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8 Reasons to Dump Whistler Next Ski Season
It’s time to dump your Whistler ski trip in favor of Sun Peaks, BC. (For people over 30 or who have always wanted to be).
Side note- This is a real estate blog but it’s the end of summer and everyone is on vacation, so my blog is going on vacation too. J
- Cost of tickets and rooms – Lift tickets are $15 less per day, and rooms are 25%-30% less. Save the extra for retirement, you’re over 30 now.
- Snow – Remember the 2010 winter Olympics in Whistler with no snow? They should have known, it’s the standing joke. Sun peaks has dryer snow for powder days first, followed up with perfect corduroy from the groomers the next morning.
- All trails lead to the base– Lots of terrain with most of it ending up in the main village- more likely ski patrol will find your kids the same day.
- Lift lines– Whistler needs to implement the Disney fast pass if any of us are going to take more than one run. Not at Sun Peaks… I’m annoyed if I can’t slide in sideways and straight onto the chair. And who is that other person on my run?
- Find Your Groove– Frankly-half my time on Whistler Mountain is spent skiing around figuring out where the heck I am. I’ve spent more time on crappy cat tracks trying to get around the hill than actually skiing runs. Sun Peaks is all about the ski runs; you’re only cat-tracking if that’s your thing.
- Real estate– Prices you might actually be able to afford in your lifetime. Honestly, part of skiing is dreaming of owning one of the ski/in-ski/out properties. Sun peaks has them for under $500k US.
- Night life – Since you’re probably here to ski as your main activity, a good night’s rest is a necessity. The drunk chicks screaming in Whistler Village will wake you up at 3am. Not at Sun Peaks. Everyone is tucked in by midnight.
- Dogs– Bring em’-Everyone has one. They’re the new Uggs.
9***Bonus-Secret Eats*** No Starbucks. Instead, small business owner (Conrad from Poland) making fabulous lattes and the best berry scones hot out of the oven. Best you’ve ever had. Don’t miss Bollaco Caffe’ for your morning brew.
April 2016 Events in the Seattle Area
Happy April everyone! I hope you’re enjoying the sunshine as much as I am. Here are some events around the Seattle area and South King County. Click on the image below to make it larger, and make sure to check out our blog while you’re there. 🙂
I’m excited to try out some new places during Seattle Restaurant Week. What are you looking forward to most? Let me know in the comments below!
-Jen
Why I hate your House Plants
How could anyone “hate” house plants? I know, I just made some enemies. As I have come to know over the years, your house plants are these docile, often forgotten looking, affectionate things in random containers throughout your houses. Many of these “family members” have stayed with you over the years, moved with you, been gifted to you by mothers-in-laws, given to you by neighbors, and are almost invisible comforting treasures you don’t even really think about. The fact that you don’t think about them is evidenced by at least half of them looking like they almost died last week, two weeks ago, 3 months ago, and frankly, are probably almost always on the verge of dying, except for the last minute watering that revives them and reminds you they are special little things to be loved and cared for.
I say all of this in pure judgement, finger pointing accusation. The only flaw in my argument is that I am one of you. Maybe not to the extreme of some, but I too have 1 house plant I cannot part with. I have a love/hate relationship with it. It is a giant spiky leafy plant/tree (don’t even know what kind) that moved in 12 years ago and since then has made a permanent mark on my wood floor, is outgrowing its pot, the leaves are always half brown and when I finally water it, it reaches out and hugs me, so I keep it . In addition, my husband Mike has 5 or 6 in our home at one time depending on how well the resuscitation goes each month. His plants live with plastic containers under them to keep from staining the ledge they sit on. For those who argue that plants give oxygen, I’m not sure these particular plants are fully up for their intended duties.
Here’s where the tough part comes in. You call me to sell your home. I come over as any good Realtor and we talk about “Getting the home ready for market.” One of the tasks is de-cluttering, and turning the house from a home into a product for maximum appeal. It’s fairly easy for me to talk you into putting away the toaster, the 35 spatulas in the utensil holder, and the kitchen sponge that has been in the family since your first child was born. But for some reason…..the house plants always cause for pause. Surely I don’t mean ALL the house plants do I? Yep, I do. All of them. Here’s why.
Home buyers are starting their home search online. To help sell your home we hire a high-end photographer to take pics and videos that highlight the home and give tours through the home. Pictures are 2-D and any medium objects such as house plants block the view of the room, the view between rooms, or the view outside. In addition, the smaller plants look like do-dads in pictures, which are distracting. The goal is to help the buyer purchase the space, not the items in the space.
Unfortunately there is a genuine cause for alarm. What do you do with house plants that you can’t have in your house? If you have natural light, and a warm garage, you could put them in there. If that doesn’t work, it will need to be part of the strategic planning, along with things such as Fido and kiddos. One tactic might be to ask a friend to watch your kids and your pets, and when they hesitate, offer the house plants instead….they will gladly care for them while you get your house sold.
Holiday Travel
Twas the week after Christmas and all through the house….not a creature was stirring, except one swimming mouse. Swimming mouse??? Ok, there was no mouse, but if there was he would have been swimming for his life!! Here’s what happened.
Some clients of ours, Dave and Wendy, packed up their Christmas and 3 young boys, as they do each year, and headed for their cabin in Montana. They would enjoy cutting down their own tree behind the cabin, waiting for Santa to squeeze down their 3-story chimney on Christmas Eve, and frolic in the vast amounts of snow. As planned, the Christmas holiday went “swimmingly” well until they pulled into their driveway back in Kent, a week later, after a 9 hour drive across treacherous winter roads. The 3 kids peeled out of the car, all needing a bathroom break, grumpy, tired, and on Dad’s last nerve. As the kids piled out of the car, mom Wendy headed toward the door to start the great migration back into the house. As she turned the knob and went to step inside, the water came rolling out the door and down the steps. The entire one-story house held a few feet of standing water and the water was still running. Thus began the $100,000 home restoration project. The pipe in the wall had burst while they were away and the water had been running for several days.
