Community Events • May 27, 2019

Sending Kids to Summer Camp

by Melody Benton

Every year, my office comes together to provide summer camp scholarships for local kids who may not otherwise have the opportunity to experience the adventures of overnight camp. We partner with YMCA Camp Orkila and Camp Colman; local programs dedicated to nurturing the potential of youth, promoting healthy living, and fostering social responsibility.

This year, we collectively donated $16,125 for these camp scholarships. With a Windermere Foundation match of $1,000, our 2019 total of $17,125 is our highest number ever! But that wasn’t the end. An anonymous YMCA donor matched an additional $4,338, bringing us to $21,463 – Wow!

Overall, since 1994, we are responsible for $186,918 in summer camp scholarships for local kids who may be homeless, in transitional living shelters, living through family crisis, or existing within economic means that does not allow them the opportunity to experience the adventures of summer camp that other kids do. I am so proud to be part of an office that cares so deeply for the community!

Community Events • May 5, 2019

2019 Farmer’s Markets Schedules

by Melody Benton

When you shop at a local Farmers Market, you’re buying outstanding freshness, quality and flavor. Knowing exactly where your food comes from and how it was grown provides peace of mind for your family. Plus, you’re supporting a sustainable regional food system that helps small family farms stay in business; protects land from over-development, and provides the community with fresh, healthy food. Find one near you on the list below!

SOUTH SNOHOMISH:

Arlington Farmers Market
Legion Park: 200 N. Olympic Ave
Saturdays. 10am-3pm
June 1 — August 31

Bothell Park Ridge Community Market
Park Ridge Church: 3805 Maltby Road, Bothell
Wednesdays 4pm-8pm
June 5—September 25

Edmonds Garden Market
Historical Museum: 5th & Bell Street
Saturdays 9am-2pm
May 4—June 8

Edmonds Summer Market
Downtown: 5th St from the fountain
Saturdays 9am-3pm
June 15—October 5

Everett Farmers Markets
Boxcar Park: 615 13^th Street
Sundays 11am-4pm
May 12—October 6

Everett Transit Center: 2333 32nd St
Wednesdays 4pm-8pm
June 5—August 28

Marysville Farmer’s Market
Location TBD
Saturdays 10am-2pm
June 22—August 31

Mill Creek Farmer’s Market
City Hall: 15720 Main St.
Tuesdays 3pm-7pm
June 18-August 20

Snohomish Farmers Market
Cedar Ave & Pearl St.
Thursdays 3pm-7pm
May 2—September 26

EASTSIDE:

Bellevue Farmers Market
First Presbyterian: 1717 Bellevue Way NE
Thursdays 3pm-7pm
May 16—October 10

Bellevue Crossroads Farmers Market
East Parking Lot: 15600 NE 8th St
Tuesdays 12pm-6pm
June 4—September 24

Issaquah Farmers Market
Pickering Barn: 1730 10th Ave NW
Saturdays 9am-2pm
May 4—September 28

Juanita Friday Market
Juanita Beach: 9703 NE Juanita Dr
Fridays 3pm-7pm
June 5—September 27

Kirkland Wednesday Market
Marina Park: 25 Lakeshore Plaza
Wednesdays 2pm-7pm
June 7—September 25

Mercer Island Farmers Market
Mercerdale Park: 7700 SE 32nd St
Sundays 10am-3pm
June 2—September 29

Redmond Saturday Market
Redmond Town Center: 7730 Leary Way NE
Saturdays 9am-3pm
May 4—October 26

Sammamish Farmers Market
City Hall Plaza: 801 228th Ave SE
Wednesdays 4pm-8pm
May 8—September 18

Woodinville Farmers Market
DeYoung Park: 13680 NE 175th St
Saturdays 9am-3pm
May 4—September 28

SEATTLE:

Ballard Farmers Market
Ballard Ave NW
Sundays. 10am-3pm
YEAR ROUND

Capitol Hill Broadway Farmers Market
Seattle Central Comm College: Broadway & Pine
Sundays 11am-3pm
YEAR ROUND

Columbia City Farmers Market
37^th Ave S & S Edmunds St
Wednesdays 3pm-7pm
May 8—October 9

Fremont Sunday Market
Corner of 3410 Evanston Ave N
Sundays 10am-4pm
YEAR ROUND

Lake City Farmers Market
125th St and 28th Ave NE
Thursdays 3pm-7pm
June 6—October 3

Lake Forest Park Farmers Market
Third Place Commons: 17171 Bothell Way NE
Sundays 10am-3pm
May 12—October 20

