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November 5, 2018
Windermere Foundation Donates Over $1.2 Million So Far This Year
The Windermere Foundation has raised $1,611,802 so far this year, bringing the total amount raised by the Foundation to over $37 million since 1989. Through the third quarter of 2018, $1,214,576 has been donated to local non-profits and charity organizations that provide services to low-income and homeless families.
Through donations from Windermere agents, staff, franchise owners, and the community, the Windermere Foundation has been able to donate to local scholarship programs that help students in need realize their dreams of furthering their education. The following are examples of two programs that have benefitted from Windermere Foundation donations this year.
Seattle Central College Foundation Scholarship Program
Each Windermere office raises its own funds and has a Windermere Foundation account that it can use to make donations to organizations in their local communities. This fall, the Windermere Seattle-Capitol Hill office generously donated to the Seattle Central College Foundation’s scholarship program, which is helping nearly 500 students attend the college this year, relieved of financial stress, and encouraging them to stay committed to their education.
Tammara S., the recipient of the Windermere Real Estate/Capitol Hill Scholarship, said, “I am honored to be the recipient of this scholarship… Attending school with an already tight budget was a hard decision to make. This scholarship will ease the stress of extra debt and the fear of having to choose anything over my education. Thank you, I appreciate your confidence in me and willingness to contribute to my future education.”
University of Washington Certificate Scholarship Program
The Windermere Foundation general fund also made a donation to support the University of Washington Certificate Scholarship program. With the help of UW Certificate Scholarships and the Windermere Foundation, 12 local adults living on low incomes were able to start classes at the University of Washington this fall. These are just a few of the recipients:
Loree, who is studying Fundraising Management: A stay-at-home mom and active school volunteer/PTA fundraiser. Sadly, Loree recently lost her husband to cancer and has become her family’s primary provider. The certificate program will help her re-enter the workforce. “The scholarship will provide me the freedom to walk the path of discovery as I redefine who I am in this second phase of my life.”
Matthew, who is studying Wetland Science and Management: A single dad of a 6-year-old, Matthew juggles childcare with full-time work supervising Washington Conservation Corps crews in the King Conservation District. Struggling to pay rent in Seattle, his aim is to move into a better paid job, with a schedule that better lines up with his daughter’s “… and a chance to improve the stability of our natural systems in the face of overwhelming pressures like climate change.”
Syed, who is studying Data Analytics: Syed moved to the U.S. from Pakistan two years ago with a master’s degree and work experience in statistics. He is having great difficulty finding a job in his field because he has no local work experience or contacts. He is currently working at Walmart as a cashier to support his wife and 1-year-old son. “Completing this program will benefit me tremendously and help me to begin my profession, as a data analyst, in the U.S.”
Tobi, who is studying Project Management: Tobi works as a corporate relations coordinator at one of the largest food banks in King County, based in South Seattle. She wants to expand her skillset and go on to lead social impact and corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs that ensure the advancement of underrepresented communities. “The skills I learn in this program will equip me to bring more to the table in this work.”
The Windermere Foundation is proud to support wonderful programs such as these that provide continuing education scholarships to those in need. Generous donations to the Windermere Foundation over the years have allowed the Foundation and our Windermere offices to continue to support local non-profits. If you’d like to help support programs in your community, please click on the Donate button.
To learn more about the Windermere Foundation, visit WindermereFoundation.com.
Uncategorized •
October 17, 2018
Help Homeless Youth Stay Warm this Winter
Windermere and the Seattle Seahawks have come together for another season to help #Tacklehomelessness in our community.
As part of that campaign, Windermere is hosting a “We’ve Got You Covered” winter drive for YouthCare, a non-profit that provides support and services to homeless youth throughout the Puget Sound area.
We are collecting NEW hats, scarves, gloves/mittens, and warm socks.
From October 15 through November 9, you can drop off donations to participating Windermere offices in King and Snohomish Counties**. Our friends at Gentle Giant Moving Company are generously donating their time and trucks to pick up all of the donations from our offices. Donations can also be dropped off directly to YouthCare, Monday through Friday from 9am-5pm, at 2500 NE 54th St, Seattle, WA 98105.
Each night, over 1,500 young people are homeless in King County. Please help them stay warm during the cold winter months by dropping off your donations to our participating offices.
Feel free to contact your Windermere agent or local office for more information, or email justask@windermere.com.
**Windermere Winter Drive Drop-Off Locations
Property Management – Bellevue
Uncategorized •
July 25, 2018
The Gardner Report | Q2 2018
The following analysis of the Western Washington real estate market is provided by Windermere Real Estate Chief Economist Matthew Gardner. We hope that this information may assist you with making better-informed real estate decisions. For further information about the housing market in your area, please don’t hesitate to contact your Windermere Agent.
ECONOMIC OVERVIEW
The Washington State economy added 83,900 new jobs over the past 12 months, representing an annual growth rate of 2.5%. This is a slowdown from the last quarter, but employment growth remains well above the national rate of 1.6%. Employment gains continue to be robust in the private sector, which was up by 2.8%. The public sector (government) grew by a more modest 1.1%.
The strongest growth sectors were Retail Trade and Construction, which both rose by 4.8%. Significant growth was also seen in the Education & Health Services and Information sectors, which rose by 3.9% and 3.4%, respectively.