So, what is the moral of the story? Don’t go on vacation? Nope. Dave and Wendy would tell you that every time they go on vacation now, they turn the water off at the water shutoff in their closet. They open the tap in the sink and let the water in the lines run out so no pressure is left.
Here are some things your family can do while traveling for the holiday season. Personally, we have joined them in the vacation water shutoff protocol. In addition, we go online and have our mail held by the post office, leave our front porch lights on, leave our thermostat at 60 degrees, and let our neighbors know we will be gone so they can watch the house.
Cheers to a safe and dry holiday season!
5 Ways to Get Your Home Sold this Holiday Season
So, it’s November and you need to sell your home. King County averages about 2,000 home sales in December. That’s about half as many homes as in the Spring/Summer months. The good news is houses do sell! There are also less house options for buyers than in the summer, so you have less competition. Here are the top 5 things to consider when selling this holiday season.
- Price it right – This is not the time of year to “test the market.” Prices flatten out in the fall and winter. Stay conservative and price it based on actual Sold Comparables, not homes currently trying to sell.
- Pack up – Your Moving!! If you are going to dare compete with the big boys this time of year, make it count. Houses do sell. Pack your house, nik naks, family pictures, everything off the counters etc. It needs to look like that sterile, perfectly tidy house that your one annoyingly perfect girlfriend has mastered (I mean that affectionately Wendy.)
- Every showing counts – There are less buyers this time of year. Don’t worry, these buyers are serious home purchasers, they are going to buy a house and it might as well be yours. Let them come see the house…when they want to…not when you want them to. They often don’t come back to see it a different time. It might mean you are kicked out of your house during dinners and have to eat Chinese Food on Christmas like Ralphie’s family. Ok, that’s extreme.
- Holiday Decorations – Yes, you can have them. But keep them minimal and coordinating. This is not the year to put the tree out with the 22 art projects from your children’s k-6 grade classes. It’s not because they look tacky (maybe a little) but because it will distract buyers from looking at your home. If they don’t look at your home, they won’t buy it.
- Light up your FOR SALE sign with a string of lights. Why not….I just told you basically you were going to have no fun this holiday, but this is one tacky thing that might be good. Helps people see your house is for sale in the dark, which happens to be about 18 hours during the winter.
Cheers!!
5 Ways to Get Your Home Sold this Holiday Season
So, it’s November and you need to sell your home. King County averages about 2,000 home sales in December. That’s about half as many homes as in the Spring/Summer months. The good news is houses do sell! There are also less house options for buyers than in the summer, so you have less competition. Here are the top 5 things to consider when selling this holiday season.
- Price it right – This is not the time of year to “test the market.” Prices flatten out in the fall and winter. Stay conservative and price it based on actual Sold Comparables, not homes currently trying to sell.
- Pack up – Your Moving!! If you are going to dare compete with the big boys this time of year, make it count. Houses do sell. Pack your house, knick knacks, family pictures, everything off the counters etc. It needs to look like that sterile, perfectly tidy house that your one annoyingly perfect girlfriend has mastered (I mean that affectionately Wendy.)
- Every showing counts – There are less buyers this time of year. Don’t worry, these buyers are serious home purchasers, they are going to buy a house and it might as well be yours. Let them come see the house…when they want to…not when you want them to. They often don’t come back to see it a different time. It might mean you are kicked out of your house during dinners and have to eat Chinese Food on Christmas like Ralphie’s family. Ok, that’s extreme.
- Holiday Decorations – Yes, you can have them. But keep them minimal and coordinating. This is not the year to put the tree out with the 22 art projects from your children’s k-6 grade classes. It’s not because they look tacky (maybe a little) but because it will distract buyers from looking at your home. If they don’t look at your home, they won’t buy it.
- Light up your FOR SALE sign with a string of lights. Why not….I just told you basically you were going to have no fun this holiday, but this is one tacky thing that might be good. Helps people see your house is for sale in the dark, which happens to be about 18 hours during the winter.
Cheers!!
Should I scope the sewer line when I buy/sell a home?
What is it? How much? Should I get one? What is a typical problem?
A Sewer Scope is a type of inspection where a sewer expert or plumber runs a camera through the sewer line between the house and the street connection. They typically gain access through a sewer clean out at the house or they pull a toilet. A sewer clean out is an entry point to the sewer line. “Pulling a toilet” is when the plumber physically lifts the toilet off the floor and accesses the sewer line. He then reattaches the toilet. The goal is to confirm the line is in good condition with no breaks, blocks or trees growing in it. The cost is $200-$250. This would be done during a buyer’s inspection timeframe, or, on occasion, it makes sense for a seller to get one prior to putting their house on the market.
Should you get one if you are buying or selling a home? If you are selling a home, you would typically not get a sewer scope as it would be part of the buyers due diligence. That said, in the current market there may be an exception. If you are selling a home built before 1980 in Seattle, and you anticipate multiple offers, handing a potential buyer clean sewer paperwork may allow them to feel more comfortable making a stronger offer and/or bypassing an inspection contingency. If you are buying a home, and it’s built prior to 1980, it is recommended to inspect the sewer. After 1980, the type of line material was changed from concrete to ABS and/or PVC which is more flexible than concrete and does not erode It’s also glued at the seams so roots cannot get in the line and block it.
What if there is a problem with the sewer line found? It needs to be fixed and it can be expensive. Repairs typically run $2000-$8000. Most common issues are trees growing into the line, which can often be cleared through a rooter. If there is a break in a line, it will need to be dug up and fixed.