Madrona Farmers Market
1126 Martin Luther King Jr. Way
Fridays 3pm-7pm
May 17—October 11

Magnolia Farmers Market
Magnolia Village: 33rd Ave W & W McGraw
Saturdays. 10am-2pm
June 1—November 23

Phinney Farmers Market
Neighborhood Center: Phinney Ave N
Fridays 3:30pm-7:30pm
June 7—September 27

Pike Place Farmers Market
Pike Place & Pine St
Saturdays 9am-5pm
June 1—November 23

Queen Anne Farmers Market
W Crockett Street & Queen Anne Ave N
Thursdays 3pm-7:30pm
May 30—October 10

Shoreline Farmers Market
15300 Westminster Ave N
Saturdays 10am-3pm
June 8—October 5

University District Farmers Market
University Way NE “the Ave”
Saturdays 9am-2pm
YEAR ROUND

Wallingford Farmers Market
Meridian Park: Meridian Ave N & N 50^th St
Wednesdays 3pm-7pm
May 15—September 25

West Seattle Farmers Market
California Ave SW & SW Alaska St
Sundays 10am-2pm
YEAR ROUND

You can also search for farmers markets in other counties here.

Before planning your visit, be sure to check market websites for possible holiday or weather closures and special events.

Community Events • May 5, 2019

Seed Drive!

by Melody Benton

We are collecting vegetable seeds and starts for the Martha Perry Garden, where volunteers grow thousands of pounds of fresh produce every year for local food banks.

My office will be spending a volunteer day in the garden for our annual Community Service Day in June. In addition to our labor, we will gift them all of the vegetable seeds and starts collected between now and then.

Partial packets of seeds are gladly accepted! All seeds should be no more than a year old, although fresh seeds are preferred.

Wish List:

Basil, Beets, Cabbage, Carrots*, Cauliflower, Chard, Cucumbers, Green Beans, Herbs, Marigolds, Peppers, Radishes, Summer Squash, Snow Peas, Tomatoes, Winter Squash, Zucchini

*High Demand!

Starts of cucumbers, winter & summer squash, cole crops (cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, kale, etc) are especially welcome.

Drop seeds off at my office through June 6th
4211 Alderwood Mall Blvd #110, Lynnwood
Mon-Friday: 8am-5pm & Sat-Sun: 9am-3pm

Windermere Community Service Day is coming! This tradition was established in 1984 to offer agents and staff a chance to volunteer an entire workday to give back to the neighborhoods in which they live and work.

On June 7th, my office will spend the day with the Snohomish Garden Club working on the Martha Perry Veggie Garden, constructing trellises, staking beds, planting, weeding, labeling and sprucing everything up.

Last year, the Snohomish Garden Club provided 8,000 pounds of fresh produce to the Snohomish and Maltby Food Banks. The land for the garden is generously donated by the Bailey Family Farm.

Monthly Real Estate NEWS • Newsletter • May 5, 2019

Monthly Newsletter – April 2019

by Melody Benton

I am pleased to present the first-quarter 2019 edition of the Gardner Report, which provides insights into select counties of the Western Washington housing market. This analysis is provided by Windermere Real Estate Chief Economist Matthew Gardner. I hope that this information will 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 me.

Click to view the full report

When you shop at a local Farmers Market, you’re buying outstanding freshness, quality and flavor. Knowing exactly where your food comes from and how it was grown provides peace of mind for your family. Plus, you’re supporting a sustainable regional food system that helps small family farms stay in business; protects land from development, and provides the community with fresh, healthy food. Find one near you!

We are collecting vegetable seeds and starts for the Martha Perry Garden, where volunteers grow thousands of pounds of fresh produce every year for local food banks.

All seeds should be no more than a year old, although fresh seeds are preferred.
Wish List:

Basil, Beets, Cabbage, Carrots*, Cauliflower, Chard, Cucumbers, Green Beans, Herbs, Marigolds, Peppers, Radishes, Summer Squash, Snow Peas, Tomatoes, Winter Squash, Zucchini

*High Demand!

Starts of cucumbers, winter & summer squash, cole crops (cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, kale, etc) are especially welcome

Thank you!!

Thank you for another successful Shred Day!

Two full truckloads of paper were safely shredded and recycled.

We love providing this service for our clients, friends and neighbors, but what we’re really excited about is how you all gave back to the community. Your donations provided 534 pounds of food and $1,129 to benefit Concern for Neighbors food bank. Thank you!

