The Market is NOT Falling! I have received so many emails this month asking me if the market is going to crash just because pending sales in their area have decreased slightly. When I ask them what area they are in and when I look the stats up on the MLS I confirm what I know which is that the slight decrease is completely normal for this time of year. Real estate markets everywhere fluctuate not only when markets are tumbling, they fluctuate based on what is happening in each local area. For example, the last week of August in many areas traditionally slows down because buyers are busy getting their kids ready to go back to school or enjoying the last few weeks of summer. Healthy markets breathe, they move, they sway and they fluctuate. What matters in any market is the overall health... 08/26/2016

265 NE 50th St, Seattle 98105 Spectacular Wallingford 1925 Craftsman oozes original charm and character with tasteful renovations. Classic hardwood floors, millwork, tall ceilings and crown molding with tons of space, storage, fresh interior paint and open layout. Big corner lot with vegetation, 1 car garage + additional parking and huge outdoor deck for entertaining and summer bbq’s. Sip morning coffee from your upper balcony and enjoy Cascade Mountain views. Walk to cafe’s, dining, shopping and grocery! Easy access to I-5, UW and GreenLake. Tyler Kirages206-579-9738Keller Williams Western Realty      08/19/2016

Seattle Floating Homes In Lake Union & Portage Bay Market Update August 2016 PLUS the tour info....Seattle floating homes for sale are limited to three two that are currently for sale  ($925,000 in Portage Bay on The Shelby Group dock and $3,200,000 at Wards Cove in Eastlake) on the market in the NWMLS and a handful of off market options that Molly and I have heard about.  These are the Seattle houseboats that are the floating homes type..as opposed to FOWRs (floating on water residences) like vessels, barges, etc. There are five pending  in the MLS ranging in list price from $475,000 to $1,395,000. The Seattle Floating Homes Association is having their biannual  floating home tour this year - September 11th from 12 to 5 PM and tickets are already half way sold out.  Molly and I volunte... 08/06/2016

 13717 Linden Ave N #308, Seattle 98133Bright &spacious 2-bdrm condo in the Bitter Lake Community.Enjoy sunshine through the solarium windows &cozy up to the fireplace in the winter months.Live comfortably in this over 1000sf well-maintained condo. Features washer/dryer in-unit, reserved parking in shared garage, private storage &secure lobby entrance.HOA dues cover W/S/G plus basic cable, &this is a well-managed, clean, quiet complex.Building is FHA approved w/no rental cap.Walk to bus, amenities, lake &playfields nearby.A must see!  Tyler Kirages(206) 579 - 9738The Ben Kinney TeamKeller Williams Western Realty 08/03/2016

Activerain Meetup #12 this Friday, July 22, 2016If you're in the Seattle area please come join us to celebrate our 12th Activerain Meetup at the 14 Carrot Cafe in Eastlake...14 Carrot CafeJuly 22, 2016 8:00 am to @ 10:00 am 2305 Eastlake Ave E Seattle, WA 98102I’ll be co-hosting with chief inspector / master blogger Charles Buell. Come join us for breakfast or coffee and some great conversation. We'll be talking about all kinds of stuff including blogging, real estate, mobile marketing, our local markets, interesting people, and I'm sure Pokemon Go will get a mention too! Past Activerain Meetups... Seattle, Fife, and Vancouver I’m looking forward to spending some face to face time with Charlie, members, and friends. I can’t wait to hear some new stories and what's going on in your life!... 07/18/2016

What is Your Back Up Plan? Have you ever wondered what you would do with your business if you received a call that required you to drop everything and divert your attention to an issue more important than business?  The call may come from a family member needing your help with an emergency or about an aging parent that needs your FULL attention now. Or worse, that call may be notice that someone you really cared about was at the end of their life. Or maybe the challenge is that YOU need to attend to a an urgent personal medical issue. Inevitably something will call for your attention at some point in your business life if it hasn't already. I realize this may not be something you want to read about today, but if you are reading this it is because you need to hear it. So, what is your b... 07/15/2016

