rose, but I do not see this as a trend so much as a temporary “blip”. I anticipate that, going forward, the State will continue to see growth at rates above the national average.
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November 16, 2015

Home Security Systems: Protecting the People and Things You Value the Most

Posted in Living by Tara Sharp

With the holidays, come new temptations for burglars. With that in mind, now is a good time to start thinking about the security of your home. From old-school security tricks to new digital home monitoring tools, there are many options when it comes to keeping our homes safe. Read on to learn more about how you can modify your home and keep it safe from intruders.
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November 13, 2015

#YourStoryIsOurStory: Finding a Miracle Home

Posted in #YourStoryIsOurStory by Tara Sharp

You know you found a special relationship when you consider your real estate agent to be a part of your family. Not only has Julie Huff helped Shirley & Jerry find their miracle home. She also helped their son & his family find the home that has become the gathering place for multiple generations.
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November 12, 2015

Understanding the Chinese Home Buyer in the U.S. Housing Market

Posted in Premier Events by Tiana Baur

Earlier this week, Bill Russell, head of International Development for Chinese real estate website, Juwai, spoke to a large group of Windermere agents about how to connect to Chinese buyers. Since China is a country with very different marketing tactics and a culture drastically different than our own, we were able to learn a great deal.
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November 11, 2015

Western Washington Real Estate Market Update

Posted in Market News and Western Washington Real Estate Market Update by Matthew Gardner, Chief Economist, Windermere Real Estate

After a period of above-average growth, Washington State has seen a modest slowing in employment growth, but we continue to add jobs at a respectable rate. The State unemployment rate was measured at 5.3%, marginally above the national level, but it is trending in the right direction.
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November 10, 2015

Five Essentials for Your Home Office

Posted in Living by Tiana Baur

Most people dream of working from home, but ask anyone who does it on a regular basis, and they’ll tell you how hard it can be to stay productive when you work where you live. The most disciplined telecommuters will tell you that you need a structured routine and organization to rise and grind and get into work mode.
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