Quarterly Market Trends • South King County • April 19, 2019

South King County Quarterly Market Trends – Q1 2019

by Melody Benton

Months of inventory has reduced as we finished out the first quarter of 2019. Months of inventory is the amount of months it would take to sell out of homes if no new listings came to market. This illustrates the balance between supply and demand. We peaked at 2.9 months in September of 2018 and found ourselves at 1.2 months this March.

The first quarter of 2019 saw 2,306 new listings and 2,096 pending sales – demand tracked quite well with supply! It remains a seller’s market (0-3 months of inventory), but not as constricted of a market as last year, which saw an average of 0.8 months in the first quarter compared to 1.5 months this year. As we head into spring, we should see continued growth in new listings and demand will be strong, fueled by low interest rates and positive jobs reports.

The second half of 2018 had a large influx of homes that came to market, and an interest rate jump which created a gap between supply and demand. Buyers enjoyed some negotiations and credits in the fall and winter due to more selection, but as interest rates reduced in the first quarter, we saw demand increase. This is helping to absorb inventory and reduce the average days on market it takes to sell a home. Median price is up 7% complete year-over-year, which is still higher than the 4% norm, but much less than the unsustainable 12% gains from 2017 to 2018. This balancing out in the market has been a positive phenomenon as affordability has been a challenge for many. Both sellers and buyers are finding great opportunities in the current market.

This is only a snapshot of the trends in south King County; please contact me if you would like further explanation of how the latest trends relate to you.

Eastside • Quarterly Market Trends • April 19, 2019

Eastside Quarterly Market Trends – Q1 2019

by Melody Benton

Months of inventory has reduced as we finished out the first quarter of 2019. Months of inventory is the amount of months it would take to sell out of homes if no new listings came to market. This illustrates the balance between supply and demand. We peaked at 3.6 months in December of 2018 and found ourselves at 1.5 months this March.

The first quarter of 2019 saw 2,304 new listings and 1,703 pending sales – demand tracked well with supply! It remains a seller’s market (0-3 months of inventory), but not as constricted of a market as last year, which saw an average of 0.9 months in the first quarter compared to 2 months this year. As we head into spring, we should see continued growth in new listings and demand will be strong, fueled by low interest rates and positive jobs reports.

The second half of 2018 had a large influx of homes that came to market, and an interest rate jump which created a gap between supply and demand. Buyers enjoyed some negotiations and credits in the fall and winter due to more selection, but as interest rates reduced in the first quarter, we saw demand increase. This is helping to absorb inventory and reduce the average days on market it takes to sell a home. Median price is up 6% complete year-over-year, which is still higher than the 4% norm, but much less than the unsustainable 14% gains from 2017 to 2018. This balancing out in the market has been a positive phenomenon as affordability has been a challenge for many. Both sellers and buyers are finding great opportunities in the current market.

This is only a snapshot of the trends on the Eastside; please contact me if you would like further explanation of how the latest trends relate to you.

Quarterly Market Trends • Seattle Metro • April 19, 2019

Seattle Metro Quarterly Market Trends – Q1 2019

by Melody Benton

Months of inventory was reduced as we finished out the first quarter of 2019. Months of inventory is the amount of months it would take to sell out of homes if no new listings came to market. This illustrates the balance between supply and demand. We peaked at 2.5 months in November of 2018 and found ourselves at 1.2 month this March.

The first quarter of 2019 saw 2,456 new listings and 1,892 pending sales – demand tracked quite well with supply! It remains a seller’s market (0-3 months of inventory), but not as constricted of a market as last year, which saw an average of 0.7 months in the first quarter compared to 1.5 months this year. As we head into spring, we should see continued growth in new listings and demand will be strong, fueled by low interest rates and positive jobs reports.

The second half of 2018 had a large influx of homes that came to market, and an interest rate jump which created a gap between supply and demand. Buyers enjoyed some negotiations and credits in the fall and winter due to more selection, but as interest rates reduced in the first quarter, we saw demand increase. This is helping to absorb inventory and reduce the average days on market it takes to sell a home. Median price is up 5% complete year-over-year, which is still higher than the 4% norm, but much less than the unsustainable 16% gains from 2017 to 2018. This balancing out in the market has been a positive phenomenon as affordability has been a challenge for many. Both sellers and buyers are finding great opportunities in the current market.

This is only a snapshot of the trends in the Seattle Metro area; please contact me if you would like further explanation of how the latest trends relate to you.