Evaluating Neighborhoods: 4 Things to Consider Before Purchasing a Home in NE SeattleFrom finding the right agent to discovering the home you can truly feel comfortable in, there are a variety of things involved in the home buying process. However, it’s important not to get caught up in the home and ignore altogether the community you’ll be living in. If you’re planning a move to a new neighborhood, here are some things you should look into before putting in an offer.Local Northeast Seattle Amenities A peaceful, picturesque community is ideal, but if there are not a lot of resources nearby for your family, it’s possible that your new neighborhood may not be the best fit. Instead of having to get in the car and drive everywhere, ensure you research nearby community centers, green spaces ... 07/11/2016

Learning to Delegate and Let Go When I first started selling real estate, I was a young "whipper-snapper" who wanted to set the entire industry on fire. I had it all planned. I was going to be the Number One real estate agent in America - no, the WORLD! - and I was going to do it alone. Being young and naïve, I truly believed I didn't need anyone else. I wanted to do everything myself. I wasn't going to ask anyone for help.  I wanted to be successful and thought that the definition of success was doing it all myself... how wrong I was. My, how time changes things! Now I look at that girl with her new agent's license and laugh. If only I could step back in time and tell her all the mistakes she was going to make. But she wouldn't listen anyway. Probably the biggest difference between Me... 07/08/2016

I headed up to the Eastlake neighborhood in Seattle the evening of July 4th to watch the fireworks on Lake Union. We have an escrow branch there with a fabulous view of the Seattle Skyline (from the north), the Space Needle, and look west over Lake Union at Queen Anne Hill, the Aurora Bridge, and on clear days we enjoy views of the magnificent Olympic Mountains on the peninsula.The sky was overcast, but fortunately the cloud cover was high. For me, the weather was perfect, just a gentle breeze from the west and a comfortable cool. This is just a share, no big production. I shot it with my iPhone 6 Plus and was surprised how well it did at night with bright rockets a glare. Night is usually a good recipe for fuzzy. Also, no additional apps or fancy editing. I just put a couple of clips t... 07/07/2016

The Seasons in Your Business The calendar turned to a new season week, it had me thinking about how there are different seasons in a business as well. These don't necessary follow a calendar or the Earth's rotation. Instead, they tend to follow what is happening for you personally or for others in your personal life. For example let's take look an agent with a steady home life. There are no kids at home or aging parents with special needs. There are no demands on the on this agents time from anyone. Furthermore, this agent has time to exercise daily and is in good health. This moment in time - this season - seems like the perfect time to grow his or her real estate business and perhaps implement a new lead generation system or a website complete with thought-out content. This is the se... 07/01/2016

Story of a Seattle, WA Junk Remover  Being a garbage remover for in Seattle, WA is a remunerating employment and one that requires interminable tolerance and a serious hard working attitude. We should separate what a Seattle, WA  garbage remover does every day while working his/her day of work. 1) Setup And Decide PickupsThe initial step starts with the affirmation procedure. Where will the garbage be grabbed from? Is it from a private or open customer? Where is it in Seattle? These determinations are made at an early stage in the day preceding advancing forward. 2) Routine ChecksThe vehicle and gear used to finish the procedure are presently evaluated. This is to guarantee the wellbeing of both the garbage remover and the devices being utilized. It will be assessed taking into account ... 06/25/2016

On Your Bus and In Your Business Whether you run your own real estate business, work for a company, or are part of a real estate team, there are people who you rely on day to day to help the business run smoothly. These are the people I call "on your bus". In an ideal world, the bus runs smoothly. This means that the right people are on board, in the right seats, and the bus continues to move forward towards its destination. But what happens when you have the wrong people on the bus? Have you ever worked somewhere and there was that person who was obviously not good for the team? Perhaps that person oozed negativity, gossiped, never took responsibility, didn't get tasks finished, didn't communicate well, or just did not produce? When the wrong person is on the bus, the bus cannot move ... 06/24/2016