The State’s unemployment rate was 4.7%, down from 4.8% a year ago. Washington State will continue adding jobs for the balance of the year and I anticipate total job growth for 2018 will be around 80,000, representing a total employment growth rate of 2.4%.
HOME SALES ACTIVITY
- There were 23,209 home sales during the second quarter of 2018. This is a drop of 2.3% compared to the same period a year ago
- Clallam County saw sales rise the fastest relative to the same period a year ago, with an increase of 12.6%. Jefferson County also saw significant gains in sales at 11.1%.
- The number of homes for sale last quarter was down by a nominal 0.3% when compared to the second quarter of 2017, but up by 66% when compared to the first quarter of this year. Much has been mentioned regarding the growth in listings, but it was not region-wide. King County saw a massive 31.7% increase in inventory, though all but three of the other counties covered in this report saw the number of listings drop compared to a year ago.
- The takeaway from this data is that while some counties are seeing growth in listings — which will translate into sales down the road — the market is still out of balance.
HOME PRICES
As inventory is still fairly scarce, growth in home prices continues to trend well above the long-term average. Prices in Western Washington rose 12.2% over last year to $526,398.- Home prices continue to trend higher across Western Washington, but the pace of growth has started to slow. This should please would-be buyers. The spring market came late but inventory growth in the expensive King County market will give buyers more choices and likely lead to a slowing down of price growth as bidding wars continue to taper.
- When compared to the same period a year ago, price growth was strongest in Mason County, which was up 17.4%. Eleven other counties experienced double-digit price growth.
- Mortgage rates, which had been rising significantly since the start of the year, have leveled off over the past month. I believe rising rates are likely the reason that inventory levels are rising, as would-be sellers believe that this could be the right time to cash out. That said, the slowing in rate increases has led buyers to believe that rates will not jump soon, which gives them a little more breathing room. I do not expect to see any possible slowdown in demand until mortgage rates breach the 5% mark.
DAYS ON MARKET
- The average number of days it took to sell a home dropped by seven days compared to the same quarter of 2017.
- King County continues to be the tightest market in Western Washington, with homes taking an average of only 13 days to sell. Every county in the region other than Clallam saw the length of time it took to sell a home drop when compared to the same period a year ago.
- Across the entire region, it took an average of 41 days to sell a home in the second quarter of this year. This is down from 48 days in the second quarter of 2017 and down by 20 days when compared to the first quarter of 2018.
- Across the entire region, it took an average of 41 days to sell a home in the second quarter of this year. This is down from 48 days in the second quarter of 2017 and down by 20 days when compared to the first quarter of 2018.
CONCLUSIONS
This speedometer reflects the state of the region’s
real estate market using housing inventory, price
gains, home sales, interest rates, and larger economic factors. For the second quarter of 2018, I have moved the needle very slightly towards buyers, but it remains firmly a seller’s market. This shift is a function of price growth tapering very slightly, as well as the expectation that we should see more homes come on the market as we move through the balance of the year.
Mr. Gardner is the Chief Economist for Windermere Real Estate, specializing in residential market analysis, commercial/industrial market analysis, financial analysis, and land use and regional economics. He is the former Principal of Gardner Economics, and has more than 30 years of professional experience both in the U.S. and U.K.
Uncategorized •
July 23, 2018
Windermere Foundation Donates Nearly $1 Million in First Half of 2018
Thanks to the generosity of Windermere agents, staff, franchise owners, and the community, the Windermere Foundation has proudly donated a total of $920,351 so far this year to non-profit organizations that provide services to low-income and homeless families. This brings the total amount of money that the Windermere Foundation has raised since 1989 to over $36 million.
Each Windermere office has its own Windermere Foundation fund account that they use to make donations to organizations in their local communities. One such organization in Boise, Idaho is CATCH (Charitable Assistance to Community’s Homeless), whose vision is to end homelessness for families by providing programs that work with local resources to provide stable housing, inspire financial independence, and build on a family’s strength and resilience.
The Windermere Caldwell and Boise Valley offices have worked with CATCH for over six years, with funding support from the Windermere Foundation. These donations help pay for programs that provide hope and support to many families in Idaho’s Treasure Valley…families like Andrea’s. *
Before CATCH, Andrea had come out of an abusive relationship, leaving her to raise her three young children on her own. When they became homeless, they spent six months living out of her car, waiting until a more stable living situation became available. Finally, the call came from Andrea’s case manager that they had been accepted into the CATCH program. Through the program, Andrea had access to resources to help her find housing. After about a month, she was able to find the perfect home for her family.
During her few months in the CATCH program, Andrea said she not only gained housing, but also so much more. “I’ve gained a bigger support system, more love, and knowledge. I’ve gained more strength and responsibility. I learned how to budget, worked at bettering my career, and I didn’t feel alone anymore. But most of all, CATCH has allowed me to put my pride away at times I didn’t need it and accept what I do need, and that is LOVE. I thank the CATCH program for helping me and my family grow stronger.”
Generous donations to the Windermere Foundation over the years have enabled Windermere offices to continue to support local non-profits like CATCH. If you’d like to help support programs in your community, please click on the Donate button.
To learn more about the Windermere Foundation, visit WindermereFoundation.com.