North King County • Quarterly Market Trends • April 19, 2019

North King County Quarterly Market Trends – Q1 2019

by Melody Benton

The first quarter of 2019 saw 1,667 new listings and 1,325 pending sales – demand tracked well with supply! It remains a seller’s market (0-3 months of inventory), but not as constricted of a market as last year, which saw an average of 0.7 months in the first quarter compared to 1.4 months this year. As we head into spring, we should see continued growth in new listings and demand will be strong, fueled by low interest rates and positive jobs reports.

The second half of 2018 had a large influx of homes that came to market, and an interest rate jump which created a gap between supply and demand. Buyers enjoyed some negotiations and credits in the fall and winter due to more selection, but as interest rates reduced in the first quarter, we saw demand increase. This is helping to absorb inventory and reduce the average days on market it takes to sell a home. Median price is up 6% complete year-over-year, which is still higher than the 4% norm, but much less than the unsustainable 14% gains from 2017 to 2018. This balancing out in the market has been a positive phenomenon as affordability has been a challenge for many. Both sellers and buyers are finding great opportunities in the current market.

This is only a snapshot of the trends in north King County; please contact me if you would like further explanation of how the latest trends relate to you.

North Snohomish County • Quarterly Market Trends • April 19, 2019

North Snohomish County Quarterly Market Trends – Q1 2019

by Melody Benton

Months of inventory was reduced as we finished out the first quarter of 2019. Months of inventory is the amount of months it would take to sell out of homes if no new listings came to market. This illustrates the balance between supply and demand. We peaked at 2.5 months in September of 2018 and found ourselves at 0.9 month this March.

The first quarter of 2019 saw 934 new listings and 921 pending sales – demand tracked quite well with supply! It remains a seller’s market (0-3 months of inventory), but not as constricted of a market as last year, which saw an average of 0.9 months in the first quarter compared to 1.4 months this year. As we head into spring, we should see continued growth in new listings and demand will be strong, fueled by low interest rates and positive jobs reports.

The second half of 2018 had a large influx of homes that came to market, and an interest rate jump which created a gap between supply and demand. Buyers enjoyed some negotiations and credits in the fall and winter due to more selection, but as interest rates reduced in the first quarter, we saw demand increase. This is helping to absorb inventory and reduce the average days on market it takes to sell a home. Median price is up 9% complete year-over-year, which is higher than the 4% norm, but much less than the unsustainable 12% gains from 2017 to 2018. This balancing out in the market has been a positive phenomenon as affordability has been a challenge for many. Both sellers and buyers are finding great opportunities in the current market.

This is only a snapshot of the trends in north Snohomish County; please contact me if you would like further explanation of how the latest trends relate to you.

Quarterly Market Trends • South Snohomish County • April 16, 2019

South Snohomish County Quarterly Market Trends – Q1 2019

by Melody Benton

Months of inventory was reduced as we finished out the first quarter of 2019. Months of inventory is the amount of months it would take to sell out of homes if no new listings came to market. This illustrates the balance between supply and demand. We peaked at 2.8 months in September of 2018 and found ourselves at 1 month this March.

The first quarter of 2019 saw 1,708 new listings and 1,547 pending sales – demand tracked quite well with supply! It remains a seller’s market (0-3 months of inventory), but not as constricted of a market as last year, which saw an average of 0.6 months in the first quarter compared to 1.3 months this year. As we head into spring, we should see continued growth in new listings and demand will be strong, fueled by low interest rates and positive jobs reports.

The second half of 2018 had a large influx of homes that came to market, and an interest rate jump which created a gap between supply and demand. Buyers enjoyed some negotiations and credits in the fall and winter due to more selection, but as interest rates reduced in the first quarter, we saw demand increase. This is helping to absorb inventory and reduce the average days on market it takes to sell a home. Median price is up 6% complete year-over-year, which is still higher than the 4% norm, but much less than the unsustainable 15% gains from 2017 to 2018. This balancing out in the market has been a positive phenomenon as affordability has been a challenge for many. Both sellers and buyers are finding great opportunities in the current market.

This is only a snapshot of the trends in south Snohomish County; please contact me if you would like further explanation of how the latest trends relate to you.

Sending Kids to Summer Camp

2019 Farmer’s Markets Schedules

Seed Drive!

South King County Quarterly Market Trends – Q1 2019

Eastside Quarterly Market Trends – Q1 2019

Seattle Metro Quarterly Market Trends – Q1 2019

North King County Quarterly Market Trends – Q1 2019

North Snohomish County Quarterly Market Trends – Q1 2019

South Snohomish County Quarterly Market Trends – Q1 2019

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