Three Important Words in Real Estate Marketing I know you've already heard that old saying that in real estate, the three most important words are, "Location! Location! Location!" Today though, the three most important words that you the real estate agent need to know are, "Database! Database! Database!" The quality of your database and how you use it directly affects your success. I've said it many times before - your database is your personal goldmine. Did you know that the average real estate agent meets over five-hundred new people per month? That's friends of friends, social media acquaintances, parents at events your children attend, your mechanic and people at the grocery, at your church and at your athletic club. The longer you think about it, the more people you will identify.... 06/16/2016

Seattle Waterfront Living - One thing is for sure:  There is a lot of waterfront property in Seattle.  Greater Seattle and all of Puget Sound for that matter offer an abundance of waterfront living opportunities for all of you water babies. Greater Seattle is blessed with an abundance of both freshwater and saltwater waterfront property options. There are lakes - in all sizes, rivers, streams, and the lovely Puget Sound.   There are interesting Seattle waterfront living options including Seattle floating homes. The More Affordable Seattle Waterfront HomesMore affordable freshwater options in the immediate vicinity of the City of Seattle are to the North of the city in Seattle suburbs like Lake Stevens or Lynnwood where you can find cool places like Martha Lake Waterfront Homes or other ... 06/15/2016

This picture goes back to my childhood, processed in May of 1969.  My family gathered for every holiday.  We’d eat, laugh, joke and play cards.  We had multiple generations gather, my great grandfather at times, Great Aunts, Uncles first, second & third cousins. We didn’t always know how we were related, just that we were.This picture was taken at a house on 9th Ave N on Queen Anne Hill.  That home saw countless family gatherings and memories burned into my soul.  When I help someone buy or sell a house, I pay attention to the value and quality of the home, but I know that what will be invested will be quality memories, just like we had in this house. 06/15/2016

6732 41st Ave SW, Seattle 98136 This is the West Seattle custom built home you've been waiting for! From the Saudi Arabian custom tile work, to the grand spiral staircase, every inch of this home was thoughtfully designed. Tranquil views of the sound and Olympic Mountains can be found from most of the rooms in this Gatewood home. High end stainless steel appliances, granite counter tops, a Jacuzzi master bath and french doors are just a few of the many perks this luxury home has to offer. Alicia Shope(206) 939-3623Keller Williams Western Realty 06/15/2016

Tucked back from the hustle and bustle! This modern townhome has it all from lower level office to secure garage parking plus an add. parking space deeded to the unit. Well designed layout with main level great room & bedrooms each with private baths & laundry on upper level. High end finishes throughout including: granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, new carpet & dark hardwoods. Enjoy lower utilities with gas on demand hot water, fireplace & range. 1 Year Home Warranty Included!Click Here For Listing. Click Here For 3D Virtual Tour. 06/11/2016

Alki living at its best! This contemporary townhome is only 2 blocks from the water and right in the middle of Alki's tasty restaurants.Click Here for the 3D Virtual Tour. UPDATE - Pending! 06/11/2016

Lessons Learned from Skee Ball Photo copyright Scott S. A group of kids playing tag the other day reminded me of the importance of having a strategy and sticking to it. As I watched, I realized that each kid who was it had his own strategy for tagging others. Some relied on the taunt and tag while others depended solely on their speed and agility. But then one of kids was it and it was evident that this kid had no plan at all. He made a feeble effort to run after anything that moved. He took a few steps this way and that, taunted a few kids, tried stalking kids around the safe area, but he was tired, not thinking straight, and had no plan. I finally couldn't take it anymore. I called his name from the sidelines and said, "Pick one kid and stay on him until you tag him. You need a strat... 06/10/2016

Speechless Sundays: Me myself and i... Phone.  06/05/2016